Pokémon counters guide

Best Counters for Houndour

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

DarkFire
Houndour Pokémon sprite

Houndour

#0228

Quick answer

Houndour is best pressured by Water, Fighting, Ground, and Rock-type attacks at 2x damage. Because there is no 4x weakness, defensive safety, Speed, and raw stats matter more.

Best move types

Water×2Fighting×2Ground×2Rock×2

Top weaknesses (4)

Water×2Fighting×2Ground×2Rock×2

Type matchup table

Water type iconWater2x
Fighting type iconFighting2x
Ground type iconGround2x
Rock type iconRock2x
Normal type iconNormal1x
Electric type iconElectric1x
Poison type iconPoison1x
Flying type iconFlying1x
Bug type iconBug1x
Dragon type iconDragon1x
Fairy type iconFairy1x
Fire type iconFire0.5x
Grass type iconGrass0.5x
Ice type iconIce0.5x
Ghost type iconGhost0.5x
Dark type iconDark0.5x
Steel type iconSteel0.5x
Psychic type iconPsychic0x

Recommended practical counters

Kommo-o Pokémon sprite

Kommo-o

#0784

Resists both STABs
DragonFighting
  • Deals 2x damage with Fighting-type attacks
  • Has STAB Fighting-type attacks
  • Resists the target's Dark 0.5x, Fire 0.5x STAB attacks
  • Solid mixed bulk improves switch-in safety
Best typeFighting×2

Safe into Dark 0.5x, Fire 0.5x

110 offense · 85 Speed

Strong theoretical counters

Best move types to use

Water×2Fighting×2Ground×2Rock×2

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

Water type pageFighting type pageGround type pageRock type page

Counter notes for Houndour

  • Houndour is a Dark / Fire Pokémon with 65 base Speed and stronger special attack (80 Sp. Atk). Water, Fighting, Ground, and Rock attacks all work offensively, but safer counters are usually the ones that reduce risk from its own STAB types.
  • Houndour 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 Dark / Fire STAB.
  • Known abilities include Early Bird, Flash Fire, and Unnerve. 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 Dark / Fire unless they are fast enough to pressure immediately or bulky enough to survive the exchange.
  • Houndour does not need a separate alternate-form note for the standard National Dex matchup shown here.

What not to use

Psychic×0Fire×0.5Grass×0.5Ice×0.5Ghost×0.5Dark×0.5Steel×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

Houndour weakness chartHoundour PokédexDark / Fire countersWater type pageFighting type pageGround type pagePokémon type chartSpeed tiers

FAQ

What is the best counter for Houndour?

Houndour is best countered by Pokémon that can use Water, Fighting, Ground, and Rock (2x) attacks while avoiding bad defensive matchups into Dark / Fire 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 Houndour?

Water, Fighting, Ground, and Rock are the strongest attacking types against Houndour, dealing 2x damage under the modern Gen 6+ type chart.

How many useful attacking types hit Houndour super-effectively?

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

Avoid relying on Psychic, Fire, Grass, Ice, and Ghost attacks unless they have a special role or unusually high power.

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