Grass Type Guide: Strengths & Counters

Explore the Grass type: learn its strengths, weaknesses, resistances, immunities and practical tips for VGC and Showdown ladder play.

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Offensive Matchups

  • Strong against: WaterGroundRock
  • Not very effective against: FireGrassPoisonFlyingBugDragonSteel
  • Has no effect: None

Average Offensive Power: 97%: Bad offensively, ranking #14 of 18.

Offensive Matchup – Overview

Vines drain Water, root through Ground, and pry apart Rock, yet flames reduce them to ash, frost kills them, Birds and Bugs feast on them, Poison shrivels them, and Dragon or Steel hides remain unpierced.

Super-Effective
  • Water – Evapotranspiration saps moisture from foes.
  • Ground – Roots split soil and undermine footing.
  • Rock – Creepers widen cracks until stone yields.
Not Very Effective
  • Fire – Plants cannot withstand combustion when attacking flames.
  • Grass – Identical structures cancel out.
  • Poison – Toxins poison plants faster than they respond.
  • Flying – Branches don’t reach agile aerial prey.
  • Bug – Herbivorous insects bite back.
  • Dragon – Dragons’ scales deflect thorns.
  • Steel – Blades of grass can’t cut steel.

Defensive Matchups

  • Weak to: FireIcePoisonFlyingBug
  • Resists: WaterElectricGrassGround
  • Immune to: None

Average Defensive Strength: 86%: Bad defensively, ranking #16 of 18.

Defensive Matchup – Overview

Fire, Ice, Poison, Flying, and Bug exploit botanical frailty, but Grass thrives in rain, grounds out electricity, resists fellow flora, and knots soil against Ground strikes.

Weak To
  • Fire – Combustion consumes cellulose instantly.
  • Ice – Frostburst shatters plant cells.
  • Poison – Herbicides inhibit photosynthesis.
  • Flying – Predatory beaks and talons shred leaves.
  • Bug – Swarming mandibles defoliate rapidly.
Resistant To
  • Water – Rain sustains vitality.
  • Electric – Sap and lignin conduct poorly.
  • Grass – Like versus like equals stalemate.
  • Ground – Deep roots anchor against quakes.

Uneven Matchups

  • GrassElectric
    Electric0.5×
  • GrassIce
    Ice
  • GrassRock
    Rock
  • GrassDragon0.5×
    Dragon
  • GrassSteel0.5×
    Steel

Full Type Chart

Type Effectiveness Chart

Interactive Battle Type Chart

DEFENSE → across columns • ATTACK ↓ down rows

Click on types to highlight rows/columns • Hover over cells for details

Has no effect
0.5×
Not very effective
Normal effectiveness
Super effective
NOR
FIR
WAT
ELE
GRA
ICE
FIG
POI
GRO
FLY
PSY
BUG
ROC
GHO
DRA
DAR
STE
FAI
NOR
FIR
WAT
ELE
GRA
ICE
FIG
POI
GRO
FLY
PSY
BUG
ROC
GHO
DRA
DAR
STE
FAI

• Click on type names to highlight entire rows (attacking) or columns (defending)

• Hover over cells to see detailed effectiveness information

• Chart based on rules effective since 2013

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