What is a good moveset for Gengar?

Question

Share your best competitive movesets for Gengar on this thread! Movesets for Mega Gengar can also be posted here, as well as for Gastly and Haunter.

Check the submission guidelines before posting! Only competitive movesets with all relevant details (item, nature, exact EVs, ability, moves) and a solid explanation will be accepted.

Gengar Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Gengar-Mega @ Gengarite
Ability: Cursed Body
Timid Nature
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
- Hex
- Sludge Wave
- Hidden Power [Fighting] / Energy Ball
- Destiny Bond / Any High Power SpAtk move

• Hex: Power doubles if the target is crippled, for this reason, get a Pokémon to set up Poison Barbs
• Sludge Wave: STAB, good for single battles
• HP Fighting / Energy Ball: Cover weakness
• Destiny Bond / Any High Power SpAtk move: Last Trick to Pokemon you can't kill or further coverage

Comments

Energy ball doesn't cover weaknesses. Also thunderbolt civers more stuff. I get the hex gimmik, but toxic spikes can be removed by any grounded poison type so shadow ball is more reliable. I don't think High Power special attack move is a good enough description for a move. I doubt destiny bond if good on gengar, but it serves a purpose.

Sludge wave is a spread move, so why is it better for singles? Gengar is better for singles, but sludge wave is better in doubles. Not saying sludge wave is bad in singles, but it's just better in doubles because of spread.

Answer 2

SubPlot

Gengar @ Black Sludge / Life Orb / Spell Tag / Air Balloon
Ability: Cursed Body
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Substitute
- Nasty Plot
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast

Sub up, Nasty Plot, and start breaking things. Shadow Ball and Focus Blast give perfect coverage against all Pokemon with at least neutral damage.

Answer 3

Gen VI

Gengar @ Black Sludge
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Shadow Ball / Focus Blast
- Sludge Bomb
- Hex
- Pain Split

Black Sludge obviously for healing
Shadow Ball/Focus Blast - Shadow Ball is STAB with reliable power, Focus Blast for Dark coverage
Sludge Bomb - STAB, with 30% Poison chance
Hex - STAB, for after a target is poisoned to give boosted power over Shadow Ball
Pain Split - Personally, I just didn’t like his other healing options and this helps against Steel/Poison types

Comments

Gengar is way too frail to abuse Pain Split

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I was planning on using this in Doubles or Triples, using his speed to take some HP to leave the target more vulnerable for cleanup from your partner

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Pain split splits your hp. If gengar is at full hp, you will be healing the opponent

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Gengar at full HP with this set would be lower than most Pokemon so I think using pain split, it would come out with a higher percentage of HP than the target

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I don't think that's how it works

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If both Pokémon are at full HP, Gengar with this set has 136 at Lvl 50, if the target has say 160 HP, they would be averaged (136+160)/2=148 HP for both, so the higher the difference in their overall HP, the more the target loses

Answer 4

Gengar-Mega @ Gengarite
Ability: Shadow Tag
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Encore
- Substitute
- Perish Song
- Shadow Ball

If the opponent is about to set up, use Substitute. Use encore to lock them on to the setup move. Kill them with Shadow Ball or Perish Song.

Comments

if you want to use encore, you should include disable as well in order to force the opponent to struggle and annoy them to the max :)

Answer 5

Gengar (M) @ Gengarite
Ability: Cursed Body -- Shadow Tag
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature (+Speed, -Atk)
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Bomb
- Thunderbolt
- Dazzling Gleam

Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb are powerful and STAB. Thunderbolt is good coverage and Dazzling Gleam is excellent coverage.

Answer 6

Gen 1 NU
Gastly
- Explosion
- Hypnosis
- Thunderbolt
- Mega Drain / Psychic
Well this isn't for LC so I'll post it here. Explosion is a nuke when it is at low health, Hypnosis is high risk high reward as it can make the opponent sleep, but it has shaky accuracy, Thunderbolt is coverage for Blastoise, Charizard, Dewgong, Poliwhirl, Fearow, Kabutops, Kingler, Moltres, Seadra, and Aerodactyl, Mega Drain beats Golem, a Pokemon it usually struggles with, while extending its life, while Psychic can beat Nidoking and Venomoth.
Source: https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/rby-nu-alpha-viability-ranking-mk-ii.3679758/page-2
I used the source to find out what its coverage moves cover.

Answer 7

Here's mine:

Gengar @ Gengarite
Ability: Cursed Body
EVs: 252 SpD / 252 SpA / 4SpDef
Nature: Timid
- Focus Blast: Coverage
- Dazzling Gleam: Extra Coverage
- Sludge Bomb: Kills fairies + STAB
- Shadow Ball: Further Coverage + STAB

Please tell me if this is good and if this Pokémon needs any improvements:)
Thank You!

Comments

This is a really good set, but Night Shade would do better since it does 100 damage, instead of Shadow Ball’s 80

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Ok thanks FlyinSquirl.

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Night Shade only does 100 HP worth damage, while Shadow Ball's 80 BP. Shadow Ball generally does higher damage at level 100 to other Pokemon.

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Oh I misread the description sorry bout that.

