Fighting type Pokémon are weak to Flying, Psychic and Fairy attacks, and their Fighting moves are super effective against five types: Normal, Ice, Rock, Dark and Steel. That makes Fighting one of the best offensive types in the games, but it has a hard limit: Fighting moves cannot touch Ghost types at all, and they are resisted by Poison, Flying, Psychic, Bug and Fairy.
Here is everything you need to use Fighting types well, from the full matchup chart to dual-type quirks and the fighters worth putting on your team.
Fighting Type Chart: Offense
| Effect | Against these types |
|---|---|
| Super effective (2x) | Normal, Ice, Rock, Dark, Steel |
| Not very effective (0.5x) | Poison, Flying, Psychic, Bug, Fairy |
| No effect (0x) | Ghost |
Hitting five types for super-effective damage is tied for the best in the game. It is the reason Fighting moves like Close Combat, Drain Punch and Aura Sphere show up on so many non-Fighting Pokémon as coverage.
Fighting Type Chart: Defense
| Effect | From these types |
|---|---|
| Weak (2x) | Flying, Psychic, Fairy |
| Resists (0.5x) | Bug, Rock, Dark |
Only three weaknesses is a solid defensive profile. The full history of these matchups, including the Generation 6 addition of Fairy, is on Bulbapedia’s Fighting type page.
The Ghost Problem (and How to Get Around It)
Because Ghost types are immune to Fighting moves, a mono-Fighting team can get walled completely by a single Gengar or Aegislash. Your options:
- Carry a Dark or Ghost coverage move such as Knock Off or Shadow Claw.
- Use the Scrappy ability (found on Pokémon like Kangaskhan and Pangoro), which lets Normal and Fighting moves hit Ghost types.
- Pick a Fighting/Ghost Pokémon like Annihilape or Marshadow, which hit Ghost types with their Ghost moves.
Popular Fighting Dual Types
| Pokémon | Typing | Key weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| Lucario | Fighting/Steel | Fire, Fighting, Ground |
| Gallade | Psychic/Fighting | Flying, Ghost, Fairy |
| Hawlucha | Fighting/Flying | Flying, Electric, Ice, Psychic, Fairy (immune to Ground) |
| Annihilape | Fighting/Ghost | Flying, Psychic, Ghost, Fairy (immune to Normal and Fighting) |
| Blaziken | Fire/Fighting | Water, Ground, Flying, Psychic |
| Breloom | Grass/Fighting | Flying (4x), Fire, Ice, Poison, Psychic, Fairy |
Best Fighting Type Pokémon
Reliable for story mode
- Machamp: huge Attack stat and available early in many games. With the No Guard ability, its moves never miss.
- Lucario: fast, versatile and its Steel typing adds many resistances.
- Conkeldurr: powerful and bulky; with the Guts ability it hits even harder when statused.
- Gallade: a strong physical Psychic/Fighting option from the Ralts line.
Strong competitive picks
- Annihilape: bulky and tricky, with its signature Rage Fist growing stronger each time it is hit.
- Urshifu: its signature moves always land critical hits.
- Great Tusk (Ground/Fighting) and Iron Hands (Fighting/Electric): Paldea Paradox Pokémon that became fixtures in competitive formats.
- Breloom: its Spore move puts opponents to sleep before it attacks.
Fighting legendaries
The Swords of Justice (Cobalion, Terrakion, Virizion and Keldeo), Marshadow, Buzzwole, Zamazenta, Urshifu and Koraidon all carry the Fighting type.
How to Beat Fighting Type Pokémon
- Bring a Flying, Psychic or Fairy attacker. Fairy types also resist Fighting moves, so they are the safest switch-in.
- Use a Ghost type as a wall. It takes zero damage from Fighting moves.
- Lower their Attack. Most Fighting types are physical, so Intimidate and burns cut their damage sharply.
- Avoid Normal, Rock, Ice, Dark and Steel Pokémon in front of a Fighting attacker.
Want to see how other types stack up? Read our guides to Fire type Pokémon and Grass type Pokémon. Running a randomizer or team challenge with friends? Our Wheel of Names guide shows a fair way to spin for picks.
Fighting Type Pokémon FAQ
What is Fighting weak to?
Fighting type Pokémon are weak to Flying, Psychic and Fairy attacks.
What is Fighting strong against?
Fighting moves are super effective against Normal, Ice, Rock, Dark and Steel types.
Why can’t Fighting moves hit Ghost types?
Ghost types are immune to Fighting (and Normal) moves by design. The Scrappy ability and the Foresight or Odor Sleuth moves remove that immunity.
What resists Fighting?
Poison, Flying, Psychic, Bug and Fairy types take half damage from Fighting moves, and Ghost types take none.
What is the strongest Fighting type Pokémon?
In story mode Machamp and Lucario are hard to beat; in competitive play Urshifu, Annihilape, Great Tusk and Iron Hands are among the most used.