Pokémon Type Calculator
Calculate type effectiveness, weaknesses, and resistances for single or dual-type Pokémon. Perfect for battle strategy and team building.
Select up to 2 types. For single-type Pokémon, only select Type 1.
Popular Type Combinations
Mastering Pokémon Type Matchups
Pokémon Type System Basics
The Pokémon type system is the foundation of all Pokémon battles. Understanding type matchups is crucial for both casual play and competitive battling. Each Pokémon has one or two types that determine its strengths and weaknesses.
There are currently 18 different Pokémon types, each with unique characteristics and relationships with other types. These relationships create a complex web of advantages and disadvantages that skilled trainers must master.
The 18 Pokémon Types
- Normal: Balanced but weak against Fighting
- Fire: Strong against Grass, Ice, Bug, Steel
- Water: Strong against Fire, Ground, Rock
- Electric: Strong against Water, Flying
- Grass: Strong against Water, Ground, Rock
- Ice: Strong against Grass, Ground, Flying, Dragon
- Fighting: Strong against Normal, Ice, Rock, Dark, Steel
- Poison: Strong against Grass, Fairy
- Ground: Strong against Fire, Electric, Poison, Rock, Steel
- Flying: Strong against Grass, Fighting, Bug
- Psychic: Strong against Fighting, Poison
- Bug: Strong against Grass, Psychic, Dark
- Rock: Strong against Fire, Ice, Flying, Bug
- Ghost: Strong against Psychic, Ghost
- Dragon: Strong against Dragon
- Dark: Strong against Psychic, Ghost
- Steel: Strong against Ice, Rock, Fairy
- Fairy: Strong against Fighting, Dragon, Dark
Pro Tip: Memorizing type matchups is the first step to becoming a Pokémon Master!
Type Effectiveness Chart
Type effectiveness determines how much damage a move will deal. The multipliers are:
Damage Multiplier System
- Super Effective: 2× damage (or 4× for dual weaknesses)
- Normal: 1× damage (standard damage)
- Not Very Effective: 0.5× damage (or 0.25× for dual resistances)
- No Effect: 0× damage (complete immunity)
Key Type Relationships
Some important type relationships every trainer should know:
- Fire beats Grass, Grass beats Water, Water beats Fire (the elemental triangle)
- Electric is super effective against Water and Flying types
- Ground is immune to Electric moves
- Ghost and Dark are the only types that hit each other for super effective damage
- Steel has the most resistances (11 types) but is weak to Fire, Fighting, and Ground
- Fairy was introduced in Generation 6 to balance Dragon types
Dual-Type Mechanics
Dual-type Pokémon have more complex matchups because damage multipliers are multiplied together.
How Dual-Type Calculations Work
When a move hits a dual-type Pokémon:
- Check effectiveness against Type 1
- Check effectiveness against Type 2
- Multiply the two multipliers together
Examples of Dual-Type Calculations
- Charizard (Fire/Flying): Takes 4× damage from Rock (2× from Fire, 2× from Flying)
- Gyarados (Water/Flying): Takes 4× damage from Electric (2× from Water, 2× from Flying)
- Steelix (Steel/Ground): Takes 4× damage from Fire (2× from Steel, 2× from Ground)
- Celebi (Psychic/Grass): Takes 4× damage from Bug (2× from Psychic, 2× from Grass)
Calculation Insight: Always multiply type effectiveness for dual-type Pokémon!
