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Pokemon_Type_Chart.PNG
Pokémon types represent the strengths and weaknesses of different Pokémon. They lay the foundation of a complex yet mostly logical rock, paper, scissors-system that applies to every Pokémon and their respective moves. Some type advantages and disadvantages make obvious sense; others can seem more obscure.
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Terminology
- When an attack has a type advantage over the Pokémon being attacked, it is said to be super-effective, and does double the normal damage. A Pokémon being attacked with a super-effective move is said to be weak to that type.
- When an attack has a type disadvantage against the Pokémon being attacked, it is said to be not very effective or weak against that type, and causes half the normal damage. A Pokémon being attacked with a not very effective move is said to be resistant to that type.
- Some types are completely immune to others – when an attack that a Pokémon's type is immune to is used on it, the attack is said to have no effect and causes zero damage. A Pokémon being attacked with a non-effective move is said to be immune to that type. This includes some, but not all, no damage moves. For example, Thunder Wave (an Electric-type attack) does not affect Ground-type Pokémon, but Confuse Ray (a Ghost-type attack) does affect Normal-type Pokémon.
- Some Pokémon have two types, and both are taken into consideration when determining whether an attack is super-effective, not very effective, or not effective at all. These Pokémon are said to be dual-typed Pokémon, or simply dual-types.
- Both of a Pokémon's types may be weak to an attack – in this case, the attack will cause quadruple the normal damage.
- Both of a Pokémon's types may be resistant to an attack – in this case, the attack will cause one quarter of the normal damage.
- One of a Pokémon's types may be weak to an attack while the other is resistant to it – in this case, the weakness and resistance cancel each other out, and the attack causes normal damage; due to a bug in Red/Blue/Yellow, the game says that it is super-effective or not very effective, depending on the exact types involved.
- If one of a Pokémon's types is immune to an attack's type, the attack will never cause damage, regardless of the Pokémon's other type.
History of the Pokémon types
Originally, there were 15 Pokémon types:
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With Pokémon Gold and Silver, two new types were added:
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There are also 2 types that only have one or two Pokémon or attacks in them.
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Bird is 'M and Missingno.'s type and is likely the result of a programming oversight.
??? is a type is that is only found in one attack in the Pokémon Gold and Silver games – Curse. Curse's effect depends on the type of the Pokémon using it (namely, whether it is a Ghost-type or not).
Additionally, ??? is the type given for moves that Shadow Pokémon in Pokémon Colosseum cannot use until the doors to their hearts have started to open. Shadow Rush, a move only found in Pokémon Colosseum on Shadow Pokémon, has no type.
In all, there are 18 Pokémon types and 1 unique attack type.
Element-specific attacks
Most, if not all, Pokémon learn attacks specific to their element as well as basic physical attacks. For example, the Electric-type Pikachu could know basic Normal-type attacks such as Growl and Quick Attack, but also Electric attacks like Thundershock and Thunder Wave. Pokémon receive a bonus to the power of moves (or magic) of their own type, as compared with equivalent Pokémon of other types learning the same move. This is known as same type attack bonus, or STAB. For instance, a Pikachu (an Electric-type Pokémon) will do more damage with Thunderbolt (an Electric-type move) than would a Raticate (a Normal-type Pokémon) with the same stats. To elaborate, the boost given by STAB is 1.5.
Information about specific Pokémon types
Bird-type Pokémon
The Bird type was the original name for the Flying type. In early screenshots of the English version of Pokémon, various Flying-type Pokémon were listed as Bird-type.
The only Bird-type Pokémon in the final game are Missingno. and 'M. They and the Bird type itself are almost certainly the result of a computer glitch. The Bird type is not an official Pokémon type.
