Pokémon Type Coverage Calculator

Analyze your team’s offensive move types to ensure you can handle any opponent.

Calculator

Select up to 6 move types that represent your team’s primary offensive attacks. The calculator will determine their effectiveness against all 18 Pokémon types.

Results

Detailed Type-by-Type Breakdown

What is a Pokémon Type Coverage Calculator?

A Pokémon type coverage calculator is an essential tool for any serious Pokémon trainer, from casual players to competitive battlers. It analyzes a set of offensive move types to determine how effectively they can damage opponents of all 18 different Pokémon types. The goal of good type coverage is to ensure your team’s moveset can hit as many different Pokémon as possible for at least neutral (1x) or, ideally, super-effective (2x or 4x) damage, while minimizing the number of types that resist your attacks.

Understanding offensive coverage is key to building a balanced team. A team with poor coverage might find itself completely unable to damage a common defensive Pokémon, leading to a swift defeat. For example, a moveset of only Dragon and Normal-type attacks would be completely walled by any Steel-type Pokémon. This calculator helps you identify those gaps in your strategy before you enter a battle. For more team building resources, check out our pokemon team builder.

The Pokémon Type Coverage Formula and Explanation

The “formula” for type coverage isn’t a single mathematical equation but rather a systematic comparison against the official Pokémon Type Chart. The calculator processes your selected move types against every possible defending type (and dual-type combination) to find the highest possible damage multiplier.

The core logic follows these principles:

• Super-Effective: 2x damage.
• Normal: 1x damage.
• Not Very Effective: 0.5x damage.
• Immune: 0x damage.

When a defending Pokémon has two types, these multipliers are combined. For example, a Fire-type move against a Grass/Bug Pokémon would be 4x effective (2x for Grass, 2x for Bug). Our calculator determines the “best” coverage for each defending type by finding which of your selected moves has the highest multiplier against it. See our competitive pokemon guide for more advanced strategies.

Variables Table

Variable	Meaning	Unit	Typical Range
Attacking Type	The type of the move being used.	Pokémon Type	18 possible types (Normal, Fire, etc.)
Defending Type	The type of the Pokémon being hit by the move.	Pokémon Type	18 possible types
Multiplier	The damage modifier based on the type interaction.	Factor (e.g., 2x, 0.5x)	0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4

Practical Examples

Example 1: The “BoltBeam” Core

A classic offensive combination is “BoltBeam”—having both an Electric-type move and an Ice-type move.

• Inputs: Move 1: Electric, Move 2: Ice
• Units: Pokémon Types
• Results: This combination provides super-effective coverage against a massive 10 different types (Flying, Water, Ground, Grass, Dragon, etc.) and is resisted by very few combinations. It’s a testament to how two moves can create a powerful offensive pokemon strategy.

Example 2: Identifying a Coverage Gap

A trainer builds a team around a powerful duo: Tyranitar and Excadrill. Their primary attacking types are Rock, Ground, and Steel.

• Inputs: Move 1: Rock, Move 2: Ground, Move 3: Steel
• Units: Pokémon Types
• Results: The calculator would show excellent coverage against many types, but it would highlight a major weakness: Fighting-types are hit for neutral damage at best, and Water and Grass types resist this combination. The trainer now knows they need to add a move like a Flying or Psychic type attack to a teammate to cover this vulnerability.

How to Use This Pokémon Type Coverage Calculator

1. Select Your Moves: In the input fields above, use the dropdowns to select the types of the main attacking moves on your Pokémon or across your team. You can select up to six.
2. Calculate: Click the “Calculate Coverage” button.
3. Review the Summary: The primary result and the chart will give you an immediate overview of your offensive power. It shows how many types you can hit super-effectively and if you have any immunity gaps.
4. Analyze the Details: The detailed breakdown table shows the best multiplier you can achieve against every single Pokémon type. Look for types that are only hit for “Not Very Effective” or “No Effect” damage—these are your blind spots. Our IV calculator can help you optimize your Pokémon’s stats for maximum impact.

Key Factors That Affect Pokémon Type Coverage

• Dual-Types: Defending Pokémon with two types can drastically change matchups. A 4x weakness can be created, or a weakness can be neutralized by a resistance.
• Pokémon Abilities: Abilities like Levitate (grants Ground immunity), Flash Fire (grants Fire immunity and boosts Fire moves), or Sap Sipper (grants Grass immunity and boosts Attack) can completely defy standard type charts.
• Tera Types (Scarlet & Violet): Terastallization changes a Pokémon’s type mid-battle, completely altering its weaknesses and resistances, making coverage prediction more dynamic.
• Move Variety: Simply having STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) moves isn’t enough. A good moveset includes coverage moves specifically to hit opponents that would otherwise resist your primary attacks.
• Team Composition: One Pokémon doesn’t need to cover everything. A well-built team of six distributes coverage, with each member handling different threats.
• The Current Metagame: The most important types to have coverage for depend on which Pokémon are currently most popular in competitive play or in your specific game playthrough.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is “perfect coverage”?

Perfect coverage means having a combination of moves that can hit every single Pokémon type for at least neutral (1x) damage. It’s very difficult to achieve with just two or three moves, but some combinations come close.

How many moves should I analyze?

Start with the 2-4 moves of a single Pokémon to assess its individual effectiveness. Then, use all 6 slots to analyze the core offensive types across your entire team.

Does this calculator account for STAB?

No, this calculator focuses purely on the type effectiveness multiplier (2x, 0.5x, etc.). STAB is a separate 1.5x damage bonus applied if the Pokémon’s type matches the move’s type, but it doesn’t change the fundamental type matchup.

Why can’t I hit a Ghost-type with my Normal/Fighting moves?

This is a classic coverage hole. Ghost-types are immune (0x damage) to both Normal and Fighting-type attacks. You need a Dark or Ghost-type move to hit them effectively. A tool like a pokemon weakness chart can be very helpful.

How important is super-effective coverage?

It’s very important. Hitting for super-effective damage is often the key to securing a knockout. A strong neutral hit can sometimes be better than a weak super-effective hit, but aiming for super-effective options is a core part of strategy.

Should I only use moves that give the best coverage?

Not necessarily. While broad coverage is good, sometimes a specific move is needed to counter one single, major threat (like a Grass move on a Water-type specifically to beat other Water-types).

How do dual-type attackers work in the calculator?

This calculator is for analyzing move types, not the Pokémon’s own type. If your Charizard (Fire/Flying) knows a Dragon-type move, you should input “Dragon” into one of the slots to see how that move contributes to its coverage.

Does this work for Pokémon Go?

Yes, the type matchups are the same in Pokémon Go as they are in the main series games, so you can use this calculator to plan for PvP battles and raids.