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Fire-Type Pokémon Weakness and Resistances

By Jack O'Dwyer

Fire-types are one of the quintessential Pokemon types that have been included in every single Pokemon game to date.
Fire-types are one of the quintessential Pokemon types that have been included in every single Pokemon game to date. / Nintendo, The Pokemon Company

Fire-types are one of the quintessential Pokemon types that have been included in every single Pokemon game to date. They're so prevalent, in fact, that every starter selection with the turn of every new generation has featured one fire-type.

As many contest-goers know, fire-types are also among the most beautiful ⁠— or, at least, their moves are.

Fire-types make up 8.32% of all Pokemon, making them the 7th most common species as of Generation VIII. There are 76 unique fire-type species in the franchise at the time of writing.

What is a Fire-Type Pokemon?

Fire-types are one of the founding types of Pokemon ⁠— popularly featured as one of the starter species for new trainers in every iteration of Pokemon. Examples include the beloved Kanto starter Charmander, Growlithe, Incineroar, Chandelure, Sizzlipede, and more. Fire-type Pokemon can have fire as their primary or secondary type.

Up until Generation IV, all fire-type moves were special. Now, some are physical such as Blaze Kick, Fire Fang, and Flame Wheel.

Fire-Type Weaknesses

Fire-type Pokemon weaknesses are pretty straightforward. As anyone who picked up Charmander in the first generation games will tell you, while these may be difficult to overcome, they certainly aren't impossible with the right combination of moves and support.

Fire-types are weak to water, ground, and rock-type moves as these will do super-effective damage. In turn, fire-type moves only do half damage to dragon, rock, water, and other fire-types.

Trainers shouldn't lose hope, however. Several fire-types not only have extra-typing that helps offset that damage but also can learn moves that are super-effective to their opponents. For example, many fire-types can learn Solar Beam ⁠— a grass-type move that does super-effective damage against water-types.

Fire-Type Resistances and Strengths

Fire-type Pokemon are the strongest against bug, ice, grass, and steel-types. They take half damage from bug, fairy, grass, ice, steel, and other fire-types.

In battle, fire-type moves can receive an extra boost when under certain weather conditions such as the harsh sunlight provided by Sunny Day. Now, as of Generation IV, fire-types cannot be effected under the "Burn" condition.

Additionally, fire-type Pokemon boost an incredibly strong Special Attack stat at 105.48 when fully evolved.

Fire-Type Passive Abilities

Fire-type Pokemon have quite a few passive abilities with some exclusive to the species. Exclusive abilities include:

  • Blaze⁠—Powers up Fire-type moves when the Pokémon's HP is low.
  • Flame Body⁠—Contact with the Pokémon may burn the attacker.
  • Magma Armor⁠—The Pokémon is covered with hot magma, which prevents the Pokémon from becoming frozen.
  • White Smoke⁠—The Pokémon is protected by its white smoke, which prevents other Pokémon from lowering its stats.

Other fire-type passives are:

  • Dry Skin—Restores HP in rain or when hit by Water-type moves. Reduces HP in harsh sunlight, and increases the damage received from Fire-type moves.
  • Flash Fire—Powers up the Pokémon's Fire-type moves if it's hit by one.
  • Fluffy—Halves the damage taken from moves that make direct contact, but doubles that of Fire-type moves.
  • Heatproof—The heatproof body of the Pokémon halves the damage from Fire-type moves that hit it.
  • Primordial Sea—The Pokémon changes the weather to nullify Fire-type attacks.
  • Steam Engine—Boosts the Pokémon's Speed stat drastically if hit by a Fire- or Water- type move.
  • Thick Fat—The Pokémon is protected by a layer of thick fat, which halves the damage taken from Fire- and Ice-type moves.
  • Water Bubble—Lowers the power of Fire-type moves done to the Pokémon and prevents the Pokémon from getting a burn.

Best Counters for Fire-Type Pokemon

The best counters for fire-type Pokemon are species that have one or double the half-damage types while learning moves that can be super-effective against fire-types. For example, any combination of water and ground/rock-types would do extraordinarily well like Swampert, Quagsire, Relicanth, Kabutops, and so on.

Those interested in learning more about Pokemon types should check out our type guides:

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