-Elite Four’s Karen
A majority of RPG’s out there have some sort of strength/weakness mechanic. Like an absurdly complex game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, you have certain types that are effective against others, and types that do absolutely nothing if you’re caught in a bad match up. Pokémon is no different – if anything – it’s taken this formula and over the years, exacerbated it. Regularly, when I pick up a copy of Pokémon I have to refresh myself on a few of the types’ strengths and weaknesses – Is it because there are too many? Is it a bad memory? Is it because there are too many?…hang on a minute.
Although complex, it’s this layering that makes Pokémon the tactical masterclass that it is. You’re always considering your team and whether you should take a narrow approach to avoid having too many weaknesses, or try to have as many types as possible so you’re covering a variety of battles with strong STAB (same type attack boost) moves. Regardless of which option you choose, it’s all about coming up with clever ways to outweigh the Pokémon you’re up against, and their typing.
This post is about those types, and which ones I tend to lean to when I’m making my team. Whether it’s their brutal strength, their range at attacking more type weaknesses than others, or just the overall aesthetic of a certain Pokémon type, I do have favourites – and below are my reasons why!
Did You Know?
- Normal is the only Pokémon type that isn’t effective against something else.
- Dark and Steel types were introduced in Generation II’s Pokémon Gold & Silver.
- Finally, the Fairy type was added in Generation VI’s Pokémon X & Y, and was retrospectively used on existing Pokémon.
10) Bug
Bringing up the rear are those creepy crawlies you either love or hate! Bug Pokémon are quite frequent during the opening parts of Pokémon games and although many Bug Pokémon get swapped out of my team eventually, they can help in some starting Gyms – especially if your starter Pokémon doesn’t have a great type matchup. I really enjoy the design work on a lot of Bug Pokémon. There’s obviously tons of real-world influence here and as an individual who loves Butterflies, Dragonflies and Beetles (Spiders you can get in the bin), it’s nice seeing the physical traits of these tiny beauties worked into the game!
Bug Pokémon that don’t make my skin crawl are:
- Heracross
- Ribombee
- Yanmega
9) Ground
An absolute powerhouse of a Pokémon type, Ground type Pokémon are known for their bulk size, powerful attacks, and outright brute force. Perhaps not known for their colour, Ground Pokémon are generally a mix of brown, grey and yellow – but to be fair – I’m not picking them for the way they look! You can be sure that a good Ground Pokémon will stay in your team for life and you’ll often find this Pokémon type in the metagame. The combination of good type coverage, and very few weaknesses means this isn’t a Pokémon type you’ll want to ignore!
Ground Pokémon at the foundations of my heart are:
- Excadrill
- Ryperior
- Mudsdale
8) Water
Perhaps the Pokémon type with the largest amount of unique ‘mon, Water Pokémon are next on my list. With only Grass and Electricity as a weakness, and with the option to pick a Water Pokémon right out of the gate, any respectable Pokémon team will have one of these wet and wonderful beasts amongst them. Similar to Bug Pokémon, there’s a lot of real-world vibes in the Water ‘mon category including Jellyfish, Sharks and even a few Tadpoles. They may be mostly Blue, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t creativity when it comes to the design. This, coupled with their strength and arguable necessity in the game, makes them a fundamental choice and secures them a spot on this list.
Water Pokémon that keep me feeling hydrated are:
- Greninja
- Gyarados
- Ludicolo
7) Electric
The Pokémon type that arguably most represents the entire franchise through its mascot Pikachu, is Electric type. Electric type Pokémon overall are a pretty safe bet for consistent damage output – with the only defensive weakness being Ground – there are only a handful of types where Electric won’t have much impact. Other than Dragon, Grass and other Electric ‘mon you’re in pretty safe hands when it comes to battling other types. My only gripe with Electric Pokémon is that Nintendo obviously loves how popular Pikachu is and that means a lot of other rodent designed creatures were made into this type, and given the cute treatment. On one hand it means we get the glory of Morpeko, but Plusle and Minun? C’mon!
Electric Pokémon that aren’t shocking:
- Thundurus
- Morpeko
- Rotom
6) Ghost
Am I scared of ghosts in real life? Absolutely. Am I scared of ghosts in Pokémon? Only a little bit. Just falling shy of the Top 5, I absolutely love Ghost Pokémon. Whether they’re designed around paranormal beings, or haunted versions of real life objects, I think it’s one of the strongest types in terms of creativity and aesthetics. When it comes to battling, they may not have many super effective matchups, but it’s the only type where two other types (Normal and Fighting) have absolutely zero effect. This means you’re also unlikely to be on the receiving end of high damage moves – a definite plus! Make sure you have this type in your team, and don’t wonder the afterlife full of regret.
