Is Gengar Good in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Playthrough?
Trade evolution unlocks one of the best Pokemon in the entire game. AbilityCursed Body is the ability now instead of AbilityLevitate, so watch for Ground moves. Tears through Maylene, Fantina, and Lucian. Reusable TMs give it Energy Ball for Bertha and Focus Blast for Cynthia's Lucario. If you can trade, Gengar is elite.
Gastly trades roughly evenly with Roark's team.
Gastly resists most of Gardenia's coverage and hits back hard.
Haunter has the type edge here and should clean up Maylene's team.
Haunter has the type edge here and should clean up Crasher Wake's team.
Haunter has the type edge here and should clean up Fantina's team.
Gengar has the type edge here and should clean up Byron's team.
Gengar resists most of Candice's coverage and hits back hard.
Gengar has the type edge here and should clean up Volkner's team.
Gengar trades roughly evenly with Aaron's team.
Gengar trades roughly evenly with Bertha's team.
Gengar has the type edge here and should clean up Flint's team.
Gengar has the type edge here and should clean up Lucian's team.
Gengar has the type edge here and should clean up Cynthia's team.
Catch Gastly on Old Chateau (walking, Lv 12-16, common).
Your Gastly should hit Level 25 before you reach Maylene, at typical leveling pace.
Most players are ready to trade before reaching Byron.
How to Get Gengar in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Gengar's 3-stage chain starts with Gastly, which appears at solid rates in the locations below. Level through 3 stages while you find a trade partner. Everything except the trade step is solo.
How to Obtain Gengar in BDSP
Gastly is your first catch on the way to Gengar. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 12-66 across 38 total spots in the chain.
Step 1Catch GastlyOld ChateauLv.12-16GrassRate 100%Old Chateau - 2F Room 2Lv.12-16GrassRate 100%Old Chateau - 2F Room 4Lv.12-16GrassRate 100%Lost Tower - 1FLv.16-18FloorRate 50%Morning/dayLost Tower - 2FLv.17-19FloorRate 50%Morning/dayLost Tower - 3FLv.18-20FloorRate 50%Morning/dayLost Tower - 4FLv.19-21FloorRate 50%Morning/dayLost Tower - 5FLv.20-22FloorRate 50%Morning/dayLost Tower - 1FLv.16-18FloorRate 40%NightLost Tower - 2FLv.17-19FloorRate 40%NightLost Tower - 3FLv.18-20FloorRate 40%NightLost Tower - 4FLv.19-21FloorRate 40%NightLost Tower - 5FLv.20-22FloorRate 40%NightDazzling CaveLv.16-20CaveRoute 209Lv.16GrassRate 10%NightStargleam CavernLv.16-20Cave
Step 2Catch or Evolve HaunterTurnback Cave - Section 1Lv.44-46CaveRate 30%Turnback Cave - Section 2Lv.54-56CaveRate 30%Turnback Cave - Section 3Lv.64-66CaveRate 30%or evolve from Gastly (Step 1)
Step 3Gengar ✓
Gengar Weakness
Type-wise, Gengar takes extra damage from Ground, Psychic, Ghost, and Dark. Normal and Fighting moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity. 4 resistances help offset the weaknesses. At base 110 Speed, Gengar outspeeds most threats and doesn't need to tank what it can outrun.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Ground, Psychic, Ghost, Dark |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Grass, Fairy |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Poison, Bug |
| 0x (Immune) | Normal, Fighting |
What is Gengar Weak Against
GoodBest Pokemon Against Gengar
 Abra Psychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Abra builds →Dream Eater 2x107-127%KO Shadow Ball 2x60-71% Thief 2x22-27% | ||
 Cubone Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Cubone builds →Earthquake 2x78-93% Thief 2x33-40% | ||
 Phanpy Ground | D | |
 Geodude RockGround | C | |
 Onix RockGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Onix builds →Earthquake 2x73-87% Payback 2x24-31% | ||
Abra Psychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Abra builds →Dream Eater 2x119-140%KO Shadow Ball 2x64-77% Thief 2x23-30% | ||
Cubone Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Cubone builds →Earthquake 2x85-102%KO Thief 2x36-43% | ||
Phanpy Ground | D | |
Geodude RockGround | C | |
Onix RockGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Onix builds →Earthquake 2x81-96% Payback 2x28-34% | ||
 Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x107-127%KO Thief 2x44-52% | ||