Damage Multipliers Explained
Understanding damage multipliers is key to strategic battling:
Quadruple Weakness (4×)
These Pokémon take massive damage from specific types. Examples:
- Rock/Water types vs Grass (4×)
- Bug/Grass types vs Fire (4×)
- Ice/Flying types vs Rock (4×)
Quadruple Resistance (0.25×)
These Pokémon take minimal damage from certain types:
- Water/Steel vs Ice (0.25×)
- Fire/Steel vs Grass (0.25×)
- Psychic/Dark vs Psychic (0.25×)
Complete Immunity (0×)
Some type combinations grant complete immunity:
- Normal/Ghost has no weaknesses (but only one Pokémon has this combo)
- Ground types are immune to Electric
- Flying types are immune to Ground
- Dark types are immune to Psychic
Competitive Battle Strategy
In competitive play, type advantage is everything:
Type Coverage
Successful teams have moves that cover many types. Common coverage strategies:
- BoltBeam: Electric + Ice coverage (covers 13 types)
- EdgeQuake: Rock + Ground coverage (covers 10 types)
- FightDark: Fighting + Dark coverage (covers 12 types)
- GhostFight: Ghost + Fighting coverage (covers all types except Fairy)
Predicting Switch-Ins
Skilled players predict type switches:
- If you have a Fighting move, expect Ghost switch-ins
- If you have a Psychic move, expect Dark switch-ins
- If you have an Electric move, expect Ground switch-ins
Type-Based Team Building
Building a balanced team requires careful type consideration:
Team Building Principles
- Type Diversity: Cover as many types as possible
- Defensive Synergy: Pokémon that cover each other's weaknesses
- Offensive Coverage: Moves that hit many types super effectively
- Role Specialization: Physical walls, special walls, sweepers, etc.
Common Team Archetypes
- Balanced Teams: Mix of offensive and defensive Pokémon
- Hyper Offense: Fast, powerful attackers
- Stall Teams: Defensive Pokémon that wear down opponents
- Weather Teams: Teams built around weather effects
- Trick Room Teams: Teams that benefit from Trick Room
Common Type Matchup Mistakes
Even experienced trainers make type mistakes:
Frequently Forgotten Matchups
- Ghost is immune to Normal and Fighting
- Steel resists Dragon (introduced in Gen 6)
- Fairy is immune to Dragon
- Dark is immune to Psychic
- Ground is immune to Electric
Counter-Intuitive Matchups
- Ice is weak to Steel (ice can be broken by metal)
- Bug is strong against Dark (bugs operate in darkness)
- Fighting is weak to Fairy (bravery vs innocence)
- Poison is strong against Fairy (poison corrupts purity)
Advanced Type Calculations
Beyond basic type matchups, several factors affect damage:
Additional Damage Modifiers
- STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus): 1.5× damage when move type matches Pokémon type
- Critical Hits: 1.5× damage (2× in earlier generations)
- Weather Effects: Sun boosts Fire, Rain boosts Water
- Terrain Effects: Various terrain types boost specific moves
- Ability Effects: Some abilities modify type effectiveness
Total Damage Formula
The complete damage calculation includes:
Damage = Base Damage × Type Effectiveness × STAB × Critical × Weather × Terrain × Ability
Historical Type Changes
The type system has evolved over generations:
Major Type System Changes
- Generation 2: Added Dark and Steel types
- Generation 4: Physical/Special split changed move categorization
- Generation 6: Added Fairy type, changed Steel resistance
- Generation 7: Adjusted some type matchups
- Generation 8: Further balance adjustments
Notable Type Matchup Changes
- Steel no longer resists Ghost and Dark (Gen 6)
- Ghost and Dark now hit each other super effectively
- Electric is now neutral against Steel (was not very effective)
- Poison is now super effective against Fairy
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the strongest type combination?
Steel/Fairy is considered one of the best defensive combinations with only two weaknesses (Fire and Ground).
What type has the most weaknesses?
Rock and Ice types both have five weaknesses, making them challenging to use defensively.
Can a Pokémon have three types?
Officially, no Pokémon has three types. However, some abilities can give additional type properties.
What's the rarest type combination?
Normal/Ghost (only Hisuian Zoroark) and Electric/Fighting (only Zeraora) are among the rarest.
How do I remember all type matchups?
Practice with tools like this calculator, play regularly, and focus on memorizing one type per day.
Do type advantages matter in competitive play?
Absolutely! Type advantages are fundamental to competitive strategy at all levels.
Master the Type Matrix
Understanding Pokémon types is like learning a complex language - it takes time, practice, and dedication. But the rewards are immense. With type mastery comes victory in battles, success in team building, and deeper appreciation for Pokémon strategy.
Remember: Every type has its purpose, every weakness has a counter, and every resistance creates opportunity. The greatest trainers aren't those who memorize charts, but those who understand how to apply type knowledge creatively in battle.
Pro Tip: Use this calculator regularly to internalize type relationships. Before long, you'll be calculating matchups in your head and making split-second decisions that lead to victory!