Gengar, very mischievous and sometime malicious creatures, live in shadows of rooms, caves, and dark places where shadows form, especially in urban areas such as cities and back alleys but only during the night. They enjoy playing practical jokes, such as pretending to be one's shadow and then behaving erratically. When the victim notices the sudden change in the movement of their shadow and becomes afraid, Gengar takes delight in the victim's fear. Gengar have the ability to lay curses on their foe, and it is said to steal the lives of those who become lost in mountains by overtaking the prey's shadow and silently waiting for an opportunity. Like its predecessor in evolution Haunter, Gengar can lick victims with its tongue and paralyze them; this attack is far more associated with Haunter and Gengar has not been shown doing this in the anime.