Type counters guide

Best Counters for Steel-type Pokémon

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

Steel
Steel type icon

Steel

Quick answer

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

Best move types

Fire×2Fighting×2Ground×2

Top weaknesses (3)

Fire×2Fighting×2Ground×2

Type matchup table

Fire type iconFire2x
Fighting type iconFighting2x
Ground type iconGround2x
Water type iconWater1x
Electric type iconElectric1x
Ghost type iconGhost1x
Dark type iconDark1x
Normal type iconNormal0.5x
Grass type iconGrass0.5x
Ice type iconIce0.5x
Flying type iconFlying0.5x
Psychic type iconPsychic0.5x
Bug type iconBug0.5x
Rock type iconRock0.5x
Dragon type iconDragon0.5x
Steel type iconSteel0.5x
Fairy type iconFairy0.5x
Poison type iconPoison0x

Recommended practical counters

Volcarona Pokémon sprite

Volcarona

#0637

Best overallBulky switch-inFast pressure
BugFire
  • Deals 2x damage with Fire-type attacks
  • Has STAB Fire-type attacks
  • Resists the target's Steel 0.5x STAB attacks
  • Strong attacking stats help convert the matchup
  • Good Speed helps apply pressure first
Best typeFire×2

Safe into Steel 0.5x

135 offense · 100 Speed

Cinderace Pokémon sprite

Cinderace

#0815

Bulky switch-inFast pressureBudget option
Fire
  • Deals 2x damage with Fire-type attacks
  • Has STAB Fire-type attacks
  • Resists the target's Steel 0.5x STAB attacks
  • Strong attacking stats help convert the matchup
  • Good Speed helps apply pressure first
Best typeFire×2

Safe into Steel 0.5x

116 offense · 119 Speed

Strong theoretical counters

Best move types to use

Fire×2Fighting×2Ground×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

What not to use

Poison×0Normal×0.5Grass×0.5Ice×0.5Flying×0.5Psychic×0.5Bug×0.5Rock×0.5Dragon×0.5Steel×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 Steel typing

Sandshrew-Alola Pokémon sprite

Sandshrew-Alola

IceSteel
Sandslash-Alola Pokémon sprite

Sandslash-Alola

IceSteel
Diglett-Alola Pokémon sprite

Diglett-Alola

GroundSteel
Dugtrio-Alola Pokémon sprite

Dugtrio-Alola

GroundSteel
Meowth-Galar Pokémon sprite

Meowth-Galar

Steel
Magnemite Pokémon sprite

Magnemite

ElectricSteel
Magneton Pokémon sprite

Magneton

ElectricSteel
Forretress Pokémon sprite

Forretress

BugSteel
Steelix Pokémon sprite

Steelix

SteelGround

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

Steel weakness chartSteel PokémonFire type pageFighting type pageGround type pagePokémon type chartSpeed tiers

FAQ

What is the best counter for Steel?

Steel is best countered by Pokémon that can use Fire, Fighting, and Ground (2x) attacks while avoiding bad defensive matchups into Steel 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 Steel?

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

How many useful attacking types hit Steel super-effectively?

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

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

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