Piers and Marnie know where it's at — dark types rock! They were introduced back in Generation II to help balance out type advantages in the game and did so with great success. Plus, these dark friends make excellent companions to adventure with.
There's a reason that master trainers like Nanu, Karen, Grimsley, and Sidney use Dark-type Pokemon, but not all of them are created equal. Some just stand out a bit above the rest in terms of power and fan favorites.
13 Thievul
A fellow fox Pokemon like Vulpix, Ninetales, Fennekin, Thievul is quite the dashing pocket monster. He has a gentleman thief motif and would make anyone think of a certain Disney character that robs the rich to give to the poor. Hopefully, a Bolthund won't try to hunt it down!
12 Nickit
Loads of players find themselves catching a Nickit early on in Sword & Shield. Fans of the anime will remember in Settling the Scorbunny! when a group of three adorable Nickit helped Goh and Scorbunny become friends. These adorable little thieves are known for stealing food wherever they can and survive on whatever scraps they take.
11 Poochyena
Poochyena is likely the Dark-type that has shown up the most times in the anime with a staggering twenty-eight times. Still, it's even more memorable by Ruby's side in the Pokemon Adventures Manga. Nana was an adorable companion and a fierce fighter. Plus, who can forget the adorable Team Poochy? This pint-sized pup is just such a good pupper!
10 Purrloin
Who doesn't remember the hilarious moment when Meowth and Oshawott suddenly learn the Purrloin they were courting was really a guy all long? Silly anime tropes aside, Purrloin is an elegant Pokemon that was actually accidentally revealed back in the old Pokemon Sunday episodes.
It's not just a good-looking Pokemon either — it's also got a niche status on teams competing in Little Cup. It's the perfect cat thief using moves like Knock Off and Encore to mess with opposing teams.
9 Zorua
Illusion is an amazing ability that gives Zorua a niche in any Little Cup battle. Plus, it would be useful in real life, as seen with Luca's Zorua playing characters in many films during an episode of the anime. It was one of the only non-Mythical Pokémon to be exclusively distributed in events along with its evolution and made this essentially Dark-type Ditto rare for some time.
8 Alolan Meowth
Alolan Meowth's blazing speed and access to Parting Shot make it an absolute demon in Little Cup competition. Its hit-and-run tactics can be the bane of any team that faces it. Plus, there's no denying just how hilarious it was seeing Meowth from Team Rocket slowly become more and more furious with it during their adventures in Alola was hilarious beyond measure.
7 Mightyena
Players had to battle through countless Mightyena trained by Team Aqua making it hard to forget. It was so popular that Nintendo distributed "Team Rainbow Rocket's Ambition Archie's Mightyena" (no seriously, that's what they called it) in a special event. It's even an iconic enough Dark-type that Groundbreakers chose it to be featured in the Pokemon Trading Figure Game.
6 Alolan Persian
When Sun & Moon was released, many trainers were excited to see which Alolan Pokemon might give them an edge in battle. It turned out that Alolan Persian fit the bill. It not only helped trainers place high at various regionals, but it also even made an appearance at the World Championships four times! It might not have the competitive power it used to but during its prime, it was a force to be reckoned with.
5 Absol
Absol premiered on the silver screen in Jirachi: Wish Maker and if it wasn't already a massive fan favorite, it was cemented as one after. It was featured prominently in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon which gave fans even more of a connection with it.
Absol became even more glorious when it received a Mega Evolution that literally gave it wings. It might be rumored to only appear where disasters occur, but it's probably fans' favorite Dark-type out there.
4 Zoroark
Zoroark isn't just an amazing-looking master of illusions — it was a defining Pokemon in the trading card game for many years. It helped players win over $485,750 in prizes as it resulted in 118 top eight placements at regionals (with twelve of those resulting in wins). Plus, Zoroark-GX also gave six lucky players a win at the World Championships cementing it as one of the best cards ever to grace the game.
3 Umbreon
Every Eeveelution turns out to be immensely popular but Umbreon is a step above the rest. Gary and Gladion both trained one in the anime alongside countless Pokemon fans in Pokemon Gold & Silver. Himofuri Kimura also showed its competitive prowess at Worlds in 2019 bringing it as a surprise pick that helped him get second place.
2 Liepard
Liepard has had a long history in competitive play as a Pokemon that will disappear for a while but always makes its way back. It has popped up to help trainers place high at regions from all the back in 2013 to the most recent VGC events before COVID-19 stopped competitions. It looks like it's not just an elegant and gorgeous Pokemon, it's got a serious future in competitive play.
1 Darkrai
The legendary dark nightmare, Darkrai has terrorized Ubers on Smogon and has more appearances throughout the franchise than a Farfetch'd can shake a leek at. It has been a major antagonist in the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series, shown up in Super Smash Brothers, and even is a playable fighter in Pokken Tournament DX. It's impossible to find a Dark-type more iconic than Darkrai.