Fairy

Fairy Type

Fairy-type moves are strong against Fighting, Dragon, and Dark types, with immunity to Dragon moves.

Fairy type across the generations

Direct answer: Fairy-type moves are super effective (2×) against Fighting, Dragon, and Dark. A Fairy Pokémon is weak (2×) to Poison and Steel, resists Fighting, Bug, and Dark, and is immune to Dragon.

Gen 6 (2013): the type that was added to stop Dragon

Fairy did not exist before Generation 6. It was introduced specifically to rein in Dragon-types, which had dominated competitive play. The chart gave Fairy two jobs: be super effective against Dragon, and be the only type immune to Dragon. Both are still true today.

What Fairy actually does now

Offensively Fairy hits Fighting, Dragon, and Dark for 2×, is weak (0.5×) against Fire, Poison, and Steel, and has no 0× targets of its own. Defensively it is the Dragon-immune type, resists Fighting, Bug, and Dark, and is weak only to Poison and Steel.

What Fairy players most often get wrong

"Fairy is immune to Dragon — and it is the only type that is." This was a Gen 6 addition built to check Dragon dominance. Players who learned the chart before 2013 never had a Dragon-immune type, so it still slips their mind.
"Fairy is weak to Poison and Steel." Both are deliberate Fairy answers — a Fairy Pokémon takes 2× from Poison moves like Poison Jab and from Steel moves. Easy to forget because Fairy otherwise feels like a premium offensive type.
"Fairy only resists three types." Aside from the Dragon immunity, Fairy resists just Fighting, Bug, and Dark and is neutral to almost everything else. People over-rate its bulk.

Fairy type changes, generation by generation

Fairy is the clearest example of a modern type changing how older matchups must be read.

Generations I–V: Fairy did not exist, so Dragon had no Fairy immunity to account for.
Generation VI: Fairy was introduced as a new type; it became super effective against Dragon, Dark, and Fighting and immune to Dragon.
Generation VI revisions: Several existing Pokémon gained Fairy as a secondary or replacement type, so historical species comparisons need the generation label.
Generation IX: Terastallization allows a Pokémon to become Fairy temporarily, separating the base species typing from the active battle typing.

A pre-Generation VI chart cannot answer a Fairy matchup because the defending type did not exist in that chart.

Offensive Matchups

When using Fairy-type moves:

Super Effective Against (2×):

Fighting Dragon Dark

Not Very Effective Against (0.5×):

Fire Poison Steel

Defensive Matchups

When defending as a Fairy-type:

Strategy Tips

Offensive Strategy

Use Fairy-type moves against Fighting, Dragon, Dark types for maximum damage.

Defensive Strategy

Be cautious of Poison, Steel type moves. Switch in against Fighting, Bug, Dark type moves to take reduced damage.

Fairy Type Editorial Analysis

Offensive chart index

A site-created comparison index: super-effective targets − resisted targets − 2 × immune targets. It is not an in-game stat or an official ranking.

Defensive chart index

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A site-created comparison index: 2 × weaknesses − resistances − 2 × immunities. balanced defensive burden describes this formula only; it is not an in-game stat or an official ranking.

Role Fit

Fairy is a premium anti-Dragon and anti-Dark type with a Dragon immunity and only Poison and Steel weaknesses.

Original TypeMatchup judgment

Use Fairy when the team needs a safe Dragon stop or a way to punish Fighting and Dark pressure. It is reliable defensively but not invincible into Steel-heavy structures.

Team partners and coverage

Fire and Ground partners pressure Steel, Psychic or Ground partners pressure Poison, and Steel/Fairy cores can create strong mutual defensive coverage.

Data check: Fairy attacks are resisted or blocked by Fire, Poison, Steel. Candidate partner attack types that pressure at least one of those answers include Fire, Water, Fighting, Ground, Psychic, Rock.

Best use case

Fairy performs best on balance and offense that need one slot to check Dragon threats while still threatening Dark and Fighting targets.

On defense, Fairy is threatened by Poison, Steel. Teammate types that can resist or blank at least one of those threats include Fire, Water, Electric, Poison, Ground, Rock.

Important exception

Poison and Steel are predictable answers, so Fairy attackers should carry coverage, status, setup, or partners that convert those switch-ins into progress.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Fairy type strong against?

Fairy type moves are super effective (2× damage) against Fighting, Dragon, Dark types.

What is Fairy type weak against?

Fairy type is weak to (takes 2× damage from) Poison, Steel type moves.

What types resist Fairy?

Fire, Poison, Steel types resist Fairy type moves (take 0.5× damage).

What does Fairy type resist?

Fairy type resists (takes 0.5× damage from) Fighting, Bug, Dark type moves.

Immunities

Fairy type is immune to Dragon type moves.

Explore More

Dual Type Calculator

See how Fairy combines with other types

Battle Simulator

Test Fairy in battle scenarios