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No. 0491

Darkrai

Pitch-Black Pokémon

BaseMega
Darkrai official artwork
Official art

Darkrai is a Dark-type Pokémon, 2× weak to Fighting, Bug and Fairy, with a base stat total of 600. It isn’t usable in Pokémon Champions’ Regulation M-C.

Dark
Height
1.5 m 4′11″
Weight
50.5 kg 111.3 lbs
Base stat total
600 Higher than 94% of Pokémon
Introduced
Gen IV Diamond & Pearl
Abilities
Mythical
Pokédex entryLegends: Arceus
On a moonless night, a strange incident occurred in which every one of a village's inhabitants suffered nightmares. The villagers attested that Darkrai appeared before them in these nightmares.
See all 5 entries

Base stats

HP70145–177250–344
Atk9099–156166–306
Def9099–156166–306
SpA135139–205247–405
SpD9099–156166–306
Spe125130–194229–383
Total600Higher than 94% of Pokémon
HP70Atk90Def90Spe125SpD90SpA135

Ranges in Pokémon Champions at Lv 50: 0 Stat Points with a −10% Stat Alignment to 32 Stat Points with a +10% one (HP has no alignment).Ranges in the main games at Lv 100: 0 IV/EV with a hindering nature to 31 IV/252 EV with a helpful nature. EV yield: 2 SpA, 1 Spe.

Stat calculatorChampions Stat Points & Stat Alignment, or EVs, IVs & nature
Calculate damage →

Type matchups

Weak to

2×
BugFairyFighting

Resists

½×
DarkGhost

Immune to

0×
Psychic
Takes normal damage from 12 types
NormalFlyingPoisonGroundRockSteelFireWaterGrassElectricIceDragon

Speed tiers

The faster Pokémon moves first each turn, so knowing who you outspeed decides a lot of battles. These are its Speed values at Lv 50 in Pokémon Champions (base Speed 125); Scarf and Tailwind use the Max+ value.

Max+194Max177No SP145Min130Scarf291Tailwind388

At max Speed, Darkrai outspeeds 28 of the 30 most used Pokémon in Champions VGC on Showdown.

Speed at Lv 50 in Pokémon Champions: Darkrai against the 30 most used Pokémon in Champions VGC on Showdown, fastest first
SpeedPokémon
203Mega Garchomp ZModest · 32 SP · #21 on Showdown
200Mega GengarTimid · 32 SP · #26 on Showdown
194Darkrai · Max+32 SP, Speed-raising alignment
190Mega Raichu YTimid · 23 SP · #13 on Showdown
189Mega SalamenceTimid · 32 SP · #4 on Showdown
184WhimsicottTimid · 32 SP · #23 on Showdown
178Mega MetagrossJolly · 32 SP · #28 on Showdown
178Mega StaraptorJolly · 32 SP · #29 on Showdown
177Darkrai · Max32 SP, neutral alignment
172SneaslerAdamant · 32 SP · #2 on Showdown
169Mega FloetteTimid · 32 SP · #17 on Showdown
169GarchompJolly · 32 SP · #19 on Showdown
167Mega Charizard YTimid · 32 SP · #14 on Showdown
167Mega GardevoirTimid · 32 SP · #20 on Showdown
161IndeedeeTimid · 32 SP · #30 on Showdown
156Hisuian ArcanineJolly · 32 SP · #16 on Showdown
150ArchaludonTimid · 32 SP · #9 on Showdown
149GholdengoTimid · 32 SP · #8 on Showdown
145Darkrai · No SP0 SP, neutral alignment
143BasculegionJolly · 32 SP · #6 on Showdown
128PelipperTimid · 32 SP · #12 on Showdown
120VolcaronaBold · 0 SP · #25 on Showdown
105RillaboomAdamant · 0 SP · #1 on Showdown
101MiloticCalm · 0 SP · #15 on Showdown
95SylveonModest · 15 SP · #18 on Showdown
94Female IndeedeeRelaxed · 0 SP · #7 on Showdown
90PolitoedCalm · 0 SP · #22 on Showdown
90SinistchaBold · 0 SP · #24 on Showdown
85ArmarougeQuiet · 0 SP · #27 on Showdown
80IncineroarCareful · 0 SP · #3 on Showdown
80FarigirafBold · 0 SP · #11 on Showdown
70KingambitAdamant · 0 SP · #5 on Showdown
60Mega GolisopodAdamant · 0 SP · #10 on Showdown

Smogon · Showdown Others at their most common Speed investment in Champions VGC (Reg M-C · Doubles, Sep 2026); Pokémon holding a Mega Stone are shown as their Mega.

