Pokémon types

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pokémon types are special attributes which determine the strengths and weaknesses of different Pokémon species. They lay the foundation of a complex yet mostly logical rock, paper, scissors-system that applies to every Pokémon and their respective moves. Some advantages and disadvantages are based on common sense (e.g. Fire-type Pokémon being weak to Water-type attacks), while others are not as obvious (e.g. Bug-type attacks being strong against Psychic-type).

Contents 1 Physical and Special Attack 1.1 List of Physical and Special Move Types 2 Type-specific moves 3 List of Pokémon types 3.1 Bug-type 3.2 Dark-type 3.3 Dragon-type 3.4 Electric-type 3.5 Fighting-type 3.6 Fire-type 3.7 Flying-type 3.8 Ghost-type 3.9 Grass-type 3.10 Ground-type 3.11 Ice-type 3.12 Normal-type 3.13 Poison-type 3.14 Psychic-type 3.15 Rock-type 3.16 Steel-type 3.17 Water-type 3.18 Other Types 3.18.1 Bird-type 3.18.2 X-type 4 Ghost-type vs. Psychic-type 5 Overall effects on gameplay 6 Differences between the anime and game 7 Notes 8 See also

[edit] Physical and Special Attack

Each of a Pokémon's moves can either be described as a Physical or Special Attack. When attacking a opponent with a Physical Attack, the attacker's Attack stat pushes the direct damage higher, while the target's Defense stat drives the damage lower. When attacking an opponent with a Special Attack, the attacker's Sp. Attack stat and the target's Sp. Defense stat influence the direct-damage amount.

The moves type determines whether the move is classified as a Physical Attack or a Special Attack in the first three generations of games. However, in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl the attack itself determines the Physical or Special nature of the damage, not the type.

[edit] List of Physical and Special Move Types

Physical Attacks

• Bug
• Fighting
• Flying
• Ghost
• Ground
• Normal
• Poison
• Rock
• Steel

Note: Ghost-type moves are officially considered Physical Attacks. It is a common misconception that Ghost-type moves are Special Attacks. This is because the 1st Generation Pokémon games (Red, Blue, Green and Yellow) listed the Ghost Type as being Special. This however changed in the 2nd Generation to Physical.

Special Attack

• Dark
• Dragon
• Electric
• Fire
• Grass
• Ice
• Water
• Psychic

[edit] Type-specific moves

Most Pokémon learn moves of the specific type(s) they have traits of, as well as basic physical attacks. For example, the Electric-type Pikachu could know basic Normal-type moves such as Growl and Quick Attack, but also Electric-type moves like Thundershock and Thunder Wave. Pokémon receive a bonus to the power of attacks which match their own types, multiplying the damage the attack causes by 1.5. This is known as Same Type Attack Bonus, or STAB. For instance, a Pikachu (an Electric-type Pokémon) will do more damage with Thunderbolt (an Electric-type move) than a Raticate (a Normal-type Pokémon) with the same stats will. Normal-types do receive STAB, despite rumors to the contrary. Combined with a double-type-advantage, STAB can cause an attack to do a total of 6 times its normal damage. A STAB attack with a double-type-advantage, a critical hit (which multiplies it by 2 again) and a held item boost (x 1.1) can do a total of 13.2 times its normal damage. It should be noted that weather may increase power even more, along with special abilities to increase an attack by 19.8 times its original power or more.

[edit] List of Pokémon types

[edit] Bug-type

Bug-type Pokémon are generally arthropod-like Pokémon, mostly insectoid and a few arachnids. These Pokémon commonly evolve at low levels and as such are ideal for the early stages of the games. Bug-type moves involve use of the bugs' body parts. Bug Pokémon are generally regarded as weak, but some can be quite powerful, like Heracross, Pinsir and Scizor. Some Bug-type moves that Pokémon can learn are Megahorn, Fury Cutter, and Pin Missile. Other examples of Bug-types include Ariados, Beedrill, Butterfree, Ledian and Silcoon.

