Originally introduced alongside Steel types back in Generation II, Dark type Pokemon are rude and crude, and don’t much care what you think about that. Some of them are simply somewhat thuggish, applying dirty tactics in battle like cheap shots and status effects, while others are literal denizens of the world of shadows. Whatever the case, these shady Pokemon can be fought if you know how. So, what are Dark type Pokemon weak against?
What are Dark Type Pokemon Weak Against?
Assuming you’re playing a mainline Pokemon game based on Generation VI onwards, a pure Dark type Pokemon would have the following resistances and weaknesses:
- Resistant to: Dark, Ghost
- Weak against: Bug, Fairy, Fighting
- Nullifies: Psychic
Dark types occupy a similar place on the typing spectrum as Psychic types, albeit with a few inversions: instead of being weak to Ghost types and resistant to Fighting types like Psychics, they’re weak to Fighting types and resistant to Ghosts. Also, as of Generation VII, Dark types have an inherent counter to the ability, Prankster. Prankster would normally guarantee attack priority when using a status-inducing move like Stun Spore, but against a Dark type, this ability is canceled out.
It should also be noted that the Psychic nullification only applies if you’re playing a mainline Pokemon game. In Pokemon GO, Dark types can still be hit by Psychic moves, albeit with drastically reduced damage.
Ideal Dark Counters
When fighting a Dark type Pokemon, your best counter is usually a Fighting type like Conkeldurr or Lucario. Fighting types are resistant to Dark moves, and often boast high base strength and DPS capacity, more than enough to match and exceed anything a Dark type could throw out.
A certain handful of Fairy types are also good against Dark types. Pokemon like Togekiss and Sylveon are also resistant to Dark moves, and while they may not have the same raw muscle as a Fighting type, their capacity for dealing damage should not be underestimated.
