Gengar is the first Ghost/Poison type ever introduced, debuting in Generation 1 as the evolution of Haunter. For decades it held a unique niche as the only Ghost with real offensive stats, and it has remained a top-tier threat through every generation of competitive play.
Base Stats
Gengar has 60 HP, 65 Attack, 60 Defense, 130 Special Attack, 75 Sp.Def, and 110 Speed. It\'s a classic glass cannon — incredible offensive stats paired with fragile defenses. Most physical hits kill Gengar immediately, so it relies on switching in safely and sweeping fast.
Mega Gengar\'s Shadow Tag
Mega Gengar\'s signature ability was Shadow Tag, which prevented opponents from switching out. This turned Gengar into a deadly trapper — it could lock down and eliminate any frail Pokemon the opponent accidentally sent in. Because of this, Mega Gengar was banned from Ubers in several generations.
Best Moveset
Shadow Ball, Sludge Wave, Focus Blast, Nasty Plot. Ghost/Poison/Fighting coverage hits nearly every relevant type. Nasty Plot Gengar is terrifying — just two turns of setup and almost nothing survives.
Utility Roles
Beyond raw sweeping, Gengar is also used for utility. It can learn Destiny Bond (takes out the attacker if Gengar faints), Taunt (blocks status moves), and Hex (double damage against statused targets). Hypnosis + Dream Eater combos are gimmicky but fun.
Counters
Dark types (Tyranitar, Weavile) punch through Gengar with priority moves. Fast physical Pokemon like Jolteon or Dragapult also outspeed and one-shot.