The Pokemon franchise started with fifteen types and has since only added three more, totaling eighteen. Each type has its pros and cons and can claim they have at least a few really strong Pokemon carrying them.

But not all types were created equally, and it's stayed that way since the beginning. Despite Game Freak’s best efforts, some types remain significantly better than others thanks to how weaknesses and resistances match up, and consequently, how their moves and Pokemon stack up. Here are all the Pokemon types, ranked.

RELATED: Pokemon Good In Singles, But Not Doubles

Updated May 17, 2022, by Kyle Laurel: Pokemon has gone through some recent changes, and we expect some more in the near future. With Legends: Arceus nearing the end of its cycle and Scarlet and Violet on the way, here's a final, pre-Generation Nine look at how all the Pokemon types rank against each other.

18 Ice

Wulfric's Avalugg, Ash's Pikachu, Pokemon Ice Type Gym XY

Simply put, the Ice-type has no merits whatsoever defensively. It's unquestionably the worst defensive type in the game, with four weaknesses - three of which are to stalwart types - and only resistance to itself.

That's a shame because it's an otherwise strong offensive type, dealing major damage to Flying, Grass, Ground, and even Dragon. Ice-type moves are always nice to have in one's arsenal, but if it's a complete detriment for a Pokemon to have the type, it just can't hang.

17 Bug

Bug Type Pokemon Buzzwole Pheromosa Ribombee Araquanid Vikavolt Wimpod Golisopod Grubbin Generation 7 Alola

This isn't the most popular type out there, and you can see why; it's meh defensively and pretty bad offensively. Defensive resistances to big-serve types like Fighting and Ground are nice, but offensively, it's resisted itself by too many other types to be reliable.

That said, when paired with certain other types of Pokemon, it's not too bad. Game Freak's been creative enough in more recent years to not make the type a throwaway and create Pokemon that maximize its potential.

16 Rock

Generation I 1 Rock Type Pokemon Onix Aerodactyl Geodude Graveler Golem Rhyhorn Rhydon Omastar Omanyte Kabuto Kabutops

Sorry, Rock-type, but you’re basically a worse version of Ground. Despite having a lot of bulky, defensive Pokemon, the type is tied with Grass for the most defensive weaknesses with five: Fighting, Grass, Ground, Steel, and Water.

It's also not spectacular offensively, though its advantages over Fire and Flying can be quite useful. Plus, while it doesn't have any great attacking moves, the type will always be appreciated for Stealth Rock, an entry hazard that has shaped modern-day Pokemon battling.

15 Poison

Poison Pokemon Nidoking Nidoqueen Anime

Poison-types are the eighth most common type in the Pokemon games, though that hasn't done much to make them a standout type. They'll always be useful for using Toxic without any chance of missing and being immune to poisoning themselves, at the very least.

RELATED: The Best Natures Per Competitive Team Role

The type caught a huge break in Generation Six, as they were just one of two types to be super-effective against the stunning new kid on the block: the Fairy-type. Good thing, too, since it was only super-effective against one other type (Grass) and had an immunity to worry about (Steel).

14 Grass

Grass Type Pokemon Ash Ketchum Bayleef Anime

Here we go, our first starter type! The Grass-type has a reputation for being the weakest out of the three starter types, and unfortunately, it’s true. It doesn’t make for fantastic defensive Pokemon, being weak to five other types (Bug, Fire, Flying, Ice, Poison), and it's also resisted by seven types offensively (Bug, Dragon, Fire, Flying, Grass, Poison, Steel).

However, the value of the Grass-type on a team can't be understated. Its ability to check the Water-type offensively is massive, and its arsenal of healing, draining, and status-inflicting moves can't be replicated by any other type.

13 Normal

Normal Type Pokemon Arceus Rattata Miltank

Normal is a great throwing-wrench type, because even though Normal-type offense can never be super-effective, most Normal-type Pokemon come with a lot of coverage anyway. It's also the only true defensive counter to Ghost-types, and it only carries one weakness in the Fighting-type.

Its pool of unique status moves like Swords Dance, Recover, and Protect ensures its presence, too. All-in-all, the type by itself is not great, but the Pokemon that wear that badge all have a certain quality you can nonetheless attach to the type.

12 Psychic

Psychic Hypno Pokemon

If you showed this list to someone who's only played Generation One, seeing Psychic this low would blow their mind. Psychic-types were incredibly overpowered, but they haven't been able to catch up with the inclusion of Dark and Steel-types.

Despite being a strong type in terms of statistical power, Psychic doesn't fare great in the type chart. The general weakness to Dark really hurts, and it barely has any resistances to make up for it on the defensive end.

11 Ghost

Ghost Type Pokemon Mimikyu

Immune to both Normal and Fighting moves and having only two type weaknesses, the Ghost-type at least has a feasible niche defensively. Since Steel-types lost their resistance to Ghost-types, the only bad matchup against Ghost is another Ghost-type or Dark-type.

The type fares about the same offensively, only being super-effective against two types, namely Psychic and itself. That said, the Ghost-type has quite a few strong attacking moves and offense-oriented Pokemon that improve its offensive potential.