Abilities

Competitive

Smogon · Showdown On Showdown

Sep 2026
Other Showdown formats Scarlet & Violet, with Tera
SV SinglesOUSV DoublesDUberNational DexUber

9.2% of teams · rank #21 · Singles · 1695 weighting · 574,541 battles · Sep 2026

Most common build

Ability
Nature
Timid
EVs
252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Tera Type
Poison
  1. Dark Pulse
  2. Ice Beam
  3. Sludge Bomb
  4. Focus Blast

Each part is the most used on its own, so not every team runs this exact set.

Usage by rating

  • All games8.5%
  • 1500 weighting9.5%
  • 1695 weighting9.2%
  • 1825 weighting9.3%

Usage by month

Oct 20259.2%

Moves

Items

Abilities

  • 100.0%

EV spreads

  • Timid 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe48.4%
  • Timid 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe18.1%
  • Timid 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe11.6%
  • Naive 100 Atk / 156 SpA / 252 Spe2.9%
  • Timid 76 HP / 156 SpA / 24 SpD / 252 Spe2.8%

Tera types

  • Poison43.9%
  • Dark27.4%
  • Ghost18.1%
  • Fairy3.8%

Common teammates

Checks & counters

Evolution

Darkrai doesn’t evolve, but in battle it can Mega Evolve.

  1. #0491DarkraiDark
    1. Mega Evolution, in battleholding Darkranite
      #0491Mega DarkraiDark

Moves

Level up 11

1DisableFor 4 turns, disables the target's last move used.NormalStatus—100%20
11Quick AttackUsually goes first.NormalPhys40100%30
20HypnosisCauses the target to fall asleep.PsychicStatus—60%20
29Sucker PunchUsually goes first. Fails if target is not attacking.DarkPhys70100%5
38Night ShadeDoes damage equal to the user's level.GhostSpec—100%15
47Double TeamRaises the user's evasiveness by 1.NormalStatus——15
57HazeEliminates all stat changes.IceStatus——30
66Dark VoidDarkrai: Causes the foe(s) to fall asleep.DarkStatus—50%10
75Nasty PlotRaises the user's Sp. Atk by 2.DarkStatus——20
84Dream EaterUser gains 1/2 HP inflicted. Sleeping target only.PsychicSpec100100%15
93Dark Pulse20% chance to make the target flinch.DarkSpec80100%15

TM / HM / TR 53

TM06Scary FaceLowers the target's Speed by 2.NormalStatus—100%10
TM07ProtectPrevents moves from affecting the user this turn.NormalStatus——10
TM17Confuse RayConfuses the target.GhostStatus—100%10
TM18ThiefIf the user has no item, it steals the target's.DarkPhys60100%25
TM23Charge Beam70% chance to raise the user's Sp. Atk by 1.ElectricSpec5090%10
TM25FacadePower doubles if user is burn/poison/paralyzed.NormalPhys70100%20
TM29HexPower doubles if the target has a status ailment.GhostSpec65100%10
TM30Snarl100% chance to lower the foe(s) Sp. Atk by 1.DarkSpec5595%15
TM32SwiftThis move does not check accuracy. Hits foes.NormalSpec60—20
TM34Icy Wind100% chance to lower the foe(s) Speed by 1.IceSpec5595%15
TM36Rock Tomb100% chance to lower the target's Speed by 1.RockPhys6095%15
TM42Night ShadeDoes damage equal to the user's level.GhostSpec—100%15
TM43FlingFlings the user's item at the target. Power varies.DarkPhys—100%10
TM47EndureUser survives attacks this turn with at least 1 HP.NormalStatus——10
TM49Sunny DayFor 5 turns, intense sunlight powers Fire moves.FireStatus——5
TM50Rain DanceFor 5 turns, heavy rain powers Water moves.WaterStatus——5
TM54PsyshockDamages target based on Defense, not Sp. Def.PsychicSpec80100%10
TM58Brick BreakDestroys screens, unless the target is immune.FightingPhys75100%15
TM61Shadow ClawHigh critical hit ratio.GhostPhys70100%15
TM62Foul PlayUses target's Attack stat in damage calculation.DarkPhys95100%15
TM70Sleep TalkUser must be asleep. Uses another known move.NormalStatus——10
TM73Drain PunchUser recovers 50% of the damage dealt.FightingPhys75100%10
TM82Thunder WaveParalyzes the target.ElectricStatus—90%20
TM83Poison Jab30% chance to poison the target.PoisonPhys80100%20
TM85RestUser sleeps 2 turns and restores HP and status.PsychicStatus——5
TM86Rock Slide30% chance to make the foe(s) flinch.RockPhys7590%10
TM87TauntTarget can't use status moves its next 3 turns.DarkStatus—100%20
TM88Swords DanceRaises the user's Attack by 2.NormalStatus——20
TM94Dark Pulse20% chance to make the target flinch.DarkSpec80100%15
TM103SubstituteUser takes 1/4 its max HP to put in a substitute.NormalStatus——10
TM105X-ScissorNo additional effect.BugPhys80100%15
TM107Will-O-WispBurns the target.FireStatus—85%15
TM109TrickUser switches its held item with the target's.PsychicStatus—100%10
TM114Shadow Ball20% chance to lower the target's Sp. Def by 1.GhostSpec80100%15
TM120Psychic10% chance to lower the target's Sp. Def by 1.PsychicSpec90100%10
TM129Calm MindRaises the user's Sp. Atk and Sp. Def by 1.PsychicStatus——20
TM135Ice Beam10% chance to freeze the target.IceSpec90100%10
TM140Nasty PlotRaises the user's Sp. Atk by 2.DarkStatus——20
TM143Blizzard10% chance to freeze foe(s). Can't miss in Snow.IceSpec11070%5
TM148Sludge Bomb30% chance to poison the target.PoisonSpec90100%10
TM152Giga ImpactUser cannot move next turn.NormalPhys15090%5
TM158Focus Blast10% chance to lower the target's Sp. Def by 1.FightingSpec12070%5
TM163Hyper BeamUser cannot move next turn.NormalSpec15090%5
TM166Thunder30% chance to paralyze. Can't miss in rain.ElectricSpec11070%10
TM171Tera BlastIf Terastallized: Phys. if Atk > SpA, type = Tera.NormalSpec80100%10
TM174HazeEliminates all stat changes.IceStatus——30
TM177SpiteLowers the PP of the target's last move by 4.GhostStatus—100%10
TM181Knock Off1.5× damage if foe holds an item. Removes item.DarkPhys65100%20
TM192Focus PunchFails if the user takes damage before it hits.FightingPhys150100%20
TM199Lash Out2× power if the user had a stat lowered this turn.DarkPhys75100%5
TM203Psych UpCopies the target's current stat stages.NormalStatus——10
TM221Throat ChopFor 2 turns, the target cannot use sound moves.DarkPhys80100%15
TM224CurseCurses if Ghost, else -1 Spe, +1 Atk, +1 Def.GhostStatus——10

