Best Defensive Type Combinations in Pokémon
Quick Answer
Steel resists 10 types and is immune to 1, making it the top defensive type. See the full defensive rankings and best type pairings.
Defense wins championships — in Pokémon, that means choosing types that resist as many attacks as possible. Here’s a complete breakdown of defensive type rankings based on the actual type chart math.
Single Types Ranked by Defensive Value
| Type | Resistances | Immunities | Weaknesses | Net Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steel | 10 | 1 | 3 | +8 |
| Fire | 6 | 0 | 3 | +3 |
| Poison | 5 | 0 | 2 | +3 |
| Water | 4 | 0 | 2 | +2 |
| Grass | 4 | 0 | 5 | +-1 |
| Flying | 3 | 1 | 3 | +1 |
| Rock | 4 | 0 | 5 | +-1 |
| Ghost | 2 | 2 | 2 | +2 |
| Dragon | 4 | 0 | 3 | +1 |
| Fairy | 3 | 1 | 2 | +2 |
| Electric | 3 | 0 | 1 | +2 |
| Fighting | 3 | 0 | 3 | +0 |
| Ground | 2 | 1 | 3 | +0 |
| Bug | 3 | 0 | 3 | +0 |
| Dark | 2 | 1 | 3 | +0 |
| Psychic | 2 | 0 | 3 | +-1 |
| Normal | 0 | 1 | 1 | +0 |
| Ice | 1 | 0 | 4 | +-3 |
Net Score = (Resistances + Immunities) - Weaknesses
Top 5 Defensive Types Explained
1. Steel — 11 resistances/immunities
Steel resists: Normal, Grass, Ice, Flying, Psychic, Bug, Rock, Dragon, Steel, Fairy\nImmune to: Poison Only weak to: Fire, Fighting, Ground
2. Fire — 6 resistances/immunities
Fire resists: Fire, Grass, Ice, Bug, Steel, Fairy Only weak to: Water, Ground, Rock
3. Poison — 5 resistances/immunities
Poison resists: Grass, Fighting, Poison, Bug, Fairy Only weak to: Ground, Psychic
4. Water — 4 resistances/immunities
Water resists: Fire, Water, Ice, Steel Only weak to: Electric, Grass
5. Grass — 4 resistances/immunities
Grass resists: Water, Electric, Grass, Ground Only weak to: Fire, Ice, Poison, Flying, Bug
Best Defensive Dual-Type Pairings
The strongest defensive cores combine two types that cover each other’s weaknesses:
- Steel/Fairy — Steel resists Poison (Fairy’s weakness), Fairy resists Fighting (Steel’s weakness)
- Water/Ground — Only one weakness (Grass, 4×) but resists or immunes 7 types
- Ghost/Dark — No weaknesses at all (only weak to Fairy after Gen 6 change)
Building a Defensive Team
Use the Team Builder to:
- Check how many types your team resists overall
- Ensure no single type hits 3+ members super-effectively
- Include at least one Steel type for broad resistance coverage
Read more about defensive team building strategies or explore the type chart for detailed matchup info.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the best defensive type in Pokémon?
- Steel is the best single defensive type, resisting 10 types with 1 immunity. It only has 3 weaknesses.
- Which type resists the most attacks?
- Steel resists 10 types: Normal, Grass, Ice, Flying, Psychic, Bug, Rock, Dragon, Steel, Fairy. This is more than any other single type.
- What types have only one weakness?
- Normal (weak to Fighting) and Electric (weak to Ground) each have only one weakness, making them easy to support defensively.
- Is defensive typing more important than stats?
- Both matter. Good defensive typing multiplies effective bulk — a Steel type with 80 Defense often takes less damage than a Normal type with 120 Defense due to all the resistances.
- What dual type is the most defensive?
- Steel/Fairy is among the best, combining Steel massive resistances with Fairy Dragon immunity. It only has 2 weaknesses (Fire and Ground).
- How many resistances does Steel have?
- Steel resists 10 types (Normal, Grass, Ice, Flying, Psychic, Bug, Rock, Dragon, Steel, Fairy) and is immune to Poison. This makes it the undisputed defensive king.
- Should every team have a Steel type?
- In most competitive formats, yes. Steel covers so many threats that teams without one often struggle defensively. Use the Team Builder to see how adding Steel changes your coverage.