Type

**Types** are properties for Pokémon and their moves. As of Generation VI, there are 18 types, as listed to the right. Most of these were introduced during Generation I, but the Dark and Steel types were introduced in Generation II and the Fairy type was introduced in Generation VI. A unique ??? type also existed from Generations II through IV. During Generation I, types were occasionally referred to as **elements**. The types are based on the concept of classical elements in popular culture.

A Pokémon may have either one or two types: For instance, Charmander is a Fire type, while Bulbasaur is both a Grass type and a Poison type. With the current 18-type system, there are a total of 324 possible ways to assign types to Pokémon, with 171 unique combinations. As of Generation VIII, 154 different type combinations have been used. Similar to Pokémon, Pokéstar Studios opponents also have types.

A move has exactly one type. The type of a damaging move typically defines which types of Pokémon it is super effective against, which types of Pokémon it is not very effective against, and which types of Pokémon it is completely ineffective against. (Uniquely, Flying Press is a Fighting-type move but has the type effectiveness of both a Fighting- and Flying-type move.) If the type of a move matches one of the types of the Pokémon using it, it gains a boost in power.

Most Gym Leaders and members of the Elite Four are designed to have a type-specific theme.

## Type effectiveness

Damaging moves typically vary in **effectiveness** depending on the move's type and the type(s) of its target.

Type effectiveness greatly influences how much damage moves deal:

* If the type of a move is **super effective** against a type of its target, the damage is doubled;
* If the type of a move is **not very effective** against a type of its target, the damage is halved;
* If the type of a move is **not effective** against a type of its target, the target is completely immune to it, and the move will deal no damage.

For targets that have multiple types, the type effectiveness of a move is the product of its effectiveness against each of the types:

* If the type of a move is super effective against both of the opponent's types (such as Dig, a Ground-type move, used against an Aggron, a Steel/Rock Pokémon), then the move does 4 times the damage;
* If the type of a move is not very effective against both of the opponent's types (such as Wake-Up Slap, a Fighting-type move, used against a Sigilyph, a Psychic/Flying Pokémon), then the move only does ¼ of the damage;
* If the type of a move is super effective against one of the opponent's types but not very effective against the other (such as Razor Leaf, a Grass-type move, used against a Gyarados, a Water/Flying Pokémon), then the move deals regular damage;
* If the type of move is completely ineffective against one of the opponent's types, then the move does no damage, even if the opponent has a second type that would be vulnerable to it (as in Thunderbolt, an Electric-type move, used against a Quagsire, a Water/Ground Pokémon).

The moves Flying Press, Freeze-Dry, and Thousand Arrows have custom interactions with defending types and do not strictly obey the type chart. Fire-type moves double in effectiveness against Pokémon affected by Tar Shot. Moves that deal direct damage (including one-hit knockout moves) do not employ effectiveness, although since Generation II Pokémon are immune to them based on type interactions. Certain Abilities, held items, or types of weather (such as Levitate, the Ring Target, or strong winds, respectively) may modify the effectiveness of specific types of moves.

Status moves typically do not employ type effectiveness; however, Ground-type Pokémon are immune to Thunder Wave based on type interactions, and Ghost-type Pokémon are immune to Glare based on type interactions in Generations II and III only. Furthermore, status moves may be unable to affect Pokémon based on type-related interactions other than effectiveness; for example, Poison-type Pokémon cannot be afflicted with poison and are thus unaffected by Poison Gas.

### Type chart

*For type charts from previous generations, see Type/Type chart*
A **type chart**, also known as **type matchup chart**, shows which modifiers are applied to move types when attacking Pokémon of each type. If the defending Pokémon is dual-typed, the modifier is calculated as the product of the modifiers for both of its types: a Flying-type move would hit for 4× damage on a Bug/Grass Pokémon, while a Ground-type move used against the same would do only a quarter of the regular damage. (A complete ineffectiveness against either type will make the move deal no damage, since 0 multiplied by any number is 0.)

The type chart differs depending on the generation of games it is from. The type chart for Generation VI onward is shown below.

## Type-affected game mechanics

Prior to Generation IV, the category of damaging moves only depends on the move's type (except for Shadow moves); for example, all Normal-type damaging moves are physical moves and all Water-type damaging moves are special moves. From Generation IV onward, each individual move has a damage category that is independent of its type.

When the type of a move matches one of the types of the Pokémon using it, the attack power will be increased by 50%. This is referred to as same-type attack bonus, or STAB for short. As an example, an Aron that knows the Steel-type move Metal Claw will have the move's power increased by 50% because one of Aron's types is Steel; the power of Cut would not be increased as Normal is not one of Aron's types.

Some Pokémon types are immune to certain status moves or effects. For example, Grass-type Pokémon are immune to Leech Seed, and Ice-type Pokémon are not damaged by Hail.

Some moves, field effects, Abilities, and held items affect moves of a certain type. Sunny Day, for example, causes Fire-type moves to increase in power, while Levitate causes Ground-type moves to not work on the Pokémon with this Ability. Likewise, each type has a specific held item that can be given to a Pokémon that will power up one of the specific types by 20% (or 10%, prior to Generation IV), such as the Metal Coat for Steel-type moves.

Some moves can change the type of a Pokémon. For example, Camouflage changes the user's type to a type corresponding to the battlefield terrain. Abilities can also change the type of a Pokémon. These abilities include Color Change, Multitype, Protean, RKS System, and Libero.

Additionally, the type of some moves may depend on the circumstances they are used in; for example, Weather Ball may be Fire-, Water-, Ice-, Rock-, or Normal-type depending on the weather it is used in. Additionally, there are Abilities that can modify move types as well as exactly three moves: (Electrify, Ion Deluge, and Plasma Fists).

When a Pokémon has two types, those two types are always listed in an order specific to the Pokémon. This order is mostly aesthetic, but it affects Present in Generation II and Revelation Dance.

## ??? type

The ??? type is the only type to have been removed from the core series games. The ??? type only existed from Generation II to Generation IV and was primarily used in the core series as the type of the move Curse. It was removed in Generation V, and Curse became a Ghost-type move. Any damaging moves given the ??? type deal regular damage against all types, and any Pokémon given the ??? type takes regular damage from all moves.

## Shadow

While not generally regarded as an actual type, in Pokémon XD, Shadow moves have their type listed as "------". Shadow Pokémon can be considered to be of this type, but they still retain their regular typing as well. In Pokémon XD, all Shadow moves are not very effective against Shadow Pokémon and super effective against non-Shadow Pokémon.

## Typeless

There are situations where Pokémon or moves behave as if they were typeless, unable to receive STAB and boosts from type-enhancing items or Abilities. This is most commonly possible through effects that make one lose a type, such as Burn Up and Roost. Typeless Pokémon take regular damage from all moves, and typeless moves deal regular damage against all Pokémon.

Struggle acts typelessly from Generation II onward. The move Weather Ball acts typelessly under shadowy aura, and the move Revelation Dance acts typelessly if used by a typeless user (in which case it does not receive STAB). Beat Up, Future Sight and Doom Desire deal typeless damage before Generation V.

A typeless Pokémon has no types displayed on its battle summary.

## Glitch types

The glitch types are types which only appear through the use of glitches, such as on the types of glitch Pokémon. Most famously this includes the Bird type, which was intentionally programmed into the code of the Generation I and II games but was not given to any real Pokémon. Other glitch types are the result of the game reading other data as if it were types. Like the ??? type, all glitch types, except 'l) m) ZM, have no special effectiveness (they both inflict regular damage against all types and take regular damage from all types).