Dark Pokémon (TCG)

Dark Pokémon (Japanese: わるいポケモン Bad Pokémon) are a type of Pokémon found in the Pokémon Trading Card Game, and often considered a corrupted version of their normal species. Their counterparts are Light Pokémon, which appear only in Neo Destiny.

For the TCG type that represents Dark-type Pokémon, see Darkness (TCG).
An example of a Dark Pokémon

The first appearance of Dark Pokémon was in the Team Rocket expansion, in which all Evolved Pokémon are Dark Pokémon. This is because Team Rocket itself is a corrupt organization, and therefore the Pokémon they train also became corrupted.

Gym Heroes and Gym Challenge touched on the theme with the appearance of Rocket's Pokémon, similar in many respects to Dark Pokémon from the previous expansion.

Dark Pokémon made another appearance in Neo Destiny, which as the title suggests, revolves around the potential path or "destiny" a Pokémon can follow depending on how it is brought up by its Trainer. The set also illustrated that Pokémon with Dark in their names and Darkness-type Pokémon differed, with Dark Houndoom released as a Fire Pokémon.

Dark Pokémon have a brown and black artwork window, Evolution box and Pokédex box, as opposed to the regular gold. They tend to have higher attack damage and lower HPs compared to those of normal Pokémon, likely due to the highly offensive nature of the Trainer. Also, most evolved Generation I Pokémon feature Ken Sugimori's Pokémon Red and Blue artwork of their previous Stage in the Evolution box, instead of the usual Pokémon Red and Green artwork.

Though Dark Pokémon did not appear in the EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua expansion, Pokémon belonging to Team Aqua or Team Magma utilized the new game mechanic of dual-types, in which many evolved and Legendary Pokémon displayed a Darkness dual type to further emphasize their allegiance with a villainous team. This also essentially rejected the difference between Dark Pokémon and Darkness-type Pokémon as displayed in Neo Destiny. This would remain for subsequent releases.

Dark Pokémon was also featured in the EX Team Rocket Returns expansion, in which all Dark Pokémon are dual Darkness types (with the exception of those that are normally Colorless) and all Pokémon belonging to Team Rocket are pure Darkness types.

