Pokémon type effectiveness determines battle outcomes through strengths and weaknesses. The chart shows which types deal double damage, half damage, or no damage against other types.
Understanding Pokémon Type Effectiveness
In the world of Pokémon, understanding type matchups is crucial for battle success. The interactive type chart tool provided at the top of this page allows you to select one or two types to see their weaknesses, resistances, and immunities. This visual representation makes it easy to identify which attacking types will be super effective (2x damage), very effective (4x damage), not very effective (0.5x damage), barely effective (0.25x damage), or have no effect (0x damage) against your selected Pokémon types.
The chart is based on Generation 8+ games and provides a comprehensive overview of all 18 Pokémon types. By clicking on a type, you can highlight its weaknesses and resistances, and clicking a second type will show dual-type combinations. This is particularly useful for planning team compositions and battle strategies.
The Basics of Type Matchups
Type effectiveness is a fundamental mechanic in Pokémon battles. Each of the 18 types has its own set of strengths and weaknesses. When a Pokémon uses a move, the damage it deals depends on how effective that move's type is against the defending Pokémon's type(s).
For example, Fire-type moves are super effective against Grass-type Pokémon, meaning they deal double damage. However, Water-type moves are not very effective against Grass-type Pokémon, dealing only half damage. This system creates a complex web of relationships between types, similar to an elaborate rock-paper-scissors game.
Key Terminology in Type Effectiveness
To properly understand the Pokémon type chart, you need to be familiar with these key terms:
Super effective: When an attack is super effective, it deals double (2x) damage to the defending Pokémon. For example, Electric-type moves are super effective against Water-type Pokémon.
Not very effective: When an attack is not very effective, it deals half (0.5x) damage to the defending Pokémon. For example, Fire-type moves are not very effective against Water-type Pokémon.
No effect: Some type combinations result in attacks having no effect (0x damage). For example, Ground-type moves have no effect on Flying-type Pokémon.
Resistance: When a Pokémon takes reduced damage from attacks of a certain type, it is resistant to that type.
Weakness: When a Pokémon takes increased damage from attacks of a certain type, it is weak to that type.
The Complete Pokémon Type Chart
The Pokémon type system includes 18 different types: Normal, Fire, Water, Electric, Grass, Ice, Fighting, Poison, Ground, Flying, Psychic, Bug, Rock, Ghost, Dragon, Dark, Steel, and Fairy. Each type has its own set of strengths and weaknesses, creating a complex system of interactions.
Offensive Type Effectiveness
When using attacks, it's important to know which types your moves will be effective against. Here's a breakdown of what each type is strong against:
-
Normal: No type advantages
-
Fire: Grass, Ice, Bug, Steel
-
Water: Fire, Ground, Rock
-
Electric: Water, Flying
-
Grass: Water, Ground, Rock
-
Ice: Grass, Ground, Flying, Dragon
-
Fighting: Normal, Ice, Rock, Dark, Steel
-
Poison: Grass, Fairy
-
Ground: Fire, Electric, Poison, Rock, Steel
-
Flying: Grass, Fighting, Bug
-
Psychic: Fighting, Poison
-
Bug: Grass, Psychic, Dark
-
Rock: Fire, Ice, Flying, Bug
-
Ghost: Ghost, Psychic
-
Dragon: Dragon
-
Dark: Ghost, Psychic
-
Steel: Ice, Rock, Fairy
-
Fairy: Fighting, Dragon, Dark
Defensive Type Effectiveness
Defensively, you need to know which types your Pokémon are vulnerable to. Here's a breakdown of what each type is weak to:
-
Normal: Fighting
-
Fire: Water, Ground, Rock
-
Water: Electric, Grass
-
Electric: Ground
-
Grass: Fire, Ice, Poison, Flying, Bug
-
Ice: Fire, Fighting, Rock, Steel
-
Fighting: Flying, Psychic, Fairy
-
Poison: Ground, Psychic
-
Ground: Water, Grass, Ice
-
Flying: Electric, Ice, Rock
-
Psychic: Bug, Ghost, Dark
-
Bug: Fire, Flying, Rock
-
Rock: Water, Grass, Fighting, Ground, Steel
-
Ghost: Ghost, Dark
-
Dragon: Ice, Dragon, Fairy
-
Dark: Fighting, Bug, Fairy
-
Steel: Fire, Fighting, Ground
-
Fairy: Poison, Steel
Dual-Type Pokémon and Type Effectiveness
Many Pokémon have two types, which adds another layer of complexity to type matchups. For dual-type Pokémon, the effectiveness of an attack is calculated by multiplying the effectiveness against each of the Pokémon's types.
