What is the best Pokemon type?

There is no single best type for every team. Strong types still need teammates that cover their weaknesses, resist common attacks, and fit the ruleset.

Type guide

Pokemon Types

Q: Which Pokemon types are best for defense?

Steel, Fairy, Water, Flying, and Ground are often useful defensively, but the best defensive type depends on the weaknesses already present on your team.

Every Pokemon type changes how a team attacks, switches, and absorbs pressure. Use this guide with the type chart when choosing a final six.

What Pokemon types mean for team building

Pokemon types define both offensive pressure and defensive risk. A type can be excellent offensively while still creating difficult switch-in problems, so the best teams combine types that cover each other's weak spots.

For quick checks, use the Pokemon type chart. For roster testing, open the Pokemon team builder and watch for repeated weaknesses.

How to combine Pokemon types

Start with a core that switches into each other's common weaknesses. Fire, Water, and Grass are a classic teaching example, but many teams use other cores such as Steel plus Fairy, Dragon plus Steel, or Ground plus Flying depending on the format.

Team cores

Practical Pokemon type combinations

Use these cores as starting points, then check the final six in the team builder.

Fire / Water / Grass

FireWaterGrass

A beginner-friendly core that teaches switching, resistances, and basic offensive coverage.

Dragon / Steel / Fairy

DragonSteelFairy

A classic balance structure: Dragon pressure, Steel resistances, and Fairy answers to opposing Dragons.

Ground / Flying / Steel

GroundFlyingSteel

Useful for covering Electric immunity, Ground immunity, and many neutral defensive pivots.

Dark / Ghost / Fairy

DarkGhostFairy

A pressure-focused core that can punish Psychic, Ghost, Dragon, and Fighting-heavy matchups.

Type roles

How different Pokemon types support a team

A type's value depends on the job it performs. Some types are prized for safe switching, some for forcing damage, and some because their immunities create free turns.

Defensive glue

SteelFairyWaterFlying

These types often help teams switch safely, cover common attacks, or protect fragile sweepers.

Offensive pressure

GroundFightingIceGhost

These types are valued because their attacks threaten many common defensive Pokemon and force progress.

Immunity planning

GhostGroundFlyingDarkFairy

Type immunities can create free turns, block dangerous attacks, and make a team easier to pilot.

Utility pivots

Resisted by

FirePoisonSteel

Weak to

PoisonSteel

FAQ

Pokemon types questions

Which Pokemon types are best for defense?

Steel, Fairy, Water, Flying, and Ground often provide useful defensive value, but the best choice depends on the weaknesses already present on your team.

How many Pokemon types are there?

There are 18 modern Pokemon types: Normal, Fire, Water, Electric, Grass, Ice, Fighting, Poison, Ground, Flying, Psychic, Bug, Rock, Ghost, Dragon, Dark, Steel, and Fairy.

Should a team include every starter type?

Fire, Water, and Grass create a useful core, but they are not mandatory. Choose types that solve your format's most common threats.

Can a dual type remove a weakness?

Yes. A second type can resist a weakness from the first type, turning the matchup neutral or sometimes creating an immunity.