Bug-type Pokémon
Bug-type Pokémon are generally arthropod-like Pokémon. Bug-type moves use the Attack stat and involve use of the body parts of the bugs. Some examples are Caterpie, Ledyba, and Wurmple.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Bug-type Pokémon are resistant to Fighting-, Grass-, and Ground-type attacks, and are vulnerable to Fire-, Flying-, and Rock-type attacks (in Red, Blue and Yellow, also Poison- type). Bug-type attacks are super-effective against Dark-, Grass-, and Psychic-type Pokémon, (in Red, Blue and Yellow, also Poison- type), and are not very effective against Fighting-, Fire-, Flying-, Ghost-, Poison- (not in Red, Blue or Yellow), and Steel-type Pokémon.
Dark-type Pokémon
Darkness sometimes represent evil and crime, but Dark pokemon are quite misunderstood there. Dark-type Pokémon are known for often using sinister moves such as biting and stealing. Some cute dark pokemon are Sneasel, Absol, Poochyena, Umbreon and Houndour.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Dark-type Pokémon are resistant to Dark- and Ghost-type attacks, are immune to Psychic-type attacks, and are vulnerable to Bug- and Fighting-type attacks. Dark-type attacks are super-effective against Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokémon, and are not very effective against Dark-, Fighting-, and Steel-type Pokémon.
Dragon-type Pokémon
Dragon-type Pokémon are, quite simply, dragons. Their moves use the Special Attack stat and involve the use of claws and breathing dragon breath.
Not all dragon-like Pokémon are Dragon-type Pokémon; Charizard, for example, is a dual Fire-and-Flying-type.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Dragon-type Pokémon are resistant to Water-, Fire-, Grass-, and Electric-type attacks, and are vulnerable to Dragon- and Ice-type attacks. Dragon-type attacks are super-effective against other Dragon-type Pokémon, and are not very effective against Steel-type Pokémon.
Electric-type Pokémon
Electric-type Pokémon have electricity-oriented powers. This category is usually represented by Pikachu, as Pikachu is likely the most famous Pokémon of this type, indeed probably the most famous out of all Pokémon.
Electric-type attacks often have a chance of causing the Paralyze status effect, which gives the affected Pokémon a severe Speed statistic reduction along with a 25% chance of being unable to move for a turn.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Electric-type Pokémon are resistant to Electric-, Flying-, and Steel-type attacks, and are vulnerable to Ground-type attacks. Electric-type attacks are super-effective against Flying- and Water-type Pokémon, are not very effective against Electric-, Grass-, and Dragon-type Pokémon, and have no effect on Ground-type Pokémon.
Fighting-type Pokémon
Fighting-type Pokémon learn specifically labeled fighting melee attacks, such as punches and kicks.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Fighting-type Pokémon are resistant to Bug-, Dark-, and Rock-type attacks, and are vulnerable to Flying- and Psychic-type attacks. Fighting- attacks are super-effective against Dark-, Ice-, Normal-, Rock-, and Steel-type Pokémon, are not very effective against Bug-, Flying-, Poison-, and Psychic-type Pokémon, and have no effect against Ghost-type Pokémon. The move Foresight negates Ghost-type immunity to Fighting- and Normal-type attacks.
Fire-type Pokémon
Fire-type Pokémon are aligned with heat, often in the form of flames or lava.
Fire-type attacks often have a chance of causing the Burn status effect, which causes a reduction in the Attack statistic as well as taking away hit points each turn it is in effect.
Fire-type Pokémon are immune to the Burn status effect.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Fire-type Pokémon are resistant to Bug-, Fire-, Grass-, Ice- (not in Red, Blue or Yellow), and Steel-type, and are vulnerable to Ground-, Rock-, and Water-type attacks. Fire-type attacks are super-effective against Bug-, Ice-, Grass-, and Steel-type Pokémon, and are not very effective against Dragon-, Fire-, Rock-, and Water-type Pokémon.
Flying-type Pokémon
Flying Pokémon are Pokémon who can fly. They are normally birds or dragon-like (if not always Dragon-type) Pokémon, but there are exceptions, such as the sea serpent-like Water-and-Flying-type Gyarados. The Flying-type has never appeared on any Pokémon as its only type – all Flying-type Pokémon are dual-types.
