What Beats Water Type Pokémon? Complete Counter Guide
Quick Answer
Water types are weak to Electric, Grass. Learn the best counters, type matchups, and team building strategies to beat Water type Pokémon.
Facing a tough Water type Pokémon and not sure how to deal with it? Here’s everything you need to know about beating Water types, backed by actual type chart data.
Water Type Weaknesses
Water type Pokémon take super-effective (2×) damage from:
That’s 2 weaknesses to exploit when building your counter strategy.
What Resists Water Moves?
If you need to switch into Water attacks safely, these types take reduced damage:
- Water — takes 0.5× from Water moves
- Grass — takes 0.5× from Water moves
- Dragon — takes 0.5× from Water moves
Best Counter Strategy
The ideal counter both resists Water moves AND hits back super-effectively. Look for:
- Electric types that resist Water — these create free switch-in opportunities
- Dual types combining Electric or Grass with a Water-resistant type
- Pokémon with coverage moves — even non-STAB Electric moves deal solid damage to Water types
Team Building Tips
When using the Team Builder, make sure your squad has at least one strong answer to Water types:
- Include Electric or Grass STAB moves for offensive pressure
- Keep a defensive pivot that resists Water for safe switches
- Check your team’s overall type coverage to avoid leaving Water as an uncovered threat
Water types have 4 resistances of their own defensively, so they’re decent defensively. 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 Water coverage in the Team Builder.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Water type weak to?
- Water type Pokémon are weak to Electric, Grass type moves, taking 2× damage from these attacks.
- What types resist Water moves?
- 3 types resist Water attacks: Water, Grass, Dragon. Using Pokémon of these types will reduce incoming Water damage to 0.5× or less.
- What is the best counter to Water type Pokémon?
- The best counters are Electric and Grass types that also resist Water moves. Check the Water type page for specific Pokémon recommendations.
- Is Water type good defensively?
- Water type resists 4 types, but is weak to 2 types. It has decent defensive utility.
- How do I build a team to beat Water types?
- Include at least 2 Pokémon with Electric or Grass type STAB moves. Use the Team Builder to check your team's coverage against Water types and identify gaps.
- What types pair well against Water type teams?
- Electric and Grass types are essential. Having a Pokémon that resists Water moves while hitting back super-effectively creates ideal switch-in opportunities.