Ghost-type Pokemon have remained a highly sought-after Pokemon type for generations of games now, and it’s not hard to see why. Host to a variety of special moves and abilities, they can fill a wide array of roles in most any player’s team while also providing a ton of type coverage. The adventure set in the Paldea region is no exception, and after testing each ‘Mon’s viability out, we’ve determined what we believe to be the best Ghost Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
What the Best Ghost Type Pokemon Are in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
Among the many Ghost-type Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, there are 10 that stand out from the pack the most.
Though the reasons for this vary, most of them gain this distinction thanks to being the final evolution in the evolutionary line of Pokemon you can catch early on. This makes most all of them easy to obtain, while the rest can be caught with general ease so long as you know where and when to look for them. To that end, we’ve detailed each Pokemon’s strengths, best Natures, and how to get them down below.
It should also be noted that Pokemon which don’t appear on this list can still be made into highly valuable members of any given Pokemon team. This list’s main focus is on Pokemon which can be reliably obtained even with minimal knowledge of the game’s deeper mechanics and through a standard playthrough of Scarlet or Violet.
Gengar
Gengar has been one of the best Ghost Pokemon you can get for several generations now, and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet doesn’t seem to be bucking that trend. Host to outstanding Special Attack and Speed stats, it’s perfect for moving in quickly to obliterate opponents with Special Attack-fueled moves like Shadow Ball, Sludge Bomb, or Dream Eater.
It can likewise be used for a wide array of set-up strategies thanks to the fact that it learns moves like Confuse Ray, Hypnosis, and Curse. Most of these can be used in tandem with other Pokemon’s moves and abilities to cripple your opponent’s team and limit their options substantially.
Nature-wise, you can’t go wrong with Modest, Mild, or Rash, as all of these will raise its Special Attack stat even more. Timid, Hasty, and Naive can also be viable thanks to the increase in Speed they’ll provide, but it should be noted that Gengar’s less-than-stellar defense will mean you’ll only get one or two chances to let off moves that aren’t offense-focused.
To get a Gengar, your best bet is to trade a Pincurchin to the woman in front of the battle court in Levincia. She’ll give you her Haunter in exchange, which will immediately evolve into a Gengar thanks to the trade. Otherwise, you can train up a Ghastly to level 25 so that it evolves into a Haunter, trade said Haunter to someone else, and then have them send the resulting Gengar back to you.
Houndstone
One of the more interesting new additions made to the Pokedex through Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Houndstone is a fairly tanky physical attacker. Its Defense and Special Defense make it capable of withstanding a decent amount of punishment, while its Attack stat allows it to deal sizable damage via its type of coverage-focused moves like Play Rough, Crunch, Phantom Force, and Double Edge.
This makes it a great choice for anyone trying to find a good staller that can also deal damage while they’re on the field. Helping this further is the fact that it’s a pure Ghost type, leaving it with only two move types it’s definitively weak against.
For its Nature, you’d be best served by one that is Adamant, Impish, Careful or Jolly. These will see its Attack, Defense, or Special Defense boosted without throwing its stat balance out of whack, and will further optimize it for giving your opponents plenty of headaches.
To get a Houndstone, you have two options. One is to go to the west side of Glaseado Mountain at night and to look for glimmers of a purple candle in the snow. The other is to look around Glaseado Mountain at night to catch a Greavard and then level it up to level 30.
Mimikyu
Mimikyu is a highly flexible member you could add to your team for a variety of reasons. Themost notable one is that it is host to the Decoy ability, which nullifies the damage done to it the first time it’s hit in a battle. This can be incredibly useful when paired with moves that utilize its high Speed and Special Defense stats, allowing it to set up other Pokemon and strategies for success.
Likewise, its rare dual typing of Ghost and Fairy means it’s privy to a variety of different offensive moves. Shadow Claw, Shadow Sneak, and Play Rough are some of the better ones and can be used to great effect when paired with its Decoy ability.