• Weaknesses: Fire, Flying, Poison¹, Rock
• Resistances: Fighting, Grass, Ground
• SuperEffective: Dark, Grass, Poison¹, Psychic
• Not effective: Fighting, Fire, Flying, Ghost, Poison², Steel

[edit] Dark-type

In the Japanese version, this type is called Evil. According to most Pokedex information, Dark type Pokémon tend to have bad reputations and an evil nature about them. Dark-type Pokémon are known for using sinister moves such as biting and stealing. Some of the most common Dark-type moves that Pokémon can learn are Bite (in Gold and Silver forwards), Thief, and Crunch. Examples of Dark-type Pokémon include Absol, Houndoom, Sneasel, Tyranitar and Umbreon. Certain species of Pokémon classified as "Dark" seem to be misunderstood, such as Absol, who has gathered a reputation of bad luck, always appearing at human towns when a natural disaster is about to happen, when really, it tries to warn the humans.

Dark type Pokemon are the most notorious cause the most controversy of all Pokemon types (not including Jynx, a Psychic/Ice type Pokemon), Pokemon such as Houndoom and Murkrow are said to lead children into various forms of blasphemy including Satanism and witchcraft.

• Weaknesses: Bug, Fighting
• Resistances: Dark, Ghost
• Immunities: Psychic
• SuperEffective: Ghost, Psychic
• Not effective: Dark, Fighting, Steel

[edit] Dragon-type

Dragon-type Pokémon are, quite simply, dragons. Their moves involve the use of claws and breath. Not all dragon-like Pokémon are Dragon-type Pokémon; for example, Aerodactyl is a Rock/Flying type, Charizard is a Fire/Flying type, Gyarados is a Water/Flying type, and Milotic is pure Water type and Tyranitar is a Rock/Dark type. However, a few of these Pokémon are in the Dragon breeding group (e.g. Charizard, Gyarados, Milotic). Some Dragon-type attacks that Pokémon can learn are Dragon Rage, Dragonbreath, and Twister. Dragons-types have few weaknesses, and their above-average stats allow them to easily overpower most other Pokémon. Their power, however, is usually balanced out by an extreme weakness to Ice-type attacks, as many Dragons are also Flying- or Ground-type, causing them to take quadruple damage from Ice-type attacks (or sextuple damage with Same Type Attack Bonus). Examples of Dragon-type Pokémon include: Altaria, Dragonite, Flygon, Latias/Latios, Rayquaza and Salamence.

• Weaknesses: Dragon, Ice
• Resistances: Electric, Fire, Grass, Water
• SuperEffective: Dragon
• Not effective: Steel

[edit] Electric-type

Electric-type Pokémon have electricity-oriented powers. Electric types often have a high Speed stat, a respectable Special Attack, and a decent Special Defense. Electric types are also noted for very few weaknesses, though the one weakness they have (Ground) is possibly the second most common, and their usually low defenses make this weakness deadly. Many Electric-type attacks have a chance of causing Paralysis, a status effect which severely reduces the affected Pokémon's Speed, and means a 25% chance of being unable to move each turn. Some Electric-type moves that Pokémon can learn are Thundershock, Shock Wave, and Spark.

Some examples include Ampharos, Electabuzz, Electrode, Manectric, Pikachu, Raikou, and Elekible.

• Weakness: Ground
• Resistances: Electric, Flying, Steel
• SuperEffective: Water, Flying
• Not effective: Electric, Grass, Dragon
• No effect: Ground

[edit] Fighting-type

Fighting-type Pokémon learn specifically labeled fighting melee attacks, such as punches and kicks. Some Fighting-type moves that Pokémon can learn are Seismic Toss, Hi Jump Kick, and Dynamicpunch. Examples of Fighting-type Pokémon include Breloom, Hariyama, Hitmontop, Primeape, Machoke and Mankey.

• Weaknesses: Flying, Psychic
• Resistances: Bug, Dark, Rock
• SuperEffective: Dark, Ice, Normal, Rock, Steel
• Not effective: Bug, Flying, Poison, Psychic
• No effect: Ghost³

[edit] Fire-type

Fire-type Pokémon are aligned with heat, often in the form of flames or lava. Fire-type attacks may cause a Burn, a status effect which causes a reduction in the victim's Attack statistic as well as reducing hit points each turn. Fire-type Pokémon are immune to the Burn status effect (unless caused by Tri Attack). Some Fire-type moves that Pokémon can learn are Fire Spin, Fire Blast, and Flamethrower.

