Rock-type Pokemon: Strengths and Weaknesses Explained

Dealing with Rock-type Pokémon can be quite a challenge, especially if you’re unaware of their vulnerabilities. This guide provides essential strategies to help you conquer them.

Inherently resilient, Rock-type Pokémon are as tough as they sound, making them formidable opponents. They’re often confused with Ground-type Pokémon, which can be particularly challenging for inexperienced trainers who have not learned to exploit their weaknesses.

Fortunately, similar to every Pokémon type in the game series, Rock-types have specific counters. Below are key points to help you achieve victory in your battles.

Rock-Type Weaknesses

Rock-type Pokémon are primarily vulnerable to five key types:

Grass
Water
Steel
Fighting
Ground

Remember, Pokémon can possess dual types, so always consider their secondary type to capitalize on any additional weaknesses they might have.

Screenshot of Gen II Sudowood in Pokemon anime. — Game Freak / The Pokémon Company

Rock-Type Strengths

While Rock-types lack any immunities, they remain strong against Fire, Flying, Normal, and Poison-type moves.

Moreover, Rock-type attacks are exceptionally powerful against Bug, Fire, Flying, and Ice-type Pokémon. Therefore, it’s important to choose your battles wisely when engaging with Rock-type Pokémon or utilizing them in combat.

Rock-Type Vulnerabilities

To effectively target Rock-type Pokémon, focus on their weaknesses: Grass, Water, Steel, Fighting, and Ground.

If you’re considering adding a Rock-type to your team, avoid using them against Fighting, Ground, or Steel Pokémon, as Rock-type moves will not perform well against these types.

Effective Counters for Rock Pokémon

To defeat Rock-types, you can leverage their primary weaknesses—Grass, Water, Steel, Fighting, and Ground—with pure-type Pokémon. However, opting for those that possess dual weaknesses can prove even more beneficial.

Here are some of the best Pokémon to counter Rock-types:

Lucario (Fighting/Steel)
Poliwrath (Water/Fighting)
Great Tusk (Ground/Fighting)
Iron Treads (Ground/Steel)
Ogerpon Wellspring Mask (Grass/Water)

Always keep a Pokémon’s secondary type in mind while selecting your counters and moves. While the Pokémon above are effective against Rock-types, opponents may have resistances based on either of their types.

Powerful Moves Against Rock Pokémon

Various effective moves exist in the Water, Grass, Steel, Fighting, and Ground categories that can deal significant damage to Rock-type Pokémon. Below are our top picks:

Hydro Cannon (Water)
Origin Pulse (Water)
Frenzy Plant (Grass)
Giga Drain (Grass)
Gigaton Hammer (Steel)
Iron Tail (Steel)
Focus Blast (Fighting)
Close Combat (Fighting)
Precipice Blades (Ground)
Earthquake (Ground)

Hydro Cannon is a signature Water-type move from Gen 3, boasting an impressive 150 power and 90% accuracy, though the user cannot attack in the following turn. When using its Z-Power, its strength escalates to 200 as Hydro Vortex.

Frenzy Plant, also from Gen 3, can be amplified to 200 via its Z-Power with Bloom Doom. While Gigaton Hammer serves as a powerful hit, Iron Tail is commonly preferred for its potential to lower the opponent’s Defense, leading to greater damage in subsequent turns.

Among Fighting-type moves, Focus Blast excels with 120 power and a chance to decrease the opponent’s Special Defense. Notably, Earthquake has been a long-time favorite since Gen 1 due to its 100% accuracy, ensuring it always hits its target.

Top Tera Types for Rock Pokémon

The introduction of Tera Types in Scarlet & Violet has shifted battle dynamics. Here are Tera types that can enhance your Rock-type Pokémon:

Rock: Enhances Rock-type moves along with STAB
Fighting: Neutralizes vulnerabilities to Water, Ground, and Fighting-type attacks
Water: Mitigates weaknesses to Water and Steel-types
Grass: Covers weaknesses to Grass and Water-types

All three different forms of Lycanroc stand together and roar — The Pokémon Company

Top Rock-Type Moves

With 25 distinct Rock-type moves available, we’ve selected the most potent special, physical, and status attacks for your battles:

MOVE	CATEGORY	POWER	ACCURACY	PP	EFFECT	GEN
Meteor Beam	Special	120	90%	10	Requires one turn to charge, boosts user’s Sp. Attack	Gen VIII
Power Gem	Special	80	100%	20	–	Gen IV
Ancient Power	Special	60	100%	5	Potentially raises all user’s stats at once	Gen II
Head Smash	Physical	150	80%	5	User takes recoil damage	Gen IV
Rock Wrecker	Physical	150	90%	5	User must recharge on next turn	Gen IV
Diamond Storm	Physical	100	95%	5	May sharply raise user’s Defense	Gen VI
Stone Edge	Physical	100	80%	5	Increased critical hit ratio	Gen IV
Rock Tomb	Physical	60	95%	15	Lowers opponent’s Speed	Gen III
Sandstorm	Status	X	X	10	Creates a sandstorm that lasts for 5 turns	Gen II
Stealth Rock	Status	X	X	20	Damages Pokémon that switch in	Gen IV