PokéBase - Pokémon Q&A
5 votes
1,933 views

Yes, this is probably a weird question. Usually, Pokemon don't run a ghost and dark move because they cover the exact same thing. However, there's only one Pokemon I know of that runs a ghost and dark move on the same set, and that Pokemon is Golurk(specifically the Choice Band variant):

Golurk @ Choice Band
Ability: No Guard
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Poltergeist
- Earthquake
- Heat Crash
- Darkest Lariat

It runs Darkest Lariat alongside Poltergeist in NU to be able to deal damage to itemless Pokemon like Dhelmise, and can get past the defense boosts of Iron Defense + Body Press Bronzong.

Golurk running Poltergeist and Darkest Lariat on the same set made me wonder if there are other Pokemon in Competitive battling that can viably run a Ghost and Dark type move on the same set, and why. I'm not sure what format to specify if this question needs one, but I guess in general the Single Battle formats like AG, Ubers, OU-PU, etc in Gen 8. Also feel free to change the question title if it's confusing. Also, I do not mean status ghost and dark moves, I'm talking about ghost and dark moves that do damage.

Edit: By viable, I mean do the ghost and dark move on the same set serve different purposes. Sorry for not being clear.

by
edited by
Choice band Dragapult is the first one that comes to mind. It runs phantom force and sucker punch. If memory serves, Spectrier used to run both dark pulse and shadow ball on subcm sets so that it doesn't get walled by Blissey and the fact that it has a non existent movepool

Other than that, I would imagine that the only scenario where this would happen is priortiy + damaging move. Something like sucker punch + shadow ball or dark pulse + shadow sneak
Choice Band Spiritomb also runs Poltergeist as its main attacking move, while the rest of the choices are Shadow Sneak, Sucker Punch, Foul Play, etc. The latter is still affected by Band and can deal good chunk to physical attackers, while Shadow Sneak can pick up weakened foes, Sucker Punch can do a bit more damage especially vs choice locked opponents.

Marshadow in USUM Ubers / AG runs Pursuit alongside Ghost STAB in Spectral Thief as its useful for trapping foes like Lunala, defense dropped weakened MRay trying to switch, etc.
Decidueye can run Knock Off and Shadow Ball on specs sets in RU/NU (can’t remember) in gen 8, according to Smogon
I don't think this question can really be answered, because the word "viable" is not very well defined.
Would being on a smogon analysis work as "viable"?
The list'll be long, as some Pursuit users do run Ghost-type moves, like Marshadow, Banette-Mega. Some Pokémon also run Knock Off + a Ghost- move, and as sumwun said defining "viable" would be an issue.

1 Answer

1 vote
 
Best answer

After a lot of searching and asking on various forums, this is what I came to understand and know - Of all the Pokemon who run a Ghost and Dark move together, 99% of time they are Ghost 'mons. They do this mainly because of three reasons, those being:

1) For dual STABs, example being Spiritomb.
2) A barren movepool. For example, Spectrier. As we all know, Spectrier has a very barren movepool, and that forces it to run a Ghost + Dark move.
3) This is the most common reason I noticed, it being the sheer utility Dark moves provide. For example, Golurk running Darkest Lariat to take care of Iron Defense + Body Press Bronzong, and Dragapult running Sucker Punch to take care of faster 'mons. This used to be most common in gens where Pursuit existed, as seen in this gen 7 Marshadowset, again for its sheer utility. But, as you asked Gen 8 'mons, I'll leave that out. Some p ghost 'mons also run Knock Off as seen in this Decidueye set.

So, to answer your question, it is mostly Ghost 'mons who run a Ghost + Dark move, examples including Spiritomb, Spectrier, Golurk and Decidueye. Examples in Gen 7 include Marshadow and Mega Banette

Hope I helped :)

by
selected by
Interesting. Thanks.