Ground Type Guide: Strengths & Counters
Explore the Ground type: learn its strengths, weaknesses, resistances, immunities and practical tips for VGC and Showdown ladder play.
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Offense rank
#1 · Best
Defense rank
#10 · Poor
Offensive power
117%
Defensive strength
95%
What Is Ground Strong Against? Offensive Matchups
Strong against
Not very effective against
Has no effect
Quakes smother Fire, short-circuit Electric, bury Poison, split Rock, and buckle Steel, yet roots bind soil, Bugs burrow safely, and Flyers soar beyond reach.
Super-Effective
- Fire
Dirt and sand extinguish embers.
- Electric
Earth grounds out current.
- Poison
Soil traps and isolates toxins.
- Rock
Tectonic force fractures stone.
- Steel
Seismic force buckles metal frames and machinery.
Not Very Effective
- Grass
Roots stabilize shifting soil.
- Bug
Tunneling insects dodge tremors.
Ineffective
- Flying
Quakes do not reach the sky.
What Is Ground Weak To? Defensive Matchups
Weak to
Resists
Immune to
Floods, foliage, and freezing temperatures erode, penetrate, and crack the earth, but Ground filters poisons, cushions Rock impacts, and stays immune to stray electricity.
Weak To
- Water
Erosion carves landscapes.
- Grass
Plants break apart soil.
- Ice
Freeze-thaw cycles split bedrock.
Resistant To
- Poison
Dirt neutralizes chemicals.
- Rock
Loose stone is easier to absorb into larger earth masses.
Immune To
- Electric
Charge dissipates into earth.
Uneven Matchups
- Ground→Fire2×←Fire→1×
- Ground→Water1×←Water→2×
- Ground→Electric2×←Electric→0×
- Ground→Ice1×←Ice→2×
- Ground→Flying0×←Flying→1×
- Ground→Bug0.5×←Bug→1×
- Ground→Steel2×←Steel→1×
Related Type Guides
Full Type Chart
Type Effectiveness Chart
Interactive Battle Type Chart
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• Chart based on rules effective since 2013