Pokémon Ghost Type Strategy Guide and Analysis

Hints, Tips, Strategies, FAQ, and Info on the Ghost Pokémon Type

Aug 2, 2009

Ghosts offer tricky moves, strategic immunities, and nasty attitudes. Read more about the Ghost type in this in-depth Ghost Pokémon guide, with FAQ, strategies and more.

While the Ghost type's immunities to Normal and Fighting moves can be strategically beneficial, finding an opening in the team for a Ghost Pokémon may be difficult, especially since their strengths are so narrowly focused.

This beginner's guide to the Ghost Pokémon type will analyze the Ghost type, with Strategies, FAQ, Info, and more.

Ghost type Pokémon FAQ

General Strategies for Ghost Pokémon

Ghost Pokémon's greatest asset is the immunities to Normal and Fighting attacks. Normal covers the widest spread of attacks, meaning that even non-normal Pokémon may lose the ability to use some attacks, and Fighting simply covers numerous powerful offensive moves.

When predicting a Fighting or Normal move, switching in with a Ghost will force the move to miss, allowing for a free switch-in. Be careful, however, since most Pokémon will have an attack other than Normal or Fighting, and since Ghost Pokémon typically have frail defenses, they are vulnerable to heavy-hitting attacks.

Ghost Pokémon also work well against Psychic, but since powerful Ghost moves are somewhat rare, it can still be a close battle.

Ghost's lack of strengths against other Pokémon seriously hurts their capability to go on the offensive. Any offensive-oriented Ghost must typically focus on non-STAB (same type attack bonus) attacks, such as Thunderbolt.

And, since most Ghost types have low defenses and/or low HP, fighting defensively is also a challenge, meaning Ghosts must use tricky moves and weird strategies for the greatest effectiveness.

Treat the Ghost type like an ace up the sleeve, it's the member of the party that must use surprise to its fullest advantage.

Ghost Pokémon - Dual Types

As a rare type, Ghost is somewhat lacking in the dual-type variety. Each generation only has a few Ghost type Pokémon in its entirety. Regardless, the following are all the Ghost dual types available: Ghost/Electric, Ghost/Ice, Ghost/Poison, Ghost/Flying, Ghost/Bug, Ghost/Dragon, Ghost/Dark.

Among the Pokémon dual types, by far the best (and arguably the best typing in the game) is Ghost/Dark. This type combo has absolutely no weaknesses, and three immunities (Normal, Fighting, Psychic), making it the best type defensively. And while Sableye may not have the best stats, Spiritomb has decent enough stats to take advantage of this brilliant type combo.

Aside from Ghost/Dark, Ghost/Dragon and Ghost/Electric are both good types, but each has only one Pokémon associated to it (Giratina and Rotom respectively), and both are rare. But both type combos offer few weaknesses.

Ghost/Poison is a decent type, but the weakness against Psychic strips Ghost of one of its strengths. Even still, Gengar is a great Pokémon.

Powerful Ghost Pokémon

With the Ghost type, defining "powerful" is more difficult than other types. The Ghost type does offer some heavy-hitters like Gengar and Mismagius, but the clear focus on Ghost types is in the immunities to Normal and Fighting, and the tricky (sometimes bewildering) moves available.

Sableye and Spiritomb offer the best type combo in the game. Drifblim is fragile even despite the enormous HP, but the ability to learn numerous boost moves and Baton Pass can make it a truly unique and valuable member of a team.

The Ghost/Bug Pokémon Shedinja offers the most extreme risk in the game. With 1HP, it dies instantly to anything its not immune to. But due to its Wonderguard ability, it can switch in on a large amount of Pokémon that simply cannot even touch it, resulting in an almost 100% certain victory.

Overall, the Ghost type offers unique moves, along with good immunities, but typically lackluster stats. Most Ghost Pokémon can be beneficial when used right, but sorting any number of them out as the "best and worst" is a difficult task.

Advanced Ghost Strategies

Always make sure to have more than one Ghost-type attack. This may seem obvious at first, but remember that Nightshade (deals damage = to the Pokémon's level) does not effect Normal type Pokémon either, so an additional attack is always welcome to counter normal types.

An electric move like Thunderbolt is always a safe bet, as it counters those pesky Normal/Flying Pokémon.

Never overestimate a Ghost type's staying power. Even Drifblim, with huge HP, will go down quickly against any Pokémon with a super-effective move.

Numerous Ghost Pokémon learn tricky moves like Knock Off (knocks off Pokémon's held item), Mean Look (opponent cannot switch Pokémon), and Destiny Bond (if the user faints, opponent faints), just to name a few. Ghost Pokémon can also learn some good disabling moves like Hypnosis (sleep), Thunder Wave (paralysis), and Will-O-Wisp (burn).

Effective use of Ghost Pokémon requires creating a unique and unpredictable moveset. Combine powerful moves like Shadow Ball, with tricky moves like Destiny Bond, and disabling moves like Thunder Wave to create an unpredictable Pokémon.

Ghost type Pokémon Conclusion

Ghosts have a lot of tricks up their sleeves, but the typically low stats and the Ghost type's lack of strengths means they can lack both staying power and offensive strengths. However, their move variety offers great depth of strategy and can keep an opponent constantly guessing.

The copyright of the article Pokémon Ghost Type Strategy Guide and Analysis in Role-Playing Video Games is owned by Bradley Kairis. Permission to republish Pokémon Ghost Type Strategy Guide and Analysis in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.