Poison/Bug Type

Poison/Bug and Bug/Poison are the same defensive pairing; this page uses poison-bug as the canonical URL. Poison/Bug is a niche defensive pairing that sharply resists Fighting and Grass while checking some Fairy and Poison interactions. Representative Pokémon include Weedle, Kakuna, Beedrill, Venipede, Scolipede. The standard type chart gives this combination no 4× weakness and 2× weak to Fire, Flying, Psychic, Rock. It has no type immunity under the standard chart. Its main defensive value comes from ¼× resists Grass, Fighting; ½× resists Poison, Bug, Fairy, but stats, ability, item, and format still decide whether a real Pokémon can use those entries repeatedly.

Offensive plan

Poison STAB pressures Fairy and Grass targets, while Bug STAB threatens Psychic, Dark, and Grass targets. Fire, Flying, Psychic, and Rock all punish the typing, so a Poison/Bug Pokémon needs a clear role such as speed, hazards, status, or priority rather than relying on broad defensive coverage.

Counterplay and defensive risks

To counter Poison/Bug, start with the chart pressure: Fire, Flying, Psychic, Rock. If a 4× weakness is listed, preserve that attack type before revealing it; if there is no 4× weakness, repeated 2× pressure and hazard chip usually matter more than a single surprise hit. Scout for abilities, Terastallization, weather, recovery, and pivot moves before assuming the visible multiplier ends the exchange.

Team-building advice

Poison/Bug wants Rock, Fire, Flying, and Psychic answers. Steel, Rock, Water, Dark, or Ground partners can help cover those lanes while benefiting from the Grass and Fighting resistances. Use the Team Calculator to check whether the rest of the six stacks the same Fire, Flying problem, then compare the full defensive chart before choosing moves or teammates.

Read the best Pokémon type combinations guide for a side-by-side defensive comparison.

Continue with Type Chart, Dual Type Calculator, Grass/Poison guide, and Bug/Steel guide.

Frequently asked questions