Pokémon BDSP: All type weaknesses and strengths

Know your team’s strengths and weaknesses.

If you want to be effective while taking down opponents and gym leaders in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, then you really need to take advantage of every Pokémon’s strengths and weaknesses. The Pokémon type system has been around since the very first Pokémon games. It follows an almost rock, paper, scissors approach to battling, except that there are 18 Pokémon types total instead of just three options.

Pokémon Type System Strengths, weaknesses, and immunities

Type
Super Effective ( 2X DMG)
Not very Effective (½X DMG)
Weak
Immune

Normal
None
Rock, Steel
None
None

Fighting
Normal, Rock, Steel, Ice, Dark
Flying, Poison, Bug, Psychic, Fairy
Flying, Psychic, Fairy
None

Flying
Fighting, Bug, Grass
Rock, Steel, Electric
Rock, Electric, Ice
Ground

Poison
Grass, Fairy
Poison, Ground, Rock, Ghost
Ground, Psychic
None

Ground
Poison, Rock, Steel, Fire, Electric
Bug, Grass
Water, Grass, Ice
Electric

Rock
Flying, Bug, Fire, Ice
Fighting, Ground, Steel
Fighting, Ground, Steel, Water, Grass
None

Bug
Grass, Psychic, Dark
Fighting, Flying, Poison, Ghost, Steel, Fire
Flying, Rock, Fire
None

Ghost
Ghost, Psychic
Dark
Ghost, Dark
Normal

Steel
Rock, Ice, Fairy
Steel, Fire, Water, Electric
Fighting, Ground, Fire
Poison

Fire
Bug, Grass, Steel, Ice
Rock, Fire, Water, Dragon
Ground, Rock, Water
None

Water
Ground, Rock, Fire
Water, Grass, Dragon
Grass, Electric
None

Grass
Ground, Rock, Water
Flying, Poison, Bug, Steel, Fire, Grass
Flying, Poison, Bug, Fire, Ice
None

Electric
Flying, Water
Grass, Electric, Dragon
Ice, Dragon, Fairy
None

Psychic
Fighting, Poison
Steel, Psychic
Bug, Ghost, Dark
None

Ice
Flying, Rock, Grass, Dragon
Steel, Fire, Water, Ice
Fighting, Rock, Steel, Fire
None

Dragon
Dragon
Steel
Ice, Dragon, Fairy
None

Dark
Ghost, Psychic
Fighting, Dark, Fairy
Fighting, Bug, Fairy
Psychic

Fairy
Fighting, Dragon, Dark
Poison, Steel, Fire
Poison, Steel
Dragon

Technically, Fairy types weren’t in the original Diamond and Pearl DS games, but we’re including them here in case you trade something in or in case the game offers more types once you unlock the national Pokédex near the end of the game.

Pokémon Type System A more visual chart

If you’re like me, then seeing things laid out in a more visual manner helps. A Reddit user who has since deleted their account created this chart eight years ago. It’s technically for Gen VI, but it works with Gen IV as well.

The best team is a diverse team

Unless you’re doing a Nuzlocke challenge or something to that effect, you’re going to want to create a diverse team of Pokémon. If you can cover all of the type bases within your team, you’ll be more likely to be successful no matter what opponent you face.

Play to your strengths

Pay attention to the types of Pokémon you go up against and use your Pokémon with the greatest strengths against your opponents to succeed. It can be hard to remember which types beat which other types, but this chart should come in handy.

Beat everyone!

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

$60 at Best Buy (Brilliant Diamond)
$60 at Best Buy (Shining Pearl)
$60 at Amazon (Brilliant Diamond)
$60 at Amazon (Shining Pearl)

Assemble a strong team

By capturing Pokémon all around the Sinnoh region, you can train up a diverse and powerful team. Use these creatures to beat opponents on your path and take down gym leaders.