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Dark Pulse

In Pokémon ChampionsGen IV
Game

Pokémon Champions

DarkSpecial

20% chance to make the target flinch.

Power
80
Accuracy
100%
PP
16 Scarlet & Violet: 15
Hits
Any one Pokémon, even far away
On Showdown
0.8% of Champions VGC Pokémon run it
Properties

Changes over time

How Dark Pulse changed from game to game, newest first.

  1. Champions

    PP 15 → 16 Buffed

Numbers: PokéAPI’s changelog. Descriptions: Pokémon Showdown’s for each generation, PokéAPI’s notes where Showdown’s don’t differ. Champions: Pokémon Showdown.

See it in the games

No clip of Dark Pulse here yet. Find Dark Pulse on YouTube →

How it works in Champions

Has a 20% chance to make the target flinch.

“The user releases a horrible aura imbued with ill intent. This may also make the target flinch.”

In-game text, Scarlet & Violet

What interacts

Abilities and items that boost Dark Pulse, block it, punish its user or change how it works.

Boosts it

2

Blocks or weakens it

1

Changes how it works

1

Mold Breaker, Teravolt and Turboblaze ignore the abilities that block or weaken it.

Who runs Dark Pulse on Showdown

  1. Mega Blastoise55.6% of its sets
  2. Hydreigon92.4% of its sets
  3. Mega Lucario Z19.3% of its sets
  4. Mega Pyroar24.8% of its sets
  5. Armarouge2.6% of its sets
  6. Mega Greninja89.0% of its sets
  7. Mega Meowstic13.7% of its sets
  8. Greninja68.1% of its sets
  9. Mega Houndoom89.2% of its sets
  10. Inteleon18.1% of its sets
  11. Clawitzer67.8% of its sets
  12. Thievul23.2% of its sets

Smogon · Showdown Champions VGC · Sep 2026: Smogon’s usage stats from Pokémon Showdown, not the in-game ladder.

On the ladder today

Ranked Doubles Pokémon with Dark Pulse among their most used moves.

Blastoise, ladder rank #47Lucario, ladder rank #48Hydreigon, ladder rank #61Greninja, ladder rank #81Inteleon, ladder rank #83Female Meowstic, ladder rank #98Houndoom, ladder rank #127Clawitzer, ladder rank #141Thievul, ladder rank #229

Who learns Dark Pulse

91 Pokémon can learn it in Pokémon Champions.

Show all 91 in Champions
BlastoiseArbokNinetalesGengarGyaradosUmbreonSteelixSkarmoryHoundoomTyranitarSableyeMawileAggronSharpedoBanetteAbsolGlalieSpiritombLucarioToxicroakWeavileGliscorRotomLiepardKrookodileScraftyCofagrigusGarbodorZoroarkChandelureHydreigonGreninjaPyroarPangoroFurfrouMeowsticMalamarClawitzerHelioliskTyrantrumAurorusTrevenantGourgeistNoivernIncineroarMimikyuPolteageistHattereneGrimmsnarlRunerigusMorpekoOverqwilMeowscaradaArmarougeKingambitArchaludonHeat RotomWash RotomFrost RotomFan RotomMow RotomSmall GourgeistLarge GourgeistSuper GourgeistMega BlastoiseMega GengarMega GyaradosMega HoundoomMega TyranitarMega MawileMega AggronMega BanetteMega AbsolMega LucarioMega SableyeMega SharpedoMega SteelixMega GlalieAlolan NinetalesHisuian SamurottHisuian ZoroarkMega SkarmoryMega ScraftyMega ChandelureMega GreninjaMega PyroarMega MalamarMega Absol ZMega Lucario ZMega MeowsticMega Meowstic

All 183 Pokémon that learn it in any game → Filter the Pokédex to Champions →