Examples include Charmander, Entei, Growlithe, Hikozaru, Magmar, Torkoal, and Booburn.

• Weaknesses: Ground, Water, Rock
• Resistances: Fire, Grass, Ice, Bug, Steel
• SuperEffective: Grass, Ice, Bug, Steel
• Not effective: Fire, Water, Rock, Dragon

[edit] Flying-type

Flying-type Pokémon are Pokémon that fly or resemble birds. They are normally bird-like or dragon-like Pokémon, but there are exceptions, such as the sea serpent-like Water-and-Flying-type Gyarados. The Flying-type has never been any species's sole type – all Flying-type Pokémon are dual-types, most of the common ones being dual Normal- and Flying-type.

However, when the Blue Sky Plate is attached to the recently revealed Legendary Pokémon Arseus, it becomes a pure Flying-type. The same occurs with 15 other "plates" (representing all Pokémon types except Normal- Arseus' starting type) attached to Arseus. Also, when Kecleon is exposed to a Flying-type attack, it becomes a pure Flying-type Pokémon. Yet more temporary Flying-only Pokémon can be created by employing the Conversion move, as used by Porygon, Porygon2 and PorygonZ. Some Flying-type moves that Pokémon can learn are Whirlwind, Fly, and Mirror Move. Normal/Flying dual type is very common. Flying type comes in combination with every other type except fighting. Flying-type Pokémon should not be confused with the glitchy Bird-type Pokémon, Missingno. and ’M.

Examples include Doduo, Farfetch'd, Fearow, Noctowl, Pidgey, Tropius, and Taillow.

• Weaknesses: Electric, Ice, Rock
• Resistances: Bug, Fighting, Grass
• Immunities: Ground
• SuperEffective: Bug, Fighting, Grass
• Not effective: Electric, Rock, Steel

[edit] Ghost-type

Ghost-type Pokémon relate to the supernatural, specifically the realm of the dead. Their paranormal powers often cause status effects to cripple their foes. In the Red, Blue, Yellow, FireRed, and LeafGreen versions of Pokémon, all wild Ghost-type Pokémon required a special item to see them clearly in order to battle or capture them. Some Ghost-type moves that Pokémon can learn are Lick, Shadow Ball, Night Shade, and Confuse Ray. In the first generation, there were only 3 ghost type Pokémon - and none of them were pure ghost type. In addition to that, while the Psychic-type Pokémon were supposed to be weak against Ghost-type attacks, the only attack that did a non-set amount of damage, Lick, could not effectively damage Psychic Pokémon. This problem was fixed in later generations, with more variation in Ghost-types and Ghost-type attacks. Examples of the Ghost-type include Banette, Duskull, Gengar, Misdreavus, Sableye, Shedinja, and Dusclops.

• Weaknesses: Dark, Ghost
• Resistances: Bug, Poison
• Immunities: Normal, Fighting
• SuperEffective: Ghost, Psychic
• Not effective: Dark, Steel
• No effect: Normal

The two exceptions to Normal-type Pokémon's immunity to Ghost-type attacks are the moves Confuse Ray and Nightmare. Also, Normal- and Fighting-type attacks can hit Ghost-types if a move like Foresight or Odor Sleuth is used beforehand. The attack Curse functions differently when used by Ghost Pokémon. When used, the user pays half of its maximum Hit Points to inflict upon the foe a condition of which is invisible except during turns, where a quarter of the target's maximum Hit Points are drained, where the message "(Enemy Pokémon's name) is affected by the CURSE" is displayed on the screen.

[edit] Grass-type

Grass-type Pokémon have abilities and appearances associated with plant life and nature. They use many HP-recovery techniques and moves which cause various status effects to their advantage. Until the Gold and Silver versions, over half of the Grass-type Pokémon were dual-type with Poison, negating the Grass-type's resistance to Ground-type attacks. In fact, in the first generation of Pokémon, there was just one that was purely grass - Tangela. Even in later games, many Grass-type Pokémon have a second type. An inexpert eye may think the Grass type is badly balanced in terms of weaknesses and advantages, yet more experienced players will know the advantages of Grass type are vital for being strong against some of the most common or hard to damage types. Examples of Grass-types include Bulbasaur, Hoppip, Meganium, Oddish, Sunkern, Treecko, Victreebel. Some Grass-type moves that Pokémon can learn are Vine Whip, Bullet Seed, and Sleep Powder.

