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Best Attackers by Type

This list is a comprehensive index of the overall best attackers for each and every type in Pokemon Go at the time of its current edition. If you're looking for a Pokemon to fill a niche within a specific type, then this resource is sure to lead you in the right direction.

How This List is Calculated

The Pokemon on this page are listed by type in descending order of power. The primary metric used to decide their placement is ER. This metric puts a heavy emphasis on DPS, but also takes into consideration TDO in order to attempt to discover the strongest overall performance of a given Pokemon when compared to others. Because of the way that this metric works, the Pokemon here are not always ordered according to which has the highest DPS. It's entirely possible that the highest DPS option may show up 2nd or 3rd within a type if its bulk is low enough. That said, our list is also manually ordered to a certain degree in order to highlight the Pokemon highlighted in roughly the order of actual utility. It's also possible that Pokemon not listed on this page could potentially find niche utility in future raids, but rest assured that the Pokemon near the top of these lists are exemplary candidates for their given types.

If you'd like to see how these Pokemon rank yourself, we recommend that you take a look at the DPS/TDO Spreadsheet, which is what we've used to make these calculations.

For more in-depth breakdowns into each type, check out our ongoing Typing Review series, which analyzes each type in Pokemon Go and takes a look at how they may or may not pan out in the future:

Filters

Bug Type

Super Effective Against:
Resists:
Not Very Effective Against:
Weak To:
Primary Rival Types:

One of the weakest types in Pokemon Go, Bug tends to be a low-priority when it comes to raiding teams. Its main problem is the fact that it competes with a few extremely powerful types, leaving it outclassed when it doesn't have 2x effectiveness. In general, raising a Bug Type team is less for the sake of utility and more for the prestige of completing teams for every type.

Typing
Fast Move Bug Bite
Charged Move Bug Buzz

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Bug Bite
Charged Move X-Scissor

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Bug Bite
Charged Move X-Scissor

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Fury Cutter
Charged Move X-Scissor

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Bug Bite
Charged Move Bug Buzz

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Fury Cutter
Charged Move X-Scissor

 

 

Fast Move Bug Bite
Charged Move X-Scissor

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Bug Bite
Charged Move X-Scissor

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Bug Bite
Charged Move Bug Buzz

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Fury Cutter
Charged Move X-Scissor

 

 

NOTE: this spot applies to all Genesect variants

Dark Type

Super Effective Against:
Resists:
Not Very Effective Against:
Weak To:
Primary Rival Types:

Dark Type has the advantage of dealing Super Effective damage to two of the most powerful types in the game, making it a great choice for many raid teams. And while it was the once-and-former "runner up" type, the introduction of Brutal Swing on a few of the stronger Dark Type attackers turned the game on its head and made it an oppressive type. It's not called for extremely often, but when it is, Dark is a top pick.

Typing
Fast Move Bite
Charged Move Brutal Swing

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Bite
Charged Move Brutal Swing

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Snarl
Charged Move Foul Play

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Snarl
Charged Move Dark Pulse

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Bite
Charged Move Brutal Swing

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Snarl
Charged Move Dark Pulse

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Snarl
Charged Move Foul Play

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Bite
Charged Move Brutal Swing

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Snarl
Charged Move Dark Pulse

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Bite
Charged Move Crunch

 

 

Dragon Type

Super Effective Against:
Resists:
Not Very Effective Against:
Weak To:
Primary Rival Types:

Dragon is among the most potent types in the game, and the go-to type when it comes to slaying other dragons. Every raid team should have a full set of powerful dragons ready to go, as literally every generation beyond Generation 2 has at least one Legendary Dragon, with many sporting multiple. They compete with Ice and Fairy which take neutral damage from and double-resist incoming Dragon Type attacks respectively, but neither can keep up with the tremendous DPS that Dragon Types can leverage against their own kind.