Flying-type Pokémon should not be confused with the glitchy Bird-type Pokémon, Missingno and 'M.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Flying-type Pokémon are resistant to Bug-, Fighting-, and Grass-type attacks, are immune to Ground-type attacks, and are vulnerable to Electric-, Ice-, and Rock-type attacks. Flying-type attacks are super-effective against Bug-, Fighting-, and Grass-type Pokémon, and are not very effective against Electric-, Rock-type, and Steel-type Pokémon.
Ghost-type Pokémon
Ghost Pokémon deal with the supernatural, specifically the realm of the dead. In the Red, Blue, and Yellow versions of Pokémon, all wild Ghost Pokémon required a special item to see them clearly.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Ghost-type Pokémon are resistant to Bug- and Poison-type attacks, are immune to Fighting- and Normal-type attacks (except when the move Foresight is used), and are vulnerable to Dark- and Ghost-type attacks. Ghost-type attacks are super-effective against Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokémon, are not very effective against Dark- and Steel-type Pokémon, and are not effective against Normal-type Pokémon. The two exceptions to Normal-type Pokémons' immunity to Ghost-type attacks are the moves Confuse Ray and Nightmare.
The Ghost-type vs. the Psychic-type
In the first three Pokémon games, versions Red, Blue, and Yellow, Psychic-type Pokémon were immune to Ghost-type attacks, and Psychic-type attacks were super-effective against the only three Ghost-type Pokémon in the game at the time (the Gastly evolution chain) because of their dual Ghost-and-Poison-types. The anime television series had the roles of the Ghost- and Psychic Pokémon reversed, and a trainer in the Psychic-type Gym in Red and Blue said that Psychics only feared ghosts and bugs; this was changed in the Yellow version. When the Gold and Silver versions were released, the type advantages and disadvantages were changed to make Ghost-types strong against Psychic-types.
Grass-type Pokémon
Grass-type Pokémon have abilities associated with plant life and nature. They are also immune to the move Leech Seed.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Grass-type Pokémon are resistant to Electric-, Grass-, Ground-, and Water-type attacks, and are vulnerable to Bug-, Fire-, Flying-, and Poison-type attacks. Grass-type attacks are super-effective against Ground-, Rock-, and Water-type Pokémon, and are not very effective against Bug-, Fire-, Flying-, Dragon-, Grass-, Poison-, and Steel-type Pokémon.
Ground-type Pokémon
Ground-type Pokémon are affiliated with the ground and earth.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Ground-type Pokémon are resistant to Poison- and Rock-type attacks, are immune to Electric-type attacks, and are vulnerable to Ice-, Grass-, and Water-type attacks. Ground-type attacks are super-effective against Electric-, Fire-, Poison-, Rock-, and Steel-type Pokémon, are not very effective against Grass- and Bug-type Pokémon, and have no effect against Flying-type Pokémon.
Ice-type Pokémon
Ice-type Pokémon are affiliated with cold things and areas. Many Ice-Type attacks have a chance of causing the Freeze status effect, which prevents the frozen Pokémon from attacking until it is thawed. Ice-type Pokémon are immune to the Freeze status.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Ice-type Pokémon are resistant to Ice-type attacks, and are vulnerable to Fire-, Fighting-, Rock-, and Steel-type attacks. Ice-type attacks are super-effective against Grass-, Ground-, Flying-, and Dragon-type Pokémon, and are not very effective against Water-, Fire- (not in Red, Blue or Yellow), Ice- and Steel-type Pokémon.
Normal-type Pokémon
Normal-type Pokémon have moves based on standard attacks, such as tackles and scratches.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Normal-type Pokémon are immune to Ghost-type attacks (besides Confuse Ray and Nightmare) and are vulnerable to Fighting-type attacks. Normal-type attacks are not very effective against Rock- and Steel-type Pokémon, and have no effect against Ghost-type Pokémon. The move Foresight negates Ghost-type immunity to Fighting- and Normal-type attacks.
