Is Gourgeist Good in X & Y Playthrough?
Trade evolution from Pumpkaboo. Ghost/Grass with AbilityPickup. Diantha uses one on her team. If obtained, handles Olympia through Ghost and Grant through Grass. The size variants change stats. Trade-locked.
Pumpkaboo has the type edge here and should clean up Viola's team.
Pumpkaboo has the type edge here and should clean up Grant's team.
Pumpkaboo trades roughly evenly with Korrina's team.
Pumpkaboo trades roughly evenly with Ramos's team.
Clemont's team hits Pumpkaboo's weaknesses hard.
Gourgeist has the type edge here and should clean up Valerie's team.
Gourgeist has the type edge here and should clean up Olympia's team.
Gourgeist trades roughly evenly with Wulfric's team.
Gourgeist trades roughly evenly with Malva's team.
Gourgeist trades roughly evenly with Wikstrom's team.
Gourgeist trades roughly evenly with Drasna's team.
Gourgeist has the type edge here and should clean up Siebold's team.
Gourgeist trades roughly evenly with Diantha's team.
Catch Pumpkaboo on Route 16 (walking, Lv 34-35, common). Tall grass.
Most players are ready to trade before reaching Valerie.
How to Get Gourgeist in X & Y
The chain to Gourgeist requires a trade evolution through a trade. Catch Pumpkaboo at solid rates and level through the stages, but line up the trade first. The rest of the chain runs on levels alone.
How to Obtain Gourgeist in XY
To get Gourgeist, start by catching Pumpkaboo through walking encounters at Lv. 34-36. The chain covers 1 catchable stage before reaching the final form.
Step 1Catch PumpkabooRoute 16Lv.34-35GrassRate 30%Tall grass onlyRoute 16Lv.35-36GrassRate 20%Tall grass onlyRoute 16Lv.36GrassRate 10%Tall grass onlyRoute 16Lv.36GrassRate 1%Tall grass only
Step 2Gourgeist ✓BREEDINGAvailableLeave a compatible parent at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Gourgeist egg.
Gourgeist Weakness
Gourgeist's Ghost/Grass typing leaves it vulnerable to Fire, Ice, Flying, Ghost, and Dark. It shrugs off Normal and Fighting-type attacks completely. It resists 4 types, giving it decent defensive coverage. Gourgeist's physical bulk (base 122 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Ice, Flying, Ghost, Dark |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Water, Electric, Grass, Ground |
| 0x (Immune) | Normal, Fighting |
What is Gourgeist Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Gourgeist
 Fennekin Fire | D | |
Obtain MethodAquacorde Town Gift | ||
 Fletchling Normal | D | |
 Pidgey Normal | D | |
 Pansear Fire | D | |
 Combee Bug | D | |
 Absol Dark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Absol builds →Bite 2x50-60% Shadow Claw 2x39-46% Aerial Ace 2x33-40% | ||
 Aerodactyl Rock | B | |
Obtain MethodAmbrette Town Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Aerodactyl builds →Wing Attack 2x43-51% Fire Fang 2x31-37% Ice Fang 2x31-37% Bite 2x29-34% | ||
 Simisear Fire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Simisear builds →Flame Burst 2x69-81% Shadow Claw 2x31-37% Thief 2x29-34% | ||
 Ninjask Bug | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Ninjask builds →Aerial Ace 2x40-47% Thief 2x26-31% | ||
 Honedge SteelGhost | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Honedge builds →Shadow Claw 2x43-51% Aerial Ace 2x24-29% Pursuit 2x16-20% | ||
 Pangoro FightingDark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Pangoro builds →Thief 2x42-51% Shadow Claw 2x33-40% Aerial Ace 2x28-34% | ||
 Malamar DarkPsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Malamar builds →Foul Play 2x53-62% Aerial Ace 2x24-28% | ||
 Hawlucha Fighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Hawlucha builds →Bounce 2x48-57% Payback 2x19-23% | ||
Absol Dark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Absol builds →Bite 2x45-54% Shadow Claw 2x35-42% Aerial Ace 2x30-36% | ||
 Houndoom DarkFire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Houndoom builds →Fire Fang 2x38-45% Bite 2x36-42% | ||
Hawlucha Fighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Hawlucha builds →Fly 2x50-59% Payback 2x19-23% | ||
 Dodrio Normal | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Dodrio builds →Fly 2x59-71% Thief 2x26-32% | ||