Typing
Fast Move Dragon Tail
Charged Move Outrage, Breaking Swipe

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Dragon Tail
Charged Move Outrage

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Dragon Tail
Charged Move Outrage

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Dragon Tail
Charged Move Outrage

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Dragon Tail
Charged Move Outrage

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Dragon Breath
Charged Move Dragon Claw

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Dragon Tail
Charged Move Outrage

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Dragon Breath
Charged Move Outrage

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Dragon Tail
Charged Move Outrage

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Dragon Tail
Charged Move Outrage

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Dragon Breath
Charged Move Dragon Claw

 

 

Electric Type

Super Effective Against:
Resists:
Not Very Effective Against:
Weak To:
Primary Rival Types:

Electric is a bit limited on paper, hitting only two types in the game for Super Effective damage. However, these two types combined represent a tremendous number of Pokemon, so an investment in Electric Type damage will definitely pay off. Electric may not reach the numbers of some other types, but in general they're well on the high end of the spectrum, and tend to remain very competitive with or outright dominant over their competition.

Typing
Fast Move Thunder Shock
Charged Move Wild Charge

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Thunder Shock
Charged Move Discharge

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Charge Beam
Charged Move Fusion Bolt

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Thunder Fang
Charged Move Wild Charge

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Thunder Shock
Charged Move Wild Charge

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Thunder Shock
Charged Move Thunderbolt

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Volt Switch
Charged Move Wildbolt Storm

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Spark
Charged Move Wild Charge

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Spark
Charged Move Wild Charge

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Volt Switch
Charged Move Zap Cannon

 

 

Fairy Type

Super Effective Against:
Resists:
Not Very Effective Against:
Weak To:
Primary Rival Types:

Fairy tends to be the "tank" type when it's Super Effective, using their unique resistances to survive heavy hits where other types would fall quickly. And while their DPS isn't the worst, it's definitely behind much of the competition, though still very viable. Fairy is genuinely less of a priority than many other types, but it's definitely not the worst type to invest in.

Typing
Fast Move Charm
Charged Move Dazzling Gleam

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Charm
Charged Move Dazzling Gleam

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Geomancy
Charged Move Moonblast

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Thunder Shock
Charged Move Dazzling Gleam

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Charm
Charged Move Play Rough

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Charm
Charged Move Dazzling Gleam

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Charm
Charged Move Dazzling Gleam

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Charm
Charged Move Dazzling Gleam

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Charm
Charged Move Mooblast

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Snarl
Charged Move Play Rough

 

 

Fighting Type

Super Effective Against:
Resists:
Not Very Effective Against:
Weak To:
Primary Rival Types:

Fighting is one of the premier types of Pokemon Go, hitting a lot of Pokemon for Super Effective damage while staying high on the general DPS list. In general, Fighting Types are a good starting point for building a raid team just to how pervasive and powerful they tend to be.

Typing
Fast Move Counter
Charged Move Focus Blast

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Double Kick
Charged Move Sacred Sword

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Low Kick
Charged Move Sacred Sword

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Counter
Charged Move Dynamic Punch

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Counter
Charged Move Focus Blast

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Counter
Charged Move Dynamic Punch

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Counter
Charged Move Aura Sphere

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Counter
Charged Move Dynamic Punch

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Double kick
Charged Move Focus Blast

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Counter
Charged Move Focus Blast

 

 

Fire Type

Super Effective Against:
Resists:
Not Very Effective Against:
Weak To:
Primary Rival Types:

Fire is among the strongest types in the game, with the top Fire Type Mega Evolutions in particular frequently beating out just about everything else when called for. It has a bit of competition and isn't called for as frequently as some other types, but it's definitely a priority for any raid team.

