Steel types are basically the "boss fight" of the Pokemon typing chart. Ever since they showed up in Pokemon Gold and Silver back in 1999 to rein in the absolute chaos that was the Psychic-type meta, they've been the literal backbone of competitive play. They have the most resistances. They have the highest average physical defense. If you don't know exactly what’s good against steel pokemon, you’re going to spend twenty turns watching your attacks do "not very effective" chip damage while your opponent slowly wears you down with Toxic or Stealth Rock.
It’s frustrating.
You see a Scizor or a Ferrothorn and your first instinct might be to just hit it with your strongest move. Don't do that. Steel resists ten different types. Ten! That's more than half the game. If you're clicking Dragon, Fairy, or Normal moves, you're basically tickling a brick wall. To actually crack the armor, you need to understand the three fundamental pillars of anti-steel strategy: Fire, Fighting, and Ground.
The Big Three: Breaking the Metal
If you want to know what’s good against steel pokemon, you have to start with the "Holy Trinity" of offensive types.
Fire is the most obvious. It’s the "melt the armor" approach. In the main series games, Fire attacks deal 2x damage to pure Steel types. But it's not just about the damage multiplier. Most Steel types, like Skarmory or Forretress, have secondary typings that make Fire even more lethal. Forretress, for instance, is Bug/Steel, meaning a single Ember might actually end its whole career because it’s 4x weak to heat.
Then you have Fighting. This is the "dent the armor" strategy. Fighting moves are the only ones that consistently bypass the high physical bulk of Steel types through raw force. Moves like Close Combat or Low Kick are staples for a reason. Fun fact: Low Kick actually scales with the target's weight. Since Steel types like Aggron or Metagross weigh as much as a small car, Low Kick hits them like a freight train.
Finally, there’s Ground. This is the one people forget until they get swept by an Earthquake. Ground is arguably the best offensive type in the game, and it’s a hard counter to the most dangerous Steel types, especially those that are also Electric or Poison (looking at you, Magnezone).
Why Ground-types are the "Secret Sauce"
Honestly? Ground is better than Fire in many competitive scenarios. Why? Because Steel-type trainers love to switch into a "Flash Fire" teammate or use rain to dampen Fire-type damage. You can't dampen the Earth.
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Earthquake is the gold standard. It has 100 power, 100 accuracy, and almost every physical attacker can learn it. If you’re staring down a Heatran, Fire isn't going to help you—Heatran actually heals from it. But a 4x weakness to Ground? That's a one-hit knockout waiting to happen.
The Hidden Mechanics: It’s Not Just About Typing
Expert players know that knowing what’s good against steel pokemon goes way deeper than just looking at a type chart. You have to look at the secondary effects.
One of the biggest buffs Steel types ever received was their immunity to the Poison status. You cannot Poison a Steel Pokemon. This makes the "Stall" strategy—where you just wait for your opponent to die from toxic damage—completely useless against them.
However, they are not immune to Burn.
If you use a move like Will-O-Wisp, you cut the Steel type's attack stat in half. This is huge. Most Steel types, like Zacian-Crowned or Melmetal, rely on massive physical power. A burned Melmetal is basically a giant paperweight. It’s still hard to kill, but it can’t hurt you anymore.
The Corviknight Problem
Let’s talk about Corviknight for a second. It’s Steel/Flying. This is a nightmare pairing.
- Ground moves? Doesn't hit it because it's flying.
- Fighting moves? Neutral damage because of the bird half.
- Fire moves? Still works, but Corviknight usually carries a Rocky Helmet to punish you for touching it.
Against something like Corviknight, what’s good against Steel Pokemon changes. You have to pivot to Electric. While Electric isn't normally super effective against Steel, it is super effective against Flying. This is where "coverage" comes in. You need a move that hits the secondary type to bypass the Steel resistance.
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The Best Counters in the Current Meta (Gen 9 and Beyond)
If you're playing Pokemon Scarlet and Violet or hitting the VGC circuits, the "best" counters have shifted.
- Great Tusk: This thing is a monster. It’s Ground/Fighting. That means it carries two of the three types that Steel hates the most. A Protosynthesis-boosted Headlong Rush will delete almost any Steel type in the game.
- Chi-Yu: The "Beads of Ruin" ability lowers the Special Defense of everything on the field. Combine that with a Choice Specs Overheat, and you’re not just melting Steel; you're vaporizing it.
- Iron Hands: While it’s technically part Steel-adjacent in design (it’s a Paradox Pokemon), its Fighting-type moves and massive HP pool make it a natural predator for the metal birds and golems of the world.
Don't Forget About Items
Sometimes, the best thing against a Steel Pokemon isn't a move—it's an item.
Take the Air Balloon. If you're a Heatran, you're terrified of Ground moves. You put on an Air Balloon, and suddenly you're immune to Earthquakes until someone pops it.
Conversely, if you’re trying to kill a Steel type that keeps switching out, use Choice Band on your Fighting types. You need that extra 50% damage boost to ensure the OHKO (One-Hit Knockout). If you leave a Steel type with 5% health, they will just use Recover or Roost and you’re back to square one. It’s miserable.
The "Weight" of the Situation: Common Misconceptions
People think Steel is invincible. It’s not. It just punishes laziness.
A common mistake is trying to use Water types. "Rust," right? In the real world, water ruins steel. In Pokemon? Water does neutral damage. It’s fine, but it’s not a counter. Unless you’re using something like Urshifu-Rapid-Strike, you’re probably better off switching to a dedicated Fire or Ground type.
Another misconception: "I'll just use a Special Attacker because their physical defense is too high."
Kinda true, but watch out.
Pokemon like Aegislash or Empoleon have massive Special Defense. If you try to Flamethrower an Empoleon, you're going to be disappointed. You need to know if the specific Steel type you're facing is a "Physical Wall" or a "Special Sponge."
- Physical Walls: Skarmory, Aggron, Steelix. Use Special Fire moves.
- Special Sponges: Probopass, Empoleon, Bronzong. Use Physical Fighting or Ground moves.
Strategy Breakdown: How to Actually Win
To wrap this up, if you want to master what’s good against steel pokemon, you need a three-step checklist during your battle.
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First, identify the secondary type. Is it a Scizor? Use Fire. Is it a Lucario? Use Fighting or Ground. Is it a Gholdengo? That’s Steel/Ghost, so Fighting won't even touch it! You’ll need Ground or Fire (or even Dark/Ghost).
Second, check the weather. If it’s raining, your Fire moves are 50% weaker. If it’s a Sandstorm, Rock types (which often pair with Steel) get a 50% Special Defense boost. You have to play around the environment.
Third, use entry hazards. Steel types are heavy. They hate Spikes. They hate Stealth Rock (well, some do, others resist it). If you can chip them down before your main attacker comes in, the "unbreakable" wall starts to look a lot more like glass.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Team
- Check your coverage: Does at least one Pokemon on your team have Earthquake or Earth Power? If not, fix that immediately.
- Get a "Pivot": Use a move like U-turn or Volt Switch to get your Fire/Fighting types in safely. Steel types love to hit you on the switch-in with heavy physical moves.
- Learn the weights: Keep a mental note of which Steel types are heavy. It makes moves like Grass Knot (if they are part Rock/Ground) or Low Kick significantly more viable.
- Watch for Tera Types: In the current Gen 9 meta, a Steel type might "Terastallize" into a Flying type to dodge your Ground moves. Always have a backup plan, like an Electric or Ice move, just in case they pull a fast one on you.
Steel is the gold standard for defense, but it’s far from perfect. It’s rigid. It’s predictable. Once you stop fearing the "Resist" notification and start aiming for the gaps in the armor, those "unstoppable" walls start falling pretty fast.
Master the Matchup
The best way to get comfortable is to head into the Showdown ladder or the Battle Stadium and specifically look for Steel-type leads. Practice predicting the switch. Most people will switch their Steel type out the moment they see a Fire type. If you can predict that and use a move that hits whatever is coming in, you’ve already won the mental game.
That’s the real secret to beating Steel types. It’s not just about the type chart; it’s about making sure they never get the chance to set up their defense in the first place.