Dark Pulse in Pokemon Survivor

Dark Pulse at a glance

What Dark Pulse does

Dark Pulse is a Dark-type nova move. A wave of dark energy in every direction.

A Pokemon can learn it if it is Dark-type, which is true of 60 of the 966 Pokemon. It reaches you as a new-move card when you level up, as long as one of your four move slots is free. No Pokemon begins a run with it, so you only find it on level-up cards. Each level-up draws three cards by weight from up to six new-move candidates, your move upgrades and the stat cards, so even a good move can sit out several level-ups.

Dark Pulse stats by level

At level 1, Dark Pulse deals 14 damage with a 1.15 second cooldown. At level 5 that becomes 20 damage every 0.86 seconds, which is 409 potential damage per second against 121.7 at level 1.

Potential damage per second multiplies damage by the number of shots and divides by the cooldown. It assumes every one lands on the same enemy and leaves out the Pokemon's attack multiplier, your cards and the type chart, so treat it as an upper bound for comparing levels and moves, not as a kill time.

Dark Pulse level-up changes

Each level-up card for Dark Pulse applies the changes below. They stack, so the level 5 row above already includes all of them.

• Level 2: +4 shots
• Level 3: +40% damage
• Level 4: -25% cooldown
• Level 5: +4 shots, +1 pierce

Dark Pulse evolution: Snarl

Dark Pulse evolves into Snarl when it reaches level 5 and you have taken the Sprint card at least once in the same run. Once both are true, a golden evolution card is always offered at your next level-up. Until then, the Sprint card keeps showing up with a note that it unlocks this evolution, so you do not have to hunt for it.

Snarl keeps the Dark type and the same slot. Its damage goes from 20 to 31 and its cooldown stays at 0.86 seconds. The move evolution guide lists all 59 evolutions and the cards they need.

• +6 shots
• +60% damage
• +1 pierce

Which Pokemon can use Dark Pulse

60 Pokemon can learn Dark Pulse: every Dark-type, which is 11 single-type and 49 dual-type. The best of them by Stat Score are Roaring Moon, Yveltal, Guzzlord, and Darkrai.

No Pokemon starts with Dark Pulse, so you only find it on level-up cards.

How to use Dark Pulse

• Nova moves do not need a target: Dark Pulse fires on its cooldown wherever you are.
• Psychic and Ghost take 60% more damage from Dark moves, while Fighting, Dark, and Fairy take 40% less. Enemies with two types multiply both effects. See the type chart.
• Other nova moves are Heat Wave, Bubble, and Psychic. The moves list compares all 64.
• Each Reflexes card multiplies every cooldown by 0.92 and each Power card multiplies damage by 1.10. After 5 Reflexes cards the 1.15 second cooldown of Dark Pulse at level 1 becomes 0.76 seconds.
• Only the move group in your active slot fires, and every move in the group keeps its own cooldown timer. A bond, which a rift win gives you, fuses loose moves into one group.
• Weather can boost or weaken Dark moves: see the weather guide.

Dark Pulse in Pokemon Survivor FAQ

What does Dark Pulse do in Pokemon Survivor?

A wave of dark energy in every direction. It is a Dark-type nova move with 5 levels. It deals 14 damage at level 1 and 20 at level 5.

How do you evolve Dark Pulse?

Level it to 5 and take the Sprint card at least once in the same run. A golden evolution card then appears at the next level-up and turns it into Snarl.

Which Pokemon can learn Dark Pulse?

The 60 Dark-type Pokemon, including dual types. None of them start with it.

Browse all 64 moves in the Pokemon Survivor moves list, or read the Pokemon Survivor guides.