Spiritomb, the Forbidden Pokémon. Exactly 108 spirits gathered to become this Pokémon. Apparently there are some ill-natured spirits in the mix. All Spiritomb’s mischief and misdeeds compelled a traveler to use a mysterious spell to bind Spiritomb to an odd keystone. It is a Pokémon that was formed by 108 spirits. It is bound to a fissure in an odd keystone. It was bound to a fissure in an odd keystone as punishment for misdeeds 500 years ago. It lays curses by thinking wicked thoughts. Writings tell that this Pokémon was born out of the assembly of five score and eight malevolent spirits.

Overview

For all the talk of its mischievous nature, the generational shift played a cruel joke on Spiritomb. The removal of Pursuit from Spiritomb’s movepool was a huge blow as Spiritomb was an adept user thanks to its myriad of Immunities forcing switches. Poltergeist while being a fantastic physical STAB is lost on Spiritomb, who has equally viable physical and special offenses. And it is not that Spiritomb is without some nifty tricks -its base defenses are good and its offenses, while below average, are certainly usable. And as you’d expect from a Ghost type, its movepool has plenty of tricks to disrupt and confound the opponent.

But Spiritomb’s flaws weigh it down even more than its Odd Keystone. Base 50 HP, few resistances, and lack of any reliable recovery bely its good defenses. Base 35 Speed is abysmal, further exasperating Spiritomb’s durability woes by forcing it to get hit first. And even with the nice saboteur options in Spiritomb’s movepool, it has no direct answers to Dark types who resist both STABs. While Spiritomb once had its time to shine, it is now little more than a relic of the past.
Positives
Good Base 108 Defenses and 3 immunities gives Spiritomb several opportunities to pivot in and stick around.
Balanced Offenses and wide disruption movepool make Spiritomb rather unpredictable, running both Physical and Special sets with ease.

Negatives
Ghost Dark is rather lack luster offensively both being walled by Dark types, for which Spiritomb has no answer.
Base 50 HP is poor, preventing Spiritomb from taking powerful hits, while only having Rest and Pain Split for recovery prevents Spiritomb from taking repeated hits.
Base 35 Speed often means that Spiritomb will be hit before it can act.

Movesets

A Haunted Stone

-Trick
-Poltergeist
-Sucker Punch
-Payback
Ability: Infiltrator
Item: Choice Band
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature

Choice Band Spiritomb utilizes its immunities to come in freely and immediately fire off powerful Poltergeists which have few safe answers, especially with Infiltrator invalidating several options for counter play. Trick is just as, if not even more important to this set, enabling Spiritomb to cripple opponents that would otherwise wall it or use it as setup fodder. Sucker Punch gives Spiritomb utility against faster more offensive teams, allowing it to bypass its low speed and strike blows on the faster targets. Payback rounds out the set, being a reliable Dark STAB that will often get boosted thanks to Spiritomb's low speed.

DYNAMAX:
Spiritomb enjoys Dynamaxing while not being the best candidate for it. The doubled HP is invaluable considering a large part of Spiritomb's bulk woes comes from its lackluster HP. While there is a slight drop in power due to ignoring Choice Band, breaking the Choice lock and ignoring the downsides to both Sucker Punch and Poltergeist, the latter enabling Spiritomb to pseudo escalate is invaluable. However, both STABs are resisted by Dark types and there are much better dedicated Dynamax targets than Spiritomb.

EVs and Items:
Max HP and Attack to enable a mix of bulk and offense. Both are too low to consider not investing in. Adamant Nature is recommended, though if running with a Trick Room setting teammate, Brave Nature is good for bottoming out Spiritomb's speed. Choice Band provides the extra power to make Spiritomb's attack respectable while being outright crippling to some targets.

Partners:
Galarian Weezing stands out, having viable special offense to compliment Banded Spiritomb's physical, while additionally answering Dark and Fairy types that can prove problematic. Potentially setting up Toxic Spikes to exploit the switches Spiritomb can force is another excellent bonus. Dedicated answers to Dark types are recommended since they do outright wall this set. Toxicroak and Lucario stand out, being able to specially answer Dark types while threatening out troublesome Fairy types. Since Spiritomb can struggle to reach KOs on its own, entry hazard support is recommended. Accelgor, and Crustle provide entry hazards and answers to Dark types while Garbodoor and Ferrothorn can pivot into Fairy attacks. Stakataka can setup Trick Room for both itself and Spiritomb and pivot into Fairy moves while enjoying Spiritomb being able to pivot into Fighting moves. Aromatisse in addition to being a special attacker that answers Dark types is a fantastic cleric with Heal Bell and Wish that gives Spiritomb significant longevity.

