Bug and Ice-type Pokémon have been among the least favorite in the fanbase throughout the generations of games. Going into Generation VIII with Pokémon Sword & Shield doesn’t seem to be changing this perception all that much.
While many fans agree these are the worst types of Pokémon to have there doesn’t seem to be a clear consensus as to which is the worst type. If you find yourself struggling to decide whether Ice or Bug is the worst Pokémon type here are some reasons making the case for each variety of pocket monster.
10 Ice: One Resistance, Themselves
Unlike every other Pokémon type in the game Ice Pokémon only have one resistance, other Ice Pokémon. This singular resistance against themselves makes Ice Pokémon the worst defensive Pokémon you could have on your team.
What’s worse is that because Ice Pokémon aren’t all that great you will rarely if ever find yourself enjoying that resistance. If you planned on making an Ice Pokémon part of your defensive lineup then their lack of resistances should make you reconsider.
9 Bug: Worst Offense
Bug types are considered the worst offensive Pokémon in the game. The main reason for this is that they have very few offensive moves and most of them are just awful. Even if you’re going up against a Pokémon weak to bug moves like Dark, Psychic, or Grass Pokémon, they don’t do a whole lot of damage even with the bonus.
The one exception to this is the bug move Megahorn which does really good damage, the problem is that only four bug Pokémon can learn this move. If you want some heavy hitters on your team then make sure none of them are Bug types.
8 Ice: Four Weaknesses
In case you weren’t convinced that Ice types are the worst when it comes to defense you should know that in addition to their single resistance advantage they are weak to four different Pokémon types; Fire, Fighting, Rock, and Steel.
These types are common among many competitive Pokémon and are responsible for some powerful attacks. If you’re looking to have a competitive edge against other players than going in with a Pokémon weak to the most commonly used Pokémon is a bad idea.
7 Bug: Fire, Flying, & Rock
Similar to Ice types, Bug Pokémon are weak to Fire and Rock types, but have the added bonus of being weak to Flying types. Staple moves in competitive Pokémon matches like Rock Slide, Stealth Rock, and others make having a weakness to those moves a major liability.
Bug especially suffers if the other team has Flying-types as defensive counters or sweepers, which many players do. You might take down a Dark Pokémon in competitive now and then, but it’ll crumble to the first Flying to enter the battlefield.
6 Ice: Slow And Bulky
Given how terrible Ice Pokémon are at being defensive fighters it makes very little sense that the majority of Ice Pokémon are slow, bulky, and geared for defensive roles. If anything Ice-types should be fast and deal strong attacks, but for whatever reason Game Freak keeps putting out slow pokes.
As a result only a handful of Ice types can be considered for competitive use because the majority of them are simply too slow to be of any help. Keep the slow ice beasts for PVE battles, because they certainly can’t stand up in PVP.
5 Bug: Worst Average Base Stats
Of all the Pokémon types in the game Bug types have the worst stats across the board. Attack, defense, special attack, it doesn’t matter bugs are atrocious at them all. Part of this may be because Bug types evolve sooner than most other types so their final evolutions end up being lackluster even though they appear sooner.
Perhaps if Bugs had better stats they could hold their own a little better, but as it stands they’re at a significant disadvantage against other types who are faster, stronger, and more durable coming out of the gate.
4 Ice: Only Strong Against Grass
The one redeeming quality about Ice types is that they are effective against Grass Pokémon which can be a nuisance in competitive battles. The problem is Grass types have four other weaknesses; Fire, Poison, Flying, and Bug.
Honestly if you’re going to counter a Grass Pokémon you’re going to throw out a Fire type or a Flying type as they have far more versatility and most importantly stronger defenses than an Ice type. So while they may be suited to fight Grass types, there are other types that can do it better.
3 Bug: Fairy Types Resist Them
There are a lot of competitive players that like to use Fairy types because they’re fairly strong and there’s just something about the controversial fairy type that some fans like. This puts Bug types in a bit of a bind as Fairy types have a resistance to their attacks.
When your opponent throws out a Togekiss you better hope it doesn’t have Air Slash or you’re kissing your Bug-type goodbye. Like them or hate them Fairy types are going to be used in PVP now and then and you’re bug types will just bring your team down facing them.
2 Ice: Most Waters Can Learn Ice Moves
Probably the greatest disadvantage to Ice types is that most Water types can learn Ice moves. Considering this you have the option of teaching a powerful Ice move to a weak defenseless Ice Pokémon or a robust tanky Water Pokémon.
Whatever justifications you had for hanging onto an Ice Pokémon go entirely out the window when you look at the powerful and capable Water Pokémon who can learn their moves and suffer none of their flaws. As much as you want Kyurem to be your fighter, keep him on the sidelines and teach those powerful Ice moves to a powerful Water Pokémon.
1 Bug: Very Few Pure Bugs
One of the greatest flaws about Bug-type Pokémon is that there are so few that aren’t duel types. Most Bug Pokémon will adopt a second typing by the time they reach their final evolutions and honestly this is both good and bad.
It’s good if the second typing offers some advantages like Volcarona gets being a Bug/Fire type. But it presents a huge liability if the second typing just adds more weaknesses like the case of Leavanny with a Bug/Grass typing. Considering none of the pure bug type Pokémon are worth their salt should tell you just how worthless the Bug type is.