Dark (type)

The Dark type was introduced in the second generation of Pokémon games as a measure to balance the types. In particular, its immunity to Psychic cut down that type's advantage by a long way. When paired with the Ghost type it was the only type combination to have no weaknesses prior to Gen 6.

In Generations 2-3, all Dark type moves were categorized as Special.

89
Dark type Pokémon
16
Single type Pokémon
73
Dual type Pokémon
53
Dark-type moves

Attack pros & cons

Tick Dark moves are super-effective against:

Psychic Ghost

Cross Dark moves are not very effective against:

Fighting Dark Fairy

Defense pros & cons

Tick These types have no effect on Dark Pokémon:

Psychic

Tick These types are not very effective against Dark Pokémon:

Ghost Dark

Cross These types are super-effective against Dark Pokémon:

Fighting Bug Fairy

Dual-type attack pros & cons

This chart shows the strength of the Dark type against every type combination. The fraction of damage a Dark type move will deal is shown - ½ means 50% damage (not very effective), 2 means 200% (super-effective) and so on.

Nor Fir Wat Ele Gra Ice Fig Poi Gro Fly Psy Bug Roc Gho Dra Dar Ste Fai
Normal ½ 2 2 ½ ½
Fire ½ 2 2 ½ ½
Water ½ 2 2 ½ ½
Electric ½ 2 2 ½ ½
Grass ½ 2 2 ½ ½
Ice ½ 2 2 ½ ½
Fighting ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ¼ ½ ¼
Poison ½ 2 2 ½ ½
Ground ½ 2 2 ½ ½
Flying ½ 2 2 ½ ½
Psychic 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 4 2 2
Bug ½ 2 2 ½ ½
Rock ½ 2 2 ½ ½
Ghost 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 4 2 2 2 2
Dragon ½ 2 2 ½ ½
Dark ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ¼ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ¼
Steel ½ 2 2 ½ ½
Fairy ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ¼ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ¼ ½

Effects of the Dark type

  • The ability Rattled raises the Pokémon's Speed one stage when hit by a Dark type attack.
  • The ability Justified raises the Pokémon's Attack one stage when hit by a Dark type attack.
  • The Dark Aura ability increases the power of Dark type moves for all Pokémon on the field by 33%.
  • If Pokémon with the abilities Dark Aura and Aura Break (i.e. Yveltal and Zygarde) are both in battle, the power of Dark type moves for all Pokémon on the field instead decreases by 25%.
  • The move Miracle Eye allows Psychic type moves to hit Dark type Pokémon.
  • The items Dread Plate and Dark Glasses increase the power of Dark type moves by 20% when held.
  • The Dark Gem increases the power of a Dark type move by 30% when held, and is then consumed.
  • The Colbur Berry, when held, neutralizes a super-effective Dark type move.

Dark Pokémon stat averages

75.1
HP
Ranked #6
94.8
Attack
Ranked #4
71.9
Defense
Ranked #12
74.7
Sp. Attack
Ranked #9
70.9
Sp. Defense
Ranked #14
78.2
Speed
Ranked #5

Notable Dark-type trainers

Karen

Karen
Elite Four
Gen 2, 4
Sidney

Sidney
Elite Four
Gen 3, 6
Grimsley

Grimsley
Elite Four
Gen 5
Nanu

Nanu
Island Kahuna
Gen 7
Piers

Piers
Spikemuth Gym Leader
Gen 8
Giacomo

Giacomo
Gen 9

Dark Pokémon

There are 89 Dark-type Pokémon.
See also:

