[Top 10] Pokemon Go Best Ghost Types

Updated:

28 May 2020

Ghost-type Pokemon are some of the hardest to hit due to having very few weaknesses (unless they're dual-typed), which makes them fun to use in battle!

Whether you're into dragons, ghouls, witches, or chandeliers (yes, you read that right), there is sure to be a ghost type in Pokemon Go that suits your battling style and aesthetic.

Let's take a good look at what is great (and not so great) about the strongest ghost-types that made the list:

10. Dusknoir

Dusknoir evolves from Dusclops with the evolution item, the Sinnoh Stone, and a whole lot of candy. Dusclops was okay, but its evolution is significantly better in what it offers in battle. One of the higher defense stat ghost types on the list, Dusknoir has its uses in the game.

Not the most brutal ghost in the bunch, but it’s worth noting that Dusknoir stands up against fighting types like Machamp very well. Its high defense allows it to last a while in battle, but trainers should be prepared to make this guy dodge the attacks of an opponent with an advantage to play it safe.
With its limited movepool, players should choose Hex for Dusknoir’s fast attack and Ominous Wind for its charged attack. Dark Pulse can replace Ominous Wind to cover more types that come up against it.

Base Stats:

Attack—180
Defense—254
Stamina—128

9. Drifblim

The evolved form of Drifloon, this lofty Pokemon has stamina to spare! It can take a number of hits from many different kinds of Pokemon and has a better time standing up to its weaknesses than others on the list with swift ghost type attacks! A poor attack stat can be made up for with speed and strategy.

Fortunately, ghost type Pokemon have very few weaknesses in general. Where Gengar’s added poison type gives it vulnerability to psychic and ground type moves, Drifblim’s added flying type also makes it weak to rock, ice, and electric type moves. When putting Drifblim to good use in battle, be wary of tricky Pokemon like Rhyperior, whose ground type moves will hardly affect Drifblim, but its rock type moves spell doom for it.
Despite being a dual ghost and flying type, Drifblim has no flying type moves to offer in Pokemon Go at the moment, but this does not mean its ghost type movepool suffers just as much. Hex and Shadow Ball are solid fast and charge attacks for Drifblim, but Ominous Wind can replace Shadow Ball if you prefer a faster charge and quicker attack output.

Base Stats:

Attack—180
Defense—102
Stamina—312

8. Banette

Once a child’s abandoned doll, Banette became a haunted puppet that now evolves from Shuppet. This Pokemon will pack a better punch than Dusknoir and makes mince-meat out of dark types with Shadow Claw!

Tougher than Dusknoir but not quite on level with Gengar, Banette acts as a good choice battler for lower-tier raids and handling gym battles. If you can dodge like the wind, Banette can handle tougher raid bosses and even stand side by side with Gengar and Mismagius if its stats are high enough.
The fast move Shadow Claw is significantly better at dealing damage than Hex and should be paired up with either Shadow Ball or Dazzling Gleam for a charged attack. Shadow ball is suggested if you want to make a bulkier ghost type out of Banette, but Dazzling Gleam works decently for combating its dark type weakness and fighting types, which resist it.

Base Stats:

Attack—218
Defense—126
Stamina—162

7. Jellicent

These ghostly jellyfish are known to haunt sunken ships and live off of the life energy of others. Jellicent is a ghost and water-type Pokemon that arrived in Go with the fifth generation release.

The male and female versions of Jellicent are essentially the same in stats and movepool, so whichever you choose to battle with mainly comes down to your choice of aesthetic. With a weakness to electric, ghost, dark, and grass, players must choose when to use this Pokemon in battle with careful consideration.
Jellicent’s best fast and charge moves are Bubble and Shadow Ball, which take advantage of its water and ghost typing. To make it a solid ghost type battler, substitute Hex with Bubble.

Base Stats:

Attack—159
Defense—178
Stamina—225

6. Golurk

The evolved form of Golett has an odd dual type of ground and ghost, which lend it a bit of an awkward movepool and stat balance. It’s no Rhyperior, but Golurk may be a good second if you’re desperate for a strong ground type. This Pokemon's ghost type moves don’t hold a candle to Gengar, but they get the job done.

