Pokémon counters guide

Best Counters for Iron Thorns

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

RockElectric
Iron Thorns Pokémon sprite

Iron Thorns

#0995

Quick answer

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

Best move types

Ground×4Water×2Grass×2Fighting×2

Biggest weakness

Ground×4

Type matchup table

Ground type iconGround4x
Water type iconWater2x
Grass type iconGrass2x
Fighting type iconFighting2x
Ice type iconIce1x
Psychic type iconPsychic1x
Bug type iconBug1x
Rock type iconRock1x
Ghost type iconGhost1x
Dragon type iconDragon1x
Dark type iconDark1x
Steel type iconSteel1x
Fairy type iconFairy1x
Flying type iconFlying0.25x
Normal type iconNormal0.5x
Fire type iconFire0.5x
Electric type iconElectric0.5x
Poison type iconPoison0.5x

Recommended practical counters

Krookodile Pokémon sprite

Krookodile

#0553

Resists both STABsBudget option
GroundDark
  • Deals 4x damage with Ground-type attacks
  • Has STAB Ground-type attacks
  • Is immune to the target's Electric 0x STAB attacks
  • Strong attacking stats help convert the matchup
Best typeGround×4

Safe into Rock 0.5x, Electric 0x

117 offense · 92 Speed

Strong theoretical counters

Groudon Pokémon sprite

Groudon

#0383

Theoretical optionLegendary optionResists both STABs
Ground
  • Deals 4x damage with Ground-type attacks
  • Has STAB Ground-type attacks
  • Is immune to the target's Electric 0x STAB attacks
  • Strong attacking stats help convert the matchup
  • Solid mixed bulk improves switch-in safety
Best typeGround×4

Safe into Rock 0.5x, Electric 0x

150 offense · 90 Speed

Best move types to use

Ground×4Water×2Grass×2Fighting×2

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

Ground type pageWater type pageGrass type pageFighting type page

Counter notes for Iron Thorns

  • Iron Thorns's Rock / Electric typing makes Ground the cleanest answer because it reaches 4x damage. Its 72 base Speed means very slow counters still need enough bulk to take a hit first.
  • Water, Grass, and Fighting 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 Rock / Electric unless they are fast enough to pressure immediately or bulky enough to survive the exchange.
  • Iron Thorns does not need a separate alternate-form note for the standard National Dex matchup shown here.

What not to use

Flying×0.25Normal×0.5Fire×0.5Electric×0.5Poison×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 Thorns weakness chartIron Thorns PokédexRock / Electric countersGround type pageWater type pageGrass type pagePokémon type chartSpeed tiers

FAQ

What is the best counter for Iron Thorns?

Iron Thorns is best countered by Pokémon that can use Ground (4x) attacks while avoiding bad defensive matchups into Rock / Electric 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 Thorns?

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

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

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

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

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