In X & Y, Dusknoir has a 525 base stat total and ranks as C-Tier: a niche pick in X & Y's meta. It works best as an attacker. Shadow Sneak with Leftovers is the standard set.

What is Dusknoir weak to?

In X & Y, watch for Gengar (Ghost) and Absol (Dark) when using Dusknoir. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Only 2 weaknesses means fewer dedicated counters to worry about. Dusknoir has enough bulk to absorb a hit, but don't push the matchup. Pivot to a teammate that resists.

What is the best ability for Dusknoir?

Pressure increases the PP cost of moves targetting the Pokémon by one. That's the one you want on Dusknoir. Frisk is the hidden ability. Niche, but it has its uses.

What role does Dusknoir play in battle?

In X & Y, Dusknoir fills the attacker role. It's leaning toward the physical side (base 100 Attack). Base 45 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. And it's tanky enough to absorb a few hits.

What are the best moves for Dusknoir?

In X & Y, run Shadow Sneak, Will O Wisp, Toxic, and Protect on Dusknoir. Shadow Sneak is the most common pick at 23% usage. This set covers the attacker role with a mix of damage and utility.

Dusknoir - Weakness, Evolution, Moveset, EVs & Stats

Utility

Attacker

CTier

45Speed · Slow

Stats & Training

Dusknoir's all-in on Defense at the expense of HP. The physical lean is obvious from the bars. Yields 3 Defense and Sp. Def EVs and follows a fast 800K XP curve.

Base Stats

High

HP45

Attack100

Defense135

Sp. Atk65

Sp. Def135

Speed45

Total525

Details

Catch Rate

Challenging45 / 255

Growth Rate

Fast800,000 XP

Height2.2 m

Weight106.6 kg

Base XP236

Abilities

PressureRare

Increases the PP cost of moves targetting the Pokémon by one.

FriskHATop Pick

Reveals an opponent's held item upon entering battle.

EV Yield

HPAtkDef+1SpASpD+2Spe

Strong Special Defense training target

Pokedex Entries

It is said to take lost spirits into its pliant body and guide them home.

Dusknoir Weakness

Ghost and Dark moves hit Dusknoir for super-effective damage. The upside? Normal and Fighting-type moves can't touch it at all. Dusknoir's overall bulk (45/135/135) lets it take a hit or two from most weaknesses before going down.

Dusknoir Weakness and Resistance Chart
Damage	Types
2x (Weak)	Ghost, Dark
0.5x (Resist)	Poison, Bug
0x (Immune)	Normal, Fighting

Type ChartExcellent

2Weak

2Resist

2Immune

Score+4

4xCritical

None

2xWeak

Ghost Dark

½xResist

Poison Bug

¼xResist

None

0xImmune

Normal Fighting

STAB (2)

Psychic Ghost

How to Beat Dusknoir in X & Y (Best Counters)

In X & Y, Weavile can KO Dusknoir with Knock Off (93-109%). Tyranitar threatens a KO with Crunch (101-119%). Gengar's Shadow Ball also KOs at 119-140%.

Weavile DarkIce	A
Recommended Build AbilityPressure ItemChoice Band NatureJolly Moves Knock Off Icicle Crash Ice Shard PursuitSTAB Damage vs Dusknoir Knock Off 2x 93-109%KO Ice Shard 29-34% Pursuit 2x 57-68% View Weavile builds →
Tyranitar RockDark	A
Recommended Build AbilitySand Stream ItemChoice Band NatureRelaxed Moves Stone Edge PursuitSTAB CrunchSTAB Superpower Damage vs Dusknoir Stone Edge 63-74% Pursuit 2x 52-61% Crunch 2x 101-119%KO View Tyranitar builds →
Gengar GhostPoison	B
Recommended Build AbilityLevitate ItemChoice Specs NatureTimid Moves Shadow Ball Sludge Bomb Focus Blast Sludge Wave Damage vs Dusknoir Shadow Ball 2x 119-140%KO Sludge Bomb 33-39% View Gengar builds →

X & Y Evolution

Dusknoir doesn't evolve through normal leveling. You'll need a trade to get here from Duskull's line. Breed this form to get Duskull eggs (average hatch time). Evolving from Duskull gave Dusknoir the biggest boost in Attack (+60), bringing the total to 525 stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.

