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Learn every Pokemon GO type’s strengths and weaknesses to build better teams, win battles, and make informed move choices easily.
Understanding how types work in Pokemon GO can help you make better choices during battles. Each type has specific advantages and disadvantages that affect how much damage is dealt or received. You don’t need to memorise everything all at once. Instead, focus on recognising patterns and using them to plan your battles.
How Do Type Interactions Work in Pokemon GO?
Every Pokemon and move has a type. When a move is used, its effectiveness depends on the type of opponent. A move can do more damage, less damage, or neutral damage based on that interaction. There’s also something called STAB — if a Pokemon uses a move that matches its own type, it deals slightly more damage. Immunities from the main series aren’t included here, so every move always lands with at least some damage.
It helps to think of this system as a more layered version of Rock-Paper-Scissors. Only here, there are 18 options instead of just three. You won’t find complete immunity in Pokemon GO, but you will see plenty of resistance and vulnerability based on types.
Normal-Type
Normal moves don’t work well against Rock and Steel and have no advantage over any type. They’re resisted by Ghost Pokemon. If your opponent uses a Fighting move, Normal-types will take more damage than usual.
Fighting-Type
Fighting is useful against Dark, Ice, Normal, Rock, and Steel. But it struggles to make an impact on Fairy, Flying, Poison, and Psychic opponents. When facing Flying, Fairy, or Psychic attacks, Fighting-types take extra damage.
Flying-Type
Flying moves are good against Bug, Grass, and Fighting. But they don’t do much to Rock, Steel, or Electric Pokemon. If you are using a Flying-type, be careful of Rock, Ice, and Electric attacks.
Poison-Type
Poison helps deal with Grass and Fairy foes. It doesn’t perform well against Ghost, Ground, Steel, and Rock. Psychic and Ground moves cause significant damage to Poison-types.
Ground-Type
Ground has solid offensive use against Fire, Electric, Steel, Rock, and Poison. It can’t hit Flying-types and has trouble with Bug and Grass. Ground Pokemon take heavy hits from Water, Ice, and Grass moves.
Rock-Type
Rock attacks can be helpful against Flying, Bug, Fire, and Ice. They’re less useful when used on Steel, Ground, or Fighting types. Water, Grass, Ground, and Fighting moves deal significant damage to Rock-types.
Bug-Type
Bug-type moves are handy when dealing with Grass, Dark, or Psychic. They’re resisted by Steel, Ghost, Poison, and Fairy. Defensively, Bug-types are weak to Rock, Flying, and Fire moves.
Ghost-Type
Ghosts are strong against other Ghosts and Psychic Pokemon. Their moves are useless on Normal types and get resisted by Dark. If you are using Ghost-types, beware of Ghost and Dark attacks.
Steel-Type
Steel works well against Ice, Rock, and Fairy. It can’t do much to Electric, Water, or Fire. But it resists many types, including Psychic, Grass, and Dragon — making it a good defensive choice. Its key weaknesses are Ground, Fire, and Fighting moves.
Fire-Type
Fire burns through Grass, Bug, Steel, and Ice. But it struggles against Rock, Fire, Dragon, and Water types. Ground, Rock, and Water attacks hurt Fire-types the most.
Water-Type
Water-types deal bonus damage to Ground, Rock, and Fire. They don’t fare well against Grass, Dragon, and Water. If you are up against Electric or Grass moves, Water-types will be at a disadvantage.
Grass-Type
Grass is strong against Water, Rock, and Ground but weak to Flying, Poison, and Fire. Fire, Ice, and Bug attacks can quickly bring a Grass-type down.
Electric-Type
Electric moves are effective against Water and Flying but do nothing to Ground-types. They’re resisted by Grass, Electric, and Dragon. Ground moves are a big threat to Electric Pokemon.
Psychic-Type
Psychic attacks target Fighting and Poison types well. They’re blocked by Dark Pokemon and resisted by Steel and other Psychic-types. Ghost, Bug, and Dark moves are dangerous for Psychic Pokemon.
Ice-Type
Ice is especially useful when battling Flying, Grass, Dragon, or Ground types. But Steel, Water, and Fire resist Ice moves. Ice-types have four major weaknesses: Fire, Rock, Fighting, and Steel.
Dragon-Type
Dragons are only effective against other Dragons. Their attacks are resisted by Steel and blocked by Fairy types. Ice, Fairy, and Dragon moves can take them down quickly.
Dark-Type
Dark moves counter Psychic and Ghost. They don’t work well against Fighting, Fairy, or other Dark-types. Fighting, Bug, and Fairy attacks are the biggest threats to Dark Pokemon.
Fairy-Type
Fairy deals extra damage to Fighting, Dragon, and Dark types. It doesn’t do well against Steel, Fire, or Poison. If you are using a Fairy-type, be wary of Poison and Steel attacks.
How To Use This Information
Try to look at what your opponent is using. Then, switch in a type that resists those attacks and can hit back hard. You won’t always get it right, and that’s okay. Just keep checking matchups until it feels familiar. Some players find it helpful to start by remembering the most common types they face. Others focus on just a few reliable Pokemon and learn their strengths first.
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