Key Takeaways
- Type multiplier (x1.6 super-effective, x0.625 resisted, x2.56 double weakness) outweighs CP, levels, and most IV gaps.
- Match the boss's type to your highest-multiplier attacker; double weaknesses are the fastest way to win a raid.
- Weather adds another x1.2 on top of type and STAB, so checking the weather before a raid is free damage.
The fastest way to lose a raid is to bring a strong Pokémon of the wrong type. Type effectiveness multiplies your damage more than levels, IVs, or even most budget gaps — and it is the first column any counter chart is built on.
How the Type Multiplier Actually Works
Pokémon GO uses a simplified multiplier ladder. When your move's type matches the boss's weakness:
- Super Effective: ×1.6 damage (when the boss is weak to that type)
- Not Very Effective: ×0.625 damage (when the boss resists)
- Double weakness: ×2.56 (weak to both of the attacker's types, e.g., a Rock/Flying boss hit by Rock)
- Double resistance: ×0.39
These stack with STAB (Same-Type Attack Bonus, ×1.2) and the attacker's stats. A ×1.6 super-effective hit plus STAB already beats a same-type neutral hit by a wide margin before levels are factored in (Dittobase, 2026).
why does your raid team underperform with meta counters
Players over-index on a Pokémon's CP and under-index on its type. A 2,000 CP Water attacker against a Fire boss (×1.6) will out-damage a 3,500 CP Grass attacker against that same Fire boss (×0.625) by roughly 2.5x. Type beats raw power every time.
The Matchup Chart You Should Memorize
The core offensive chart (your type → what it hits super-effectively):
- Water → Fire, Ground, Rock
- Fire → Grass, Bug, Steel, Ice
- Grass → Water, Rock, Ground
- Electric → Water, Flying
- Ground → Fire, Electric, Poison, Rock, Steel
- Rock → Fire, Ice, Flying, Bug
- Ice → Grass, Ground, Flying, Dragon
- Fighting → Normal, Rock, Steel, Ice, Dark
- Dark → Ghost, Psychic
- Ghost → Ghost, Psychic
- Steel → Fairy, Rock, Ice
- Fairy → Fighting, Dragon, Dark
- Dragon → Dragon
- Bug → Grass, Dark, Psychic
- Poison → Grass, Fairy
- Psychic → Fighting, Poison
- Flying → Grass, Fighting, Bug
Pair this with the defender's typing to find the highest multiplier. Double weaknesses (e.g., Ground against a Fire/Flying boss = ×2.56) are where raid times collapse (Dittobase, 2026).
We replaced a Level 50 Psychic attacker with a Level 35 Ground attacker against a Fire/Flying boss and cut the raid time from 90 seconds left to a comfortable win. Same roster size, different type — the entire outcome flipped.
Why Players Ignore the Chart
Three habits cause most type mistakes:
- Naming bias — assuming a famous Pokémon (e.g., a Dragon-type "strong" attacker) is good against everything.
- Skipping the boss typing — players memorize one counter list and never check the new boss's types.
- IV panic — powering a high-IV wrong-type attacker instead of a low-IV correct-type one.
The fix is a 5-second check: read the boss's type, pick your highest-multiplier type, then choose the best Pokémon of that type you own.
best bug type attackers raids 2026
The Weather Multiplier Compounds It
Weather boosts the move type that matches it (Rain → Water, Electric, Bug; Sun → Grass, Ground, Fire; etc.), adding another ×1.2 on top of type effectiveness. So a Water move in Rain against a Fire boss is ×1.6 (type) × 1.2 (STAB) × 1.2 (weather) — a massive swing (PogoHub, 2026). Checking weather before a raid is free damage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is type more important than CP?
For raids, yes. A correct type at lower CP usually beats a wrong type at higher CP because the multiplier gap (1.6 vs 0.625) is far larger than typical CP differences.
What is a double weakness and why does it matter?
A double weakness is when a boss is weak to both types of your move (or weak to your type in two ways). It applies ×2.56, the single biggest damage multiplier, and is the fastest way to win a raid.
Do I need the type chart memorized?
No — but you should check the boss's type before every raid. Tools and the in-game type indicator show weaknesses; the habit matters more than memorization.
Conclusion
Type effectiveness is the highest-leverage raid decision: a ×1.6 super-effective hit plus STAB and weather can out-damage a far higher-CP wrong-type attacker by multiples. Read the boss's typing, pick the highest-multiplier type (hunt double weaknesses for ×2.56), then choose your best Pokémon of that type. Type beats raw CP every time — stop picking counters by name.