Pokemon Go Type Strengths Weaknesses Explained

Pokémon Go type strengths and weaknesses determine how much damage your attacks deal and receive in battles, gyms, and raids. This guide explains the type chart, how to use it effectively, and answers common questions about type matchups in the game.

How Type Matchups Work in Pokémon Go

Every Pokémon has one or two types (e.g., Fire, Water, Grass, Electric). Each move also has a type. When a move hits a Pokémon, the game multiplies the damage based on the defender’s type(s). The multipliers are:

• 2× (super effective) – the move deals double damage.
• 1× (neutral) – normal damage.
• 0.5× (not very effective) – half damage.
• 0.391× (resisted twice) – if the defender has two types that both resist the move.
• 0.244× (double resisted) – for certain dual-type combos (e.g., a Fire move against a Water/Rock Pokémon).
• 0× (immune) – in the main series, some types are immune (e.g., Normal vs Ghost), but in Pokémon Go, immunities are implemented as a 0.391× resistance, not zero damage.

For dual-type Pokémon, the multipliers from both types are multiplied together. For example, a Water move against a Charizard (Fire/Flying) is 0.5× (Water vs Fire) × 0.5× (Water vs Flying) = 0.25× damage.

The Full Type Chart

Here is the complete list of attacking types and what they are super effective against (deal 2× damage) and not very effective against (deal 0.5× damage):

• Normal – Super: none. Not very: Rock, Steel.
• Fire – Super: Grass, Ice, Bug, Steel. Not very: Fire, Water, Rock, Dragon.
• Water – Super: Fire, Ground, Rock. Not very: Water, Grass, Dragon.
• Electric – Super: Water, Flying. Not very: Electric, Grass, Dragon.
• Grass – Super: Water, Ground, Rock. Not very: Fire, Grass, Poison, Flying, Bug, Dragon, Steel.
• Ice – Super: Grass, Ground, Flying, Dragon. Not very: Fire, Water, Ice, Steel.
• Fighting – Super: Normal, Ice, Rock, Dark, Steel. Not very: Poison, Flying, Psychic, Bug, Fairy.
• Poison – Super: Grass, Fairy. Not very: Poison, Ground, Rock, Ghost.
• Ground – Super: Fire, Electric, Poison, Rock, Steel. Not very: Grass, Bug, Flying.
• Flying – Super: Grass, Fighting, Bug. Not very: Electric, Rock, Steel.
• Psychic – Super: Fighting, Poison. Not very: Psychic, Steel.
• Bug – Super: Grass, Psychic, Dark. Not very: Fire, Fighting, Poison, Flying, Ghost, Steel, Fairy.
• Rock – Super: Fire, Ice, Flying, Bug. Not very: Fighting, Ground, Steel.
• Ghost – Super: Psychic, Ghost. Not very: Dark, Normal.
• Dragon – Super: Dragon. Not very: Steel, Fairy.
• Dark – Super: Psychic, Ghost. Not very: Fighting, Dark, Fairy.
• Steel – Super: Ice, Rock, Fairy. Not very: Fire, Water, Electric, Steel.
• Fairy – Super: Fighting, Dragon, Dark. Not very: Fire, Poison, Steel.

Note that the chart is symmetrical: if Fire is super effective against Grass, then Grass is not very effective against Fire. Also, some types have no effect on others in the main series, but in Pokémon Go, those are treated as 0.391× (e.g., Normal vs Ghost, Fighting vs Ghost).

How to See Type Matchups in the Game

You don’t need to memorize the chart. The game shows you type effectiveness in several ways:

• During battle – when you use a move, the text “It’s super effective!â€� or “It’s not very effective…â€� appears.
• In the battle screen – before you select a move, the game shows a small icon (like a circle with an arrow) indicating effectiveness: a green up arrow for super effective, a red down arrow for not very effective.
• In the Pokédex – for each Pokémon, you can see its type(s) and, if you tap the type, a list of its strengths and weaknesses.
• Third-party apps and websites – many sites offer interactive type charts where you can select a Pokémon and see its weaknesses.