• Weaknesses: Bug, Fire, Flying, Ice, Poison
• Resistances: Electric, Grass, Ground, Water
• SuperEffective: Ground, Rock, Water
• Not effective: Bug, Dragon, Fire, Flying, Grass, Poison, Steel

[edit] Ground-type

Ground-type Pokémon are tough Pokémon affiliated with the soil. They are the second most common type. Common moves that Ground-type Pokémon can learn are Mud Sport, Earthquake, and Dig. Examples include Dugtrio, Groudon, Marshtomp, Phanpy, Sandshrew, Trapinch.

• Weaknesses: Grass, Ice, Water
• Resistances: Poison, Rock
• Immunities: Electric
• SuperEffective: Electric, Fire, Poison, Rock, Steel
• Not effective: Bug, Grass
• No effect: Flying

[edit] Ice-type

Ice-type Pokémon are affiliated with cold things and areas. Ice-type Pokémon usually have a high Special Defense statistic and a low Defense statistic. Ice is an uncommon type, and rarely seen in single-type Pokémon. In fact, only Snorunt, Glalie, and Regice are pure Ice type, though Porygon can become a pure Ice type via Conversion, Castform becomes an Ice type when it is hailing, and the fourth-generation Pokemon Arseus becomes an Ice type when it is holding the Icicle Plate. It is often paired with the Water-type. Some of the most powerful Ice-type moves that Pokémon can learn are Blizzard, Sheer Cold, and Ice Beam.

Many Ice-Type attacks have a chance of Freezing the target, a status effect which prevents the frozen Pokémon from moving until it is thawed. Ice-type Pokémon cannot be Frozen (except by effects of Tri-Attack).

Ice was an efficient Kanto type, being almost unstoppable until the Steel-type and more Fighting and Fire Pokémon were introduced in Johto.

Examples of Ice-type Pokémon include Articuno, Delibird, Jynx, Snorunt, Spheal, and Regice.

• Weaknesses: Fighting, Fire, Rock, Steel
• Resistances: Ice, Water
• SuperEffective: Dragon, Flying, Grass, Ground
• Not effective: Fire², Ice, Steel, Water

[edit] Normal-type

Normal-type Pokémon have moves based on standard attacks, such as tackles and scratches, and do not generally have any of the characteristics assigned to the other types, except in the case of dual-typed Normal-type Pokémon. As such, Normal could be considered the "default" type, encompassing the Pokémon which do not fit into the other types. Normal types are also usually mammals or fairy like creatures. Especially unusual Pokémon, such as Porygon, also are usually Normal-type. Normal-type Pokémon are unusual in that unlike other types, they can usually learn a wide variety of attacks that are not their own type (i.e. Chansey can learn Thunderbolt, Flamethrower, and Solar Beam). Normal-type attacks are not particularly effective against any type, but as a counter, only a few types have resistance to Normal-type attack. Some of the most powerful Normal-type moves Pokémon can learn are Explosion (does tremendous damage, but makes the user faint), Hyper Beam (after the attack however, the user is immobile until the next turn), and Double-edge (a powerful attack that, as its name suggests, does damage to the user as well). Examples include Castform, Chansey, Ditto, Eevee, Jigglypuff, Togepi, and Snorlax

• Weaknesses: Fighting
• Immunities: Ghost
• Not effective: Rock, Steel
• No effect: Ghost³

[edit] Poison-type

Poison-type Pokémon have some toxic quality about them. Some, (such as Ekans) produce venom, others are poisonous plants (like Gloom, a dual Grass-and-Poison type), and some are composed of or emit toxic chemicals (such as Grimer).

In the first generation, Poison was the most common type. Many Poison-type moves can cause the Poison status effect, which causes the victim to lose hit points after each turn. The ability "Poison Point" may inflict poison when physical attacks are used. The moves Toxic and "Poison Fang" can even cause a target to become "badly poisoned", in which case the amount of damage done by the toxins increases each turn. Some powerful Poison-type moves include Toxic, Poison Tail, and Sludge Bomb. Other examples include Gloom, Gulpin, Spinarak and Weezing.

