The Pokedex is filled with crazy Pokemon entries that nobody would expect from such a colorful and fun world. The bright world of Pikachu, everyone’s favorite electric mouse, is home to some dark Pokemon that aren’t afraid to devour a few souls or steal some children.
It’s hard to believe that the creators of something people hold so dear would make some Pokemon so dark, but it definitely adds to the depth of the world. Maybe think twice the next time you are about to catch that Xatu, as it may be standing still in fear of the future sights it has witnessed.
Updated April 26th, 2022 by Russ Boswell: There are tons of Pokedex entries out there for those that are interested in gaining a bit more insight and lore on their favorite Pocket Monsters. The Pokedex entries sometimes change between each game, with each type in a particular pair even managing to have their own unique entry about the Pokemon that inhabit the game. While most of these are informational, there are more than a handful that are downright scary. To better showcase some of the creepy Pokedex entries available throughout the games and shine a better light on some of the darkest Pokemon to exist, the following list has been updated with more entries.
20 Cacturne
Cacturne is an inherently creepy Pokemon on its own, with a scarecrow-like appearance and a seemingly sinister grin. Its pre-evolved form, Cacnea, sports the same smile but appears much more playful than its taller, imposing counterpart. Although many of Cacturne’s Pokedex entries are run-of-the-mill, the one in Pokemon Sapphire suggests the Pokemon is much more sinister than it seems.
According to Sapphire, Cacturne that spot wayward travelers in the desert will follow them in a “ragtag group.” It’s said that the Cacturne are simply waiting for the adventurer to tire out so they’re incapable of moving, suggesting they have nefarious plans for any explorers that can’t fight back.
19 Sliggoo
There are many Pokemon on this list that do questionable things or engage in some pretty creepy acts, but Sliggoo is terrifying because it doesn’t really seem to know exactly what it’s doing. The corrosive creature will actually melt down its food with its overly-acidic form, causing quite a bit of agony for whatever Sliggoo deems as dinner.
What’s truly alarming is that the Pokedex suggests that Sliggoo operates mostly on instincts and that it has a difficult time differentiating between what is a friend, and what is a food source. Pair this with the idea that Sliggoo is constantly hungry and it’s easy to see why this Pokemon is so scary.
18 Houndoom
Pokemon don’t have to look exceedingly creepy to be some of the scariest creatures available in terms of “lore.” A great example of this concept is Houndoom, a rather cool-looking dog-like Pokemon that resembles a “Hellhound” of sorts, with a unique design. Houndoom isn’t particularly scary in terms of appearance, although some may be off-put by its rather tough-looking exterior.
What makes Houndoom downright scary is its Pokedex entry from Pokemon Gold, which suggests that receiving a burn from the flames emitted from its mouth will cause an immense pain that will never go away, no matter what the victim does.
17 Gorebyss
There are a lot of fishy-looking Water Pokemon out there, and some of them feature beautiful scales or unique aquatic-themed designs. But for every visually stunning Water-type, there is a creepy, predatory creature lying in wait beneath the surface. Gorebyss doesn’t look particularly threatening, but it’s capable of sucking the life from its prey, quite literally.
The creature will corner its victim and then use its needle-like mouth to siphon the lifeforce for whatever it’s consuming, leaving its lifeless husk to float slowly to the bottom of the seafloor, where it will become a food source for other aquatic critters. We suppose there’s something noble about it helping to feed the less fortunate.
16 Gourgeist
Those that first laid eyes on Pumpkaboo probably thought it was nothing more than a cutesy Halloween-themed Pokemon. Its evolution, Gourgeist, isn’t much different and even sports a rather adorable expression. The pumpkin-styled creatures are reminiscent of the spookiest time of the year, but they aren’t inherently terrifying to look that. That doesn’t mean that aren’t creepy according to the Pokedex.
If Pokemon Y is anything to go off of, then Gourgeist is one decorative Halloween-esque creature that trainers should be wary of. It’s said that it wraps its prey up in its “hair-like appendages” and then sings happily as it watches them suffer.
15 Drowzee
Drowzee has always been a rather troubling Pokemon, but the evolution of its Pokedex entries has made it more so over the decades. In the original games, it was said to “put enemies to sleep then eat their dreams”, but its list of victims has seemingly expanded since then.
In Ultra Sun, its Pokedex entry states that hit hangs out near recreational facilities with a view to eating the dreams of children, while Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire reveal that the Pokemon extracts these dreams through its victim’s nostrils. Gross.
14 Bewear
Bewear may seem like an incredibly friendly Pokemon, but though its heart may be in the right place, it is incredibly dangerous. In Pokemon Moon, its Pokedex entry reveals that “Many Trainers have left this world after their spines were squashed by its hug”. Not so cute anymore, is it?
At least in future games, the Pokemon came with a warning. Its Pokedex entry in Pokemon word highlights the dangers of accepting a hug from a Bewear, pointing out that it can easily lead to “shattered bones”. Horrifying though that thought may be, at least the Pokemon lives up to its name.
13 Parasect
It’s hard not to feel a little sorry for Parasect, on account of the parasitic fungus that has infected it and now controls its actions like a puppet. It’s almost like something out of The Last of Us, although thankfully, the spores that Parasect releases are unable to infect humans. For now, at least.
Many of its Pokedex entries are troubling to read, but it’s the one from Ultra Sun that stands out most. It states that “if the mushroom comes off, the bug stops moving”, which suggests that host creatures effectively a zombie at this point. Several other entries back this up too, particularly those in Yellow and HeartGold.