The best Natures for it are easily Adamant, Impish, Careful, and Jolly. These will boost its Attack, Defense, Special Defense, or Speed respectively, giving Mimikyu an extra edge that could prove to be a deciding factor in battles.
To catch one, all you need to do is head to the ruins west of Levincia. They appear in abundance here and should be easy enough to catch after you clear Levincia’s Gym challenge.
Spiritomb
Spiritomb is a tricky Pokemon to deal with, which makes it an easy addition to our list of the best Ghost Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Its Ghost and Dark dual typing mean that it is only weak to Fairy types, and even then they have to try and penetrate its above-average Defense and Special Defense stats.
Outside of defensive capabilities, it’s also great for methodical attacks. It has decent Attack and Special Attack, meaning it’s great for letting off Ghost-type mainstay moves like Shadow Ball and Dream Eater. Likewise, its low speed can be used to your advantage with retaliation moves like Payback.
In terms of the best Nature, it depends on how you want to use Spiritomb. If it’s your wall or stall Pokemon, then a Relaxed or Sassy Nature is what you want. If it’s a slow hitter, then Brave or Quiet is the way to go.
As for finding a Spiritomb, it can be tricky. It only appears at night and in one of two locations. One is to the east of where the river running through Glaseado Mountain meets the ocean or to the far. The other is on the opposite side of the mountain, in the small outcropping of snowy terrain that meets the grassier terrain on Glaseado Mountain’s left side.
Dragapult
Host to the extremely rare dual typing of Ghost and Dragon, Dragapult is lightning fast thanks to its high Speed stat. This ensures that it’ll almost always be the first to strike, cementing it as a great team member for both strategic setups and offensive blitzes. It also boasts higher-than-average Attack and Special Attack, meaning it can make full use of moves like Hex, Phantom Force and Dragon Rush to decimate or disorientate opponents.
The best Natures for it are those that will either boost its attack stats or further boost its Speed stats without draining any of said stats in exchange. As such, you’ll want to seek out one with a Lonely or Naughty nature for boosted Attack; Mild or Rash Nature for boosted Special Attack; or a Hasty or Naive Nature for boosted Speed.
As for catching one, it’ll take a bit of effort. This is because you can’t catch one in the wild, and instead will need to catch and train up either a Dreepy – the first Pokemon in its three stage Evolutionary Line – or Drakloak, the Evolution that comes before it.
Dreepy can be caught most anywhere in Paldea’s north and east areas so long as you search at night. It evolves into Drakloak at level 50 and then Dragapult at level 60. Drakloak, meanwhile, can be found near or around Casseroya Lake. It’ll typically be seen at the center of a large group of Dreepy. Once you catch one, all you’ll need to do is train it up to level 60 so that it evolves into Dragapult.
Skeledirge
Skeledirge may not be the only Fire and Ghost dual-type Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet, but it’s certainly a standout among the game’s myriad Ghost types. While its decently high Special Attack and Defense stats make it good for taking on physical attackers, its true strength lies in its sweep setup potential.
By using moves like Torch Song to deal damage and raise its Special Attack, it can quickly raise its offensive power to the point of One Hit KO-ing anything that comes up against it. All the while, its high Defense stat will help to ensure it doesn’t go down even if a physical attacker tries to take it out and stop its sweep setup.
Nature-wise, you can’t go wrong with ones that boost its Special Attack or Defense stats. A Modest or Rash Nature is best for enhancing its Special Attack, while a Bold or Lax Nature is ideal for ramping up its Defense.
To get one, you’ll need to get your hands on the Fire type starter Fuecoco and then train it up to its evolutionary forms. It evolves into Crocalor at level 16 and then Skeledirge at level 36. If you chose a different starter at the start of your game and would rather not erase your save file, worry not: we’ve got a guide that’ll walk you through how to get all starters.
Ceruledge
Don’t let Ceruledge’s edgy design and aesthetic fool you; this Pokemon is a must-have for most anyone’s team thanks to its unique stat distribution. Host to great Attack power and above average Special Defense, it’s perfect for sending out against Special Attack specialists to mop them up with minimal health lost in the process. Helping this are its many slashing-based moves. Several of them have an increased hit rate, while its trademark move Bitter Blade heals it while inflicting heavy Fire damage.
