Umbreon is a pure Dark type — that’s the one-word answer. But what matters in Pokemon GO battles isn’t the label; it’s what the type does. Which moves tear through Umbreon’s health? Which raids does it threaten? And where does it sit in the current 2026 meta?
The answers follow directly from the Dark typing, but there are GO-specific mechanics worth knowing — particularly around Psychic, which behaves differently here than in the main series games. This guide covers the complete type breakdown, stat context, and how to apply it whether you’re building an Umbreon or trying to take one down.
Mechanics verified against Bulbapedia and Serebii as of April 2026. Type effectiveness multipliers in Pokemon GO may change following game updates.
What Type Is Umbreon?
Umbreon (#197) is a pure Dark type with no secondary typing. Introduced in Generation II as one of eight Eevee evolutions, it was the first Dark-type Eevee evolution, exclusive to the Johto region. The Pokédex classifies it as the “Moonlight Pokémon.”
Its design reflects the type. Umbreon’s black fur absorbs almost all light, making it near-invisible in darkness. The yellow rings on its body — around the ears, legs, forehead, and tail — glow in low light or when the Pokémon is agitated. In lore, it evolved from Eevee after prolonged exposure to moonlight, with its genetic code rewritten overnight. That stealth-and-endurance theme translates directly into its battle role: Umbreon in Pokemon GO is built to outlast opponents, not overpower them.
Umbreon’s Pokemon GO Base Stats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Attack | 126 |
| Defense | 240 |
| Stamina | 216 |
| Max CP (Level 40) | 2,416 |
| Max CP (Level 50, Best Buddy) | 2,445 |
That 240 Defense is the headline number — among the highest in the game for non-legendary Pokemon. The 216 Stamina is strong too. The trade-off is a 126 Attack, enough to generate energy and charge moves, but not enough to threaten burst damage. Umbreon wins fights by surviving, not by hitting hard.
How to Get Umbreon
Nickname method (one-time only): Rename your Eevee “Tamao” before evolving. Confirm the Umbreon silhouette appears on the evolve button, then spend 25 Eevee Candy. This trick works exactly once per account for each Eevee evolution.
Buddy method (repeatable): Set Eevee as your Buddy Pokémon and walk 10 km with it as your active Buddy, earning at least 2 Eevee Candy during that walk. Evolve it at night while it’s still your active Buddy. Daytime evolution produces Espeon instead. The night requirement is based on your device’s real-world clock — not any in-game timer. See our Pokemon GO buddy system guide for tips on maximising Eevee Candy while walking.
How Dark Type Works in Pokemon GO — The Mechanics
Pokemon GO uses a simplified type chart compared to the main series, with three key damage multipliers:
- Super effective: ×1.6 damage
- Resisted: ×0.625 damage
- Double resisted (converted from main-series immunity): ×0.390625 damage
Umbreon’s Defensive Matchups — What Hits It
These are the move types that deal modified damage when Umbreon is targeted:
| Attacker’s Move Type | Multiplier | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Fighting | ×1.6 | Weakness — deals heavy damage |
| Bug | ×1.6 | Weakness — deals heavy damage |
| Fairy | ×1.6 | Weakness — deals heavy damage |
| Ghost | ×0.625 | Resistance — reduced damage |
| Dark | ×0.625 | Resistance — reduced damage |
| Psychic | ×0.390625 | Double resistance — barely scratches |
| All other types | ×1.0 | Neutral |
The Psychic Exception — Main Series vs. Pokemon GO
The Psychic entry deserves a separate explanation. In the main series Pokemon games, Dark type is completely immune to Psychic — Psychic deals zero damage. Many players who come from the handheld or Switch games expect the same block in Pokemon GO.
It doesn’t work that way here. When Pokemon GO launched, Niantic replaced all main-series type immunities with double resistances instead of full immunity. Psychic-type moves against Umbreon in GO deal ×0.390625 damage — roughly 39% of a neutral hit. Psychic is still among the worst types you can throw at Umbreon, but it’s not a complete zero. A high-powered Psychic from a raid-level attacker will still tick Umbreon’s HP down, just slowly.
