We may earn a commission when you buy through links in our articles. Learn more.

Dark Pokémon weakness, resistance, and strength

Dark Pokémon weaknesses aren't always obvious, so we're here to lay them out for you and take a look at their strengths and resistances too.

What is the dark Pokémon weakness? There are some very powerful dark-types out there; Tyranitar and Obstagoon are just two examples. Beyond being powerful, the designs also tend to be on the better side for these creatures of the night – they’re the fan favorites for a reason. So, since you’re bound to come across one in an important battle, even if you don’t use one yourself, let’s take a look at the dark-type weaknesses, as well as their strengths and resistances.

Wait, we can go one better. If you want to know who the best dark Pokémon are, check out our guide. We also have articles about the strongest Pokémon and the best fire Pokémon, poison Pokémon, ice Pokémon, grass Pokémon, and dragon Pokémon. Or, if you want to see just how many Pokémon there are, check out our comprehensive Pokédex.

Here’s what you need to know about the dark Pokémon weakness:

Dark Pokemon weakness icon in front of a map of Johto

What is dark Pokémon’s weakness?

The Dark Pokémon weaknesses are bug-, fighting-, and fairy-types. Admittedly, multiple weaknesses are usually a cause for concern, but dark Pokémon are strong against two types that are tough to deal with if you don’t have the right counters.

If you want to discover how to defeat these types, however, our fighting Pokémon weakness, bug Pokémon weakness, and fairy Pokémon weakness guides hold the answers.

What are the best Dark Pokémon counters?

For specific Pokémon to use as a counter for dark-types, we suggest the likes of Scyther, Hitmonlee, and Clefable. We also have some suggestions from each generation below:

Why is dark weak to bug?

If we had to hazard a guess, we’d say that the fact that bugs tend to come out at night and may have superior vision in the dark is part of why dark Pokémon are weak to bug Pokémon. Beyond that, maybe dark creatures naturally fear bugs, which is a common thing among humans – just ask Misty.

YouTube Thumbnail

What are dark Pokémon resistances?

Dark Pokémon are resistant to dark-, ghost-, and psychic-type moves. So, psychic Pokémon and ghost Pokémon like Hypno and Mismagius won’t be as effective against you as they’d like to be, and neither will any dark-type ‘mon like Obstagoon.

Is dark-type immune to psychic?

Yes, dark Pokémon are completely immune to psychic-type attacks, meaning they take no damage from them. This is likely due to psychic-types being weak to dark, which is a common fear that wreaks havoc on your psyche.

What are dark Pokémon strengths?

  • Ghost Pokémon
  • Psychic Pokémon

Dark Pokémon are super effective ghost- and psychic-types. Because of this, notoriously powerful ‘mon such as Alakazam, Gardevoir, Dusknoir, and Giritina are much easier to deal with, though Gardevoir can strike back as it’s part fairy.

If you want to know what other types these poor ‘mon are weak to, take a look at our psychic Pokémon weakness and ghost Pokémon weakness guides.

Dark Pokemon weakness icon behind Umbreon in front of a map of Johto

What is a dark Pokémon?

Most Pokémon, such as Umbreon and Obstagoon, have black fur to some degree, or maybe a dark grey, and this tends to be a sign that they’re dark creatures. Another example is Murkrow and Hunchkrow, as while they don’t have black feathers, they are a midnight blue color, which is also highly associated with darkness – the clue is in the name, really.

With any luck, this guide explaining what the dark Pokémon weakness is can help you to succeed in your quest to become the very best. Should you want to expand your knowledge on other types, our water Pokémon weakness, flying Pokémon weakness, poison Pokémon weakness, steel Pokémon weakness, dragon Pokémon weakness, and ground Pokémon weakness guides are a great read.