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Packing two important immunities and a couple key resistances, Ghost has always found itself as a useful defensive typing. However, since Ghost has always been a physical attacking type, its use as STAB has been sorely underrepresented in the Overused metagame. The lack of special Ghost-type moves forced the premier Ghost-type attacker, Gengar, to use nothing but secondary coverage from RBY to ADV. However, DP changed Shadow Ball from physical to special, allowing Gengar to utilize its STAB to great effect. Since then, special Ghost-type attackers have risen in popularity. Between Gengar and its new STAB; Misdreavus' new evolution; and the advent of Rotom-A, a powerful new Ghost-type Pokemon with a unique offensive and defensive typing, Ghost-types are now more effective than ever.
It's impossible to mention offensive Ghost-types without mentioning Gengar. Its gargantuan 130 Special Attack combined with 110 Speed and a huge movepool gives Gengar all the tools it needs to hit teams hard. Of course, Blissey is always a royal pain to a Pokemon like Gengar. However, while 65 base Attack is unimpressive, Gengar has all the tools it needs to destroy its arch-nemesis. Focus Punch's massive 150 Base Power and super effective coverage gives Gengar the ability to hit Blissey hard even with its mediocre Attack, while Explosion lets Gengar obliterate something on the way out. STAB Shadow Ball wards off the Ghost-types who would switch in to absorb an Explosion, while Focus Blast and Focus Punch do the same for Rock- and Steel-types.
While Rotom-A is most known for its defensive stats, it is still a top-notch offensive threat. 105 base Special Attack backed by a powerful STAB Thunderbolt and Shadow Ball lets Rotom-A hit foes hard, and 86 base Speed is quick enough to outpace many threats, especially with a Choice Scarf equipped. Rotom-A also gets a couple toys to play with, depending on which Forme its user chooses to use. Overheat hits Steel- and Grass-types like a truck, providing Rotom with high hit-and-run power when equipped with a Choice item. Leaf Storm does the same to Ground-types that can switch in on Rotom-A's Thunderbolts with impunity, and also heavily damages the omnipresent Tyranitar. Finally, Hydro Pump hits Ground-Types and Tyranitar hard as well, though it loses power against Swampert.
Ghost-types are the cornerstone of stall for one big reason: immunity to Rapid Spin makes it extremely easy to keep important entry hazards on the field. Since Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes make it significantly easier to wear down potent threats, this makes the team's Ghost-type one of the most important parts of stall around.
Rotom-A is Platinum's biggest contribution to OU defense. Between a resistance to 3/4 of the common Scizor's movepool, its sparse weaknesses, and ability to beat most Rapid Spinners easily one-on-one, Rotom-A is a key way for stall or balance teams to handle many threats and keep hazards on the field. It also has a huge movepool, with offensive and defensive options out the ears. The only real downside is its tendency to be Tyranitar bait, but its superior speed and access to Will-O-Wisp allows it to cripple Tyranitar on the way out, something Dusknoir is unable to do.
However, before Rotom-A, there was Dusknoir. 45 / 135 / 135 defenses let it weather a multitude of attacks, and its 100 base Attack and large physical movepool allow it to hit its targets hard physically. It can use Focus Punch to ward off Tyranitar, or it can use Will-O-Wisp to burn the rock beast before it can Pursuit Dusknoir to death. Pressure can also help wear down the PP of important attacks, making the opponent much easier to switch into later.
Mismagius provides potent special offense in a metagame where Chansey is the premier special wall. Since Chansey's meager 35 Special Attack renders its large special movepool completely unusable, Mismagius can set up a Substitute and be completely untouchable to Chansey. It can also boost its Special Attack with either Nasty Plot or Calm Mind, and it packs a potent tertiary movepool including Thunderbolt, Energy Ball, Trick, and Taunt. Choice Scarf provides a strong revenge killer who can stop potent Speed-boosting threats in the metagame, while Choice Specs can hit opponents hard right off the bat or trick its Choice Specs onto Chansey.
Rotom may not be the defensive behemoth that its big brother is in OU, but it can be just as effective offensively. 95/91 offenses are effective, and its dual STAB can threaten opponents more effectively than a mono-Electric-type. It also has three immunities to take advantage of, which makes Rotom much easier to switch into opposing teams than other Electric-types.
Drifblim is statistically inferior to Mismagius offensively, and it possesses extra weaknesses to Ice -, Rock-, and Electric-type attacks, but it makes up for it with its unique ability, Unburden. By using Substitute, Calm Mind, and a stat-boosting Berry (commonly Petaya Berry), Drifblim can set up a couple boosts, activate its Petaya Berry, and then sweep with a free Agility from its ability, Unburden. It can also Baton Pass Calm Mind, Stockpile, or a boost from whatever Berry it chooses to hold, and give these boosts to one of UU's many threatening special sweepers.
