Pokémon Type Attributes: The Complete Breakdown
Here’s the truth about Pokémon type attributes: they’re not complicated once someone explains them clearly. Super effective hits deal 2× damage. Immunities mean zero like Ground moves against Flying types. Dual types can create scary 4× weaknesses or surprising resistances. And STAB? That’s the hidden bonus that makes same-type moves hit harder.
Type Combinations That Create Unstoppable Pokémon
Some dual type Pokémon just feel unfair. You hit them with what should be a super effective move, and they shrug it off. You try to exploit a weakness, but somehow they’re immune. You watch them spam STAB moves while your attacks do nothing. That’s not luck—that’s type attributes working at their highest level. In this guide, we’re breaking down the type combinations that create truly unstoppable Pokémon. The ones with few weaknesses, key immunities, and coverage that leaves opponents guessing.
⚡ The 18 Pokémon Types ⚡
NORMAL
FIRE
WATER
GRASS
ELECTRIC
ICE
FIGHTING
POISON
GROUND
PSYCHIC
BUG
ROCK
GHOST
DRAGON
DARK
STEEL
FAIRY
🎯 Quick Reference by Category
🔥 Elemental Types
Fire • Water • Grass • Electric • Ice • Ground
💪 Physical / Fighting Types
Normal • Fighting • Poison • Rock • Steel
🔮 Special / Mystical Types
Psychic • Ghost • Dragon • Dark • Fairy
🦋 Creature / Nature Types
Bug • Flying • Grass* • Poison*
*also elemental / physical
⚔️ Types by Battle Role
🔥 Strong Offensive Types
- Ground — hits 5 types super effectively
- Fighting — hits 5 types super effectively
- Ice — hits 4 types (including Dragon)
- Dark — hits 3 types + Ghost immunity
🛡️ Strong Defensive Types
- Steel — 11 resistances, 1 immunity
- Fairy — 3 resistances, Dragon immunity
- Ghost — 2 immunities, 1 resistance
- Water — 4 resistances
✨ Types with Key Immunities
- Normal → Immune to Ghost
- Ghost → Immune to Normal, Fighting
- Dark → Immune to Psychic
- Fairy → Immune to Dragon
- Ground → Immune to Electric
- Flying → Immune to Ground
- Steel → Immune to Poison
📝 Common Type Abbreviations
| Full Name | Short Form |
|---|---|
| Normal | NOR |
| Fire | FIR |
| Water | WTR |
| Grass | GRS |
| Electric | ELC |
| Ice | ICE |
| Fighting | FGT |
| Poison | PSN |
| Ground | GRD |
| Flying | FLY |
| Psychic | PSY |
| Bug | BUG |
| Rock | RCK |
| Ghost | GHO |
| Dragon | DRG |
| Dark | DRK |
| Steel | STL |
| Fairy | FRY |
Pokémon Types Made Simple: How They Work
⚡ Pokémon Types Made Simple:
How They Work ✨
No complicated charts. No confusion. Just the simple rules that decide every battle.
🔥 The Core Idea: Every Pokémon type has strengths and weaknesses.
Use the right move → double damage. Use the wrong move → half damage or even zero.
Super Effective
When a move hits a weakness, it deals 2× damage.
Water beats Fire. Fire beats Grass. Electric beats Water. Simple.
Not Very Effective
Hit a resistance? Damage gets halved (½×).
Fire struggles against Water. Grass struggles against Fire. It works both ways.
Immunity
Some moves do zero damage to certain types.
Ground can’t touch Flying. Ghost laughs at Normal. Total shutdown.
🔥 Simple Matchups You’ll Actually Use
🔥 Fire beats Grass
💧 Water beats Fire
🌿 Grass beats Water
⚡ Electric beats Water & Flying
⛰️ Ground beats Electric
🧊 Ice beats Dragon & Ground
⚔️ See It In Action
Charizard (Fire)
VS
Venusaur (Grass)
→
🔥 Fire wins! 2× damage
Pikachu (Electric)
VS
Sandslash (Ground)
→
0 damage • Immune
🧠 3-Step Checklist
1
Check opponent’s type — What are they? Fire? Water? Grass?
2
Pick a move that beats it — Water beats Fire. Electric beats Water.
3
Avoid immunities — Don’t use Ground on Flying. Don’t use Ghost on Normal.
✨ The Short Version:
• Super effective = 2× damage (good!)
• Not very effective = ½× damage (bad!)
• Immunity = 0 damage (avoid this!)
• STAB = Same-type bonus = extra power
• Start with Fire/Water/Grass. Add Electric/Ground. Learn immunities later.
