Ice is the glass cannon of the Pokémon world. It’s fragile. It’s sleek. Honestly, it’s one of the most frustrating types to use defensively, yet it remains one of the most terrifying offensive threats in the competitive meta. If you’ve ever stared down a Choice Banded Weavile or a Baxcalibur after a Dragon Dance, you know the feeling of impending doom. Understanding what's strong against ice isn't just about memorizing a type chart from 1996; it’s about understanding the mechanics of why these counters work and how to exploit the glaring holes in Ice-type geometry.
The Ice type has a reputation. It's the "glass type." While Ice moves are incredibly effective—hitting the ubiquitous Dragon, Flying, Grass, and Ground types for super effective damage—the Ice type itself only resists... well, Ice. That’s it. One resistance. In a game of elemental rock-paper-scissors, Ice is basically showing up to a knife fight with a very sharp, very cold popsicle.
The Big Four: Hard Counters for Ice Types
When we talk about what's strong against ice, four specific types stand out as the definitive answers. These aren't just suggestions; they are the fundamental pillars of type matchups.
Fire: The Literal Melt
It’s the most obvious one. Fire melts ice. In the games, Fire types take half damage from Ice-type moves and deal double damage in return. It’s a one-sided slaughter. But it goes deeper than just the damage calc. Many Fire types, like Arcanine or Heatran, have the natural bulk or abilities to completely shut down Ice-type sweepers.
Take a look at the "Sunny Day" weather condition. Not only does it boost Fire moves, but it also prevents the "Frozen" status condition entirely. If you’re running a Sun team with Torkoal or Koraidon, Ice types become almost irrelevant. You aren't just hitting them hard; you're changing the literal atmosphere of the battlefield to make their existence miserable.
Steel: The Industrial Wall
Steel is arguably the best defensive type in the history of the franchise. Against Ice, it shines. Steel resists Ice-type moves, and Steel-type attacks like Flash Cannon or Iron Head hit Ice types for super effective damage.
Think about Gholdengo or Scizor. These aren't just "counters." They are walls. Steel is dense. Ice is brittle. When a Meteor Mash hits an Alolan Sandslash, it’s over. This is why you see so many high-level players switch to a Steel type the moment they see a Blizzard coming. It’s the safest play in the book.
Rock: The Brute Force
Rock is the dark horse here. People often forget that Rock is super effective against Ice. Why? Think of a glacier being pulverized by a boulder. It’s physical. It’s messy.
The downside? Rock types are notoriously slow and often have terrible special defense. If you switch a Tyranitar into a powerful Freeze-Dry, you might still take a massive chunk of damage because Freeze-Dry is a special move and Ice types often have high Special Attack. However, if you land a Stone Edge or a Rock Slide, the Ice type is likely going down in one hit. It’s a high-stakes game of "who hits first."
Fighting: The Shatter Effect
Fighting types represent physical discipline and force. You can break ice with your bare hands if you're trained. Moves like Close Combat, Aura Sphere, and Mach Punch are the bane of an Ice type's existence.
Mach Punch is particularly nasty. Since most Ice types are fast but frail (think Froslass or Iron Bundle), priority moves are the ultimate equalizer. You don't need to outspeed them if your glove hits their face before they can even breathe. Using a Breloom or a Conkeldurr provides that immediate pressure that forces an Ice user to switch out or die.
The Nuance of "Ice-Type Logic"
You’ve got to realize that the competitive scene isn't just about the "super effective" text popping up on the screen. It's about coverage.
A lot of people ask what's strong against ice and then get wiped out by a Mamoswine. Why? Because Mamoswine is Ice and Ground. If you bring a Fire type, it gets hit by an Earthquake. If you bring a Steel type, it gets hit by High Horsepower. This is the "Sub-Type Trap." To truly beat Ice, you have to look at the secondary typing.
Stealth Rock: The Passive Killer
If you want to beat Ice types without even trying, use Stealth Rock. Because Ice is weak to Rock, every time an Ice type switches into the battle, they lose 25% of their total HP if Stealth Rock is on the field.
It’s brutal.
Imagine a Charizard (Fire/Flying) or an Articuno (Ice/Flying). They lose 50% of their health just for entering the game. This is why "Heavy-Duty Boots" became the most held item for Ice types in recent generations. If you can knock off those boots with a move like Knock Off, the environment itself becomes the strongest weapon against them.
