Stats & Training
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 strikes at humans from total darkness. Those licked by its cold tongue grow weaker with each passing day until they die.
It fears the light and revels in the dark. It may be on the verge of extinction in cities that stay brightly lit at night.
Haunter Weakness
Ground, Psychic, Ghost, and Dark 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.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Ground, Psychic, Ghost, Dark |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Grass, Fairy |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Poison, Bug |
| 0x (Immune) | Normal, Fighting |
 Hydreigon DarkDragon | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Haunter View Hydreigon builds →Crunch 2x146-173%KO Bite 2x110-130%KO Brutal Swing 2x110-130%KO Thief 2x110-130%KO | ||
 Incineroar FireDark | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Haunter View Incineroar builds →Darkest Lariat 2x168-198%KO Throat Chop 2x159-188%KO Bite 2x118-140%KO Brutal Swing 2x118-140%KO | ||
 Decidueye GrassGhost | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Haunter View Decidueye builds →Spirit Shackle 2x148-175%KO Sucker Punch 2x88-103%KO Astonish 2x57-68% | ||
 Umbreon Dark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Haunter View Umbreon builds →Feint Attack 2x76-90% Assurance 2x76-90% Pursuit 2x53-63% | ||
 Sableye DarkGhost | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Haunter View Sableye builds →Foul Play 2x133-158%KO Zen Headbutt 2x75-88% Shadow Ball 2x87-103%KO Shadow Claw 2x99-118%KO | ||
In Sun & Moon, Chandelure can KO Haunter with Shadow Ball (132-156%). Swampert threatens a KO with Earthquake (225-265%). Hydreigon's Dark Pulse also KOs at 119-140%.
 Chandelure GhostFire | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityFlame Body ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Haunter View Chandelure builds →Shadow Ball 2x132-156%KO Flamethrower74-87% | ||
 Swampert WaterGround | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityTorrent ItemLife Orb NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Haunter View Swampert builds →Earthquake 2x225-265%KO Scald42-49% Waterfall90-106%KO | ||
Hydreigon DarkDragon | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityLevitate ItemChoice Scarf NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Haunter View Hydreigon builds →Draco Meteor97-113%KO Dark Pulse 2x119-140%KO U Turn6-7% | ||
 Tapu Lele PsychicFairy | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityPsychic Surge ItemChoice Specs NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Haunter View Tapu Lele builds →Moonblast54-64% Psyshock 2x183-216%KO Psychic 2x205-242%KO | ||
 Garchomp DragonGround | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityRough Skin ItemRocky Helmet NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Haunter View Garchomp builds →Earthquake 2x177-209%KO Stone Edge59-70% | ||
Sun & Moon Evolution
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. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Haunter to get Gastly eggs easily using 52 partners from the Indeterminate egg group. Notable egg moves include Astonish, Clear Smog, Disable and 10 more.
Sun & Moon Haunter Best Moveset
Don't let the NFE status fool you. Haunter with Eviolite hits bulk numbers that compete with final forms. Max Sp. Atk and Speed EVs and Timid nature maximize that, and Levitate handles the rest.
Best Build
Haunter best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed
Special Attacker Moveset
- Dazzling Gleam
- Hidden Power Fire
- Destiny Bond
- Pain Split
Recommended Teammates
Moves
Without breeding, Haunter misses out on Astonish and Clear Smog. That's 13 egg moves adding depth that the base kit lacks. STAB comes from Sludge Bomb and Shadow Ball, with coverage across 9 types rounding things out.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Transfer Moves
How to Get Haunter in Sun & Moon
Haunter appears at high spawn rates across 2 spots in mid-game routes. Sort by Best below if you want the highest rate, or Earliest if you want the quickest access point in your playthrough.
Where To Catch Haunter in Sun & Moon
Gastly is your first catch on the way to Haunter. You'll find walking and gift encounters from Lv. 7-55 across 12 total spots in the chain.
Step 1Catch GastlyHau'oli CemeteryMoonGrass Lv.7-1050%EarlyHau'oli CemeterySunGrass Lv.7-1050%EarlyMemorial HillMoonGrass Lv.20-2350%MidMemorial HillSunGrass Lv.20-2350%MidPoké Pelago - Ula'ula Island reachedSunGift from NPC Lv.21-276%MidPoké Pelago - Ula'ula Island reachedMoonGift from NPC Lv.21-276%MidPoké Pelago - Poni Island reachedSunGift from NPC Lv.37-435%LatePoké Pelago - Poni Island reachedMoonGift from NPC Lv.37-435%LatePoké Pelago - Elite Four defeatedSunGift from NPC Lv.49-554%PostPoké Pelago - Elite Four defeatedMoonGift from NPC Lv.49-554%Post
Step 2Haunter ✓Thrifty Megamart - Abandoned SiteSunGrass Lv.29-3240%MidThrifty Megamart - Abandoned SiteMoonGrass Lv.29-3240%Midor evolve from Gastly (Step 1)
Haunter Guide
In Sun & Moon, 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.
In Sun & Moon, 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.
In Sun & Moon, Run Levitate on Haunter. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche.
In Sun & Moon, 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.
Game Availability
Haunter has been part of the series since Red & Blue, appearing in 22 titles across all 10 generations. As a Gen 1 original, it's one of the most consistently available Pokemon in the franchise.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves