Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV)

Best Dark Type Pokemon

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Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Dark Type Pokemon

Dark Type Pokemon are strong against Psychic and Ghost Type Pokemon. Learn what are the best Dark Type Pokemon for Competitive, Tera Raids and the Story, as well as the best Pokemon to give a Dark Tera Type to in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV)!

Dark Type Pokemon
List of Dark Type Pokemon Best Dark Type Pokemon

Best Dark-type Pokemon for Tera Raids

Best Dark-type Pokemon for Tera Raids
Hydreigon Hydreigon Houndoom Houndoom Ting-Lu Ting-Lu

Hydreigon

Hydreigon Hydreigon

Tera Raid Build

Dragon Icon Dark Icon
Tera Type Nature
Dark Icon Modest
( Sp.Atk, Atk)
EV Spread
HP:
252
Sp.Atk:
252
Sp.Def:
4
Ability Moveset
Levitate Taunt
Nasty Plot
Dark Pulse
Flash Cannon
Held Item
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Shell Bell ImageShell Bell

Hydreigon can play two roles at once in Tera Raids. It can use Taunt to prevent raid bosses from using status moves, then use Nasty Plot to boost its Special Attack stat. It can then spam Dark Pulse and Terastallize into a Dark Tera Type to deal even more damage.

Hydreigon Best Tera Raid Build

Houndoom

Houndoom Houndoom

Tera Raid Build

Fire Icon Dark Icon
Tera Type Nature
Dark Icon Modest
( Sp.Atk, Atk)
EV Spread
HP:
252
Sp.Atk:
252
Def:
4
Ability Moveset
Flash Fire Nasty Plot
Dark Pulse
Flamethrower
Will-O-Wisp
Held Item
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Shell Bell ImageShell Bell

Letting Houndoom have a Dark Tera Type will help it in Tera Raids against raid bosses that can use Psychic-type moves which will not affect it or Ghost-type moves which it resists.

It can also set up with Nasty Plot and use a powered-up Dark Pulse.

Houndoom Best Tera Raid Build

Ting-Lu

Ting-Lu Ting-Lu

Tera Raid Build

Ground Icon Dark Icon
Tera Type Nature
Dark Icon Bold
( Def, Atk)
EV Spread
HP:
252
Def:
252
Sp.Def:
4
Ability Moveset
Vessel of Ruin Taunt
Snarl
Sleep Talk
Body Press
Held Item
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Leftovers ImageLeftovers

Ting-Lu's Vessel of Ruin Ability can weaken Tera Raid bosses who have high Special Attack stats, as this Ability lowers this stat. This also affects your allies, so Ting-Lu works best if you have a team of physical attackers and are fighting against raid bosses with low Defense stats.

Ting-Lu Best Tera Raid Build

Best Dark-type Pokemon for Competitive Ranked Battle

Best Dark-type Pokemon for Ranked Battles
Pokemon SV Kingambit Kingambit Pokemon SV Murkrow Murkrow Pokemon SV Brute Bonnet Brute Bonnet

Kingambit

Pokemon SV Kingambit Kingambit
Best Build for Ranked Battle
Nature Adamant ( Atk, Sp.Atk)
EV Spread HP 252 / Atk 252 / Sp.Def 4
Final Stat Values HP 207 / Atk 205 / Def 140 / Sp.Def 106 / Spe 70
Ability Supreme Overlord
Tera Type Pokemon Dark Type Icon
Held Item
Moveset Sucker Punch
Kowtow Cleave
Iron Head
Brick Break

Kingambit's Supreme Overlord gives it a 10% Attack and Special Attack increase for each fainted Pokemon on the team. This allows it to reach a maximum 50% boost in a 6v6 Singles team if Kingambit is the last Pokemon left standing.

This makes Kingambit one of the strongest revenge killers in the metagame, and is a high-risk, high-reward Pokemon that can turn around a match to your favor if all of its checks and counters are cleared, with Sucker Punch and Kowtow Cleave as its main STAB moves.

Kingambit Movesets and Best Builds

Murkrow

Pokemon SV Murkrow Murkrow
Best Build for Ranked Battle
Nature Bold ( Def, Sp.Atk)
EV Spread HP 252 / Def 140 / Sp.Def 116
Final Stat Values HP 167 / Def 88 (132 with Eviolite) / Sp.Def 76 (114 with Eviolite) / Spe 111
Ability Prankster
Tera Type Pokemon Dark Type Icon
Held Item
Moveset Foul Play
Tailwind
Haze
Taunt

Murkrow is a reliable support Pokemon because of its access to Prankster Tailwind. Haze can be useful to reset the stats of all Pokemon on the field, while Taunt is a great counter to Trick Room setters. You can deal damage with Foul Play if you are able to attack.

