Type counters guide

Best Counters for Bug / Ground Pokémon

Find practical counter Pokémon, attacking types, and defensive matchup notes for Bug / Ground.

BugGround
Bug type iconGround type icon

Bug / Ground

Quick answer

Bug / Ground is best pressured by Fire, Water, Ice, and Flying-type attacks at 2x damage. Because there is no 4x weakness, defensive safety, Speed, and raw stats matter more.

Best move types

Fire×2Water×2Ice×2Flying×2

Top weaknesses (4)

Fire×2Water×2Ice×2Flying×2

Type matchup table

Fire type iconFire2x
Water type iconWater2x
Ice type iconIce2x
Flying type iconFlying2x
Normal type iconNormal1x
Grass type iconGrass1x
Psychic type iconPsychic1x
Bug type iconBug1x
Rock type iconRock1x
Ghost type iconGhost1x
Dragon type iconDragon1x
Dark type iconDark1x
Steel type iconSteel1x
Fairy type iconFairy1x
Fighting type iconFighting0.5x
Poison type iconPoison0.5x
Ground type iconGround0.5x
Electric type iconElectric0x

Recommended practical counters

Dragonite Pokémon sprite

Dragonite

#0149

Resists both STABsStrong physical attacker
DragonFlying
  • Deals 2x damage with Flying-type attacks
  • Has STAB Flying-type attacks
  • Is immune to the target's Ground 0x STAB attacks
  • Strong attacking stats help convert the matchup
  • Solid mixed bulk improves switch-in safety
Best typeFlying×2

Safe into Bug 0.5x, Ground 0x

134 offense · 80 Speed

Togekiss Pokémon sprite

Togekiss

#0468

Resists both STABsStrong special attacker
FairyFlying
  • Deals 2x damage with Flying-type attacks
  • Has STAB Flying-type attacks
  • Is immune to the target's Ground 0x STAB attacks
  • Strong attacking stats help convert the matchup
  • Solid mixed bulk improves switch-in safety
Best typeFlying×2

Safe into Bug 0.25x, Ground 0x

120 offense · 80 Speed

Flamigo Pokémon sprite

Flamigo

#0973

Resists both STABsBudget option
FlyingFighting
  • Deals 2x damage with Flying-type attacks
  • Has STAB Flying-type attacks
  • Is immune to the target's Ground 0x STAB attacks
  • Strong attacking stats help convert the matchup
Best typeFlying×2

Safe into Bug 0.25x, Ground 0x

115 offense · 90 Speed

Strong theoretical counters

Best move types to use

Fire×2Water×2Ice×2Flying×2

Move availability depends on game version and learnset data, so this page recommends move types rather than guaranteed moves.

Fire type pageWater type pageIce type pageFlying type page

What not to use

Electric×0Fighting×0.5Poison×0.5Ground×0.5

These attacking types are resisted or blocked by the defender's typing, so they are usually lower-priority choices unless they provide a special battle role.

Pokémon with Bug / Ground typing

Nincada Pokémon sprite

Nincada

BugGround
Sandy Wormadam Pokémon sprite

Sandy Wormadam

BugGround

Battle caveats

  • This ranking uses modern Gen 6+ type matchups, STAB value, defensive switch-in safety, and base stats.
  • Abilities, held items, Terastallization, weather, terrain, and format rules can change real battle outcomes.
  • Coverage moves can punish obvious counters, so treat this as type-based guidance rather than a full matchup simulator.
  • Move availability depends on game version and learnset data; this page recommends attacking types rather than guaranteed moves.

Related pages

Bug / Ground weakness chartBug / Ground PokémonFire type pageWater type pageIce type pagePokémon type chartSpeed tiers

FAQ

What is the best counter for Bug / Ground?

Bug / Ground is best countered by Pokémon that can use Fire, Water, Ice, and Flying (2x) attacks while avoiding bad defensive matchups into Bug / Ground STAB attacks. Because there is no 4x weakness, Speed, bulk, and offensive stats matter more when choosing the actual Pokémon.

What type is best against Bug / Ground?

Fire, Water, Ice, and Flying are the strongest attacking types against Bug / Ground, dealing 2x damage under the modern Gen 6+ type chart.

How many useful attacking types hit Bug / Ground super-effectively?

Bug / Ground has 4 super-effective attacking options: Fire, Water, Ice, and Flying. Use the highest multiplier first, then choose a Pokémon that is not exposed to Bug / Ground STAB attacks.

Are abilities included in this counter ranking?

No. The ranking uses base typing and base stats. Abilities, items, Terastallization, weather, terrain, and special move rules can change the real matchup.

Does Terastallization change Bug / Ground counters?

Yes. Terastallization can replace the defensive typing used here, so the recommended counter types may change completely in formats where Tera is active.

What should I avoid using against Bug / Ground?

Avoid relying on Electric, Fighting, Poison, and Ground attacks unless they have a special role or unusually high power.

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