What is a good moveset for Gengar?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Gengar, post an answer below and upvote the best ones. Movesets for any of its pre-evolutions can also be shared on this thread.

Be sure to include full set details in your post, e.g. items, abilties, natures and EVs. Some detail, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Gengar Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Comments

Gengar (F) @ Gengarite
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Bomb
- Dazzling Gleam
- Energy Ball

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Why has no one put destiny bond? Focus sash and destiny bond is a brilliant combo!

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Gengar (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Timid Nature
-Toxic
-Venoshock
-Hex
-Destiny Bond
Happy?
This move set is actually pretty good since Venoshock and Hex benefit from Toxic, doubling its 65 power to a whopping 130 and Toxic to finish the job if it survives a hit.

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ppl keep in mind ... its not nicknamed MISSnosis without reasons ...

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This needs to be asked again as a separate question for Gen VII Gengar, as the change to it's ability makes a big difference

Answer 1

Gengar does not do mixed sweeping or even physical - it is a waste of his amazing special attack. A good set is:

Shadow Ball (STAB)

Energy Ball (covers ground in case of gravity and is a great move regardless)

Thunderbolt (a strong reliable move with a chance of paralysis)

Psychic (another strong and reliable move)
or Sludge Bomb (which has STAB but bad coverage)
or Focus Blast (which covers dark but is in accurate with low pp)
or Hidden Power fighting (which has high accuracy but low power)

Comments

I dont think you should worry about gravity that much...not many people use it

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trachy no never put explosion on Gengar it's not a good choice
Destiny Bondade is better to take a fiel with you also Explosion is physical so it won't do many damage and it's normal type so it don't affects ghost types. I prefer a Swepper Mega Gengar it's a monster so powerfull.

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This is My Gengar

Gengar @ Gengarite
Timid Nature (+Speed, -Attack)
EVs: 4 HP, 252 SpAttack, 252 Speed
- Shadow Ball (STAB, might lower SpDefense)
- Dazzling Gleam (deals with dragon types)
- Sludge Wave (stronger then sludge bomb, STAB, small chance to poison)
- Psychic (deals with fighting types, might lower SpDefense)

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Then answer, not comment

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Well I have My Gengar moveset us
Nature: Serious
Item held: Wide lens
Lowers the Attack but you gain a lot more Sp Atk and your speed is still very good as well
Drain punch - Weaknesses Ice,dark,rock,steel types
Sucker Punch - Weaknesses Psychic,ghost types
Shadow ball as stabber busy still pretty powerful because the Sp Atk - Weaknesses Ghost,psychic types
Curse for moments where if you end up having to go last resort if your very low health - Weaknesses well we should all know guys that Curse is not really a type but very handy when in last resort mode as I mentioned
But my type of Gengar is one hit kinda type of Gengar and so far it has been successful on its 1 hits and has been at its last resort move which everyone can’t stand because it drains your health by quiet abit not a lot though
 Wide lens is to help improve the Sp Atk moves

Answer 2

Gen V

Gengar (M) @ Choice Scarf

Trait: Levitate

EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd

Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)

• Shadow Ball
• Thunderbolt
• Giga Drain
• Sludge Bomb

Will's Gengar is better, but this is also a useful set. Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb provide STAB. Thunderbolt and Giga Drain provide type coverage, while Giga Drain also heals. Gengar isn't the fastest thing around anymore, but it should outspeed the foe with Choice Scarf. Sweeper EVs.

Comments

My Gengar is exactly the same as yours except I switched thunderbolt with destiny bond! :)

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My Gengar is also the same but with the extra four EV's on Health.

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Gawd... some guy set me up with hypnosis, he battled me when my team was unfinished and full of pokes i didnt want to use. And freaking hell! Hypnosis doesn't even need a turn to kick in, this is why i need a jolteon or something in my team-outstanding speed.

Answer 3

GENGENGENGEN Gengar (M) @ Focus Sash

Trait: Levitate

EVs: 128 HP / 128 Sp.Atk / 252 Spd

Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)

• Hypnosis
• Nightmare
• Hex/Dream Eater/Confuse Ray
• Mean Look

Put your opponent to sleep, trap them with mean look, give them nightmares, Confuse them/eat dat/attack dat, he mad yet?

