Type Matchups — Full Guide

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Why types matter in Pokémon GO

Every Pokémon has one or two **types** (for example Charizard is Fire / Flying). Moves also have types. When a move’s type is **strong** against the defender’s typing, you deal more damage. When it is **weak**, you deal less. Getting this right is the fastest way to win raids, Rocket battles, gyms, and PvP.

Species pages show a short teaser (“Flying moves hit Bug, Fighting, and Grass hard”). This chapter is the full chart and the “why.”

GO multipliers (not main-series games)

Pokémon GO uses different numbers than the console games:

| Outcome | About | Typical GO multiplier | |---------|--------|------------------------| | Super effective | You chose well | ~1.6× (stacks on dual types) | | Neutral | Neither strong nor weak | 1× | | Not very effective | Resisted | ~0.625× | | “Immune” band | Almost no damage (e.g. Electric → Ground) | Very low (~0.39× band) |

Dual typing multiplies both sides together — a Rock move into Fire / Flying (Charizard) is especially strong.

Same-Type Attack Bonus (STAB)

If the move’s type matches **at least one** of your Pokémon’s types, you get STAB (~1.2×). Prefer Fire moves on Fire attackers and Flying moves on Flying attackers when the matchup still works.

Weather boost

Weather can boost whole type groups another ~20% in raids and raise wild spawn levels. Sunny helps Fire; Rainy helps Water and Electric; Windy helps Flying and Dragon. See the Weather & Mechanics chapter for the full table.

Offense quick reference (attack type → hits hard)

• **Normal** — no common super-effective targets (Ghost is nearly useless)
• **Fire** — Bug, Grass, Ice, Steel
• **Water** — Fire, Ground, Rock
• **Electric** — Flying, Water (Ground nearly immune)
• **Grass** — Ground, Rock, Water
• **Ice** — Dragon, Flying, Grass, Ground
• **Fighting** — Dark, Ice, Normal, Rock, Steel (Ghost nearly immune)
• **Poison** — Fairy, Grass
• **Ground** — Electric, Fire, Poison, Rock, Steel (Flying nearly immune)
• **Flying** — Bug, Fighting, Grass
• **Psychic** — Fighting, Poison (Dark nearly immune)
• **Bug** — Dark, Grass, Psychic
• **Rock** — Bug, Fire, Flying, Ice
• **Ghost** — Ghost, Psychic (Normal nearly immune the other way)
• **Dragon** — Dragon (Fairy nearly immune)
• **Dark** — Ghost, Psychic
• **Steel** — Fairy, Ice, Rock
• **Fairy** — Dark, Dragon, Fighting

Defense: how to read “Weak to” on a species page

“Weak to Water, Electric, Rock” means **those attack types** hit that Pokémon hard. Bring those attackers (or those move types) when Charizard / that species is the opponent.

“Resists” means those types bounce — do not lead with them.

Dual typing tips

1. Look at **both** types before you pick a team. 2. A shared weakness (Rock into Fire / Flying) is a gift — stack it. 3. A shared resistance can make “obvious” counters fail — check the page list. 4. Coverage moves (like Dragon Claw on Charizard) exist to hit things your STAB types cannot.

Practical checklist

1. Open the species page → read Weak to / Resists. 2. Skim the type teaser lines for what *its* types hit hard. 3. Build a raid or Rocket team from the counter shortlist. 4. Cross-check weather and STAB before you spend Remote Raid Passes or Stardust.

Related chapters

• Weather Boost & Game Mechanics
• Best Raid Attackers by Type
• Team Building Strategies
• Glossary