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, abilities, 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 (M) @ Big Root
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Hypnosis
- Dream Eater
- Giga Drain
- Shadow 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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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

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@The Noby you can just use a status affect like swords dance and destiny bond will be useless

Answer 1

Gen V

Gengar (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature (+SpA, -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.

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with hynosis's accuracy I'd much prefer the sweeper builds

Answer 2

GENGENGENGEN (Gengar) (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 128 HP / 128 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature (+Spe, -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*

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@Hex *mega evolves*

Answer 3

Gengar @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
Timid Nature
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
- 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 provides at least neutral coverage on every Pokemon. Covers Steel, Rock, Dark, Ice and and Normal. The drawback is the shaky accuracy. Nevertheless, it's better than Hidden Power [Fighting].

Thunderbolt hitting super effective on Water types and 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 4

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

Trickster

Gengar @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 Spe / 58 HP / 200 SpA
- Trick
- Will-O-Wisp / Hypnosis
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [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. Hidden Power [Fighting] deals with Steel, Normal, and Dark types that would get in the way otherwise.

Comments

Great set! But wouldn't Focus Blast be viable as well in place of HP Fighting?

Answer 5

Gengar @ Black Sludge
Ability: Levitate
Timid Nature
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 SpD
- 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 6

Gengar (M) @ Wise Glasses

Role: Sweeper
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 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.

Hidden Power [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 against

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

Thunderbolt - For coverage

Comments

Wise Glasses provides a boost so small, it's practically negligible. Use Life Orb or Choice Specs.

Answer 7

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.

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

Pretty straightforward, 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 8

Haunter @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 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 9

Haunter (M) @ Eviolite

Role: Bulky Eviolite Sweeper
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 200 Def / 56 SpA / 200 SpD / 52 Spe
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 10

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 11

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 12

Gengar (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
Timid Nature
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
- Sludge Wave
- Shadow Ball
- Confuse Ray
- Thunderbolt

This is what I use. :D

Answer 13

Gengar @ Black Sludge
Ability: Levitate
Timid Nature
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
- Taunt
- Destiny Bond

Shadow Ball is STAB, and Focus Blast is good coverage. Taunt stops foes 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 opportunity 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 14

Two Gengars.

#1 Gengar @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
- Shadow Ball (STAB)
- Thunderbolt (Coverage)
- Focus Blast (Strong move, coverage)
- Giga Drain (Restore HP)

#2 Gengar @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpD / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
- 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 15

Lets try this:

Gengar (M) @ Razor Claw
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
IVs: 0 Def / 0 SpD
- Wonder Room
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Bomb
- Giga Drain

I think this set is really unique because of Wonder Room. First of all, its naive nature and 0 IVs in defense/ special defense gives Wonder Room the ability to make Chanseys, Clefables, Ferrothorns, or any other walls crumble while giving Gengar a lot of defense. Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb for STAB and Giga Drain for extra coverage. This moveset is probably best used against opponents with high defense/special defense, because if not, good luck with 0 IVs in defense/special defense.

Answer 16

Gengar @ Gengarite
Ability: Cursed Body (Good for disabling super effective attacks, until you Mega Evolve of course)
EVs: 6 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Shadow Ball (STAB and coverage for Ghost and Psychic Types)
- Sludge Bomb (STAB and coverage for Grass and Fairy)
- Psychic (Poison and Fighting coverage)
- Giga Drain (Ground, Rock, and Water coverage)

Comments

I already told you that the extra 2 EVs don't matter, right?

Also, I won't be able to finish my RMT by the end of the day. Sorry. :'(

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It's ok, also, did you see that I replaced Blaziken with Aerodactyl? I asked you if you could change Charizard to the new Aerodactyl I put. I think a Pokemon is not truly complete without a total of 510 EVs.

Answer 17

Gengar @ Focus Sash
Ability: Cursed Body
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball (stab)
- Sludge Bomb (stab)
- Focus Blast (coverage)
- Nasty Plot( safe setup with focus sash)

Answer 18

Gengar-Mega @ Gengarite
Ability: Cursed Body -- > Shadow Tag
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Timid Nature

• Shadow Ball
• Sludge Bomb
• Thunder / Thunderbolt
• Hidden Power [Ice] / Icy Wind

Shadow Ball is STAB. Sludge Bomb is STAB and removes Xerneas, plus has a solid chance to Poison. Thunder is less accurate than Thunderbolt, but is stronger and lets Gengar dent or OHKO Pokemon like Arceus-Water, Ho-Oh, Primal Kyogre, and Yveltal, which Thunderbolt cannot achieve. Icy Wind slams Mega Salamence, Rayquaza, and Zygarde, OHKOing them after slight chip damage such as Stealth Rock, and the speed drop makes Dragon Dance attempts obsolete. On the other hand, Hidden Power Ice cleanly OHKOes 44 HP Mega Salamence without any chip and at minimum does 99.1% to Rayquaza. Untransformed Zygarde has a moderate chance to be OHKOed without Stealth Rock.

Comments

great set!

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thanks!

Answer 19

Gengar @ Focus Sash (to hit them twice or call back)
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Modest / Timid
EVs: 252 Spe / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
- Shadow Ball (STAB)
- Will-O-Wisp / Hypnosis (Take down or weaken their physical sweeper)
- Thunderbolt (coverage)
- Energy Ball (coverage)

Note: In a double battle Gengar rules. I use him with an explosive/earthquake Lickilicky.

Answer 20

This is what I use:
Gengar (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
Timid Nature
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 SpD
- Shadow Ball
- Toxic
- Venoshock (One of the most underrated moves in the entire game with over 180 base power when the opponent is poisoned and with STAB)
- Destiny Bond

The basic strategy here is Toxic something, Venoshock it, Shadow Ball it if it survives, rinse and repeat until you're on low HP, then Destiny Bond. If you have a dedicated toxic spiker on your team then set those up and sub toxic out for something like Thunderbolt, Ice Beam or Psychic for better coverage. The bonus to this set is if it looks like you're gonna be OHKO'd first turn, straight away use destiny bond. either you'll outspeed which is the best case scenario, or you'll get knocked down to your focus sash and then use destiny bond which means they can't hit next turn without sacrificing their sweeper.

Comments

If you start the battle with toxic, why not switch shadow ball to hex? Much better base power with the stab.