All Dark-type Pokemon weaknesses & resistances

Ezequiel Leis
four Dark-type Pokemon with the Pokemon logo

Dark-type Pokemon can tricky to beat at first, but with this guide on their weaknesses and resistances you’ll defeat them with ease.

Dark-type Pokemon were introduced in Gen 2 with Pokemon Gold and Silver to balance the dominant Psychic types that were overpowered in Gen 1. They don’t have many distinguishing features and are easily confused with Ghost-type Pokemon, but they are the most powerful weapon against this type.

So here’s all you need to know about Dark-type Pokemon including its weaknesses, strengths, and resistances.

All Dark-type Pokemon weaknesses

Dark-type Pokemon are weak to Bug, Fairy, and Fighting-type attacks. If you need to battle a Dark-type Pokemon, you can rely on any of these types of moves for a swift victory.

Gerninja in the Pokemon anime series
Greninja is a dual Water and Dark-type Pokemon.

It’s worth noting that there aren’t many pure Dark-type Pokemon in the franchise. Most Dark types have dual typing, so you should also take their second type into account to find the best counters.

All Dark-type Pokemon resistances

Dark-type Pokemon are resistant to Ghost and Dark-type. It is also worth mentioning that Dark-type is completely immune to Psychic-type attacks in most Pokemon games. With the exception of Pokemon Go, where it receives damage from Psychic-type moves but at a 1/4 ratio.

You should avoid using these Pokemon types when battling a Dark-type. However, it’s also important to know if they have dual-typing when picking counters.

All Dark-type Pokemon strengths

Dark-type Pokemon are strong against Pyschic and Ghost types, and cause them super-effective damage. You can take advantage of STAB attacks if you are using a Dark-type Pokemon to dominate Psychic or Ghost focused rivals.

Best counters for Dark-type Pokemon

The best counters for Dark-type Pokemon are Machamp, Hariyama, Scizor, Sylveon, Flutter Mane, and Heracross.

In the case of Heracross, this Bug/Fighting-type Pokemon will receive considerably less damage from Dark-type moves, and has a repertoire of super effective attacks to deal loads of damage to Dark types.

The main advantage of Fairy types is also their Special Defense, which allows them to resist most of the non-physical Dark-type moves, like Dark Pulse, to a whole other level. Sylveon and Flutter Mane are excellent choices in that regard, so consider these for your team if you are facing strong Dark-type special attackers.

And that’s was all you needed to know about Dark-type Pokemon weaknesses, resistances, and strengths. For more information on the Pokemon franchise, you can check the following links:

All Dragon-type Pokemon weaknesses & resistances | All Electric-type Pokemon weaknesses & resistances | All Ice-type Pokemon weaknesses & resistances | Hydreigon weaknesses, resistances & strengths explained in Pokemon | Walking Wake weaknesses, resistances & strengths explained in Pokemon | Iron Hands weaknesses, resistances & strengths explained in Pokemon | Gyarados weaknesses, resistances & strengths explained in Pokemon | Iron Thorns weaknesses, resistances & strengths explained in Pokemon 

About The Author

Ezequiel is a Games Writer at CharlieIntel. With a great knowledge of gaming, he's focused mostly on Pokemon, Fortnite, and HoYoverse titles such as Genshin Impact and Honkai Impact. With a journalism degree, Ezequiel has worked on La Cosa and Infobae, two of the most prestigious outlets in Latin America. He joined CharlieIntel in 2023. You can reach Ezequiel at [email protected]