Pokémon type charts have long been a way for players to figure out the game’s overly complicated Rock Paper Scissors system of determining who is weak to what. That’s because Type effectiveness have part of the main series since the very beginning - with recent releases like Scarlet and Violet even having an in-game math lesson to teach you what happens if you hit a Grass-type with a Fire-type move.
In brief, elemental types dictate whether one Pokémon’s attack is effective or super effective against an opposing Pokémon. By the same token, they also tell you whether the opponent will be resistant or super resistant against your attack. There’s also neutral damage to consider and - in the main series games - immunity. Each of these match-ups will result in different amounts of damage being dealt by the same Pokémon.
While type effectiveness works slightly differently in Pokémon Go, with immunity not being a thing and the damage multipliers being tweaked for the mobile game, the match-ups are basically the same.
With 18 types in the game, it may seem daunting trying to learn them all, but even long-term fans need to check the chart once in a while! So, with that in mind, we’ve put together a type chart of our own, as well as an explanation of how type effectiveness works and how to plan around it.
On this page:
- Type chart, effectiveness and weakness explained in Pokémon Go
- Pokémon Go type effectiveness changes compared to other Pokémon games
- Pokémon Go type breakdowns
Type chart, effectiveness and weakness explained in Pokémon Go
Pokémon Go’s Types are exactly the same as those in the main Pokémon games, with the exception of immunity. In the main series, Fairy-type Pokémon are famously immune to Dragon-type attacks. In Pokémon Go, Fairies are resistant to Dragon-type attacks instead. The same rule applies to all type-based immunities (ability-based immunities such as Levitate are not in the game, so don’t worry about those).
Here’s a Pokémon Go type chart to get you started on what’s effective against what - remember this applies to the attack being used, not the Pokémon using it. If the Pokémon’s type matches the move it is using, it gets an additional bonus, called the Same Type Attack Bonus (STAB). This is separate to – and less important than – the type match-up.
| Type | Strong Against | Weak Against | Resistant To | Vulnerable To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | Rock, Ghost, Steel | Ghost | Fighting | |
| Fighting | Normal, Rock, Steel, Ice, Dark | Flying, Poison, Psychic, Bug, Ghost, Fairy | Rock, Bug, Dark | Flying, Psychic, Fairy |
| Flying | Fighting, Bug, Grass | Rock, Steel, Electric | Fighting, Ground, Bug, Grass | Rock, Electric, Ice |
| Poison | Grass, Fairy | Poison, Ground, Rock, Ghost, Steel | Fighting, Poison, Grass, Fairy | Ground, Psychic |
| Ground | Poison, Rock, Steel, Fire, Electric | Flying, Bug, Grass | Poison, Rock, Electric | Water, Grass, Ice |
| Rock | Flying, Bug, Fire, Ice | Fighting, Ground, Steel | Normal, Flying, Poison, Fire | Fighting, Ground, Steel, Water, Grass |
| Bug | Grass, Psychic, Dark | Fighting, Flying, Poison, Ghost, Steel, Fire, Fairy | Fighting, Ground, Grass | Flying, Rock, Fire |
| Ghost | Ghost, Psychic | Normal, Dark | Normal, Fighting, Poison, Bug | Ghost, Dark |
| Steel | Rock, Ice, Fairy | Steel, Fire, Water, Electric | Normal, Flying, Poison, Rock, Bug, Steel, Grass, Psychic, Ice, Dragon, Fairy | Fighting, Ground, Fire |
| Fire | Bug, Steel, Grass, Ice | Rock, Fire, Water, Dragon | Bug, Steel, Fire, Grass, Ice | Ground, Rock, Water |
| Water | Ground, Rock, Fire | Water, Grass, Dragon | Steel, Fire, Water, Ice | Grass, Electric |
| Grass | Ground, Rock, Water | Flying, Poison, Bug, Steel, Fire, Grass, Dragon | Ground, Water, Grass, Electric | Flying, Poison, Bug, Fire, Ice |
| Electric | Flying, Water | Ground, Grass, Electric, Dragon | Flying, Steel, Electric | Ground |
| Psychic | Fighting, Poison | Steel, Psychic, Dark | Fighting, Psychic | Bug, Ghost, Dark |
| Ice | Flying, Ground, Grass, Dragon | Steel, Fire, Water, Ice | Ice | Fighting, Rock, Steel, Fire |
| Dragon | Dragon | Steel, Fairy | Fire, Water, Grass, Electric | Ice, Dragon, Fairy |
| Dark | Ghost, Psychic | Fighting, Dark, Fairy | Ghost, Psychic, Dark | Fighting, Bug, Fairy |
| Fairy | Fighting, Dragon, Dark | Poison, Steel, Fire | Fighting, Bug, Dragon, Dark | Poison, Steel |
So what does that mean in practical terms? Mewtwo using Ice Beam against Venusaur will do a lot of damage because Venusaur is a Grass-type Pokémon, and Grass-type Pokémon are weak against Ice-type attacks. But if a Kyurem of the same level used Ice Beam against the same Venusaur, it would do more damage because it gets STAB. There are more things that matter here, primarily a Pokémon’s attack stat, but this should illustrate the point!
