Pokémon counters guide

Best Counters for Kakuna

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

BugPoison
Kakuna Pokémon sprite

Kakuna

#0014

Quick answer

Kakuna is best pressured by Fire, Flying, Psychic, and Rock-type attacks at 2x damage. Because there is no 4x weakness, defensive safety, Speed, and raw stats matter more.

Best move types

Fire×2Flying×2Psychic×2Rock×2

Top weaknesses (4)

Fire×2Flying×2Psychic×2Rock×2

Type matchup table

Fire type iconFire2x
Flying type iconFlying2x
Psychic type iconPsychic2x
Rock type iconRock2x
Normal type iconNormal1x
Water type iconWater1x
Electric type iconElectric1x
Ice type iconIce1x
Ground type iconGround1x
Ghost type iconGhost1x
Dragon type iconDragon1x
Dark type iconDark1x
Steel type iconSteel1x
Grass type iconGrass0.25x
Fighting type iconFighting0.25x
Poison type iconPoison0.5x
Bug type iconBug0.5x
Fairy type iconFairy0.5x

Recommended practical counters

Metagross Pokémon sprite

Metagross

#0376

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

Safe into Poison 0x

135 offense · 70 Speed

Arcanine-Hisui Pokémon sprite

Arcanine-Hisui

#0059

Resists both STABs
FireRock
  • Deals 2x damage with Fire-type attacks
  • Has STAB Fire-type attacks
  • Resists the target's Bug 0.5x, Poison 0.5x STAB attacks
  • Strong attacking stats help convert the matchup
Best typeFire×2

Safe into Bug 0.5x, Poison 0.5x

115 offense · 90 Speed

Strong theoretical counters

Best move types to use

Fire×2Flying×2Psychic×2Rock×2

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

Fire type pageFlying type pagePsychic type pageRock type page

Counter notes for Kakuna

  • Kakuna is a Bug / Poison Pokémon with 35 base Speed and stronger mixed offenses. Fire, Flying, Psychic, and Rock attacks all work offensively, but safer counters are usually the ones that reduce risk from its own STAB types.
  • Kakuna 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 Bug / Poison STAB.
  • Known abilities include Shed Skin. 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 Bug / Poison unless they are fast enough to pressure immediately or bulky enough to survive the exchange.
  • Kakuna does not need a separate alternate-form note for the standard National Dex matchup shown here.

What not to use

Grass×0.25Fighting×0.25Poison×0.5Bug×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

Kakuna weakness chartKakuna PokédexBug / Poison countersFire type pageFlying type pagePsychic type pagePokémon type chartSpeed tiers

FAQ

What is the best counter for Kakuna?

Kakuna is best countered by Pokémon that can use Fire, Flying, Psychic, and Rock (2x) attacks while avoiding bad defensive matchups into Bug / Poison 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 Kakuna?

Fire, Flying, Psychic, and Rock are the strongest attacking types against Kakuna, dealing 2x damage under the modern Gen 6+ type chart.

How many useful attacking types hit Kakuna super-effectively?

Kakuna has 4 super-effective attacking options: Fire, Flying, Psychic, and Rock. Use the highest multiplier first, then choose a Pokémon that is not exposed to Bug / 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 Kakuna 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 Kakuna?

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

© 2026 NationalDex. All rights reserved.
Pokémon and Pokémon character names are trademarks of Nintendo / GAME FREAK / Creatures Inc. This is a fan-made website for learning and community use only. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the trademark holders.
Terms·Privacy·About

Search NationalDex

Search Pokémon, moves, abilities, types, and items.