While Golurk’s best performance is with ground type attacks, it can be made into a fair mixed ghost type brawler. It’s not the fastest on this list, but Golurk can still deliver a few solid blows in battle.
Both a ground and ghost type, Golurk can wield a decent movepool on both fronts. To make it the best ghost type it can be, its fast attack needs to be Mud Slap and its charged attack should be Shadow Punch. However, players who want to take full advantage of its ground type should choose Earth Power for its charged attack.

Base Stats:

Attack—222
Defense—154
Stamina—205

5. Mismagius

The all-ghost Magical Pokemon is the Gengar of the second generation in the game. However, its mischievous abilities are better put to use in a longer battle, seeing as it’s much bulkier than it looks.

Mismagius may not be as good as Gengar in terms of offense, but it can last a lot longer in a tough battle than the latter. Its single ghost typing gives it fewer weaknesses than Gengar as well.
Hex and Shadow Ball are Mismagius’s strongest ghost type moveset, but Hex can be replaced with Sucker Punch if you want to cover a few more types in your opponents. Being a pure ghost type, Mismagius benefits the most from a ghost moveset over any other.

Base Stats:

Attack—211
Defense—187
Stamina—155

4. Gengar

An oldie but a goodie, Gengar is easily one of the strongest ghost-type Pokemon over all generations—period. It’s easy enough to catch enough Gastly to evolve one, especially during the annual Halloween event, when they are EVERYWHERE.

There’s a reason why Gengar is still sought after in raids versus the traditional catch and evolve method. Obtaining one at a higher level and a better chance at good stats via raid is infinitely better than saving up on Gastly candy. From the moment of capture, this monster is locked, loaded, and ready to clean sweep gyms!
A formidable ghost type moveset for Gengar should be the fast move Shadow Claw and charged move Shadow Ball. If you’re throwing poison in the mix, replace Shadow Ball with Sludge Bomb and you’re good to go.

Base Stats:

Attack—261

Defense—149

Stamina—155

3. Giratina Altered Forme

The ghostly dragon of the Pokemon world’s second form is built not so much for attack as it is for defense and stamina. This means that facing it in any battle will do a teeny bit less damage to your team, but will be significantly tougher to defeat.

The lesser of two evils but still a formidable battler, Giratina Altered Forme is like Origin Forme’s understudy. Not quite as powerful, but Altered Forme is a legendary Pokemon, which automatically lends it good stats and an overall better place on the list than non-legendaries.
Shadow Claw and Dragon Claw are the most reliable pairing of fast and charged moves. Giratina Altered Forme can also make fair use of Ancient Power as a charged move, but if players wish to make it a strong dragon type, it’s not recommended.

Base Stats:

Attack—187
Defense—225
Stamina—284

2. Chandelure

Burning with the spirits of its victims, the Luring Pokemon comes with the ominous dual type of ghost and fire! What Chandelure lacks in stamina it largely makes up for in attack, putting it in the number two spot on this list. This spooky Pokemon is also one of the best fire types in the game, and ranking just below Giratina, this additionally ghost-type Pokemon is one that players would rather have on their side than the opponent’s.

One of the best in fire and ghost, Chandelure is as tough as it is creepy looking. Currently, this Pokemon doesn’t pop up in raids very often and its first form, Litwick, is on the rarer side. Players might have to be a bit more patient in their endeavor of getting Litwick to evolve, but it’s definitely worth the effort.
As a primarily ghost attacker, its best fast and charged moveset is Hex and Shadow Ball. To use Chandelure as a mixed attacker with second-best fast and charged moves, Fire Spin and Shadow Ball are the ideal set.

Base Stats:

Attack—271

Defense—182

Stamina—155

1. Giratina Origin Forme

This. Pokemon. SLAYS. Giratina Origin Forme is so far the superior ghost-type Pokemon in Go, whether you’re taking on raid bosses or pitting him against your friends’ Pokemon in a friendly battle. Dark-type Pokemon cower in the presence of this menace’s ghost type prowess.

What makes Origin better than Altered? Stats. Origin Forme simply has higher and more balanced stats to work with and the movepool players have to choose its attacks from brings out the best in this Pokemon.
For those going for strictly ghost type attacks, Shadow Claw and Shadow Ball are the priority fast and charge moves. Players who want to run this battler with a dragon type focus should give it Dragon Tail and Dragon Pulse respectively. Its ghost type moveset is the strongest and most reliable by far in raids and player vs player battles.

Base Stats: