>>22064174It was better before fairy as well, since it only had 2 weaknesses, and not very many types that resisted it.
And no, Dark is not better defensively. Before Gen 6, it only had 2 resistances - itself and Ghost - as well as an immunity. It was neutral to everything else. It's only slightly better, defensively, than Electric. Sucker Punch was still extremely strong in Gen 5, and Dark was coveted for coverage on Fighting and Poison types.
