Alright, let's cut straight to it. You clicked because you need to know what poison types are weak to, probably after getting wrecked by some Toxic Spikes or a nasty Sludge Bomb. I've been there too. That sinking feeling when your bulky Muk gets one-shotted by something you didn't see coming? Yeah, not fun. Poison types can be real jerks in battles – they stall, they poison, they annoy the heck out of you. But they absolutely crumble if you hit their weak spots. So, what are poison types weak to? Mainly two types: Psychic and Ground. But it's messy. Some secondary typings flip this upside down. And abilities? Don't get me started on Levitate messing with Ground moves. We'll break down every single angle so you never get caught off guard again.
Why Poison Types Trip People Up
Okay, so poison Pokemon aren't the tankiest or hardest hitters overall. But man, do they have tricks. Their whole deal is disruption. They wall Fairy types hard (which is huge), shrug off Fighting, Bug, and Grass moves like they're nothing, and spread poison everywhere. Annoying, right? I remember this one tournament battle where my opponent's Toxapex just wouldn't die. Regenerator ability, Recover, Baneful Bunker... it was torture. That's when I learned you need to exploit their actual weaknesses, not just chip away. Because if you don't hit them super effectively, they'll outlast you. This is why figuring out what poison types are weak to is battle-critical. It's not just type charts, it's survival.
The Big Two Weaknesses: Psychic and Ground
This is the core answer to what poison types are weak to. Psychic and Ground moves deal double damage to pure Poison types. Simple? Not quite.
Psychic Weakness: Mind Over Matter
Poison types get wrecked by strong Psychic moves. Think Alakazam's Psychic, Mewtwo's Psystrike, or even Gardevoir's Psybeam. It makes sense, right? Brains over toxins. Psychic is super effective because... well, poison messes with the body, but psychic attacks target the mind directly. Clever flavor.
| Psychic Move | Base Power | Notable User | Why It Hurts Poison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychic | 90 | Alakazam, Slowbro, Espeon | High damage, chance to lower Sp. Def |
| Psyshock | 80 | Gardevoir, Gallade, Hatterene | Hits Defense stat, bypasses Poison's often high Sp. Def |
| Expanding Force (Psychic Terrain) | 80 (→ 120) | Indeedee, Tapu Lele | Massive power boost in Terrain, ignores abilities like Levitate for priority! |
This weakness is usually consistent. Poison/Psychic types like Galarian Slowbro? They lose this weakness entirely. But pure Poison or Poison/Dark? They hate Psychic moves. I run Psychic on my Gardevoir almost purely for those bulky Poison walls.
Ground Weakness: Shaking the Foundation
Earthquake. Earth Power. High Horsepower. Ground moves are the other big answer to what poison types are weak to. This one's less reliable than Psychic because of abilities, but when it hits... oh boy, it hits hard.
| Ground Move | Base Power | Notable User | Watch Out For... |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | 100 | Garchomp, Excadrill, Mamoswine | High distribution, physical, hits adjacent foes |
| Earth Power | 90 | Gastrodon, Nidoking, Landorus (Therian) | Special move, chance to lower Sp. Def |
| High Horsepower | 95 | Mudsdale, Rhyperior, Copperajah | Good physical alternative without hitting allies |
The huge caveat? Levitate. This ability makes Pokemon immune to Ground moves. Common Poison types with Levitate include:
- Weezing (Classic & Galarian)
- Gengar (Its Mega Evolution too)
- Eelektross (Poison isn't its primary type, but it's Poison-type moves)
I learned this the hard way trying to Earthquake a Gengar. Wasted turn, got hit by a Shadow Ball. Not my finest moment. So always check abilities before clicking Earthquake! Mold Breaker users like Excadrill ignore Levitate, which is glorious.
When Weaknesses Change: Poison's Common Pairings
Pure Poison types are rare. Most have a second type. That second type completely changes what poison types are weak to. It adds new vulnerabilities and sometimes removes the core ones.
Poison/Flying: Ground? What Ground Weakness?
Zubat, Crobat, Golbat. Flying type makes them immune to Ground! Their weaknesses flip:
- Weak to: Electric (2x), Ice (2x), Psychic (2x), Rock (2x)
- Resists: Bug (1/2x), Fairy (1/2x), Fighting (1/4x), Grass (1/4x), Poison (1/2x)
- Immune to: Ground
Psychic is still their Achilles' heel. Rock Slide or Thunderbolt works too. But Earthquake? Useless.
