Understanding Type Effectiveness
Master the rock-paper-scissors of Pokémon battles
The Foundation of Battle Strategy
Losing Gym battles even when you're five levels higher because every attack comes back as "not very effective"? That's a type chart problem, not a stat deficit.
This primer turns the 18-type table into easy patterns and duos so you can spot super-effective hits, dodge resistances, and draft teams that cover their own blind spots.
Keep the examples and mnemonics below handy as you play—they'll make type checks second nature by the time you reach the next badge.
How Type Effectiveness Works
Super Effective (2x Damage)
When a move is "super effective," it deals double damage. This is your best-case scenario for offense and what you want to avoid on defense.
Not Very Effective (0.5x Damage)
When a move is "not very effective," it deals half damage. You want to avoid using these matchups offensively, but they're great for defensive switching.
No Effect (0x Damage)
Some type combinations completely negate damage. For example, Ground-type moves have no effect on Flying-type Pokémon, and Ghost-type moves don't affect Normal-type Pokémon.
Key Type Relationships to Remember
🔥 Fire Type
Strong Against:
- • Grass (burns easily)
- • Bug (insects vulnerable to fire)
- • Ice (melts ice)
- • Steel (melts metal)
Weak Against:
- • Water (extinguishes fire)
- • Ground (smothers fire)
- • Rock (rock doesn't burn)
💧 Water Type
Strong Against:
- • Fire (extinguishes flames)
- • Ground (erodes earth)
- • Rock (water erosion)
Weak Against:
- • Electric (conducts electricity)
- • Grass (plants absorb water)
🌿 Grass Type
Strong Against:
- • Water (absorbs water)
- • Ground (roots break earth)
- • Rock (plants grow through cracks)
Weak Against:
- • Fire (burns plants)
- • Ice (freezes plants)
- • Poison (toxic to plants)
- • Flying (birds eat plants)
- • Bug (insects eat plants)
Practical Battle Tips
🎯 Offensive Strategy
- • Always aim for super effective moves when possible
- • Switch to a Pokémon with type advantage before attacking
- • Consider the opponent's types before choosing your move
- • Don't just use your strongest move - use the most effective one
🛡️ Defensive Strategy
- • Switch to Pokémon that resist incoming attacks
- • Use dual-types strategically (they can resist more types)
- • Predict opponent moves based on type advantages
- • Don't stay in bad matchups - switching is often the right choice
⚡ Advanced Tips
- • Dual-type Pokémon can have complex effectiveness (multiply the modifiers)
- • Some abilities can change type effectiveness
- • STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) gives 1.5x damage for matching types
- • Critical hits ignore defensive stat changes
Practice Makes Perfect
Don't worry about memorizing every type interaction immediately. Start with the basics and gradually learn more complex matchups through practice. The most important thing is to start thinking strategically about type advantages in every battle.
🧠 Memory Tips
- • Many type interactions are logical (fire burns grass, water beats fire)
- • Focus on learning one type thoroughly at a time
- • Practice with your favorite Pokémon's types first
- • Use our type chart tools to quickly check interactions
Ready for More Advanced Strategy?
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the type effectiveness system work?
Type effectiveness follows a damage multiplier system: Super Effective moves deal 2x damage, Normal effectiveness deals 1x damage, Not Very Effective moves deal 0.5x damage, and No Effect moves deal 0x damage. For dual-type Pokémon, these multipliers are combined (e.g., 2x × 2x = 4x damage).
What does STAB mean and how does it work?
STAB stands for Same Type Attack Bonus. When a Pokémon uses a move that matches one of its types, the move gets a 1.5x damage boost. For example, a Fire-type Pokémon using Flamethrower gets STAB, making it 1.5x stronger than if a non-Fire type used it.
How do dual-type Pokémon change type effectiveness?
Dual-type Pokémon combine type interactions by multiplying the effectiveness values. For example, a Grass/Poison type takes 4x damage from Fire (2x from Grass, 2x from Poison = 4x total), but only 0.25x damage from Grass attacks (0.5x × 0.5x). This creates unique strengths and vulnerabilities.
Are there any moves that ignore type effectiveness?
Yes! Moves like Freeze-Dry (Ice type that's super effective against Water), Flying Press (Fighting/Flying type move), and abilities like Scrappy (allows Normal/Fighting moves to hit Ghost types) can bypass standard type rules. The move Soak also changes the target to pure Water type.
What's the difference between physical and special type effectiveness?
Type effectiveness applies equally to both physical and special moves. The difference is in stat calculations: physical moves use Attack vs Defense, while special moves use Special Attack vs Special Defense. A Fire move is super effective against Grass regardless of whether it's physical (Fire Punch) or special (Flamethrower).
How should I memorize all 18 type interactions?
Start with logical patterns: water beats fire, fire burns grass, electricity conducts through water. Learn one type thoroughly, then expand to related types. Practice with your favorite Pokémon's types first. Use type charts during battles until interactions become second nature—most players internalize them after 10-20 hours of play.
Battle Basics Recap
You've locked in the essentials: how coverage triangles work, the value of resist pivots, and why neutral hits win matches when super-effective options are scarce.
Keep PokeVerse as your quick-reference hub—our interactive charts and team primers reinforce these basics so every future matchup starts with confidence instead of guesswork.