Darkness (TCG)
The Darkness type (Japanese: 悪 Evil) is one of the eleven TCG types. It is represented by the color black, and symbolized by an exaggerated crescent moon.
The Darkness type contains most Dark-type Pokémon found in the main series video games. For example, Bisharp and Sneasel are Darkness types in the TCG.
The Darkness type was introduced in the Neo Genesis set, along with the Metal type, when the Dark- and Steel-types were added upon Pokémon Gold and Silver's release. Prior to this, there were no Darkness type Pokémon.
The Darkness type can be seen as the "dark" or "evil" type of the game. For example, since the EX series of the TCG, Pokémon with "Dark" in their names and Pokémon belonging to Team Rocket, Aqua, or Magma would be both of their natural type and of the Darkness type. Likewise, the Darkness type is used on a number of Special Energy cards, such as Aqua Energy, Magma Energy, Dark Metal Energy, R Energy and the aforementioned Darkness Energy.
Starting in Sword & Shield, Poison-type Pokémon are now grouped in with this type. For example, Grimer is now classified as Darkness type. According to the game's director, Atsushi Nagashima, this was done to strengthen Darkness-based decks by giving them Pokémon weak to either Grass Pokémon or Fighting Pokémon instead of only Fighting Pokémon, which diversifies options available to players.[1][2]
The corresponding Basic Energy card is Basic Darkness Energy. Where the 
symbol appears in an attack cost, it indicates that a Darkness Energy must be attached to the Pokémon in order for the Pokémon to use that attack.
Like the Metal type, the Darkness type has its own Special Energy, Darkness Energy. This type of energy affects only Darkness type Pokémon and Pokémon with Dark in their names, and allowed an attack that did damage to do 10 more damage. The Basic Darkness Energy card was not released until the Diamond & Pearl set.
Battle properties
Generally, Darkness Pokémon have a weakness to:
- Fighting, if the Pokémon is Dark-type (before the Sword & Shield expansion) or Poison-type (starting with the Sword & Shield expansion) in the games
- Grass, if the Pokémon is Dark-type (starting with the Sword & Shield expansion) in the games
Generally, Darkness Pokémon have a resistance to:
- Psychic (before the Sword & Shield expansion)
These types are generally weak to Darkness Pokémon:
These types are generally resistant to Darkness Pokémon:
- Fairy (before the Sword & Shield expansion)
Darkness Pokémon in the TCG
See Category:Darkness-type Pokémon cards for all Pokémon cards that have this type.
Energy cards that provide Darkness Energy
The following Energy cards provide Darkness Energy. With the exception of the original Darkness Energy, Special Energy cards only provide Darkness Energy when attached to a Pokémon.
Additionally, any Energy cards that provide every type of Energy can provide Darkness Energy.
Trivia
- All Darkness-type Pokémon released during the Neo Series had no Weakness.
- All Darkness- and Metal-type Pokémon released during the Neo Series had a golden crown-like ornament around their type symbol.
- The Darkness type is the only one to not have a Rapid Strike Pokémon, except for the retired Fairy type.
In other languages
| Language | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | 悪 Aku | |
| Chinese | Cantonese | 惡 Ok |
| Mandarin | 惡 / 恶 È | |
| Dutch | Duisternis | |
| French | Obscurité | |
| German | Finsternis | |
| Indonesian | Kegelapan | |
| Italian | Oscurità | |
| Korean | 악 Ak | |
| Brazilian Portuguese | Escuridão | |
| Russian | Тьма T'ma | |
| Spanish | Latin America | Oscuridad |
| Spain | Oscura | |
| Thai | ความมืด Khwam Muet | |
References
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This article is part of Project TCG, a Bulbapedia project that aims to report on every aspect of the Pokémon Trading Card Game. |