4 Zodiacs Most Likely To Be Dark Empaths, Per Astrologers

Empathy is usually a positive trait—it allows you to walk in another’s shoes and understand them on a deep, personal level. For many, this instills a greater sense of kindness and compassion into their actions towards others—after all, when you understand why a person might think or feel the way they do, it’s much easier to give them grace.

But what about when empathy goes wrong?

That’s where the term “dark empath” comes from. Dark empaths are people who do technically have empathy in that they understand people well. They know why someone would act the way they do and what feelings that would involve. But instead of feeling kinship toward that person, instead, they use that information to their advantage. “If they want to predict your behavior, they need to understand what you’re thinking in order to try to control you,” psychologist Nadja Heym explained to The Guardian.

While this kind of narcissism isn’t inherent to any specific zodiac sign, that doesn’t mean that you won’t be more likely to find this in certain zodiac signs than others. Based on their personality traits, here are the zodiac signs that are most likely to be dark empaths:

Scorpio

For many, it won’t be surprising to see Scorpio on this list. As a water sign, empathy and intuition is basically second nature—people born under this sign can very easily step into others’ shoes and understand why they do the things they do.

However, Scorpio does have a darker side than its other two water sign companions, thanks to its ruling planet, Pluto. Pluto is all about destruction, death, and rebirth, and because of this, Scorpios aren’t afraid to break down boundaries or existing social structures, even if it’s only for their gain. In fact, this might be why Scorpios are sometimes stereotyped as manipulative, especially if unhealed or immature. Paired with their trademark obsessive behavior, this zodiac sign might be more likely than most to fall down the path of a dark empath, specifically if they’re inclined toward narcissistic tendencies.

Gemini

Geminis are hard to pin down, in part because of their own duality—while these social creatures can at times be the most pleasant, enjoyable people to be around, if unhealed, it’s easy for them to lean into the traits associated with dark empath.

Geminis inquisitiveness gives them a certain edge here—they want to understand people, even if that’s just intellectually instead of emotionally. Their curiosity leads them to read into why people act the way they do and notice the patterns that lead up to that. But it’s their ruling planet, Mercury, that can make this a dangerous trait—after all, Mercury rules over communication, but it’s also the trickster planet. There’s a reason that when it’s in retrograde, everything seems to fall apart. Mercury gives Gemini the ability to say all the right things at the right time, while perhaps not always meaning them authentically or in exactly the way they’re portrayed. Geminis are fans of double-edged swords, which can be harmless unless it mixes with the narcissistic tendencies that lead to dark empathy.

Sagittarius

On one hand, it’s hard to imagine a Sagittarian as a dark empath—these people are fun, open-minded, and always searching for the truth. But the truth is, sometimes narcissists hide under these traits, and when their natural disposition is so likable, it’s easier for them to get away with it.

After all, Sagittarians do seem to care a lot about people. Their thirst for knowledge and understanding makes them fast friends with just about anyone, as they’re likely to want to learn everything they can from the people they meet. That being said, Sagittarius isn’t known for its emotional attachment. Because of this, they’re likely to say what they think you want to hear to appease you, especially if it means they don’t have to commit to any specific course of action. It doesn’t help that truthfully, these individuals are wise—their iconography is Chiron, the wise archer in Greek Mythology, and Sagittarius itself rules over the ninth house of philosophy and knowledge. It’s easy for these individuals to make you feel like you know nothing while they understand everything—and if mixed with narcissistic tendencies, it’s the perfect recipe for a dark empath.

Capricorn

Capricorns are known for being wise, logical, and down-to-earth—but because of this, it’s easy for them to understand what you’re thinking and convince you otherwise.

Capricorns are an interesting mix of receptive, feminine energy—which fosters empathy and understanding—while also ruled by the masculine, overbearing Saturn. Saturn is restrictive, authoritarian, and dominating—because of this, Capricorn wants to be the one who calls the shots. Not to mention that Capricorn is associated with The Devil tarot card, which is all about unhealthy attachments and manipulation. It’s easy to see how this multifaceted, complicated zodiac sign could be so sympathetic and thoughtful while also being controlling, strict, and manipulative, especially if the person in question is prone to narcissistic tendencies. Of course not every Capricorn is a dark empath—not even close—but when these traits are not kept in check or if the Capricorn in question is not doing the personal work, it can be a slippery slope.