Mid-stage Pokemon like Haunter rarely see competitive play outside of special formats. It's a waypoint on the road to Gengar, which is where the real potential kicks in. Normal and Fighting moves can't touch it, which offsets the 4 weaknesses somewhat. Known as the Gas Pokemon.
Haunter's built around special offense. Sp. Atk leads the charge, HP pays for it. Moderately hard to find, worth 2 Sp. Atk EVs. Follows a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve.
It can slip through any obstacle. It lurks inside walls to keep an eye on its foes.
It licks with its gaseous tongue to steal its victim’s life-force. It lurks in darkness, waiting for prey.
Haunter Weakness
GoodGround, Psychic, Ghost, and Dark-type moves hit Haunter for super-effective damage. The upside? Normal and Fighting-type moves can't touch it at all. It resists 4 types, giving it decent defensive coverage. Levitate grants an additional Ground immunity, reshaping the matchup chart. Haunter leans toward special offense (base 115 Sp.Atk) instead of trying to wall anything.
Haunter is partway through a three-stage line between Gastly and Gengar. The chain involves a trade, so it's not a straightforward grind. So far, Sp.Def got the biggest boost (+20 from Gastly). The final form adds another 95 stats on top.
How to Evolve
Breed with Haunter to get Gastly eggs easily from the Indeterminate egg group. Notable egg moves include Astonish, Clear Smog, Disable and 9 more.
Start with flexible EVs EVs. Naive nature gives Haunter the right fast mixed lean, Nothing adds extra utility, and Levitate works in the background.
Best Build
Best Haunter Moveset
- Unknown
- Destiny Bond
Without breeding, Haunter misses out on Astonish and Clear Smog. That's 12 egg moves adding depth that the base kit lacks. STAB comes from Sludge Bomb and Shadow Ball, with coverage across 8 types rounding things out.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
A handful of locations for Haunter with high spawn rates across late-game routes. The sort toggle below swaps between best odds and earliest access, so you can approach it based on where you are in the game.
Where To Catch Haunter in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
To get Haunter, start by catching Gastly through walking encounters at Lv. 12-66. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.
Step 1Catch GastlyEFFORTLESSOld ChateauBrilliant DiamondGrassLv.12-16100%EarlyEFFORTLESSOld ChateauShining PearlGrassLv.12-16100%EarlyEFFORTLESSOld Chateau - 2F Room 2Shining PearlGrassLv.12-16100%EarlyEFFORTLESSOld Chateau - 2F Room 2Brilliant DiamondGrassLv.12-16100%EarlyEFFORTLESSOld Chateau - 2F Room 4Shining PearlGrassLv.12-16100%EarlyEFFORTLESSOld Chateau - 2F Room 4Brilliant DiamondGrassLv.12-16100%EarlyEFFORTLESSLost Tower - 1FBrilliant DiamondGrassLv.16-1850%MidBuildingMorning/dayEFFORTLESSLost Tower - 1FShining PearlGrassLv.16-1850%MidBuildingMorning/dayEFFORTLESSLost Tower - 2FShining PearlGrassLv.17-1950%MidBuildingMorning/dayEFFORTLESSLost Tower - 2FBrilliant DiamondGrassLv.17-1950%MidBuildingMorning/dayEFFORTLESSLost Tower - 3FShining PearlGrassLv.18-2050%MidBuildingMorning/dayEFFORTLESSLost Tower - 3FBrilliant DiamondGrassLv.18-2050%MidBuildingMorning/dayEFFORTLESSLost Tower - 4FBrilliant DiamondGrassLv.19-2150%MidBuildingMorning/dayEFFORTLESSLost Tower - 4FShining PearlGrassLv.19-2150%MidBuildingMorning/dayEFFORTLESSLost Tower - 5FBrilliant DiamondGrassLv.20-2250%MidBuildingMorning/dayEFFORTLESSLost Tower - 5FShining PearlGrassLv.20-2250%MidBuildingMorning/dayEFFORTLESSLost Tower - 1FShining PearlGrassLv.16-1840%MidBuildingNightEFFORTLESSLost Tower - 1FBrilliant DiamondGrassLv.16-1840%MidBuildingNightEFFORTLESSLost Tower - 2FShining PearlGrassLv.17-1940%MidBuildingNightEFFORTLESSLost Tower - 2FBrilliant DiamondGrassLv.17-1940%MidBuildingNightEFFORTLESSLost Tower - 3FShining PearlGrassLv.18-2040%MidBuildingNightEFFORTLESSLost Tower - 3FBrilliant DiamondGrassLv.18-2040%MidBuildingNightEFFORTLESSLost Tower - 4FBrilliant DiamondGrassLv.19-2140%MidBuildingNightEFFORTLESSLost Tower - 4FShining PearlGrassLv.19-2140%MidBuildingNightEFFORTLESSLost Tower - 5FBrilliant DiamondGrassLv.20-2240%MidBuildingNightEFFORTLESSLost Tower - 5FShining PearlGrassLv.20-2240%MidBuildingNightDazzling CaveBrilliant DiamondGrassLv.16-20MidCaveDazzling CaveShining PearlGrassLv.16-20MidCaveMODERATERoute 209Shining PearlGrassLv.1610%MidRouteNightMODERATERoute 209Brilliant DiamondGrassLv.1610%MidRouteNightStargleam CavernShining PearlGrassLv.16-20MidCaveStargleam CavernBrilliant DiamondGrassLv.16-20MidCave
Step 2Haunter ✓EFFORTLESSTurnback Cave - Section 1Brilliant DiamondGrassLv.44-4630%LateCaveEFFORTLESSTurnback Cave - Section 1Shining PearlGrassLv.44-4630%LateCaveEFFORTLESSTurnback Cave - Section 2Brilliant DiamondGrassLv.54-5630%PostCaveEFFORTLESSTurnback Cave - Section 2Shining PearlGrassLv.54-5630%PostCaveEFFORTLESSTurnback Cave - Section 3Shining PearlGrassLv.64-6630%PostCaveEFFORTLESSTurnback Cave - Section 3Brilliant DiamondGrassLv.64-6630%PostCaveor evolve from Gastly (Step 1)
Haunter isn't fully evolved, so it's not built for competitive play. You'll want to evolve it into Gengar to unlock its full potential. At 405 BST, it's a stepping stone rather than a team anchor.
Watch for Rhydon (Ground), Alakazam (Psychic), and Misdreavus (Ghost) when using Haunter. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Dark-type attackers are also a problem.
Run Levitate on Haunter. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche.
Haunter fills the cannon role. It's leaning toward the special side (base 115 Sp. Atk). Base 95 Speed is workable — faster than some, slower than many. And it's fragile — can't afford to take many hits.
Haunter appears in 22 games, including Yellow, Red & Blue, and Gold & Silver.
Haunter has been part of the series since Red & Blue, appearing in 22 titles across all 9 generations. As a Gen 1 original, it's one of the most consistently available Pokemon in the franchise.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen IIGS
Gold & Silver - Gen IIC
Crystal - Gen IIIRS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen IIIFRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen IIIE
Emerald - Gen IVPt
Platinum - Gen IVHGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen IVDP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen VBW
Black & White - Gen VB2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen VIXY
X & Y - Gen VIORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen VIIUSUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen VIISM
Sun & Moon - Gen VIILGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen VIIISwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen VIIIPLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen VIIIBDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen IXSV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen IXLZA
Legends: Z-A