Poison and Steel-type Pokémon are immune to being Poisoned (except by Twineedle effects); this power is shared as well by any Pokémon with the Special Ability "Immunity".

• Weaknesses: Bug¹, Ground, Psychic
• Resistances: Bug², Fighting, Grass, Poison
• SuperEffective: Bug¹, Grass
• Not effective: Ground, Poison, Rock, Ghost
• No effect: Steel

[edit] Psychic-type

Psychic-type Pokémon generally have mental abilities associated with psychics, such as psychokinesis, telepathy, and prescience. Psychic Pokémon generally have high Special (Red, Blue, and Yellow) or Special Attack (Gold, Silver, and after) statistics. Psychic types are also among the smartest Pokémon, often capable of speaking in human languages either directly or through telepathy. They are favored by the fandom as Psychic types generally can learn an incredibly wide variety of moves.

In the original Red and Blue games, Psychic-types were widely considered to be unbalanced and unfairly powerful, due to their high Special stat (which, back then, stood for both their attack and defense) and the lack of effective attacks to use against them. From Gold and Silver onward, the Psychic-type was balanced out by means of splitting their Special stat into separate attack and defense ratings, as well as the inclusion of new Dark and Steel-types.

Many Psychic Pokémon can also learn the recovery move Recover and can learn many moves that increase their stats, such as Calm Mind. Some Psychic-type moves are Psybeam, Confusion, and Psychic. Some examples include Alakazam, Chimecho, Gardevoir, Meditite, Mr. Mime, Hypno, and Xatu. It is also noteworthy that the most difficult to acquire of the legendary Pokémon from each generation - Mewtwo, Mew, Celebi, Jirachi, and Deoxys - are all Psychic or partially Psychic-types.

• Weaknesses: Bug, Dark, Ghost²
• Resistances: Fighting, Psychic
• Immunities: Ghost (Pre-GSC, see Ghost-type vs. Psychic type)
• SuperEffective: Fighting, Poison
• Not effective: Psychic, Steel
• No effect: Dark

[edit] Rock-type

Rock-type Pokémon are affiliated with rocks and mountains. Rock-type Pokémon should not be confused with Ground-type Pokémon. Rock-types attack by throwing or breaking rocks, while Ground-type attacks deal specifically with the ground itself, particularly soil. However, many Rock-type Pokémon are dual Rock- and Ground-types, giving the impression that rock-types are effective against Electric types. Some powerful Rock-type moves are Rock Throw, Rock Slide, and Ancientpower. Rock is also the most balanced type. Examples include Aron, Onix, Omastar, Corsola, Golem, Nosepass and Regirock.

• Weaknesses: Fighting, Grass, Ground, Steel, Water
• Resistances: Fire, Flying, Normal, Poison
• SuperEffective: Bug, Fire, Flying, Ice
• Not effective: Fighting, Ground, Steel

[edit] Steel-type

Steel-type Pokémon are made of, or coated with, steel or iron (Registeel is the exception; the metal it is made from is currently unknown). They usually possess high defense and attack stats, sport a very large amount of resistances, and are immune to Poison status and attacks (unless induced by Twineedle). They are one of the two new types introduced in Pokémon Silver and Gold. Some powerful Steel-type moves are Steel Wing, Iron Tail, and Meteor Mash. Examples include Beldum, Magneton⁴, Aggron, Skarmory, Steelix, Mawile, Registeel, and Scizor.

• Weaknesses: Fighting, Fire, Ground
• Resistances: Bug, Dark, Dragon, Flying, Ghost, Grass, Ice, Normal, Psychic, Rock, Steel
• Immunities: Poison
• SuperEffective: Ice, Rock
• Not Effective: Fire, Electric, Steel, Water

[edit] Water-type

Water-type Pokémon are based on aquatic creatures, and their powers are directly related to water. Of all the types, this one has the most species attibuted to it. Many water-types are capable of learning ice-type moves Some Water-type moves are Water Spout, Hydro Pump and Crabhammer. For example Blastoise,Dewgong, Magikarp, Marill, Mudkip, Psyduck, Slowking, Squirtle, Vaporeon, Politoed, Tentacruel, and Clamperl.