 Kadabra Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Kadabra builds →Dream Eater 2x126-148%KO Shadow Ball 2x67-80% Thief 2x26-31% | ||
 Gastrodon WaterGround | C | |
 Hypno Psychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Hypno builds →Dream Eater 2x86-102%KO Shadow Ball 2x47-56% Thief 2x41-49% | ||
 Donphan Ground | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Donphan builds →Earthquake 2x149-176%KO Knock Off 2x66-78% | ||
Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x107-127%KO Thief 2x44-52% | ||
 Absol Dark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Absol builds →Night Slash 2x113-134%KO Shadow Claw 2x75-89% Dream Eater 2x60-71% | ||
Kadabra Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Kadabra builds →Dream Eater 2x126-148%KO Shadow Ball 2x67-80% Thief 2x26-31% | ||
 Girafarig NormalPsychic | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Girafarig builds →Dream Eater 2x101-120%KO Earthquake 2x72-85% Shadow Ball 2x53-64% Assurance 2x44-52% | ||
Gastrodon WaterGround | C | |
Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x104-123%KO Thief 2x42-50% | ||
 Hippowdon Ground | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Hippowdon builds →Earthquake 2x137-162%KO Crunch 2x73-86% | ||
Kadabra Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Kadabra builds →Dream Eater 2x122-144%KO Shadow Ball 2x66-78% Thief 2x25-30% | ||
Absol Dark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Absol builds →Night Slash 2x109-129%KO Shadow Claw 2x73-86% Dream Eater 2x57-68% | ||
Gastrodon WaterGround | C | |
Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x105-123%KO Thief 2x42-50% | ||
 Skuntank PoisonDark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Skuntank builds →Sucker Punch 2x83-98% Dig 2x64-75% Shadow Claw 2x55-65% | ||
Kadabra Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Kadabra builds →Dream Eater 2x121-143%KO Shadow Ball 2x64-77% Thief 2x25-30% | ||
Hippowdon Ground | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Hippowdon builds →Earthquake 2x137-163%KO Crunch 2x73-86% | ||
Absol Dark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Absol builds →Night Slash 2x109-129%KO Shadow Claw 2x73-86% Dream Eater 2x57-67% | ||
Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x103-123%KO Thief 2x43-50% | ||
Skuntank PoisonDark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Skuntank builds →Sucker Punch 2x82-97% Dig 2x62-73% Shadow Claw 2x54-64% | ||
Kadabra Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Kadabra builds →Dream Eater 2x119-141%KO Shadow Ball 2x63-75% Thief 2x23-28% | ||
Hippowdon Ground | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Hippowdon builds →Earthquake 2x135-159%KO Crunch 2x72-85% | ||
Absol Dark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Absol builds →Night Slash 2x108-128%KO Shadow Claw 2x72-85% Dream Eater 2x56-66% | ||
Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x103-123%KO Thief 2x43-50% | ||
Skuntank PoisonDark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Skuntank builds →Sucker Punch 2x82-97% Dig 2x62-73% Shadow Claw 2x54-64% | ||
 Jynx IcePsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Jynx builds →Dream Eater 2x115-136%KO Shadow Ball 2x62-73% Thief 2x30-37% | ||
Kadabra Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Kadabra builds →Dream Eater 2x119-141%KO Shadow Ball 2x63-75% Thief 2x23-28% | ||
Hippowdon Ground | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Hippowdon builds →Earthquake 2x135-159%KO Crunch 2x72-85% | ||
 Garchomp DragonGround | S | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Garchomp builds →Earthquake 2x157-185%KO Crunch 2x83-98% Shadow Claw 2x74-87% | ||
Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x105-123%KO Thief 2x42-50% | ||
Kadabra Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Kadabra builds →Future Sight 2x147-173%KO Shadow Ball 2x66-78% Thief 2x23-27% | ||
Skuntank PoisonDark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Skuntank builds →Sucker Punch 2x83-98% Dig 2x63-74% Shadow Claw 2x55-65% | ||
 Rhydon GroundRock | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Rhydon builds →Earthquake 2x157-185%KO Shadow Claw 2x74-87% Thief 2x63-74% | ||
In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, Clefable's Knock Off hits Gengar for 37-44%. Zapdos's Hurricane hits Gengar for 46-55%.
