With over 1000 Pokemon having been introduced since Gen 1, players have plenty of type combinations to choose from when building their teams. Some are incredibly strong, but not all of them are stellar. When a Pokemon takes on two types, it carries the resistances and weaknesses for both. Sometimes, they can cancel each other out — but if the types have weaknesses in common, the Pokemon will take 4x the damage from those moves.

This leads to some dual-types being incredibly fragile. Some of these Pokemon can still be useful in battle, but others don't even have good offensive coverage to make up for it. Regardless, players who use these combinations need to keep healing items on hand.

Updated February, 2024 by Demaris Oxman: The Pokemon franchise is constantly evolving, as almost every game brings new 'mons for players to try out. Sometimes, a Pokemon fan will see a design that blows them away — only for that 'mon to be lackluster in battle, often due to a weak type combination. Of course, it's still possible to add these Pokemon to a team and train them up to be strong. But whether players are returning to an old favorite game, or adventuring into the Hidden Treasures of Area Zero DLC for the first time, there's no question that these type combinations are at a disadvantage.

9 Rock/Fighting

The Best Of The Worst

Among the most fragile Pokemon type combinations, Rock/Fighting has the most potential to still be useful in battle. While it does have seven weaknesses (the most that any Pokemon currently has), none of those weaknesses are 4x super effective, since the Rock and Fighting types have no weaknesses in common. What's more, the combination of Rock and Fighting-type moves allow the legendary Terrakion — the only Pokemon with this typing — to deal super-effective damage to eight different types.

Despite its decent offensive power, those who choose to use Terrakion must be wary in battle. Among its many weaknesses are three out of the five most common Pokemon types: Water, Grass, and Psychic. Trainers should be very careful when choosing what opponents to fight with a Rock/Fighting type.

Type Matchups

• Resistances: Normal, Bug, Fire, Poison, Rock, Dark
• Weaknesses: Water, Grass, Psychic, Ground, Steel, Fairy, Fighting

Pokemon With This Typing

As of Gen 9, Rock/Fighting is a unique typing, with only the Gen 5 legendary Terrakion boasting this combo.

Battle Tips

Terrakion stands poised to take super-effective damage from some very common attacks. As such, players might want to equip it with an HP-restoring item such as a Shell Bell or Leftovers, which can help it last long enough to dish out its strong moves. Send it up against Rock or Normal-types, and it's likely to wipe the floor with them — just watch out for any sneaky Fighting-type moves.

8 Rock/Dark

Intimidating Looks Can Be Deceiving

Tyranitar definitely looks dangerous, and its attacking power isn't to be underestimated. However, like Rock/Fighting, its weaknesses are numbered and very common. Fighting-type attacks spell doom for this typing, with 4x effectiveness. It's weak to six other types as well, including some of the most common in the Pokemon world, such as Water and Grass.

As an advantage, the Dark typing gives this Pokemon an immunity to Psychic-type attacks. It also has good type coverage, making it a decent offensive choice. Defensively, though, Rock/Dark's weaknesses outnumber its strengths. Considering the frequency of types that can annihilate this Pokemon compared to ones it resists (such as Ghost and Dark), if it weren't for Tyranitar's massive stats, it would be easy to wipe out.

Type Matchups

• Immunities: Psychic
• Resistances: Normal, Flying, Fire, Poison, Dark, Ghost
• Weaknesses: Water, Grass, Bug, Ground, Steel, Fairy
• Double weaknesses: Fighting

Pokemon With This Typing

Like Rock/Fighting, Rock/Dark is also unique, belonging only to the Gen 2 Pokemon Tyranitar and its Mega-Evolved form. No new Pokemon with this combination have been seen since the introduction of the Dark type itself.

Battle Tips

Although this type combination is weak in theory, the only Pokemon who currently has it — Tyranitar — is incredibly strong. A Rock/Dark type with weaker stats would be easy to destroy, but this pseudo-legendary is worthy of the title. Its Attack is huge, and its defensive stats mean that it can tank even 2x effective hits easily. Players should still make sure to watch out for Fighting-type attacks, though. Consider giving Tyranitar a Chople Berry to lessen the damage from these moves.

7 Ice/Psychic

The Ultimate Glass Cannon

Like the Wizard in most RPGs, this combination is powerful but extremely fragile. Though they can be effective if used strategically, Ice/Psychic types' long list of weaknesses and measly two resistances mean that they're easy to take out in one or two hits. They can have some strong attacks, but even their most powerful moves aren't very effective against the types that can do serious damage to an Ice/Psychic Pokemon.

Strong dual-types can often negate each other's weaknesses; that is, its primary type may resist a damage type that the secondary type is weak to, or vice versa. For Ice/Psychic, however, this doesn't apply to any of the Psychic-type's weaknesses; only to Ice-type's weakness to Fighting-type moves.