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Pokémon Go type effectiveness changes compared to other Pokémon games
As mentioned, there are also no type immunities in Pokémon Go, unlike in the main series. The immunities removed are:
- Ground is no longer immune to Electric
- Flying is no longer immune to Ground
- Ghost is no longer immune to Normal and Fighting
- Normal is no longer immune to Ghost
- Steel is no longer immune to Poison
- Dark is no longer immune to Psychic
- Fairy is no longer immune to Dragon
Instead of a total immunity to damage, these initially worked the same as simple resistances. Now, however, they’ve been tweaked to form another tier of resistance, with the defending Pokémon that would normally be immune taking just 0.39 times the amount of damage it normally would – in other words, type immunity roughly cuts the amount of damage by about two-thirds.
Here’s a full rundown of the multipliers that apply to different match-ups attacks.
- Doubly effective – 2.56x damage, instead of 4x damage done in the main series.
- Super effective – 1.6x damage, instead of 2x damage done in the main series.
- Neutral – 1.0x damage, just like the main series.
- Not very effective – 0.625x damage, instead of the 0.5x damage done in the main series.
- Immunity – 0.39x damage, instead of 0 damage done in the main series.
Doubly effectively applies when the defending Pokémon has two types that are both weak to an incoming attack. Alolan Sandslash, for example, is an Ice and Steel-type Pokémon. This means that it both the advantages and disadvantages of both types. Both Ice and Steel are weak to Fire and Fighting.
Imagine a Charmeleon has a Fire-type attack that does 100 neutral damage. If it hits another Charmeleon, it will do 1.0x damage thanks to the type-match-up, which is then multiplied by 1.2 for STAB. The defending Charmeleon takes 120 damage.
Now, imagine that same Charmeleon hits an Alolan Sandslash with that same Fire-type move. Now, we take the 2.6x type multiplier and the 1.2x STAB multiplier Alolan Sandslash takes a whopping 3.07x damage.
As you can see, type effectiveness is extremely important - it’s well worth getting to grips with those matchups if you can! But, that’s a lot of maths, and we understand if you don’t want to break out your calculator. Instead, if you’re looking to raid a certain Pokémon, such as Mega Garchomp, make sure you check out our raid guides where we point out these weaknesses and suggest the best possible counters to make your life as easy as possible!
The issue is that in PVP, the Pokémon you come up against is always a surprise, so taking the time to mastery the elements (in Pokémon Go) will give you the greatest shot of success, as it that will inform when you need to swap in and out certain Pokémon! Once you have this covered, your next steps are learning the best moves in Pokémon Go, and having a good idea of the best Pokémon in Pokémon Go.
Pokémon Go type breakdowns
There are 18 different types in the Pokémon games. Below, we will go through each, one by one, and highlight what they’re strong and weak against, while pulling out the highlights of each type.
Since Mega and Shadow Pokémon are almost always the best option, where available, we’ve left these out. Use them if you have them, don’t worry if you don’t!
- Normal
- Fighting
- Flying
- Poison
- Ground
- Rock
- Bug
- Ghost
- Steel
- Fire
- Water
- Grass
- Electric
- Psychic
- Ice
- Dragon
- Dark
- Fairy
Best Normal-type attackers in Pokémon Go
Here are the best Normal-type attackers, along with which the best Normal-type counters and moves, in Pokémon Go:
Normal-type attacks are strong against: Nothing. This is pure neutral damage.
