Top 5: Dark Type Pokémon

Konichiwa Mina! It’s time for another top 5! So many more pokémon list to make, so many more pokémon to gush about! Recently I started listing my favorite 5 pokémon of all types. I started with the normal type and now it’s time for the second list. As Suggested by ThatRandomEditor.. this is my top 5 Dark types.

Rules and Honorable Mentions

The rules are the same as last time, I can only count one entry per evolution line and the entire line factors in. For example I really like Impidimp the newest Dark and Fairy type introduced into Gen VIII. However I REALLY dislike it’s evolution Mogrem and feel generally somewhat bitterly neutral towards its final evolution Grimmsnarl.  Since we can’t manually stop evolution in this game and lose the utility of an item on it when leveling which it would need because I want to keep it tiny. Therefore it doesn’t qualify in my top 5, when purely design wise it should. It’s about the journey and the feeling in this list.

Because of that rule what also applies is that I need to feel this pokémon actual fits their typings. I really like Absol , however I feel like it should not be a dark type but a normal type that people think is a dark type because it can predict disasters. Even in it’s lore it’s stated people think it’s evil (the dark type is called evil type in japan) but that is a misunderstanding. Therefore in my opinion, it’s typing is a mislabeling as well and thusly it does not qualify for a spot on the list. Yet a pokémon as amazingly designed as this should at least get an honourable mention. I really love it..but in my headcanon it’s a normal type. 

Dark Type Number 5: Krookodile

Aside from it’s hideous shiny , purely because of eye design,  Krookodile or Krook as I lovingly call it is an amazing dark type in every way. It is canonically bad natured, it is scary , it has some solid stats and a nice dual typing, it comes with great abilities and I simply love the design. Krookodile is a pokémon that is fairly fast when compared to other ground types and it is able to spot its prey up to 30 miles away using it’s extremely sharp eyesight. It will use it’s fangs to clamp it’s prey than twists his jaws around to rip his prey in half. A very crocodile thing to do. It’s jaws can crush cars according to the pokédex so it’s no wonder that it gets the ability intimidate.

I used a Krookodile named Hippo (because it was hungry hungry) during my Pokémon Black playthrough.. and I was so happy with it that when I played Pokémon Black 2 I also went with a Krookodile which I named Kaminom.. after Kamina from Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, but with more eating flavor. Ash had one in the anime as well so it’s always nice it’s personality is showcased a bit. I also used to run a Krookodile EX card in my pokémon TCG Night Marsh/Dark Deck which made me warm up to it even more. 

 While Krookodile as a competitive Pokémon stat-wise completely gets surpassed by Tyranitar it has the better abilities in Intimidate and Moxie. Because it is defensively lackluster the hidden ability Anger Point I feel is a bit wasted on it, but hey that means I can use a decent one without having to breed for the best version, that is a win in my book. One set up as a Choice Scarfed Sweeper, with Earthquake Moxie and Crush.. this pokemon becomes about as scary as a dark type really can. With earthquake it can become a bit of a double edged sword in double battles, but with a good team to back it up and a great move pool this is one pokemon one never should underestimate. 

Dark Type Number 4: Guzzlord

While I like Darkrai more as a legendary , it always felt as if that one should have been a ghost type. It works trough sleep and nightmares and I’d associate that with ghosts. Now Guzzlord is an all consuming Eldritch Abomination that consumes everything.  It’s  body is rather indescribable and it’s cry.. especially in the anime feels really otherworldly. Eldritch Abominations really should be dark types. Which is why it’s probably my favorite Ultra Beast next to Poipole. (That last one is pink though so there is no contest)  It just hits that brief of what the Ultra Beasts were meant to be so well.  An all consuming force that just will devour whatever it’s in its path. Able to consume entire buildings and mountains (allegedly) it does credit to its name.

Competitively Guzzlord is nothing to really write home about. It’s Dark and Dragon typing along with it’s poor defences leave it wide open for to be destroyed by the fairy type, which will can hit it 4x effectively.  With fairies being very active in the competitive scene Guzzy isn’t your smartest pick. However it has potential for a great physical tank. With moves like Stockpile, Heavy Slam and Stockpile Normalium Z in it’s generation  or an Assault vest in current rules it is something that is quite bulky due to it’s insanely high health base stat. So if you are a rookie battler and want to learn pokémon movesets a bit, it’s a pretty good scout switch in to learn the ropes. 

In D&D we have something called the alignment chart.  A character can be Lawful, Neutral/True or Chaotic in mindset and Good, Neutral or Evil in heart.  One of the scariest evils to encounter is that of True Evil. A chaotic evil character just likes to see the world burn and enjoys seeing people suffer, lawful evil are your typical megalomaniacs who belief they can improve the world my reshaping it in their image. Thanos is a good example of that or Lex Luther.  However the scariest evil to me has always been Neutral/True Evil.. these characters are evil just because they exist. Their entire existence is evil and I feel Guzzlord falls under that category.. therefore he becomes de facto one of the best dark types.

Dark Type Number 3: Zoroark 

One of the few dark types that actually have a nice Shiny, this Illusion pokemon takes the third spot on my list. Like the other two designwise you can immediately tell it’s a dark type. However Zoroark is much more a dark type than it is an evil type. It’s really a family guy or gal who lives to protect it’s pack. With the adorable Zorua as it’s pre-evolution it is no wonder why.. you’d obviously want to keep  that precious thing safe. It’s darkness stems from it’s abilities to use illusions.

