Highlights

• Ghost-type Pokémon are rare and sought-after due to their unique abilities and backstories, making them stand out from other Pokémon.
• Dusknoir is an overlooked but capable Ghost-type Pokémon that excels in battles against wild and opposing Pokémon with its hidden ability and Pressure ability.
• Dragapult is a top choice for trainers due to its high speed, powerful Dragon-type moves, and rare abilities Clear Body and Infiltrator that give it an edge in battle.

In the first generation of Pokemon games, Game Freak introduced three Ghost-type Pokemon, all part of the same evolutionary line. Since the days of Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar, the number of Ghost-type Pokemon in the Pokemon series has grown; though, Ghost-types are still some of the rarest and most sought-after Pokemon.

Ghost-type Pokemon are unique, often having abilities or odd backstories that help them stand out from the hundreds of other pocket monsters. For any Pokemon trainer looking to add a Ghost-type Pokemon to their roster, here are the best Ghost-type Pokemon in series history.

Updated on November 2nd, 2023, by Jeff Drake: Ghost-type Pokemon are an interesting lot. They have trouble doing damage to Normal types and are super weak against Dark Pokemon, but other than that, they are very capable combatants against most other types. It's always smart to bring along a Ghost-type in the main party to deal with Normal and Fighting-type Pokemon that can dish out Physical damage by the truckload. Ghost types are great choices to enter battle first, as they do not have many weaknesses to other types. Ghost-types, usually, have a little more variety in move types than other Pokemon types. This makes them more versatile combatants.

21 Dusknoir

Another often overlooked Ghost-type Pokemon is Dusknoir. This Pokemon resembles a stone golem without legs, and is said to shepherd the deceased into the afterlife. There aren't really any negatives to training this Pokemon. Its Attack is a little weak, but its best attack moves use Special Attack.

Dusknoir is a great choice for encounters with wild Pokemon; as it has the ability (hidden ability) to identify what item an opposing Pokemon might be holding. This is also a great Pokemon for gyms and trainer fights as well, as its Pressure ability forces opposing Pokemon to use two PPs per move, rather than one.

20 Gholdengo

Introduced in Pokemon: Scarlet and Violet, Gholdengo is a Steel/Ghost-type that proves that Niantic might be running out of ideas for Pokemon designs. Regardless, this Pokemon is a capable combatant when fully leveled.

The move-pool for Gholdengo is a bit on the small side; however, its high Special Attack rating lets it make the most of its moves - which are Special Attacks for the most part. Its Good As Gold ability makes it immune to the opponent's status-affecting moves. Gholdengo's only true negatives are its average speed and a move-pool that is lacking in variety and quantity.

19 Skeledirge

Many Pokemon have a name that conjures a mental image that is somewhat close to the actual image. Skeledirge is not one of those Pokemon. This Fire/Ghost-type resembles a robotic alligator with a red paint job, and yes, it is every bit as formidable in battle as that sounds.

Skeledirge has stats that range from average to great. It also has a fantastic move-pool. Most of its available moves are of the Fire type, but this lack of variety is a good thing with Skeledirge, thanks to its Blaze ability. With this ability, its Fire-type moves deal 50% more damage while its hit points are below one-third of the maximum.

18 Annihilape

Annihilape is a great Pokemon with very few negatives. This Ghost/Fighting-type has good all-around stats, except for Special Attack, but only one of the moves in Annihilape's move-pool is a Special Attack. This one move (Final Gambit) does damage equal to the user's current hit points - the low Special Attack doesn't even come into play.

One of the most annoying status effects in the Pokemon series is Sleep. This nasty effect usually spells doom for all but the strongest Pokemon. Annihilape has the Vital Spirit ability, so it cannot fall asleep in battle. This protection from sleep includes the beneficial Rest move.

17 Dragapult

This Ghost/Dragon-type Pokemon has many positive traits that trainers should seek in their Pokemon. First and foremost, Dragapult is fast - it has one of the highest speed ratings in the Pokedex. There are only about a dozen Pokemon that are, on average, faster than Dragapult. A high speed ensures Dragapult will move first in combat, and its Dragon-type moves ensure it will deal significant damage.