Poison-type Pokémon
Poison-type Pokémon have some toxic quality about them, be it because they produce venom (Ekans and Arbok for example), are poisonous plants (Bulbasaur and Oddish – these are dual Grass-and-Poison types) or have some sort of general toxicity about them (such as Koffing or Grimer). Many Poison-type moves can cause the Poison status effect, which causes the attacked Pokémon to lose hit points each turn. The Toxic or 'badly poisoned' status effect causes the amount of damage done by the poison to double each turn.
Poison types are also immune to the Poison status effect themselves.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Poison-type Pokémon are resistant to Bug- (not in Red, Blue or Yellow), Fighting-, Grass-, and Poison-type attacks, and are vulnerable to Ground- and Psychic-type attacks (In Red, Blue and Yellow, also Bug-type). Poison-type attacks are super-effective against Grass-type Pokémon (in Red, Blue and Yellow, also Bug-type), are not very effective against Poison- and Ground-type Pokémon, and have no effect against Steel-type Pokémon.
Psychic-type Pokémon
Psychic-type Pokémon generally have mental abilities associated with psychics in the real world, such as telekinesis, telepathy, and teleportation. Psychic Pokémon are generally very powerful when using attacks that use the Special (Red, Blue, and Yellow) or Special Attack (Gold, Silver, and after) stats.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Psychic-type Pokémon are resistant to Fighting- and Psychic-type attacks, and are vulnerable to Bug-, Dark-, and Ghost-type attacks. Psychic-type attacks are super-effective against Fighting- and Poison-type Pokémon, are not very effective against Psychic- and Steel-type Pokémon, and have no effect against Dark-type Pokémon.
The Psychic-type vs. the Ghost-type
In the first three Pokémon games, versions Red, Blue, and Yellow, Psychic-type Pokémon were immune to Ghost-type attacks, and Psychic-type attacks were super-effective against the only three Ghost-type Pokémon in the game at the time (the Gastly evolution chain) because of their dual Ghost-and-Poison-types. The anime television series had the roles of the Ghost and Psychic Pokémon reversed, and a trainer in the Psychic-type Gym in Red and Blue said that Psychics only feared ghosts and bugs; this was changed in the Yellow version. When the Gold and Silver versions were released, the type advantages and disadvantages were changed to make Ghost-types strong against Psychic-types.
Rock-type Pokémon
Rock-type Pokémon are affiliated with rocks and mountains.
Rock-type Pokémon should not be confused with Ground-type Pokémon. Rock-types deal with throwing or breaking rocks, while Ground-types deal specifically with the ground itself, particularly soil.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Rock-type Pokémon are resistant to Fire-, Flying-, Normal-, and Poison-type attacks, and are vulnerable to Fighting-, Grass-, Ground-, Steel-, and Water-type attacks. Rock-type attacks are super-effective against Bug-type, Fire-, Flying-, and Ice-type Pokémon, and are not very effective against Ground-, and Steel-type Pokémon.
Steel-type Pokémon
Steel-type Pokémon are made of steel.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Steel-type Pokémon are resistant to Bug-type, Dark-, Dragon-, Flying-, Ghost-, Grass-, Ice-, Normal-, Psychic-, Rock-, and Steel-type attacks, are immune to Poison-type attacks, and are vulnerable to Electric-(not in Gold or Silver), Fighting-, Fire-, Ground-, Water-(not in Gold or Silver)type attacks. Steel-type attacks are super-effective against Ice- and Rock-type Pokémon, and are not very effective against Electric-, Fire-, Steel-, and Water-type Pokémon.
Water-type Pokémon
Water-type Pokémon live in and around water, and their powers are directly related to this habitat system.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Water-type Pokémon are resistant to Fire-, Ice-, Steel-type, and Water-type attacks, and are vulnerable to Electric- and Grass-type attacks. Water-type attacks are super-effective against Fire-, Ground-, and Rock-type Pokémon, and are not very effective against Dragon-, Grass-, and Water-type Pokémon.