Comments

*Uses Taunt*

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'Switches out*

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Sends mega garchomp put

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*misses hypnosis 6 times in a row*

Answer 4

• Psychic (strong move)
• Shadow Ball (STAB)
• Dark Pulse (strong move)
• Brick Break or Sludge Bomb (to cover weakness or more STAB) whichever one you want.

Comments

Instead of Brick Break, go with Focus Blast. Otherwise, good moveset.

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You do not need both dark pulse and shadow ball they both cover the same things use shadow ball for more power(becuase of stab) or dark pulse for flinching

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i like it (moveset come to papa)

Answer 5

A Gengars move set is an very easy question to answer!

Sweeping Gengar:

Shadow Ball - STAB
Giga Drain - Coverage
Thunderbolt - Signature Gengar move, MUST HAVE.
Focus Blast - COVERAGE

Sleeping Gengar:

Shadow Ball - STAB
Thunderbolt - Signature Gengar move, MUST HAVE.
Rest - To sleep
Sleep Talk - To do things when asleep

Put-that-pokemon-asleep! Gengar

Hypnosis - Putting things asleep
Dream Eater - Eating things while they are asleep
Shadow Ball - STAB
Thunderbolt - Signature Gengar move, MUST HAVE.

Comments

Make em your play toy.

edit: Item Big Root

Hyponsis
Dream Eater
Shadow Ball
Focus Blast

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T-Bolt is not the signature move of Gengar.

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Ummm...since when was Thunderbolt Gengar's signature move? What about Pikachu, Mewtwo OR quite a lot of other pokemon.

Answer 6

Will's Gengar

Hypnosis-without this, its a waste

Dream Eater-Decent coverage. It provides healing also, makign Gengar bulkier than normal.

Giga Drain-coverage. It also provides healing.

Shadow Ball-STAB

Ability-Levitate

Evs-252 SP ATT 252 Speed 4 HP

Item-Big Root

Comments

This is best Gengar moveset for me.

Answer 7

Gengar holding Choice Specs.
Timid Nature
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Sp.Atk / 252 Speed

• Shadow Ball
• Focus Blast
• Thunderbolt
• Sludge Bomb/Trick

Shadow Ball, Taking care of opposing Ghost and Psychic type Pokemon, Being STAB.
Focus Blast, If you didn't know, A Ghost move along with fighting provide at least neutral coverage on every Pokemon. Covers Steel, Rock, Dark, Ice and and Normal. The drawback is the shaky accuracy, Nevertheless, Better than Hidden Power Fighting.

Thunderbolt hitting super effective on Water types, Flying types.
Sludge Bomb is strong STAB. If you can manage to get Toxic Spikes support, Venoshock is even stronger.
Trick can ruin your opponent, A plus if Gengar gets something good.

Comments

Nice moveset, should this Gengar be Timid or Modest or can be either nature?

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If you are running trick it's probably better to go with timid nature.

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i would run trick then give gengar a toxic orb and then have venoshock instead of thunderbolt (since a water type wont oppose much threat to gengar) to do more damage because of STAB and the pokemon will be poisoned

Answer 8

Gengar

Ability: Levitate
Item: Black Sludge
EV's: 252Sp.Atk/ 252Speed/ 4 Sp.def

Attacks: Shadow ball: STAB, deals with Psychic

Giga Drain: Just to get some life back

Sludge Bomb: STAB

Focus Blast: Coverage

Comments

I personally would use a differant hp because focus blast covers dark and shadow ball covers psychic

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?What would you recommend I change it too?

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Thunderbolts good but so is giga drain

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You upvoted? Thanks

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Might change focus blast to drain punch, should I?

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Pleas don't.

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This is what I did except I had Energy Ball instead because I can't get Giga Drain.

Answer 9

Gengar (M) @ Wise Glasses

Role: Sweeper

Trait: Levitate

EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd

Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)

• Hidden Power [Bug]
• Giga Drain
• Shadow Ball
• Thunderbolt

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Okay, this is a basic Special Sweeper If I've Ever seen one.

HP Bug - Takes down Dark Types, Fighting is also reasonable.