Biology

Darkrai is the other member of the Lunar Duo together with Cresselia. Though it means no harm, it can lull people to nightmarish sleep as a defense mechanism, with Cresselia's Lunar Feather being the only known treatment against them.

Forms

Mega Darkrai

Dark
BST 700

HoldsDarkranite

Mega Darkrai is more blimp-like in appearance than Darkrai, gaining a large eye that Darkrai's head can emerge from.

Adapted from Wikipedia: List of generation IV Pokémon, List of generation IX Pokémon · CC BY-SA 4.0 · edited.

Polls & views

Each line is one source, as it published it. Polls counted every form under its species.

Pokédex entries

Pitch-Black Pokémon
Sinnoh · Diamond & Pearl
Color
Black
—
Pal Park area
Mountain
Hisui#242Hyperspace#125

  1. On a moonless night, a strange incident occurred in which every one of a village's inhabitants suffered nightmares. The villagers attested that Darkrai appeared before them in these nightmares.

    Legends: Arceus

  2. It chases people and Pokémon from its territory by causing them to experience deep, nightmarish slumbers.

    HeartGold · SoulSilver · X · Omega Ruby

  3. To protect itself, it afflicts those around it with nightmares. However, it means no harm.

    Platinum · Black · White · Black 2 · White 2

  4. Folklore has it that on moonless nights, this Pokémon will make people see horrific nightmares.

    Pearl

  5. It can lull people to sleep and make them dream. It is active during nights of the new moon.

    Diamond · Y · Alpha Sapphire

Names around the world

English
Darkrai
Japanese
ダークライ
Japanese (romaji)
Darkrai
Korean
다크라이
Chinese (Traditional)
達克萊伊
Chinese (Simplified)
达克莱伊
French
Darkrai
German
Darkrai
Spanish
Darkrai
Italian
Darkrai

Sprites

Artwork and 3D models

Gen IX · Gen VIII · Gen VII

Gen VI · Gen V

Generation IV

Training

2 SpA, 1 Spe
3 ≈0.4% with a Poké Ball at full HP
0
270
Slow

Breeding

Undiscovered
Genderless
120 egg cycles ≈30,855 steps (Gen IV–VII)

Where to find

Platinum 1 area
  • Newmoon IslandStatic encounter · Lv 50
Pearl 1 area
  • Newmoon IslandStatic encounter · Lv 40
Diamond 1 area
  • Newmoon IslandStatic encounter · Lv 40

Locations cover Red & Blue to Sword & Shield (with its DLC) and Let’s Go. We don’t have them yet for Legends: Arceus, Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, Scarlet & Violet and Legends: Z-A.