• Weakness: Electric, Grass
• Resistance: Fire, Water, Ice, Steel
• Super Effective: Fire, Ground, Rock
• Not Effective: Water, Grass, Dragon, Ice

[edit] Other Types

The types below are unofficial types for Pokémon. Some are shown by using glitches, others have attacks of their type but no Pokémon.

[edit] Bird-type

The Bird-type was the original name for Flying-type Pokémon. Early screenshots of Pokémon Red and Blue show various Flying-type Pokémon listed as Bird-type. Bird-type remained in the games as a result of the ’M, Missingno and 3trainerpoké Pokémon glitches. They are the only Pokémon who are of the Bird-type.

[edit] X-type

The X-type(??? Type or Unknown-type) is the type of the attack Curse(in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red/Blue Rescue Team, it is classified as a Normal type), whose effect depends on the type of the Pokémon using it: if any type but Ghost uses it, the move raises Attack and Defense while lowering Speed. If a Ghost type uses it, the Ghost loses half its max HP to lower the opponent's HP by 25% every turn. X-type is also the type given for Shadow Attacks, used by the Shadow Pokémon in Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness until the doors to their hearts have started to open. Due to the move Struggle's lack of a type, many people categorize it as a X-type move (Struggle is listed in the Official Nintendo Power Players' Guides as a Normal-type move), though this is unofficial.^{[citation needed]} If struggle is learned by a Pokémon as a regular move by a cheating device such as Action Replay, it says that struggle is of the Normal type. In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red/Blue Rescue Team, the move Hidden Power has no type, when in other games, it is a Normal type. Other moves that have no type are Wide Slash, Vacuum-Cut, Spin Slash, and Excavate (all are moves in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red/Blue Rescue Team).

Pokémon eggs are listed as X-type, until they hatch and are given the type of the Pokémon born.

[edit] Ghost-type vs. Psychic-type

In Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow, Psychic-type Pokémon were weak to Ghost-type attacks in theory only. In practice, the only Ghost-type attack that caused a nonset amount damage was the low powered Lick move, and it was ineffective against Psychic-types. Night Shade causes damage equivalent to the user's level, regardless of the defending Pokémon's type. To further unbalance the system, Psychic-type attacks were super-effective against the three Ghost-type Pokémon (Gastly, Haunter and Gengar) that existed at the time since these Ghost-types have a secondary Poison-type. This was odd considering the comment by a trainer in the Saffron City Gym in Pokémon Red and Blue saying that Psychic-types feared only ghosts and bugs (the comment was fixed in Yellow). The anime also had the error, with Ghost-types being resistant to Psychic-type attacks. In Pokémon Gold and Silver, the situation was fixed with the creation of stronger Ghost-type moves such as Shadow Ball, pure Ghost-type Pokémon Misdreavus and the addition of the types Dark and Steel, both of which are resistant to Psychic attacks (with Psychic attacks not doing any damage at all to Dark types).

[edit] Overall effects on gameplay

The original type matchups in Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow were severely flawed. Because of the Ghost-type vs. Psychic-type conflict, the Psychic Pokémon were left with only one weakness, Bug-type. At the time there were very few Bug-type attacks, and the existing ones were too weak to be effective in high-level tournaments. As a result, Pokémon such as Alakazam, Mewtwo and Mew ruled the tournament scene. The game creators balanced out the type system in Pokémon Gold and Silver. With this installment, Psychic-types were made weak to Ghost-type attacks, and stronger Bug-type attacks (such as Megahorn with 120 power) and Pokémon (such as Heracross) were added. The creators also added the Dark-type, which is super-effective against Psychic-types and immune to Psychic-type attacks, and the Steel-type, which is resistant to Psychic-type attacks. These changes led to a more balanced game with a steeper learning curve.