12 Gengar
Gengar’s Pokedex entries have been getting more and more horrifying with each new generation of Pokemon games. In gen 1, it was said to “attack people who get lost in the mountains”, but in FireRed this was altered to state that it actually “steals” their lives. Believe it or not though, the Pokemon’s gen 7 entries are far more chiling.
In Pokemon Moon, it’s revealed that Gengar “used to be a human itself” and seeks to “take the lives of other humans” in order to find a travelling companion. Ultra Sun suggests that it targets “naughty children” while the regular version of Sun simply states “There is no escaping it. Give up.”.
11 Banette
It’s perhaps not too surprising that so many ghost-type Pokemon have such spine-chilling Pokedex entries. After all, scaring people is kind of their whole thing. Banette is yet another terrifying ghost-type with one of the most tragic backstories in the series. Unfortunately for humanity, this tragedy has created an actual monster.
According to some of its earliest entries, Banette was once a plush toy that transformed into a Pokemon due to its “strong feelings of hatred”. Now, it roams the world seeking the child that threw it away so that it can finally “exact its revenge”. It’s not quite as frightening as Five Nights at Freddy’s, but it’s still a pretty harrowing story nonetheless.
10 Froslass
“After a woman met her end on a snowy mountain, her regrets lingered on. From them, this Pokémon was born. Its favorite food is frozen souls.” Froslass is just the start of the nightmares. A wicked Pokemon eats frozen souls. Other entries mention that these souls are specifically those of men. Another entry says, “It spits out cold air of nearly −60 degrees Fahrenheit to freeze its quarry. It brings frozen prey back to its lair and neatly lines them up.” So we have a Pokemon that can freeze people solid, drags them back to its lair, and then eats their souls like they’re candy. Yikes.
9 Haunter
“If you get the feeling of being watched in darkness when nobody is around, Haunter is there.” If it isn’t creepy enough that Haunter is always watching, the other Pokedex entry will be sure to terrify. “Its tongue is made of gas. If licked, its victim starts shaking constantly until death eventually comes.” It’s now okay to question why Ash never died in the Pokemon series. After all, Haunter has licked him a few times and there was no convulsing or death, but it’s still terrifying. Death from a Haunter lick would be a terrible way to go.
8 Mismagius
Yes, Mismagius has been known to help people, but can it really be called help? “Its muttered curses can cause awful headaches or terrifying visions that torment others.” That is just awful to think. Imagine a Mismagius helping someone and then causing bystanders to have horrible visions and massive headaches. We get that it is just trying to help, but that is an awful way to do it. Stay far away from this Pokemon if it starts to mutter its curses. You may not like what you see.
7 Mimikyu
Mimikyu is kind of adorable. At least a lot of players seem to think so. It wears its signature Pikachu getup so that people won’t be terrified of it, but nobody has actually seen its true appearance. One of its Pokedex entries reads, “There was a scientist who peeked under Mimikyu’s old rag in the name of research.
The scientist died of a mysterious disease.” That is why Mimikyu is actually terrifying. Stop being in love with it because the second you take a look under the rags you’re a goner.
6 Phantump
Phantump is one of the perfect horror story Pokemon. Its Pokedex entry reads, “With a voice like a human child’s, it cries out to lure adults deep into the forest, getting them lost among the trees.” At least Phantump doesn’t eat and devour the poor, unsuspecting adults. It leaves that to the other Pokemon that may hide in the shadows of the trees. Imagine the surprise when an adult runs into the woods looking for a child only to be met with complete confusion and the possibility of never being found.
5 Palossand
“Palossand is known as the Beach Nightmare. It pulls its prey down into the sand by controlling the sand itself, and then it sucks out their souls.” Isn’t that terrifying? Imagine walking the beach, when the sand caves in and swallows you whole. Palossand is the stuff of every beachgoers nightmares. Maybe that is why it got its nickname. Anyway, being pulled into the sand and having your soul ripped out by a sandcastle is certainly surreal and terrifying all at the same time.
4 Tsareena
Tsareena is mentioned in one Pokedex entry as being feared and having a “cruel heart.” The other entry doesn’t help either. It states, “A kick from the hardened tips of this Pokémon’s legs leaves a wound in the opponent’s body and soul that will never heal.” It isn’t scary at all to think that your soul will end up getting punctured when this Pokemon hits you. Oh wait, it is. Who knows how it feels to have their soul punctured? It certainly doesn’t sound pleasant.
3 Yveltal
Yveltal is one of the most terrifying legendary Pokemon in the games. “When its life comes to an end, it absorbs the life energy of every living thing and turns into a cocoon once more.” Basically, if Yveltal dies it drains the life of every living thing in the world and turns into a cocoon.
Can anyone say doomsday event, cause that is exactly what is going to happen here? Hopefully, the entry means everything in a surrounding area, but that still means a lot of Pokemon and people could die along with it.
2 Dusknoir
1 Drifblim
Drifblim is said to be a collection of souls, but that isn’t the terrifying part. No, the truly terrifying part is how it kidnaps people. The Pokedex entry states, “It grabs people and Pokémon and carries them off somewhere. Where do they go? Nobody knows.” Yeah, nobody knows where these people and Pokemon disappear to, but they don’t come back. Maybe it’s because those souls it carries are “burdened with regret.”
NEXT: Pokemon: Every Region That Hasn’t Appeared In A Main Series Game So Far