How Dual-Type Effectiveness Works
When a Pokémon has two types, the effectiveness multipliers are combined:
-
4x weakness (very effective): If both types are weak to the same attacking type, the Pokémon takes quadruple damage. For example, a Grass/Ice Pokémon like Abomasnow takes 4x damage from Fire-type moves.
-
2x weakness (super effective): If one type is weak to an attacking type and the other type has a neutral relationship, the Pokémon takes double damage.
-
1x damage (neutral): If one type is weak to an attacking type but the other type resists it, these effects cancel out, resulting in normal damage. For example, a Water/Ground Pokémon like Swampert takes normal damage from Electric-type moves despite Ground being immune to Electric, because Water is weak to Electric.
-
0.5x resistance (not very effective): If one type resists an attacking type and the other type has a neutral relationship, the Pokémon takes half damage.
-
0.25x resistance (barely effective): If both types resist the same attacking type, the Pokémon takes quarter damage. For example, a Steel/Dragon Pokémon like Dialga takes 0.25x damage from Grass-type moves.
-
0x immunity (no effect): If either type is immune to an attacking type, the Pokémon takes no damage, regardless of the other type's relationship with that attacking type. For example, a Normal/Flying Pokémon like Pidgey takes no damage from Ground-type moves because of the Flying type's immunity, despite Normal having no special resistance to Ground.
Examples of Dual-Type Effectiveness
Let's look at some examples to better understand how dual-typing affects type effectiveness:
Swampert (Water/Ground):
-
Takes 4x damage from Grass-type moves (both Water and Ground are weak to Grass)
-
Takes 0x damage from Electric-type moves (Ground is immune, despite Water being weak)
-
Takes 1x damage from Fire-type moves (Water resists Fire, while Ground has no special relationship)
Charizard (Fire/Flying):
-
Takes 4x damage from Rock-type moves (both Fire and Flying are weak to Rock)
-
Takes 2x damage from Electric-type moves (Flying is weak, Fire has no special relationship)
-
Takes 0.5x damage from Fighting-type moves (Flying resists Fighting, Fire has no special relationship)
-
Takes 0.25x damage from Grass-type moves (both Fire and Flying resist Grass)
Type Effectiveness Changes Across Generations
The Pokémon type chart has evolved over the years, with new types being added and effectiveness relationships being adjusted. Understanding these changes is important for players who move between different Pokémon games.
Major Changes in Type Effectiveness
Generation 1 to 2:
-
The Steel and Dark types were introduced
-
Bug-type moves became effective against Dark
-
Poison-type moves became ineffective against Steel
-
Ghost-type moves became effective against Psychic
Generation 2 to 6:
-
The Fairy type was introduced in Generation 6
-
Fairy is strong against Fighting, Dragon, and Dark
-
Fairy is weak to Poison and Steel
-
Fairy resists Bug, Fighting, and Dark
-
Dragon-type moves have no effect on Fairy-type Pokémon
Generation 6 and beyond:
-
Steel-type Pokémon no longer resist Ghost and Dark
-
Ghost and Dark-type moves now deal neutral damage to Steel
Pokémon GO Type Effectiveness Differences
Pokémon GO uses a slightly different system for type effectiveness compared to the main series games:
-
There are no complete immunities in Pokémon GO
-
Instead of doing 0x damage, attacks that would normally have no effect do 0.39x damage
-
Super effective attacks do 1.6x damage instead of 2x
-
Not very effective attacks do 0.625x damage instead of 0.5x
-
Doubly effective attacks (against dual-types) do 2.56x damage instead of 4x
Practical Applications of Type Knowledge
Understanding type effectiveness is not just theoretical knowledge—it has practical applications in Pokémon battles. Here's how you can use this knowledge to your advantage.
Team Building Strategies
When building a Pokémon team, consider these type-based strategies:
-
Type coverage: Ensure your team's moves can hit a wide range of types for super-effective damage. Ideally, your team should be able to hit every type super effectively with at least one move.
-
Defensive synergy: Choose Pokémon whose types complement each other defensively. If one Pokémon is weak to a certain type, include another that resists or is immune to that type.
-
STAB advantage: Same-Type Attack Bonus (STAB) gives a 50% damage boost when a Pokémon uses a move that matches one of its types. Prioritize STAB moves in your Pokémon's movesets.
-
Minimize common weaknesses: Avoid having multiple Pokémon that share the same weakness, as this creates a vulnerability that opponents can exploit.
Battle Tactics Using Type Advantages
During battles, type knowledge can inform your decisions:
-
Predicting switches: If your Pokémon has a type disadvantage, your opponent might switch to a Pokémon that can exploit it. Anticipate this and counter accordingly.
-
Coverage moves: Teach your Pokémon moves that cover their weaknesses. For example, a Fire-type might learn Solar Beam to handle Water-types.