Normal-type Pokémon are weak to: Fighting-type attacks.
Best Normal-type Mega attacker: Mega Lopunny.
Best Normal-type attackers: Regigigas, Meloetta, Porygon-Z.
Best Normal-type counters: Terrakion, Keldeo, Machamp, Lucario.
Best Normal-type Fast moves: Hidden Power, Lock-On, Pound.
Best Normal-type Charged moves: Giga Impact, Hyper Beam, Stomp.
Best Fighting-type attackers in Pokémon Go
Below you'll find the best Fighting-type attackers, alongside the best Fighting-type counters and moves, in Pokémon Go:
Fighting-type attacks are strong against: Normal, Rock, Steel, Ice and Dark-type Pokémon.
Fighting-type Pokémon are weak to: Flying, Psychic and Fairy-type attacks.
Best Fighting-type Mega attacker: Mega Blaziken.
Best Fighting-type attackers: Terrakion, Keldeo, Lucario.
Best Fighting-type counters: Mewtwo, Hoopa (Unbound), Lunala.
Best Fighting-type Fast moves: Counter, Double Kick, Low Kick.
Best Fighting-type Charged moves: Sacred Sword, Focus Blast, Dynamic Punch.
Best Flying-type attackers in Pokémon Go
If you're planning on adding a Flying-type to your Pokémon Go team, then it's a good idea to know the best Flying-type attackers, moves and which counters you should be prepared to face:
Flying-type attacks are strong against: Fighting, Bug and Grass-type Pokémon.
Flying-type Pokémon are weak to: Rock, Electric and Ice-type attacks.
Best Flying-type Mega attacker: Mega Rayquaza.
Best Flying-type attackers: Rayquaza, Yveltal, Galarian Zapdos.
Best Flying-type counters: Zekrom, Xurkitree, Therian Thunderus.
Best Flying-type Fast moves: Air Slash, Wing Attack, Gust.
Best Flying-type Charged moves: Dragon Ascent, Sky Attack, Brave Bird.
Best Poison-type attackers in Pokémon Go
Here you'll find the best Poison-type attackers in Pokémon Go, including the best Poison-type counters and moves:
Poison-type attacks are strong against: Grass and Fairy-type Pokémon.
Poison-type Pokémon are weak to: Ground and Psychic-type attacks.
Best Poison-type Mega attacker: Mega Gengar.
Best Poison-type attackers: Nihilego, Gengar, Roserade.
Best Poison-type counters: Mewtwo, Hoopa Unbound, Groudon.
Best Poison-type Fast moves: Poison Jab, Acid.
Best Poison-type Charged moves: Sludge Bomb, Gunk Shot, Sludge Wave.
Best Ground-type attackers in Pokémon Go
Below lie the best Ground-type attackers, as well as the best Ground-type counters and moves, in Pokémon Go:
Ground-type attacks are strong against: Poison, Rock, Steel, Fire and Electric-type Pokémon.
Ground-type Pokémon are weak to: Water, Grass and Ice-type attacks.
Best Ground-type Mega attacker: Primal Groudon.
Best Ground-type attackers: Groudon, Ursaluna, Therian Landorus.
Best Ground-type counters: Kartana, Kyogre, Zarude.
Best Ground-type Fast moves: Mud Shot, Mud-Slap.
Best Ground-type Charged moves: Precipice Blades, Earth Power, High Horsepower.
Best Rock-type attackers in Pokémon Go
Look no futher for the best Rock-type attackers in Pokémon Go. You'll also learn about the best Ground-type counters and moves you can use.
Rock-type attacks are strong against: Flying, Bug, Fire and Ice-type Pokémon.
Rock-type Pokémon are weak to: Fighting, Ground, Steel, Water and Grass-type attacks.
Best Rock-type Mega attacker: Mega Diancie.
Best Rock-type attackers: Rampardos, Rhyperior, Nihilego.
Best Rock-type counters: Terrakion, Keldeo, Kartana.
Best Rock-type Fast moves: Rock Throw, Smack Down.
Best Rock-type Charged moves: Rock Slide, Stone Edge, Rock Wrecker.
