Pokémon counters guide

Best Counters for Iron Boulder

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

RockPsychic
Iron Boulder Pokémon sprite

Iron Boulder

#1022

Quick answer

Iron Boulder is best pressured by Water, Grass, Ground, Bug, Ghost, Dark, and Steel-type attacks at 2x damage. Because there is no 4x weakness, defensive safety, Speed, and raw stats matter more.

Best move types

Water×2Grass×2Ground×2Bug×2

Top weaknesses (7)

Water×2Grass×2Ground×2Bug×2Ghost×2Dark×2Steel×2

Type matchup table

Water type iconWater2x
Grass type iconGrass2x
Ground type iconGround2x
Bug type iconBug2x
Ghost type iconGhost2x
Dark type iconDark2x
Steel type iconSteel2x
Electric type iconElectric1x
Ice type iconIce1x
Fighting type iconFighting1x
Rock type iconRock1x
Dragon type iconDragon1x
Fairy type iconFairy1x
Normal type iconNormal0.5x
Fire type iconFire0.5x
Poison type iconPoison0.5x
Flying type iconFlying0.5x
Psychic type iconPsychic0.5x

Recommended practical counters

Kingambit Pokémon sprite

Kingambit

#0983

Best overallResists both STABsSlow but bulky
DarkSteel
  • Deals 2x damage with Dark-type attacks
  • Has STAB Dark-type attacks
  • Is immune to the target's Psychic 0x STAB attacks
  • Strong attacking stats help convert the matchup
  • Solid mixed bulk improves switch-in safety
Best typeDark×2

Safe into Rock 0.5x, Psychic 0x

135 offense · 50 Speed

Krookodile Pokémon sprite

Krookodile

#0553

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

Safe into Rock 0.5x, Psychic 0x

117 offense · 92 Speed

Metagross Pokémon sprite

Metagross

#0376

Resists both STABsStrong physical attacker
SteelPsychic
  • Deals 2x damage with Steel-type attacks
  • Has STAB Steel-type attacks
  • Resists the target's Rock 0.5x, Psychic 0.25x STAB attacks
  • Strong attacking stats help convert the matchup
  • Solid mixed bulk improves switch-in safety
Best typeSteel×2

Safe into Rock 0.5x, Psychic 0.25x

135 offense · 70 Speed

Tyranitar Pokémon sprite

Tyranitar

#0248

Immune to PsychicStrong physical attacker
RockDark
  • Deals 2x damage with Dark-type attacks
  • Has STAB Dark-type attacks
  • Is immune to the target's Psychic 0x STAB attacks
  • Strong attacking stats help convert the matchup
  • Solid mixed bulk improves switch-in safety
Best typeDark×2

Safe into Psychic 0x

134 offense · 61 Speed

Archaludon Pokémon sprite

Archaludon

#1018

Resists both STABsStrong special attacker
SteelDragon
  • Deals 2x damage with Steel-type attacks
  • Has STAB Steel-type attacks
  • Resists the target's Rock 0.5x, Psychic 0.5x STAB attacks
  • Strong attacking stats help convert the matchup
  • Solid mixed bulk improves switch-in safety
Best typeSteel×2

Safe into Rock 0.5x, Psychic 0.5x

125 offense · 85 Speed

Strong theoretical counters

Best move types to use

Water×2Grass×2Ground×2Bug×2Ghost×2Dark×2Steel×2

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

Water type pageGrass type pageGround type pageBug type pageGhost type page

Counter notes for Iron Boulder

  • Iron Boulder is a Rock / Psychic Pokémon with 124 base Speed and stronger physical attack (120 Attack). Water, Grass, Ground, Bug, Ghost, Dark, and Steel attacks all work offensively, but safer counters are usually the ones that reduce risk from its own STAB types.
  • Iron Boulder 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 Rock / Psychic STAB.
  • Known abilities include Quark Drive. 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 Rock / Psychic unless they are fast enough to pressure immediately or bulky enough to survive the exchange.
  • Iron Boulder does not need a separate alternate-form note for the standard National Dex matchup shown here.

What not to use

Normal×0.5Fire×0.5Poison×0.5Flying×0.5Psychic×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

Iron Boulder weakness chartIron Boulder PokédexRock / Psychic countersWater type pageGrass type pageGround type pagePokémon type chartSpeed tiers

FAQ

What is the best counter for Iron Boulder?

Iron Boulder is best countered by Pokémon that can use Water, Grass, Ground, Bug, Ghost, Dark, and Steel (2x) attacks while avoiding bad defensive matchups into Rock / Psychic 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 Iron Boulder?

Water, Grass, Ground, Bug, Ghost, Dark, and Steel are the strongest attacking types against Iron Boulder, dealing 2x damage under the modern Gen 6+ type chart.

How many useful attacking types hit Iron Boulder super-effectively?

Iron Boulder has 7 super-effective attacking options: Water, Grass, Ground, Bug, Ghost, Dark, and Steel. Use the highest multiplier first, then choose a Pokémon that is not exposed to Rock / Psychic 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 Iron Boulder 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 Iron Boulder?

Avoid relying on Normal, Fire, Poison, Flying, and Psychic attacks unless they have a special role or unusually high power.

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