What Beats Steel Type Pokémon? Complete Counter Guide
Quick Answer
Steel types are weak to Fire, Fighting, Ground. Learn the best counters, type matchups, and team building strategies to beat Steel type Pokémon.
Facing a tough Steel type Pokémon and not sure how to deal with it? Here’s everything you need to know about beating Steel types, backed by actual type chart data.
Steel Type Weaknesses
Steel type Pokémon take super-effective (2×) damage from:
- Fire — hits Steel for 2× damage
- Fighting — hits Steel for 2× damage
- Ground — hits Steel for 2× damage
That’s 3 weaknesses to exploit when building your counter strategy.
What Resists Steel Moves?
If you need to switch into Steel attacks safely, these types take reduced damage:
- Fire — takes 0.5× from Steel moves
- Water — takes 0.5× from Steel moves
- Electric — takes 0.5× from Steel moves
- Steel — takes 0.5× from Steel moves
Best Counter Strategy
The ideal counter both resists Steel moves AND hits back super-effectively. Look for:
- Fire types that resist Steel — these create free switch-in opportunities
- Dual types combining Fire or Fighting with a Steel-resistant type
- Pokémon with coverage moves — even non-STAB Fire moves deal solid damage to Steel types
Team Building Tips
When using the Team Builder, make sure your squad has at least one strong answer to Steel types:
- Include Fire or Fighting STAB moves for offensive pressure
- Keep a defensive pivot that resists Steel for safe switches
- Check your team’s overall type coverage to avoid leaving Steel as an uncovered threat
Steel types have 10 resistances and 1 immunity of their own defensively, so they’re strong defensive Pokémon. 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 Steel coverage in the Team Builder.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Steel type weak to?
- Steel type Pokémon are weak to Fire, Fighting, Ground type moves, taking 2× damage from these attacks.
- What types resist Steel moves?
- 4 types resist Steel attacks: Fire, Water, Electric, Steel. Using Pokémon of these types will reduce incoming Steel damage to 0.5× or less.
- What is the best counter to Steel type Pokémon?
- The best counters are Fire and Fighting types that also resist Steel moves. Check the Steel type page for specific Pokémon recommendations.
- Is Steel type good defensively?
- Steel type resists 10 types and is immune to Poison, but is weak to 3 types. It is considered a strong defensive type.
- How do I build a team to beat Steel types?
- Include at least 2 Pokémon with Fire or Fighting type STAB moves. Use the Team Builder to check your team's coverage against Steel types and identify gaps.
- What types pair well against Steel type teams?
- Fire and Fighting and Ground types are essential. Having a Pokémon that resists Steel moves while hitting back super-effectively creates ideal switch-in opportunities.