Type Matchups

• Resistances: Psychic, Ice
• Weaknesses: Bug, Fire, Rock, Dark, Steel, Ghost

Pokemon With This Typing

Unique until Gen 8, a few Pokemon joined the ranks of Ice/Psychic types in Sword & Shield:

• Smoochum (Gen 2); Jynx (Gen 1)
• Galarian Mr. Mime; Mr. Rime (Gen 8)
• Ice Rider Calyrex (Gen 8)

Battle Tips

Jynx and Mr. Rime (the two non-legendaries of this type) are both capable of learning a few Ghost- and Dark-type moves, which can help offset their weaknesses. They also have high Special Attack, a common trait of both Psychic and Ice-types. Trainers working with these two can raise their Speed through EV training or the Carbos vitamin. If they can outspeed their opponents, Ice/Psychic types can be decent Special sweepers.

6 Grass/Dark

Fragile, With Little Offensive Advantage

With a 4x weakness to Bug-types and six other weaknesses to boot, Pokemon like Nuzleaf and Cacturne have a lot of opponents to watch out for. What's more, some of these weaknesses are very common, such as Flying-type. Thankfully, other weaknesses are rarer, such as Ice and Fairy.

Grass/Dark does have a fair number of resistances going for it, including the very common Water type, and is completely immune to Psychic attacks. Unfortunately, neither typing in this combo offers very much offensive advantage; Grass-type attacks are resisted by many types, and few types are weak to either Grass or Dark attacks.

Type Matchups

• Immunities: Psychic
• Resistances: Water, Grass, Ground, Dark, Electric, Ghost
• Weaknesses: Flying, Fire, Poison, Fighting, Fairy, Ice
• Double weaknesses: Bug

Pokemon With This Typing

A fair handful of Pokemon populate this type, including a mythical and a legendary Pokemon. Interestingly, almost half of these Pokemon were introduced in Gen 9 alone.

• Nuzleaf; Shrifty (Gen 3)
• Cacturne (Gen 3)
• Zarude (Gen 8)
• Meowscarada (Gen 9)
• Brute Bonnet (Gen 9)
• Wo Chien (Gen 9)

Battle Tips

Grass/Dark types can be useful in niche situations: namely, against Ghost and Psychic types. Ghost-types in particular have few weaknesses, so Dark-types tend to be the best option to use against them. Still, considering the paltry defensive stats that many of these Pokemon have, it's best if players can raise them with EV training, or give them an HP-restoring held item in battle.

5 Psychic/Grass

More Weaknesses Than Resistances

Psychic-types are offensively powerful, but when combined with the most fragile types, they can become quite frail as their weaknesses are only compounded. The Grass/Psychic combination, like Ice/Psychic, is a perfect example of a weak type combo. Exeggutor knows some powerful moves, but there's no doubt that this combination leaves it (and other Pokemon of this type) with certain disadvantages. For example, the Psychic/Grass combo has seven weaknesses, including a 4x weakness to Bug-types. Its weaknesses outnumber its resistances, and even outnumber the types that deal normal damage to this Pokemon.

On the plus side, Psychic-type attacks easily can take care of Poison-types that threaten it. Other than that, though, this typing doesn't have much offensive advantage and can't easily counter its other weaknesses.

Type Matchups

• Resistances: Water, Grass, Psychic, Ground, Fighting, Electric
• Weaknesses: Flying, Fire, Poison, Dark, Ghost, Ice
• Double weaknesses: Bug

Pokemon With This Typing

A handful of Pokemon are Grass/Psychic. Among them, only Exeggcute and its evolution are neither legendary, mythical, nor a Paradox Pokemon.

• Exeggcute; Exeggcutor (Gen 1)
• Celebi (Gen 2)
• Calyrex (Gen 8)
• Iron Leaves (Gen 9)

Battle Tips

This type combination can hold its own against Water and Fighting-types. Players who want to train up their Exeggutor can put it out front while traveling near lakes and oceans to deal with the local Pokemon. Mons with this type combination also tend to have high Special Attack, making them decent sweepers with the right moves, as long as players avoid their weaknesses.

4 Ice/Grass

The World's Most Flammable Pokemon

As powerful as Abomasnow can be in the right hands, there's no denying that it and its pre-evolved form are incredibly fragile. Like Ice/Psychic types, they're glass cannons, hitting hard but easily destroyed. With a 4x Fire-type weakness and six regular weaknesses (including the common Flying and Bug types), it's easy to take these Pokemon out.

Though Ice/Grass resists a few fairly common types (Water, Ground, Electric, and Grass), four resistances isn't a lot for a dual-type — consider the examples above. What's more, the combination of Ice and Grass-type attacks only offers super-effective damage against four types. It's not enough of a trade-off for the vast number of weaknesses.

Type Matchups

• Resistances: Water, Grass, Ground, Electric
• Weaknesses: Flying, Bug, Poison, Rock, Fighting, Steel
• Double weaknesses: Fire

Pokemon With This Typing

As of Gen 9, the Grass/Ice typing is unique to Gen 4's Snover and its evolution Abomasnow. The latter's Mega Evolution maintains its typing.