Other Options:
Rock Tomb -Speed Control for Spiritomb's teammates
Foul Play -Dependent on Spiritomb's target's attack, which is not something you can reliably control, but is boosted by Spiritomb's own Choice Band Shadow Sneak -non Conditional STAB priority.

Tank of Terror

-Calm Mind
-Dark Pulse
-Rest
-Will-o-Wisp
Ability: Pressure
Item: Chesto Berry
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature

A Calm Mind Spiritomb set that aims to completely cripple an opponent’s offense as it sets up and goes for the sweep. Calm Mind bolsters Spiritomb’s Special Attack and Special Defense to respectable levels while Dark Pulse is STAB of choice since unlike Ghost nothing is outright immune to Dark. Rest gives Spiritomb longevity and ensures its setup attempt is not ruined by Toxic. Will-o-Wisp rounds out the set, further bolstering Spiritomb’s defense and making it nigh unkillable on both sides of the spectrum. Pressure drains more PP during the setup.

DYNAMAX:
Don’t. Mono Attacking sets are horrible candidates for Dynamax and Spiritomb is reliant on the base effects of its support moves to function.

EVs and Items:
Maximizing physical bulk is heavily recommended -you will be relying on Calm Mind for Special Attack and Special Defense. Chesto Berry guarantees one free rest, though if running Sleep talk, it could be swapped out for Leftovers and even more longevity.

Partners:
Galarian Weezing stands out, answering Dark, Fighting and Fairy types that can resist Dark Pulse. Potentially setting up Toxic Spikes to exploit the switches Spiritomb can force is another excellent bonus. And Spiritomb offers an easy pivot point into Psychic moves from Galarian Weezing. Mawile can also perform this role to a lesser extent, having an ideal typing and laying down Intimidate to further enable a late game sweep. Other Poison types such as Qwillfish, and Tentacruel appreciate Spiritomb pivoting into Psychic attacks while Spiritomb values their staving off Fairy assaults. Steel types like Silvally Steel, and Aggron do the same with Spiritomb blocking Fighting type assaults instead.

Other Options:
Shadow Ball/Hex -Ghost STAB that has an immunity but isn’t resisted by Fairy. Hex’s extra power after a status is an option, but often requires excessive setting up.
Sleep Talk -Enables Spiritomb to forego the Chesto Berry and prevents it from being setup fodder by other setup sweepers.
Disable -Some targets only have one move to hurt Spiritomb, so depriving your opponent of their only option can force a switch and enable extra setting up.
Hypnosis -can take a Pokémon out of the match but the poor accuracy makes this option inconsistent.
Pain Split -one turn healing but is completely dependent on the state the target is in.

Countering Spiritomb

Dark types are a massive problem for Spiritomb. While they may not be able to hit for super effective damage, Spiritomb has no coverage to answer them and must rely on indirect methods (Will-o-Wisp, Trick, etc.) to disable them or hand off to another teammate. Wallbreakers like Guzzlord, and Obstagoon fit this role nicely, having the typing bulk to tank Spiritomb’s attacks while threatening a KO in turn.

Fairy types are also problematic, resisting Spiritomb’s oft used Dark STABs and actually striking back super effectively with STAB though Banded Poltergeist will hurt. Grimmsnarl fares well having the bulk and matching up favorably against Calm Mind sets with Spirit Break but hates getting Burned by Will-o-Wisp. Other Fairy types like Galarian Weezing, Diancie and Alcremie can make quick work of Spiritomb, but must jump in before Spiritomb gets too many Calm Minds.

If not running Rest, Spiritomb is rather exposed to status and prone to being worn down over time.

Otherwise, other wallbreakers that can eat a Sucker Punch and/or Shadow Sneak should suffice -Specs Scrappy Exploud, Sirfetch’d, Aggron, etc. can all fill this role though be wary of Will-o-Wisp for physical wallbreakers.

Anime Appearences

Spiritomb has made a few appearances in the anime. Most notably Cynthia used one in her battle against Ash # -English Episode Name- -Jp. Episode Name- Pics 524 The Keystone Pops Spiritomb & The Odd Keystone Pics 1180 The Spectral Express! The Ghost Train Departs... Pics 1181 The Winding Path to Greatness! Gengar Does Its Best! The Road to Gigantamax!! Pics 1212 Bewitch, Battle, and Bewilder! The Semifinals II: Dazzle Pics 1213 Valor: A Strategic Part of Battling! The Semifinals III: Valor Pics 1214 Whittle While You Work! The Semifinals IV: Impact Pics 1217 TBC Climax! The Night Before the Decisive Match: Ash VS Leon!! Pics 1218 A Flood of Torrential Gains The Finals I: Torrent Pics