Is Gengar Good in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon Playthrough?
Trade evolution from Haunter. AbilityCursed Body has a chance to disable moves that connect, adding disruption on top of raw power. Immune to Normal and Fighting makes Hala's Grand Trial free, and the speed tier lets Gengar outpace most E4 threats. Top-tier if you can trade for it.
Gastly trades roughly evenly with Ilima's team.
Gastly trades roughly evenly with Hala's team.
Gengar has the type edge here and should clean up Lana's team.
ElectricSteelReceived as a Totem-sized gift Pokemon by collecting enou... (Ultra Moon only)
BugElectricReceived as a Totem-sized gift Pokemon by collecting enou... (Ultra Sun only)
GrassReceived as a Totem-sized gift Pokemon by collecting enou... (Ultra Sun only)
GhostFairyReceived as a Totem-sized gift Pokemon by collecting enou...
Kiawe's team hits Gastly's weaknesses hard.
Gastly has the type edge here and should clean up Mallow's team.
Haunter trades roughly evenly with Olivia's team.
Haunter trades roughly evenly with Sophocles's team.
Haunter has the type edge here and should clean up Acerola's team.
Gengar trades roughly evenly with Nanu's team.
Gengar resists most of Mina's coverage and hits back hard.
Gengar trades roughly evenly with Hapu's team.
Gengar trades roughly evenly with Molayne's team.
Gengar trades roughly evenly with Olivia's team.
Gengar has the type edge here and should clean up Acerola's team.
Gengar trades roughly evenly with Kahili's team.
Gengar trades roughly evenly with Kukui's team.
Catch Gastly on Route 1 (interact, Lv 19). LIMITED; Solve mystery after speaking to kid at Big Wave Beach. Interact with the overworld gastly at route 1
Most players are ready to trade before reaching Lana.
Your Gastly should hit Level 25 before you reach Olivia, at typical leveling pace.
How to Get Gengar in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
The chain to Gengar requires a trade evolution through a trade. Catch Gastly at solid rates and level through the stages, but line up the trade first. The rest of the chain runs on levels alone.
Where To Catch Gengar in USUM
To get Gengar, start by catching Gastly through walking and fixed encounters at Lv. 6-34. The chain covers 3 catchable stages before reaching the final form.
Step 1Catch GastlyHau'oli CemeteryLv.6-9GrassRate 40%Memorial HillLv.21-24GrassRate 50%Route 1 - Trainers' SchoolLv.19Interact with PokemonNightOne-timeBig Wave Beach mystery
Step 2Catch or Evolve HaunterThrifty Megamart - Abandoned SiteLv.31-34GrassRate 30%or evolve from Gastly (Step 1)
Step 3Gengar ✓Thrifty Megamart - Abandoned SiteLv.31-34GrassSOS from Haunteror evolve from Haunter (Step 2)
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
 Jynx IcePsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Jynx builds →Psyshock 2x96-114%KO Thief 2x34-40% Lick 2x20-24% | ||
 Slowking WaterPsychic | C | |
 Kadabra Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Kadabra builds →Psyshock 2x102-120%KO Thief 2x26-32% | ||
 Mr. Mime PsychicFairy | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Mr. Mime builds →Psyshock 2x86-102%KO Thief 2x30-36% | ||
 Vullaby Dark | C | |
 Espeon Psychic | B | |
Jynx IcePsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Jynx builds →Psyshock 2x94-111%KO Thief 2x31-37% Lick 2x17-22% | ||
Slowking WaterPsychic | C | |
Kadabra Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Kadabra builds →Psyshock 2x97-115%KO Thief 2x26-31% | ||
Mr. Mime PsychicFairy | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Mr. Mime builds →Psyshock 2x86-102%KO Thief 2x28-34% | ||
Espeon Psychic | B | |
Jynx IcePsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Jynx builds →Psyshock 2x102-120%KO Thief 2x33-40% Lick 2x18-23% | ||
Slowking WaterPsychic | C | |
Kadabra Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Kadabra builds →Psyshock 2x105-125%KO Thief 2x28-33% | ||
Mr. Mime PsychicFairy | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Mr. Mime builds →Psyshock 2x88-105%KO Thief 2x30-37% | ||
Espeon Psychic | B | |
 Oranguru NormalPsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Oranguru builds →Psyshock 2x80-94% Feint Attack 2x36-43% | ||
Jynx IcePsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Jynx builds →Psyshock 2x94-111%KO Thief 2x31-37% Lick 2x16-20% | ||
Slowking WaterPsychic | C | |
 Mudbray Ground | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Mudbray builds →High Horsepower 2x116-137%KO | ||
Espeon Psychic | B | |
Oranguru NormalPsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Oranguru builds →Psyshock 2x83-98% Feint Attack 2x35-43% Bulldoze 2x35-43% | ||
 Hypno Psychic | C | |
Obtain MethodHauoli City Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Hypno builds →Psyshock 2x70-83% Thief 2x40-48% | ||
Jynx IcePsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Jynx builds →Psyshock 2x99-116%KO Thief 2x31-38% Lick 2x16-20% | ||
Slowking WaterPsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Slowking builds →Psyshock 2x89-105%KO Bulldoze 2x43-50% | ||
Espeon Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Espeon builds →Future Sight 2x160-189%KO Shadow Ball 2x71-85% | ||
 Incineroar FireDark | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Incineroar builds →Darkest Lariat 2x123-145%KO Shadow Claw 2x68-80% Bulldoze 2x59-70% | ||
 Gardevoir PsychicFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Gardevoir builds →Dream Eater 2x131-155%KO Shadow Ball 2x70-82% Thief 2x38-45% | ||