Unlike the psychic type these do not play out in people’s minds but manifest “physically’  allowing hundreds of people to believe in this Illusion. It protects it pack.. although quite dramatically. When it senses humans coming it can conjure strong illusions to make them wonder the forrests aimlessly. We do not know what becomes of these humans.. but we do know how Phantump are born.. they are children that get lost in the woods and starve to death.. since most pokémon trainers are children I am sure there is a link there.

Pokémon battling is all about momentum, and while not the best in any stat, Zoroark’s ability illusion allows its owner to gain momentum like crazy.  When you send it out in battle it will always look like the last conscious pokémon in your party. Taking on its nickname and even potential shininess. If you like to run poison types like me , it is very easy to bait out a psychic attack on your beloved poison attack.. but it doesn’t affect anything .. because Zoroark is a dark type. While most poison types are slow.. Zoroark is very fast. 

Having great special attack as well and access to fire moves it hard counters one of it direct weaknesses, and soft counters the other (while fire is not super effective on fighting..the burn condition halves physical attack making attacks do neutral damage in the end). If you use Zoroark effectively it’s easy to lure the opponent in making a bad play and you can seize control of the battlefield, and anything that messes with the mind of my opponents is darn sure to be a favorite of mine.

Dark Type Number 2: Malamar

While not my favorite on my list Malamar might be THE most deserving of the evil type. While Guzzlord is True Evil and just evil for existing, Malamar is Lawful evil, manipulating people into doing their bidding. Malamar is a pokémon who is stated to virtually always have evil intentions, they are so evil that they manipulate humanity to their own gain.. historic events in the pokémon world ..

Like the Kalos Pokémon war,  might be because of their influence. They seek to make humans eradicate themselves and enslave them.Now I must say that not all Malamar are that evil.. some just hypnotize you to give them a hug after which they wrap you into their tentacles and finish you off with digestive fluids.

Design-wise it also looks super evil, this is pokémon looks like a Disney Villain or I could even see it as some Isekai beast world villain. You can just see how nefarious it is. It will not play by the rules. It’s fins are said to be razor sharp and by staring either into its eyes or it’s body you can be hypnotized to either become a slave.. a tool to further their plan to get rid of humans.. or willingly walk into an acidic shower. The dark and psychic typing give it that flair and feel of a menacing villain as well. To evolve it’s predecessor Inkay, you have to level it up to level 30 and then flip your 3ds upside down enforcing that feeling that this thing does not play by the normal rules.

This is further enforced by Malamar having the ability Contrary which makes sure that whenever it would get stat downgrades it gets upgrades as well.. not only can you  not lower it’s stats because that would mean you raise them.. it also has access to the fighting move.. Super Power, which normally lowers physical attack and defence but in case of Malamar raises it.. and since it IS a physical attacker it can dish out massive damage.. while getting stronger by it in the process.  Now overall Malamar’s stats aren’t great but this is compensated by the fact that it only has 2 weaknesses. It is 2x weak to fairy and 4x weak to bug.

While that last one might seem like a problem, aside from U-turn people rarely run bug type moves.  U-turn has a low base attack power and usually is quite easy to predict. Malamar also is the only pokémon that possess the ability Topsy Turvy a move that inverts stat upgrades to stat downgrades. So it blocks off pokémon from setting up Sword Dances to get over its own raised defence. In fact.. just by bringing it to a match you can probably prevent your opponent from using stat boosting sets. A great mind game pokémon yet again!

Dark Type Number 1 : Umbreon

My number 1 dark type is also the actual number 1 dark type as in it’s the pokémon that can be considered the first dark type ever encountered. While Gen II also introduced us to Sneasel and Murkrow Umbreon is the lowest national dex number pokémon that was a dark type upon its release. This pokémon is simply stunning in every single way… well except for it’s japanese name being Blacky.. that feels a bit off. It by far is the best dark type shiny and a contender and probable winner for me for best shiny ever.  It’s just gorgeous.

While it has fairly mellow lore compared to other dark types, Umbreon still hits the flavor for both evil and dark types all the same. Trough actual darkness it’s rings can glow up which have the ability to instill fear into others. Yet it can also bland in the darkness completely to sneak up it’s prey from behind just to stealthily rip open its throat to do and enjoy it’s meal afterwards.  When backed into a corner Umbreon can secret poisonous sweat which it then tosses into its opponents eyes to play dirty. All cheat like moves in pokémon count as dark type attacks so it just works. Add the cute but mysterious design and we got a winner.

I so enjoy using Umbreon in PvP combat. It’s role as a toxic staller is something it does so well. Umbreon is a non offensive pokémon that should be run with moves like. Toxic, Mean Look (to lock a target into the field) Moonlight, which heals it and Protect.. to take a hit. Mean Look you can replace with other moves like Heal Bell to cure status, confuse ray  to make hits unreliable.. or if you feel trolley even sand attack. 

While Umbreons poison slowly wittle their target down they HAVE to deal more than 50% damage to it each time if they do not want to be whittled down, if you have no counter against it all you can do is despair and pray for a critical hit. The heal bell set even prevents your from counter toxic stalling it yourself, high jump kick becomes risky because of it’s protect..and it’s amazing defensive stats leave your opponent with very little options in general. For all those who can not breach it defences.. things are looking very dark.

What is your favorite Dark Type?
What Type would you like to see me tackle next?

With 16 types left to cover there still are 90 Pokemon to love!
Untill then you can check out the others in the series here:

Normal Types

Thank you for reading! Keep Smiling

XO
Pinkie