Dark (type)

Revision as of 20:33, 6 August 2012 by Superbreeder (talk | contribs) (→‎Offense: Expanding and slightly re-formatting the list.)
If you were looking for the moves known as Dark moves in Japanese, see Shadow move.

The Dark type (Japanese: あくタイプ Evil type) is one of the seventeen types. Notable Trainers that specialize in Dark-type Pokémon are Karen of the Johto Elite Four, Sidney of the Hoenn Elite Four, and Grimsley of the Unova Elite Four. Notably, the Dark-type is the only type that has never had a Pokémon Gym specialize in it. Prior to Generation IV, where moves are designated physical or special based on the move itself rather than its type, all Dark-type moves were special. Dark-type Pokémon were added in Generation II.

Statistical averages

Overall

Stat
HP: 67.05
Attack: 89.64
Defense: 65.72
Sp.Atk: 70.69
Sp.Def: 63.62
Speed: 73.95
Total: 430.67


Fully evolved

Stat
HP: 76.61
Attack: 101.91
Defense: 78.35
Sp.Atk: 83.52
Sp.Def: 75.26
Speed: 80.22
Total: 495.87


Battle properties

Offensive   Defensive
Power Types   Power Types
 
 
½×  
 
½×  
 
 
 
 
None  


Characteristics

Defense

Dark-type Pokémon are notable for the fact that they don't have any strong stat trends other than Attack (which is in and of itself modified by a few powerful outliers and slightly ironic as Dark was a special type, not a physical type), but usually have relatively poor defenses, with the exception of Umbreon, Spiritomb, Drapion, Scrafty, Mandibuzz and Tyranitar. On the plus side, Dark-types have an immunity to Psychic-type moves. Additionally, Pokémon that are both Dark-type and Ghost-type have no weaknesses to any moves of any type (excluding Fighting-type moves used under immunity-negating conditions such as Ring Target or Scrappy), as the resistances of the Dark-type cover the weaknesses of Ghost, and vice-versa. Meanwhile, if a Pokémon with the types Psychic and Dark were to exist, then it would have no resistances while having a double weakness to Bug-type and an immunity to Psychic.

Offense

Dark-type moves, when combating Psychic types, are especially useful due to their secondary effects; Crunch lowers Defense (an already low stat among Psychic-types), Bite causes flinching, Faint Attack never misses, Night Slash has a high critical hit ratio while Pursuit hits Pokémon as they switch for double damage. Many Dark-type moves also involve stealing or deception, such as moves like: Thief, which steals an opponent's held item; Snatch, which steals the beneficial effects of an opponent's moves; and Foul Play, which uses a number of the opponent's offensive modifiers, such as Attack, to calculate damage.

Even though the Dark type was considered a special type prior to Generation IV, the three Dark-type moves that are currently special (Dark Pulse, Snarl and Night Daze) were introduced after Generation III, meaning that all Dark-type moves that were once special moves are now all physical moves, which helps many Dark types since most of them are physical attackers.

Contest Properties

When used in Contests, Dark-type moves typically are of the Smart category, but can also fall in any of the other four Contest categories.

Pokémon

As of Generation V, there are 39 Dark-type Pokémon or 6.01% of all Pokémon, making it tied with the Electric type as the twelfth most common type.

Pure Dark-type Pokémon

# Name
197   Umbreon
261   Poochyena
262   Mightyena
359   Absol
491   Darkrai
509   Purrloin
510   Liepard
570   Zorua
571   Zoroark

Half Dark-type Pokémon

Primary Dark-type Pokémon

# Name Type 1 Type 2
198   Murkrow Dark Flying
215   Sneasel Dark Ice
228   Houndour Dark Fire
229   Houndoom Dark Fire
302   Sableye Dark Ghost
430   Honchkrow Dark Flying
461   Weavile Dark Ice
559   Scraggy Dark Fighting
560   Scrafty Dark Fighting
624   Pawniard Dark Steel
625   Bisharp Dark Steel
629   Vullaby Dark Flying
630   Mandibuzz Dark Flying
633   Deino Dark Dragon
634   Zweilous Dark Dragon
635   Hydreigon Dark Dragon

