Pumpkaboo Guide: A Halloween Pokemon For All Seasons

• About
• Latest Posts

Callum Marshall

Callum is POK Universe's Managing Editor and a long-time-fan of the Pokémon series. He's a Gen-One kid at heart with a huge bias towards the first three generations. However, after reengaging with Pokémon XY, he has caught up with the pack and has absorbed all there is to know with regards to Pokémon, including some very interesting fan-made ROM Hacks!

Latest posts by Callum Marshall (see all)

• Pokemon Victory Fire Walkthrough and Guide - February 27, 2024
• Pokemon Fire Red Omega Walkthrough And Guide - February 21, 2024
• Pokemon Clover Guide and Walkthrough - February 12, 2024

If you are as old as we are, you may remember a simpler time back in the mid-nineties when Pokemon was in its infancy and the roster of Pokemon only extended to the original 151 monsters. At this time we only had the Kanto region to worry about, there was only one season of the anime series to catch up on and depending on when you jumped into the world of Pokemon. You probably only had one movie to get acquainted with.

However, in 2021, we now have close to one thousand Pokemon, eight generations of fully-fledged Pokemon games, countless movies, spin-off games, anime series, toys, trading card sets, and more merchandise than you could ever hope to own.

The main thing we are getting at here is that there are a lot of Pokemon, there is a lot of info to absorb and in most cases, it can be pretty overwhelming. So with that in mind, we have created a series of guides to help you understand everything there is to know about certain Pokemon.

In this guide, we take a look at Pumpkaboo a sixth-generation ghost-type Pokemon that is equal parts cute and spooky. So without further delay, here is our essential handbook for the Pokemon, Pumpkaboo.

What is Pumpkaboo?

Pumpkaboo is a sixth-generation ghost and grass-type Pokemon and is Pokemon that comes in four different variations. These are small size, average size, large size, and supersize. In terms of appearance, this is a Pokemon that has a very Halloween-inspired theme. The creature is a black bat-shaped figure with eyes that glow yellow and a set of protruding fangs.

The lower half of this figure has been squashed into a hollowed-out pumpkin which was clearly repurposed as a jack-o-lantern. Despite the fact that this ghostly figure has its body in the Pumpkin, the holes cut in the marrow still give off a glow that is used to guide travelers home when night falls.

It is also said that Pumpkaboo is a gatherer of lost spirits and helps them cross over into the afterlife. It is said that small-sized Pumpkaboo’s will do this for children, whereas the larger Pokemon will do this for adults. This Pokemon is number 710 in the Pokedex, is approximately 0.3 to 0.8 meters depending on the size of the Pumbkaboo. The weight varies from 3.5 to 15 kilograms and the Pokemon has a 24.9% catch rate.

Does Pumpkaboo Appear in the Anime?

Yes, Pumpkaboo makes a few appearances in the anime despite being a relatively new Pokemon in the franchise. This Pokemon debuted in the episode The Bamboozling Forest! In this episode, we were introduced to Jessie’s Pumpkaboo. Jessie caught this Pokemon in the forest after it emerged from the ground and became a staple of Jessie’s team. This Pokemon would then evolve into a Gourgeist after being traded in the episode A Festival Trade! A Festival Farewell?

This episode also introduced us to another Pumpakaboo owned by Prince Pumpkaboo, who was the recipient of the trade with Jessie. Pumpkaboo also made some cameo appearances and flashback appearances in episodes such as A Performance Pop Quiz and The Legend of X, Y, and Z. However, the episodes heavily featured Jessie’s Pumpkaboo was certainly this Pokemon’s starring role.

Has Pumpkaboo Appeared in the Pokemon Movies?

As of yet, Pumpkaboo has not made an appearance in any of the Pokemon movies out there. This is undoubtedly due to this Pokemon being very new to the franchise and the producers not being able to find a way to write this Pokemon into the narrative of any of these stories.

However, this can be seen as a positive choice as it is better for this Pokemon to star in a role that flatters them than a role where they are forced on-screen with no real logic or context behind the decision. We would only assume that this Pokemon will make its way to the big screen sometime in the near future.

How Good is the Pumpkaboo Pokemon Trading Card?

At the time of writing, there are four Pumpkaboo cards present in the Pokemon TCG. As this card is a basic psychic type Pokemon in the TCG, it almost goes without saying that this Pokemon card is limited in terms of a competitive setting and serves as a means of getting Gourgeist on the field of play more than anything else.

The original card is one that has 60HP and no attack damage. Instead offer the opportunity to confuse your opponent instead. This is more of a stall tactic than anything else and in truth, isn’t a card that you should consider for a competitive deck. This card first appeared in the Pokemon XY Expansion packs.

The pick of the bunch is the Pumpkaboo card that has a ten damage basic attack (Ram). Then a special attack called Night March that does twenty damage plus an extra twenty damage for every Pokemon in the discard pile who has the same attack. This can be a clutch move in a psychic deck to turn the tide if you pack your deck with plenty of this card. However, as we said, it is always better to get this card evolved as soon as possible.