Froslass is an interesting case. Its offensive stats are lackluster, only a meager 80 each. However, its true offensive potential lies not in what it can do, but what it can allow its teammates to do. Froslass is arguably the best Pokemon capable of setting up Spikes in the UU metagame since Roserade's sojourn into OU, and with Spike support, many top attackers are capable of eliminating their standard counters with ease.
Spiritomb may have fallen from grace in OU since the arrival of Rotom-A, but it finds itself perfectly at home in UU. While its typing affords it a complete lack of weaknesses, it also provides a complete lack of resistances, which can sometimes be an issue when facing powerful neutral attacks, such as Stone Edge and Earthquake. Still, its immunities to Fighting-, Normal-, and Psychic-type attacks can be important in a metagame with powerful attackers, such as Medicham, Gallade, Alakazam, and others. Calm Mind and its Dark-type STAB can also create a phenomenon similar to Crocune in OU, where Spiritomb uses its high defensive stats and resistances to set up to +6/+6 before either sweeping or stalling out opposing teams. Using Calm Mind in tandem with Will-O-Wisp can also lure in powerful physical attackers, who counter normal Calm Mind sets.
Mismagius shines offensively, but its 60/60/105 defensive stats can also prove useful. Between the ability to block Rapid Spin, access to Calm Mind, Perish Song, Taunt, Will-O-Wisp, and Pain Split, Mismagius can be a key part of some stall teams. However, it commonly finds itself outclassed by Spiritomb, whose lack of Ghost - and Dark-type weaknesses makes it easier to keep alive.
Shadow Claw - 70 Base Power - 100% Accuracy - High critical hit rate
The strongest physical Ghost-type move outside of Shadow Force. Shadow Claw has mediocre power and distribution, and is often outclassed by Night Slash and Crunch, but finds a home on some Pokemon's movesets nonetheless.
Shadow Sneak - 40 Base Power - 100% Accuracy - Always goes first
Shadow Sneak is possibly the only worthwhile physical Ghost-type move. Its power is underwhelming, but its priority allows slow Pokemon, such as Dusknoir and Spiritomb, to pick off some low-HP targets with a STAB Shadow Sneak. Gallade also uses it to outpace fast Ghost-types, such as Mismagius, who would switch in on a Close Combat and revenge with STAB Shadow Ball.
Shadow Ball - 80 Base Power - 100% Accuracy - 20% chance to lower Special Defense by one stage
Even after becoming a special move, Shadow Ball is still the most reliable Ghost-type attack available in the metagame. It provides powerful STAB for Gengar, Mismagius, Drifblim, and Rotom(-A), and is an effective secondary/tertiary attack for Pokemon such as Yanmega, Espeon, Raikou, and mixed variants of Metagross.
Curse - 100% - --% Accuracy - If used by a Ghost-type, user loses 50% of maximum HP and Curses the opponent. Otherwise, raises user's Attack and Defense by one stage and reduces Speed by one stage
While Curse is mentioned here for its Ghost-type affinity, it is most well known for its use on non-Ghost-types. Pokemon with solid Special Defense, high Attack, and Curse access are commonly used with Curse. This includes Pokemon such as Swampert, Snorlax, Tyranitar in OU, or Registeel, Umbreon, and Miltank in UU.
Confuse Ray - 100% Accuracy - Confuses the target
This move forms half of the devastating parafusion strategy often employed to simply annoy opponents into submission. Confuse Ray is most commonly used by Lanturn, who can combine it with Thunder Wave access and solid bulk to stall out opposing Pokemon with a combination of full paralysis and confusion self-injury.
Destiny Bond - 100% Accuracy - If user is KOed by an attack after using this move, the foe is also KOed. Lasts until the user's next move.
While Explosion is significantly more reliable, Destiny Bond can be used as a last-ditch effort to take out a Pokemon. It's best used on Pokemon such as Froslass, who have a very specific job to do and are nigh-useless when done. For example, Destiny Bond can allow Froslass to take out a Pokemon after it's done setting up Spikes, or it can ward off certain opponents.
Ghost-types have always been important in any metagame. Between immunities to Normal-, Fighting-, and often Ground-type moves due to Levitate, Ghost-types will always find themselves in high demand in the metagame. On top of that, Ghost-Fighting provides perfect two-move neutral coverage, something few types can boast. As long as entry hazards reign supreme, powerful Fighting-types threaten teams, and Scizor remains a dominant force, Ghost-types will always be in high demand.
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