Competitive Information for Gengar [Sword/Shield]
Ghost / Poison
Abilities:
Movesets for Singles
What is a good competitive moveset for Gengar? These builds have been optimized for Pokemon competing in Sword/Shield Single Battles. The movesets and EVs have been specifically calibrated to deal the most amount of damage to the largest group of potentially common opponents and typing threats for the Sword/Shield generation metagame.
WhimsicottDracovishArticuno-GalarTyranitarExcadrillUrshifuRotom-HeatGlastrierTogekissMetagross
Gengar is an extraordinary Ghost and Poison-typed Pokemon. It's almost common to see Gengar show up as a Sword/Shield opponent. Gengar is weak to Dark, Ghost, Ground, and Psychic-typed attacks.
Item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
Ability: Cursed Body
Nature: Quiet (+SpA, -Spe)
EVs: 252 Hp / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Moveset:
- Sludge Bomb / Sludge Wave
- Shadow Ball
- Imprison
- Trick Room
Special Tank Gengar (Popular/Trending)
Gengar is a decent Special Tank for single battles. It is meant to take a mighty amount of hits from special attacks while dealing some decent damage. Focus Sash helps protect Gengar from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Life Orb boosts the power of Gengar's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Cursed Body, if Gengar is hit by an attack there is a 30% chance that move gets disabled.
◆ Sludge Wave is a special STAB-boosted 95-base power Poison-type move (10% chance to poison adjacent pokemon).
◆ Shadow Ball is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Ghost-type move (20% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
◆ Imprison is a status move (no foe can use any move known by your Gengar).
◆ Trick Room is a status move (goes last. For 5 turns, turn order is reversed).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is10a5e
Item: Focus Sash / Choice Specs
Ability: Cursed Body
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EVs: 92 Hp / 252 SpA / 164 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Sludge Wave / Sludge Bomb
- Shadow Ball / Hex
- Foul Play
- Energy Ball
Special Sweeper Gengar (Cursed Body)
Gengar is an awesome Special Sweeper for single battles. It's primary goal is to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Focus Sash helps protect Gengar from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Choice Specs will increase the damage of Gengar's special moves by 1.5x but will lock you into the first move you pick. With Cursed Body, if Gengar is hit by an attack there is a 30% chance that move gets disabled.
◆ Sludge Bomb is a special STAB-boosted 90-base power Poison-type move (30% chance to poison the target).
◆ Shadow Ball is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Ghost-type move (20% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
◆ Hex is a special STAB-boosted 65-base power Ghost-type move (power doubles if the target has a status ailment).
◆ Foul Play is a physical 95-base power Dark-type move (uses target's attack stat in damage calculation).
◆ Energy Ball is a special 90-base power Grass-type move (10% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is11a5e
Movesets for Doubles
What is a good doubles moveset for Gengar? These builds have been optimized for Sword/Shield Double Battles. They have movesets and EVs specifically calibrated to generally work best versus multiple Pokemon at once as well as helping to support other team members and allys in the Sword/Shield generation metagame.
WhimsicottDracovishArticuno-GalarTyranitarExcadrillUrshifuRotom-HeatGlastrierTogekissMetagross
Item: Focus Sash / Choice Specs
Ability: Cursed Body
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EVs: 92 Hp / 252 SpA / 164 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Sludge Wave / Sludge Bomb
- Dazzling Gleam
- Shadow Ball / Hex
- Foul Play
Doubles Special Sweeper Gengar (Cursed Body)
Gengar is a stupendous Special Sweeper for double battles. It is primarily designed to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Focus Sash helps protect Gengar from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Choice Specs will increase the damage of Gengar's special moves by 1.5x but will lock you into the first move you pick. With Cursed Body, if Gengar is hit by an attack there is a 30% chance that move gets disabled.
◆ Sludge Bomb is a special STAB-boosted 90-base power Poison-type move (30% chance to poison the target).
◆ Dazzling Gleam is a special 80-base power Fairy-type move (no additional effect. Hits adjacent foes).
