Pokémon counters guide

Best Counters for Alolan Sandslash

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

IceSteel
Alolan Sandslash Pokémon sprite

Alolan Sandslash

#0028

Quick answer

Fire and Fighting is the strongest answer because both Ice and Steel are weak to Fire, creating a 4x weakness. Ground are strong secondary attacking types.

Best move types

Fire×4Fighting×4Ground×2

Top weaknesses (2)

Fire×4Fighting×4

Type matchup table

Fire type iconFire4x
Fighting type iconFighting4x
Ground type iconGround2x
Water type iconWater1x
Electric type iconElectric1x
Rock type iconRock1x
Ghost type iconGhost1x
Dark type iconDark1x
Steel type iconSteel1x
Ice type iconIce0.25x
Normal type iconNormal0.5x
Grass type iconGrass0.5x
Flying type iconFlying0.5x
Psychic type iconPsychic0.5x
Bug type iconBug0.5x
Dragon type iconDragon0.5x
Fairy type iconFairy0.5x
Poison type iconPoison0x

Recommended practical counters

Volcarona Pokémon sprite

Volcarona

#0637

Best overallResists both STABsFast pressure
BugFire
  • Deals 4x damage with Fire-type attacks
  • Has STAB Fire-type attacks
  • Resists the target's Ice 0.5x, Steel 0.5x STAB attacks
  • Strong attacking stats help convert the matchup
  • Good Speed helps apply pressure first
Best typeFire×4

Safe into Ice 0.5x, Steel 0.5x

135 offense · 100 Speed

Cinderace Pokémon sprite

Cinderace

#0815

Resists both STABsFast pressureBudget option
Fire
  • Deals 4x damage with Fire-type attacks
  • Has STAB Fire-type attacks
  • Resists the target's Ice 0.5x, Steel 0.5x STAB attacks
  • Strong attacking stats help convert the matchup
  • Good Speed helps apply pressure first
Best typeFire×4

Safe into Ice 0.5x, Steel 0.5x

116 offense · 119 Speed

Strong theoretical counters

Best move types to use

Fire×4Fighting×4Ground×2

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

Fire type pageFighting type pageGround type page

Counter notes for Alolan Sandslash

  • Alolan Sandslash's Ice / Steel typing makes Fire and Fighting the cleanest answer because it reaches 4x damage. Its 65 base Speed means very slow counters still need enough bulk to take a hit first.
  • Ground 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 Snow Cloak and Slush Rush. 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 Ice / Steel unless they are fast enough to pressure immediately or bulky enough to survive the exchange.
  • Alolan Sandslash is a regional form of Sandslash. Standard Sandslash has Ground typing and therefore a different defensive profile.

What not to use

Poison×0Ice×0.25Normal×0.5Grass×0.5Flying×0.5Psychic×0.5Bug×0.5Dragon×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

Alolan Sandslash weakness chartAlolan Sandslash PokédexIce / Steel countersFire type pageFighting type pageGround type pagePokémon type chartSpeed tiers

FAQ

What is the best counter for Alolan Sandslash?

Alolan Sandslash is best countered by Pokémon that can use Fire and Fighting (4x) attacks while avoiding bad defensive matchups into Ice / Steel STAB attacks. Because this is a 4x weakness, even moderate attackers can create pressure if they can enter safely.

What type is best against Alolan Sandslash?

Fire and Fighting are the strongest attacking types against Alolan Sandslash, dealing 4x damage under the modern Gen 6+ type chart.

How many useful attacking types hit Alolan Sandslash super-effectively?

Alolan Sandslash has 3 super-effective attacking options: Fire, Fighting, and Ground. Use the highest multiplier first, then choose a Pokémon that is not exposed to Ice / Steel 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 Alolan Sandslash 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 Alolan Sandslash?

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

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