In addition to having an excellent move-pool, filled with some very damaging attack moves, Dragapult possesses two very rare and powerful abilities. Clear Body prevents opposing Pokemon from lowering Dragapult's stats, though its moves can lower its stats. Infiltrator allows Dragapult's attacks to pierce the protection offered by Reflect, Light Screen, and Safeguard.

16 Golurk

Golurk is essentially the Pokemon version of an iron golem. This towering automaton is a Ground/Ghost-type, which at first sounds unstoppable, but there are five move-types that are super effective against this combination. On the other hand, this combination is immune to three types (Normal, Electric, and Fighting) and strong against Poison, Grass, and Rock.

This Pokemon has the Iron Fist ability. All "punch" attacks deal 20% more damage. Golurk has numerous punch moves in its move-pool and can learn others via TMs or TRs.

15 Aegislash

Aegislash earns a spot on this list for not only being a special Ghost-type Pokemon but one of the more unique Pokemon in general. As of Pokemon Sun and Moon, Aegislash and its evolutionary line were the only Pokemon to be both Ghost and Steel-type until recently. Its rare type combination isn't the only reason why Aegislash is such a unique Pokemon, though.

It also has two forms that it can switch between in battle, with its Blade Forme used for offensive attacks, and its Shield Forme used as a defensive stance. And if that weren't enough, Aegislash is also the only Pokemon in the series that can learn the move King's Shield, so saying it is a "unique" Pokemon is a bit of an understatement.

14 Banette

First introduced as a part of the third generation of Pokemon, Banette is the evolved form of Shuppet. And as far as Ghost-type Pokemon go, Banette has one of the creepiest backstories.

Banette has been brought to life by hatred and specializes in cursing its enemies by sticking pins in its own body like a voodoo doll. Later games would see Banette's supernatural powers increase with the Banettite item, which transforms it into the powerful Mega Banette.

13 Chandelure

Chandelure looks like a chandelier possessed by a ghost, which seems like reason enough to earn it a spot among the dumbest-looking Pokemon. However, Chandelure has proven to be a favorite Ghost-type Pokemon, making appearances in video games outside the mainline Pokemon titles.

For example, Chandelure appears as an enemy in Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo 3DS and is also a part of the Pokken Tournament roster.

12 Spectrier

Spectrier is like the ghostly, shadowy version of Rapidash. In other words, a spectral black stallion. This Pokemon's claim to fame is its great Special Attack and Speed ratings. It is also part of the union that forms possibly the best Ghost-type Pokemon (#1 on this list).

Many of Spectrier's attack moves are powerful; the problem is that the best of its attacks cause recoil damage. Its best attacks are also physical attacks; this doesn't work well with its high Special Attack and average Attack scores. It does get Stomp and Shadow Ball, though.

11 Decidueye

When the starter Pokemon for Pokemon Sun and Moon were first revealed, by far the most popular new creature was Rowlet, whose cuteness caught the attention of Pokemon fans the world over.

Rowlet became even more popular when its final form, the Grass/Ghost-type Pokemon named Decidueye, was revealed. Decidueye's popularity saw the Pokemon added to Pokken Tournament DX as an exclusive fighter in the Nintendo Switch version of the game.

10 Flutter Mane

In the Pokemon series, it's often the most innocent-looking ones that are the fiercest combatants. This theory definitely holds true for Flutter Mane. This diminutive Pokemon has phenomenal Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed ratings; its other stats are below average.

Flutter Mane gets a good assortment of strong attacks. Its move list is also quite varied in terms of move types. It gets Perish Song, Moonblast, Pain Split, Mystical Fire, and Psyshock. As long as trainers keep this Pokemon from strong physical attackers, like Fighting-types, it should have no problem winning matches.

9 Gengar

One of the most recognizable Ghost-type Pokemon in series history, Gengar was first introduced in Pokemon Red and Blue. The evolved form of Gastly and Haunter, Gengar has been regularly featured in all forms of Pokemon media since his introduction and is notable for being one of the first on-screen Pokemon in the anime series.

