Gengar Lost Its Ability

Gengar was introduced in generation 1 of Pokemon [Red and Blue], as the first fully evolved ghost type in the series. For several generations, it had Levitate as its ability, which makes it immune to ground type moves. But in generation 7 [Sun and Moon], Gengar lost Levitate in favor of a new option.
Join this channel to get access to perks:
/ @meplaysgames
Join our Discord server: / discord
MEPlaysGames on Twitter: / meplaysgamesyt
Instagram: / meplaysgames_yt
Check out my other channels:
My Prize Garage: / @myprizegarage
Musical Pile of Garbage: / @matt-no7gg
Miles Per Game: / @milespergame2526
Matt's Trash Can: / @mattstrashcan-yr6mj

[@haydenhill607]

I was so certain Cursed Body was only a hidden ability that I looked it up I am both wrong and flabbergasted

[@Twisted_n_Ruckus.]

Wha. I thought it was a hidden ability too-

[@Inconspicuousaccount]

It was a nerf

[@vossboss220]

Bro I'm shocked to learn the gengar line doesn't HAVE a hidden ability. Or any other ability. I just assumed the others were bo good and levitate was always the best option. 😅

[@Purlypurlington]

Yee back when sm dropped and I saw people playing with cursed body I was like “I’d simply choose levitate” but nothing doing

[@yoshibrothers9982]

I get that Game Freak did it for competitive "balancing" purposes, but it goes on to take away one of its most defining defensive properties both in that meta as well as in casual playthroughs where that sort of immunity is valued.

[@dnidaz2553]

Since when has game freak actually cared about balancing

[@andrejarsic2610]

They made calyrex shadow since when do they care about balance

[@iseegreen5297]

they made Zacian-Crowned while doing jack squat for Regigigas, when did GameFreak care about balancing?

[@henkiestudios5117]

Nah I think they did it because in the battle animation gengar isn’t levitating but gastly and haunter ar

[@pat2rick26]

​@@henkiestudios5117 Still doesn't make sense. Look at chandelure. Its levitating but is does it have that? Nope. Polteageist aswell.

[@AmigosSuperDoopercool]

Still crazy how pokemon using dig will not be hit by earthquake if they have levitate

[@captainb4]

Your name and yet you did not spell it "Pokemon" but "pokemon". Sorry. But thank you for this fact 😅

[@TheUltimateLifeform333]

Which pokemon can learn dig and has levitate?

[@FaithASMR]

@@TheUltimateLifeform333flygon

[@jorgeff3094]

@@TheUltimateLifeform333flygon

[@shodai_q]

​@@TheUltimateLifeform333 flygon

[@ethanlynch9644]

This actually unironically helped Mega Gengar because it could now remove toxic spikes on switch-in. Base form Gengar still really suffered.

[@Shin_Aniki]

Mega Gengar could always remove tspikes on switch in. It's ability becomes shadow tag

[@ethanlynch9644]

@@Shin_Aniki correct, but we’re talking about when you initially send it in immediately before you click the mega evolve button as opposed to needing to mega evolve, then switch, then switch again

[@itsfrankie757]

And then Megas were removed so now this is strictly a downgrade

[@Sticknmove8]

I don’t think they should’ve nerfed it personally. Especially with how crazy power creep is.

[@Rpouken]

Is was to nerf mega gengar

[@iantaakalla8180]

Gengar is legitimately good, but Levitate does nothing about Ghost and Dark-type moves, which are common coverage types and are Pokémon you wish to have. Having Levitate would not make Gengar Ubers-level power tiered, or even able to punch upward like Skeledirge could (and it only does that because it is surprisingly bulky and hits hard and has Unaware).

[@Angelofo]

​@@iantaakalla8180I dont think a single real person thinks non mega gengar could be UBERS

[@omarmendez0402]

In Gen 1 and 2, Gengar was also unable to levitate. And when Gengar mega evolve, it also lost Levitate and make it replace with Shadow Tag.

[@Gamertag3608]

Make sense since abilities didn't exist to Gen 3

[@a_wazza]

Huh, I wonder why it didn't levitate in gens 1 and 2! It's like a key detail is being left out...

