
Easy at trainer level 30 with proper counters
HP | 3,600 | ATK | 201.48 | DEF | 124.83 |
---|
CP Range | |||
---|---|---|---|
Lvl 20 | 1566 - 1644 | Lvl 25 | 1958 - 2056 |
Notable Weather
Boosts Boss's Moves | Boosts Counters' Moves |
---|---|
Fog, Cloudy | Sunny / Clear, Fog, Windy |
Fast Move Difficulty
Move | Difficulty |
---|---|
Sucker Punch | Easy |
Hex | Intermediate |
Charge Move Difficulty
Move | Difficulty |
---|---|
Shadow Ball | Challenging |
Sludge Bomb | Challenging |
Focus Blast | Easy |
Overview
Gengar bears many similarities to Machamp, including low defense and some of the same weaknesses to the highest DPS attackers in the game. Depending on moveset, Gengar is strongly countered by either Tyranitar or Psychic-types and Gengar itself. Time shouldn’t be a constraining factor in this fight.
What complicates Gengar is its high attack stat that is complemented by hard-hitting charge moves. Many of Gengar’s best counters are also weak to it in some way, making dodging paramount to success. This isn’t too difficult vs. Shadow Ball and Focus Blast, which have dodge windows that can be seen coming from a mile away. Sludge Bomb is trickier to dodge but less threatening overall.
Approach
Team composition
- Ideal team composition is 6 Mewtwo with Psystrike.
- Front load with glass cannons such as Gengar, Alakazam, and Espeon
- Lugia, Tyranitar, Metagross, or Groudon pad the team vs. different sets
- Giratina-O actually tanks better than anything else, and has DPS a bit below glass counters.
Dodging strategy
- Don't get one-hit KO’d by a charge move before using own charge move
- If failing: attempt fewer dodges if timing out, more dodges if fainting out
Best Raid Boss Counters

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Confusion | Shadow Ball | Good |
Pros:
-
The highest DPS vs. Gengar and overall superior counter
-
Psychic is a non-event move and very effective.
-
EX-raid exclusive Shadow Ball is the weakest of the three Super Effective options, but still extremely viable.
Cons:
-
Faints quickly vs. Shadow Ball movesets without dodging
-
Psystrike is best, but is an event move.

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Shadow Claw | Shadow Ball | Best |
Pros:
- Remarkably bulky, great overall performance despite weaknesses to both Quick Moves and Shadow Ball
- Resists Sludge Bomb, double-resists Focus Blast
- Highest average TDO of any existing counter, including Lugia, while sacrificing only a bit of DPS.
Cons:
- Loses some of its edge Vs. Shadow Ball movesets.
- Low candy availability due to Legendary status.

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Lick | Shadow Ball | Best |
Shadow Claw | Shadow Ball | Best |
Hex | Shadow Ball | Good |
Pros:
-
Very high DPS; a generous win time at L25
-
Doubly resists Sludge Bomb, triply resists Focus Blast
-
Easily accessible due to being a common tier 3 raid boss
Cons:
-
Frail and one-hit KO’d by Shadow Ball without dodging
-
Best movesets are Legacy, other movesets are sub-par

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Hex | Shadow Ball | Best |
Pros:
- Very close to Gengar in performance, trades a little DPS for a little TDO.
Cons:
- Has less relevant resistances, falls behind Gengar Vs. Sludge Bomb and Focus Blast.
- Currently very rare and hard to obtain.

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Zen Headbutt | Psychic | Best |
Pros:
-
Naturally bulky with a double resistance to Sludge Bomb and neutral damage from Focus Blast
-
Fantastic mix of DPS and TDO
-
Fairly common due to previous Community Day
Cons:
-
Weak to Shadow Ball and all of Gengar's Fast Moves.

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Bite | Dark Pulse | Best |
Pros:
- Top overall performer among Dark Types
- Resists both of Gengar's Quick Moves and Shadow Ball, helps shore up team weaknesses.
Cons:
- Weak to Focus Blast, does not resist Sludge Bomb
- Rare and hard to obtain

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Pros:
-
Very high DPS vs. Gengar; a generous win time at L30
-
Bulky and resists all of Gengar’s moves but Focus Blast
-
Current tier 4 raid boss; also featured on Community Day
Cons:
-
One-hit KO’d by Focus Blast and must dodge to survive

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Feint Attack | Foul Play | Good |
Pros:
- Very high DPS, highest among Dark Types
- Resists all Quick Moves, great performance Vs. Shadow Ball
- Pre-evolution is fairly common, featured in several past events.
Cons:
- Very frail when not hiding behind a resistance.
- Double Weakness means that it's virtually unviable Vs. Focus Blast