Battle Tips

As mentioned above, Abomasnow can be powerful with the right trainer. Its ability, Snow Warning, sets up hail upon its entry, which does useful chip damage to non-Ice-type Pokemon. As long as players avoid Fire-type attacks and teach it some strong moves, Abomasnow can be a glass cannon.

3 Rock/Ground

Tough-Looking, But Deceptively Fragile

As common as this typing is (and as tough as these Pokemon can look), they're actually very easy to take down. Though Onix and its ilk offer decent offensive coverage through its attacks, they unfortunately has just as many defensive weaknesses. Rock/Ground Pokemon have not one but two 4x weaknesses, both of which are incredibly common throughout the games. It's also weak to four other types to boot.

Rock/Ground's immunity to Electric is one defensive plus, and it has a fair number of resistances — including a double resistance to Poison. Pokemon like Geodude might be handy when battling a Poison-type Gym or Electric-type Pokemon, but they can be easily taken out with a single Water Pulse or Mega Drain.

Type Matchups

• Immunities: Electric
• Double resistances: Poison
• Resistances: Normal, Flying, Fire, Rock
• Weaknesses: Ground, Fighting, Steel, Ice
• Double weaknesses: Water, Grass

Pokemon With This Typing

Among the type combinations on this list, Rock/Ground is the most frequently seen. Not only are there a fair few Pokemon of this type, but they tend to be common in games where they appear. Notably, no new evolutionary families involving this typing have been introduced since Generation 2; and no new Rock/Ground types have been added at all since Gen 4.

• Rhyhorn; Rhydon; (Gen 1); Rhyperior (Gen 4)
• Geodude; Graveler; Golem (Gen 1)
• Onix (Gen 1)
• Larvitar; Pupitar (Gen 2)

Battle Tips

Despite the weaknesses of this type combo, any Ground-type Pokemon will do wonders against an Electric-type trainer. And since Electric-types tend to be found pretty frequently throughout the games, having one on the team is almost always recommended. For players who want to turn their Rhyperior or Golem into a tank, grinding it up against Electric-types will do the trick.

2 Ice/Rock

No Counters Against Their Biggest Threats

Appearing several times on this list already, Ice types are among the most fragile in the series, and Rock-types have plenty of weaknesses of their own. With two overlapping weaknesses, Fighting and Steel, this is another type combo with not one but two types that are 4x effective against it, and four more weaknesses as well. What's more, it only has four resistances.

Thankfully, the combination of Ice and Rock-type moves allow Amaura and its evolution (the only Ice/Rock types) to take out a variety of opponents, including the Grass and Ground types that can spell their doom. However, they generally can't do much to counter their two biggest threats, Fighting and Steel.

Type Matchups

• Resistances: Normal, Flying, Poison, Ice
• Weaknesses: Water, Grass, Ground, Rock
• Double weaknesses: Fighting, Steel

Pokemon With This Typing

The Ice/Rock typing went unused until Gen 6, which introduced a Fossil Pokemon of this type. Even as of Gen 9, it's rarely seen in the games:

• Amaura; Auroros (Gen 6)
• Hisuian Avalugg (Gen 8)

Battle Tips

Like many others on this list, Rock/Ice does best in niche situations. Its Rock-type moves let Aurorus easily take out fellow Ice-types. Additionally, it does well against the extremely common Flying-type. Aurorus also has high HP, allowing it to tank even a few 2x hits before going down. Players can give it a Chople or Babiri berry to lessen the damage from its 4x weaknesses.

1 Bug/Grass

Overlapping Weaknesses & Little Offensive Coverage

Neither of these types are considered all that strong, and when they're combined, their failings only compound each other. Bug/Grass types have a 4x weakness to both Fire and Flying, and five regular weaknesses as well.

Their offensive type coverage is also poor. Bug and Grass each have seven different types that resist their attacks, and neither offers up any moves that can help counter any of this typing's weaknesses. Pokemon like Parasect might fare okay against a Water or Grass type, but in most situations, the Bug/Grass pairing is incredibly flimsy and has little advantage.

Type Matchups

• Resistances: Water, Grass, Ground, Fighting, Electric
• Weaknesses: Bug, Poison, Rock, Ice
• Double weaknesses: Flying, Fire

Pokemon With This Typing

Perhaps due to its weakness in battle, not many Pokemon inhabit the Bug/Grass type:

• Paras; Parasect (Gen 1)
• Plant Cloak Wormadam (Gen 4)
• Sewaddle; Swadloon; Leavanny (Gen 5)

Battle Tips

This is one of the hardest types to use in battle. Not only does it have a number of weaknesses, but Grass- and Bug-type attacks don't do much to damage most other Pokemon. Players who want to use Grass/Bug types are best taking on Water, Ground, or Psychic-type opponents. When raising stats through EVs, Speed is key. These Pokemon have decent Attack, so if they're faster than the opponent and exploit type advantages, they just might manage to win.