📊 Complete Type Chart • Strengths & Weaknesses
| Type | Strong Against (2×) | Weak Against (½×) | Immune To (0×) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🔥 Fire | Grass, Ice, Bug, Steel | Fire, Water, Rock, Dragon | — |
| 💧 Water | Fire, Ground, Rock | Water, Grass, Dragon | — |
| 🌿 Grass | Water, Ground, Rock | Fire, Grass, Poison, Flying, Bug, Dragon, Steel | — |
| ⚡ Electric | Water, Flying | Electric, Grass, Dragon | Ground |
| 🧊 Ice | Grass, Ground, Flying, Dragon | Fire, Water, Ice, Steel | — |
| 🥊 Fighting | Normal, Ice, Rock, Dark, Steel | Poison, Flying, Psychic, Bug, Fairy | Ghost |
| ☠️ Poison | Grass, Fairy | Poison, Ground, Rock, Ghost | Steel |
| ⛰️ Ground | Fire, Electric, Poison, Rock, Steel | Grass, Bug | Flying |
| 🕊️ Flying | Grass, Fighting, Bug | Electric, Rock, Steel | — |
| 🔮 Psychic | Fighting, Poison | Psychic, Steel | Dark |
| 🐛 Bug | Grass, Psychic, Dark | Fire, Fighting, Poison, Flying, Ghost, Steel, Fairy | — |
| 🪨 Rock | Fire, Ice, Flying, Bug | Fighting, Ground, Steel | — |
| 👻 Ghost | Psychic, Ghost | Dark | Normal, Fighting |
| 🐉 Dragon | Dragon | Steel | Fairy |
| 🌑 Dark | Psychic, Ghost | Fighting, Dark, Fairy | Psychic |
| ⚙️ Steel | Ice, Rock, Fairy | Fire, Water, Electric, Steel | Poison |
| ✨ Fairy | Fighting, Dragon, Dark | Fire, Poison, Steel | Dragon |
⚡ STAB: Same-Type Attack Bonus
💥 What Is STAB?
When a Pokémon uses a move that matches its own type, the move gets a 1.5× damage bonus.
🔥
Charizard using Flamethrower
Fire-type + Fire move = STAB bonus
Fire-type + Fire move = STAB bonus
📊 With vs Without STAB
🌿
Venusaur
Petal Blizzard
90 power
→
🌿
Venusaur
Petal Blizzard
135 power with STAB
✨ That’s why same-type moves hit harder than non-STAB moves even if they’re super effective.
💡 Pro Tip: STAB > Super Effective sometimes. A STAB move from a strong attacker can outdamage a super effective move from a weak Pokémon.
⚠️ 4× Weaknesses: The One-Shot Dangers
Water/Ground
4× weak to Grass
Example: Swampert, Quagsire
One Grass move = instant faint
Fire/Rock
4× weak to Water & Ground
Example: Magcargo, Coalossal
Double trouble
Ice/Rock
4× weak to Fighting, Steel, Water, Grass, Rock
Example: Aurorus, Glalie
So many weaknesses…
Dragon/Flying
4× weak to Ice
Example: Dragonite, Salamence
One Ice Beam ends it
Ground/Flying
4× weak to Ice
Example: Gliscor, Landorus
Immune to Ground, dies to Ice
Grass/Ground
4× weak to Ice, Bug, Fire
Example: Torterra, Garchomp
Three 4× weaknesses!
🚨 Warning: Always check for 4× weaknesses. One wrong switch and your Pokémon disappears.
🛡️ Complete Immunity List
→
0 DAMAGE
→
0 DAMAGE
→
0 DAMAGE
→
0 DAMAGE
→
0 DAMAGE
→
0 DAMAGE
→
0 DAMAGE
→
0 DAMAGE
→
0 DAMAGE
→
0 DAMAGE
🎯 Game-Changer: Immunities waste opponent’s turns. Switch into an immunity and you gain free momentum.
🎯 Coverage Moves: Hit What Your Type Can’t
Coverage means carrying a move that hits types your own type struggles against.
⚡ Electric carries Ice Beam → hits Ground
💧 Water carries Ice Beam → hits Grass
🔥 Fire carries Solar Beam → hits Water/Rock
⛰️ Ground carries Rock Slide → hits Flying
🌑 Dark carries Fighting move → hits Fairy
📋 Best Coverage Examples
- ✅ Electric + Ice (BoltBeam) — hits 13 types super effectively
- ✅ Ground + Rock (EdgeQuake) — hits 15 types for at least neutral
- ✅ Fighting + Ghost — only resisted by Normal (which Ghost hits)
- ✅ Fire + Grass — covers each other’s weaknesses perfectly
🧠 Remember: Every team needs coverage. If your whole team loses to one type, you lose.
