You’ve been there. You’re staring at a 4,000 CP Dragonite in a Master League match, your heart is racing, and you swap in your Aggron because, hey, it’s a big metal dinosaur. It should win, right? Then a flurry of Super Effective prompts hit your screen and you’re back in the lobby wondering what on earth happened.
Knowing the Pokémon GO type chart isn’t just about memorizing "water beats fire." It’s about the weird, specific ways Niantic changed the rules from the classic games we grew up with. If you’re still playing like it’s 1998 on a Game Boy Color, you’re basically throwing matches.
The Immunity Myth in Pokémon GO
Here is the biggest lie the game tells you: "Immunities exist."
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In the main series games, if you use a Ground-type move like Earthquake on a Pidgey, it does zero damage. Literally nothing. In Pokémon GO, that’s not how it works. There is no such thing as zero damage. Instead, an "immunity" is just a double resistance.
Basically, if a Pokémon is supposed to be immune to a type, it takes 39% damage instead of 100%. That’s a huge reduction, but if your Pokémon is hanging on by a pixel of health, that "immune" move can still knock you out. This is why Gengar can still be chipped down by Normal-type moves in a Raid, even though every fiber of your Pokémon-fan brain says it shouldn't happen.
Why Your "Super Effective" Moves Feel Weak
Ever notice how sometimes a Super Effective move barely moves the health bar?
In the main games, a Super Effective hit deals 2x damage. In Pokémon GO, it only deals 1.6x. That’s a massive difference. Conversely, a move that is "not very effective" deals 0.625x damage.
The math gets really spicy when you talk about dual types. If you hit a Charizard (Fire/Flying) with a Rock-type move, it’s Super Effective against both types. This "double weakness" multiplies out to 2.56x damage. That is the gold standard for Raids. If you aren't hunting for that 2.56x multiplier, you're just wasting Revives.
The Steel-Type Wall (And Why It’s Broken)
Honestly, Steel is the most ridiculous type in the game. It resists almost everything. If you look at the Pokémon GO type chart from a defensive perspective, Steel resists a whopping 11 different types.
11!
It resists Normal, Grass, Ice, Flying, Psychic, Bug, Rock, Dragon, Steel, Fairy, and it "double resists" Poison. If you’re confused about what to lead with in the Great League, there’s a reason you see Registeel and Bastiodon everywhere. They aren't just bulky; the math is literally rigged in their favor.
But they have a glass jaw. Ground, Fighting, and Fire attacks will melt them. This is why moves like Counter and Mud Shot are the most valuable assets in PvP. They are the "Steel-killers."
Common Brain-Farts Everyone Has
We all have those Pokémon that look like one type but are actually another.
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Take Golduck. Everyone thinks it's a Psychic type because it has "psy" in its name and it's constantly holding its head in pain. Nope. Pure Water. If you bring a Ghost-type to fight it, you're doing neutral damage and probably losing the shield lead.
What about Florges? It’s a giant flower. It’s definitely Grass, right? Wrong. Pure Fairy. If you try to burn it with Fire moves, you’re going to be disappointed when you see neutral damage numbers.
And don't even get me started on Alolan Exeggutor. It’s a palm tree, but it’s a Dragon. Why? Because of a specific Hawaiian myth about a dragon-headed tree. Pokémon GO is weird like that. You have to know the species, not just the "vibes."
How to Actually Win at GO Battle League
If you want to stop losing, you need to think about "coverage."
A lot of players make the mistake of building a team that is all "strong." They’ll take three high-attack Fire types. Then they meet one Swampert with Hydro Cannon and the game is over in forty seconds.
A pro team is built on the "Core-Breaker" philosophy.
If your lead Pokémon is weak to Fairy (like a Scrafty or a Dragonite), your second Pokémon must be something that eats Fairies for breakfast—think Metagross or Nihilego. Your third Pokémon should then cover the weaknesses of your second. It’s a giant game of Rock-Paper-Scissors, but with 18 different shapes of rocks.
Quick Cheat Sheet for Modern Meta
- Fairy destroys Dragon, Dark, and Fighting.
- Ghost and Dark are almost identical, but Ghost is weak to itself, while Dark resists itself.
- Electric only has one weakness: Ground. This makes Pokémon like Eelektross (who has no secondary type) incredibly annoying to kill unless you have a Mud-Slap user.
Actionable Next Steps for Trainers
Stop guessing. The next time you go into a Raid or a GBL set, do these three things:
- Check for Double Weaknesses: If you're fighting a Landorus, don't just use "strong" Pokémon. Use Ice. It's double weak to Ice (2.56x damage). You can win that Raid with half the people if everyone just uses Mamoswine.
- Tag Your Pokémon: Use the in-game tagging system. Make a tag for "PvP Counters" and "Raid Attackers." Group them by what they beat, not just what they are.
- Watch the Animation: If the "Super Effective" text doesn't pop up, swap out immediately. Don't try to power through a neutral matchup if you have a better option sitting on the bench. Energy management is key, but type advantage is the foundation.
The Pokémon GO type chart is a living document. As new moves like Spacial Rend or Meteor Mash get rebalanced, the way these types interact in the meta shifts. Stay sharp, watch your matchups, and stop trying to punch ghosts with Machamp. It just doesn't work.