Types are one of the most fundamental elements in the world of Pokémon. Every Pokémon has one or two types that determine their strengths and weaknesses in battle. Understanding type matchups is crucial for becoming a skilled trainer.
When a Pokémon uses a move in battle, its effectiveness depends on the defending Pokémon's type(s). Moves can be:
Many Pokémon have two types, which can result in unique defensive properties. Type effectiveness is multiplied when attacking dual-type Pokémon, potentially resulting in 4x damage or 0.25x damage.
When a Pokémon uses a move that matches one of its types, the move receives a 50% power boost. This is known as STAB and is a crucial concept in competitive battling.
Because no single type resists every matchup, competitive teams are usually built around "type coverage" — carrying moves of different types so the team has an answer to as many threats as possible. A Water-type Pokémon, for example, is strong defensively against Fire but is walled by Grass- and Dragon-types unless it also carries an Electric or Ice move. Teams also plan around common dual-type combinations: a Fire/Flying Pokémon like Charizard is 4x weak to Rock despite resisting several other types, which is exactly the kind of interaction the type chart on the right is built to surface at a glance.