10 Dark

Honchkrow dark type alpha pokemon from Pokemon Legends Arceus

Famous as one of the Generation Two balancing types, Dark was originally added to counteract how powerful Psychic-types were. That distinction of being completely immune to Psychic remains its defining defensive trait, since it doesn't fare that well on that end without it.

While offensively, it's super-effective to the exact same types as the Ghost-type, it doesn't have an immunity to worry about. That said, it similarly has quite an interesting movepool, having contributed a fantastic, important attacking-slash-utility move in Knock Off.

9 Flying

Pokemon Flying Type

The Flying-type might be the most unique one yet, having so many distinct qualities. An immunity to the Ground-type. Almost never given to a Pokemon without another accompanying type. Weaknesses to two of the worst types of the game in Rock and Ice.

Generally speaking, Electric-type attacks are the fear of most Flying-types, being the most potent offensive type to deal super-effective damage to Flying. Offensively, the type is solid enough to not be a liability, being super-effective against a few common types like Grass and Fighting.

8 Fighting

Fighting Dojo Hitmonlee Hitmonchan Pokemon Origins

Strong against Dark, Ice, Normal, Rock, and Steel, the Fighting-type only ties with the Ground-type for the most amount of types super-effective against, including a rare advantage over Normal-types. Having that offensive firepower has proven to be important to team construction, especially considering they have the highest average Attack stat of any type.

That said, they're also resisted by five types, and they're just about average defensively when looking at matchups. Their general weakness to Psychic and Fairy prevent them from being truly elite.

7 Ground

Ground Type Pokemon Groudon

As alluded to, the Ground-type is similarly potent offensively, being super-effective to five types, three of which are generally excellent types in Fire, Electric, and Steel. They also have an additional draw of being immune to Electric, always giving opponents something to worry about if they want to pull off a Thunderbolt.

RELATED: The Best Legendary Pokemon Banned To Smogon's Uber Tier

Conversely, Ground-type attacks themselves have no effect on Flying-types, so you're at risk of whiffing on an Earthquake. Their defensive weaknesses to types with strong special offense in Water, Grass, and Ice also prove to be sticking points.

6 Electric

Electric Type Pokemon Pikachu

It's hard to measure just how good the Electric-type is. They only have one weakness, but you would never picture an Electric-type Pokemon as a defensive maestro. They're generally considered one of the strongest offensive types in the game with excellent attacking moves and many high-Special Attack Pokemon, but Ground-types being immune to it means there's always that neutralizing check looming.

No matter what the deal really is with Electric-type Pokemon, there's no questioning their importance and capabilities. Being the best threat against Flying-types and most Water-types gives them so much value.

5 Fire

Fire Type Pokemon Charizard

There's a lot to say when it comes to the Fire-type's excellence, as they're just about above average in every respect. Offensively? Super-effective to four types including the almighty Steel-type, and one of the best movepools in the game. Defensively? Six resistances, including the almighty Fairy-type.

The one knock on it is its weakness to two very popular types in Ground and Water. Either way, that ability to be a more or less all-around threat and check two of the best types in the game makes the type one of the most important to have on a team.

4 Dragon

Dragon Type Pokemon Gabite

The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Once hailed the unanimous best type in the game, Dragon-types were so strong that Game Freak felt the need to nerf it with the Fairy-type, a type that Dragon-types absolutely cannot touch matchup-wise.

Still, even with that Achilles heel, a lot of the Dragon-type's excellent qualities remain. Its resistance to the four core types of Grass, Fire, Water, and Electric is still so valuable, and the general idea of Dragon-types only being vulnerable to fellow Dragon-types still kinda holds up. Not to mention, they still get a pseudo-Legendary every generation. They'll be fine.

3 Steel

Pokemon Battle Frontier Anime Salon Maiden Anabel's Pseudo Legendary, Metagross.

One of three types that have a solid shot at the throne for best type in the game, the Steel-type is unquestionably the best defensively. The ten resistances and immunity to both Poison-type attacks and the poison status ailment speak for themselves.

The types it is weak to are all pretty popular offensive types, though, being Fighting, Fire, and Ground. Offensively, its super-effectiveness to the Fairy-type is enticing, but its offensive strengths all-in-all and its attacking movepool are ultimately good, but not spectacular.

2 Water

Water Type Milotic Pokemon Sharpedo Kyogre Feebas Relicanth

They don't call it old reliable for no reason. The Water-type might not be the most imposing type out there, but you absolutely cannot build a team without a Water-type.

Its all-around qualities are unmatched, providing offense, defense, and utility in equal measure. Just two weaknesses and super-effective damage against two of the strongest types in the game doesn't hurt either, especially when most Water-types aren't lacking in defensive stats. There's a reason why teams have Grass- and Electric-types just to play designated checks for Water-types.

1 Fairy

Fairy Type Sylveon Pokemon

As the newest addition to the pack, Fairy was bound to be some flavor of overpowered. Created to help balance out Dragon-types, Fairy-types are great checks for that and more, essentially snatching their throne for best type in the game.

Alongside the immunity to Dragon, its only two weaknesses are Steel and Poison, two uncommon offensive types, which adds to their underrated defensive potential. Offensively, its ability to check Dragon, Fighting, and Dark all at once is unparalleled, giving it unique coverage and a potential catch-all for team building.

NEXT: Every Hisuian Regional Variant, Ranked By Competitive Viability