What draws you to the Darkness aspiring Gym Leader? Do you do a lot of shopping at Hot Topic, like Piers? Did your perpetual loneliness lead you to turn down a gig with the Elite Four, like Nanu? Whatever brings you here, welcome! Darkness Pokémon have some of the strongest attacks in Gym Leader Challenge, combined with some of the best damage modifiers. This lethal combination makes any Darkness type deck truly frightening to play against! Piloting a Darkness deck takes a lot of finesse, however, as each attacker has its own unique strength and needs to be used at just the right time. Think you have what it takes to be a Darkness type Gym Leader?

Support Pokémon

Darkness Pokémon have a little bit of everything available to them in the support category. Galarian Weezing is arguably the best Ability lock Pokémon in the format because of Koffing (SHF)‘s quick and reliable Ascension Attack. Galarian Weezing can shut down Ability reliant decks like Grass and Water all by itself! Liepard gives Darkness much needed consistency, while Thievul, Golbat and Crobat offer modest draw support in addition. Hydreigon‘s Dark Squall Ability allows you to rain as many Darkness Energy as you want from your hand to your Pokémon in play. With Poison Pokémon cast as Darkness type ever since Sword and Shield, Darkness can also utilize a Poison-heavy strategy with Pokémon like Toxicroak, Galarian Weezing and Garbodor.

Attackers

Guzzlord makes a strong case for “The Best Attacker in GLC,” with its gnarly Red Banquet attack, which takes a bonus Prize every time it takes a knock out. Many Darkness decks are built around Guzzlord as the main attacker, using Beast Ring, Dark Patch, and Double Colorless Energy or Twin Energy Energy to power it up. With Fighting Fury Belt or Cape of Toughness attached, Guzzlord can reach a dizzying 190-200 HP as well! Guzzlord pairs well with low maintenance attackers like Hoopa, Weavile, Zoroark (BKT) and Spiritomb who aren’t as Energy hungry as Guzzlord. For the late game, you won’t find a better closer than Galarian Moltres. Its Fiery Wrath can do up to 270 damage if your opponent has taken five Prizes! Even after the opponent has taken two Prizes, Galarian Moltres will usually be netting a KO, especially with a damage buff like Dark Claw or Muscle Band.

Decklists

Red Banquet

Credit: Tricky Gym

This Darkness deck is consistent and low to the ground, hitting hard and fast with Hoopa, Weavile and Zoroark while cleaning up with Guzzlord and Galarian Moltres. Galarian Weezing offers the deck an alternative strategy with some early disruption while you build up a board state that will be challenging to stop. With Dark Claw or Muscle Band, Guzzlord can hit up to 140 damage with Red Banquet, allowing it to OHKO many threats in GLC for a two Prize take.

Last Update: April 2025

  • 1 Galarian Moltres EVS 93

    1 Guzzlord CEC 136

    1 Hoopa CRZ 83

    1 Koffing SHF 41

    1 Galarian Weezing SHF 42

    1 Purrloin UNM 135

    1 Liepard BRS 91

    1 Sableye CES 88

    1 Sneasel UPR 73

    1 Weavile UPR 74

    1 Spiritomb UNB 112

    1 Zorua DEX 70

    1 Zoroark BKT 91

    1 Beast Ring FLI 102

    1 Buddy-Buddy Poffin TEF 144

    1 Dark Patch ASR 139

    1 Escape Rope BST 125

    1 Evolution Incense SSH 163

    1 Evosoda GEN 62

    1 Field Blower GRI 125

    1 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146

    1 Level Ball BST 129

    1 Nest Ball PAF 84

    1 Pokégear 3.0 SVI 186

    1 Quick Ball FST 237

    1 Rescue Stretcher GRI 130

    1 Super Rod PAL 188

    1 Tag Call CEC 206

    1 Town Map BKT 150

    1 Ultra Ball PAF 91

    1 VS Seeker PHF 109

    1 Dark Claw DEX 92

    1 Float Stone BKT 137

    1 Muscle Band XY 121

    1 Technical Machine: Turbo Energize PAR 179

    1 U-Turn Board UNM 211

    1 Artazon PAF 76

    1 Dark City UNM 193

    1 Arven OBF 186

    1 Boss's Orders (Ghetsis) PAL 172

    1 Cynthia & Caitlin CEC 189

    1 Guzma BUS 115

    1 Guzma & Hala CEC 193

    1 Iono PAF 80

    1 Janine's Secret Art PRE 112

    1 Klara CRE 145

    1 Marnie CPA 56

    1 N FCO 105

    1 Professor's Research JTG 155

    1 Raihan CRZ 140

    1 Teammates PRC 141

    6 Darkness Energy XY 138

    1 Counter Energy CIN 100

    1 Hiding Darkness Energy DAA 175

    1 Rainbow Energy CES 151

Poison

Credit: wheatr

Merging offense and disruption, this deck aims to drain your opponents of their health with the Poison status effect. After Poison-type Pokémon began being printed as Darkness cards at the beginning of the Sword & Shield era, there’ve been plenty of stackable Poison effects printed, like Galarian Weezing, Toxicroak, and Hisuian Qwilfish. When your opponent is at their weakest, strike with Crobat‘s Critical Bite attack and steal the game out from under them!

Last Update: April 2025

  • 1 Croagunk FST 165

    1 Toxicroak SSH 124

    1 Hisuian Qwilfish ASR 89

    1 Hisuian Overqwil ASR 90

    1 Hoopa CRZ 83

    1 Koffing SHF 41

    1 Galarian Weezing SHF 42

    1 Purrloin CPA 39

    1 Liepard BRS 91

    1 Zorua DEX 70

    1 Zoroark EVS 103

    1 Zubat SIT 103

    1 Golbat BST 90

    1 Crobat SIT 105

    1 Buddy-Buddy Poffin TEF 144

    1 Dark Patch ASR 139

    1 Escape Rope BST 125

    1 Evolution Incense SSH 163

    1 Field Blower GRI 125

    1 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146

    1 Level Ball BST 129

    1 Nest Ball SVI 181

    1 Pokégear 3.0 SVI 186

    1 Professor's Letter BKT 146

    1 Quick Ball FST 237

    1 Rescue Stretcher GRI 130

    1 Timer Ball SUM 134

    1 Trainers' Mail ROS 92

    1 Ultra Ball SVI 196

    1 VS Seeker PHF 109

    1 Air Balloon SSH 156

    1 Float Stone BKT 137

    1 Luxurious Cape PAR 166

    1 Parallel City BKT 145

    1 Perilous Jungle TEF 156

    1 Virbank City Gym PLS 126

    1 Ball Guy SHF 65

    1 Bird Keeper DAA 159

    1 Boss's Orders (Ghetsis) PAL 172

    1 Brigette BKT 134

    1 Colress PLS 118

    1 Cynthia UPR 119

    1 Gladion CIN 95

    1 Guzma BUS 115

    1 Iono PAL 185

    1 Klara CRE 145

    1 Marnie CPA 56

    1 N FCO 105

    1 Piers CPA 58

    1 Professor's Research JTG 155

    1 Raihan CRZ 140

    1 Teammates PRC 141

    5 Basic Darkness Energy SVE 7

    1 Hiding Darkness Energy DAA 175

    1 Reversal Energy PAL 192

    1 Triple Acceleration Energy UNB 190

Looking for more ideas or feedback on your deck?

Head over to Tricky Gym Discord’s glc-decklists channel for threads on every archetype to discuss strategy, get suggestions, and browse decklists!