What is a good moveset for Darkrai?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Darkrai, post an answer below and upvote the best ones. Movesets for its pre-evolutions, if any, 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.

Darkrai Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Darkrai @ Choice Specs
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 6 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dark Pulse
- Thunderbolt / Thunder
- Ice Beam
- Focus Blast / Hidden Power [Fighting]

546.75 S.Attack.... That is just insane! Most people expect to be put to sleep by Darkrai so they switch in a sleep talker or use a Pokemon with Taunt, they will get a nasty surprise when they get a load of Specs boosted Attacks from a base 135 S.Attack stat! Dark-pulse is STAB and get great coverage in Ubers. Thunderbolt is coverage but if you expect or are using Kyogre give him Thunder for some more power. Ice-beam is great Uber coverage. Focus-blast is for powerful coverage but if you are concerned about the accuracy use Hidden-power (Fighting) instead. This set gives you super-effective coverage over 491 Pokemon! Including almost every Pokemon in Uber! (Reshiram is neutral to it).

Comments

Finally a non dark void set, I may use this.
It's thunder is enough to Ohko a kyogre.

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why does everything depend on the nature? thats all i ask

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Most natures boost 1 stat and lowers another. For this set, Timid raises Speed and lowers Attack.

Answer 2

Darkrai @ Salac Berry
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dark Pulse
- Focus Blast
- Nasty Plot
- Substitute

SubSalac Darkrai, AKA The Win Button. The idea is that you come in on something that Darkrai threatens, thus forcing a switch. On the switch you use Substitute, and while you have your Substitute up you can sweep, but should it fade keep replenishing it until the Salac Berry kicks in, and you know have a Darkrai at +1 Speed and +2 Special Attack, only stopped by Blissey/Chansey, and priority moves, so try to make sure you clear the field of anything such as Xtrmekiller or Scizor before setting up with Darkrai. Otherwise, you are free to sweep your heart out with the amazing coverage provided by Focus Blast and Dark Pulse. If you don't like the low accuracy/PP of Focus Blast, Hidden Power [Fighting] is acceptable, but won't hit quite as hard.

Comments

Great Pic!

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y'know, almost all dark types can learn Aerial Ace, (including Darkrai) it counters both of a dark type's weeknesses

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Yes but Darkrai has much better SAtk, and Aerial Ace won't KO any Bug or Fighting types, and there aren't too many of either in Ubers bar the occasional Terrakion or Scizor, neither of which are even weak to Flying.

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late reply and a bump. I call that a win in my book.

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Like a sir o3o

Answer 3

So, Darkrai is pretty good in Ubers. Though the Dark Void nerf made it less used in Ubers. There are a few things around this, but it's not easy. First set, we have the classic Z-Hypnosis Darkrai.

Darkrai @ Psychium Z
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hypnosis
- Nasty Plot
- Dark Pulse
- Focus Blast / Sludge Bomb

This has a 40% chance to fail. First turn, use Z-Hypnosis to put the opponent to sleep and get a speed boost. Then, whether they switch out or not, use Nasty Plot. You now have +2 Sp. Atk and +1 Speed. Dark Pulse is for your main STAB. Focus Blast is for other Darkrai, while Sludge Bomb is for unboosted Xerneas.

Now, here's my second set for Darkrai. Sub-Nasty Plot.

Darkrai @ Leftovers
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Substitute
- Nasty Plot
- Dark Pulse
- Focus Blast / Sludge Bomb

This is similar to the last set. First turn, use Substitute and hope they don't attack you. Then, use Nasty Plot to boost your Sp. Atk. Dark Pulse is STAB. Focus Blast and Sludge Bomb are for the same purpose as last set.

Answer 4

Physical Darkrai?!

Darkrai @ Muscle Band
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Sucker Punch
- X-Scissor / Brick Break
- Rock Slide
- Swords Dance / Dark Void

Anyone else notice that this guy has base 90 Attack? Or were you too distracted by that 135 S.Attack? His Physical offense is pretty good. Sucker-punch is STAB and priority. X-Scissor can be useful in Ubers if you are afraid that your Psychic type foe is not going to use an attacking move while Brick-break provides always good coverage and screen breaking. Rock-slide is coverage especially over Bug types. Swords-dance is for boosting while Dark-void is status.

Comments

why use attack when it's sp. attack stat is greater?

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I'm seemingly surprised that Physical Darkrai is used even when outclassed by all ways by other Phys attackers, Groudon for example...

Answer 5

Darkrai @ Psychium Z
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 60 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 192 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hypnosis
- Spacial Rend / Ice Beam / Psychic / Sludge Bomb
- Dark Pulse
- Nasty Plot

• Hypnosis Putting Foe to Sleep
• Spacial Rend / Ice Beam / Psychic / Sludge Bomb Coverage
• Dark Pulse STAB
• Nasty Plot Special Attack Boost

Immediately use Z-Hypnosis, to try to get the target to sleep. That will enable you to get at least one nasty plot off (unless they have a lum berry). Then you can start sweeping.

Comments

True, but Darkrai is not weak against Dragon...

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Who cares you want coverage only :v

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That is why I put psychic... And also Spacial rend has high crit chance.

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But Ice Beam is, by far, a better move as it grants more coverage than hitting just Dragon Types.

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Spacial Rend Darkrai? Is this from an event or something?

