What makes a GHOST-type trainer?
The existence of ghost type pokemon presents a thorny problem that many would prefer not to think about. Life after death is possibly the most contentious topic possible, and ghost type pokemon only seem to provide more questions. It is yet unclear, despite tomes of speculation, whether ghost type pokemon are, in fact, 'souls' of some sort, or if they are pokemon that appear near places of death. Ghost type pokemon can reproduce, but also appear from or near corpses of both humans and pokemon, though as of yet no ghost type has proven to have memories of a previous life. Furthermore, while ghost types can be killed, many do not have any observable aging process. Whatever the truth is, it's clear that the ghost type has a unique relationship to death.
Ghost type pokemon are one of only two types to be super effective against itself, the other being the DRAGON type. Ghost type is the only type to have two immunities, those being NORMAL and FIGHTING, with the former being a mutual immunity. Ghost type is effective against the same types as the DARK type, those being ghost and PSYCHIC. In addition to the immunities listed above, ghost types are resistant to POISON and BUG types. Ghost types are the fourth rarest of all, making up about 7% of all known pokemon varieties. On average, their stats are not very high, with their highest stats being, in order, Special Attack, Attack, and Special Defense. Their lowest average stat is HP.
Much like the psychic type, ghost is one of the few varieties of type energy that humans can access. Some humans are born with an innate connection to the type, which grants them a preternatural ability to communicate with or be loved by ghost types. Alternatively, it is a possible manifestation of psychic type abilities to speak with receptive pokemon, which often include ghost types. As such, many of the ghost type specialists are those deeply connected with death, including Mediums, Channelers, and Hex Maniacs. In an odd, mutualistic situation, sometimes trainers can be possessed by ghost type pokemon and will specialize in training ghost types.
Gym Leaders & Notable Trainers
Ghost type trainers are present in nearly ever region's pokemon league, their ability to deal with the malice and mischief of ghost type pokemon irreplaceable to league officials. They run the gamut of personality types, their only similarity seeming to be the affinity in question. There are bold and showy ghost type trainers like Sinnoh's Fantina and Paldea's Ryme. There are young ghost type trainers, like Galar's Allister, and old ghost type trainers, like Kanto's Agatha. Agatha is famously bad tempered, which is in sharp contrast to the cheerful and friendly Phoebe of Hoenn! What many of these trainers do share is a close brush with death. Allister is rumored to have nearly died as a child, which is one of the more extreme examples. Ryme often tells the story of how she experienced the loss of a close pokemon and began training ghost types shortly after. Johto's Morty has a noted interest in tracking down the legendary pokemon Ho-oh, famed for its ability to restore others to life.
Ghost type pokemon can be found nearly anywhere, though they do have some clear preferences. Most ghost types will avoid the sun entirely, sticking to the nighttime or well covered areas. This is especially true of those that lack a corporeal body, like Misdreavus, as opposed to pokemon like Sinistea, which have a vessel to inhabit. Ghost types are often found in places that have been abandoned by humanity or in areas associated with death. Alola's abandoned megamart is an example of the former, though more ancient ruins are quite common as well, and Kanto's Pokemon Tower is an excellent example of the latter type.
While not the case for all of them, most ghost type pokemon fall into one of two categories. Pokemon like Ghastly or Duskull are spirits - at least partially incorporeal, they pass through walls with ease and have been known to posses humans, on occasion. On the other hand, there are pokemon like Honedge or Golett, who reside solely in a vessel. When these vessels are destroyed, the spirit within will either find a new vessel or perish. The pokemon Rotom is an excellent example of both - while Rotom can fight on its own, it is most well known for its capability to inhabit and operate electronic devices in battle.
There are six legendary pokemon, evenly split between legendaries and mythicals. On the legendary side, there are two immensely powerful pokemon in Giratina and Lunala, both of whom have the power to travel between dimensions. There's also Spectrier, one of Calyrex's steeds. Spectrier can steal life force, but most of its unique abilities come from its rider. On the mythical side, there is the chaotic Hoopa, the mind-controlling Pecharunt, and the rare Marshadow, a pokemon that almost never shows itself.
Ghost type moves have some of the most unique effects across all types. Of these, the most terrifying is perhaps Destiny Bond, a move that links the user's life force with their target, forcing both to faint when one does. There's also the fascinating move Curse. When most pokemon use Curse, their Speed drops in exchange for a boost to Attack and Defense. When used by a ghost type pokemon, however, the user sacrifices half their HP to place an extremely damaging status effect on the opponent, taking a quarter of their health every turn. It's also worth mentioning the bizarre Night Shade, a move that deals damage equal to the users level, bypassing defensive stats.
Beyond that, there are interesting signature moves, like Houndstone's Last Respects, which gains strength the more pokemon have fainted, or Annihilape's Rage Fist, which powers up when the user is hit.
Abilities like Mind's Eye and Scrappy allow the user to hit ghost type pokemon with moves that they would normally be immune to, though only with standard effectiveness. On the other hand, the ability Purifying Salt allows pokemon to take half damage from ghost type moves!
The most fascinating ones, though, are the signature abilities of ghost type pokemon. For example, Cursola's Perish Body can knock out any pokemon that makes contact with it.... while fainting itself! Yamask's Mummy ability spreads on contact as well, replacing all abilities with itself, even after the original holder has left the field. Shedinja's Wonder Guard prevents all damage except super effective moves, reflecting how otherworldly that pokemon can be.
To be a ghost type specialist is to confront mortality. Whether through personal experience, or simply the nessecity of trawling through graveyards to catch one, ghost type trainers know death and decay more than any other type. Trainers who find themselves unable to confront that mortality will be unable to meet the needs of their pokemon, and their stint with ghost types will be a short one.
This does not mean, however, that ghost type trainers are all morbid. In fact, many ghost type pokemon themselves are cheerful, mischievous, even hedonistic; determined to make the most of whatever time they have. Many ghost type specialists follow that same pattern; they are people determined to live authentically, no matter how others see them. On the other side of the spectrum, though, there are trainers and pokemon alike who have been scarred by their experiences. They struggle to relate to others, and the shared experiences of isolation and depression can serve as a foundation for an entirely different type of team. These, despite how it might seem, are not mutually exclusive, and the same cheerful pranksters might harbor the deepest darkness. At their best, ghost type specialists are vivacious and authentic, able to discard their fears and enjoy life without panicking about what comes next. At their worst, they are death-obsessed and morbid, paralyzed by fear or unable to move past a grudge.