Oranguru NormalPsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Oranguru builds →Dream Eater 2x99-118%KO Shadow Ball 2x54-64% Feint Attack 2x36-43% Bulldoze 2x36-43% | ||
 Honchkrow Dark | B | |
Obtain MethodPoke Pelago Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Honchkrow builds →Sucker Punch 2x110-130%KO Dream Eater 2x75-89% Shadow Ball 2x61-72% | ||
 Krookodile GroundDark | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Krookodile builds →Foul Play 2x133-158%KO Dig 2x113-133%KO Shadow Claw 2x66-78% | ||
Gardevoir PsychicFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Gardevoir builds →Future Sight 2x151-178%KO Shadow Ball 2x68-80% Thief 2x37-43% | ||
Espeon Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Espeon builds →Future Sight 2x157-185%KO Shadow Ball 2x71-83% | ||
Incineroar FireDark | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Incineroar builds →Darkest Lariat 2x118-140%KO Shadow Claw 2x65-77% Bulldoze 2x57-67% | ||
 Torterra GrassGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Torterra builds →Earthquake 2x133-158%KO Bite 2x53-63% | ||
Krookodile GroundDark | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Krookodile builds →Earthquake 2x142-168%KO Foul Play 2x135-159%KO Shadow Claw 2x66-79% | ||
Espeon Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Espeon builds →Future Sight 2x156-184%KO Shadow Ball 2x70-83% | ||
Gardevoir PsychicFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Gardevoir builds →Future Sight 2x151-178%KO Shadow Ball 2x68-80% Thief 2x36-43% | ||
Oranguru NormalPsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Oranguru builds →Future Sight 2x114-134%KO Shadow Ball 2x51-61% Foul Play 2x52-62% Bulldoze 2x34-40% | ||
 Delphox FirePsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Delphox builds →Future Sight 2x139-163%KO Shadow Ball 2x62-73% Thief 2x37-44% | ||
 Mewtwo Psychic | S | |
Obtain MethodUltra Space Wilds Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Mewtwo builds →Future Sight 2x184-217%KO Shadow Ball 2x82-97% Earthquake 2x91-108%KO Brutal Swing 2x55-65% | ||
Krookodile GroundDark | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Krookodile builds →Earthquake 2x144-170%KO Foul Play 2x137-161%KO Shadow Claw 2x68-80% | ||
 Marowak Ground | C | |
Obtain MethodHeahea Beach Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x106-125%KO Thief 2x43-51% | ||
 Garchomp DragonGround | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Garchomp builds →Earthquake 2x157-186%KO Crunch 2x84-99% Shadow Claw 2x73-87% | ||
Espeon Psychic | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Espeon builds →Future Sight 2x159-187%KO Shadow Ball 2x72-84% | ||
In Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, Tapu Koko's Thunderbolt hits Gengar for 57-68%.
S | ||
Recommended Build AbilityElectric Surge ItemChoice Specs NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Tapu Koko builds →Thunderbolt57-68% Volt Switch45-53% Dazzling Gleam25-30% | ||
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityMisty Surge ItemLeftovers NatureCalm Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Tapu Fini builds →Moonblast16-19% Surf31-37% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySturdy ItemRocky Helmet NatureImpish Moves View Skarmory builds →
| ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityMagic Guard ItemLeftovers NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Clefable builds →Moonblast16-19% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityDrizzle ItemDamprock NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Gengar View Pelipper builds →U Turn4-5% Hurricane37-43% Scald27-32% | ||
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 52 partners from the Indeterminate egg group. Notable egg moves include Astonish, Clear Smog, Disable and 10 more.
USUM Gengar Best Moveset
Losing AbilityLevitate this generation left Gengar vulnerable to Ground for the first time since it gained the ability. AbilityCursed Body disables moves on contact as the replacement. 130 Sp. Atk at 110 Speed still pushes Ghost/Poison TermStab at enormous power. Mega Gengar adds AbilityShadow Tag preventing all switching. The moveset holds A-tier through raw offensive Speed despite the Ground vulnerability.
Best Build
Gengar best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed
Special Revenge Killer Moveset
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Wave
- Destiny Bond
- Focus Blast
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Stall teams hate this. Gengar can spread damage across 10 types, with Dark and Psychic punishing common defensive pivots. STAB from Sludge Bomb and Shadow Ball keeps the pressure honest on everything else.
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
You can hear tales told all over the world about how Gengar will pay a visit to children who are naughty.
Even your home isn’t safe. Gengar will lurk in whatever dark corner of a room it can find and wait for its chance to catch its prey.
Gengar Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon Guide
For Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, we rate Gengar B-Tier: a solid option in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon for the right team. At 500 BST, it fits the sweeper role. Shadow Ball with Choice Scarf is the standard set.
In Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, Gengar can Mega Evolve into Mega Gengar. That's 600 BST, up from 500. The stat redistribution often changes its best role. Mega Stone required, one per battle.
In Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, 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