Giga Drain - Gets Hp Back, and Takes out Rock Ground and Water, all basic Feared types to die agaisn't,

Shadow Ball is for STAB and With STAB it takes down 2 of his weaknesses

Thunderbolt - For coverage

Answer 10

Haunter @ Life Orb

Trait: Levitate

EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd

Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)

• Shadow Ball
• Thunderbolt
• Hidden Power [Fighting]
• Destiny Bond

Comments

EVLOITE

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It doesn't have to have an Eviolite, it isn't a rule set in stone.

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Eviolite would take Haunter's depressing 45 and 55 defenses up to a worthless 67.5 and 82.5 respectively and he's not getting any bulk EVs beyond the 4 HP EVs so Life Orb is a lot better so Haunter can dish out some nice damage.

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Total beast in the NU meta game.

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Haunter is awasome!!!!

Answer 11

Haunter (M) @ Eviolite

Role: Bulky Evoilite Sweeper

Trait: Levitate

EVs: 200 Def / 56 SAtk / 200 SDef / 52 Spd

Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)

• Hypnosis
• Dream Eater
• Hex
• Sludge Wave ( EDIT: Just read Will's point about bomb )

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My Favorite Ghost type.

Hypnosis puts them to sleep, leaving you with a powered up Hex or a Dream Eater recovery. Sludge Wave is STAB. Nature and EVs make him slightly bulky. This guy is a beast in the NU Meta game.

Comments

Not a fan of the clashing between Sludge Bomb and Hypnosis. That could put you into some annoying situations against tricky typings.

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Haunter??? This is Gengar...

Answer 12

Gengar (M) @ Life orb / Black Sludge / Wide Lens

Role: Rain Sweeper

Trait: Levitate

EVs: 64 HP / 128 SAtk / 64 SDef / 252 Spd or 252 Sp Atk / 252 Spd / 4 Hp

Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk) or Modest Nature (+SAtk, - Atk )

• Thunder
• Hex
• Hidden Power [Water] or Giga drain ( Black Sludge )
• Focus Blast ( If you sub Giga Drain in, consider HP fighting! )

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Well, here's a naturally beasty ghost, joining the rain squad.
While he has to compete with Jellicent, who has boosted STAB ( Much needed ) he gets Thunder instead of Thunderbolt and a new HP option, that packs a punch.

Hex is my choice of STAB, just because I love the move and it's general idea ( Thunder has a 30% chance to paralyze, so I can always take chances ) but Shadow Ball is a completely fair replacement if you don't like taking those kinds of chances.

HP Water is coverage, while you can sub this for something like Giga drain to break up Swamperts, Quagsires, and the devistating Gastrodon, murderer of all rain.
So that's always an option, it makes him a definite anti-water if you take onto that. You can also consider Black Sludge as an item if you pair him up with Giga Drain.

Focus Blast is your last move slot, Fighting + Ghost coverage is known for being pretty beastly, and that high powered coverage just gets me. I've experimented with Wide Lens with Thunder and Focus Blast, considering that some people can stop my weather, and that screws Gengar all up accuracy wise, but I preffer Life orb. Wide Lens still can work, if you aren't good @ weather wars :D While if you sub in Giga Drain for HP Water, HP Fighting can be fufilling.

Comments

Water Absorb that raises Sp.atk is called Storm Drain.

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Lol, I know that. I mean I've heard the item will make water attacks not hurt you until it's consumed.

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Absorb Bulb doesn't grant immunity to Water type attacks.

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Figured that out recently, meant to edit that, I'll get to it now.

Answer 13

Wow I can't believe no-one has done a set that involves the move trick.

Trickster

Item: Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 Speed, 58 hp, 200 S.attack

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Trick
Will-o-wisp/Hypnosis
Shadow-ball
HP(Fighting)

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Trick is an insanely annoying move in this case even if you dont get to use Trick it benefit Gengar,
but in this case Trick should only be used on Physical Pokemon obviously. Will-o-wisp can annoy Physical Pokemon even more by cutting their attack, while Hypnosis puts them to sleep and allows you to KO them easily. Shadow-ball is the STAB move. HP(Fighting) deals with Steel, Normal, and Dark types that would get in the way otherwise.

