How many Pokémon types are there?

That Pokémon just isn't my type.
Screengrab via The Pokemon Company

While Pokémon‘s rock-paper-scissors-type matchups may seem simple, there’s a lot of depth underneath the surface. If completing the Pokédex is your goal, you won’t need to worry about types and type matchups. But if you’re looking to join tournaments or raids, knowing the strengths and weaknesses of each Pokémon is paramount.

Recommended Videos

Each Pokémon has a type that’s based on its habitat and core design. All types have a weakness against others. The moves that are available to a Pokémon through leveling up, move tutors, TMs, and other methods depend heavily on their type and design. Each move also has a type, leaving room for roster crafting beyond a Pokémon’s base types. While some Pokémon only have a single type, there are dual-type Pokémon as well.

With that being said, how many of these types are there?

Pokémon type list

There are a total of 18 Pokémon types in the franchise. In no particular order, they are:

  • Bug
  • Dark
  • Dragon
  • Electric
  • Fairy
  • Fighting
  • Fire
  • Flying
  • Ghost
  • Grass
  • Ground
  • Ice
  • Normal
  • Poison
  • Psychic
  • Rock
  • Steel
  • Water

Pokémon started out with 15 types in generation one. In generation two, developer Game Freak added Steel and Dark specifically to counter Psychic-types, which had run amok in the previous games. The type list went unaltered until generation six when Game Freak added Fairy to the roster to counter Dragon-types and even out the strengths and weaknesses of the other 17 types.

If you’re putting together an elite squad of Pokémon, you’ll need to research which types are best suited to the strategy you want to use and how you can cover for their weaknesses. Though it may seem unnecessary and like extra work at first, doing your homework can allow you to ace your battles efficiently, saving you some time.

All trainers have their favorite Pokémon, but it’s also essential to have a healthy roster, meaning you should spend resources on training Pokémon from types you don’t have any representatives for. You can still prioritize your favorite Pokémon, but having multiple top-tier Pokémon with diverse types and move types at your disposal will be beneficial when you need to get through tough battles.

If and when a new type is introduced to the franchise in the future, players may need to do additional research to see how Pokémon from existing types stack up against the Pokémon from new types.


Dot Esports is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more
related content
Read Article Best moveset for Shadow Feraligatr in Pokémon Go
Feraligatr in Pokémon Go
Read Article Best moveset for Shadow Pidgeot in Pokémon Go
Pidgeot in Pokemon Go
Read Article A Pokémon Go glitch is giving players a mysterious item, and no one knows what it does
strange new item in pogo
Related Content
Read Article Best moveset for Shadow Feraligatr in Pokémon Go
Feraligatr in Pokémon Go
Read Article Best moveset for Shadow Pidgeot in Pokémon Go
Pidgeot in Pokemon Go
Read Article A Pokémon Go glitch is giving players a mysterious item, and no one knows what it does
strange new item in pogo
Author
Gökhan Çakır
Gökhan is a Staff Writer and Fortnite Lead at Dot Esports. Gökhan graduated as an industrial engineer in 2020 and has since been with Dot Esports. As a natural-born gamer, he honed his skills to a professional level in Dota 2. Upon giving up on the Aegis of Champions in 2019, Gökhan started his writing career, covering all things gaming, while his heart remains a lifetime defender of the Ancients.
Author
Emily Morrow
Emily is a staff writer covering Apex Legends, Overwatch, Pokemon, and general gaming for Dot Esports. Her other bylines include Digital Trends, Screen Rant, and GameSpew. She also works as a narrative designer in games. Get in touch with her on Twitter @thepokeflute.