Pumpkaboo (Pokémon)

Jessie's Pumpkaboo flashing light from the holes in her body

Pumpkaboo is a ghostly pumpkin-like Pokémon that varies dramatically in size. Encasing its lower body is a pinkish pumpkin with a pair of nubby legs. Carved into the pumpkin is a pair of circular holes that glow yellow-orange. Pumpkaboo's shadowy black body pokes out of the top of the pumpkin. It has glowing yellow eyes, a pair of fangs in its upper jaw, and pointed ears that curve slightly. On top of its head is a long tuft of fur that curls tightly at the tip. A collar of furry-looking tufts hangs over the edge of the pumpkin.

Pumpkaboo becomes active after dark. The holes in its body can glow and illuminate the way for travelers in the dark. It is said that it also carries wandering spirits to the afterlife by storing the spirits in its body. However, its own spirit is trapped in this world. Pumpkaboo can hypnotize and control any humans or Pokémon. It does this task by releasing streams of light from the holes in the pumpkin.

Pumpkaboo and its evolved form Gourgeist are the only known Pokémon capable of learning the move Trick-or-Treat.

Forms

Pumpkaboo has four separate forms: Small Size, Average Size, Large Size, and Super Size.

The size of Pumpkaboo is said to be the product of the number of lost souls that lingered in the area where it was formed. When taking spirits to the afterlife, small Pumpkaboo prefer the spirits of children to those of adults. Supersized Pumpkaboo are very partial to the spirits of people who were of similarly superior proportions.

Small Size

Average Size

Large Size

Super Size

Evolution

Pumpkaboo evolves into Gourgeist.

(For specifics on this Pokémon's Evolution in the games, refer to Game data→Evolution data.)

Unevolved Pumpkaboo  Ghost  Grass

→

First Evolution Gourgeist  Ghost  Grass

Pokédex entries

Game locations

In side games

In events

Super Size

Held items

Games		Held items
X	Y	Miracle Seed (Super Size Pumpkaboo only, 100%)
Sword	Shield

Stats

Base stats

Small Size

Average Size

Large Size

Super Size

Type effectiveness

Learnset

Pumpkaboo is available in Sword and Shield.

By leveling up

By TM/TR

Generation VIII Other generations: VI - VII - IX

TM   Move   Type   Cat.   Pwr.   Acc.   PP  TM11 TM11 Solar Beam Grass Special 120120 100}}100% 10 TM17 TM17 Light Screen Psychic Status 0000— 00—}}—% 30 TM19 TM19 Safeguard Normal Status 0000— 00—}}—% 25 TM21 TM21 Rest Psychic Status 0000— 00—}}—% 10 TM22 TM22 Rock Slide Rock Physical 07575 090}}90% 10 TM23 TM23 Thief Dark Physical 06060 100}}100% 25 TM24 TM24 Snore Normal Special 05050 100}}100% 15 TM25 TM25 Protect Normal Status 0000— 00—}}—% 10 TM26 TM26 Scary Face Normal Status 0000— 100}}100% 10 TM28 TM28 Giga Drain Grass Special 07575 100}}100% 10 TM31 TM31 Attract Normal Status 0000— 100}}100% 15 TM34 TM34 Sunny Day Fire Status 0000— 00—}}—% 5 TM38 TM38 Will-O-Wisp Fire Status 0000— 085}}85% 15 TM39 TM39 Facade Normal Physical 07070 100}}100% 20 TM44 TM44 Imprison Psychic Status 0000— 00—}}—% 10 TM50 TM50 Bullet Seed Grass Physical 02525 100}}100% 30 TM70 TM70 Trick Room Psychic Status 0000— 00—}}—% 5 TM76 TM76 Round Normal Special 06060 100}}100% 15 TM77 TM77 Hex Ghost Special 06565 100}}100% 10 TM92 TM92 Mystical Fire Fire Special 07575 100}}100% 10 TR02 TR02 Flamethrower Fire Special 09090 100}}100% 15 TR11 TR11 Psychic Psychic Special 09090 100}}100% 10 TR15 TR15 Fire Blast Fire Special 110110 085}}85% 5 TR20 TR20 Substitute Normal Status 0000— 00—}}—% 10 TR22 TR22 Sludge Bomb Poison Special 09090 100}}100% 10 TR26 TR26 Endure Normal Status 0000— 00—}}—% 10 TR27 TR27 Sleep Talk Normal Status 0000— 00—}}—% 10 TR33 TR33 Shadow Ball Ghost Special 08080 100}}100% 15 TR38 TR38 Trick Psychic Status 0000— 100}}100% 10 TR40 TR40 Skill Swap Psychic Status 0000— 00—}}—% 10 TR52 TR52 Gyro Ball Steel Physical 0000— 100}}100% 5 TR58 TR58 Dark Pulse Dark Special 08080 100}}100% 15 TR59 TR59 Seed Bomb Grass Physical 08080 100}}100% 15 TR65 TR65 Energy Ball Grass Special 09090 100}}100% 10 TR77 TR77 Grass Knot Grass Special 0000— 100}}100% 20 TR81 TR81 Foul Play Dark Physical 09595 100}}100% 15 TR83 TR83 Ally Switch Psychic Status 0000— 00—}}—% 15

Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Pumpkaboo Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an Evolution of Pumpkaboo Click on the generation numbers at the top to see TM moves from other generations

By breeding

Generation VIII Other generations: VI - VII - IX

Parent   Move   Type   Cat.   Pwr.   Acc.   PP  Curse Ghost Status — —% 10 Destiny Bond Ghost Status — —% 5 Disable Normal Status — 100% 20

Moves marked with an asterisk (*) must be chain bred onto Pumpkaboo in Generation VIII Moves marked with a double dagger (‡) can only be bred from a Pokémon who learned the move in an earlier generation. Moves marked with a superscript game abbreviation can only be bred onto Pumpkaboo in that game. Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Pumpkaboo Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an Evolution of Pumpkaboo Click on the generation numbers at the top to see Egg moves from other generations

By tutoring

By transfer from another generation

Side game data

Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon Body size: Standard (1 tile) How to Recruit: Explore the last floor of a dungeon Connected to: Litwick Connection Orb Set: 32 Phrases Normal They think I look like something. I get that way too often, in fact. Low HP (< 50%) I would not make good survival food. So pelase don't eat me.
Pokémon Rumble Rush Walking Speed: 2.08 seconds Base HP: 46, 48, 49 or 50 Base Attack: 70 Base Defense: 51 Base Speed: 60
Pokémon Battle Trozei Ghost Attack Power: ★★★★★
Pokémon Shuffle Ghost Attack Power: 50 - 100 5 #320 Risk-Taker Increases damage randomly.			Pokémon Shuffle Ghost Attack Power: 50 - 100 5 #320 Swap+ Sometimes replaces three disruptions with this Pokémon.
Pokémon GO Base HP: 127, 135, 144 or 153 Base Attack: 122, 121, 120 or 118 Base Defense: 124, 123, 122 or 120 Egg Distance: N/A Buddy Distance: 5 km Evolution Requirement: 200 or Fast Attacks: Astonish, Razor Leaf Charged Attacks: Grass Knot, Shadow Sneak, Foul Play
New Pokémon Snap Photodex entry #189 Pumpkaboo of several different sizes live in the Lental region. I’ve heard it said that their size depends on the number of souls they have trapped inside them.

Costumes in Pokémon GO
Spooky Festival (Small Size)	Spooky Festival (Average Size)	Spooky Festival (Large Size)	Spooky Festival (Super Size)

Form data

Pumpkaboo have four different forms, each named after their respective size: Small Size, Average Size, Large Size, and Super Size.

Its size is maintained through evolution into Gourgeist and cannot be changed. Larger sizes of Pumpkaboo are rarer to encounter in the wild. Bred Pumpkaboo are the same size as their mother, or the same size as the Pumpkaboo or Gourgeist parent if bred with Ditto.

In the wild, Super Size Pumpkaboo will always hold a Miracle Seed, whereas other sizes will never hold an item in the wild. Super Size variants have different, lower-pitched cries than the other forms, and were also the only Pokémon to have the XXL size designation in Pokémon GO prior to the addition of XXL and XXS sizes for all species. The different sizes of Pumpkaboo do not use different menu sprites, except in Pokémon HOME.

Previously, only Average Size and Super Size Pumpkaboo could have their Hidden Ability Insomnia. Average Size can be obtained with its Hidden Ability from the Friend Safari, and Super Size could be obtained with its Hidden Ability from events. Since Version 1.2.0 of Pokémon Sword and Shield, all sizes can be obtained with their Hidden Abilities via Ability Patches.

