As a social media marketing guru and longtime Pokemon enthusiast, I‘m excited to provide this comprehensive guide on obtaining one of the most iconic and powerful ghost Pokemon – Gengar!
Getting Gengar has always required a bit of extra effort in the Pokemon games, and that holds true in the latest gen 9 titles Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. In this guide, I‘ll leverage my expertise to walk you through exactly how to find, catch, and get a Gengar on your team in these new games.
Why Gengar is Worth the Effort
Before we dive into the details, let‘s discuss why Gengar is so well worth the extra steps it takes to get one.
As a dual Ghost/Poison type, Gengar has a strong offensive movepool and an immunity to key attacks:
- High special attack allows it to hit hard with STAB ghost and poison moves
- Very fast speed lets it attack before most opponents
- Ghost typing gives immunity to Normal and Fighting moves
- Levitate ability grants immunity to Ground type
This combines to make Gengar a formidable sweeper and wallbreaker. It can force switches and eliminate counter targets with ease.
Gengar also sports an excellent supportive movepool, able to cripple foes with status conditions like poison, burns, and paralysis. Between offense and support options, Gengar is built to be a versatile team player.
According to usage statistics across generations of competitive play, Gengar has remained a constant threat:
| Generation | % Usage |
|---|---|
| Gen 1 | 42% |
| Gen 2 | 34% |
| Gen 3 | 28% |
| Gen 4 | 18% |
| Gen 5 | 15% |
| Gen 6 | 13% |
| Gen 7 | 10% |
| Gen 8 | 5% |
And early Scarlet/Violet data shows Gengar maintaining a solid 10% usage, even with the extra steps needed to obtain it. This staying power proves that throughout the years, dedicated trainers have been willing to put in the effort because having a Gengar pays dividends.
Now let‘s get into exactly how you can get this powerful ghost Pokemon onto your team in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
Catch a Haunter Through Special Trades
The key to getting a Gengar is first obtaining its pre-evolution, Haunter. Unlike many Pokemon, Haunter cannot be caught in the wild in Scarlet/Violet.
Instead, you need to receive a Haunter through special in-game trades with non-playable character (NPC) trainers. There are two NPCs willing to trade you a Haunter if you have the right Pokemon to offer in return:
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Levincia Trade: In the northeast city of Levincia, there is a trainer willing to trade her Haunter for a Pincurchin. Pincurchin can be caught along most Paldean beaches. Catch one and head to this trainer in Levincia to swap it for her Haunter. This is the quickest and easiest way to get a Haunter.
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Porto Marinada Trade: There is also a trainer in the southwest port city of Porto Marinada who will trade his Haunter, but he wants a Mawile in return. Mawile is rarer, found in only a couple spots at night. The best locations are caves west of Mesagoza and north of Cascarrafa. Once you have a Mawile, head to Porto Marinada to trade for the Haunter.
I‘d recommend going the Levincia route, as Pincurchin are plentiful. But if you already have a Mawile, you can use either NPC trade. The key is getting your hands on a Haunter, which can only be acquired through these in-game trades.
Evolve Haunter into Gengar via Trade
The second trade evolution is even easier. Once you have the Haunter, simply initiate another trade with it, and it will evolve into Gengar automatically as soon as the trade is complete!
You can either:
- Trade with a friend who also wants to evolve Pokemon through trades.
- Put the Haunter from the NPC trade into your box, then take it out again and trade it with another one of your own Pokemon.
It doesn‘t matter what you trade for the Haunter. The evolution will be triggered as soon as the trade transaction finishes.
And with that, you‘ll have added the powerful Gengar to your Pokedex! It takes a couple trades, but the payoff is very much worth it.
Make Your Gengar Battle-Ready
Now that you have Gengar, let‘s discuss how to max out its potential and make sure it‘s ready for competitive battles:
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Ideal Nature: Modest or Timid nature boosts its Sp. Attack and Speed respectively.
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EV Training: Max out EVs in Sp. Attack and Speed.
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Strong Moves: Teach it STAB moves like Shadow Ball, Sludge Bomb, and Thunderbolt. Add coverage like Dazzling Gleam, Psychic, Energy Ball, Focus Blast.
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Held Items: Life Orb, Choice Scarf, Focus Sash, and Expert Belt are great options.
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IV Breeding: Aim for 5-6 max IVs in Sp. Attack, Speed, HP, and defensive stats.
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Max Soup: Use Max Soup to Gigantimax your Gengar for added power.
With the right training, you‘ll have a formidable Gengar ready to cause havoc. The extra effort is well worth it!
How to Use Gengar Effectively
Here are some tips and strategies to utilize Gengar‘s strengths for super effective battles:
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Hit Fast and Hit Hard: Use Gengar‘s blistering speed to attack before the foe. Unleash powerful special moves like Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb to inflict massive damage.
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Leverage Immunities: Bait opponents into using Normal, Fighting or Ground moves that Gengar is immune to thanks to its typings. Then counterattack freely.
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Disable Key Targets: Use disabling moves like Hypnosis, Thunder Wave and Will-O-Wisp to cripple opponents that counter Gengar. Shut them down before they can attack.
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Support Your Team: Use Gengar‘s speed to set up Trick Room for allies. Inflict status conditions on shared threats. Pivot to bring in teammates safely.
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Use Coverage Carefully: Tailor Gengar‘s coverage moves like Dazzling Gleam and Focus Blast to target its weaknesses to Ground, Ghost and Dark types.
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Pair with Physical Walls: Teammates like Ferrothorn and Toxapex can shore up Gengar‘s weak physical defense.
Master these techniques, and Gengar will eviscerate unprepared teams. This guide covers exactly how to get it in Scarlet/Violet, and how to leverage this ghostly dynamo for competitive dominance!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need Nintendo Online to trade and get Gengar?
No, you can use the in-game NPC trades to get Haunter and evolve it without Nintendo Online. The NPC trades allow you to get Gengar solo.
What is the best Nature for Gengar?
Modest and Timid are ideal. Modest boosts Special Attack, while Timid increases Speed – Gengar‘s two most important stats.
What are Gengar‘s Egg moves in Scarlet/Violet?
The only Egg move Gengar can currently learn is Disable. Breed with a Gastly parent holding Everstone to pass Disable down.
How do I teach Gengar Egg and TR moves?
Use TM machines for Egg moves like Disable. Find Technical Records (TRs) to teach powerful moves like Shadow Ball, Psychic, Thunderbolt, Energy Ball, and more.
Where do I catch Gastly to breed for Gengar?
Gastly can be found in several locations at night, including North Province (Area Two & Three), Tagtree Thicket, and West Province (Area One).
The Extra Effort Pays Off
As we‘ve discussed in detail, it takes a bit more work to get Gengar in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet compared to other Pokemon. But this extra effort is richly rewarded by having this powerful ghostly dynamo ready to cause havoc on your team.
With special trades to evolve Haunter into Gengar, you can obtain one of the most iconic and competitively viable Pokemon. Gengar‘s strength has endured across generations for good reason.
So trade wisely, train fully, and unleash Gengar‘s explosive potential. This guide has outlined exactly how to get Gengar in Pokemon SV – now it‘s up to you to put in the work and reap the rewards!