🏗️ Team Building: Don’t Stack Weaknesses
❌ Bad Team
Charizard (Fire/Flying)
Salamence (Dragon/Flying)
Gyarados (Water/Flying)
Weakness: All 3 weak to Rock (4× for Charizard)! One Rock slide wipes the team.
✅ Good Team
Charizard (Fire/Flying)
Swampert (Water/Ground)
Garchomp (Dragon/Ground)
Coverage: Different weaknesses, resistances cover each other.
✅ Quick Team Checklist:
• No more than 2 Pokémon share the same weakness
• At least 1 immunity user (Ghost, Dark, Flying, etc.)
• Coverage moves on every Pokémon
• STAB moves on everyone
• No more than 2 Pokémon share the same weakness
• At least 1 immunity user (Ghost, Dark, Flying, etc.)
• Coverage moves on every Pokémon
• STAB moves on everyone
⚠️ Common Type Mistakes
❌
Using Ground on FlyingEarthquake does nothing to Flying types. Zero damage. Learn this.
❌
Forgetting Dual TypesGyarados is Water/Flying. Electric hits it for 4×? No—Ground immunity, but Electric still hits normally.
❌
Ignoring STABNon-STAB super effective vs STAB neutral? STAB often wins. Do the math.
❌
Switching into ImmunitiesDon’t send Ground into Flying. Don’t send Ghost into Normal. Predict instead.
Common Type Combos That Actually Work
⚡ Common Type Combos That Actually Work ✨
Not all dual types are created equal. These are the combos that dominate battles — tried, tested, and terrifying.
18
Types Total
153
Possible Combos
12
God Tier Combos
4×
Watch Your Back
🏆 Combo Tier List
S
Steel + Fairy
Water + Ground
Ghost + Dark
A
Ground +
Water + Steel
Dragon + Steel
B
Fire + Ground
Electric + Ice
Psychic + Fairy
👑 S-Tier: The Unstoppables
👑
Steel
+
Fairy
Steel / Fairy
WeaknessesFire, Ground
ImmunitiesPoison, Dragon
Resistances11 types
🛡️ Dragon immunity
Mawile
Togekiss
Klefki
Zacian
Only 2 weaknesses. 11 resistances. This is the king of defense.
👑
Water
+
Ground
Water / Ground
WeaknessesGrass (4×)
ImmunitiesElectric
ResistancesFire, Rock, Steel, Poison
⚡ Electric immunity
Swampert
Quagsire
Gastrodon
Whiscash
Turns Electric’s biggest threat into a free switch-in.
👑
Ghost
+
Dark
Ghost / Dark
WeaknessesFairy
ImmunitiesNormal, Fighting, Psychic
ResistancesPoison
🛡️ 3 immunities!
Spiritomb
Sableye
Greninja (Ash)
Hisuian Zoroark
Three immunities. Zero weaknesses except Fairy. Nuts.
⚔️ A-Tier: The Powerhouses
⚔️
Ground
+
Ground / Flying
WeaknessesIce (4×), Water
ImmunitiesGround, Electric
Gliscor
Landorus
Flygon
Immune to Ground and Electric. Dies to Ice. High risk, high reward.
⚔️
Water
+
Steel
Water / Steel
WeaknessesElectric, Fighting
ImmunitiesPoison
Resistances10 types
Empoleon
Kingdra
Tanky, reliable, and hits hard.
⚔️
Dragon
+
Steel
Dragon / Steel
WeaknessesGround, Fighting, Fire
ImmunitiesPoison
Dialga
Duraludon
Legendary-tier defenses and Dragon’s offensive power.
🔥 B-Tier: Reliable & Dangerous
Fire
+
Ground
Fire / Ground
WeaknessesWater, Ground (4×? no, Ground is neutral)
Camerupt
Torkoal
Electric
+
Ice
Electric / Ice
The BoltBeam ComboHits 13 types super effectively
Rotom-Frost
Arctozolt
Offensive monster. Defensively? Not great. But you’re here to attack.
Psychic
+
Fairy
Psychic / Fairy
WeaknessesGhost, Poison, Steel
ImmunitiesDragon
Gardevoir
Hatterene
⚠️ Watch Out: These Combos Hit Hard (Both Ways)
Grass + Ground
4× weak to Ice, Bug, Fire
Dragon +
4× weak to Ice
Ice + Rock
4× weak to Fighting, Steel, Water, Grass, Rock
🧠 Pro Tip: The best combos have few weaknesses, key immunities, and no 4× weaknesses to common types. Steel/Fairy is the king because it only fears Fire and Ground — and both are easy to cover with teammates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you’ve ever wondered about Pokémon types — answered.
