If all ghost type moves in gen 1-3 are physical, are ghost types like ghastly even worth it?

Question

From what I’ve gathered, all the ghost type moves in fire red are physical, so then are Pokémon like ghastly with abysmally low atk. Stats worth using?

Comments

Are you asking about battling in-game trainers, other people, or something else? I know Gengar is one of the best Pokemon in competitive when it uses special attacks like thunderbolt and ice punch.

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Ghost types have immunity to Fighting (and Normal) type attacks, making them a good pivot for Normal/Steel/Dark/Rock/Ice types, and good counters to Hyper Beam and Explosion. In Gengar's case, it is also immune to Ground, and gets Thunderbolt and Ice Punch, making it a huge threat to Fighting and Ground Types, as well as resisting or immune to more Physical Types than not. Gengar managed to stay in OU for generations 1, 2, and 3, so at least Gengar is worth using. :P

Also, Dusclops, Sheninja, Sableye, and Banette have higher Attack than Special Attack, but they are only in Gen 3. :P

Answer 1

YES.

They are worth using, just pick the right moves.

Don't choose any Attack-stat-using moves. Choose stuff like Psychic, Thunderbolt, Fire Punch and Ice Punch.
Also, Staka has a great Point. Not all Ghost types are Special sweepers. Dusclops (Dusknoir to the uninitiated) has a respectable attack stat, meaning STAB Ghost moves are a good option for him. Banette has a good Attack, and a usable Special Attack. Shedinja has a lower attack, but it's... okay. It's a gimmicky Pokemon, anyway. Sableye doesn't have a usable anything, at least, not is gen 3. All it has is no weakness.

Answer 2

The Ghost type is definitely rubbish in the first 3 gens, but you could use a combination of Hypnosis and Dream Eater to still deal some damage, as well as some STAB poison TMs, and coverage. (Coverage isn't actually needed in Gen 1 because its the only Ghost type along with Haunter and Gengar).
Hope this helped, or you could just ignore Ghastly completely.

Comments

Ghastly/Haunter/Gengar get a lot of special moves like Thunderbolt that can be very useful. Gengar was still in OU in gen 1, 2, and 3. :P

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They were especially good in Gen 1 because the Ghastly line were the only Ghost-types, and Dark type wasn't around yet so you had a minute chance of encountered opponents which were super-effective against you. Foresight also wasn't around to make Normal and Fighting types able to hit them, so with Gengar you could nerf plenty of moves from opponents.

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That's not completely true. Gengar is weak to psychic and earthquake in Generation 1, both of which are very common.

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Oh ok! That definitely clears things up, thank you!

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Happy to help ... assuming I did.
Genger is strong in the other gens.
Hopefully I'm not feeding false information.

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Again, it depends on what you're using it for. Gengar can be good in competitive battles in gens 1, 2, and 3 because it's immune to normal and fighting (and ground in gen 3), learns useful status moves like hypnosis and will-O-wisp, and its thunderbolt is dangerous despite not getting STAB.