Pangoro FightingDark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Pangoro builds →Thief 2x42-51% Shadow Claw 2x33-40% Aerial Ace 2x28-34% | ||
Malamar DarkPsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Malamar builds →Foul Play 2x53-62% Aerial Ace 2x24-28% | ||
Absol Dark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Absol builds →Bite 2x45-54% Shadow Claw 2x35-42% Aerial Ace 2x30-36% | ||
Hawlucha Fighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Hawlucha builds →Fly 2x50-59% Payback 2x19-23% | ||
Dodrio Normal | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Dodrio builds →Fly 2x59-71% Thief 2x26-32% | ||
Pangoro FightingDark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Pangoro builds →Thief 2x42-51% Shadow Claw 2x33-40% Aerial Ace 2x28-34% | ||
Malamar DarkPsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Malamar builds →Foul Play 2x53-62% Aerial Ace 2x24-28% | ||
Absol Dark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Absol builds →Bite 2x45-54% Shadow Claw 2x35-42% Aerial Ace 2x30-36% | ||
 Honchkrow Dark | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Honchkrow builds →Fly 2x68-80% Sucker Punch 2x59-70% Astonish 2x16-19% | ||
 Charizard Fire | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Charmander (Lumiose City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Charizard builds →Flare Blitz 2x64-75% Air Slash 2x73-87% Shadow Claw 2x26-31% | ||
 Aegislash SteelGhost | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Aegislash builds →Shadow Claw 2x27-31% Night Slash 2x18-21% Aerial Ace 2x16-19% | ||
 Talonflame Fire | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Talonflame builds →Flare Blitz 2x64-75% Fly 2x47-56% Thief 2x22-26% | ||
 Staraptor Normal | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Staraptor builds →Fly 2x65-77% Thief 2x30-35% | ||
Honchkrow Dark | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Honchkrow builds →Fly 2x66-78% Sucker Punch 2x61-72% Astonish 2x15-18% | ||
Charizard Fire | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Charmander (Lumiose City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Charizard builds →Flare Blitz 2x65-76% Air Slash 2x74-88% Shadow Claw 2x26-31% | ||
Aegislash SteelGhost | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Aegislash builds →Shadow Claw 2x27-32% Night Slash 2x18-22% Aerial Ace 2x15-18% | ||
Talonflame Fire | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Talonflame builds →Flare Blitz 2x62-74% Fly 2x48-58% Thief 2x22-26% | ||
Staraptor Normal | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Staraptor builds →Fly 2x65-76% Thief 2x30-35% | ||
Honchkrow Dark | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Honchkrow builds →Foul Play 2x70-83% Fly 2x67-79% Astonish 2x16-19% | ||
Staraptor Normal | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Staraptor builds →Brave Bird 2x86-101%KO Thief 2x29-35% | ||
 Chandelure GhostFire | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Chandelure builds →Fire Blast 2x137-161%KO Hex 2x81-96% Thief 2x16-19% | ||
Hawlucha Fighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Hawlucha builds →Sky Attack 2x79-94% Payback 2x20-24% | ||
Houndoom DarkFire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Houndoom builds →Fire Blast 2x108-128%KO Foul Play 2x54-64% | ||
 Pyroar FireNormal | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Pyroar builds →Overheat 2x125-147%KO Dark Pulse 2x51-61% | ||
 Hydreigon DarkDragon | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Hydreigon builds →Dark Pulse 2x87-102%KO Fire Blast 2x80-94% Fly 2x38-45% | ||
Chandelure GhostFire | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Chandelure builds →Overheat 2x160-188%KO Shadow Ball 2x98-116%KO Dark Pulse 2x65-77% | ||
Honchkrow Dark | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Honchkrow builds →Foul Play 2x70-82% Fly 2x66-78% Shadow Ball 2x50-59% Incinerate 2x38-45% | ||
Houndoom DarkFire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Houndoom builds →Overheat 2x126-149%KO Dark Pulse 2x77-91% Shadow Ball 2x51-61% | ||
In X & Y, Tyranitar can KO Gourgeist with Crunch (91-107%). Arcanine threatens a KO with Flare Blitz (95-112%). Salamence deals 60-71% with Outrage.