Poison/Dark: Double Trouble Psychic Weakness
Alolan Muk, Skuntank, Drapion. Dark type adds a Psychic weakness? Wait, no! Dark resists Psychic! Here's the twist:
- Weak to: Ground (2x)
- Resists: Dark (1/2x), Ghost (1/2x), Grass (1/2x), Poison (1/2x)
- Immune to: Psychic
Yep! Dark makes them immune to Psychic! Their only weakness is Ground. But again, watch for Levitate (Drapion doesn't have it usually, but Skuntank sometimes runs it). Hitting them super effectively is trickier. Ground is key. Fighting moves are neutral, not super effective. This typage is surprisingly sturdy.
Poison/Ground: A Self-Weakness?
Nidoking, Nidoqueen, Swalot (okay, Swalot is pure poison... bad example). Poison/Ground types are fascinating:
- Weak to: Ground (2x), Ice (2x), Psychic (2x), Water (2x)
- Resists: Bug (1/2x), Fairy (1/2x), Fighting (1/2x), Poison (1/2x), Rock (1/2x)
- Immune to: Electric
See that? Weak to their own Ground type! They also gain Water and Ice weaknesses. Psychic still hits hard. They lose the Grass resistance Poison usually has. It's a trade-off. Great coverage offensively, but more holes defensively. Surf or Ice Beam ruins their day.
Poison/Fairy: Surprisingly Few Weaknesses
Alolan Ninetales (with Snow Warning!), Bede's Hatterene line (Psychic is primary, Fairy secondary). This combo is strong:
- Weak to: Ground (2x), Psychic (2x), Steel (2x)
- Resists: Bug (1/4x), Dark (1/2x), Fighting (1/2x), Grass (1/2x), Fairy (1/2x)
- Immune to: Dragon
Steel becomes a major threat (4x weak if it's pure Poison/Fairy like some hypotheticals). Ground and Psychic remain reliable answers when asking what are poison types weak to, even with the Fairy addition. Ground hits both types super effectively!
Poison/Bug: Rock Bottom Defense
Beedrill, Scolipede, Venomoth. Oh boy, this typing is rough. Bug adds a ton of weaknesses:
- Weak to: Fire (2x), Flying (2x), Psychic (2x), Rock (2x) (and Fire is 4x if Bug/Poison!)
- Resists: Fighting (1/4x), Grass (1/4x), Fairy (1/2x), Poison (1/2x)
Psychic is still great. But honestly? Any strong Fire, Flying, or Rock move annihilates them. Stealth Rock entry hazards absolutely shred them too. Speed is often their only defense (like Beedrill). Hit them fast or hit them with anything mentioned.
Beyond Type Charts: Abilities and Terrain Change Everything
Knowing the type matchups isn't enough. Abilities and battle field effects massively influence what poison types are weak to in practice.
Game-Changing Abilities
| Ability | Poison User Example | How It Affects Weaknesses | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Levitate | Weezing, Gengar | Makes user immune to Ground moves | Removes Ground as an answer to what poison types are weak to for these mons. Need Psychic or other coverage. |
| Water Absorb | Toxapex (sometimes), Qwilfish | Immune to Water moves, heals instead | Ruins Water strategies against Poison/Ground or Poison types weak to Water. |
| Dry Skin | Toxicroak | Takes extra Fire damage, heals in Rain, hurt by Sun | Makes Fire moves (often neutral) a huge threat. Weather dependence. |
| Flash Fire | Heatproof Weezing? (Niche) | Immune to Fire, boosts user's Fire moves | Removes Fire as an exploit for Poison/Bug or Poison/Grass types. |
| Thick Fat | Muk (Alolan) | Reduces Fire & Ice damage | Makes Alolan Muk much harder to hit super effectively (only weak to Ground). |
| Regenerator | Toxapex, Amoonguss | Heals 1/3 HP when switching out | Makes exploiting weaknesses harder as they recover HP constantly. Requires prediction. |
That last one, Regenerator, is why Toxapex is such a nightmare. You hit it super effectively? It switches out and gets healthier. You NEED to trap it or hit it so hard it can't switch. Abilities aren't just fluff; they redefine matchups.
