Pokémon counters guide

Best Counters for Iron Moth

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

FirePoison
Iron Moth Pokémon sprite

Iron Moth

#0994

Quick answer

Ground is the strongest answer because both Fire and Poison are weak to Ground, creating a 4x weakness. Water, Psychic, and Rock are strong secondary attacking types.

Best move types

Ground×4Water×2Psychic×2Rock×2

Biggest weakness

Ground×4

Type matchup table

Ground type iconGround4x
Water type iconWater2x
Psychic type iconPsychic2x
Rock type iconRock2x
Normal type iconNormal1x
Electric type iconElectric1x
Flying type iconFlying1x
Ghost type iconGhost1x
Dragon type iconDragon1x
Dark type iconDark1x
Grass type iconGrass0.25x
Bug type iconBug0.25x
Fairy type iconFairy0.25x
Fire type iconFire0.5x
Ice type iconIce0.5x
Fighting type iconFighting0.5x
Poison type iconPoison0.5x
Steel type iconSteel0.5x

Recommended practical counters

Rhyperior Pokémon sprite

Rhyperior

#0464

Best overallResists both STABsSlow but bulky
GroundRock
  • Deals 4x damage with Ground-type attacks
  • Has STAB Ground-type attacks
  • Resists the target's Fire 0.5x, Poison 0.25x STAB attacks
  • Strong attacking stats help convert the matchup
  • Solid mixed bulk improves switch-in safety
Best typeGround×4

Safe into Fire 0.5x, Poison 0.25x

140 offense · 40 Speed

Krookodile Pokémon sprite

Krookodile

#0553

Bulky switch-inBudget option
GroundDark
  • Deals 4x damage with Ground-type attacks
  • Has STAB Ground-type attacks
  • Resists the target's Poison 0.5x STAB attacks
  • Strong attacking stats help convert the matchup
Best typeGround×4

Safe into Poison 0.5x

117 offense · 92 Speed

Strong theoretical counters

Best move types to use

Ground×4Water×2Psychic×2Rock×2

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

Ground type pageWater type pagePsychic type pageRock type page

Counter notes for Iron Moth

  • Iron Moth's Fire / Poison typing makes Ground the cleanest answer because it reaches 4x damage. Its 110 base Speed means very slow counters still need enough bulk to take a hit first.
  • Water, Psychic, and Rock attackers are useful secondary options when the top weakness is unavailable, but they should be chosen for safety, Speed, or team fit rather than raw multiplier alone.
  • 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 Fire / Poison unless they are fast enough to pressure immediately or bulky enough to survive the exchange.
  • Iron Moth does not need a separate alternate-form note for the standard National Dex matchup shown here.

What not to use

Grass×0.25Bug×0.25Fairy×0.25Fire×0.5Ice×0.5Fighting×0.5Poison×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

Iron Moth weakness chartIron Moth PokédexFire / Poison countersGround type pageWater type pagePsychic type pagePokémon type chartSpeed tiers

FAQ

What is the best counter for Iron Moth?

Iron Moth is best countered by Pokémon that can use Ground (4x) attacks while avoiding bad defensive matchups into Fire / Poison STAB attacks. Because this is a 4x weakness, even moderate attackers can create pressure if they can enter safely.

What type is best against Iron Moth?

Ground is the strongest attacking type against Iron Moth, dealing 4x damage under the modern Gen 6+ type chart.

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

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

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

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