Best Bug-type attackers in Pokémon Go
Here are the best Bug-type attackers, including the best Bug-type counters and moves, in Pokémon Go:
Bug-type attacks are strong against: Grass, Psychic and Dark-type Pokémon.
Bug-type Pokémon are weak to: Flying, Rock and Fire-type attacks.
Best Bug-type Mega attacker: Mega Pinsir.
Best Bug-type attackers: Volcarona, Pheromosa, Genesect.
Best Bug-type counters: Rayquaza, Reshiram, Chandelure.
Best Bug-type Fast moves: Bug Bite, Fury Cutter, Struggle Bug.
Best Bug-type Charged moves: X-Scissor, Bug Buzz, Megahorn.
Best Ghost-type attackers in Pokémon Go
Below are the best Ghost-type attackers, counters and moves in Pokémon Go:
Ghost-type attacks are strong against: Ghost and Psychic-type Pokémon.
Ghost-type Pokémon are weak to: Ghost and Dark-type attacks.
Best Ghost-type Mega attacker: Mega Gengar.
Best Ghost-type attackers: Lunala, Giratina, Chandelure.
Best Ghost-type counters: Tyranitar, Hydreigon, Darkrai.
Best Ghost-type Fast moves: Lick, Shadow Claw, Hex.
Best Ghost-type Charged moves: Shadow Ball, Shadow Force, Poltergeist.
Best Steel-type attackers in Pokémon Go
If you want to know the best Steel-type attackers, counters and moves in Pokémon Go, look below:
Steel-type attacks are strong against: Rock, Ice and Fairy-type Pokémon.
Steel-type Pokémon are weak to: Fighting, Ground and Fire-type attacks.
Best Steel-type Mega attacker: Mega Aggron.
Best Steel-type attackers: Metagross, Melmetal, Jirachi.
Best Steel-type counters: Reshiram, Terrakion, Keldeo.
Best Steel-type Fast moves: Bullet Punch, Metal Claw, Iron Tail.
Best Steel-type Charged moves: Meteor Mash, Iron Head, Heavy Slam.
Best Fire-type attackers in Pokémon Go
If you're planning on using the power of the flame in Pokémon Go, then make sure you know the best Fire-type attackers, moves and which counters you might have to face:
Fire-type attacks are strong against: Bug, Steel, Grass and Ice-type Pokémon.
Fire-type Pokémon are weak to: Ground, Rock and Water-type attacks.
Best Fire-type Mega attacker: Mega Blaziken.
Best Fire-type attackers: Reshiram, Heatran, Volcarona.
Best Fire-type counters: Kyogre, Groudon, Rampardos.
Best Fire-type Fast moves: Fire Spin, Fire Fan, Incinerate.
Best Fire-type Charged moves: Blast Burn, Fire Blast, Fusion Flare.
Best Water-type attackers in Pokémon Go
Below you'll find the best Water-type attackers in Pokémon Go, alongside the best Water-type counters and moves:
Water-type attacks are strong against: Ground, Rock and Fire-type Pokémon.
Water-type Pokémon are weak to: Grass and Electric-type attacks.
Best Water-type Mega attacker: Primal Kyogre.
Best Water-type attackers: Kyogre, Palkia, Greninja.
Best Water-type counters: Kartana, Xurkitree, Zekrom.
Best Water-type Fast moves: Waterfall, Water Gun, Bubble.
Best Water-type Charged moves: Origin Pulse, Hydro Cannon, Hydro Pump.
Best Grass-type attackers in Pokémon Go
Here are the best Grass-type attackers, including the best Grass-type counters and moves, in Pokémon Go:
Grass-type attacks are strong against: Ground, Rock and Water-type Pokémon.
Grass-type Pokémon are weak to: Flying, Poison, Bug, Fire and Ice-type attacks.
Best Grass-type Mega attacker: Mega Sceptile.
Best Grass-type attackers: Kartana, Zarude, Sky Shaymin.
Best Grass-type counters: Rayquaza, Reshiram, Yveltal.
Best Grass-type Fast moves: Bullet Seed, Razor Leaf, Vine Whip.
Best Grass-type Charged moves: Frenzy Plant, Leaf Blade, Power Whip.
Best Electric-type attackers in Pokémon Go
Below you'll find the best Electric-type attackers in Pokémon Go, including the best Electric-type counters and moves:
Electric-type attacks are strong against: Flying and Water-type Pokémon.
