Highlights

• Pokemon games can be surprisingly spooky, with many creatures having eerie Dex entries that reveal their terrifying nature.
• Some of the creepiest Pokemon include Skeledirge, Trevenant, and Runerigus, each with their own unsettling qualities and legends surrounding them.
• From demonic crocodiles to vengeful trees, Pokemon lore delves into the dark corners of the franchise, offering players a glimpse into the creepy side of this family-friendly game.

The Pokemon games are generally made to be family-friendly and aimed largely at children. But, some rather spooky things have been brought to light in every generation since the very first games. In a world where Ghost-Type Pokemon run amok and human ghosts haunt mansions and abandoned office buildings, one would need a Silph Scope to see how terrifying the Pokemon games can really be at times.

While the in-universe science behind Pokedex entries is dubious at best, it’s the only insight players get into the personalities and feel for their favorite pocket monsters. These are some of the creepiest Pokemon based on their Pokedex entries.

Updated November 28, by Stephen LaGioia: As time marches on and a growing roster of Pocket Monsters hit the scene, more are noticing just how scary some of them can be. Even when looking beyond the usual suspects of the ominous Ghost and Dark-Types, there are a number of creatures that can convey an odd, eerie aura, especially when looking into some of their Dex entries.

And as we cross into Gen 9, Pokemon seem to be growing more detailed and powerful, and oftentimes this means more spooky. One needs only examine the crude Ghost-fish Basculegion from 2022's Pokemon Legends; a ferocious salmon that's a conglomerate of several restless spirits. With many eerie and intimidating visual designs to pick from, we felt it was time to explore the darkest corners of Pokemon lore and highlight some of the scariest ones.

21 Skeledirge

The Singer

This crocodilian Pokemon sounds less intimidating than it looks, luring prey to sleep with a gentle tune. Still, it's spooky to think about being put under by a razor-toothed, fire-breathing monster like Skeledirge. The juxtaposition of its sweet lullaby and the creepy, ravenous nature of the monster makes it all the more unsettling.

Its black and yellow eyes complete the sinister getup of this demonic-looking Pokemon, which has no shortage of perilous qualities. Even stranger is the mystery surrounding the fiery bird that sits atop its nose. Legend has it that it's the manifestation of a fireball on Skeledirge's head gaining its own soul.

20 Trevenant

Elder Tree

Resembling something out of the horror film Poltergeist, this ghostly Grass-type towers over many foes, all while staring into their souls with its vibrant red eye that pokes through a dark patch on its top. It possesses a trio of large claw-like wood fingers on each hand, and the roots that make up its bottom allow it to scurry about like a large wooden spider.

Not only is this plant creature strong in its own right, but it can take control of other trees by using its roots as a sort of wooden nervous system network. It also has the power to curse and trap any and all who chop down trees, acting not unlike a vengeful Treebeard from Lord of the Rings. Legend has it that the Pokemon has consumed entire people whole.

Basically, defenseless Pokemon or trainers wouldn't want to run into this creature when wandering the forest.

19 Runerigus

Pokemon With A Grudge

This unique Ground/Ghost-Type can be particularly hard to hit, as it boasts the defensive and evasive strengths of both elementals. This large clay slab takes the form of a cement-like serpent, complete with razor-sharp teeth and a long wiggling tail. It possesses a single glowing purple eye, which can be unsettling to stare at on its own.

Its origin is equally eerie, spawning from a potent curse that was woven into an ancient painting and absorbing the spirit of the Ghost Pokemon, Yamask. This Pokemon has the power to inflict frightening memories with a mere touch. Players will want to give this mysterious, defensive Pokemon a wide berth.

18 Brambleghast

Tumbleweed Pokemon

One need only look at the spooky, spiked design of this distinct monster to pick up on its intimidating vibe. This Grass/Ghost-type manages to take the form of something as benign as a tumbleweed and make it look quite unsettling — though this is largely thanks to its vague facial features.

This Pokemon catches unsuspecting prey by engulfing it in its thick, thorny branches, draining every bit of its life energy before letting it go. Mass outbreaks of these monsters have been said to overwhelm and bury entire towns, according to the Violet Dex. Residing somewhere between an amorphic trap and a leech, Brambleghast is not one that players should tangle with unless they're prepared.

