Type counters guide

Best Counters for Poison-type Pokémon

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

Poison
Poison type icon

Poison

Quick answer

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

Best move types

Ground×2Psychic×2

Top weaknesses (2)

Ground×2Psychic×2

Type matchup table

Ground type iconGround2x
Psychic type iconPsychic2x
Normal type iconNormal1x
Fire type iconFire1x
Water type iconWater1x
Electric type iconElectric1x
Ice type iconIce1x
Flying type iconFlying1x
Rock type iconRock1x
Ghost type iconGhost1x
Dragon type iconDragon1x
Dark type iconDark1x
Steel type iconSteel1x
Grass type iconGrass0.5x
Fighting type iconFighting0.5x
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

Krookodile Pokémon sprite

Krookodile

#0553

Bulky switch-inBudget option
GroundDark
  • Deals 2x 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×2

Safe into Poison 0.5x

117 offense · 92 Speed

Strong theoretical counters

Best move types to use

Ground×2Psychic×2

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

Ground type pagePsychic type page

What not to use

Grass×0.5Fighting×0.5Poison×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.

Pokémon with Poison typing

Bulbasaur Pokémon sprite

Bulbasaur

GrassPoison
Ivysaur Pokémon sprite

Ivysaur

GrassPoison
Venusaur Pokémon sprite

Venusaur

GrassPoison
Venusaur-Mega Pokémon sprite

Venusaur-Mega

GrassPoison
Venusaur-Gmax Pokémon sprite

Venusaur-Gmax

GrassPoison
Weedle Pokémon sprite

Weedle

BugPoison
Kakuna Pokémon sprite

Kakuna

BugPoison
Beedrill Pokémon sprite

Beedrill

BugPoison
Beedrill-Mega Pokémon sprite

Beedrill-Mega

BugPoison

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

Poison weakness chartPoison PokémonGround type pagePsychic type pagePokémon type chartSpeed tiers

FAQ

What is the best counter for Poison?

Poison is best countered by Pokémon that can use Ground and Psychic (2x) attacks while avoiding bad defensive matchups into 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 Poison?

Ground and Psychic are the strongest attacking types against Poison, dealing 2x damage under the modern Gen 6+ type chart.

How many useful attacking types hit Poison super-effectively?

Poison has 2 super-effective attacking options: Ground and Psychic. Use the highest multiplier first, then choose a Pokémon that is not exposed to 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 Poison 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 Poison?

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

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