Ghost type Pokemon take extra damage from only two sources. Everything else hits them at normal strength or worse, and two attacking types cannot touch them at all. That short list of holes makes Ghost one of the sturdiest defensive types in the series. Here is how each matchup lands, plus the counters that end the fight quickest.
What are Ghost type Pokemon weak to?
Dark is the safer of the two answers. Send in another Ghost and the defender gets the same super effective option back at you, so the exchange turns into a speed race.
| Attacking type | Damage taken by a Ghost Pokemon |
|---|---|
| Dark | 2x |
| Ghost | 2x |
| Poison | 0.5x |
| Bug | 0.5x |
| Normal | 0x |
| Fighting | 0x |
| All twelve remaining types | 1x |
A pure Ghost Pokemon carries no 4x hole anywhere on the chart. Quadruple damage only appears once a second type joins the mix, which is where most Ghost teams actually fall apart.
Why Normal and Fighting moves do nothing
The immunity dates to Generation 1 and has survived every rules revision since. A Normal or Fighting move against a Ghost defender registers zero damage regardless of the attacker’s stats. Normal attackers face the same wall in reverse.
Ways to strip the immunity
Foresight, Odor Sleuth, and the abilities Scrappy and Mind’s Eye reset both matchups to 1x. Trainers who want a Fighting type to land a hit need one of those four in play first.
Ghost type Pokemon strengths and resistances
Ghost and Dragon are the only two types that hit their own kind for double. That symmetry is what makes Ghost mirror matches so short.
| Ghost move used against | Damage dealt |
|---|---|
| Psychic | 2x |
| Ghost | 2x |
| Dark | 0.5x |
| Normal | 0x |
| All fourteen remaining types | 1x |
Older generations ran different numbers. Generation 1 gave Ghost moves no effect on Psychic targets, and Generations 2 through 5 halved Ghost damage against Steel Pokemon and their own defensive profile.
Defensively, Ghost cuts Poison damage in half and does the same to Bug. Neither type threatens a Ghost switch-in.
Best counters for a Ghost type Pokemon
Dark attackers do the work. These five cover most situations:
Tyranitar (Rock/Dark), Weavile (Dark/Ice), Hydreigon (Dark/Dragon), Umbreon (Dark), and Chien-Pao (Dark/Ice).
Pure Dark Pokemon carry the least risk, since a Dark/Ghost hybrid hands the opponent a super effective move. Weavile and Chien-Pao trade that safety for speed and the fragility Ice typing brings.
Dual type Ghost Pokemon weakness changes
A second typing rewrites the whole sheet. Some pairings add three new holes; one of them removes almost every hole in the game.
| Pokemon | Typing | Weak to | Immune to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gengar | Ghost/Poison | Ground, Psychic, Ghost, Dark | Normal, Fighting |
| Giratina | Ghost/Dragon | Ice, Dragon, Ghost, Dark, Fairy | Normal, Fighting |
| Drifblim | Ghost/Flying | Electric, Ice, Rock, Ghost, Dark | Normal, Fighting, Ground |
| Aegislash | Steel/Ghost | Fire, Ground, Ghost, Dark | Normal, Fighting, Poison |
| Mimikyu | Ghost/Fairy | Steel, Ghost | Normal, Fighting, Dragon |
| Spiritomb | Ghost/Dark | Fairy | Normal, Fighting, Psychic |
Spiritomb and Sableye held zero weaknesses until Fairy arrived in Generation 6. Run the numbers yourself on the complete matchup grid before locking a team.
Ground and Ice do the heavy lifting against these pairings. Ground moves punish Gengar and Aegislash, while Ice handles Giratina and Drifblim.
Best Tera types for Ghost type Pokemon
Terastallizing replaces the defensive sheet outright. Dark resists both Dark and Ghost attacks, closing the two weaknesses at once. The trade is a new Fairy problem.
Fighting works the same way and adds Flying and Psychic exposure. Staying Ghost keeps the weaknesses but stacks a power boost on top of the usual same-type bonus.
FAQs
What is Ghost type weak against
Dark and Ghost. Both deal 2x damage to a Ghost Pokemon. No other type in the game hits Ghost for more than neutral damage.
What beats a Ghost type Pokemon fastest?
A pure Dark attacker such as Umbreon or Darkrai. Dark moves hit for double while Ghost moves come back at half strength, giving a one-sided exchange.
Are Ghost types immune to Normal moves?
Yes. Normal and Fighting moves deal zero damage. Scrappy, Mind’s Eye, Foresight, or Odor Sleuth restore normal damage for those two types.
What does Ghost type resist?
Poison and Bug moves land at 0.5x. Combined with two immunities, that gives Ghost four favourable defensive matchups before any second typing applies.
What is Ghost strong against?
Psychic and Ghost targets take 2x from Ghost moves. Dark defenders take 0.5x, and Normal defenders take nothing at all.
