Pokemon is no stranger to some genuinely creepy concepts. This goes beyond the Marowak murder in Lavendar Town or the joke that Pokemon writ large is super-powered dogfighting – many Pokemon are unsettling by design. Whether it just be something off-putting about their visual design or their accompanying Pokedex entries, there are some outright scary Pokemon out there.
Naturally, many of these frightening Pokemon are of the Ghost-type since the very concept of ghosts is rooted in a state of undeath. With all of this in mind, let's rank the scariest Pokemon of each generation by how much they give players the chills.
8 Misdreavus (Generation II)
Generation II wasn't an especially spooky era of Pokemon. There was only one Ghost-type Pokemon, and that was Misdreavous. It didn't evolve from anything, and it wouldn't get an evolved form until Generation IV with Mismagius. Dark-type Pokemon were introduced with Generation II, and they are prone to a little spookiness here and there, but Houndour, Houndoom, Umbreon, Murkrow, and Tyranitar just didn't bring the fright.
Misdreavous doesn't look particularly off-putting either; in fact, it's pretty cute. What lands Misdreavous on this list above anything else from Generation II is that, according to its Pokedex entries, it feeds on fear. The red orbs that make up its necklace store fear, and it generates fear by screaming at people or following them around. Even then, it's little more than, well, mischievous, but it's all Generation II has.
7 Yamask (Generation V)
Yamask is where this article enters generally unnerving territory. It is a Ghost-type that was introduced with Generation V. It evolves into Cofagrigus, and it has a Galarian Form that is Ghost and Ground-type which evolves into a different Pokemon known as Runerigus. All that said, Yamask is still weirdly cute.
However, it is revealed in the Pokedex that Yamask was once a human and the mask that it carries around was once its face. Worse yet, it will sometimes look at the mask and cry. Well, that's just unsettling. Extra points are earned from the Galarian Form, which is now carrying a cursed rune, and Runerigus, which has runes depicting horrors all over its body.
6 Trevenant (Generation VI)
If the creepy Pokedex entries didn't exist, Trevenant, which originates from Generation VI, would probably be the scariest Pokemon in existence. Whether it's the judging eye, the vaguely human shape, or the way it moves in the games, there is just something unnerving about looking at Trevenant.
The Pokedex does add a few more unsettling points in this Grass and Ghost-type Pokemon's favor. Apparently, other Pokemon are known to live inside its body, which is weird. Also, it has a feud with all Fire-type Pokemon, because lumberjacks are known to bring them to help clear out wooded areas. Beyond that, it's known to fight back against deforestation, which is actually just cool.
5 Dragapult & Dreepy (Generation VIII)
Dragapult and Dreepy get to share a spot on this list because they both partake in a freaky practice when battling other Pokemon. Dreepy is the base form of Dragapult. It evolves into Drakloak at level 50 and Dragapult at level 60. All three are Ghost and Dragon-type Pokemon and come from Generation VIII.
What's weird about Dragapult is that it fires Dreepy as projectiles from the missile silo-like horns. To make it worse, according to the Pokedex, the Dreepy enjoy being fired at Mach speeds. One gets the impression that this was added to make the whole design of Dragapult and Dreepy less weird, but it actually makes it worse. It implies that Dreepy are actively seeking their own pain and potential destruction, which is pretty terrifying to think about.
4 Cubone (Generation I)
Cubone is pretty famous for its macabre design and story. It's a Ground-type and the only non-Ghost-type to make the cut for this article (though its evolved form in Alola, Marowak, is actually Ghost and Fire-type). Cubone dates all the way back to Generation I, and it's honestly is a little cute despite the skull helmet and bone weapon.
However, the Pokedex reveals that the skull helmet actually belongs to the Cubone's mother. That's made worse by the fact that a Cubone is never seen in the games, cards, anime, or manga without a skull helmet in its possession. In Pokemon Blue and Red, as well as every subsequent remake of Generation I, there is a saga that takes place in Lavendar Town wherein Team Rocket orphans a Cubone by killing its Marowak mother. The player encounters the Marowak's ghost in a vast cemetery and has to help put its soul to rest.
3 Mimikyu (Generation VII)
Another fairly cute Pokemon, Mimikyu is a Ghost and Fairy-type from Generation VII that wants nothing more than to be a Pikachu, as the latter is so beloved and popular. That's kind of sad, but it's tame enough so far.
Mimikyu gets into terrifying territory when the Pokedex reveals that no one knows what Mimikyu actually looks like, as one has never been seen without the Pikachu facade. It is known that its true form is apparently horrifying beyond measure. On top of that, in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Mimikyu is a Pokemon that can emerge from a Poke Ball. When this happens, it will grab the nearest opponent with a shadowy tendril, drag it underneath the Pikachu costume, and lay an unholy beating on its victim.
2 Shedinja (Generation III)
Shedinja is a freaky Ghost and Bug-type Pokemon from Generation III. When its base form, Nincada, evolves into Ninjask and the trainer has an empty slot in their Pokemon party, a Shedinja will mysteriously appear.
This is because Shedinja is the living husk that was once Nincada. In several Pokedex entries, it's said that Shedinja never moves or breathes, its insides are completely hollow and dark, and that peering into the hole in its back will "steal one's spirit." That last one is really unfortunate, as, when a player uses Shedinja in Generation III, IV, and V games, they can only see the hole in its back.
As a kicker, Shedinja has an ability called Wonder Guard that makes it invincible to all Pokemon attacks except the ones that it's weak to, and it never can have more than 1 HP. Now bear in mind, Shedinja has a lot of weaknesses due to its typing, but the fact that it can shrug off the majority of Pokemon attacks makes it just a little creepier.
1 Drifloon (Generation IV)
Drifloon is another cute-looking Pokemon that does some pretty wild stuff according to the Pokedex. Drifloon is a Ghost and Flying-type Pokemon that originates from Generation IV. It evolves into Drifblim at level 28.
What does Drifloon do that's so bad? It kidnaps children, or it at least frequently tries to. According to the Pokemon Pearl Pokedex, "It tugs on the hands of children to steal them away. However, it gets pulled around instead." This implies that Drifloon actively tries to steal kids, but it often fails. However, with Heartgold and Soulsilver, it's upgraded to this "It is whispered that any child who mistakes Drifloon for a balloon and holds on to it could wind up missing."
With Black 2 and White 2, its Pokedex entry ends with the sentence, "Children holding them sometimes vanish." This is actually repeated in Pokemon Y and Pokemon Alpha Sapphire. It's even implied that Drifloon takes kids to the afterlife in Pokemon Sun, and it apparently dislikes "heavy children." As a kicker, in Moon, it's said that it does sometimes burst, and "Its souls spills out with a screaming sound."
In Sword and Shield, Game Freak clearly tried to dial back the horror with Drifloon a bit, but Pokemon players will always remember the horrifying Pokedex saga of Drifloon.