Pumpkaboo In The Pokemon Video Games

Pumpkaboo was first included in Pokemon X and Y which is, of course, a rather recent game in the series. For this reason, the list of games that this Pokemon has featured in is slightly less comprehensive than those that have come years before. However, there are still a decent amount of games to list here. Here are all the games that Pumpkaboo has featured in:

• Pokemon X
• Pokemon Y
• Pokemon Omega Ruby
• Pokemon Alpha Sapphire
• Pokemon Sun
• Pokemon Moon
• Pokemon Ultra Sun
• Pokemon Ultra Moon
• Pokemon Sword
• Pokemon Shield
• Pokemon Trozei
• Pokemon Rumble World
• Pokemon Shuffle
• Picross
• Pokemon Rumble Rush

While this Pokemon was in existence upon the release of Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu and Let’s Go Eevee. This Pokemon was absent from both of these games.

What Moves Can Pumpkaboo Learn?

This Pokemon has several excellent moves that it can pull out in battle. These moves tend to be grass, dark, psychic, and ghost-type moves but there are a few anomalies in the bunch. Here is a list of all the moves available to Pumpkaboo:

Learned Moves:

• Trick-or-treat
• Astonish
• Shadow sneak
• Confuse ray
• Razor leaf
• Leech seed
• Bullet seed
• Scary face
• Worry seed
• Seed bomb
• Shadow ball
• Trick
• Pain split

Taught moves:

• Solar beam
• Light screen
• Safeguard
• Rest
• Rockslide
• Thief
• Snore
• Protect
• Scary face
• Giga drain
• Attract
• Sunny day
• Will-o-wisp
• Facade
• Imprison
• Bullet seed
• Trick room
• Round
• Hex
• Mystical fire
• Flamethrower
• Psychic
• Fire blast
• Substitute
• Sludge bomb
• Endure
• Sleep talk
• Shadow ball
• Trick
• Skill swap
• Gyro ball
• Dark pulse
• Seed bomb
• Energy ball
• Grass knot
• Foul play
• Ally switch

Breeding moves:

• Curse
• Destiny bond
• Disable

What is Pumpkaboo Weak/Strong Against?

As this is a dual-type Pokemon, it is only natural that this Pokemon is going to have quite a few weaknesses. However, unlike some other Pokemon of this nature, Pumpkaboo does not have a wide variety of resistances to help deal with this issue. So as a result, this Pokemon is fairly easy to tactically outmaneuver if you know what you are doing. Here is a rundown of the weaknesses and resistances that Pumpkaboo has:

Weaknesses:

• Fire
• Ice
• Ghost
• Flying
• Dark

Resistances:

• Ground
• Water
• Grass
• Electric

Immunities:

• Normal
• Fighting

How to Catch Pumpkaboo

Pumpkaboo is available for standard encounter and capture in several Pokemon games. As you would imagine, this is the case in the debut appearance in Pokemon X and Y. Plus, the Pokemon is available in the wild in both Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield. However, if you want to get hold of this Pokemon in Pokemon Sun and Moon, Ultra Sun and Moon, or Pokemon Alpha Sapphire/ Omega Ruby, you will need to either access the Pokebank or use the trading function.

Is Pumpkaboo a Rare Pokemon?

If you take into account that this Pokemon is somewhat rare in the two generations of games that it appears in the wild. Plus the fact that it doesn’t make it easy for you to acquire this Pokemon in the other iterations. Then you could argue that this is a rare Pokemon. In our opinion, we would class Pumpkaboo somewhere between rare and uncommon.

Does Pumpkaboo Evolve?

Yes, Pumpkaboo evolves into Gourgeist, another dual-type ghost, and grass-type Pokemon. This only occurs when Pumpkaboo is traded from one player to another.

The Pokemon will evolve as soon as the trade has concluded. This Pokemon also maintains the sizing structure that the Pumpkaboo has and in terms of competitive advantages that Gourgeist offers, it’s a very strong defensive type with several physical immunities that can be a real problem to deal with with with unless you have some SP attack specialists.

What is Pumpkaboo’s Base Stats?

Pumpkaboo has generally well-rounded stats with the best numbers belonging to the more physical stats. Attack and defence are this Pokemon’s strong points. However, don’t expect to go first in a battle as this Pokemon is pretty slow. Here is a rundown of Pumpkaboo’s stats:

• HP: 59
• Attack: 66
• Defense: 70
• SP Attack: 44
• SP Defence: 54
• Speed: 41

What Does Shiny Pumpkaboo Look Like?

A shiny Pumpkaboo is arguably, even more, Halloween-themed than the standard Pokemon. If you manage to encounter a shiny Pumpkaboo, you’ll see that this Pokemon is pretty much the same except that it swaps its orange pumpkin for a purple one. It’s an aesthetic that is very in line with the witches found in fairy tales and for that reason, this is easily one of the coolest and most desirable shiny Pokemon in the game.

FAQs

A Special, Spooky Creature

As you can see, Pumpkaboo is a Pokemon that has already built up quite a reputation within the Pokemon franchise and with the community. This Pokemon offers a great basic option, an opportunity to evolve this Pokemon into a strong defensive competitor and when it comes to lore and backstory, we are a sucker for a dark tale. Which Pumpkaboo offers in spades. So if you like what you’ve read here, be sure to add this to your roster.

So that is our essential handbook giving you all the information that you could ever need to know about the Pokemon, Pumpkaboo. What did you make of this guide? Was this guide helpful and informational for you? What other Pokemon would you like to see us cover in the future? Let us know in the comments section below and as always, thank you for reading.