Secondary Dark-type Pokémon

# Name Type 1 Type 2
248   Tyranitar Rock Dark
274   Nuzleaf Grass Dark
275   Shiftry Grass Dark
318   Carvanha Water Dark
319   Sharpedo Water Dark
332   Cacturne Grass Dark
342   Crawdaunt Water Dark
434   Stunky Poison Dark
435   Skuntank Poison Dark
442   Spiritomb Ghost Dark
452   Drapion Poison Dark
551   Sandile Ground Dark
552   Krokorok Ground Dark
553   Krookodile Ground Dark

Moves

Gen Move Category Contest Power Accuracy PP Target Description
IV Assurance Physical Beauty 50 100% 10 (max 16)
     
     
Any adjacent Pokémon
If the target has already taken some damage in the same turn, this attack's power is doubled.
II Beat Up Physical Smart Varies 100% 10 (max 16)
     
     
Any adjacent Pokémon
The user gets all party Pokémon to attack the target. The more party Pokémon, the greater the number of attacks.
I Bite Physical Tough 60 100% 25 (max 40)
     
     
Any adjacent Pokémon
The target is bitten with viciously sharp fangs. It may make the target flinch.
II Crunch Physical Tough 80 100% 15 (max 24)
     
     
Any adjacent Pokémon
The user crunches up the target with sharp fangs. It may also lower the target's Defense stat.
IV Dark Pulse Special Cool 80 100% 15 (max 24)
     
     
Anyone
The user releases a horrible aura imbued with dark thoughts. It may also make the target flinch.
IV Dark Void Status Smart 80% 10 (max 16)
     
     
All adjacent foes
Opposing Pokémon are dragged into a world of total darkness that makes them sleep.
IV Embargo Status Cute 100% 15 (max 24)
     
     
Any adjacent Pokémon
It prevents the target from using its held item. Its Trainer is also prevented from using items on it.
II Faint Attack Physical Smart 60 % 20 (max 32)
     
     
Any adjacent Pokémon
The user approaches the target disarmingly, then throws a sucker punch. It hits without fail.
III Fake Tears Status Smart 100% 20 (max 32)
     
     
Any adjacent Pokémon
The user feigns crying to fluster the target, harshly lowering its Sp. Def stat.
III Flatter Status Smart 100% 15 (max 24)
     
     
Any adjacent Pokémon
Flattery is used to confuse the target. However, it also raises the target's Sp. Atk stat.
IV Fling Physical Tough Varies 100% 10 (max 16)
     
     
Any adjacent Pokémon
The user flings its held item at the target to attack. Its power and effects depend on the item.
V Foul Play Physical 95 100% 15 (max 24)
     
     
Any adjacent Pokémon
The user turns the target's power against it. The higher the target's Attack stat, the greater the damage.
V Hone Claws Status % 15 (max 24)
     
     
Self
The user sharpens its claws to boost its Attack stat and accuracy.
III Knock Off Physical Smart 20 100% 20 (max 32)
     
     
Any adjacent Pokémon
The user slaps down the target's held item, preventing that item from being used in the battle.
III Memento Status Tough % 10 (max 16)
     
     
Any adjacent Pokémon
The user faints when using this move. In return, it harshly lowers the target's Attack and Sp. Atk.
IV Nasty Plot Status Cute % 20 (max 32)
     
     
Self
The user stimulates its brain by thinking bad thoughts. It sharply raises the user's Sp. Atk.
V Night Daze Special 85 95% 10 (max 16)
     
     
Any adjacent Pokémon
The user lets loose a pitch-black shock wave at its target. It may also lower the target's accuracy.
IV Night Slash Physical Beauty 70 100% 15 (max 24)
     
     
Any adjacent Pokémon
The user slashes the target the instant an opportunity arises. Critical hits land more easily.
IV Payback Physical Cool 50 100% 10 (max 16)
     