Murkrow Movesets and Best Builds

Brute Bonnet

Pokemon SV Brute Bonnet Brute Bonnet
Best Build for Ranked Battle
Nature Adamant ( Atk, Sp.Atk)
EV Spread HP 252 / Atk 252 / Sp.Def 4
Final Stat Values HP 218 / Atk 196 / Def 119 / Sp.Def 120 / Spe 75
Ability Protosynthesis
Tera Type Pokemon Dark Type Icon
Held Item
Moveset Crunch
Seed Bomb
Sucker Punch
Growth

This set aims to use Growth to set up its offense and attempt to sweep through unprepared teams. Growth + Booster Energy's Attack boost puts Brute Bonnet at +2 Attack. Crunch and Seed Bomb are Brute Bonnet's primary STAB Moves, with Sucker Punch as a priority Option.

Having a Dark Tera Type will boost Brute Bonnet's damage output, while ridding it of its weaknesses from its Grass typing.

Brute Bonnet Movesets and Best Builds

Best Dark-type Pokemon for Story Playthrough

Best Dark-type Pokemon for the Story
Hydreigon Hydreigon Krookodile Krookodile Weavile Weavile

Hydreigon

Hydreigon Hydreigon
Best Build for the Story
Nature Timid ( Spe, Atk)
EV Spread Sp.Atk 252 / Spe 252
Ability Levitate
Tera Type Pokemon Steel Type Icon
Held Item
Moveset Dark Pulse
Dragon Pulse
Flash Cannon
Nasty Plot

This moveset allows Hydreigon to function as a speedy special attacker for your team. Since Hydreigon's base Speed is slightly below 100, it is recommended to give it a Timid Nature and investing Speed EVs to give it the edge in battle.

Hydreigon Best Moveset for the Story

Krookodile

Krookodile Krookodile
Best Build for the Story
Nature Adamant ( Atk, Sp.Atk)
EV Spread Atk 252 / Spe 252
Ability Moxie
Tera Type Pokemon Dark Type Icon
Held Item
Moveset Crunch
Foul Play
Earthquake
Hone Claws

Krookodile's Hone Claws allows it to be a reliable sweeper in story battles, as its Attack stat is raised every time it knocks out an opposing Pokemon thanks to Moxie.

Krookodile Best Moveset for the Story

Weavile

Weavile Weavile
Best Build for the Story
Nature Jolly ( Spe, Sp.Atk)
EV Spread Atk 252 / Spe 252
Ability Pressure
Tera Type Pokemon Dark Type Icon
Held Item
Moveset Ice Punch
Night Slash
Brick Break
Swords Dance

Weavile is also a viable physical attacker that you can use during story battles. Its high Attack and Speed stats lets it dominate several Pokemon with ease, which you can improve with Swords Dance and letting it hold Razor Claw to raise its critical hit ratio.

Weavile Best Moveset for the Story

Best Pokemon to Terastallize to Dark

Best Pokemon to Terastallize to Dark
Pokemon SV Meowscarada Meowscarada Pokemon SV Mabosstiff Mabosstiff Pokemon SV Brute Bonnet Brute Bonnet

Meowscarada

Pokemon SV Meowscarada Meowscarada
Best Build for Ranked Battle
Nature Jolly ( Spe, Sp.Atk)
EV Spread Atk 252 / Sp.Def 4 / Spe 252
Final Stat Values HP 151 / Atk 162 / Def 90 / Sp.Def 91 / Spe 192
Ability Protean
Tera Type Pokemon Dark Type Icon
Held Item
Moveset Flower Trick
Knock Off
Sucker Punch
Play Rough

Meowscarada is a powerful Life Orb attacker with great physical coverage backed up a great Attack and high Speed stat. Its Protean Ability also lets it get extra STAB with its coverage moves without Terastallizing, though it now only actives once per switch in.

Meowscarada Movesets and Best Builds

Mabosstiff

Pokemon SV Mabosstiff Mabosstiff
Best Build for Ranked Battle
Nature Adamant ( Atk, Sp.Atk)
EV Spread HP 252 / Atk 252 / Sp.Def 4
Final Stat Values HP 187 / Atk 189 / Def 110 / Sp.Def 91 / Spe 105
Ability Guard Dog
Tera Type Pokemon Dark Type Icon
Held Item
Moveset
Jaw Lock
Play Rough
Psychic Fangs

Mabosstiff has an easier time setting up with Hone Claws in Doubles when it has redirection support from its partner. Since Intimidate is more common in Doubles, it has more chances to get Attack boosts from Guard Dog.

Dark is the best Tera type for this build to further boost the power of Mabosstiff's Jaw Lock and retain its great type matchup against Ghost-types.

Mabosstiff Movesets and Best Builds

Brute Bonnet

Pokemon SV Brute Bonnet Brute Bonnet
Best Build for Ranked Battle
Nature Adamant ( Atk, Sp.Atk)
EV Spread HP 252 / Atk 252 / Sp.Def 4
Final Stat Values HP 218 / Atk 196 / Def 119 / Sp.Def 120 / Spe 75
Ability Protosynthesis
Tera Type Pokemon Dark Type Icon
Held Item
Moveset Crunch
Seed Bomb
Sucker Punch
Growth

Brute Bonnet is able to take advantage of being Terastallized into a Dark-type as this can boost the power of Sucker Punch and Crunch. You can combine this with Growth, especially if harsh sunlight is present in battle.