Battle Field Effects: Terrain & Weather
The environment matters. Sometimes what poison types are weak to gets boosted or nerfed.
| Effect | Impact on Poison Weaknesses | How to Leverage Against Poison |
|---|---|---|
| Psychic Terrain | Boosts Psychic moves by 30% (→ 50% in Gen 9!), blocks priority moves. | Massively amplifies Psychic damage, the core weakness. Forces Poison types to take the hit. Use Tapu Lele or Indeedee. |
| Electric Terrain | Prevents sleep, boosts Electric moves by 30%. | Poison isn't weak to Electric normally, but if it's Poison/Flying (Crobat), Electric Terrain makes Thunderbolt incredibly dangerous. |
| Grassy Terrain | Boosts Grass moves, heals grounded Pokemon, reduces Earthquake power. | Reduces Ground move effectiveness (like Earthquake on Poison types weak to Ground). Healing helps Poison stall. Be cautious. |
| Misty Terrain | Halves Dragon damage, prevents status on grounded Pokemon. | Protects Poison types from Toxic or other poison status? Not directly affecting weaknesses, but helps their survivability. |
| Sandstorm | Damages non-Rock/Ground/Steel types each turn. | Wears down Poison types without healing or specific resistances. Adds passive damage alongside your attacks. |
| Rain | Boosts Water moves, weakens Fire moves. | Makes Water moves stronger against Poison/Ground types (Nidoking) or other Poison types weak to Water. Weakens Fire moves against Poison/Bug types. |
Psychic Terrain is arguably the best counter-tech against bulky Poison teams. Setting it up before bringing in your Psychic sweeper can be game-winning.
Top Poison Pokemon and Exactly How to Beat Them
Let's get practical. Here's how to counter the most common (and annoying) Poison types based on their specific weaknesses.
Toxapex: The Unbreakable Wall (Until Now)
Typing: Poison/Water
Common Abilities: Regenerator (nightmare), Merciless
Typical Moves: Scald, Toxic, Recover, Haze, Baneful Bunker
- Core Weakness: Ground (2x), Psychic (2x), Electric (2x).
- Best Counters:
- Ground Moves: Earthquake (Excadrill, Landorus-T), Earth Power (Gastrodon). Crucially, Toxapex doesn't get Levitate. Ground hits hard.
- Psychic Moves: Psychic, Psyshock (Alakazam, Slowbro). Psyshock ignores its massive Defense and targets its lower Special Defense.
- Electric Moves: Thunderbolt (Rotom-Wash, Magnezone). Reliable damage due to Water typing.
- Taunt Users: Shuts down Recover, Toxic, Haze. (Grimmsnarl, Corviknight)
Why it's tough: Regenerator healing on switch + Recover + high defenses. You need strong super effective hits or Taunt to prevent recovery.
My Strategy: Lead with a fast Taunt user (like Sableye with Prankster) to stop early Toxic Spikes or Scald burns. Then switch to a strong Ground or Psychic attacker. Prediction is key. If it Baneful Bunkers, use a status move or switch.
Gengar: The Speedy Ghost
Typing: Ghost/Poison
Common Ability: Cursed Body (sometimes Levitate in older gens)
Typical Moves: Shadow Ball, Sludge Bomb, Focus Blast, Thunderbolt, Nasty Plot
- Core Weakness: Ground (2x), Psychic (2x), Ghost (2x), Dark (2x). BUT with Levitate: Immune to Ground!
- Best Counters:
- Psychic Moves: Psychic (Indeedee, Slowbro). Always works super effectively.
- Dark Moves: Crunch, Knock Off (Tyranitar, Weavile). Ghost/Dark weakness.
- Ghost Moves: Shadow Ball, Astral Barrage (Calyrex-Shadow). Ghost weakness.
- Mold Breaker Ground: Excadrill ignores Levitate with Mold Breaker! Earthquake hits.
- Gravity/Smack Down: Remove Levitate immunity temporarily.
Why it's tough: Incredibly fast, hits hard, immune to Fighting/Normal. Levitate blocks Ground.
My Strategy: Priority Dark moves (Sucker Punch from Bisharp) work if you predict right. Faster Psychic types (like Choice Scarf Gardevoir). Or, my favorite, Trick Room against its Speed. Slow tanks like Snorlax with Crunch eat it alive under Trick Room.
Alolan Muk: The Special Sponge
Typing: Dark/Poison
Common Ability: Poison Touch / Gluttony
Typical Moves: Knock Off, Pursuit (when it existed), Poison Jab, Fire Punch, Shadow Sneak
- Core Weakness: Ground (2x) (Its ONLY weakness!). Immune to Psychic.
- Best Counters:
- Ground Moves: Earthquake (Landorus-T, Garchomp). The only super effective answer!
- Fighting Moves: Close Combat (Urshifu). Not super effective but strong neutral damage due to its lower Defense.
