Dark 109 Pokemon

Dark Type Pokemon GO

All 109 Dark-type Pokemon — stats, weaknesses & best movesets

Weak to Bug 1.6x Fairy 1.6x Fighting 1.6x

Resists Psychic 0.39x Dark 0.62x Ghost 0.62x

Dark-type Pokemon GO is one of the most flexible attacking types in the game. Dark moves are super-effective against Psychic and Ghost — the same coverage as Bug, but with higher overall DPS thanks to attackers like Mega Tyranitar, Hydreigon, Yveltal, and Shadow Weavile. Dark types also resist Psychic and Ghost moves themselves, making Dark attackers the safest pick for Mewtwo and Origin Giratina raids. Signature Dark moves include Foul Play, Brutal Swing, Dark Pulse, Crunch, Bite, and Sucker Punch. Dark types are weak to Bug, Fairy, and Fighting, with Fairy and Fighting being especially common attacking types in PvP and raids.

#0019 Rattata (Alola) Alola

#0020 Raticate (Alola) Alola

#0052 Meowth (Alola) Alola

#0053 Persian (Alola) Alola

#0088 Grimer (Alola) Alola

#0089 Muk (Alola) Alola

#0130 Mega Gyarados Mega

#0146 Moltres (Galarian) Galarian

#0198 Shadow Murkrow Shadow

#0211 Qwilfish (Hisuian) Hisuian

#0215 Shadow Sneasel Shadow

#0228 Shadow Houndour Shadow

#0229 Mega Houndoom Mega

#0229 Shadow Houndoom Shadow

#0248 Mega Tyranitar Mega

#0248 Shadow Tyranitar Shadow

#0261 Shadow Poochyena Shadow

#0262 Shadow Mightyena Shadow

#0263 Zigzagoon (Galarian) Galarian

#0264 Linoone (Galarian) Galarian

#0274 Shadow Nuzleaf Shadow

#0275 Shadow Shiftry Shadow

#0302 Mega Sableye Mega

#0302 Shadow Sableye Shadow

#0318 Shadow Carvanha Shadow

#0319 Mega Sharpedo Mega

#0319 Shadow Sharpedo Shadow

#0332 Shadow Cacturne Shadow

#0342 Shadow Crawdaunt Shadow

#0359 Mega Absol Mega

#0359 Shadow Absol Shadow

#0430 Shadow Honchkrow Shadow

Best Dark-Type Attackers in Pokemon GO

The top Dark attackers are Mega Tyranitar, Mega Houndoom, Yveltal, Hydreigon, and Shadow Tyranitar. Mega Tyranitar (Rock/Dark) with Bite and Brutal Swing has the highest Dark DPS in the game and doubles as a top Rock attacker. Mega Houndoom (Dark/Fire) with Snarl and Crunch flexes between Dark and Fire roles. Yveltal (Dark/Flying) with Snarl and Dark Pulse is the best non-Mega Dark attacker. Hydreigon with Bite and Brutal Swing is a strong budget Dark option. Shadow Tyranitar, Shadow Weavile (Dark/Ice), and Shadow Hydreigon round out the Shadow tier.

Dark Type in PvP & GO Battle League

Dark types are PvP heavyweights. Sableye (Ghost/Dark) is one of the top three Great League Pokemon ever. Skuntank (Poison/Dark) and Mandibuzz (Dark/Flying) anchor open Great and Ultra League cores. Drapion (Poison/Dark), Pangoro (Dark/Fighting), and Krookodile (Dark/Ground) flex into specialty cups. In Master League, Yveltal, Hydreigon, and Mega Tyranitar lead the Dark charge. Galarian Moltres (Dark/Flying) is a Daily Adventure Incense rarity that surprises with Brave Bird and Sky Attack. Hoopa Unbound (Psychic/Dark) brings unique typing to limited formats. Houndoom and Mightyena offer budget Great League play.

Dark Strengths, Weaknesses & Strategy

Dark attackers shine against Psychic (Mewtwo, Lugia, Latios, Cresselia) and Ghost (Origin Giratina, Mega Gengar, Trevenant). They are 1.6× weak to Bug, Fairy, and Fighting — and Dark/Flying duals like Yveltal take 4× damage from Electric and Ice. Foggy weather boosts Dark by 1.2× alongside Ghost. Avoid Dark attackers against Crowned Zacian, Xerneas, Togekiss, Mega Lucario, Conkeldurr, and Genesect. Dark is the safest type to use against Mewtwo since most Dark attackers (Tyranitar, Hydreigon, Yveltal) resist Psychic and hit super-effectively at the same time. Dark/Steel duals are non-existent in Pokemon GO (regrettably).

Notable Dark Pokemon & Community Day Highlights

Dark Community Days have included Larvitar → Tyranitar with Smack Down (Rock/Dark dual typing makes it a Dark CD too), Sneasel → Weavile with Avalanche, Houndour → Houndoom, Poochyena → Mightyena with Play Rough, Purrloin → Liepard, Deino → Hydreigon with Brutal Swing, Pawniard → Bisharp, and Inkay → Malamar. Mega Tyranitar debuted in 2022 and is still considered the best Mega Dark attacker. Mega Houndoom and Mega Absol appear in Mega Raid rotations. Yveltal arrived in 2024 with Brave Bird-tier raid attacks. Hoopa Unbound was the first Elite Raid in 2022. Shadow Tyranitar is one of the most-farmed Pokemon during Take Over events.

Dark Type — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Dark-type attacker in Pokemon GO?

Mega Tyranitar is the strongest Dark attacker in the game thanks to its Rock/Dark dual typing and Bite/Brutal Swing moveset. Yveltal is the best non-Mega Dark attacker. Shadow Tyranitar is the top Shadow option for trainers who farmed during Team Rocket events.

Why is Dark good against Psychic and Ghost?

Dark-type moves deal 1.6× damage to both Psychic and Ghost types, and Dark types resist Psychic and Ghost moves themselves. This makes Dark attackers the safest and highest-DPS counter to Mewtwo, Lugia, Latios, Origin Giratina, and Mega Gengar raids — they hit hard and survive multiple charged moves.

What are Dark types weak to?

Dark types take 1.6× damage from Bug, Fairy, and Fighting moves. Yveltal (Dark/Flying) takes 4× from Electric and Ice. Mega Tyranitar (Rock/Dark) takes 4× from Fighting. Common counters include Mega Heracross, Genesect, Crowned Zacian, Xerneas, Mega Lucario, and Conkeldurr.

Is Yveltal worth powering up?

Yes. Yveltal with Snarl and Dark Pulse (or legacy Hurricane) is the best non-Mega Dark attacker in the game and a top-tier Master League PvP pick. Its Dark/Flying typing resists Bug, Ghost, Dark, Psychic, and Grass, making it one of the most defensively flexible legendaries in raids and PvP.

What weather boosts Dark-type moves?

Fog weather boosts Dark-type moves by 1.2× alongside Ghost moves. Fog is the rarest weather condition in the game, making Foggy windows extremely valuable for grinding Larvitar, Houndour, Deino, and Pawniard Community Days, and for running Mega Tyranitar in raids.