How to Evolve

3 Forms

#355Duskull

Level 37

#356Dusclops

Trade + Reaper Cloth

#477Dusknoir

Stat Comparison 3 Stages

Duskull

Ghost

Dusclops

Ghost

Dusknoir

Ghost

40+20

45+5

ATK

70+30

100+30

DEF

130+40

135+5

SP.ATK

60+30

65+5

SP.DEF

130+40

135+5

SPE

45+20

BST

295C-Tier

455C-Tier+160

525B-Tier+70

ROLE

Balanced

Attacker

TYPE

Utility

Physical

Breeding

Easy

Breed with Dusknoir to get Duskull eggs easily using 49 partners from the Indeterminate egg group. Notable egg moves include Dark Pulse, Destiny Bond, Feint Attack and 7 more.

Egg Groups

Indeterminate

Gender

♂50.0%♀50.0%

Hatch Time

25 cycles·6,425 steps

Moderate~6 min with Flame Body

Egg Moves

10moves

Breed With (best first)

X & Y Dusknoir Best Moveset

Bulk and offense in one package. Dusknoir runs Leftovers for passive recovery each turn with a Adamant nature, so it survives long enough to threaten with Shadow Sneak. Max Attack without Speed EVs and utility options make it hard to safely switch into.

Best Build

Situational pick

Ability

Frisk

Item

LeftoversSUSTAIN

Best Nature for Dusknoir

Adamant+ATK

Dusknoir best EVs are Attack and Defense

EVs

Atk

Def

SpD

Physical Attacker Moveset

Shadow SneakSTAB
Will O Wisp
ToxicUtility
ProtectFAST +4

Recommended Teammates

AggronGood

MachampGood

Moves

Need something that threatens multiple types? Dusknoir's movepool delivers. Coverage across 10 types plus STAB from Shadow Ball and Hex gives it answers for most defensive cores you'll run into.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1

Bind

—158520Normal

Lv 1

Disable

S—10020Normal

Lv 1

Fire Punch

C7510015Fire

Lv 1

Gravity

D——5Psychic

Lv 1

Ice Punch

C7510015Ice

Lv 1

Leer

——10030Normal

Lv 1

Night Shade

D—10015Ghost

Lv 1

Thunder Punch

C7510015Electric

Lv 6

Disable

S—10020Normal

Lv 9

Foresight

———40Normal

Lv 14

Astonish

—3010015Ghost

Lv 17

Confuse Ray

D—10010Ghost

Lv 22

Shadow Sneak+1

S4010030Ghost

Lv 25

Pursuit

D4010020Dark

Lv 30

Curse

C——10Ghost

Lv 33

Will-O-Wisp

S—8515Fire

Lv 37

Shadow Punch

A60—20Ghost

Lv 42

Hex

C6510010Ghost

Lv 49

Mean Look

———5Normal

Lv 58

Payback

—5010010Dark

Lv 61

Future Sight

C12010010Psychic

TM Moves

TM45

Attract

D—10015Normal

TM14

Blizzard

D110705Ice

TM31

Brick Break

C7510015Fighting

TM78

Bulldoze

C6010020Ground

TM04

Calm Mind

C——20Psychic

TM57

Charge Beam

D509010Electric

TM100

Confide

———20Normal

TM97

Dark Pulse

D8010015Dark

TM32

Double Team

———15Normal

TM85

Dream Eater

C10010015Psychic

TM26

Earthquake

C10010010Ground

TM63

Embargo

——10015Dark

TM42

Facade

A7010020Normal

TM70

Flash

D—10020Normal

TM56

Fling

D—10010Dark

TM52

Focus Blast

D120705Fighting

TM21

Frustration

D—10020Normal

TM68

Giga Impact

B150905Normal

TM10

Hidden Power

—6010015Normal

TM15

Hyper Beam

C150905Normal

TM13

Ice Beam

D9010010Ice

TM83

Infestation

D2010020Bug

TM66

Payback

—5010010Dark

TM98

Power-Up Punch

D4010020Fighting

TM17

Protect+4

S——10Normal

TM77

Psych Up

D——10Normal

TM29

Psychic

D9010010Psychic

TM18

Rain Dance

C——5Water

TM44

Rest

C——10Psychic

TM27

Return

D—10020Normal

TM80

Rock Slide

C759010Rock

TM94

Rock Smash

—4010015Fighting

TM39

Rock Tomb

D609515Rock

TM48

Round

D6010015Normal

TM30

Shadow Ball

C8010015Ghost

TM88

Sleep Talk

C——10Normal

HM04

Strength

—8010015Normal

TM90

Substitute

C——10Normal

TM11

Sunny Day

C——5Fire

TM87

Swagger

——9015Normal

TM12

Taunt

C—10020Dark

TM46

Thief

C6010025Dark

TM41

Torment

——10015Dark

TM06

Toxic

S—9010Poison

TM92

Trick Room-7

C——5Psychic

TM61

Will-O-Wisp

S—8515Fire

Egg Moves

Egg

Dark Pulse

D8010015Dark

Egg

Destiny Bond

A——5Ghost

Egg

Feint Attack

—60—20Dark

Egg

Grudge

———5Ghost

Egg

Haze

C——30Ice

Egg

Imprison

———10Psychic

Egg

Memento

A—10010Dark

Egg

Ominous Wind

—601005Ghost

Egg

Pain Split

C——20Normal

Egg

Skill Swap

C——10Psychic

Tutor Moves

Dusknoir can't learn any Tutor moves

Transfer Moves

Gen

Gen 4

Captivate

——10020Normal

Gen 4

Endure+4

D——10Normal

Gen 4

Headbutt

C7010015Normal

Gen 4

Mud-Slap

D2010010Ground

Gen 4

Natural Gift

D—10015Normal

Gen 4

Sucker Punch+1

C801005Dark

Gen 5

Telekinesis

———15Psychic

How to Get Dusknoir in X & Y

Dusknoir can't be caught in X & Y. Transfer Duskull from Ruby, Emerald, or Sword and evolve through the 3-stage chain to get it. The step cards below map the full chain.

Trade Evolution Required — Requires trading with another player

How to Obtain Dusknoir in X & Y

Step 1Obtain Duskull
Catch in the wild in:
Omega RubyWalking · Mt. Pyre
Then trade to X & Y to continue the evolution chain.
Also found in:
Ruby Emerald Diamond Platinum Sword
Train until Level 37
Step 2Evolve into Dusclops
Catch in the wild in:
Omega RubyWalking · Mt. Pyre
Also found in:
Ruby Emerald Diamond Platinum Sword
Trade + Reaper Cloth
Step 3Dusknoir ✓

Dusknoir Guide

In X & Y, Dusknoir has a 525 base stat total and ranks as C-Tier: a niche pick in X & Y's meta. It works best as an attacker. Shadow Sneak with Leftovers is the standard set.
In X & Y, watch for Gengar (Ghost) and Absol (Dark) when using Dusknoir. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Only 2 weaknesses means fewer dedicated counters to worry about. Dusknoir has enough bulk to absorb a hit, but don't push the matchup. Pivot to a teammate that resists.
Pressure increases the PP cost of moves targetting the Pokémon by one. That's the one you want on Dusknoir. Frisk is the hidden ability. Niche, but it has its uses.
In X & Y, Dusknoir fills the attacker role. It's leaning toward the physical side (base 100 Attack). Base 45 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. And it's tanky enough to absorb a few hits.
In X & Y, run Shadow Sneak, Will O Wisp, Toxic, and Protect on Dusknoir. Shadow Sneak is the most common pick at 23% usage. This set covers the attacker role with a mix of damage and utility.

Game Availability

Dusknoir has been available in 14 games since Diamond & Pearl, though obtaining it requires a trade evolution. This extra step makes it less common than Pokemon found through standard wild encounters.

Click a game to view version-specific details

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Want to tell us more?

What was most useful?

About:

What could be improved?

About:

Thanks for your feedback