Dark-Type Pokemon are the mischievous player's choice in Pokemon GO. Known quite literally as the "evil" type in Japan, there aren't many Pokemon in this group that appeals to the cute and friendly side of the franchise. The Pokemon here are for trainers who like their Pokemon to have a little bit of an edge to them.
In the main series of Pokemon, Dark-Types are all about stalling and irritating the opponent, keeping them running in circles until they can strike. However, in the more simplified battle system of Pokemon GO, they have more ferocious attacking power backing them up.
Updated September 26, 2021, by Ryan Woodrow: As Pokemon's roster continues to expand, and Pokemon GO slowly adds creatures from all over the world, players continue to seek out the best Pokemon possible to protect their Gyms and battle with their friends.
Dark-types are a strong choice on this front due to their natural immunity to Psychic-types and fewer weaknesses than most other types. From cool to monstrous, these are the best Dark Pokemon GO has to offer, a roster that is sure to continue to grow as Generations 7 and 8 are added into the game.
14 Skuntank - The Skunk Pokemon
Although it feels like Dark and Poison are two types that should go hand-in-hand, very few Pokemon put the two together. Skuntank is one of the few that do, and it's better off for it. As the name suggests, Skuntank has some very tanky capabilities.
Its damage output isn't the greatest, but with 184 in Attack, it's nothing to be sniffed at. While its 132 Defence may seem underwhelming at first, when backed up by 230 in Stamina, it can really put pressure on opponents to deal with it quickly. All told, when boosted by a Shadow form, it can output 13.58 DPS with a combination of Poison Jab and Sludge Bomb.
13 Cacturne - The Scarecrow Pokemon
Cacturne has a handful of ups and downs, but the positives just about outweigh the negatives. As a Dark/Grass-type, it has as many weaknesses as resistance, which puts it on a reasonably level playing field. On top of that, it has access to a pretty wide movepool, making great use of Grass, Dark, Fighting, and Poison-type moves.
Stats-wise, Attack is where it stands out with 221. Its other stats let it down somewhat, but the lower Defence and Stamina aren't too big of a deal if players plan their battles properly. Poison Jab and Grass Knot are its best combo of moves, allowing it to hit with a solid 15.36 DPS.
12 Krookodile - The Intimidation Pokemon
Creating an appropriately intimidating presence, Krookodile's Ground/Dark typing puts it in a good position. While it does have a handful of weaknesses, none of them are major, meanwhile, it has a couple of major resistance to common types like Electric and Psychic.
Both Attack and Stamina are good for Krookodile with 229 and 216, respectively, and while its movepool isn't the most expansive, it can still hit pretty hard. Using a combination of Snarl and Earthquake, it can deal 13.47 DPS, which may not be the greatest, but it'll be able to stick around in battle longer than most.
11 Mega Gyarados - The Atrocious Pokemon
More astute Pokemon trainers may have noticed that Gyarados isn't usually a Dark-type. In its normal form, it is Water/Flying. However, when it Mega-Evolves, it switching Flying for Dark and becomes a force to be reckoned with.
Like most Mega-Evolved Pokemon, it enjoys some serious boosts to its stats, coming in with all three above 200. Its 292 in Attack is absolutely monstrous, it has more resistances than weaknesses, and its Water-type lets it get boosted by Fog and Rain. When at full power, the combination of Bite and Hydro Pump allows it to tear through foes with 16.33 DPS.
10 Bisharp - The Sword Blade Pokemon
If Bisharp just had better moves, it'd be a candidate for the very best Dark-Type, because it has so much else going for it. It has an extreme weakness to Fighting-Types thanks to its secondary Steel typing. However, it has so many resistances, it's incredible. 11 resistances means it can shrug off attacks from over half the types in the game.
It can put out an Attack state of 232 at max CP, which is fantastic, it'd seem like it has everything going for it, but the moves don't back it up. The highest DPS it can output is 18.95, but that's with two Dark-Type moves, Snarl and Dark Pulse, and players usually want different types in their attack slots.
9 Shiftry - The Wicked Pokemon
The interesting thing about Shiftry is that it either resists or is weak to almost every type in the franchise. There are almost no types that it is neutral towards. This has plenty of upsides, as it has many resistances, but it also has a few notable weaknesses too.
Its Attack stat is great, with a max CP one hitting 200. It has a decent moveset too, having access to Dark and Grass Type moves. Snarl and Leaf Blade is its killer combo, with a DPS potential of 18.22 in its shadow form.
8 Sharpedo - The Brutal Pokemon
Sharpedo is an example of a decent Pokemon that was saved by virtue of having a shadow form added. Dark and Water are good types from a defensive standard, as it has no critical weakness to any type and a huge resistance to Psychic.
