You’ve been there. You're deep in the Paldea region, facing down a gym leader or a particularly glowing Tera Raid boss, and you click a move that looks right. Then, the dreaded text: "It's not very effective..." Honestly, it's frustrating. Even if you've been playing since Red and Blue, the pokemon scarlet weakness chart has evolved into something way more complex than the rock-paper-scissors of the 90s.
With 18 types and the madness of Terastallizing, you aren't just memorizing that Water beats Fire anymore. You're calculating 4x weaknesses on dual-types and trying to figure out why your Electric move did zero damage to a "Water" type that suddenly turned into a Ground-type mid-turn.
The Basic Pokemon Scarlet Weakness Chart Breakdown
If you're just looking for the quick-and-dirty defensive basics, here is the state of the game in 2026. This isn't just about what hits hard; it's about what kills you.
Normal types are still only weak to Fighting. It’s the most straightforward matchup in the game, but don't forget they can’t touch Ghost types at all. Fire types are constantly looking over their shoulder for Water, Ground, and Rock. It’s why so many Fire-type starters struggle in the early game if you aren't careful.
Water types have it pretty good, only fearing Grass and Electric. Grass types, on the other hand, are the glass cannons of the defensive world. They are weak to practically everything: Fire, Ice, Poison, Flying, and Bug. If you’re running a Meowscarada, you’ve got to be fast because you won't survive a focused hit from half the Pokédex.
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Electric types have only one true fear: Ground. But in Paldea, that one weakness is everywhere. Ice types are notoriously fragile, folding to Fire, Fighting, Rock, and Steel. Fighting types hate Psychic, Flying, and those pesky Fairies. Poison is weak to Ground and Psychic. Ground itself fears Water, Grass, and Ice.
Flying types take double damage from Electric, Ice, and Rock. Psychic types are haunted by Bug, Ghost, and Dark moves. Bug types struggle against Flying, Rock, and Fire. Rock types have a rough time with Water, Grass, Fighting, Ground, and Steel. Ghost types are weirdly weak to themselves and Dark. Dragon types are only afraid of Ice, Fairy, and other Dragons. Dark types get bullied by Fighting, Bug, and Fairy. Steel is the defensive king but still fears Fire, Fighting, and Ground. Finally, Fairy types—the Dragon slayers—are only weak to Poison and Steel.
Why Dual-Types Change Everything
A lot of players get caught in the trap of looking at a Pokémon's primary type and forgetting the secondary one. This is where the pokemon scarlet weakness chart gets messy.
Take a look at Gholdengo, the literal "Gold" standard of the current meta. It's Steel/Ghost. Normally, Steel is weak to Fighting. But because it's also a Ghost, Fighting moves have zero effect. You just nullified a major weakness.
On the flip side, dual-typing can create a "4x weakness." This happens when both of a Pokémon's types share a common vulnerability. If you're using Baxcalibur (Dragon/Ice), a single Steel-type move like Flash Cannon is going to hurt significantly more than usual because Ice is weak to Steel and Dragon doesn't resist it. If you hit a Garchomp (Dragon/Ground) with an Ice move? That's 4x damage. It’s usually an instant knockout.
The Terastal Factor: Throwing the Chart Out the Window
In Scarlet and Violet, the Terastal phenomenon is the ultimate "gotcha" moment. Every Pokémon has a Tera Type. When they Terastallize, their original weaknesses disappear and are replaced by the weaknesses of their new Tera Type.
Imagine you're about to finish off a Dondozo with an Electric move. Suddenly, it glows, turns into a Tera-Ground type, and your move does nothing. Now, you’re the one in trouble.
- Tera-Stellar: This is the wildcard added in the DLC. It doesn't change your defensive weaknesses (you keep your original ones), but it gives you a one-time power boost to every move type.
- Defensive Teras: Many players use Tera-Steel or Tera-Fairy on their favorite Pokémon just to shed their common weaknesses. A Tera-Steel Hydreigon is a nightmare because it resists almost everything that would normally kill a Dragon/Dark type.
Practical Steps for Your Next Battle
Stop guessing. It’s 2026, and the competitive scene is too fast for "sorta" knowing the matchups.
First, always check the "check effectiveness" indicator in the move menu during wild battles or trainer fights—but remember, this only shows up for Pokémon you have already caught. If it's a new encounter, you're on your own.
Second, look at the Tera Jewel on the opponent's head. If you see a giant candle, it’s Fire. A fountain? Water. A skull? Poison. Learning these icons is just as important as the chart itself.
Finally, keep a balanced team. If your entire party is weak to Ground, a single "Earthquake" from a random Great Tusk will end your run. Mix your types, use your Tera Orb defensively when you're cornered, and always have a "coverage" move—an attack that isn't your type but covers your weaknesses (like a Fire-type using a Grass move to hit Water-types).
Go back to your boxes and look at your team's "Defensive Coverage." If you see more than two Pokémon sharing a weakness to the same type, it's time to swap someone out.