The best Natures for Ceruledge are ones that boost its Attack stat. These include ones such as Lonely or Adamant. Natures like Gentle and Careful, which boost its Special Defense stat, atre also acceptable, but not ideal.
As for getting your hands on a Ceruledge, it’s a little tricky. In addition to being a version exclusive Pokemon for Pokemon Violet, it can only be obtained by catching a Charcadet from any of the South Province areas and then using the Malicious Armor item on it to make it evolve. If you don’t yet know where to obtain this item, we’ve got you covered with a guide on how to get the Malicious Armor.
Annihilape
Annihilape isn’t what many Pokemon fans would have expected Primeape’s new evolution to be, but dang if it isn’t one of the best Ghost Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. A Physical Attack specialist, it’s great for sending out against most any opponent thanks to its largely balanced stats. Helping this further is the fact that its a Fighting and Ghost dual type, and that it knows a wide variety of moves like Rage Fist, Close Combat, Stomping Tantrum and Outrage.
In terms of best Natures for it, you can’t go wrong with any that increase its Attack stat. This means that you’ll want one with a Lonely, Adamant, Naughty or Brave Nature ideally.
as for catching one, it’s another example of a third stage Evolution that you can’t catch in the wild. Instead, you’ll need to catch one of its pre-Evolution forms and train them up. Mankey, the first Pokemon in its Evolutionary line, can be found near trees to the south of the Asada Desert, and levels up into Primeape at level 28. Primeape, meanwhile, can be found outside Medali near trees and off the main roads leading into the city.
As for how to evolve your Primeape into an Annihilape, it’ll require using the move Rage Fist 20 times in a row without visiting a Pokemon center.
Flutter Mane
Of the different versions and evolutions of Misdreavus, the Paradox Pokemon Flutter Mane is easily the strongest. Host to some insane Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed stats, this Ghost and Fairy dual type is tailor-made for moving in fast and hitting opponents hard. Helping this is the fact that it learns some fantastic offensive moves like Dazzling Gleam, Shadow Ball, and Moonblast which all make full use of its Special Attack stat.
Defense-wise, it also learns plenty of moves that are great for taking advantage of the fact that it can weather most Special Attack onslaughts. Pain Split and Perish Song are some of the better ones, as you’ll be able to use them to force switches and prolong battles so that you can set up other strategies with ease.
All of this makes its best Natures pretty straightforward. You’ll want ones that raise either its Special Attack or Special Defense stats in exchange for its Attack and Defense. a Modest or Mild Nature will be best for getting more Special Attack, while a Calm or Gentle Nature will see its Special Defense stat increased.
Catching a Flutter Mane is rather tricky, unfortunately. In addition to being a version-exclusive Pokemon for Pokemon Scarlet, it also can’t be found until you reach Area Zero. This means you won’t be able to add it to your team until you’ve completed most, if not all, of the game’s story content.
Gholdengo
Look, we get it. Gholdengo looks like an animated version of that Apple Jacks mascot from the early 2000s. As a Ghost-type Pokemon though, it’s highly effective as a Special Attack-focused offensive powerhouse. This is thanks not only to its high Special Attack stat, but also to the fact that it learns moves like Shadow Ball and Make it Rain; both of which take advantage of its Ghost and Steel dual typing.
It’s also worth mentioning that Gholdengo has some better-than-average Defense and Special Defense stats thanks to its Steel typing. This means that it can be incredibly useful for weathering blows from opponents and setting up other strategies, whether it lies at the center of them or not.
For best Nature, it depends on how you want to use Gholdengo. If your aim is to use it as a Special Attack centerpiece, then a Bold or Relaxed Nature is the way to go. If you’d prefer to use it as a defensive wall or staller, then you’d be better served by Bold, Relaxed, Calm, or Sassy Natures.
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