• Ever thought it'd be cool to have your art, writing, or challenge runs featured on PokéCommunity? Click here for info - we'd love to spotlight your work!
  • Dawn, Gloria, Juliana, or Summer - which Pokémon protagonist is your favorite? Let us know by voting in our poll!
  • Welcome to PokéCommunity! Register now and join one of the best fan communities on the 'net to talk Pokémon and more! We are not affiliated with The Pokémon Company or Nintendo.
    Register

Dark types and ghost types.

Nick

    • 17,570
    Posts
    20
    Years
    • Seen May 9, 2024
    Something I'd like to know what others feel about this. Since the introduction of ghost types in generation one, they're primary usefulness was against psychic types. In generation II, when dark types were introduced, it became known that dark types had primary usefulness against both ghost and psychic types. So that led me to the question: Do dark types make the ghost types obsolete?
     
    I wouldn't say so. All types have a use. And sometimes if you don't have a dark type available a Ghost OR a Bug type can be used. Besides Dark types have their own weakness with Bug and Fighting types as well. If Dark types were in the same situation, Psychic types were back in Gen I, then we would have a problem.
     
    It's not really a matter of obsoletion in my mind as it is variation. For example, Dark may seem better in terms of strengths, but it's weakness to Fighting types is a stark contrast to Ghost pokemon, which aren't even affected by Fighting types. Also, Dark right now has a largely physical movepool whereas Ghost is almost entirely special based. Neither supercedes the other, it's more a case of preference and availability within each game.
     
    I don't think it reduced the usefulness just balanced the playing field. If anything Ghost has a bit more of an advantage since it has two resistances as opposed too one by the Dark. I don't see with our current typing across the board that any times are obsolete or don't have some bit of usefulness.
     
    I don't think Ghost is entirely obsolete because a Ghost move and a Fighting move together gives the user perfect coverage. On the other hand, even though Dark moves and Fighting moves have good coverage paired together, both types are resisted by Heracross, Croagunk and Toxicroak.
     
    I still see ghost types very useful. Gengar has been present in OU play for quite some time due to its typing. Having a resistance to ground type moves is a big plus in the competitive play of Pokémon. Nearly all Pokémon can learn Earthquake. Spiritomb is also a great Pokémon to play. I don't see the addition of the Dark type as a catalyst to making another type obsolete at all.
     
    ALso note Gengar has been OU forever since its RBY inception. very few other non-legendaries from gen 1 to now can boast that. And i never fail to have 1 in an ingame team every gen (if possible)

    gengar BRO for life.
     
    I've always liked Ghost types as they can often end up learning Psychic and Dark moves on top of their own, awesome Ghost moves. Seriously, Shadow Ball is probably in my top 5 of favourite Pokemon moves. Because of this, Ghosts can become an almost-triple threat with lots of type coverage and two awesome resistances (well, often three if Levitate is in play!) So, no, I don't think Dark types have eliminated Ghost types; if anything, Dark has added another string to the Ghosts' expansive repertoire.
     
    Ghost types are invaluable and a main reason for this is because they are immune to Fighting and Normal type attacks, which means they can block rapid spin.
     
    That's like saying because Grass is super-effective against Water, then Electric is now useless. They have different strengths and weaknesses, all have their uses. Everyone before me has explained this well.
     
    I think their primary usefulness was originally defensive, thus that the decreasing prevalence of largely Normal-type movepools is what has reduced the merit of Ghost (and Rock).
     
    Gen One only had Lick and Night Shade for the overpowered Psychic types.
    Availability of dual typings make them both viable in my opinion. I'd much rather use a Bug or Ghost against a Psychic anyway so the opposing Fight types are hitting theis STAB less (maybe). There are also a rather high variety (by Dark Pokemon, not different dual combo) of 4x weaknesses to dual Darks such as 4x to Fighting.
     
    You must log in or register to reply here.
    Back
    Top