Electric-type Pokémon are weak to: Ground-type attacks.
Best Electric-type Mega attacker: Mega Manectric.
Best Electric-type attackers: Xurkitree, Zekrom, Therian Thunderus.
Best Electric-type counters: Groudon, Excadrill, Garchomp.
Best Electric-type Fast moves: Thunder Shock, Charge Beam, Thunder Fang.
Best Electric-type Charged moves: Wild Charge, Discharge, Fusion Bolt.
Best Psychic-type attackers in Pokémon Go
Want to unleash the power of the Psychic-type Pokémon? Then you'll need to know the best Psychic-type attackers, counters and moves in Pokémon Go:
Psychic-type attacks are strong against: Fighting and Poison-type Pokémon.
Psychic-type Pokémon are weak to: Bug, Ghost and Dark-type attacks.
Best Psychic-type Mega attacker: Mega Alakazam.
Best Psychic-type attackers: Mewtwo, Hoopa Unbound, Lunala.
Best Psychic-type counters: Hydreigon, Tyranitar, Giratina Origin.
Best Psychic-type Fast moves: Psycho Cut, Confusion, Zen Headbutt.
Best Psychic-type Charged moves: Psystrike, Psychic, Future Sight.
Best Ice-type attackers in Pokémon Go
When it's time to make your foes feel the cold, make sure you know the best Ice-type attackers, counters and moves in Pokémon Go:
Ice-type attacks are strong against: Flying, Ground, Grass and Dragon-type Pokémon.
Ice-type Pokémon are weak to: Fighting, Rock, Steel and Fire-type attacks.
Best Ice-type Mega attacker: Mega Glalie.
Best Ice-type attackers: Kyurem, Baxcalibur, Galarian Darmanitan.
Best Ice-type counters: Reshiram, Terrakion, Keldeo.
Best Ice-type Fast moves: Powder Snow, Ice Shard, Ice Fang.
Best Ice-type Charged moves: Glaciate, Avalanche, Weather Ball.
Best Dragon-type attackers in Pokémon Go
Here are the best Dragon-type attackers in Pokémon Go, including the best Dragon-type moves and those all important Dragon-type counters:
Dragon-type attacks are strong against: Dragon-type Pokémon.
Dragon-type Pokémon are weak to: Ice, Dragon, Fairy-type attacks.
Best Dragon-type Mega attacker: Mega Rayquaza.
Best Dragon-type attackers: Rayquaza, Palkia, Zekrom.
Best Dragon-type counters: Dialga, Rayquaza, Salamence.
Best Dragon-type Fast moves: Dragon Tail, Dragon Breath.
Best Dragon-type Charged moves: Outrage, Draco Meteor, Dragon Claw.
Best Dark-type attackers in Pokémon Go
Below you'll find the best Dark-type attackers in Pokémon Go, including the best Dark-type counters and moves:
Dark-type attacks are strong against: Fighting, Dark and Fairy-type Pokémon.
Dark-type Pokémon are weak to: Fighting, Bug and Fairy-type attacks.
Best Dark-type Mega attacker: Mega Tyranitar.
Best Dark-type attackers: Tyranitar, Hydreigon, Hoopa Unbound.
Best Dark-type counters: Terrakion, Keldeo, Lucario.
Best Dark-type Fast moves: Bite, Snarl, Sucker Punch.
Best Dark-type Charged moves: Brutal Swing, Foul Play, Crunch.
Best Fairy-type attackers in Pokémon Go
Finally, here are the best Fairy-type attackers, including the best Fairy-type counters and moves, in Pokémon Go:
Fairy-type attacks are strong against: Fighting, Dragon and Dark-type Pokémon.
Fairy-type Pokémon are weak to: Poison and Steel-type attacks.
Best Fairy-type Mega attacker: Mega Gardevoir.
Best Fairy-type attackers: Hero Zacian, Xerneas, Tapu Koko.
Best Fairy-type counters: Metagross, Nihilego, Dialga.
Best Fairy-type Fast moves: Charm, Geomancy, Fairy Wind.
Best Fairy-type Charged moves: Dazzling Gleam, Moonblast, Play Rough.
Good luck in Pokémon Go!