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Pros:
- Good clear times, high DPS and respectable TDO.
- Triple-resists Sludge Bomb, a good choice to shore up a potential weakness.
- Highest DPS among Ground Type counters
Cons:
- Has no usable resistance besides Sludge Bomb
- Somewhat frail when not against Sludge Bomb movesets.
- Weak to Focus Blast

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Mud Shot | Earthquake | Best |
Pros:
-
Good DPS vs. Gengar; a generous win time at L30
-
Impeccable natural bulk with a resistance to Sludge Bomb
-
Many players have one, as it was a former tier 5 raid boss
Cons:
-
Low candy accessibility due to legendary Pokemon status

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Confusion | Future Sight | Good |
Zen Headbutt | Future Sight | Good |
Pros:
-
Very high DPS vs. Gengar; a generous win time at L30
-
Resists Focus Blast; will often survive without dodging
-
Highly accessible; a common species in many locations
Cons:
-
Frail, weak to Shadow Ball; one-hit KO’d at lower levels
-
Very difficult to dodge with when using Confusion

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Confusion | Future Sight | Good |
Confusion | Shadow Ball | Good |
Psycho Cut | Psychic | Good |
Pros:
-
Very high DPS vs. Gengar; a generous win time at L30
-
Resists Focus Blast; will often survive without dodging
-
Obtainable at a high level in locales with windy weather
-
Best moveset is legacy
Cons:
-
Frail and one-hit KO’d by Shadow Ball without dodging

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Confusion | Synchronoise | Good |
Confusion | Shadow Ball | Good |
Pros:
-
Doubly resists Focus Blast, not weak to Sucker Punch
Cons:
-
Nearly one-hit KO’d by Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb
-
Very difficult to dodge with when using Confusion

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Confusion | Synchronoise | Good |
Pros:
- Basically Gardevoir without the Poison weakness and a single resist to Focus Blast
Cons:
- Basically Gardevoir without the Poison weakness and a single resist to Focus Blast

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Zen Headbutt | Psychic | Best |
Zen Headbutt | Dragon Claw | Good |
Pros:
-
Decent bulk among Gengar counters; resists Focus Blast
-
Many players have one, as it is a historical tier 5 raid boss
Cons:
-
Usually has more desirable movesets in other matchups
-
Low candy accessibility due to legendary Pokemon status

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Snarl | Dark Pulse | Best |
Pros:
- Good DPS option, hits hard and has good clear times.
- Resists both Quick Moves and Shadow Ball
- Has no weaknesses among Gengar's moves
- Pre-evolution is very common and easily accessible
Cons:
- Somewhat frail despite lack of weaknesses

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Shadow Claw | Shadow Ball | Best |
Pros:
-
Very high DPS vs. Gengar; a generous win time at L30
-
Resists Sludge Bomb and doubly resists Focus Blast
Cons:
-
Frail and one-hit KO’d by Shadow Ball without dodging

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Snarl | Dark Pulse | Best |
Psycho Cut | Dark Pulse | Good |
Pros:
-
Shadow Ball resistance slightly compensates for frailty
Cons:
-
Frail and one-hit KO’d by Focus Blast without dodging

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Pros:
-
Shadow Ball resistance slightly compensates for frailty
Cons:
-
Frail and one-hit KO’d by Focus Blast without dodging

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Confusion | Future Sight | Best |
Pros:
- Acceptable overall performance.
Cons:
- Basically a worse Mewtwo.

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Extrasensory | Psychic | Best |
Pros:
-
Resists Focus Blast; bulkier than Alakazam and Espeon
-
Many players have one; was common in old metagames
-
Easily accessible due to being a current tier 2 raid boss
Cons:
-
Nearly one-hit KO’d by Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb
-
Best moveset is legacy

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Extrasensory | Future Sight | Best |
Extrasensory | Sky Attack | Good |
Pros:
-
One of the bulkiest Gengar counters despite weaknesses
-
Doubly resists Focus Blast; very efficient in this matchup
-
Many players have one, as it was a former tier 5 raid boss
Cons:
-
At low levels, requires team help to get ahead of the clock
-
Low candy accessibility due to legendary Pokemon status

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Feint Attack | Dark Pulse | Best |
Pros:
-
Highly accessible; a common species in many locations
Cons:
-
Frail and one-hit KO’d by Focus Blast without dodging

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Pros:
-
Easily accessible due to being a tier 3 raid boss
Cons:
-
Frail, one-hit KO’d by Shadow Ball unless near max level
-
Very difficult to dodge with when using Confusion

Fast Move | Charge Move | Rating |
---|
Dragon Tail | Outrage | Best |
Pros:
-
Does acceptable neutral DPS, useful in numerous matchups
-
Many players have one, as it is a historical tier 5 raid boss
-
Resists Focus Blast
Cons:
-
Low candy accessibility due to legendary Pokemon status
-
Less than stellar performance due to a lack of Super Effective damage
-
More of a stop-gap than a counter, needs support from high-DPS counters to work.