Pokémon that have appeared as Dark Pokémon
Dark Pokémon
Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format.
Cards listed with a silver background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats.
Card Type English
Expansion		 Rarity # Japanese
Expansion		 Rarity #
Dark Alakazam Team Rocket 1/82 Rocket Gang  
Team Rocket 18/82      
      Pokémon Web 037/048
Dark Arbok Team Rocket 2/82 Rocket Gang  
Team Rocket 19/82      
Dark Blastoise Team Rocket 3/82 Rocket Gang  
Team Rocket 20/82      
      Pokémon Web 044/048
Legendary Collection 4/110      
Dark Charizard Team Rocket 4/82 Rocket Gang  
Team Rocket 21/82      
      Pokémon Web 042/048
Dark Dragonite Team Rocket 5/82 Rocket Gang  
Team Rocket 22/82      
Legendary Collection 5/110      
Dark Dugtrio Team Rocket 6/82 Rocket Gang  
Team Rocket 23/82      
Dark Golbat Team Rocket 7/82 Rocket Gang  
Team Rocket 24/82      
Dark Gyarados Team Rocket 8/82 Rocket Gang  
Team Rocket 25/82      
      Promo Card Pack 25th Anniversary Edition   005/025
Dark Hypno Team Rocket 9/82 Rocket Gang  
Team Rocket 26/82      
Dark Machamp Team Rocket 10/82 Rocket Gang  
Team Rocket 27/82      
Dark Magneton Team Rocket 11/82 Rocket Gang  
Team Rocket 28/82      
Dark Slowbro Team Rocket 12/82 Rocket Gang  
Team Rocket 29/82      
      Pokémon Web 028/048
Legendary Collection 8/110      
Dark Vileplume Team Rocket 13/82 Rocket Gang  
Team Rocket 30/82      
Dark Weezing Team Rocket 14/82 Rocket Gang  
Team Rocket 31/82      
      Pokémon Web 021/048
Dark Charmeleon Team Rocket 32/82 Rocket Gang  
      Pokémon Web 022/048
Dark Dragonair Team Rocket 33/82 Rocket Gang  
Legendary Collection 38/110      
Dark Electrode Team Rocket 34/82 Rocket Gang  
Dark Flareon Team Rocket 35/82 Rocket Gang  
Dark Gloom Team Rocket 36/82 Rocket Gang  
Dark Golduck Team Rocket 37/82 Rocket Gang  
Dark Jolteon Team Rocket 38/82 Rocket Gang  
Dark Kadabra Team Rocket 39/82 Rocket Gang  
      Pokémon Web 027/048
Dark Machoke Team Rocket 40/82 Rocket Gang  
Dark Muk Team Rocket 41/82 Rocket Gang  
Dark Persian Team Rocket 42/82 Rocket Gang  
Wizards Black Star Promos   17 Unnumbered Promotional cards    
Legendary Collection 6/110      
Dark Primeape Team Rocket 43/82 Rocket Gang  
Dark Rapidash Team Rocket 44/82 Rocket Gang  
Dark Vaporeon Team Rocket 45/82 Rocket Gang  
Legendary Collection 9/110      
Dark Wartortle Team Rocket 46/82 Rocket Gang  
Legendary Collection 39/110      
      Pokémon Web 024/048
Dark Raticate Team Rocket 51/82 Rocket Gang  
Dark Raichu Team Rocket 83/82 Crossing the Ruins...  
Legendary Collection 7/110      
Dark Ampharos Neo Destiny 1/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Crobat Neo Destiny 2/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Donphan Neo Destiny 3/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Espeon Neo Destiny 4/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Feraligatr Neo Destiny 5/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Gengar Neo Destiny 6/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Houndoom Neo Destiny 7/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Porygon2 Neo Destiny 8/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Scizor Neo Destiny 9/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Typhlosion Neo Destiny 10/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Tyranitar Neo Destiny 11/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Ariados Neo Destiny 17/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Magcargo Neo Destiny 18/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Omastar Neo Destiny 19/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Slowking Neo Destiny 20/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Ursaring Neo Destiny 21/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Croconaw Neo Destiny 32/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Exeggutor Neo Destiny 33/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Flaaffy Neo Destiny 34/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Forretress Neo Destiny 35/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Haunter Neo Destiny 36/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Omanyte Neo Destiny 37/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Pupitar Neo Destiny 38/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Quilava Neo Destiny 39/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Wigglytuff Neo Destiny 40/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Octillery Neo Destiny 62/105 Darkness, and to Light...  
Dark Ninetales       Team Rocket's Ambition H12
Dark Starmie       Team Rocket's Ambition H17
Dark Marowak       Team Rocket's Ambition H22
Dark Haunter       Team Rocket's Ambition H25
Dark Gengar       Team Rocket's Ambition H26
Dark Clefable       Team Rocket's Ambition H30
Dark Fearow       Unnumbered Promotional cards    
Dark Ivysaur       Unnumbered Promotional cards    
Best of Game   6 Pokémon Web 017/048
Dark Venusaur       Unnumbered Promotional cards    
Best of Game   7 Pokémon Web 041/048
Dark Celebi EX Hidden Legends 4/101 Rocket Gang Strikes Back 071/084
Dark Ampharos EX Team Rocket Returns 2/109 Rocket Gang Strikes Back 039/084
Dark Crobat EX Team Rocket Returns 3/109 Rocket Gang Strikes Back 016/084
Dark Electrode EX Team Rocket Returns 4/109 Rocket Gang Strikes Back 037/084
Dark Houndoom EX Team Rocket Returns 5/109 Rocket Gang Strikes Back 021/084
Dark Hypno EX Team Rocket Returns 6/109 Rocket Gang Strikes Back 043/084
Dark Marowak EX Team Rocket Returns 7/109 Rocket Gang Strikes Back 052/084
Dark Octillery EX Team Rocket Returns 8/109 Rocket Gang Strikes Back 034/084
Dark Slowking EX Team Rocket Returns 9/109 Rocket Gang Strikes Back 044/084
Dark Steelix EX Team Rocket Returns 10/109 Rocket Gang Strikes Back 072/084
Dark Dragonite EX Team Rocket Returns 15/109 Silver Deck Kit   013/020
      Silver Deck Kit   014/020
Dark Muk EX Team Rocket Returns 16/109 Rocket Gang Strikes Back 014/084
Dark Raticate EX Team Rocket Returns 17/109 Rocket Gang Strikes Back 058/084
Dark Sandslash EX Team Rocket Returns 18/109 Rocket Gang Strikes Back 051/084
Dark Tyranitar EX Team Rocket Returns 19/109 Rocket Gang Strikes Back 070/084
Dark Tyranitar EX Team Rocket Returns 20/109 Black Deck Kit   011/020
      Black Deck Kit   012/020
Dark Arbok EX Team Rocket Returns 29/109 Rocket Gang Strikes Back 012/084
Dark Ariados EX Team Rocket Returns 30/109 Black Deck Kit   002/020
Dark Dragonair EX Team Rocket Returns 31/109 Silver Deck Kit   011/020
Dark Dragonair EX Team Rocket Returns 32/109 Silver Deck Kit   012/020
Dark Flaaffy EX Team Rocket Returns 33/109 Rocket Gang Strikes Back 038/084
Dark Golbat EX Team Rocket Returns 34/109 Rocket Gang Strikes Back 013/084
Dark Golduck EX Team Rocket Returns 35/109 Silver Deck Kit   003/020
Dark Gyarados EX Team Rocket Returns 36/109 Silver Deck Kit   004/020
Dark Houndoom EX Team Rocket Returns 37/109 Black Deck Kit   006/020
Dark Magcargo EX Team Rocket Returns 38/109 Black Deck Kit   005/020
Dark Magneton EX Team Rocket Returns 39/109 Silver Deck Kit   006/020
Dark Pupitar EX Team Rocket Returns 40/109 Black Deck Kit   009/020
Dark Pupitar EX Team Rocket Returns 41/109 Black Deck Kit   010/020
Dark Weezing EX Team Rocket Returns 42/109 Rocket Gang Strikes Back 015/084
 



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