[@marcymarblez]

@@a_wazzaNo need to be a condescending prick, they were just stating facts :/

[@sleepyleaves]

@@a_wazzayeah… it’s almost like abilities never existed at the time… 🤔

[@LegendStormcrow]

I was so flabbergasted when I used Gengar in Alola. Ginger got wrecked in a single turn to a move I thought she was immune to. Ability capsules didn't fix it either 😂

[@pi_xi]

Another interesting fact: Mega Gengar is immune to Telekinesis. This also applies to the Dugtrio line and the Palossand line.

[@zinzolin14]

Not even control over the laws of physics through psychic powers can pull Dugtrio out of the ground 😵

[@InspectorGengar]

my goat.. it got hurt

[@PorygonBugado]

Not Team Sky approved

[@xerikl]

Well Gengar has legs...

[@ChrisBS_23]

You should do a full video on Changed Abilities, i think it would be really intresting!

[@MEPlaysGames]

It’s on my list of scripts to write, stay tuned 👀

[@ashmander3465]

Chandelure had levitate I think

[@ChrisBS_23]

@@ashmander3465 during beta yh, but it was rlly good so they ditched it iirc, or it was in BW, then got patched out of XY

[@Floppa-Pidão]

This Pokémon had its ability changed, it just doesn't know it yet 🎅🎅🎅🐻🐻🐻🐻

[@zinzolin14]

This fact hurts, Gengar went from being immune to Ground to being weak to it.

[@ashmander3465]

Cursed body sucks gengar is stuck in gens 3-6 because of that

[@2l84me8]

Gengar isn’t even a broken threat with Levitate. They really dropped the ball with this decision.

[@Josh-j5c]

Give Gengar back its levitate, there’s crazier stuff nowadays anyway

[@Cochu]

I always thought the change just made sense because like. He's on the ground. Lol

[@DJRaptor1614]

Naww g gengar can float

[@wiIIowave]

​@@DJRaptor1614 even every psychic type pokemon can float

[@Zenarack]

@@wiIIowave90% of the time we see gengar in the ganes and anime he's floating. The only time we dont see him float is in battle

[@JoyousPeas]

Levitate is honestly the better ability because it always gets value. You might not directly see it, but every time your opponent is unable to use a would-be super effective move and can’t, that’s value

[@harbour08]

One of the best things to happen!

[@DatCartoonistGuy]

Man, I wish Gengar still had Levitate somehow. Maybe as a hidden ability with Cursed Body being the main ability...

[@StarshineMelody5678]

I still want gengar to have levitate back. He’s my main pokemon yet with this it was truly frustrating to see

[@pjthemaster1]

I almost lost a Gengar to this in a shimmering pearl nuzlocke

[@snivygirl]

Why didn't I knew this I was almost destroyed because I thought it lost it in gen 8 😭

[@epicevanfrog2123]

I think it’s fair because gengar is usually grounded😅

[@zombiemexa3864]

I think Gengar secret ability should be prankster, it's just fits his nature

[@TheEddy18090]

I was shocked to find this out levitate should’ve been a hidden ability for gengar

[@sandy_nes31]

Just.. why? Call it balancing, but look at Zacian, Urshifu, Calyrex... It just feels like it's for nothing more than just nerfing a fan favorite for no reason Anyways, guess we're having Mega Charizard Z!

[@grimcreeper8196]

⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠@@terrance3218well tbh Aegislash was getting out of hand so the nerf was kinda needed

[@DJRaptor1614]

@@terrance3218I’m glad Aegislash got nerfed I wish all of the crazy Pokémon would be looked at too so they could make them still good and balanced

[@blastmole299]

Kinda crazy that a 10 base stat nerf for physical and special affects it so much

[@Angelofo]

​@@blastmole299its basically-10 to spa attack defense and spec defense. So it kinda makes sense

[@wildlyanimated2558]

I rather avoid an earthquake then it being disabled for my next Mons

[@justinjimenez1484]

In my opinion it does mind of make sense bc he walks all the time

[@o-lendariopreguicoso6198]

It surprise's me how much Nintendo likes to give levitate to pokemon that don't need it, and take it from those who actually would like it (with the exception of that cool fish ting)

[@alexbale6592]

Now with the power creep even with levitate back he would not be top tier

[@jarikmojica5602]

I call bs on course body having a 30% chance that shit disables my moves 100% of the time I hit a Pokémon

[@Ambipie]

It finally fell to the ground after mega evolving weighed them all down It should've been an alolan form

[@aezio4838]

Fun fact : he still has levitate in Pokemon unite

[@kyokugenryudisciple9349]

NGL, I think the best compromise they could have made was make Levitate and Cursed Body base Abilities & give Gengar Shadow Tag as a Hidden Ability as a make good from Gen 8 Onwards.