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Surprising Exceptions and Technicalities
Not everything is as it seems. Water types, for example, aren't super effective against Ice, but they do resist Ice-type moves. This makes Water types a "soft counter." You can’t necessarily kill the Ice type quickly, but they can’t kill you either.
Except for Freeze-Dry.
This move changed everything. It’s an Ice-type move that is specifically coded to be super effective against Water types. If you’re relying on a Dondozo or a Toxapex to wall an Ice type, and they pull out Freeze-Dry, you’re in trouble. It’s a move that defies the standard rules of the game. Always check if the Pokémon you’re facing—like Kyurem or Iron Bundle—has access to this move before you send in your Water types.
Thick Fat: The Ability Factor
Some Pokémon have the "Thick Fat" ability. This effectively halves the damage taken from Fire and Ice moves. Pokémon like Snorlax, Miltank, or even Walrein (which is an Ice type itself) use this to become deceptively bulky. You might think you're melting them with a Flamethrower, but you're actually doing neutral damage. It’s a layer of complexity that keeps the game from being a simple math problem.
The Strategy of the Pivot
Beating Ice is often about the "Pivot." Since Ice types are usually offensive threats, they want to come in, hit hard, and leave. You need to break their momentum.
- U-turn and Volt Switch: Use these moves to bring in your Steel or Fire types safely.
- Assault Vest: Give this item to a Pokémon with decent natural bulk to soak up those Blizzards.
- Tera Types: The Terastal phenomenon in the Paldea region (Pokémon Scarlet and Violet) means any Pokémon can suddenly become a Fire or Steel type. Baiting an Ice move and then Terastallizing into a Fire type is a classic "pro gamer move" that can flip a match on its head.
Real-World Examples in the VGC and Smogon Meta
If you look at the 2024 and 2025 competitive circuits, Ice types like Chien-Pao have been dominant. Chien-Pao is Ice/Dark. It's incredibly fast. It lowers your defense just by being on the field.
How do the pros handle it?
They use Choice Scarf users. A Choice Scarf Urshifu (Rapid Strike) can outspeed Chien-Pao and hit it with a 4x effective Fighting-type move (Surging Strikes or Close Combat). They also use priority. Extreme Speed from a Tera Normal Dragonite can often pick off a weakened Ice type before it can move.
The strategy is never just "use a Fire move." It's "don't let them move at all."
Actionable Tactics for Your Next Battle
You’re tired of getting swept by a rogue Weavile. I get it. Here is the literal blueprint for making sure you never lose to an Ice type again.
- Check the Speed Tiers: Most Ice types are fast. If your counter is slower, it needs to be bulky enough to take at least one hit. If it can't, you need a Priority move like Bullet Punch (Steel) or Mach Punch (Fighting).
- Hazards are Mandatory: Get Stealth Rock or Spikes on the field. Ice types hate chip damage because they have no way to heal themselves outside of items or the rare Rest.
- The "Scizor Strategy": Scizor is the ultimate Ice-type assassin. It has Bullet Punch (priority Steel move), it resists Ice, and it has Technician to boost that priority damage. If you’re struggling with what's strong against ice, just put a Scizor on your team.
- Weather Control: If they are running a Snow team (which boosts the Defense of Ice types by 50%), you need to change the weather. Bring in a Tyranitar for Sand or a Pelipper for Rain. Taking away that Defense boost makes them much easier to OHKO (One-Hit Knock Out).
- Identify the Item: If an Ice type is doing insane damage, they probably have a Choice Band or Choice Specs. This means they are locked into one move. Use a "Protect" or a "Substitute" to scout what move they are using, then switch to a Pokémon that resists that specific type.
Ice types are the high-risk, high-reward players of the Pokémon world. They can end a game in three turns if you aren't prepared, but they crumble the moment you apply the right kind of pressure. Focus on Steel and Fighting for the most consistent results, and never, ever forget about Stealth Rock.
Keep your team balanced. Don't stack up on Flying, Ground, and Dragon types without having a dedicated Steel "sponge" to soak up those Ice Beams. If you can control the tempo of the match, the ice will melt long before it can freeze your progress.
Next Steps for Mastery:
- Audit your current roster: Count how many of your Pokémon are weak to Ice. If it's more than two, you need a Steel or Fire pivot immediately.
- Practice "Double Switching": Anticipate the Ice move, switch to your resistance, and then immediately switch to your attacker as they try to switch out of your counter.
- Learn the Movepools: Study which non-Ice Pokémon carry Ice-type coverage. Moves like Triple Axel or Ice Spinner are common on Physical attackers that aren't even Ice types themselves.