Alolan RattataRattata
Alolan Rattata
#0019 / Dark · Normal
Alolan RaticateRaticate
Alolan Raticate
#0020 / Dark · Normal
Alolan MeowthMeowth
Alolan Meowth
#0052 / Dark
Alolan PersianPersian
Alolan Persian
#0053 / Dark
Alolan GrimerGrimer
Alolan Grimer
#0088 / Poison · Dark
Alolan MukMuk
Alolan Muk
#0089 / Poison · Dark
Mega GyaradosGyarados
Mega Gyarados
#0130 / Water · Dark
Galarian MoltresMoltres
Galarian Moltres
#0146 / Dark · Flying
UmbreonUmbreon
#0197 / Dark
MurkrowMurkrow
#0198 / Dark · Flying
Qwilfish (Hisuian Qwilfish)Qwilfish
Hisuian Qwilfish
#0211 / Dark · Poison
SneaselSneasel
#0215 / Dark · Ice
HoundourHoundour
#0228 / Dark · Fire
HoundoomHoundoom
#0229 / Dark · Fire
Mega HoundoomHoundoom
Mega Houndoom
#0229 / Dark · Fire
TyranitarTyranitar
#0248 / Rock · Dark
Mega TyranitarTyranitar
Mega Tyranitar
#0248 / Rock · Dark
PoochyenaPoochyena
#0261 / Dark
MightyenaMightyena
#0262 / Dark
Galarian ZigzagoonZigzagoon
Galarian Zigzagoon
#0263 / Dark · Normal
Galarian LinooneLinoone
Galarian Linoone
#0264 / Dark · Normal
NuzleafNuzleaf
#0274 / Grass · Dark
ShiftryShiftry
#0275 / Grass · Dark
SableyeSableye
#0302 / Dark · Ghost
Mega SableyeSableye
Mega Sableye
#0302 / Dark · Ghost
CarvanhaCarvanha
#0318 / Water · Dark
SharpedoSharpedo
#0319 / Water · Dark
Mega SharpedoSharpedo
Mega Sharpedo
#0319 / Water · Dark
CacturneCacturne
#0332 / Grass · Dark
CrawdauntCrawdaunt
#0342 / Water · Dark
AbsolAbsol
#0359 / Dark
Mega AbsolAbsol
Mega Absol
#0359 / Dark
HonchkrowHonchkrow
#0430 / Dark · Flying
StunkyStunky
#0434 / Poison · Dark
SkuntankSkuntank
#0435 / Poison · Dark
SpiritombSpiritomb
#0442 / Ghost · Dark
DrapionDrapion
#0452 / Poison · Dark
WeavileWeavile
#0461 / Dark · Ice
DarkraiDarkrai
#0491 / Dark
Samurott (Hisuian Samurott)Samurott
Hisuian Samurott
#0503 / Water · Dark
PurrloinPurrloin
#0509 / Dark
LiepardLiepard
#0510 / Dark
SandileSandile
#0551 / Ground · Dark
KrokorokKrokorok
#0552 / Ground · Dark
ScraggyScraggy
#0559 / Dark · Fighting
ScraftyScrafty
#0560 / Dark · Fighting
ZoruaZorua
#0570 / Dark
ZoroarkZoroark
#0571 / Dark
PawniardPawniard
#0624 / Dark · Steel
BisharpBisharp
#0625 / Dark · Steel
VullabyVullaby
#0629 / Dark · Flying
MandibuzzMandibuzz
#0630 / Dark · Flying
DeinoDeino
#0633 / Dark · Dragon
ZweilousZweilous
#0634 / Dark · Dragon
HydreigonHydreigon
#0635 / Dark · Dragon
GreninjaGreninja
#0658 / Water · Dark
Greninja (Ash-Greninja)Greninja
Ash-Greninja
#0658 / Water · Dark
PangoroPangoro
#0675 / Fighting · Dark
InkayInkay
#0686 / Dark · Psychic
MalamarMalamar
#0687 / Dark · Psychic
YveltalYveltal
#0717 / Dark · Flying
Hoopa (Hoopa Unbound)Hoopa
Hoopa Unbound
#0720 / Psychic · Dark
IncineroarIncineroar
#0727 / Fire · Dark
GuzzlordGuzzlord
#0799 / Dark · Dragon
NickitNickit
#0827 / Dark
ThievulThievul
#0828 / Dark
ImpidimpImpidimp
#0859 / Dark · Fairy
MorgremMorgrem
#0860 / Dark · Fairy
GrimmsnarlGrimmsnarl
#0861 / Dark · Fairy
ObstagoonObstagoon
#0862 / Dark · Normal
Morpeko (Full Belly Mode)Morpeko
Full Belly Mode
#0877 / Electric · Dark
Morpeko (Hangry Mode)Morpeko
Hangry Mode
#0877 / Electric · Dark
Urshifu (Single Strike Style)Urshifu
Single Strike Style
#0892 / Fighting · Dark
ZarudeZarude
#0893 / Dark · Grass
OverqwilOverqwil
#0904 / Dark · Poison
LokixLokix
#0920 / Bug · Dark
MaschiffMaschiff
#0942 / Dark
KingambitKingambit
#0983 / Dark · Steel
Wo-ChienWo-Chien
#1001 / Dark · Grass
Chien-PaoChien-Pao
#1002 / Dark · Ice
Ting-LuTing-Lu
#1003 / Dark · Ground
Chi-YuChi-Yu
#1004 / Dark · Fire