     
Any adjacent Pokémon
If the user moves after the target, this attack's power will be doubled.
IV Punishment Physical Smart Varies 100% 5 (max 8)
     
     
Any adjacent Pokémon
This attack's power increases the more the target has powered up with stat changes.
II Pursuit Physical Smart 40 100% 20 (max 32)
     
     
Any adjacent Pokémon
An attack move that inflicts double damage if used on a target that is switching out of battle.
V Quash Status 100% 15 (max 24)
     
     
Any adjacent Pokémon
The user suppresses the target and makes its move go last.
V Snarl Special 55 95% 15 (max 24)
     
     
All adjacent foes
The user yells as if it is ranting about something, making the target's Sp. Atk stat decrease.
III Snatch Status Smart % 10 (max 16)
     
     
Self
The user steals the effects of any healing or stat-changing move the opponent attempts to use.
IV Sucker Punch Physical Smart 80 100% 5 (max 8)
     
     
Any adjacent Pokémon
This move enables the user to attack first. It fails if the target is not readying an attack, however.
IV Switcheroo Status Cool 100% 10 (max 16)
     
     
Any adjacent Pokémon
The user trades held items with the target faster than the eye can follow.
III Taunt Status Smart 100% 20 (max 32)
     
     
Any adjacent Pokémon
The target is taunted into a rage that allows it to use only attack moves for three turns.
II Thief Physical Tough 40 100% 10 (max 16)
     
     
Any adjacent Pokémon
The user attacks and steals the target's held item simultaneously. It can't steal if the user holds an item.
III Torment Status Smart 100% 15 (max 24)
     
     
Any adjacent Pokémon
The user torments and enrages the target, making it incapable of using the same move twice in a row.
All details are accurate to Generation VII games. For details that have changed between generations, please see an individual move's page. Target data assumes user is in the lower left.

Trivia

  • Officially, this type's Brazilian Portuguese translation is "Noturno" (nocturnal), but at times it is named as "Sombrio" or "Trevas" (darkness) as well. However, Sombrio means Shadow, which is the name of a special variety of Pokémon.
  • Because of Bite's change to Dark from the Normal type in Generation II, there has been at least one Dark-type move introduced in each generation. Despite this, there is not a Dark-type Pokémon from each generation; Dark is the only type not assigned to a Pokémon introduced in Generation I. This is the opposite situation to the other type introduced in Generation II, Steel.
  • There has yet to be a Pokémon Gym that specializes in the Dark type. Despite this, there have been three Elite Four members who specialize in Dark-type Pokémon.
  • Generation V introduced the most Dark-type Pokémon of any Generation, with 16 and Generation II introduced the least Dark-type Pokémon, with six.
  • So far, only 11 Dark-type moves have been shown in the anime, the least of all types.
  • Despite Dark-type moves being exclusively special before the physical/special split, every Dark-type move introduced before the split was made a physical move.
  • Both types that Dark is weak to, Bug and Fighting, share a weakness to Flying types.
  • Generation IV introduced the most Dark-type moves of any Generation, with 11. Generation II (not counting Bite since it was introduced in Generation I) and V introduced the least (not counting Generation I, since this type was unavailable at that time) Dark-type moves, with five.

In other languages

Language Title
  Japanese あく (悪) Aku
Mandarin Chinese 惡 / 恶 È
邪惡 / 邪恶 Xié'è
  Danish Mørke
  Dutch Duister
Donker
  Finnish Pimeys
Pimeä
  French Ténèbres
  German Unlicht
  Greek Σκοταδιού Skotadiou
  Hebrew אופל Offel
  Indonesian Kegelapan
  Italian Buio
  Korean Ak
  Norwegian Mørk
  Polish Mroczny
  Brazilian Portuguese Escuro
Noturno
  Romanian Întuneric
  Russian Тёмный Tyomnii
Spanish   Latin America Obscuro
  Spain Siniestro