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityMagic Guard ItemLeftovers NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Clefable builds →Moonblast16-19% Knock Off 2x37-44% | ||
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityStatic ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Zapdos builds →Hurricane46-55% Volt Switch30-35% Heat Wave40-48% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Slowbro builds →Scald28-33% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityNatural Cure ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureBold Moves View Blissey builds →
| ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityDrizzle ItemDamprock NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Pelipper builds →U Turn4-5% Hurricane37-43% | ||
Gengar Evolutions
Getting Gengar requires a trade, not just grinding levels. The chain starts at Gastly. Breed this form to get Gastly eggs (average hatch time). Sp.Def grew the most through evolution (+40 over Gastly), and Gengar peaks at 500 total stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Gengar to get Gastly eggs easily using 31 partners from the Indeterminate egg group. Notable egg moves include Astonish, Clear Smog, Disable and 9 more.
BDSP Gengar Best Moveset
Lost AbilityLevitate for AbilityCursed Body since the Gen 7 ability change, and that Ground immunity removal is what dropped Gengar from S-tier despite 130 Sp. Atk at 110 Speed remaining untouched. The moveset still hits with Ghost and Poison TermStab at elite pace, but Ground coverage that never threatened the original now reshapes every matchup. A-tier because the offensive stats compensate.
Best Build
Gengar best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed
Special Revenge Killer Moveset
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Bomb
- Trick
- Giga Drain
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Breeding's the move. Astonish and Clear Smog give Gengar options it can't learn any other way, and coverage across 9 types already covers a decent range on top of Sludge Bomb and Shadow Ball. The egg moves push it further.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- Egg
- Inherited via breeding.
- Tutor
- NPC tutor (cost: items, BP, money).
- Reminder
- An NPC reteaches any move this Pokemon could have learned by leveling up.
- Transfer
- Carried over from an older game using Pokemon HOME.
- Event
- Given out through Mystery Gift events.
Visual Signals
CAT (Category)
How the move deals damage and which stats it uses.
A small dot on the icon's corner marks the move as contact. That triggers abilities like Static, Flame Body, Rough Skin, or Iron Barbs, plus items like Rocky Helmet and Sticky Barb.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM, Egg, and Tutor sort by tier by default (best first). On Level-Up, click the Tier header to do the same.
PWR (Power)
Base damage. Numbers shown in a type color include STAB (base × 1.5). Hover any colored number to see the math.
— means no power (status moves) or variable power.
Sorting & Filter
Click any column header to sort. Level-Up opens with Lv 1 at the top. TM, Egg, and Tutor open with the highest-tier moves at the top.
Search filters by move name or type. The Filter button limits the list to STAB, Physical, Special, or Status moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
It hides in shadows. It is said that in rooms where Gengar is hiding, the temperature drops by nearly 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lurking in the shadowy corners of rooms, it awaits chances to steal its prey’s life-force.
Gengar Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Guide
For Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, we rate Gengar B-Tier: a solid option in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl for the right team. At 500 BST, it fits the sweeper role. Shadow Ball with Choice Scarf is the standard set.
Mega Evolution isn't available in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, but Gengar does have a Mega form in Gen 6-7 games (X/Y, ORAS, Sun/Moon). Mega Gengar hits 600 BST.
In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, Gengar's biggest threats include Golem (Ground), Starmie (Psychic), and Misdreavus (Ghost), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Dark-type attackers are also a problem. Gengar's base 110 Speed lets it outpace many threats and strike first, which matters more than trying to tank hits.
Gengar is obtained by trade-evolving Haunter. Catch or evolve a Haunter first, then trade. Trade needs a Game Boy Advance link cable and a second GBA running another Gen 3 game (FireRed, LeafGreen, Ruby, Sapphire, or Emerald). Trade Haunter to a friend, then have them trade it back. The 2026 Switch re-release supports the same trade through local wireless on the Pokemon Center 2F Wireless Club, with no cables required.
Cursed Body is the go-to ability for Gengar. It has a 30% chance of Disabling any move that hits the Pokémon. It's Gengar's only ability.
Game Availability
Since debuting in Red & Blue, Gengar has appeared in 22 titles over 10 generations. Along the way, it received a Mega form in Generation 6 and a Gigantamax form in Generation 8, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORASMega
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwShGigantamax
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves