Pokémon Go Darkrai counters, weaknesses and moveset explained
Can you add Darkrai, the creator of nightmares, to your Pokédex?
Darkrai, the Pitch-Black Pokémon, has come to bring our nightmares to life in Pokémon Go.
This fan-favourite Pokémon is the opposite to Cresselia, and together they make up the Lunar Duo. This is pretty interesting because given how strong Cresselia is in Go Battle League, it’s no surprise that this Legendary Pokémon Pokémon is a demon in PVE. If you want to add one (or ideally several) to your team, you’ll need to bring your strongest Bug, Fairy and Fighting-type Pokémon.
Remember, shiny Darkrai has been out for a while in Pokémon Go, so if you still need one, this is your perfect chance to catch your very own shiny Legendary Pokémon!
On this page:
Darkrai counters and weaknesses in Pokémon Go
The best counters to a given Pokémon ebb and flow as different Pokémon are added to the game. Here’s a list of the best Darkrai counters, as of November 2025:
- Darkrai type - Dark-type
- Darkrai is weak against - Bug, Fairy and Fighting-types
- Darkrai Mega counters - Mega Lucario is by far your strongest option, running Force Palm and Aura Sphere. If you don't have one of those, you're looking at Mega Heracross with Counter and Megahorn, or Mega Blaziken with Counter and Focus Blast. Failing all else, Mega Rayquaza with Dragon Tail and Dragon Ascent for pure damage output is always a solid choice, though there's a big step down from Mega Luke at this point.
- Darkrai non-Mega counters - Terrakion (Double Kick and Sacred Sword) remains your best non-Mega counter. If you don't have one, the Shadow Conkeldur is a close second, running Counter and Dynamic Punch, followed by Crowned Sword Zacian with Metal Claw and Play Rough. Keldeo, Lucario and Shadow Machamp follow - given the prevalance of the punchiest boi, if you have to run six of them with nothing else, that's totally fine, just bring an extra player to your raid.
- Number of players to beat Darkrai - The dark days of needing a veritable army to take down this Pokémon are long behind us. With a reasonable set of counters, three players is perfectly reasonable!
- Tactics - Fighting is your obvious go-to, given the abundance of strong counters in the game, and the never-ending supply of Shadow Machops you can turn into big beaters. Fairy is an option, but for once, weirdly, the Bug-type options are somehow better. Still, you really should focus on Fighting-types if you want to beat (up) the darkness!
- Other Darkrai notes - There is a shiny available, and shinies are caught automatically after a raid as long as you connect with one of your Premier Balls. Use a Pinap Berry, take a screenshot and then enjoy catching yourself a new shiny!
Darkrai CP in Pokémon Go
Darkrai will have the following CP ranges when try to catch it:
- Raid Boss CP - 53,623
- CP range when being caught - 2048 to 2136
- Weather boosted (fog) CP range when being caught - 2560 to 2671
Thank you to kashifaz from reddit for the help with this information.
Darkrai Moveset in Pokémon Go
My recommendation for Darkrai's best moveset in Pokémon Go is Snarl as a Fast Move and Shadow Ball as a Charged Move. This moveset will work well for both offensive and defensive play, with Dark Pulse being a good option for a second Charged Attack.
Darkrai will be able to learn and use a variety of moves in Pokémon Go, including:
Possible Fast Moves:
- Feint Attack (Dark)
- Snarl (Dark)
Possible Charged Moves:
- Dark Pulse (Dark)
- Focus Blast (Fighting)
- Shadow Ball (Ghost)
- Sludge Bomb (Legacy Poison)
The High Voltage event is currently running. There's a lot to do in Pokémon Go outside of the current event! First, it's worth learning about the level update. After this, you might want to fight in the Go Battle League, use Party Play, compete in a PokéStop Showcase or explore a Route for its Gift Exchange. Keep an eye out for rare Pokémon and don't forget to collect Max Particles, so you can battle Dynamax Pokémon in Max Battles.
Everything we know about Darkrai
Known as the Pitch-Black Pokémon, Darkrai is the embodiment of nightmares.
Originating from the Sinnoh region, Darkrai is a member of the Lunar Duo, alongside its counterpart, Cresselia. Each legendary Pokémon inhabits an island that geographically sit opposite each other; Cresselia lives on Fullmoon Island, while Darkrai can be found on Newmoon Island.
Darkrai has the ability to both create and inhabit nightmares. People who have cursed with dreams by Darkrai often become trapped within them, unable to wake up. If this happens, the dreamer can only be saved by a Lunar Wing from Cresselia.
According to its official Pokédex page, 'It chases people and Pokémon from its territory by causing them to experience deep, nightmarish slumbers.'
If you wanted to catch Darkrai in Pokémon Platinum, you had to save Sailor Eldritch’s son from his nightmares using the Lunar Wing. You would then be able to access the Harbor Inn in Canalave City using the Member Card. Here you would fall into a nightmare and find yourself on Newmoon Island.
Good luck catching Darkrai in Pokémon Go!