Brute Bonnet Movesets and Best Builds

Best Tera Type for Dark-type Pokemon

Dark Tera Type

Dark-type Pokemon will benefit from Terastallizing it to the same type. This will boost its Dark-type moves, on top of the damage boost from STAB.

Fairy Tera Type

Changing a Dark-type Pokemon's type into a Fairy-type through Terastallization will remove its weaknesses. Doing so will make Dark-type Pokemon resist Fighting and Bug-type moves, and neutralize the damage it takes from Fairy-type attacks.

You can change your Pokemon's Tera Type to Fairy with Fairy Tera Shards.

Steel Tera Type

You can also Terastallize Dark-type Pokemon into a Steel Tera Type to let them resist Fairy and Bug-type moves, although take note that their 2x weakness to Fighting-type moves will remain.

You can change your Pokemon's Tera Type to Steel with Steel Tera Shards.

Best Pokemon to Terastallize

Best Dark Type Pokemon by Base Stat

Best Dark Type Pokemon by Base Stats

Key
H - HP
A - Attack
B - Defense
C - Special Attack
D - Special Defense
S - Speed
Pokémon H A B C D S Total
Hoopa Unbound ImageHoopa Unbound 80 160 60 170 130 80 680
Tyranitar ImageTyranitar 100 134 110 95 100 61 600
Darkrai ImageDarkrai 70 90 90 135 90 125 600
Zarude ImageZarude 105 120 105 70 95 105 600
Hydreigon ImageHydreigon 92 105 90 125 90 98 600
Roaring Moon ImageRoaring Moon 105 139 71 55 101 119 590
Galarian Moltres ImageGalarian Moltres 90 85 90 100 125 90 580
Brute Bonnet ImageBrute Bonnet 111 127 99 79 99 55 570
Iron Jugulis ImageIron Jugulis 94 80 86 122 80 108 570
Ting-Lu ImageTing-Lu 155 110 125 55 80 45 570
Chien-Pao ImageChien-Pao 80 120 80 90 65 135 570
Wo-Chien ImageWo-Chien 85 85 100 95 135 70 570
Chi-Yu ImageChi-Yu 55 80 80 135 120 100 570
Kingambit ImageKingambit 100 135 120 60 85 50 550
Urshifu Single-Strike Style ImageUrshifu Single-Strike Style 100 130 100 63 60 97 550
Greninja ImageGreninja 72 95 67 103 71 122 530
Incineroar ImageIncineroar 95 115 90 80 90 60 530
Meowscarada ImageMeowscarada 76 110 70 81 70 123 530
Hisuian Samurott ImageHisuian Samurott 90 108 80 100 65 85 528
Umbreon ImageUmbreon 95 65 110 60 130 65 525
Krookodile ImageKrookodile 95 117 80 65 70 92 519
Zoroark ImageZoroark 60 105 60 120 60 105 510
Grimmsnarl ImageGrimmsnarl 95 120 65 95 75 60 510
Weavile ImageWeavile 70 120 65 45 85 125 510
Overqwil ImageOverqwil 85 115 95 65 65 85 510
Mandibuzz ImageMandibuzz 110 65 105 55 95 80 510
Mabosstiff ImageMabosstiff 80 120 90 60 70 85 505
Honchkrow ImageHonchkrow 100 125 52 105 52 71 505
Alolan Muk ImageAlolan Muk 105 105 75 65 100 50 500
Houndoom ImageHoundoom 75 90 50 110 80 95 500
Scrafty ImageScrafty 65 90 115 45 115 58 488
Bombirdier ImageBombirdier 70 103 85 60 85 82 485
Spiritomb ImageSpiritomb 50 92 108 92 108 35 485
Malamar ImageMalamar 86 92 88 68 75 73 482
Shiftry ImageShiftry 90 100 60 90 60 80 480
Skuntank ImageSkuntank 103 93 67 71 61 84 479
Cacturne ImageCacturne 70 115 60 115 60 55 475
Crawdaunt ImageCrawdaunt 63 120 85 90 55 55 468
Lokix ImageLokix 71 102 78 52 55 92 450
Alolan Persian ImageAlolan Persian 65 60 60 75 65 115 440
Morpeko ImageMorpeko 58 95 58 70 58 97 436
Mightyena ImageMightyena 70 90 70 60 60 70 420
Sableye ImageSableye 50 75 75 65 65 50 380

This is a list of fully-evolved Dark-type Pokemon by total base stats. For a full comparison of all Pokemon including unevolved forms, try our List of Pokemon by Base Stats.

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All Pokemon Types
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Psychic TypePsychic Bug TypeBug Rock TypeRock
Ghost TypeGhost Dragon TypeDragon Dark TypeDark
Steel TypeSteel Fairy TypeFairy Normal TypeNormal
Best Pokemon by Type
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Electric Ice Fighting
Ground Poison Flying
Psychic Bug Rock
Ghost Dragon Dark
Steel Fairy Normal

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List of Egg Groups
Amorphous Bug Ditto
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