However, the in-game indicators only appear when you have already selected a move. For planning before a battle, you need to know the types of the opponent or use a reference.

How to Choose Your Attackers and Moves

When building a team for a raid or gym battle, you want to use Pokémon that have moves that are super effective against the defender. For example:

• Against a Water-type raid boss (like Kyogre), use Electric or Grass moves.
• Against a Dragon-type (like Dragonite), use Ice, Dragon, or Fairy moves.
• Against a Fighting-type (like Machamp), use Psychic, Flying, or Fairy moves.

Also consider the defender’s moves. If a Pokémon has a move that is super effective against your attacker, you might want to switch to a Pokémon that resists that move. For instance, if you are using a Gengar (Ghost/Poison) against a Psychic-type with a Psychic move, Gengar takes double damage from Psychic moves, so you should choose a Dark-type instead.

For moves, you want to use a move that matches the Pokémon’s type (called “STAB� – Same Type Attack Bonus). STAB gives a 20% damage boost in Pokémon Go, so a Fire-type Pokémon using a Fire move deals 1.2× damage before type effectiveness.

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions

Here are frequent errors players make:

• Confusing “not very effectiveâ€� with “no effectâ€� – In Pokémon Go, no type is completely immune; the lowest multiplier is 0.244×, not 0.
• Forgetting dual types – A Pokémon with two types can have a move that is resisted by one type and super effective against the other, resulting in neutral damage. For example, a Fire move against a Grass/Rock Pokémon: Fire is super against Grass (2×) and not very against Rock (0.5×), so overall 1× damage.
• Using the wrong move type – A Pokémon with a high attack stat but a move that is not very effective will deal less damage than a lower-attack Pokémon with a super effective move. Always prioritize type effectiveness over raw stats.
• Not considering weather boosts – Weather can boost certain move types (e.g., rainy weather boosts Water, Electric, and Bug moves). This can change the effective damage, but it does not change the type chart.

How Type Effectiveness Affects PvP and Raids

In PvP (Player vs Player) battles, type matchups are crucial because you can see your opponent’s Pokémon before choosing your next one. In raids, you are limited to a timer, so using super effective moves can make the difference between winning and losing. For example, in a Tier 5 raid, using a team of six Pokémon with super effective moves can cut the battle time in half compared to using neutral moves.

Also, in gym battles, the game shows you the defender’s type(s) before you attack, so you can select a team that is super effective. The game also suggests a team automatically, but it often doesn’t optimize for type matchups.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I know a Pokémon’s type in Pokémon Go?
A: You can see a Pokémon’s type(s) on its summary screen, in the Pokédex, and in battle. The type is shown as an icon next to the Pokémon’s name.

Q: What is STAB and how does it work?
A: STAB stands for Same Type Attack Bonus. If a Pokémon uses a move that matches its own type (e.g., a Charizard using Fire Spin), the move deals 20% more damage. This is separate from type effectiveness.

Q: Are there any immunities in Pokémon Go?
A: No. In the main series games, some types are immune to others (e.g., Normal vs Ghost), but in Pokémon Go, those are treated as a strong resistance (0.391× damage). You will never see “It doesn’t affect…� in Pokémon Go.

Q: Does weather affect type effectiveness?
A: Weather does not change the type chart, but it boosts the power of certain move types by 20% (or 50% for a few like during fog). For example, sunny weather boosts Fire and Grass moves, so a Fire move will deal more damage, but it is still super effective against Grass regardless of weather.

Q: How can I quickly check a Pokémon’s weaknesses in battle?
A: In a gym or raid battle, the game shows the defender’s type(s) and a small icon indicating whether your selected move is super effective, neutral, or not very effective. For planning, you can use the in-game Pokédex or a third-party type chart.

Q: What is the best type in Pokémon Go?
A: There is no single “best� type because every type has strengths and weaknesses. However, types like Dragon, Steel, and Fairy are often considered strong defensively because they have few weaknesses and resist many types. But in practice, you should choose Pokémon based on the specific matchup.

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