[edit] Differences between the anime and game

The above information for Pokémon types comes from the games. There are some differences between how the Pokémon types work within the Pokémon anime. Some of these differences in the anime are believed to be genuine mistakes.
Electricity vs. Rock
Episodes of the anime made the error that rock types were immune to Electric attacks. This is due to the fact that in the early Red/Blue/Yellow games, almost all Rock types were Rock/Ground dual-type. These Pokémon were therefore immune to Electric attacks, courtesy of them being Ground types. Before Gold and Silver, the only Rock-types vulnerable to Electric Attack were the three fossil Pokémon Omanyte/Omastar, Kabuto/Kabutops and Aerodactyl. These three Pokémon were not very commonly used amongst Pokémon players, therefore adding to the common misconception that Rock types are immune to Electric attacks.

Grass vs. Electricity In the Hoenn region episodes when Ash caught his Treecko it was said that when a grass type was connected to the ground elctric attacks could not harm them.

Ground vs. Electricity Ground type Pokémon are completely immune to Electric attacks in the Pokémon games; however, in early episoides of the anime, it is possible for Ground type Pokémon to take damage from Electric attacks.

There are several instances in the Pokémon (anime) where Ash's Pikachu has succeeded in attacking, hurting, and/or KOing Ground-type Pokémon using Electric type attacks.

• Ash's Pikachu KO'ed Brock's Onix (Rock/Ground-type), which was doused in water, with an electric-type attack when Ash was fighting for the Boulder Badge.
• Ash's Pikachu was also able to electrocute and defeat the ground-type Cubone in an early episode of the series, when fighting a trainer at a training academy.
• When fighting Blaine's Rhydon for the Volcano Badge, Ash's Pikachu struck it down by aiming a Thunderbolt at its horn.
• In the beginning of Pokémon: The First Movie, Ash's Pikachu was able to KO a trainer's Golem (Rock/Ground-type) using an electric attack.

Some fans believe the anime producers were unaware of the fact that Ground types are immune to Electric-attacks in the Pokémon games during early of seasons of the anime considering that in some Kanto episoides, Electric moves didn't work on Ground types as well as in most of the Johto and Hoenn episoides.

Normal vs. Ghost In the Pokémon games, Ghost type moves have no affect on Normal type Pokémon (and vice versa). However, in the anime, during the Pokémon Advanced Generation season, a Shadow Ball attack (Ghost-type) was able to damage a Meowth (a Normal type Pokémon). No explanation for this is given.

Flying vs. Ground Flying Pokémon are immune to Ground type attacks in the games, but not in the anime. This is demonstrated in the episode titled "Playing with Fire", where a trainer's Steelix was able to use a dig attack on Ash's Noctowl and is later demonstrated in an episoide during the Advanced Generation Season in which a Marowak was able to use bone club on a Gligar.

Psychic vs. Dark In one episode of Pokémon Chronicles Misty's Psyduck used the attack Confusion, which is psychic, on a Poochyena, who since he was a Dark-type should've been immune to.

[edit] Notes

1. Only in Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow and Stadium.
2. Except in Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow and Stadium.
3. The attacks Foresight and Odor Sleuth negate the Ghost-type's immunity to Fighting and Normal-type attacks.
4. In Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow, and Stadium, Magnemite and Magneton were single-typed Electric Pokémon, but in Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal they became dual Electric-and-Steel-types.
5. Damage to Pokémon with two types is calculated by considering how each of its types reacts to any given attack and multiplying the results together. The following scenarios may occur with dual-typed Pokémon:

• The attack is super effective against both the Pokémon's types, as in a Fire-type attack used against the dual Bug- and Steel-type Scizor. The attack does double damage twice, resulting in quadruple damage.
• If an attack does normal damage to one type but is either super effective or not very effective against the second type, the first type is ignored and the attack does double or half damage respectively.
• The attack is super effective against one type but not very effective against the other type, as in a Grass-type attack used on the dual Grass- and Water-type Lotad. The attack does double damage against one type but half damage against the other, so the attack ends up doing normal damage.
• The attack is not very effective against both types, as in a Normal-type attack used against the dual Steel- and Rock-type Aron. Since the attack's damage is halved twice, the attack does one quarter of normal damage.
• The attack is super effective, not very effective, or does normal damage to one type but is negated by the other type, as in an Electric-type attack used against the dual Water- and Ground-type Whiscash. No matter what sort of damage an attack would do against one of the Pokémon's types, if it has no effect on the other type, the attack does no damage.

[edit] See also

• Pokémon
• Pokémon Colosseum
• Pokémon move
• List of Pokémon