Typing
Fast Move Fire Spin
Charged Move Blast Burn

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Fire Spin
Charged Move Blast Burn

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Fire Fang
Charged Move Overheat

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Fire Fang
Charged Move Fusion Flare

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Fire Fang
Charged Move Overheat

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Fire Spin
Charged Move Blast Burn

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Incinerate
Charged Move Sacred Fire+
  • NOTE: Apex Shadow Ho-oh is virtually always superior to purified Ho-oh with Sacred Fire++

 

Typing
Fast Move Fire Spin
Charged Move Overheat

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Fire Spin
Charged Move Blast Burn

 

 

Typing
Fast Move Fire Spin
Charged Move Magma Storm
    Typing
    Fast Move Fire Spin
    Charged Move Overheat

      Flying Type

      Super Effective Against:
      Resists:
      Not Very Effective Against:
      Weak To:
      Primary Rival Types:

      Without a doubt, Flying is one of the strongest types currently in Pokemon Go. This is owed largely to the sheer power of Dragon Ascent and Rayquaza/Mega Rayquaza, as they stand head-and-shoulders above just about everything else in the game to date.

      Typing
      Fast Move Air Slash
      Charged Move Dragon Ascent

       

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Air Slash
      Charged Move Dragon Ascent

       

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Wing Attack
      Charged Move Sky Attack

       

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Gust
      Charged Move Hurricane

       

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Gust
      Charged Move Brave Bird

       

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Hidden Power (Flying)
      Charged Move Brave Bird

       

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Gust
      Charged Move Brave Bird

       

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Peck
      Charged Move Sky Attack

       

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Wing Attack
      Charged Move Sky Attack

       

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Air Slash
      Charged Move Sky Attack

       

       

      Ghost Type

      Super Effective Against:
      Resists:
      Not Very Effective Against:
      Weak To:
      Primary Rival Types:

      The top Ghost types tend to be genuinely great Pokemon that can that top the DPS charts handily. In particular, Mega Gengar is an oppressively powerful force that overshadows many Pokemon that seek to rival it, and it's definitely not alone. When something is weak to Ghosts, then Ghosts tend to be one of the best answers, even if they come into a battle while sporting a weakness to whatever they may be fighting.

      Typing
      Fast Move Lick
      Charged Move Shadow Ball

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Shadow Claw
      Charged Move Shadow Ball

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Hex
      Charged Move Shadow Ball

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Lick
      Charged Move Shadow Ball

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Shadow Claw
      Charged Move Shadow Force

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Hex
      Charged Move Shadow Ball

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Hex
      Charged Move Shadow Ball

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Lick
      Charged Move Shadow Ball

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Astonish
      Charged Move Shadow Ball

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Astonish
      Charged Move Shadow Ball

       

      Grass Type

      Super Effective Against:
      Resists:
      Not Very Effective Against:
      Weak To:
      Primary Rival Types:

      Grass Types have a fair bit of utility, as they cover potentially important types while tending to resist many common coverage moves. They're reliable and solid, though they also tend to be a bit on the weaker side with at least one or two obvious exception. Grass may not be the most important type, but it definitely has its utility!

      Typing
      Fast Move Bullet Seed
      Charged Move Frenzy Plant

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Razor Leaf
      Charged Move Leaf Blade

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Razor Leaf
      Charged Move Frenzy Plant

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Hidden Power (Grass)
      Charged Move Grass Knot

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Vine Whip
      Charged Move Power Whip

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Vine Whip
      Charged Move Power Whip

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Razor Leaf
      Charged Move Frenzy Plant

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Razor Leaf
      Charged Move Frenzy Plant

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Bullet Seed
      Charged Move Frenzy Plant

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Bullet Seed
      Charged Move Solar Beam

       

      Ground Type

      Super Effective Against:
      Resists:
      Not Very Effective Against:
      Weak To:
      Primary Rival Types:

      Ground is another very pervasive type that hits a lot of other types for Super Effective damage, with its most note-worthy advantage being the fact that it's the only type that Electric is weak to. It's also able to contend with many of the other top types in the game, even when directly competing with them.

