Pokémon counters guide

Best Counters for Honedge

Find practical counter Pokémon, attacking types, and defensive matchup notes for Honedge.

SteelGhost
Honedge Pokémon sprite

Honedge

#0679

Quick answer

Honedge is best pressured by Fire, Ground, Ghost, and Dark-type attacks at 2x damage. Because there is no 4x weakness, defensive safety, Speed, and raw stats matter more.

Best move types

Fire×2Ground×2Ghost×2Dark×2

Top weaknesses (4)

Fire×2Ground×2Ghost×2Dark×2

Type matchup table

Fire type iconFire2x
Ground type iconGround2x
Ghost type iconGhost2x
Dark type iconDark2x
Water type iconWater1x
Electric type iconElectric1x
Bug type iconBug0.25x
Grass type iconGrass0.5x
Ice type iconIce0.5x
Flying type iconFlying0.5x
Psychic type iconPsychic0.5x
Rock type iconRock0.5x
Dragon type iconDragon0.5x
Steel type iconSteel0.5x
Fairy type iconFairy0.5x
Normal type iconNormal0x
Fighting type iconFighting0x
Poison type iconPoison0x

Recommended practical counters

Strong theoretical counters

Best move types to use

Fire×2Ground×2Ghost×2Dark×2

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

Fire type pageGround type pageGhost type pageDark type page

Counter notes for Honedge

  • Honedge is a Steel / Ghost Pokémon with 28 base Speed and stronger physical attack (80 Attack). Fire, Ground, Ghost, and Dark attacks all work offensively, but safer counters are usually the ones that reduce risk from its own STAB types.
  • Honedge has several 2x weaknesses rather than a single 4x weakness, so the best counters are the ones that can hit it super-effectively while also reducing the risk from Steel / Ghost STAB.
  • Known abilities include No Guard. This page does not assume ability-specific battle effects, so verify the format before relying on a single counter.
  • Avoid counters that are weak to Steel / Ghost unless they are fast enough to pressure immediately or bulky enough to survive the exchange.
  • Honedge does not need a separate alternate-form note for the standard National Dex matchup shown here.

What not to use

Normal×0Fighting×0Poison×0Bug×0.25Grass×0.5Ice×0.5Flying×0.5Psychic×0.5Rock×0.5Dragon×0.5Steel×0.5Fairy×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.

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

Honedge weakness chartHonedge PokédexSteel / Ghost countersFire type pageGround type pageGhost type pagePokémon type chartSpeed tiers

FAQ

What is the best counter for Honedge?

Honedge is best countered by Pokémon that can use Fire, Ground, Ghost, and Dark (2x) attacks while avoiding bad defensive matchups into Steel / Ghost 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 Honedge?

Fire, Ground, Ghost, and Dark are the strongest attacking types against Honedge, dealing 2x damage under the modern Gen 6+ type chart.

How many useful attacking types hit Honedge super-effectively?

Honedge has 4 super-effective attacking options: Fire, Ground, Ghost, and Dark. Use the highest multiplier first, then choose a Pokémon that is not exposed to Steel / Ghost 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 Honedge 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 Honedge?

Avoid relying on Normal, Fighting, Poison, Bug, and Grass attacks unless they have a special role or unusually high power.

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