◆ Shadow Ball is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Ghost-type move (20% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
◆ Hex is a special STAB-boosted 65-base power Ghost-type move (power doubles if the target has a status ailment).
◆ Foul Play is a physical 95-base power Dark-type move (uses target's attack stat in damage calculation).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/id10a5e
Item: Room Service / Focus Sash
Ability: Cursed Body
Nature: Quiet (+SpA, -Spe)
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 220 Hp / 36 Def / 252 SpA
Moveset:
- Sludge Wave / Sludge Bomb
- Shadow Ball / Hex
- Foul Play
- Trick Room
Offensive Trick Room Gengar (Cursed Body)
Gengar is a phenomenal Offensive Trick Room for single battles. Focus Sash helps protect Gengar from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. With Cursed Body, if Gengar is hit by an attack there is a 30% chance that move gets disabled. With a Room Service equipped to it, if trick room is active, Gengar's speed is lowered by 1 stage then the Room Service gets consumed.
◆ Sludge Bomb is a special STAB-boosted 90-base power Poison-type move (30% chance to poison the target).
◆ Shadow Ball is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Ghost-type move (20% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
◆ Hex is a special STAB-boosted 65-base power Ghost-type move (power doubles if the target has a status ailment).
◆ Foul Play is a physical 95-base power Dark-type move (uses target's attack stat in damage calculation).
◆ Trick Room is a status move (goes last. For 5 turns, turn order is reversed).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/id11a5e
Movepool
Wondering what moves can Gengar learn? Here is the list of moves this Pokemon can learn in this selected generation.
Sort and organize the learnset by move type, category, accuracy, and power. Bolded moves will gain the same-type attack bonus (STAB) if this Pokemon uses them.
Damage Modifiers:
Combo List
These are a list of several common move combinations Gengar can perform in Sword/Shield. Not every combo going to be game-changing, but some can be pretty fun to play with. Sometimes these can be easily overlooked or forgotten, hence why we find and list them here. Discover what items, abilities, and moves this Pokemon can use in combination with each other to gain a strategic advantage in competitive battles.
Competitive SS Move and Ability Combos for Gengar
- Moves: Mimic + Imprison
- Moves: Swagger + Foul play
- Moves: Swagger + Psych up
- Moves: Psych up + Haze
- Moves: Rain dance + Thunder
- Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
- Moves: Rest + Snore
- Moves: Substitute + Drain punch
- Moves: Perish song + Protect
- Moves: Pain split + Toxic
- Moves: Pain split + Will-o-wisp
- Move: Swagger + Item: Mirror Herb
- Move: Fling + Item: King's Rock
- Move: Facade + Item: Flame Orb
- Move: Facade + Item: Toxic Orb
- Item: Blunder Policy + Move: Zap Cannon
- Item: Blunder Policy + Move: Dynamic Punch
- Moves with Priority: Endure, Protect, Sucker Punch, Ally Switch
- Moves that Break Screens: Brick Break
- Moves that inflict status (and combo with the move Hex): Toxic, Hypnosis, Will-O-Wisp
Moves that boost Gengar's stats
- Curse
- Nasty Plot
- Power-Up Punch
- Skull Bash
Most notable and possible best moves for Gengar
- Dazzling Gleam
- Destiny Bond
- Icy Wind
- Imprison
- Knock Off
- Nasty Plot
- Perish Song
- Protect
- Rest
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Bomb
- Sludge Wave
- Sucker Punch
- Taunt
- Thunderbolt
- Toxic
- Trick Room
Common Effort Values for Gengar in Sword and Shield
- Quiet Nature ( 252/0/0/252/4/0 )
- Timid Nature ( 4/0/0/252/0/252 )
- Optimize Gengar's EV spread for Pokemon Sword and Shield
Related Videos
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Here are the best movesets for Gengar. Top rated Gengar Sword/Shield movesets. You can find Gengar builds Sword/Shield. Gengar movesets Sword/Shield are listed here. VGC Gengar Competitive Movesets can be found here. Find various EV spreads, find the best nature for Gengar in Sword/Shield along with competitive movesets. Basic info and Movesets for evolution