Pokémon counters guide

Best Counters for Tentacruel

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

WaterPoison
Tentacruel Pokémon sprite

Tentacruel

#0073

Quick answer

Tentacruel is best pressured by Electric, 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

Electric×2Ground×2Psychic×2

Top weaknesses (3)

Electric×2Ground×2Psychic×2

Type matchup table

Electric type iconElectric2x
Ground type iconGround2x
Psychic type iconPsychic2x
Normal type iconNormal1x
Grass type iconGrass1x
Flying type iconFlying1x
Rock type iconRock1x
Ghost type iconGhost1x
Dragon type iconDragon1x
Dark type iconDark1x
Fire type iconFire0.5x
Water type iconWater0.5x
Ice type iconIce0.5x
Fighting type iconFighting0.5x
Poison type iconPoison0.5x
Bug type iconBug0.5x
Steel type iconSteel0.5x
Fairy type iconFairy0.5x

Recommended practical counters

Strong theoretical counters

Best move types to use

Electric×2Ground×2Psychic×2

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

Electric type pageGround type pagePsychic type page

Counter notes for Tentacruel

  • Tentacruel is a Water / Poison Pokémon with 100 base Speed and stronger special attack (80 Sp. Atk). Electric, Ground, and Psychic attacks all work offensively, but safer counters are usually the ones that reduce risk from its own STAB types.
  • Tentacruel 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 Water / Poison STAB.
  • Known abilities include Clear Body, Liquid Ooze, and Rain Dish. 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 Water / Poison unless they are fast enough to pressure immediately or bulky enough to survive the exchange.
  • Tentacruel does not need a separate alternate-form note for the standard National Dex matchup shown here.

What not to use

Fire×0.5Water×0.5Ice×0.5Fighting×0.5Poison×0.5Bug×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.

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

Tentacruel weakness chartTentacruel PokédexWater / Poison countersElectric type pageGround type pagePsychic type pagePokémon type chartSpeed tiers

FAQ

What is the best counter for Tentacruel?

Tentacruel is best countered by Pokémon that can use Electric, Ground, and Psychic (2x) attacks while avoiding bad defensive matchups into Water / 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 Tentacruel?

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

How many useful attacking types hit Tentacruel super-effectively?

Tentacruel has 3 super-effective attacking options: Electric, Ground, and Psychic. Use the highest multiplier first, then choose a Pokémon that is not exposed to Water / 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 Tentacruel 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 Tentacruel?

Avoid relying on Fire, Water, Ice, Fighting, and Poison attacks unless they have a special role or unusually high power.

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