Pokemon Go Gen 3: Dark-Types Revealed
A whole new set of Pokemon are coming to Pokemon Go. While we're still probably a few months away [...]
Poochyena and Mightyena
Poochyena and Mightyena could become Pokemon Go's most populous Dark-Type Pokemon. These hyena-like Pokemon were pretty common in Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire, and there's no reason to believe that they won't spawn everywhere when Pokemon Go adds more Pokemon.
Mightyena was one of the Pokemon commonly used by Team Magma grunts in the Hoenn region. Although they look and seem dangerous, they're not very powerful and won't make much of an impact in Pokemon Go. Its CP is a bit lower than Sneasel and it doesn't have any impressive stats that could give it a niche in the game. Catching Poochyena and Mightyena will be useful for Stardust purposes, but that's about it.
Nuzleaf and Shiftry
Nuzleaf and Shiftry are the evolved form of Seedot, a Grass-Type Pokemon that we expect to commonly spawn in Pokemon Go. As Seedot evolves, it becomes a Grass/Dark dual-type Pokemon, a type combination that we haven't seen before in Pokemon Go.
Shiftry has an okay Attack stat, so it could be useful to players who need a secondary Dark-Type attacker. Unfortunately, it has a painfully low Defense stat and plenty of weaknesses, so we don't recommend using it as a gym defender, even though its above average Stamina stat means that it'll have a lot of HP. We don't see Shiftry having much use in Pokemon Go, unless it has access to some new type of attacks.
Sableye
Gen 3's weakest Dark-Type Pokemon is Sableye, an impish Pokemon with jeweled eyes. Sableye is actually based on the Hopkinsville Goblin, an infamous alien encounter that supposedly occurred in Kentucky. Sableye's appearance and movements were meant to mimic the Hopkinsville Goblin, although most Pokemon fans won't recognize the resemblance.
Before the introduction of Fairy-Type Pokemon, Sableye had no weaknesses in the Pokemon franchise, which made it somewhat useful despite its weak stats. However, since Fairy-Type Pokemon are in the game, Sableye won't be very effective, at least not until Mega Evolutions are added to Pokemon Go.
Carvahna and Sharpedo
Carvanhna and Sharpedo are fearsome looking Water/Dark dual types with nasty looking teeth. Sharpedo was one of the signature Pokemon of Team Aqua, the villainous team that players faced off in Pokemon Sapphire.
Despite its low CP, Sharpedo could turn out to be a really useful Pokemon in Pokemon Go. Sharpedo has an Attack stat of 243, putting it in the upper echelon of attackers in the game. Although its Defense and Stamina stats are both mediocre, Sharpedo could be a powerful glass cannon in Pokemon Go, able to deal out a lot of damage in a short period before fainting.
Cacturne
Cacturne is another Grass/Dark hybrid, but with a better Attack stat than Shiftry. Cacturne's Attack stat is comparable to both Sceptile and Exeggutor, which means that it should be a top tier Grass-Type attacker.
Cacturne's secondary Dark-typing might also give it versatility against Psychic-Type Pokemon like Espeon, Mewtwo, or Lugia. Although there's stronger Dark-Type Pokemon, players won't have a ton of options and Cacturne's Attack stats are comparable to that of Houndoom. Cacturne won't be a mainstay on most players' teams, but it should still have its uses.
Crawdaunt
Crawdaunt is a lobster-type Pokemon with strong claws and a love of battling. Its tough shell is covered with claws from its various battles over the years. You might notice that Crawdaunt's shell bares a little bit of a resemblance to Sharpedo's coloration, which many believe is a sign of mimicry.
Crawdaunt is another Water/Dark dual-type, although this one is a little more balanced than Sharpedo. Although its Attack stat isn't as high as Sharpedo, Crawdaunt has better Stamina and Defense stats, meaning that it might be a little more useful in battles where you need Pokemon to last longer in battle.
Absol
Absol is probably the strangest and most anticipated Dark-Type Pokemon being added to Pokemon Go. Absol seems to be based off of several different types of mythological creatures ranging from the sphinx to the Chinese bai ze, to the Japanese kutabe. Absol is known as a harbinger of disaster, and it's said to only appear to warn people of approaching trouble.
Although its appearance is ominous, Absol should be a pretty useful Pokemon in Pokemon Go. Like other Dark-Types, Absol has a high Attack stat, but low Defense and Stamina stats, making it somewhat of a glass cannon. Absol has the second highest Attack stat of any Dark-Type Pokemon, so this is the Pokemon you'll want to have if you're looking to add Dark-Type gym attackers to your collection.