17 Chandelure

Luring Pokemon

One would expect a Ghost/Fire-Type combo to make for a pretty daunting Pokemon. Yet Chandelure is particularly spooky and intimidating. This flailing monster can drain the life force right out of its victims, like a soul-sucking demon. It's been described as "burning opponents' spirits rather than bodies"; a rather intense concept to ponder.

The purple flames and haunting, lifeless eyes only add to the chilling nature of this strange anthropomorphic chandelier.

16 Dragapult

Stealth Pokemon

This predatory reptilian Pokemon from Gen 8 is fairly strong, but also jarringly fast. These qualities and its intimidating Dragon-Ghost combo only add to its creepy image, with its intense yellow eyes, protruding head spikes, and whipping ghost tail.

Added to this is the fact that the swift beast can use its unevolved kin Dreepy as missiles from its triangular head, which it does with an almost unsettling excitement.

15 Gourgeist

Pumpkin Pokemon

This plant-based Ghost from Gen 6 is unique in its ominous aura and jack-o-lantern lower end, which gives way to a ghostly top half. Mischievous and often evil, these spooky apparitions drift about the streets when it's particularly dark and moonless, singing chilling melodies to spook listeners.

They wrap up their helpless prey in their vine-like arms, enjoying the process of this prolonged strangling. But that's not all—legend has it that the ghastly sounds that call from Gourgeist are the cries and howls of suffering souls in the afterlife. When it comes to grim, intense Poke-lore, it's hard to top Gourgeist.

14 Guzzlord

Junkivore

This Dark/Dragon-Type strikes an intimidating appearance to say the least. The Ultra Beast from Gen 7 can utterly overwhelm and terrify opponents with its huge presence, sharp teeth, and gluttonous ways. The Pokemon is an embodiment of a shark-like monster fused with a black hole, consuming all in its wake.

Fans of the psychological horror-adventure Eternal Darkness claim that this beast may be inspired by the dark god-like ancient being in that game, Chattur'gha, as it's somewhat similar in appearance.

13 Gengar

Shadow Pokemon

As the first fully evolved Ghost-Type Pokemon in the franchise, Gengar holds an irreplaceable part in people's minds and hearts as one of the most dangerous pocket monsters for battle and lore-related reasons.

Not only can they obliterate many opponents with powerful special attacks like Shadow Ball and Sludge Wave, but, according to multiple Pokedex entries, Gengars are also said to enjoy stalking people while disguised as their shadow and will possibly lay a curse upon unsuspecting victims.

12 Drowzee

Hypnosis Pokemon

Based on the Japanese myth about a supernatural creature called a Baku which consumes the dreams of sleeping people, Drowzee represents their origin by performing similar feats. It is mentioned in multiple Pokedex entries that this Psychic-Type Pokemon is not picky about whether it eats good dreams or nightmares, however.

It also disturbingly seems to favor the nightly thoughts of children as Drowzees apparently find them to be tastier. This yellow tapir-like monster also eats dreams terrifyingly and bizarrely; it stands above a sleeping victim and will suck the dreams out through a person's nostrils.

11 Mawile

Deceiver

Also based on creepy Japanese folklore, like many others on this list, is Mawile, which originates from the mythical monster known as a futakuchi-onna; a woman with a hungry mouth upon the back of their neck.

From the front, this Pokemon looks quite friendly, though, don't get too close as its rear maw full of massive teeth can chomp down on foes to deal huge damage. Even more intimidatingly, when Mawile mega-evolves, it gets another hideous mouth to ravage victims with.

10 Drifloon

Balloon Pokemon

Imagine being a simple-minded child, setting out on an adventure to be the very best (like no one ever was), and carelessly grab a balloon that’s just floating in the air. It abruptly lifts that person, and they float off, never to be seen again.

But, that’s not all. Drifloon's Pokedex entry for Pokemon Ultra Sun makes it even worse. “Its round body is stuffed with souls and expands each time it leads someone away”. Indeed, those who have seen this large, peculiar Pokemon know that it has carried away the lives of many victims young and old.

9 Yamask

Spirit Pokemon

While some Pokemon just embody the Ghost-Type, Yamask might just legitimately be a real ghost. The mask that it carries is supposedly the face it had when it was both human and alive. If they see the mask, they begin to cry. According to the Pokemon Omega Ruby entry of the Pokedex, they “each retain memories of its former life”.