Comments

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 14

Sub Petaya Gengar

Sub Petaya Gengar is a new set I have been trying out, and it makes a great sweeper against slower teams, and even some faster ones. The idea is that Gengar already has great speed, so Substitute protects him from being revenge killed by things like Starmie and Priority moves, while also lowering his HP down to activate the Petaya Berry, raising his SAtk and making him extremely deadly.

@ Petaya Berry
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 12 HP / 244 Satk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Ice]/Thunderbolt/Giga Drain/Pain Split
- Substitute*

Pretty straight forward, for the 3rd slot, Thunderbolt and Giga Drain would be for coverage, Giga Drain would be nice for getting you HP back but Thunderbolt hits a little harder, while Pain Split would be for the purpose of regaining HP and doubling as a Sub-Split Gengar.

Answer 15

Zatoichi Gengar

Nature: levitate
Item: Wide Lens

• Shadow ball
• Thunder
• Focus Blast
• Hypnosis

Pretty generic set. The wide lens boosts up the accuracy of thunder, focus blast, and hypnosis, making him a powerful, but still slightly risky sweeper. Then again, every sweeper is kind of risky.

Answer 16

Double/Triple battle

Gengar (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Icy Wind
- Shadow Ball
- Thunderbolt
- Focus Blast

Gengar is one of the most popular double/triple battle Pokemon due to it being a Ghost type with Levitate. It has taken a hit from the last generation with the weakening of Explosion though.
Icy Wind hits multiple foes and slows them down. Shadow ball is STAB. Thunderbolt and Focus Blast are coverage.

Comments

thats my gengars MOVESET :0

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It seems that he posted it before you. Stop trying to accuse people of stuff that they didn't even do.

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Agreed and stop correcting people all the time.

Answer 17

Gengar (M)
Item: Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EV: 4 HP/ 252 Sp. A/ 252 Speed
Sludge Wave
Shadow Ball
Confuse Ray
Thunderbolt
This is what I use. :D

Answer 18

Gengar - Black Sludge

EVs: 252 spatk, 252 spd, 4 HP
Nature: Timid
Ability: Levitate
Moves:
Shadow Ball
Focus Blast
Taunt
Destiny Bond

Shadow Ball is STAB, and Focus Blast is good coverage. Taunt stops foe's from setting up, and it stops most walls/stallers/clerics in their tracks. When you are certain you will be KO'd on the next move, and you can't KO the enemy first, you go down fighting with Destiny Bond. NOTE: This set is more of a suicide assassin, as you will likely be KO'd after taunting, which gives you a great oppurtunity to use Destiny Bond.

Comments

Then wouldn't Focus Sash be a better option??

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yeah but unless you are leading with him hazards usually take that away, and even then sand can take it away. Also, when people see the sash they tend to predict Destiny Bond.

Answer 19

Two Gengars.

#1 Gengar @ Choice Specs

Role : Special Sweeper
Trait : Levitate
EVs : 252 SpAtk, 252 Spd, 4 SpDef
Modest Nature (+Atk,-SpAtk)

Shadow Ball (STAB)
Thunderbolt (Coverage)
Focus Blast (Strong move, Coverage)
Giga Drain (Restore HP)

#2 Gengar @ Focus Sash

Role : Annoyer
Trait : Levitate
EVs : 252 SpDef, 252 Def 4 SpAtk
Bold Nature (+Def,-Atk)

Hypnosis (Set up moves)
Mean Look (No Escape)
Perish Song (Ha you cant switch out)
Shadow Ball (for Taunt)

Comments

The top one you have was gonna be my moveset.

Answer 20

My Gengar is a put-that-Pokemon-to-sleep kind of Gengar, so I hope this helps for any of you who are looking for that:
Trained in: 255 speed and 255 special attack.
Ability: Levitate.
1. Hypnosis; A status move. Puts the Pokemon to sleep.
2. Nightmare; A special attack move. Inflicts a little damage every turn.
3. Dream Eater; A special attack move. Does damage, works well with Nightmare.
4. Shadow Ball; A special attack move. Why wouldn't Gengar have Shadow Ball, anyways?
I didn't choose an item for Gengar, mostly because I don't know what most items do. But I hope this helped out people! (Please keep in mind this is my first post.)