Its Attack stat of 243 is a brilliant investment. Although its defense is nothing to write home about, it is worthwhile because of its great stamina. However, with the combination of Bite and Hydro Pump in its Shadow form, a whopping 19.15 DPS can be output.
7 Hydreigon - The Brutal Pokemon...again?
Despite Game Freak using "The Brutal Pokemon" as a classification twice, Generation 5's pseudo-legendary Pokemon, Hydreigon is a Pokemon that perhaps looks more powerful than it is. Its Dark/Dragon Typing isn't the most incredible, but it does give it a fairly decent list of resistances. Although, the weaknesses are just as numerous.
Hydreigon's strength comes from its stats which are brilliant across the board. 265 in Attack, 188 in Defence, and 211 in Stamina mean it can hit hard, fast, and stick around on the field for a while. With the combination of Dragon Breath and Dark Pulse, it can dish out 15.6 DPS, which is great for a non-Shadow or Mega Pokemon.
6 Honchkrow - The Big Boss Pokemon
A bench bird that, according to the Pokedex, is essentially a mob boss, Honchkrow has some serious strength that will take down any unprepared opponent. With extreme resistance to both Ground and Psychic, it has great defensive typing.
Stats-wise, Attack, and Stamina are its biggest strengths at 243 and 225, respectively. While Honchkrow doesn't have the boost of a shadow type, it arguably doesn't need it, as it can output an eye-watering 18.5 DPS when using Snarl and Brave Bird.
5 Tyranitar - The Armor Pokemon
A fan-favorite Pokemon and Generation 2's pseudo-legendary, Tyranitar is as fierce as it appears. With 7 weaknesses and 7 resistances, it is perfectly balanced. Tyranitar is another Pokemon that has some form of interaction with almost every single type, including extreme resistance to Psychic. Best to stay away from anything with Fighting, though.
The stats it brings to the table are simply jaw-dropping. It has over 200 in everything, including just over 250 in Attack. Combine this with its Shadow form and the moves Bite and Stone Edge, and the DPS is 18.05.
4 Yveltal - The Destruction Pokemon
There is only one Dark-Type Legendary currently available in Pokemon GO; the Pokemon of death, Yveltal. As the only Legendary on the list, many would think it a shoo-in for the top spot, but not quite. It has great typing, resisting Psychic and Ground better than any others, which is one of its biggest advantages.
It has enviable stats too. At 250 in Attack and 246 in Stamina, it has power to spare the speed to hit quickly and efficiently. Even its Defence, though lower at 185, is nothing to turn the nose up at. When all is said and done, when using Sucker Punch and Dark Pulse, it can hit for a solid 16.29 DPS.
3 Weavile - The Sharp Claw Pokemon
At first glance, Weavile may not seem like it belongs with the rest of these Pokemon, but it has surprising amounts of power lurking beneath the surface. It has an undeniable downside, which is that it has 6 weaknesses and only 4 resistances, which is pretty dire.
However, it packs a punch like few others of its type. A 243 in Attack is backed up by 172 Stamina for some fast and furious blows. Its movepool is also a huge boon, not to mention the potential of its Shadow form. All-told, when using Snarl and Avalanche, it has a whopping 20.18 DPS.
2 Absol - The Disaster Pokemon
While classification as "The Disaster Pokemon" may not be a great omen, don't misunderstand its intention. It is actually one of the only Dark-Type Pokemon that isn't really evil; people just think it is. This misunderstood quality is what makes it a favorite of many a fan.
With very few weaknesses, Absol makes a strong case for best Dark-type, coming in with an Attack stat of 246. Much like Weavile, Absol gets a huge boost from its Shadow form, making its attack combination of Snarl and Payback hit with a stunning 20.36 DPS. Additionally, while it is not yet available, Absol has a Mega form waiting in the wings that could very well push it to the top of the Dark-Type mountain when it releases.
1 Houndoom - The Dark Pokemon
Uncreative classification naming aside, Houndoom is the current flagbearer for Dark-Types in Pokemon GO, a status it can thank its Mega Evolved form for. As a Dark/Fire Type, it boasts quite a few resistances and not many weaknesses, which gets things off on the right foot.
Backing that up, Houndoom has an absolutely unstoppable 289 in Attack alongside Defence and Stamina that both come in at a solid 181 and 194, respectively. Its movepool allows it to have some type variety on display, and when using both Fire Fang and Foul Play, an astronomical DPS is output at 20.71.
Pokemon GO was released on July 6, 2016, and is available on iOS and Android.