Since Generation II Dark type Pokémon have quickly become a fan favorite thanks to some awesome designs and interesting concepts. They were introduced as an effective counter to the overpowered Psychic types and gave Ghosts a run for their money.
With all the fans drawn to these dark and brooding Pokémon there has been a lot of fanart dedicated to some of the more popular members. Here are some of the best pieces of art out there that fans have created.
10 Darkrai
Darkrai is an interesting Pokémon in the franchise because it looks downright terrifying, but honestly it may or may not be hostile to humans and other Pokémon. Some of the games have described Darkrai as a creature that puts people to sleep and afflicts them with nightmares whenever it’s threatened and means no harm, but others say it stalks people on nights when the new moon is out.
In either case Noémi Várnai did a great job with this portrayal of Darkrai. It’s the kind of creature that could be hostile and frightening or one that is ready to distract it’s enemies with a nightmare before it runs away.
9 Mightyena
Having a Mightyena that obeys you in battle is proof of your skill as a trainer. It’s described in many games as a Pokémon that follows pack mentality and will only obey its owner if they consider them to be skilled and powerful, like an Alpha of sorts.
SwankyShadow shows a Mightyena in mid run, though what it’s chasing or where it’s going is unknown, it is a little unnerving thinking that there are packs of these running around looking for prey in the Pokémon universe.
8 Houndoom
Houdooms are deeply unsettling creatures. According to the Pokedex the howls were said to be so eerie that people often mistook them for the grim reaper. But perhaps most unsettling is that if you are burned by the flames that emanate from their mouth the pain will never go away.
This makes Ruth-Tay’s drawing of a Houndoom all the more terrifying. This fits the image of a demonic hell hound capable of inflicting eternal torment on its prey. Makes you wonder what kind of trainer is capable of taming these beats.
7 Grimmsnarl
Grimmsnarl was introduced in the new Pokémon Sword & Shield games and this thing is terrifying. Its said to be stronger than Machamp and it achieves this through its hair which intertwines it’s entire body and acts as a second layer of muscle, they can also break away and latch onto opponents.
Josh Virgil created this brilliant piece of fanart that makes Grimmsnarl look like the monster it truly is. The hair is disturbing, but probably even more disturbing is how the creature looks underneath since it’s had that hair covering it all this time.
6 Absol
Absol is not as evil or vile looking as others on this list, but the sight of it causes greater dread than some of the others would. This creature is capable of sensing a natural disaster and will be drawn to those areas to warn others, as a result people see it as a herald of doom as sighting one is a sign of an incoming hurricane, storm, earthquake, or other calamity.
The Absol SplatterParrot created looks as if it’s detected a natural disaster. Seeing one of these suddenly appear is likely to send chills down anyone’s spine, even if it’s trying to help.
5 Yveltal
The Yveltal is so powerful it’s capable of ushering in an extinction level event. If it ever comes close to death, be it old age or a grievous injury, it will spread it’s wings wide, glow red, and absorb the life force of all living creatures.
9tailsfoxyfoxy does a fantastic job depicting Yveltal committing this very act. Watching this creature unfurl its wings and draw in all of that energy has to be a thing of beauty and absolute nightmare fuel.
4 Thievul
Another Pokémon introduced in Pokémon Sword & Shield. Thievul is a stealthy creature that marks it’s prey with a scent, tracks it, and then steals something of theirs when they’re least expecting. Typically it steals food and eggs, making it more of a nuisance than a threat to humans.
9tailsfoxyfoxy depicts Thievul slinking through the shadows, though it’s unclear if it’s stalking someone it’s already marked or if it’s searching for something to place its scent on. Either way it looks as if it’s up to something.
3 Zoroark
Zoroark is a craft monster that can use the power of illusions to protect its home and ward of predators. It’s said to be capable of causing an entire group of people to experience the same illusion and wander away.
All0412 gives a great depiction of this trickster in battle. Shrouded in darkness with a gleam in its eyes and a possible smile on its face this Pokémon seems prepared to cause some mischief with its extraordinary powers.
2 Umbreon
Umbreon is the dark evolution of Eevee and is achieved by obtaining high friendship or giving it a Moon Shard. It looks cute enough in the games, but reading descriptions will quickly reveal why Jelena Matejić depicted it in such a terrifying manner.
It’s capable of secreting a poisonous spray from pores all over its body and the rings on its body will grow brightly to frighten foes or to advertise it’s about to attack. In case you weren’t feeling uneasy enough about this creature it’s worth mentioning that it will do it’s best to spray the poison in the opponent’s eyes to blind them.
1 Guzzlord
Guzzlord is one of the Ultra Beasts that was introduced in Generation VII. It’s said to come from another world where it eats constantly. Buildings, mountains, entire populations doesn’t matter, this thing will eat and eat and eat until there’s nothing left.
funpunk made this fun crossover with a Guzzlord facing a knight from Dark Souls wielding a Pokeball. It’s hard to decide what would be more fascinating, watching players go up against a Guzzlord in Dark Souls or to have the warriors from that game use Pokémon as a type of summons to aid them in battle.
NEXT: Pokémon: 10 Pokémon We Were Scared Of As Kids (But Grew To Love)