      Typing
      Fast Move Mud Shot
      Charged Move Precipice Blades

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Mud Shot
      Charged Move Earth Power

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Mud Shot
      Charged Move Precipice Blades

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Mud Shot
      Charged Move Earth Power

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Mud Slapp
      Charged Move Drill Run, Earth Power

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Mud Shot
      Charged Move Precipice Blades

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Mud Shot
      Charged Move Sandsear Storm

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Mud Slap
      Charged Move High Horsepower

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Mud Slap
      Charged Move Earthquake

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Mud Shot
      Charged Move Earthquake

       

      Ice Type

      Super Effective Against:
      Resists:
      Not Very Effective Against:
      Weak To:
      Primary Rival Types:

      Ice is a bit of a strategic type. It's usually not the absolute best outside of 2x effective stages, but that's the key; a lot of Pokemon are 2x weak to Ice. Picking up an Ice Type team is a definite priority for any raider, as it's a pervasive type that can work its magic in a lot of different raids.

      Typing
      Fast Move Powder Snow
      Charged Move Avalanche

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Ice Shard
      Charged Move Avalanche

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Ice Fang
      Charged Move Avalanche

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Ice Fang
      Charged Move Avalanche

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Powder Snow
      Charged Move Avalanche

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Frost Breath
      Charged Move Avalanche

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Dragon Breath
      Charged Move Glaciate

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Powder Snow
      Charged Move Weather Ball (Ice)

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Ice Shard
      Charged Move Avalanche

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Frost Breath
      Charged Move Avalanche

       

      Poison Type

      Super Effective Against:
      Resists:
      Not Very Effective Against:
      Weak To:
      Primary Rival Types:

      Sadly, Poison is probably the single weakest type in the game when it comes to raids. It's only effective against two types, Grass and Fairy, and a pairing of those types to create a double weakness is very rare. On top of that, Poison Types tend to be very lackluster. Unless you already have the other types done and don't mind potentially flushing your Stardust down the toilet, it's best to not worry about making a Poison team.

      Typing
      Fast Move Poison Jab
      Charged Move Sludge Bomb

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Lick
      Charged Move Sludge Bomb

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Poison Jab
      Charged Move Sludge Bomb

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Poison Jab
      Charged Move Sludge Bomb

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Poison Jab
      Charged Move Sludge Bomb

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Acid
      Charged Move Sludge Bomb

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Acid
      Charged Move Sludge Bomb

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Poison Jab
      Charged Move Sludge Bomb

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Poison Jab
      Charged Move Sludge Bomb

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Poison Jab
      Charged Move Sludge Bomb

       

      Psychic Type

      Super Effective Against:
      Resists:
      Not Very Effective Against:
      Weak To:
      Primary Rival Types:

      Psychic is probably the single strongest type in all of Pokemon Go. Despite the fact that only two types are actually weak to Psychic, its sheer power makes it super-dominant  to the point of frequently being a viable type even if the target is 2x weak to another type. 

      Typing    
      Fast Move Confusion
      Charged Move Psystrike

       

      Typing    
      Fast Move Confusion
      Charged Move Psychic

       

      Typing    
      Fast Move Zen Headbutt
      Charged Move Psychic

       

      Typing    
      Fast Move Confusion
      Charged Move Psystrike

       

      Typing    
      Fast Move Confusion
      Charged Move Psychic

       

      Typing    
      Fast Move Zen Headbutt
      Charged Move Psychic

       

      Typing    
      Fast Move Confusion
      Charged Move Psychic

       

      Typing    
      Fast Move Zen Headbutt
      Charged Move Psychic

       

      Typing    
      Fast Move Zen Headbutt
      Charged Move Psychic

       

      Typing    
      Fast Move Confusion
      Charged Move Psychic

       

      Rock Type

      Super Effective Against:
      Resists:
      Not Very Effective Against:
      Weak To:
      Primary Rival Types:

      Despite the fact that anything with a weakness to rock that isn't a double weakness is virtually guaranteed to have other types that can rival it, Rock's high average power and important coverage keeps it extremely valuable, to the point that Rock should be one of the first types that a player starts building for when starting their Raid team.