- Ground Type Pokemon: Excadrill, Mamoswine, Garchomp. Resist its Dark/Poison STAB moves.
Why it's tough: Only one weakness! Huge Special Defense. Great coverage moves.
My Strategy: Don't waste time with Psychic moves. Go straight for Earthquake. If it's Assault Vest, hit it physically. If it's not, even Earth Power works decently. Setup sweepers that resist its hits (like Garchomp) can Swords Dance then EQ.
Amoonguss: The Annoying Mushroom
Typing: Grass/Poison
Common Ability: Regenerator
Typical Moves: Spore, Giga Drain, Sludge Bomb, Clear Smog, Foul Play
- Core Weakness: Fire (2x), Flying (2x), Psychic (2x), Ice (2x). Fire is 4x!
- Best Counters:
- Fire Moves: Flamethrower, Fire Blast (Heatran, Volcarona). 4x Weakness = OHKO usually.
- Flying Moves: Brave Bird, Hurricane (Talonflame, Tornadus). Strong 2x damage.
- Psychic Moves: Psychic (Alakazam). Always reliable.
- Ice Moves: Ice Beam (Kyurem, Glaceon). Hits Grass weakness.
- Safety Goggles Users: Immune to Spore! (Prevents sleep).
Why it's tough: Spore puts things to sleep instantly. Regenerator heals on switch. Clears stats with Clear Smog.
My Strategy: Safety Goggles Talonflame. Resists Grass, immune to Spore, murders it with Brave Bird. Or just any fast Fire type. Spore is devastating if it lands, so outspeeding and KOing is ideal.
This double regenerator core is brutal. Here's how I broke it in Ranked Singles:
- Lead: My Taunt + Will-O-Wisp Sableye (Prankster). Prevents Toxapex from setting Toxic Spikes or Scald burning.
- Opponent switches in Amoonguss. I Taunt it immediately. Prevents Spore.
- Opponent switches back to Toxapex. I switch to my Gastrodon (immune to Water, resists Poison).
- Toxapex uses Toxic. I shrug it off thanks to Gastrodon's typing. I use Earth Power.
- Significant damage. Toxapex tries to Recover. Next turn, Earth Power again.
- Toxapex faints. Opponent sends Amoonguss back out.
- I switch instantly to Talonflame (holding Safety Goggles).
- Amoonguss tries Spore. Fails because of Goggles. I Brave Bird. OHKO.
Key was disrupting their recovery/setup and exploiting specific weaknesses with the right counters.
Poison Type Weaknesses: Your Burning Questions Answered (FAQ)
Let's tackle those specific questions people actually search for after wondering what poison types are weak to.
Putting It All Together: Your Poison Counter Checklist
So, what are poison types weak to? It boils down to Psychic, Ground, and exploiting their secondary typings. Here's your battle-ready action plan:
- Identify the Pokemon: Is it pure Poison? Poison/Dark? Poison/Flying? Check its type FIRST.
- Check the Ability: Does it have Levitate (Weezing, Gengar)? Water Absorb? Thick Fat? This changes everything.
- Prioritize Core Weaknesses:
- Pure Poison? Hit it with Psychic or Ground (if no Levitate).
- Poison/Dark? Ground is your ONLY super effective option.
- Poison/Flying? Psychic, Rock, Electric, Ice work. Ground is useless.
- Exploit Secondary Typing Weaknesses:
- Poison/Ground? Water, Ice, Grass, Psychic all hit super effectively.
- Poison/Bug? Fire (4x!), Flying, Rock, Psychic.
- Poison/Fairy? Ground, Psychic, Steel (4x!).
- Counter Their Tricks:
- Against Regenerator: Use Taunt, trap them (Arena Trap, Shadow Tag - if allowed), or hit so hard they can't switch.
- Against Levitate: Use Mold Breaker (Excadrill), Gravity, Smack Down, or Psychic attacks instead.
- Against Status/Stall: Taunt is golden. Safety Goggles block Spore. Grounded Poison Heal users ignore Toxic.
- Terrain Matters: Set Psychic Terrain to boost your Psychic moves against non-Dark Poisons. Be wary of Grassy Terrain weakening your Earthquakes.
Understanding what poison types are weak to is more than memorizing a chart. It's about knowing the specific Pokemon, its ability, the battle conditions, and having the right tool for the job. Pack Mold Breaker Excadrill for Levitators. Keep a strong Psychic type for bulky Waters like Toxapex. Use Taunt liberally. Now get out there and finally dismantle that Poison stall team!
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