If you find yourself in a cave in the Pokemon universe, you might see one of these bat Pokemon lurking in the shadows. Similar to their real-world counterparts, these Pokemon favor the darkness of nighttime, using echolocation to navigate and look for food, such as their preferred fruit.
Although each of these Pokemon has distinctly bat-like qualities, they each offer something new, whether that be classic vampire themes, a Dragon-type twist, or simply an adorable design that you can’t resist adding to your team. So grab your flashlight, and get ready to explore the darkness of the caves to find these Pokemon.
8 The Original Bat: Zubat
The original bat Pokemon, Zubat, is a Poison and Flying-type Pokemon found in many caves throughout the series. If you’ve ever found yourself lost in a Pokemon cave without an Escape Rope, you’ll definitely be familiar with this bat.
Zubat’s design is reminiscent of its real-world counterpart, except for its blue and purple color scheme and lack of eyes. As Zubat has no eyes and no nose, it uses echolocation to help it maneuver around objects, similar to how bats in real life use this to navigate in the dark of night.
7 Ready To Swoon: Swoobat
Introduced in Pokemon Black and White, Swoobat is a Psychic and Flying type that’s one of the cutest bat Pokemon, thanks to its heart-shaped nose. Swoobat is known as the Courting Pokemon, a nickname referring to the fact that male Swoobat can emit ultrasonic waves to cause a “positive mood shift,” according to its Pokedex entry in Pokemon White.
In Galar, the shape of Swoobat’s nose is even considered a symbol of good luck - if you have one on your team, consider it a lucky charm.
6 Sharp Stinger: Gligar
The Generation Two Pokemon Gligar has both bat and scorpion characteristics that complement each other well, giving Gligar a distinctive appearance compared to other traditional bat Pokemon.
Gligar has pincers and stingers, much like a scorpion; however, it also has bat-like wings that allow it to fly through the air and elongated ears. Horrifyingly enough, Gligar’s Pokedex entry in Pokemon Gold says that it flies straight at its target’s face, injecting its prey with the poison from its stinger. That’s got to hurt.
5 Four Wings Are Better Than Two: Crobat
The bat Pokemon Crobat is a Poison and Flying type that first appeared in Generation Two as the final evolution of Zubat. By leveling up a Golbat you have a high friendship with, you can get your hands on a Crobat.
The most distinct characteristic of Crobat is its two pairs of wings - the hind pair developed from its legs, which, according to its Pokedex entry in Pokemon Silver, “enable it to fly fast.” With Crobat also being able to switch which pair of wings it uses, it can travel long distances with ease.
4 Small But Mighty: Noibat
Noibat is a purple bat-like Pokemon that, much like its evolution Noivern, can use the speakers in its ears to emit ultrasonic waves. Similar to bats in the real world, Noibat “live in pitch black caves,” emerging to scavenge for “ripened fruit,” according to Pokemon X and Sword.
Despite its small size, don’t underestimate Noibat. The sound waves it produces can defeat Pokemon much larger than itself. Noibat also has an appealing shiny form, swapping its purple color palette for a teal and black one.
3 The Count: Gliscor
Evolving from Gligar when holding a Razor Fang at night, Gliscor carries on the bat-scorpion aesthetic. This time, it leans more into the bat lineage because of its vampiric design. Gliscor’s black, bat-like wings resemble the cape seen in traditional depictions of Dracula.
Gliscor definitely has the skills to contend with such a legendary horror icon, with elongated fangs that it uses to drain its prey entirely of blood. You might want to wear a string of garlic around your neck if you intend to catch this bloodthirsty Pokemon.
2 Walking Boom Box: Noivern
The Sound Wave Pokemon Noivern might be a Flying and Dragon type, but it strongly resembles bats, too, thanks to its bat-like snout and large ears. Noivern’s ears resemble speakers, as well as the ridged ears of vampire bats, and it can use these ears to “reduce a large boulder to pebbles” using sound, as it says in its Pokedex entry in Pokemon Y.
You don’t want to be Noivern’s enemy, though, as it has a cruel temperament and is known to “ruthlessly torment” those alone in the dark, according to Pokemon Sword.
1 The Beast That Calls The Moon: Lunala
Depending on whether you picked Sun/Ultra Sun or Moon/Ultra Moon, Cosmoem will evolve into Solgaleo or Lunala, respectively, making it one of the few legendary Pokemon that can evolve. Lunala is a Psychic and Ghost legendary Pokemon with bat-like characteristics, including thin wings shaped like crescent moons.
Similar to other legendaries, Lunala is a Pokemon with mysterious roots, as its Pokedex entry in Pokemon Moon says that it “live[s] in another world” and “devours light.” It’s easy to imagine Lunala flying through the sky, leaving the darkness of nighttime in its wake.