Ghost Pokémon I’m scared to leave out:
- Chandelure
- Jellicent
- Aegislash
5) Steel
The Pokémon franchise started out with a lot of types from the offset and only on two occasions that they’ve added types (all of which are – probably – on this list!). The first time new types were added was Generation II’s Gold & Silver, which introduced Dark and Steel types, and it’s the Steel typing that takes the number 5 spot. I can’t entirely explain what it is I love about Steel Pokémon. There isn’t a huge pool of ‘mon to choose from, but just like Ground Pokémon, most of them are powerhouses. Huge, behemoth Pokémon that you don’t want to catch on a bad day! Mostly Silver in colour, the overall design of Steel Pokémon take a rough-around-the-edges, monstrous approach, and I dig it. One thing I don’t dig – why are Fighting type moves super effective against Steel? As a person that once lashed out at a steel lamp post in a state of inebriation, I can tell you that it was the lamp post that won the battle.
Steely-eyed Pokémon that make my team:
- Aggron
- Metagross
- Lucario
4) Dark
Speaking of newly added types from Gold & Silver – here’s Dark type Pokémon. I’ve got a bit of a love-hate relationship with this Pokémon type. There’s quite a few Dark type Pokémon that I find a bit boring, like Mightyena or Purloin. But for the Dark type ‘mon that I love – well I really love them. A few Dark type Pokémon make my Top 10 Pokémon list, which I’ll publish at some point, and it’s for this reason alone that I’m glad the type exists. It doesn’t have many weaknesses making it good for battle, and for some of the better looking Dark type ‘mon, the design work is really good. It just misses out on that podium spot but it’ll never miss out when I’m putting my team together!
Pokémon that turn me to the Dark side:
- Tyranitar
- Darkrai
- Hydreigon
3) Dragon
It couldn’t be a Top 10 Pokémon types list without Dragon Pokémon placing somewhere near the top. Dragon Pokémon are absolute demons in the series and have some of the strongest moves available in the game, such as Draco Meteor. Before the Fairy type was introduced in Generation VI, Dragon Pokémon were only weak to Ice and other Dragon types, making them difficult to take down. The design across all the Dragon Pokémon is a consistent high quality, with a large majority looking like obvious dragons. I especially love how this type started out very rare and, as the series has progressed, has become more available in each iteration of Pokémon. In Pokémon Red & Blue only Dratini, Dragonair and Dragonite had this typing, making them psuedo-legendary by nature. By Sword & Shield, you could get your hands on a Dragon type earlier in the game, and more frequently, allowing you to diversify your team before the end-game. They’re truly spectacular Pokémon and at least one is guaranteed to make my team each time I pick up a title.
Dragon Pokémon that claw their way into my heart are:
- Salamence
- Rayquaza
- Dragapult
2) Fairy
Missing out on the top spot (purely for nostalgic reasons) and the newest Pokémon type to be added to the franchise, is the Fairy type. I absolutely love Fairy Pokémon and I think they’re so strong in battle. Not only are they super effective against Dragon type, but they’re also completely unaffected by Dragon type moves, making them a great counterpick against arguably the strongest Pokémon type in the series. The Fairy typing was also retrospectively added to many Pokémon that already existed, some of which are my favourites. This most recent type was added in Generation VI’s X & Y and, for my first run through, I put Slyveon in my team. Slyveon alone carried me through a lot of that game and this immediately cemented my love of the Fairy type – every game since I’ve prioritised which Fairy ‘mon would make the cut. Don’t judge a book by its cover as these cutely designed ‘mon are hiding a plethora of powerful STAB and status moves.
Fairy Pokémon that leave me feeling magical:
- Whimsicott
- Togekiss
- Sylveon
1) Fire
Finally, taking gold is the hottest type that there is, Fire Pokémon. This decision is definitely tainted by nostalgia as when I was 7 years old, and Pokémon Red and Blue were released, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a Charmander. Yes, it made the first Gym fight against Brock a nightmare, but me and Charmander fought through that nightmare and together, from the beginning, we journeyed through Kanto to become Champions. Every installment since I’ve picked a Fire Pokémon, and that’s not just because I’ve preferred their design, but because they cover several types and have great movesets. They don’t have as many weaknesses as Grass, and although Water type has fewer still, I always preferred Water Pokémon available in the wild, as opposed to the starter ‘mon (perhaps except Greninja). It’s these reasons that place the Fire type at the top of my list as the type that most warms my heart.
Goodness gracious great balls of Fire Pokémon:
- Charizard
- Incineroar
- Blaziken
Unfortunately not every type got to make the list – perhaps I’ll do least favourite Pokémon types in the future to cover them…looking at you “Normal” type. But regardless of this, every type in Pokémon is important. They all contribute to the complexity and nuances that make battling in Pokémon fun and frustrating, but leave you craving the sweet victory that awaits. Hopefully you saw some of your favourite types in my list, but if you didn’t we’ll just have to have a Pokémon battle to settle it.