Nothing is stopping them from being vengeful or holding a “Grudge” (which happens to be an attack it learns). One would do well not to make enemies in the Pokemon world, because they may come back to life as a Yamask and “Curse” or “Hex” a target — both of which also happen to be learnable moves.

8 Sandygast And Palossand

Sand Heap And Sand Castle

The Pokemon Sun Dex entry for Sandygast mentions they're “born from a sand mound playfully built by a child, this Pokemon embodies the grudges of the departed.” Meanwhile, the Pokemon Moon entry explains that “it takes control of anyone who puts a hand in its mouth. And so it adds to the accumulation of its sand-mound body.”

This means that any Sandygast can be born from any sandcastle and those that get bit become absorbed into it. This makes beach trips potentially terrifying in the world of Pokemon. Palossand, which is the evolution of Sandygast, drags Pokemon to their deaths and devours their targets even more aggressively.

7 Cubone

Lonely Pokemon

No lineup of creepy Pokemon is complete without featuring one that wears the skull of their dead mothers. So, it's perhaps best to get Cubone out of the way here as they have a very complicated relationship with fans. On one hand, it's adorable and evolves into the powerful Marowak — or the even more potent Alolan Marowak.

On the other hand, one has to wonder if it personally pried the skull off of its mother's corpse or waited for the local Mandibuzz population to feed off it first. And does it happen to be born with a bone in its hand or does it take it as an extra farewell souvenir from its mother? One can't help but wonder...

6 Spoink

Bouncing Pokemon

Spoink is the living incarnation of the old Keanu Reeves movie, Speed. Stop moving and see one's life come to a halt. The most thorough Pokedex entry about this comes from Pokemon Omega Ruby. "Spoink bounces around on its tail. The shock of its bouncing makes its heart pump. As a result, this Pokémon cannot afford to stop bouncing—if it stops, its heart will stop."

This means that, from birth, Spoink is constantly on the move. Imagine a world where an animal comes directly out of the egg and has to start bouncing on its tail or it will perish. It's a rather cruel and brutal fate, to say the least.

5 Mimikyu

Disguise Pokemon

There's an old thought process in horror movies that not getting to see the monster makes it more terrifying. No one knows what Mimikyu actually looks like under its handmade costume, but it's supposedly horrifying. The appearance is left to one's imagination, which can be scarier than any precrafted image.

And what's spookier, those who gaze upon it will perish. According to the Pokemon Ultra Moon Pokedex entry, "a gust of wind revealed what hides under this Pokémon's rag to a passing Trainer, who went home and died painfully that very night."

The Pokemon Sun entry confirms a second kill to this cute, but deadly Pokemon: "A scholar who saw what was under its rag was overwhelmed by terror and died from the shock."

4 Banette

Marionette

Banette might be the plot of Toy Story 2 in Pokemon form. According to Pokemon Black, it's a "doll that became a Pokémon over its grudge from being junked. It seeks the child that disowned it." While Yamask is mentioned earlier as having that potential, Banette is outright looking for revenge.

While it was just a discarded plush doll, it has made itself into a voodoo doll by pushing pins into itself, according to Pokemon Omega Ruby. This allows this doll of hatred to generate curses even better on the child who discarded it, which is just disturbing.

3 Shedinja

Shed Pokemon

When real-life insects shed their exoskeletons, they leave a haunting shadow of what once was, frozen in time. When a Nincada evolves and sheds its skin, it (similarly) leaves behind a Shedinja. In a world where plush dolls and sandcastles sometimes come to life, it's no wonder that the discarded shell of a bug might do the same.

It doesn't move or breathe, nor does it fly using its completely still wings. But, it does float in the air, unprompted. This entirely empty shell has no science behind what makes it tick. In fact, trying to look inside to see the hollowness will allow Shedinja to steal one's soul! It's best to not look inside it...

2 Parasect

Mushroom Pokemon

Parasect can be considered creepy in its own unique way — given that it's based on a chilling scenario that happens in real life. Without getting too much into the science, Ophiocordyceps unilateralis is known as the zombie-ant fungus. It takes over a host carpenter ant and grows inside it, taking over its mind and telling it to head to an optimal spot for it to grow.

Eventually, the fungus sprouts out of the ant's head and allows it to release spores to keep the cycle going. That pretty much sums up Parasect; a fungus zombie that wants to spawn other fungus zombies. Look into its dead, soulless white eyes and know that Nintendo likely wants fans to forget about how terrifying it really is.