Gengar's creepy Pokedex entry in Pokemon Moon makes the creature even more noteworthy, as its loneliness and desire for a traveling companion apparently cause it to kill people to create other ghosts.

8 Giratina

Out of all the Ghost-type Pokemon on this list, Giratina is arguably the most powerful, with the ability to travel freely between different dimensions. A Ghost and Dragon-type, Giratina is one of the legendary Pokemon in the fourth generation of games and serves as the mascot for Pokemon Platinum.

Giratina was also featured prominently in the Pokemon anime movie Giratina and the Sky Warriors, cementing itself as one of the most important ghost-type Pokemon in series history.

7 Lunala

Lunala is another legendary Ghost-type Pokemon introduced in Pokemon Sun and Moon. Lunala is powerful enough to create wormholes, which is remarkable as it is the final evolved form of the relatively weak Pokemon Cosmog in Pokemon Moon.

Lunala's immense power is also the only Pokemon (to date) that can learn the Ghost-type move Moongeist Beam, which forces the Pokemon to transform into its Full Moon phase when activated.

6 Marowak (Alola Form)

Pokemon Sun and Moon introduced a popular new concept to the franchise called Alola Forms. For the uninitiated, Alola forms are redesigned versions of first-generation Pokemon, which have developed differently than their Kanto region counterparts due to the unique climate of the Alola region. Marowak is one such Pokemon that has an Alolan regional variant, going from a Ground-type Pokemon to a Fire/Ghost-type Pokemon in Sun and Moon.

Alola Form Marowak being a Ghost-type Pokemon is arguably more fitting for the creature's backstory. As fans may recall, Marowak evolves from Cubone, which is a Pokemon wearing the skull of its dead mother as a helmet. In Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow, players encounter a ghost Marowak in Lavender Town, so the Pokemon always had a spooky element to it, even before it became a Ghost-type.

5 Marshadow

Marshadow is a relatively new Pokemon, having been introduced in generation seven (Sun and Moon). This is only one of two Fighting/Ghost-types in the entire Pokemon franchise. This combo is fairly efficient, too - types that do well against Fighting-types are generally poor choices against Ghost-types, and visa versa.

This Pokemon also has a great ability, Technician, which boosts the damage of all moves with a power of 60 or less by 50%. This makes all those middling attack moves noticeably better. Close Combat, Spectral Thief, Drain Punch, and Laser Focus are its best moves.

4 Mimikyu

Some Ghost-type Pokemon have dark backstories, but Mimikyu's is just depressing. This small Ghost and Fairy-type Pokemon desperately wants to be friends with people, but its appearance reportedly causes illness. Due to this, most people avoid it.

In an attempt to boost its popularity, Mimikyu takes on a disguise, dressing up as a Pikachu, the most famous Pokemon. Despite its cute, yet still unsettling, appearance, Mimikyu is easily one of the best Ghost-type Pokemon in the entire series.

3 Sableye

A strange, goblin-looking creature, Sableye is a Dark and Ghost-type Pokemon introduced in the franchise's third generation. Sableye is rarely seen in the daytime and tends to live in caves, with its diet mainly consisting of gemstones.

Pokemon GO players may be lucky enough to find a shiny Sableye out in the wild, but they should be careful not to look into its eyes, as rumor has it that doing so will cost a person their soul.

2 Necrozma (Dawn Wings Form)

Necrozma is frighteningly powerful. This Pokemon uses the number four Pokemon on this list, Lunala, to power its supernatural powers. Necrozma's Dawn Wings form has an insanely high Special Attack score; enough to one-shot many Pokemon with a sufficiently powerful attack move. The rest of this Pokemon's stats are well above average, except Speed - which is still about average.

Some of the best moves that Necrazma can learn are Prismatic Laser, Photon Geyser, Psycho Cut, and Morning Sun. Prismatic Laser is particularly vicious, with a 160 power rating, 100 accuracy, and a PP count of 10. Morning Sun allows Necrozma to heal itself in battle.