Each form has different base stats. With each increase in size, Pumpkaboo's base HP stat increases by 5 points, while its base Speed stat decreases by 5 points. Consequently, its base stat total does not vary with size.

Pumpkaboo Small Size  Ghost  Grass  Pickup or Frisk Hidden: Insomnia HP Atk Def SpA SpD Spe 44 66 70 44 55 56

Pumpkaboo Average Size  Ghost  Grass  Pickup or Frisk Hidden: Insomnia HP Atk Def SpA SpD Spe 49 66 70 44 55 51

Pumpkaboo Large Size  Ghost  Grass  Pickup or Frisk Hidden: Insomnia HP Atk Def SpA SpD Spe 54 66 70 44 55 46

Pumpkaboo Super Size  Ghost  Grass  Pickup or Frisk Hidden: Insomnia HP Atk Def SpA SpD Spe 59 66 70 44 55 41

Evolution data

Small Size

Unevolved Pumpkaboo Small Size  Ghost  Grass

Trade →

First Evolution Gourgeist Small Size  Ghost  Grass

Average Size

Unevolved Pumpkaboo Average Size  Ghost  Grass

Trade →

First Evolution Gourgeist Average Size  Ghost  Grass

Large Size

Unevolved Pumpkaboo Large Size  Ghost  Grass

Trade →

First Evolution Gourgeist Large Size  Ghost  Grass

Super Size

Unevolved Pumpkaboo Super Size  Ghost  Grass

Trade →

First Evolution Gourgeist Super Size  Ghost  Grass

Sprites

This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation VI.
Generation VI X Y Omega Ruby Alpha Sapphire Front Back Front Back
Generation VII Sun Moon Ultra Sun Ultra Moon Front Back Front Back
Generation VIII Sword Shield
This Pokémon is unavailable in Generation IX.
Cross-Generation HOME

For other sprites and images, please see Pumpkaboo images on the Bulbagarden Archives.

Super Size Pumpkaboo in Pokémon the Series: XY

Small Size Pumpkaboo in Pokémon the Series: XY

Main series

Major appearances

Jessie's Pumpkaboo

Pumpkaboo debuted in The Bamboozling Forest!, where Jessie tripped over a Super Size Pumpkaboo in a forest. When she came out of the ground, she threw a Poké Ball at her and successfully caught her. She later evolved into a Gourgeist after being traded in A Festival Trade! A Festival Farewell?.

Other

A Small Size Pumpkaboo named Prince Pumpkaboo appeared in A Festival Trade! A Festival Farewell?, under the ownership of Count Pumpka. He fell in love with Jessie's Pumpkaboo and a trade was agreed on. However, when the trade caused Jessie's Pumpkaboo to evolve into Gourgeist, Prince Pumpkaboo rejected her.

Minor appearances

A Pumpkaboo appeared as an image in A Performance Pop Quiz!.

A Trainer's Pumpkaboo appeared during a flashback in The Legend of X, Y, and Z!.

Multiple Pumpkaboo appeared in The Spectral Express!.

Pokédex entries

Pokémon: Twilight Wings

Pumpkaboo in Pokémon: Twilight Wings

A Pumpkaboo appeared in Assistant.

Pumpkaboo in Pokémon Adventures

Pokémon Adventures

Blue's Average Size Pumpkaboo appeared in Pinsir Glares, where he was with Diantha underneath some rubble to hide from the ultimate weapon's beam.

Aliana's Pumpkaboo first appeared in Mewtwo Angered.

A Pumpkaboo appeared in GRRR!! The Irrepairable Gears during the Darkest Day.

Main article: Pumpkaboo (TCG)

Origin

Pumpkaboo appears to be based on a pumpkin, specifically the ones carved into jack-o'-lanterns for Halloween. Pumpkins are also known for their variety of sizes, possibly contributing to the four sizes Pumpkaboo comes in. Considering its fangs, black upper body, and affiliation with Halloween, it may also be based on bats or black cats, which are also associated with the holiday.

Name origin

Pumpkaboo may be a combination of pumpkin and boo (a common word used to startle people) or peek-a-boo.

Bakeccha may be a combination of お化け obake (ghost) and 南瓜 kabocha (pumpkin).

• Jessie's Pumpkaboo
• List of Pokémon with form differences