What Beats Fairy Type Pokémon? Complete Counter Guide
Quick Answer
Fairy types are weak to Poison, Steel. Learn the best counters, type matchups, and team building strategies to beat Fairy type Pokémon.
Facing a tough Fairy type Pokémon and not sure how to deal with it? Here’s everything you need to know about beating Fairy types, backed by actual type chart data.
Fairy Type Weaknesses
Fairy type Pokémon take super-effective (2×) damage from:
That’s 2 weaknesses to exploit when building your counter strategy.
What Resists Fairy Moves?
If you need to switch into Fairy attacks safely, these types take reduced damage:
- Fire — takes 0.5× from Fairy moves
- Poison — takes 0.5× from Fairy moves
- Steel — takes 0.5× from Fairy moves
Best Counter Strategy
The ideal counter both resists Fairy moves AND hits back super-effectively. Look for:
- Poison types that resist Fairy — these create free switch-in opportunities
- Dual types combining Poison or Steel with a Fairy-resistant type
- Pokémon with coverage moves — even non-STAB Poison moves deal solid damage to Fairy types
Team Building Tips
When using the Team Builder, make sure your squad has at least one strong answer to Fairy types:
- Include Poison or Steel STAB moves for offensive pressure
- Keep a defensive pivot that resists Fairy for safe switches
- Check your team’s overall type coverage to avoid leaving Fairy as an uncovered threat
Fairy types have 3 resistances and 1 immunity of their own defensively, so they’re somewhat fragile. But with the right counters on your team, you’ll have no trouble breaking through them.
For more type strategy, read our complete type chart guide or try building a team with full Fairy coverage in the Team Builder.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Fairy type weak to?
- Fairy type Pokémon are weak to Poison, Steel type moves, taking 2× damage from these attacks.
- What types resist Fairy moves?
- 3 types resist Fairy attacks: Fire, Poison, Steel. Using Pokémon of these types will reduce incoming Fairy damage to 0.5× or less.
- What is the best counter to Fairy type Pokémon?
- The best counters are Poison and Steel types that also resist Fairy moves. Check the Fairy type page for specific Pokémon recommendations.
- Is Fairy type good defensively?
- Fairy type resists 3 types and is immune to Dragon, but is weak to 2 types. It has decent defensive utility.
- How do I build a team to beat Fairy types?
- Include at least 2 Pokémon with Poison or Steel type STAB moves. Use the Team Builder to check your team's coverage against Fairy types and identify gaps.
- What types pair well against Fairy type teams?
- Poison and Steel types are essential. Having a Pokémon that resists Fairy moves while hitting back super-effectively creates ideal switch-in opportunities.