      Typing    
      Fast Move Rock Throw
      Charged Move Rock Slide

       

      Typing    
      Fast Move Smack Down
      Charged Move Rock Wrecker

       

      Typing    
      Fast Move Smack Down
      Charged Move Stone Edge

       

      Typing    
      Fast Move Smack Down
      Charged Move Rockslide

       

      Typing    
      Fast Move Rock Throw
      Charged Move Rockslide

       

      Typing    
      Fast Move Smack Down
      Charged Move Stone Edge

       

      Typing    
      Fast Move Smack Down
      Charged Move Rock Wrecker

       

      Typing    
      Fast Move Smack Down
      Charged Move Rockslide

       

      Typing    
      Fast Move Rock Throw
      Charged Move Meteor Beam

       

      Typing    
      Fast Move Smack Down
      Charged Move Rockslide

       

      Steel Type

      Super Effective Against:
      Resists:
      Not Very Effective Against:
      Weak To:
      Primary Rival Types:

      While the need for Steel Types isn't terribly common, the top Pokemon of this archetype manage to stay very competitive, and tend to rule their matchups. For those making a raid group, Steel Type coverage isn't super-important until suddenly it is.

      Typing    
      Fast Move Bullet Punch
      Charged Move Meteor Mash

       

      Typing    
      Fast Move Bullet Punch
      Charged Move Meteor Mash

       

      Typing  
      Fast Move Metal Claw
      Charged Move Iron Head

       

      Typing    
      Fast Move Metal Claw
      Charged Move Iron Head

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Iron Tail
      Charged Move Heavy Slam

       

      Typing    
      Fast Move Bullet Punch
      Charged Move Iron Head

       

      Typing  
      Fast Move Metal Claw
      Charged Move Magnet Bomb
      • NOTE: All Genesect formes count for this entry.
      Typing    
      Fast Move Steel Wing
      Charged Move Iron Head

       

      Typing    
      Fast Move Bullet Punch
      Charged Move Iron Head

       

      Typing  
      Fast Move Metal Claw
      Charged Move Iron Head

       

      Water Type

      Super Effective Against:
      Resists:
      Not Very Effective Against:
      Weak To:
      Primary Rival Types:

      A straight-forward type, Water doesn't have many interactions to worry about, which means that it tends to be a great all-around choice whenever it's effective. The top Water Types are absolutely able to go toe-to-toe with many of the top types, especially since Primal Kyogre rules these waves.

      Typing  
      Fast Move Waterfall
      Charged Move Origin Pulse

       

      Typing  
      Fast Move Watergun
      Charged Move Hydro Cannon

       

      Typing  
      Fast Move Waterfall
      Charged Move Origin Pulse

       

      Typing  
      Fast Move Water Gun
      Charged Move Hydro Cannon

       

      Typing  
      Fast Move Waterfall
      Charged Move Hydropump

       

      Typing  
      Fast Move Waterfall
      Charged Move Origin Pulse

       

      Typing  
      Fast Move Watergun
      Charged Move Hydro Cannon

       

      Typing  
      Fast Move Water Gun
      Charged Move Hydro Cannon

       

      Typing  
      Fast Move Waterfall
      Charged Move Hydropump

       

      Typing  
      Fast Move Waterfall
      Charged Move Hydropump

       

      Normal Type

      Super Effective Against: None
      Resists:
      Not Very Effective Against:
      Weak To:
      Primary Rival Types: All Types

      For all intents and purposes, Normal is not actually a type when it comes to building a raid team. Outside of very specific scenarios or just having fun, Normal Type moves should be TMed away, and Normal Types lacking other useful types and/or enough power to make other move types work for them should be left on the bench. We had to bend the rules here and not go all-in on Normal Type moves to not get into even worse territory than what we already have.

      Typing
      Fast Move (Any)
      Charged Move Giga Impact

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Tackle
      Charged Move High Horsepower

       

      Typing
      Fast Move (Any)
      Charged Move Giga Impact

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Quick Attack
      Charged Move Fly

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Pound
      Charged Move Hyper Beam

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Quick Attack
      Charged Move Hyper Beam

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Lock-On
      Charged Move Tri-Attack

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Tackle
      Charged Move High Horsepower

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Quick Attack
      Charged Move Fly

       

      Typing
      Fast Move Counter
      Charged Move Hyper Beam