Water/Steel strategy: Poison immunity with no 4× weakness
Water/Steel and Steel/Water are the same defensive pairing; this page uses water-steel as the canonical URL. Water/Steel is a sturdy compression typing that resists many common attacks and blanks Poison while keeping Fire pressure neutral. Representative Pokémon include Empoleon. The standard type chart gives this combination no 4× weakness and 2× weak to Electric, Fighting, Ground. It is immune to Poison. Its main defensive value comes from ¼× resists Ice, Steel; ½× resists Normal, Water, Flying, Psychic, Bug, Rock, Dragon, Fairy, but stats, ability, item, and format still decide whether a real Pokémon can use those entries repeatedly.
Offensive plan
Water STAB threatens Fire, Ground, and Rock targets, while Steel STAB pressures Fairy, Ice, and Rock targets. Electric, Fighting, and Ground are the direct weaknesses, so the typing needs careful support against common coverage. It is most valuable when its long resistance list creates utility turns without inviting a predictable Ground attack.
Counterplay and defensive risks
To counter Water/Steel, start with the chart pressure: Electric, Fighting, Ground. 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
Water/Steel wants Electric, Fighting, and Ground answers. Grass, Flying, Fairy, Ghost, and Ground-immune partners can help, while Water/Steel handles Poison, Ice, Fairy, Rock, and Steel pressure. Use the Team Calculator to check whether the rest of the six stacks the same Electric, Fighting 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, Water/Rock guide, and Flying/Steel guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is Water/Steel weak to?
Water/Steel is no 4× weakness and 2× weak to Electric, Fighting, Ground under the standard type chart.
Is Steel/Water a different type combination?
No. Steel/Water and Water/Steel use the same two types, so they share the same weaknesses, resistances, and immunities.
What is Water/Steel immune to?
It is immune to Poison.