This matters in team-building: if you’re counting on a Pokemon’s Psychic move to be completely walled by Umbreon, it won’t be — it will just be heavily reduced.
Umbreon’s Offensive Matchups — What Its Moves Hit
When Umbreon uses Dark-type moves (Snarl, Foul Play, Dark Pulse), the damage modifier changes based on the target’s type:
| Target’s Type | Multiplier | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Psychic | ×1.6 | Super effective — ideal raid targets |
| Ghost | ×1.6 | Super effective — ideal raid targets |
| Dark | ×0.625 | Resisted — limited damage |
| Fairy | ×0.625 | Resisted — limited damage |
| Fighting | ×0.625 | Resisted — limited damage |
| All other types | ×1.0 | Neutral |
The overlap is telling: Umbreon’s three weaknesses (Fighting, Bug, Fairy) also include types that resist its Dark moves (Fighting, Fairy). An opponent that counters Umbreon defensively is also resisting its return damage — the matchup compounds in the attacker’s favour.
Practical Tips for Using Umbreon in Pokemon GO
Best Moveset
Fast move: Snarl — significantly preferred over Feint Attack. Snarl generates 14 energy per use; Feint Attack generates 9. That 5-energy gap per move compresses the timeline for charged moves in a meaningful way across a full PvP match. If your Umbreon has Feint Attack, it’s generating 35% less energy per fast move cycle.
Charged moves:
- Foul Play (Dark) — primary charged move, lower energy cost, your main shield-baiting option
- Last Resort (Normal) — secondary; bypasses Dark-type resistance so Umbreon can hurt opposing Dark types that wall Foul Play
- Psychic — alternative secondary for coverage against Fighting and Poison types if your team needs it
Player-Type Breakdown
| Player Type | How to Use Umbreon | Skip If… |
|---|---|---|
| Casual | Power to Level 20 for gym defense — its bulk frustrates lower-CP attackers | You want a raid attacker |
| Great League PvP | Build toward 1,500 CP cap; deploy as safe switch or closer, not lead | Your Eevee has a high Attack IV (hurts CP math under the cap) |
| Hardcore optimizer | Low Attack IV is actually ideal in GL — keeps CP under the cap while maximising bulk stats | Playing Master League — Umbreon is too weak there |
| Raid attacker | Don’t — wrong tool entirely | Any raid where damage output matters |
Great League Role: Safe Switch
Umbreon consistently places in the top tier of Great League. Its core function is the safe switch — bring it in after your lead faints to stabilise the matchup and reset the energy game. Its 240 Defense means it can absorb a charged move that would knock out a frailer Pokemon, then start building Snarl energy toward Foul Play pressure.
The moveset earns energy fast enough to threaten shields from most neutral matchups. Opponents who don’t shield Foul Play will take meaningful chip damage; opponents who do shield burn a resource Umbreon can exploit in the back half of the match.
Check our Pokemon GO battle league guide for team compositions that pair Umbreon with a strong lead and closer.
Decision Tree — Should You Power Up Your Umbreon?
- Great League PvP focus → Yes, it’s a genuine top-tier pick under the 1,500 CP cap
- Gym defender → Decent, but a dedicated Fighting-type sweeper clears it quickly
- Raid attacker → No; its Attack 126 is too low to contribute meaningfully against Psychic or Ghost bosses
- High-IV Eevee with low Attack stat → That’s actually ideal for Great League; prioritise it
Counters to Umbreon
In PvP, lead with any of these against an Umbreon:
- Azumarill (Bubble + Play Rough) — Fairy at ×1.6, one of the most common Great League leads
- Togekiss (Charm + Dazzling Gleam) — Charm ticks stack quickly
- Lucario or Machamp (Counter + Aura Sphere / Dynamic Punch) — Fighting at ×1.6
- Scizor (Fury Cutter + X-Scissor) — Bug at ×1.6
For raid scenarios where you want maximum Dark-type damage output rather than bulk, our Umbreon best moveset guide covers the full move breakdown, and our best Pokemon in Pokemon GO article ranks the top Dark attackers for raids.