Answer 6

Darkrai @ Leftovers / Life Orb / Focus Sash
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 4HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dark Void
- Dark Pulse
- Dream Eater
- Focus Blast / Hidden Power [Fighting] / Ice Beam

• Dark void (Puts the foe to sleep, works good with Bad dreams and Dream eater)
• Dark Pulse (STAB, Good power and accuracy, chances do flinch)
• Dream eater (Coverage, heals HP, amazing power and accuracy)
• Focus Blast / HP Fighting / Ice beam (Coverage, you choice)

Answer 7

Darkrai @ Leftovers
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 252 HP / 126 SpA / 126 Spe
Mild Nature
- Dark Void
- Substitute
- Calm Mind
- Dark Pulse

You can sweep anything that dark is effective against if you use Dark Void to put it to sleep, and then use Substitute and spam Calm Minds until it wakes up, and then you use Dark Pulse.

Answer 8

Darkrai: The most annoying Pokemon you will ever encounter. Even more annoying than Psycho Shift Cresselia. Somehow...

Darkrai @ Big Root
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Dark Void
- Dream Eater
- Nightmare
- Dark Pulse / Shadow Ball

• Dark Void (screw you Insomnia pokes... you ruin everything...)
• Dream Eater (reliable regen)
• Nightmare (TROLOLOLOLOLOL...)
• Dark Pulse / Shadow Ball (You don't want to be Taunt bait, do you? Oh wait, that's right, they're asleep...)

Basically, he's made for screwing people. I have more rage quit victories than actual victories because of Darkrai and only Darkrai. I have proven this set over and over again.

Comments

This is super gimmicky set and not particularly reliable at all. I'd prefer to use a proven set thanks.

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If you say this is a gimmicky set, I'd like you to show me a proven set. Check lobster44's Sleep Inducer set. Mine is gimmicky, then so is his. If my wins didn't keep getting reset, then I could show you what I mean. (haven't been on Showdown! for a while now...)

Answer 9

I would say that this is pretty good (this is the first time I've done this so lay off a little bit)

Darkrai @ Zoom Lens
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Quiet Nature
- Dark Void
- Nightmare
- Dream Eater
- Brick Break / Focus Blast / Power-up Punch

Dark Void is the key move of this set. 80% accuracy which is higher than Hypnosis (60%) and Sing (55%). The Zoom Lens, however, gives it even more accuracy, pretty much meaning it gets them to sleep every time.

Nightmare coupled with Bad Dreams can do some serious accumulative damage.

Dream Eater is a means to heal yourself from the previous attack (if there was one most likely will be) and does serious damage at 90 base power.

Brick Break / Focus Blast / Power-up Punch are just in case a Dark-type comes along, as Psyychic doesn't affect Dark and Dream eater is Psychic-type move.

So there is my moveset, which is pretty handy.

Constructive criticism would be appreciated.

Answer 10

Gen 7 / 8

Darkrai @ Wide Lens / Big Root
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid / Modest Nature
- Dark Pulse
- Dream Eater
- Hypnosis
- Nightmare

• Dark Pulse: STAB, chance to flinch.
• Dream Eater: Healing, and high power when used right.
• Hypnosis: "You expected Dark Void, BUT IT WAS ME, HYPNOSIS!"
• Nightmare: Extra sleep damage to the opponent.

(Hypnosis has 10 more Accuracy than Dark Void, and on top of that, Darkrai already has increased Accuracy due to Wide Lens. Feedback is appreciated.)

Answer 11

Gen 9 Monotype Choice Attacker

Darkrai @ Choice Scarf / Choice Specs
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Timid Nature
- Dark Pulse
- Sludge Bomb
- Psychic / Ice Beam
- Trick / Focus Blast

Well, Darkrai is allowed in Gen 9 Monotype and is decent there, so here is the standard choice item set it uses. Dark Pulse is Darkrai's only good Special Dark STAB, with having a 20% chance to flinch opposing Pokemon. Sludge Bomb allows Darkrai to hit Fairy-types such as Iron Valiant, Azumarill, Clefable, Grimmsnarl, and Enamorus super effectively. Psychic gives Darkrai a coverage move to hit Fighting-types such as Iron Hands, Great Tusk, Okidogi, Sneasler, Zamazenta, and Kommo-o super effectively. Ice Beam can be used instead to hit Dragon- and Flying-types such as Landorus/Landorus-Therian, Gliscor, Kommo-o, Garchomp, and Dragonite super effectively. Trick allows Darkrai to screw up its defensive checks by giving them a Choice item to lock them into one move. Focus Blast is an option to let Darkrai hit Dark-types such as opposing Darkrai, Kingambit, Ting-Lu, and Chien-Pao super effectively. Choice Scarf allows Darkrai to serve as speed control for Dark teams, while Choice Specs give immediate power to Darkrai's attacks.

Answer 12

Darkrai @ Leftovers
Ability: Bad Dreams
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 160 HP / 212 Def / 12 SpA / 124 SpD
Modest Nature
- Dark Void / Hypnosis
- Nasty Plot
- Dark Pulse
- Will-o-wisp

Hypnosis can be used in place of dark void, but either way sleep control is nice, especially with bad dreams.
nasty plot boosts your main damage output, dark pulse, with stab and a nice flinch chance. will-o-wisp is useful for breaking physical walls or just for dealing constant chip damage, while increasing your survivability through the attack drop.

Comments

A. Sleep is banned
B. One attacking move for Nasty Plot is horrible

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Agreed, OP, you could go for protect if this is a doubles format and you could regain half due to leftovers while they loose it, or you could use one if its many coverage moves like ice beam or shadow ball

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I mean, OP never specified what format this is for, so it could be for a format where sleep isn't banned (i.e Monotype).
That being said, here are my thoughts on this set:
 - Darkrai doesn't really need Will-O-Wisp on a Nasty Plot set, so a coverage move would be better there.
- @SigmaTyrunt321 can you explain why you have the EV spread you currently over a max max (max special attack max speed remaing 4 in another stat) one? Does the EV spread let you live certain hits or did you just get that spread by sliding the sliders randomly on the Showdown! teambuilder?