18
Types
153
Combos
4×
Deadly
11
Resists (Steel)
All
Basics
Battle
Dual Types
Immunities
STAB
There are 18 Pokémon types:
Normal
Fire
Water
Grass
Electric
Ice
Fighting
Poison
Ground
Psychic
Bug
Rock
Ghost
Dragon
Dark
Steel
Fairy
Super effective means a move deals 2× damage because the move’s type matches a weakness of the defending type.
Example: Water against Fire = 💥 2× damage.
Example: Water against Fire = 💥 2× damage.
You hit a type immunity. Some types completely block certain moves:
• Ground vs = 0
• Electric vs Ground = 0
• Ghost vs Normal = 0
• Dragon vs Fairy = 0
• Ground vs = 0
• Electric vs Ground = 0
• Ghost vs Normal = 0
• Dragon vs Fairy = 0
A 4× weakness happens when a move is super effective against both of a dual-type Pokémon’s types.
Example: Water + Ground (like Swampert) takes 4× damage from Grass moves.
Swampert Quagsire Garchomp (if Ground/Dragon vs Ice)
Example: Water + Ground (like Swampert) takes 4× damage from Grass moves.
Swampert Quagsire Garchomp (if Ground/Dragon vs Ice)
STAB = Same-Type Attack Bonus.
When a Pokémon uses a move that matches its own type, the move deals 1.5× damage.
Example: Water type using Surf gets STAB. A Fire type using Flamethrower gets STAB.
That’s why same-type moves often hit harder than coverage moves.
When a Pokémon uses a move that matches its own type, the move deals 1.5× damage.
Example: Water type using Surf gets STAB. A Fire type using Flamethrower gets STAB.
That’s why same-type moves often hit harder than coverage moves.
A dual type Pokémon has two types. The game checks both types for weaknesses, resistances, and immunities.
• If both types are weak → 4× damage
• If both types resist → ¼× damage
• If one type is immune → 0 damage (immunity overrides everything)
Example: Water + (Gyarados) takes normal damage from Electric (Water weak, Flying resists? Actually Flying doesn’t resist Electric — check chart!)
• If both types are weak → 4× damage
• If both types resist → ¼× damage
• If one type is immune → 0 damage (immunity overrides everything)
Example: Water + (Gyarados) takes normal damage from Electric (Water weak, Flying resists? Actually Flying doesn’t resist Electric — check chart!)
Most experts agree: Steel / Fairy is the best defensive combo.
• Only 2 weaknesses (Fire, Ground)
• 11 resistances
• Immunity to Poison and Dragon
Other top contenders: Water + Ground, Ghost + Dark.
• Only 2 weaknesses (Fire, Ground)
• 11 resistances
• Immunity to Poison and Dragon
Other top contenders: Water + Ground, Ghost + Dark.
No! Start with these:
• Fire beats Grass
• Water beats Fire
• Grass beats Water
• Electric beats Water +
• Ground beats Electric
• Ice beats Dragon
Learn these 6 and you’ll win most casual battles.
• Fire beats Grass
• Water beats Fire
• Grass beats Water
• Electric beats Water +
• Ground beats Electric
• Ice beats Dragon
Learn these 6 and you’ll win most casual battles.
Coverage moves are moves that hit types your own type struggles against.
Examples:
• Electric carrying Ice Beam to hit Ground types
• Water carrying Grass Knot to hit Water types
• Fire carrying Solar Beam to hit Water/Rock
Every good team has coverage moves.
Examples:
• Electric carrying Ice Beam to hit Ground types
• Water carrying Grass Knot to hit Water types
• Fire carrying Solar Beam to hit Water/Rock
Every good team has coverage moves.
Simple rules:
• Don’t let 3+ Pokémon share the same weakness
• Have at least 1 immunity user (Ghost, Dark, )
• Include coverage moves
• Make sure every Pokémon has a STAB move
• Have a plan for Steel, Dragon, and Fairy types
• Don’t let 3+ Pokémon share the same weakness
• Have at least 1 immunity user (Ghost, Dark, )
• Include coverage moves
• Make sure every Pokémon has a STAB move
• Have a plan for Steel, Dragon, and Fairy types
❓ Still have questions? Pokémon type matchups can be tricky — but you’ve got this. Start with the basics, practice in battles, and soon you’ll predict immunities before they happen.
⚡ Happy battling, trainer! ⚡