 Tyranitar RockDark | A | |
Recommended Build AbilitySand Stream ItemChoice Band NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Tyranitar builds →Stone Edge56-67% Pursuit 2x46-54% Crunch 2x91-107%KO | ||
 Arcanine Fire | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityIntimidate ItemLeftovers NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Arcanine builds →Flare Blitz 2x95-112%KO | ||
 Salamence Dragon | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityMoxie ItemLum Berry NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Salamence builds →Earthquake17-20% Outrage60-71% | ||
 Gengar GhostPoison | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityLevitate ItemChoice Specs NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Gourgeist View Gengar builds →Shadow Ball 2x160-188%KO Sludge Bomb90-105%KO | ||
Gourgeist Evolutions
Gourgeist doesn't evolve through normal leveling. You'll need a trade to get here from Pumpkaboo's line. Breed this form to get Pumpkaboo eggs (average hatch time). Evolving from Pumpkaboo gave Gourgeist the biggest boost in Defense (+52), bringing the total to 494 stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Gourgeist to get Pumpkaboo eggs easily using 49 partners from the Indeterminate egg group.
XY Gourgeist Best Moveset
Ghost/Grass at 90 Attack (Super Size) with 122 Defense. Ghost TermStab hits Steel neutrally this generation. AbilityFrisk reveals opponent items. Size variants trade offensive and defensive stats. The moveset answers physically while the Ghost/Grass combination provides unique typing.
Best Build
Gourgeist best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Seed Bomb
- Shadow Sneak
- Phantom Force
- Trick Or Treat
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Gourgeist develops a solid moveset just through leveling. Explosion and Phantom Force show up naturally, and the progression handles both STAB and utility without leaning on TMs for the core attacks.
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
Singing in eerie voices, they wander town streets on the night of the new moon. Anyone who hears their song is cursed.
It enwraps its prey in its hairlike arms. It sings joyfully as it observes the suffering of its prey.
Gourgeist X & Y Guide
In X & Y, Gourgeist has a 494 base stat total and ranks as C-Tier: a niche pick in X & Y's meta. It works best as a tank. Seedbomb with Toxic Orb is the standard set.
In X & Y, watch for Arcanine (Fire), Walrein (Ice), and Talonflame (Flying) when using Gourgeist. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Ghost and Dark-type attackers are also a problem. With 5 weakness types, most competitive teams carry at least one counter.
No. Gourgeist is not catchable in the wild. It only comes from trade-evolving Pumpkaboo. Trade needs a Game Boy Advance link cable and a second GBA running another Gen 3 game (FireRed, LeafGreen, Ruby, Sapphire, or Emerald). Trade Pumpkaboo 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.
Pickup picks up other Pokémon's used and Flung held items. That's the one you want on Gourgeist. Insomnia is the hidden ability. Niche, but it has its uses. Frisk works too if your team needs something different.
In X & Y, Gourgeist fills the tank role. It's a physical attacker with base 100 Attack. At base 54 Speed, it won't be moving first often. And it's tanky enough to absorb a few hits.
Game Availability
Introduced in X & Y, Gourgeist has appeared in 6 games across 5 generations. Later debuts mean fewer total appearances, but it's been a consistent presence since its introduction.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RB
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 6XYDebut
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
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