Answer 8

(gengar build I use) Gengar (M) @ Wise Glasses
Ability: Cursed Body
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Thunderbolt
- Sludge Wave
- Dazzling Gleam
(Rambling overview) - Gengar is one of the most underrated Pokémon as of Gen 8. Like, Gengar has been tampered and nerfed like crazy for the past last generations. we lost levitate! His mega evolution! A freaking faster ghost Pokémon (shadow rider Calyrex )
However this build gives that missing love back to Gengar. (Sadly no levitate )
(Moveset) - Uh hem anyways, Shadow ball for the main stab, I mean come on, it is shadow ball. Thunderbolt for coverage against water types. Sludge wave as another stab and a nice adjacent hit. Dazzling gleam for another coverage move and adjacent hit against dark types.
(Nature + Held item) - His nature boosts his speed in order to aim for a faster hit against enemies while also staying strong in special attack with gengar’s held item; wise glasses. I didn’t choose choice specs (which is also another gold choice) because I’d rather be a sweeper then a choice Pokémon . And a lot of Pokémon are non effective to poison.
Mega gengar build

Gengar (F) @ Gengarite
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Wave
- Toxic
- Substitute

(Mega gengar rambling overview) - This build is based on Gen 6 and below. Anyways, levitate because… yes. Gengarite for that mega gengar legendary stat boost and shadow tag and the HOLY DESIGN OF GREATNESS!
(Moveset) - Shadow ball for stab and spamming (you’ll see why), substitute for stalling with toxic and greater bulk. Sludge wave for stab and adjacent hit.
(Overview of set) - This build just accommodates the amount of speed and special attack this Pokémon has. Basically go into substitute when you mega evolve gengar, then hit a toxic. Then just either use shadow ball or sludge wave, besides, they can’t even escape :) .
(Nature) - With the nature Modest, I can assure you, you’ll K.O at least a few Pokemon, + special attack, - attack.

(Alr that’s it bye )

Answer 9

Gen VII

Gengar @ Gengarite
Ability: Cursed Body
252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest / Timid Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Perish Song
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb

Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb STAB, Perish song to ONLY be used with Mega Gengar (for those times when you are just trying to bring in a back Pokemon) and Giga Drain for healing and ground weakness coverage.)

Answer 10

Shadow Toxin (Gengar) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Cursed Body
Tera Type: Poison
EVs: 96 HP / 236 SpA / 176 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dazzling Gleam
- Thunderbolt
- Sludge Bomb
- Shadow Ball

The Ghost Poison type Gengar, aptly named Shadow Toxin, will start the battle doing absolutely whatever he needs to do in terms of moves. Equipped with Black Sludge and Dazzling Gleam, Dark Pulse, Sludge Bomb and Shadow Ball, Gengar has many capabilities. STAB moves, and potential to flinch and hit both opponents in doubles. The Rash Nature boosts his offensive capabilities while also evening out defenses the best he can. Cursed Body is literally it's only ability so not much variety there.

Comments

Can you explain why you use the EV spread you use? Why Black Sludge over a more offensive item? Why in the world would you use Rash nature over something like Timid or Modest?

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Oh yeah Black sludge hurts you when you tera ghost

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Dark moves are kinda useless on Ghost types since they literally don't cover anything. Maybe Thunderbolt or Psychic can replace it.

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@Mr. Fish To be quite honest, I usually try to even out defenses with EVs and Nature.  Just so my pokemon can take hits equally hard early in the battle.  Black Sludge is just a favored Poison item of mine

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@Ferrari Excellent point.  I'll change the Tera around

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@DavidVileplume You make a great point.  I gotta change my Spiritomb and Houndstone now but Gengar first

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Investing in defense is good, but there's very few situations (if any) where you would want to lower your defenses. Gengar is frail enough as it is, it'd be better to invest more in its offenses so it can do as much damage before going down. Trying to even out defenses is dumb, because making it have less defense will only mean it will get taken out easier. No offense meant...

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@Mr. Fish None taken man.  I'll update it right quick

Answer 11

Gengar (M/F) @ gengarite/lens scope/micle berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- hex
- hypnosis
- dream eater
- destiny bond

I made this for my ex gf, but she never used, I use this gengar in every game and hacks, for me, he is really good, I was never disappointed by him

Answer 12

Well, The Strategy is Simple (This is My Gengar of Pokémon Quetzal With the only difference that I use Gengarianite instead of Focus Sash)

GEEENGAR! (M) @ Focus Sash
EVs: 252 SpA 252 Spe And 4 HP
IVs: 0 Atk
Nature: Modest or Timid (Modest is for more Offensive)
Ability: Cursed Body (unfortunately)

-Hypnosis
-Nasty Plot
-Shadow Ball
-Dream Eater, Sludge Wave or Or Anything of Your Preference

Well, here the strategy is clear, use Hypnosis to make your enemy sleep like a baby, then use a Nasty Plot to make your Gengar nice and strong, from there it's up to you, you can use Dream Eater for healing and damage, Shadow Ball for STAB, Agility in the fourth slot or some other Buff move to Buff yourself more, In the fourth slot, you can also put some Move for Gengar that offers coverage against any weakness that your team has (For example, Thundebolt if your team is weak against Water Pokes) and lastly, you can be greedy or use more than one Nasty Plot (like two) that's why this Gengar has Focus Sash By the way, in case you use more than one Nasty Plot, if the Enemy wakes up, the Focus Sash will protect you from Hit Kills, anyway I LOVE this Set for Gengar because it's Versatile, and can be used for any team, anyway, bye :3