-
Type-based sacrifices: Sometimes it's strategic to let a Pokémon faint if it allows you to bring in another Pokémon with a type advantage safely.
-
Weather considerations: Some weather conditions boost certain types (like Rain boosting Water-type moves). Factor this into your type-based decisions.
Understanding Type Multipliers
The math behind type effectiveness might seem complicated, but it follows a consistent pattern. Understanding how these multipliers work can help you calculate damage more accurately.
How Multipliers Work in Main Series Games
In the main Pokémon games, these are the standard multipliers:
-
Super effective: 2x damage
-
Not very effective: 0.5x damage
-
No effect: 0x damage (no damage)
-
Same-Type Attack Bonus (STAB): 1.5x damage
For dual-type Pokémon, the multipliers from each type are combined by multiplication:
-
Super effective against both types: 2x × 2x = 4x damage
-
Super effective against one type, neutral against the other: 2x × 1x = 2x damage
-
Super effective against one type, not very effective against the other: 2x × 0.5x = 1x damage
-
Not very effective against both types: 0.5x × 0.5x = 0.25x damage
-
No effect against either type: 0x damage regardless of the other type
Special Cases and Exceptions
There are some moves and abilities that alter the standard type effectiveness rules:
-
Freeze-Dry: This Ice-type move is super effective against Water-types, despite Ice not normally being super effective against Water.
-
Flying Press: This Fighting-type move also counts as a Flying-type move for type effectiveness calculations.
-
Thousand Arrows: This Ground-type move can hit Flying-types and Pokémon with Levitate, despite their usual immunity to Ground-type moves.
-
Abilities like Levitate: Some abilities grant immunities to certain types. For example, Levitate makes a Pokémon immune to Ground-type moves regardless of its type.
-
Terastallization: In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Terastallization can change a Pokémon's type during battle, altering its weaknesses and resistances.
Type Effectiveness in the Pokémon TCG
The Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) handles type effectiveness differently from the video games, with a simpler system that has evolved over time.
TCG Type Effectiveness Rules
In the Pokémon TCG:
-
Weakness typically doubles the damage a Pokémon takes from attacks of that type
-
Resistance typically reduces damage by 30 (it was 20 for a period)
-
There are no immunities in the TCG
-
Not all Pokémon have weaknesses or resistances in the TCG
-
The TCG has fewer types than the video games, with some types combined
TCG Type Chart
The common type matchups in the Pokémon TCG are:
-
Grass: Weak to Fire or Psychic, Resistant to Water or Fighting
-
Fire: Weak to Water, No common resistances
-
Water: Weak to Lightning or Grass or Metal, No common resistances
-
Lightning: Weak to Fighting, Resistant to Metal
-
Fighting: Weak to Psychic or Grass or Water, No common resistances
-
Psychic: Weak to Darkness, Resistant to Fighting
-
Colorless: Weak to Fighting, No common resistances
-
Darkness: Weak to Fighting, No common resistances
-
Metal: Weak to Fire, Resistant to Grass
-
Dragon: No common weaknesses, No common resistances
Common Questions
Why do certain types have advantages over others?
The type advantages in Pokémon often follow logical real-world relationships. For example:
-
Water extinguishes fire, so Water is super effective against Fire
-
Electricity is conducted by water, so Electric is super effective against Water
-
Plants absorb water, so Grass is super effective against Water
-
Fire burns plants, so Fire is super effective against Grass
These relationships create an intuitive system that players can understand and remember more easily.
How can I memorize the type chart?
Memorizing the entire type chart can be challenging, but these tips can help:
-
Focus on the most common types first
-
Learn logical relationships (like Water beating Fire)
-
Use mnemonic devices
-
Practice with battle simulators
-
Use reference tools like the interactive chart at the top of this page
-
Break it down by focusing on one type at a time
What's the most effective way to use type advantages in battles?
To maximize the benefit of type advantages:
-
Maintain a diverse team with good type coverage
-
Teach Pokémon moves of different types to handle various situations
-
Learn to predict your opponent's switches based on type disadvantages
-
Consider dual-typing when calculating effectiveness
-
Remember that high stats can sometimes overcome type disadvantages
-
Use items and abilities that can change or mitigate type effectiveness
How do status moves interact with type effectiveness?
Most status moves don't deal damage, so type effectiveness doesn't affect their power. However, there are some type-based immunities for status moves:
-
Ground-type Pokémon are immune to Thunder Wave (Electric)
-
Electric-type Pokémon cannot be paralyzed (in newer generations)
-
Fire-type Pokémon cannot be burned
-
Ice-type Pokémon cannot be frozen
-
Poison-type Pokémon cannot be poisoned
-
Steel-type Pokémon cannot be poisoned (except by Corrosion ability
No comments:
Post a Comment