Ghost · Physical move · Gen 8
Poltergeist
Poltergeist is a Ghost-type physical move introduced in Generation 8. It has 110 base power and 90% accuracy, with 5 PP (8 with PP Max). 66 Pokémon and forms can learn it.
Type
Ghost
Category
Physical
Power
110
Accuracy
90%
PP
5 (max 8)
Priority
0
Effect
Fails if the target has no held item.
- Targets
- One adjacent Pokémon
- Scarlet & Violet
- Usable (45 Pokémon)
- Pokémon Champions
- Usable (27 Pokémon)
- Legends: Z-A
- Not usable
Type matchups as a Ghost attack
2× vsPsychicGhost
½× vsDark
0× vsNormal
Pokémon that learn Poltergeist
66 Pokémon and forms (Mega Evolutions share their base form's moves). ✓ = can learn it in that game by any method; “Gens” lists every main-series generation it could be learned in.
| Pokémon | Type | Champions | S/V | Z-A | Gens |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Gastly | Ghost/Poison | ✓ | 8–9 | ||
 Haunter | Ghost/Poison | ✓ | 8–9 | ||
 Gengar | Ghost/Poison | ✓ | ✓ | 8–9 | |
 Alolan Marowak | Fire/Ghost | 8 | |||
 Mew | Psychic | ✓ | 8–9 | ||
 Hisuian Typhlosion | Fire/Ghost | ✓ | ✓ | 9 | |
 Misdreavus | Ghost | ✓ | 9 | ||
 Shedinja | Bug/Ghost | 8 | |||
 Sableye | Dark/Ghost | ✓ | ✓ | 8–9 | |
 Shuppet | Ghost | ✓ | 9 | ||
 Banette | Ghost | ✓ | ✓ | 9 | |
 Duskull | Ghost | ✓ | 8–9 | ||
 Dusclops | Ghost | ✓ | 8–9 | ||
 Mismagius | Ghost | ✓ | 9 | ||
 Spiritomb | Ghost/Dark | ✓ | ✓ | 8–9 | |
 Dusknoir | Ghost | ✓ | 8–9 | ||
 Froslass | Ice/Ghost | ✓ | ✓ | 8–9 | |
 Rotom | Electric/Ghost | ✓ | ✓ | 8–9 | |
 Rotom-Heat | Electric/Fire | ✓ | |||
 Rotom-Wash | Electric/Water | ✓ | |||
 Rotom-Frost | Electric/Ice | ✓ | |||
 Rotom-Fan | Electric/Flying | ✓ | |||
 Rotom-Mow | Electric/Grass | ✓ | |||
 Giratina | Ghost/Dragon | ✓ | 8–9 | ||
 Yamask | Ghost | 8 | |||
 Galarian Yamask | Ground/Ghost | 8 | |||
 Cofagrigus | Ghost | ✓ | 8 | ||
 Hisuian Zoroark | Normal/Ghost | ✓ | ✓ | 9 | |
 Frillish | Water/Ghost | 8 | |||
 Jellicent | Water/Ghost | 8 | |||
 Litwick | Ghost/Fire | ✓ | 8–9 | ||
 Lampent | Ghost/Fire | ✓ | 8–9 | ||
 Chandelure | Ghost/Fire | ✓ | ✓ | 8–9 | |
 Golett | Ground/Ghost | ✓ | 8–9 | ||
 Golurk | Ground/Ghost | ✓ | ✓ | 8–9 | |
 Aegislash | Steel/Ghost | ✓ | |||
 Phantump | Ghost/Grass | ✓ | 8–9 | ||
 Trevenant | Ghost/Grass | ✓ | ✓ | 8–9 | |
 Pumpkaboo | Ghost/Grass | 8 | |||
 Pumpkaboo-Super | Ghost/Grass | 8 | |||
 Gourgeist | Ghost/Grass | ✓ | 8 | ||
 Gourgeist-Super | Ghost/Grass | 8 | |||
 Decidueye | Grass/Ghost | ✓ | ✓ | 8–9 | |
 Sandygast | Ghost/Ground | ✓ | 8–9 | ||
 Palossand | Ghost/Ground | ✓ | 8–9 | ||
 Dhelmise | Ghost/Grass | 8 | |||
 Lunala | Psychic/Ghost | ✓ | 8–9 | ||
 Marshadow | Fighting/Ghost | 8 | |||
 Sinistea | Ghost | ✓ | 8–9 | ||
 Polteageist | Ghost | ✓ | ✓ | 8–9 | |
 Cursola | Ghost | 8 | |||
 Runerigus | Ground/Ghost | ✓ | 8 | ||
 Spectrier | Ghost | ✓ | 9 | ||
 Skeledirge | Fire/Ghost | ✓ | ✓ | 9 | |
 Ceruledge | Fire/Ghost | ✓ | ✓ | 9 | |
 Bramblin | Grass/Ghost | ✓ | 9 | ||
 Brambleghast | Grass/Ghost | ✓ | 9 | ||
 Rabsca | Bug/Psychic | ✓ | 9 | ||
 Greavard | Ghost | ✓ | 9 | ||
 Houndstone | Ghost | ✓ | ✓ | 9 | |
 Flutter Mane | Ghost/Fairy | ✓ | 9 | ||
 Gholdengo | Steel/Ghost | ✓ | ✓ | 9 | |
 Poltchageist | Grass/Ghost | ✓ | 9 | ||
 Sinistcha | Grass/Ghost | ✓ | ✓ | 9 | |
 Munkidori | Poison/Psychic | ✓ | 9 | ||
 Pecharunt | Poison/Ghost | ✓ | 9 |
Poltergeist FAQ
What does Poltergeist do?
Poltergeist is a Ghost-type physical move with 110 power. Fails if the target has no held item.
Which Pokémon can learn Poltergeist?
66 Pokémon and forms can learn Poltergeist in at least one game: 45 in Scarlet & Violet, 27 in Pokémon Champions and 0 in Legends: Z-A. Examples: Gastly, Haunter, Gengar, Alolan Marowak, Mew and Hisuian Typhlosion.
Is Poltergeist in Pokémon Champions?
Yes — 27 Pokémon can use Poltergeist in Pokémon Champions, with the same numbers as in Scarlet & Violet.
What is Poltergeist super effective against?
As a Ghost-type attack, Poltergeist is super effective against Psychic and Ghost, not very effective against Dark and has no effect on Normal (unless its effect says otherwise).
Move data and effect text from Pokémon Showdown (MIT), generation from PokéAPI; learnsets for Gen 1–9, Pokémon Champions and Legends: Z-A from Showdown. Unofficial fan site.