ThoughPokemonis often considered a children’s franchise, the series’ full Type-chart can take months for even an adult to memorize.
Remembering every Pokemon Type is difficult, let alone all the interactions between them. Some Pokemon deal Super Effective damage to one Type while taking Not Very Effective damage in return. Others can inflict major damage to certain types while counterattacks deal neutral damage. Most Pokemon resist their respective Type, yet some are weak to their own Type’s attacks. That’s just scratching the surface!
To help you out, we’ve chronicled every Type’s weaknesses and resistances to reference if you ever get confused.Note that this applies to the most recent Generation ofPokemongames, as earlier games featured fewer Types and occasionally different weaknesses. If you are playing legacy games likeGoldorSilver, take this into account.
A few notes on verbiage
We couldn’t track every possible Type combination to make this list, so do these calculations yourself if you’re evaluating the strength of a specific Pokemon.
Inflicts no damage against
Receives Not Very Effective damage from
Receives no damage from
Summary: The Normal-Type is the only Type in the game that cannot inflict Super Effective damage or receive Not Very Effective damage. They don’t specifically match-up well against any specific Pokemon Type, though they have a unique immunity againstGhosts.Read our detailed guide here.
Receives Super Effective damage from
Summary:Fighting-Type Pokemon are some of the strongest physical attackers in the franchise. In addition to their impressive offensive spread, they are the only Type that deals Super Effective damage to Normal-Type opponents. These monsters are an excellent counter againstDarkenemies, but they get shut down byFlying,Psychic, andFairy-Types.Read our detailed guide here.
Summary:Flying-Type monsters are a straightforward counter toFighting,Bug, andGrass-Type foes. SinceGround-Type Pokemon are traditionally fierce attackers, theFlying-Type’s immunity toGroundattacks is especially noteworthy.RockandElectric-Type foes are major threats toFlyingPokemon.
Summary: ThePoison-Type adds a strong spread of defense to any Pokemon. It is especially powerful againstGrassandFairyopponents, and its added immunity to the Poison status effect can seriously come in handy. That said,Poison-Type Pokemon need to watch out forPsychicandGround-Type foes.Read our detailed guide here.
Summary:GroundPokemon are some of the most powerful threats in the series’ history. They are the sole source of Super-Effective damage againstElectricPokemon in addition to their already impressive offensive capabilities.PoisonandRockmonsters will fold before aGround-Type monster, thoughGrass-Types are a strong counter.Read our detailed guide here.
Summary:Rock-Type monsters are situationally useful due to how many Types they are effective against and weak to.FlyingandFire-Type Pokemon are especially vulnerable to them, whileFighting,Ground, andSteelmake for dangerous opponents. Pick your match-ups carefully and consider all secondary Types for best results.
Summary:Looking at those offenses,Bug-Type Pokemon clearly got a raw deal. They can be deadly in the right match-up, but they only truly excel againstGrassopponents. Meanwhile,Rock,Flying, andFire-Type Pokemon will destroy them. That’s not to sayBug-Types are useless, as their resistance to the dangerousGround-Type comes in handy. In particular,Bug-Type Pokemon can learn unique moves like Quiver Dance and Bug Buzz that make them more powerful than they appear.
Summary:As the only Type with two immunities,GhostPokemon are among the most unique in the franchise. ThoughDark-Types shut them down,Ghostswork best if you play to their unusual strengths. For example, they deal at least neutral damage to a majority of Pokemon Types, making them function well as well-rounded attackers. It can be scary to pit twoGhostsagainst each other since they’ll both deal Super Effective damage,so make sure you’re working with the better speed stat if you engage in such a match.
Summary:Holy moly is this the absolute king of defensive Types. Just look at those resistances!Steel-Type Pokemon are somewhat lacking offensively, though their effectiveness againstFairy-Types can’t be ignored.Fire-Type Pokemon are among the best counters toSteel-Types, though any Pokemon that can at least deal neutral damage should be considered viable when breaking defenses like that. The Poison status condition also does not affectSteelmonsters.
Summary:Fireis a potent defensive Type with respectable offensive capabilities. Its most unique niche is counteringSteel-Type Pokemon, though it fares just as well againstGrass,Ice, andBugopponents. That said,RockandWaterPokemon are deadly to aFiremonster. Remember that someFire-Type attacks inflict the Burn status effect, rendering physical attackers less threatening.Read our detailed guide here.
Summary:It might not look it, butWateris an invaluable Type. Aquatic creatures combine solid offense with respectable defense, especially considering only two Types inflict Super Effective damage to them. They fare best againstFirePokemon, thoughGrassopponents will giveWater-Types trouble.Read our detailed guide here.
Summary:With that spread of weaknesses,GrassPokemon can seem awfully frail. On one hand, they struggle when facingFlying,Poison,Bug, andFirePokemon. On the other hand, they’re among the best counters forGroundandWater-Type Pokemon, both of which are as strong as they are common. Keep in mind thatGrass-Types also resist powder moves, making them viable to block a Spore user in a pinch.Read our detailed guide here.
Summary:ElectricPokemon don’t necessarily do a lot, but they’re very good at what they do. They’re typically a great answer toFlyingopponents, and their penchant to inflict the Paralyze status effect makes them almost universally useful.Groundof course rendersElectric-Types useless, though otherwise they don’t have many hard counters.Check out our detailed guide here.
Summary:PsychicPokemon were the masters of Generation 1, but since then they’ve become more niche. They are very effective againstFighting-Type Pokemon, butDark-Type foes pose a major threat. LikeBug-Types,Psychicmonsters are best used when you lean into their unique moves and traits, such as Light Screen for protection or Stored Power for comically high damage.
Summary:Iceis the ultimate glass cannon Type. Its sole resistance to itself pales in comparison to the amount of moves that deal Super Effective damage to it. However, they make up for this with their impressive offensive spread. It can’t be understated how usefulIceattacks are in shutting downGroundandDragonPokemon, as both Types feature incredibly dangerous monsters. Just make sure yourIce-Type goes nowhere near aSteelorFireopponent.Read our detailed guide here.
Summary:Looking at aDragon‘s spread of weaknesses and resistances doesn’t tell the entire story of this Type’s power.Numerous pseudo-legendary Pokemon feature the Dragon-Type, so monsters in this category typically are threatening for their stats alone. Combine this with moves like Draco Meteor and Dragon Dance and it’s easy to see whyDragonsare scary. That said,FairyPokemon are the best option for shutting downDragonsby a landslide.
Summary:ADark-Type’s purpose is straightforward: take outPsychicandGhostPokemon. They are utterly fantastic in this niche, but outside of that, you’ll once again want to lean into uniqueDark-Type moves like Knock Off and Taunt to see what makes them unique.FightingandFairyPokemon are threats toDark-Types, so avoid them as much as you can.
Summary:Fairywas specifically created to bring balance to the franchise, so it’s no surprise they are well worth using. They are an unparalleled counter toDragon-Type Pokemon, thoughFightingandDarkmonsters should absolutely fearFairies. That said, they have two notable weaknesses inSteelandPoison. WhilePoisonis still somewhat niche,Steelis already a powerful defensive option that can bringFairiesmonsters down with ease. As long as you may play around these weaknesses,FairyPokemon fulfill a valuable role.