Common Mistakes When Using or Fighting Umbreon
1. Expecting full Psychic immunity to transfer from the main games
Dark is immune to Psychic in the core series — zero damage. In Pokemon GO that becomes a ×0.390625 double resistance. Psychic is still an awful matchup for Psychic attackers going against Umbreon, but a high-damage Psychic charged move from something like Mewtwo will still chip HP. Don’t build a defensive strategy around Umbreon hard-walling every Psychic move in the game.
2. Running Feint Attack instead of Snarl
Feint Attack: 9 energy per move. Snarl: 14 energy per move. That 5-energy difference means Umbreon fires charged moves noticeably less often with Feint Attack — directly reducing its ability to apply shield pressure, which is its entire PvP value proposition. If Feint Attack is on your Umbreon, it’s working at reduced effectiveness. Switch to Snarl.
3. Leading Umbreon into Fairy matchups
Azumarill is one of the most common Great League leads, and Togekiss appears frequently in Ultra League. Walking Umbreon into Charm damage at ×1.6 is a fast way to burn a resource. Umbreon needs to come in mid-battle as a safe switch — not as an opener against a field loaded with Fairy coverage.
4. Using Umbreon for raid damage
Umbreon’s Dark typing gives it ×1.6 against Psychic and Ghost raid bosses. That type advantage doesn’t offset its 126 Attack. Darkrai (Attack 285), Shadow Tyranitar, and Hydreigon all deal two to three times more damage against the same targets. Umbreon’s place is PvP and gym defense — not raid DPS.
5. Evolving Eevee at the wrong time
The buddy method requires evolving at night while Eevee is still your active Buddy. This is your local real-world clock — not an in-game time system. Evolving during the day produces Espeon. Don’t swap Buddies between earning the 10 km candy milestone and pressing evolve, or the guarantee disappears. Make the evolution after sunset with Eevee still set as Buddy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Umbreon any good in Pokemon GO?
Umbreon is excellent in Great League PvP specifically. Its Defense 240 and Stamina 216 make it one of the most durable Pokemon at the 1,500 CP cap — and bulk matters most in Great League because every charged move you survive is either a shield burned or HP maintained for the late game. Outside of PvP, it’s a serviceable gym defender but not a damage-dealing raid option. Its Attack 126 is simply too low to compete with dedicated Dark attackers; even in raids where it has super effective typing (Psychic, Ghost), Darkrai or Shadow Tyranitar will deal far more damage. The rule of thumb: Umbreon is for PvP, not PvE.
What beats Umbreon in Pokemon GO?
Three move types deal ×1.6 to Umbreon: Fighting, Bug, and Fairy. In Great League practice, Azumarill is the most consistent counter — Bubble + Play Rough stacks Fairy damage fast, and Azumarill is ubiquitous enough that almost every team has one available. Togekiss (Charm + Dazzling Gleam) is equally punishing; Charm ticks chip Umbreon steadily. For Fighting coverage, Counter + Dynamic Punch from Machamp or Lucario with Counter + Aura Sphere both threaten Umbreon at ×1.6. Bug types like Scizor or Yanmega are less common in PvP but deal super effective damage when present. If your team needs a hard Umbreon answer, a Fairy type with Charm is the most reliable pick.
Does Umbreon have any immunities in Pokemon GO?
No. In the core Pokemon games, Dark is immune to Psychic — Psychic deals zero damage. In Pokemon GO, that immunity was converted to a double resistance at launch, so Psychic-type moves deal ×0.390625 damage to Umbreon — about 39% of a neutral hit. Psychic remains one of the worst types to throw at it, but it’s not a complete block. Umbreon also resists Ghost (×0.625) and Dark (×0.625) type moves. No type in Pokemon GO deals zero damage to any Pokemon — the immunity system from the main series does not exist here.
Sources
- “Umbreon (Pokémon)” — Bulbapedia
- “Umbreon #0197” — Serebii Pokemon GO
- Umbreon Great League PvP Rankings — PvPoke (pvpoke.com/rankings/all/1500/overall/umbreon/)