[@oscen335]

Levitate would be getting like no use outside of niche sets and EQ spam in vgc cause shadow tag just takes the spotlight

[@Reikov_]

I knew there was some reason I was always confused about whether or not I could earthquake a gengar. I feel like cursed body is a nerf

[@CarlosRIOS777]

I will never forgive GF for this change.

[@SantosOverlord]

thx to power creep he should get both

[@02protoman]

I see your Gengar Mismagius with an electric Terra type

[@Cafeinrush]

Guess we just using haunter now

[@YAWSSSSSS]

Eviolite too

[@Shaunanigans6060]

I still think it has levitate but either way I wish they never did that

[@MEPlaysGames]

It doesn't, it lost Levitate entirely in gen 7

[@Shaunanigans6060]

@MEPlaysGames no I know that it having levitate just stay stuck in memory that I forget is has cursed body

[@DCBiscuit]

Cursed Body is such an ass ability, even on good Pokémon. Gengar is an absolute glass cannon, it can’t take hits well enough to use Cursed Body as a reliable option. Abilities are about preparing for a situation or capitalizing on tricky gimmicks like Guts or Poison Heal. Cursed Body is always bad because losing health just isn’t worth it.

[@regulargoat7259]

Love that they gave a glass cannon pokemon cursed body. Like ok crunch or foul play is disabled now, but gengar is dead so whats the point

[@paradis0744]

So so terrible. It doesnt take hits anyways

[@stanlejaune6581]

Great Focus Sash user tho and deep movepool

[@stephinshepard5067]

That’s because they feared him matching mewtwo or dark charzard or other legendary Pokemon he use to be the best ghost Pokemon ever able to solo most teams but after gen 5 they made him weaker y i stopped playing Pokemon got trash after gen 5

[@oscen335]

blacephalon and dragapult put a dent in his viability in the recent gens

[@fertaxx9724]

And yet they give urshifu some bullshit broken ability

[@andrewlarcom-np7cx]

Cursed body is cool but I think I’d rather have levitate

[@chriwill9928]

They should give levitate back in to Gengar because it’s not overpowered anymore

[@mindo1899]

Can you increase the chance ? With hold item ?

[@byronwilbert2843]

I don't understand gengar is literally levitating everywhere in the anime it's part of who the Pokemon is/ was gengar is still my favorite ghost type but competitively they killed him he can only do so much I used to legitimately sweep teams with my mega gengar.

[@hyliasknight]

Really sucks, since you kinda want to avoid gengar getting hit at all... Ever...

[@prestonangel448]

Why would they do this? I kind of get the nerf but why a much worse ability.

[@byronwilbert2843]

My gengar had levitate traded to sun and moon he had cursed body during my first online battle I was so confused I hate sun and moon only for nerfing my favorite Pokemon

[@SERMareep2007]

Take that L 😂

[@lizagna7172]

#justiceforgengar

[@irjafcuy4923]

gengar in gen 1 and 2 can take damage with ground type

[@josephicikson1959]

It makes no sense canonically for Gengar to have levitate. It stands on the ground and isn’t floating. All the competitive theories are nonsense it’s just basic logic.

[@byronwilbert2843]

Go watch the anime. You'll see he clearly floats. When ash has to fight the psychic type gym in the original series.

[@HannibalKantter]

Gengar is a ghost that floats, you mouthbreather imbecile

[@asierx7047]

Thankfully gengar is still doing moderately OK competitively. It's in the tier with Tyranitar and Garchomp, after all.

[@captainb4]

o7

[@leeali5523]

Thank you game freak I hate gaygar and now you made it easier to destroy

[@empressofbile]

gamefreak on their way to ruin everything

[@cyrusadams685]

This was such bs 😢

[@Free2_express08]

Good. You all are always gassing up certain Pokémon, following the bandwagon. Pokémon Revolution!!!!

[@klebialc]

Cursed body = trash

[@Dumbsparce]

Gengar having levitate was very infuriating. You couldn’t click earthquake on this ghost who was literally standing on the ground

[@ok.astrollogy4756]

d

[@IdrisLehu]

you end every sentence the same way and its annoying