How many Pokemon types are there? Strengths, weaknesses & resistance explained
Game Freak / The Pokemon Company
Grasping the various Pokemon types is a fundamental phase in your journey to becoming an expert trainer. Each Pokemon is categorized under one or more types, and each type possesses a unique collection of advantages and disadvantages. Here’s the total count of Pokemon types as well as the specific strengths and weaknesses associated with each.
In a Pokemon battle, a tiny Sylveon can beat a ferocious Dragon-type Pokemon in seconds. This can occur due to all of the different Pokemon types. Every creature in the history of the franchise belongs to a certain type, which makes it stronger and weaker against certain opponents.
Knowledge of types is pivotal for winning battles in a wide range of games such as Pokemon Go Pokemon Masters EX, and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
If you’re new to Pokemon games, check out this guide on Pokemon types to win battles easily.
Game Freak / The Pokemon CompanyList of all Pokemon types
- There are 18 Pokemon types which include:
- Normal
- Fire
- Water
- Grass
- Electric
- Ice
- Fighting
- Poison
- Ground
- Flying
- Psychic
- Bug
- Rock
- Ghost
- Dark
- Dragon
- Steel
- Fairy
Pokemon can belong to a single type or two types. Pokemon with two types are referred to as dual-type Pokemon. For example, Chansey is a Normal-type Pokemon while Dragonite is a Dragon/Flying type Pokemon.
Evolutions can change the type of a Pokemon as well. The best example of this is Eevee which is a Normal-type Pokemon that can evolve into eight different types.
Pokemon type chart: Strengths, weaknesses & resistances
This chart will help you understand how different Pokemon types perform against each other in battle:
| Type | Super effective against | Not very effective against | Resistant against damage from | Weak against |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | – | Rock, Steel, Ghost (immune) | Ghost | Fighting |
| Fairy | Fighting, Dragon, Dark | Poison, Steel, Fire | Fighting, Bug, Dark, Dragon | Poison, Steel |
| Dark | Ghost, Psychic | Fighting, Dark, Fairy | Ghost, Dark, Psychic | Fighting, Bug, Fairy |
| Dragon | Dragon | Steel | Fire, Water, Grass, Electric | Ice, Dragon, Fairy |
| Ice | Flying, Ground, Grass, Dragon | Steel, Fire, Water, Ice | Ice | Fighting, Rock, Steel, Fire |
| Psychic | Fighting, Poison | Steel, Psychic, Dark | Fighting, Psychic | Bug, Ghost, Dark |
| Electric | Flying, Water | Grass, Electric, Dragon, Ground | Flying, Steel, Electric | Ground |
| Flying | Fighting, Bug, Grass | Electric, Rock, Steel | Fighting, Bug, Grass, Ground (immune) | Rock, Electric, Ice |
| Fighting | Normal, Ice, Rock, Dark, Steel | Flying, Poison, Bug, Psychic, Ghost (immune) | Rock, Bug, Dark | Flying, Psychic, Fairy |
| Poison | Grass, Fairy | Poison, Ground, Rock, Ghost, Steel (immune) | Fighting, Poison, Bug, Grass, Fairy | Ground, Psychic |
| Ground | Poison, Rock, Steel, Fire, Electric | Bug, Grass, Flying (immune) | Poison, Rock, Electric (immune) | Water, Grass, Ice |
| Rock | Flying, Bug, Fire, Ice | Fighting, Ground, Steel | Normal, Fire, Poison, Flying | Water, Grass, Fighting, Ground, Steel |
| Bug | Grass, Psychic, Dark | Fighting, Flying, Poison, Ghost, Steel, Fire, Fairy | Fighting, Ground, Grass | Flying, Rock, Fire |
| Grass | Ground, Rock, Water | Flying, Poison, Bug, Steel, Fire, Grass, Dragon | Water, Grass, Electric, Ground | Flying, Poison, Bug, Fire, Ice |
| Water | Ground, Rock, Fire | Water, Grass, Dragon | Fire, Water, Ice, Steel | Electric, Grass |
| Fire | Bug, Steel, Grass, Ice | Rock, Fire, Water, Dragon | Bug, Steel, Fire, Grass, Ice, Fairy | Ground, Rock, Water |
| Ghost | Ghost, Psychic | Dark, Normal (immune) | Poison, Bug, Normal (immune), Fighting (immune) | Ghost, Dark |
| Steel | Ice, Rock, Fairy | Steel, Fire, Water, Electric | Normal, Grass, Ice, Flying, Psychic, Bug, Rock, Dragon, Steel, Fairy, Poison (immune) | Fire, Fighting, Ground |
It is worth noting that this chart reveals how different moves impact Pokemon during battles. This basically means that a Water-type Pokemon will resist damage from Fire, Water, Ice, and Steel moves but it will deal increased (2x) damage to a Ground, Rock, and Fire-type Pokemon only if it performs a Water-type move.
Pokemon can learn attacks outside of their types, which makes understanding the chart a valuable tool in battle.
Even though the combat mechanics might vary slightly in different Pokemon games, the basic type-based weaknesses and strengths remain the same. There are some exceptions to this such as Pokemon Masters where every Pokemon only has one weakness and the goal is to make solid sync pairs.
For more Pokemon content, check out some of our other guides:
How to connect Pokemon Go to Pokemon Scarlet & Violet | How to catch Shiny Pokemon in Scarlet & Violet | How does EXP Share work in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet? | How to catch all Legendaries in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet | How to breed eggs in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet | Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Stake locations: All Shrines | How to check IVs in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet.