Type Effectiveness Chart

Why Type Matchups Matter in VGC

Type effectiveness is the single most important mechanic in Pokémon battles. A super-effective hit deals double damage, while a resisted hit deals half. In VGC doubles, where games are often decided by one or two crucial knockouts, understanding exactly which types beat which is the difference between a clean win and a devastating loss.

Unlike singles, doubles adds a layer of complexity because you have two Pokémon on the field at all times. Your offensive coverage needs to threaten both opposing slots, and your defensive typing needs to handle attacks from two sources simultaneously. A type combination that looks solid in singles might crumble in doubles when both opponents target the same weakness.

The chart below shows all 324 possible attacking-type vs. defending-type interactions. Green cells are super effective (2×), red cells are not very effective (0.5×), and black cells are immune (0×). Click any type to highlight its offensive and defensive profile.

Interactive Type Chart

Offensive Coverage in Doubles

When building a VGC team, your collective type coverage determines how many opposing Pokémon you can threaten with super-effective damage. The strongest offensive types in the current metagame are those that hit the most common Pokémon for super-effective damage. Ground, Ice, and Fire are perennial top-tier offensive types because they cover a wide range of targets.

In doubles, spread moves add another dimension to coverage. Moves like Earthquake (Ground), Heat Wave (Fire), and Dazzling Gleam (Fairy) hit both opponents simultaneously. Even with the 25% spread-move damage reduction, hitting two targets for super-effective damage is often more valuable than hitting one target for neutral damage with a single-target move.

The concept of complementary coverage means pairing two attacking types that together hit every type for at least neutral damage. Classic examples include Fire + Ground (only resisted together by a handful of types), Ice + Ground (the famed BoltBeam analogy for physical attackers), and Fairy + Steel (each covers the other's weaknesses).

Defensive Typing for Doubles

Defensively, your team's collective typings determine which attacks you can comfortably switch into or tank. Steel-types are the gold standard of defensive typing, resisting 10 of the 18 types and being immune to Poison. Fairy-types resist three common offensive types (Fighting, Dark, Dragon) and are immune to Dragon entirely.

In VGC doubles, defensive synergy between your two active Pokémon is critical. If both active Pokémon share a Water weakness, a single Surf or Muddy Water from the opponent threatens your entire board position. Ideally, your lead pair should have complementary resistances — what one is weak to, the other resists.

Dual typing can be a double-edged sword. While it grants additional resistances and STAB options, it can also introduce 4× weaknesses. A Pokémon that is 4× weak to a common type (like Ice or Ground) becomes a liability unless it carries an item like Focus Sash or a resistance berry to compensate.

Dual-Type Interactions

When a Pokémon has two types, effectiveness multipliers stack multiplicatively. If both types are weak to the same attacking type, the result is a devastating 4× multiplier. Conversely, if one type resists while the other is weak, they cancel out to neutral (1×) damage. And if one type is immune, the immunity always wins regardless of the other type's weakness.

This stacking means certain dual-type combinations are exceptionally dangerous to use in VGC. Ice/Flying (4× weak to Rock), Grass/Ice (4× weak to Fire), and Bug/Grass (4× weak to Fire and Flying) all suffer from crippling double weaknesses to common attacking types. Meanwhile, combinations like Water/Ground (only weak to Grass, which is uncommon offensively), Steel/Fairy (excellent resistances with only Fire and Ground weaknesses), and Ghost/Dark (only weak to Fairy) are among the strongest defensive typings in the game.

VGC Core Type Pairings

A type core is a pair or trio of Pokémon whose typings complement each other defensively. The classic Fire/Water/Grass core covers many common weaknesses: Water resists Fire's weakness to Water, Fire resists Grass's weakness to Fire, and Grass resists Water's weakness to Electric and Grass. In VGC doubles, popular cores include Steel + Fairy (mutual coverage of weaknesses), Dragon + Fairy (Dragon resists Fire and Water that threaten Fairy's Poison and Steel weaknesses), and Water + Ground (together they threaten Fire, Electric, Rock, and Steel).

When using the type chart, look for types where one partner's weaknesses are covered by the other's resistances. This defensive backbone lets you switch or position confidently, knowing that at least one of your active Pokémon can take any incoming hit reasonably well.