Ground Type

The Ground type (Japanese: じめんタイプ Ground Type) is one of the eighteen Pokemon types. Ground-type Pokemon are characterized by their connection to the earth, earthquakes, and sandy or rocky terrain. The type is renowned for its immunity to Electric-type moves and its widespread competitive utility.

Overview

Type Effectiveness

Offensive

Defensive

Key Note: Electric Immunity

Ground-type Pokemon are completely immune to Electric-type moves, making them the primary counter to Electric types. This immunity is one of the most strategically significant type matchups in Pokemon.^[1]

Flying Immunity

Ground-type moves have no effect on Flying-type Pokemon or Pokemon with the Levitate ability, creating an important limitation for the type.

Characteristics

Common Traits

Special Properties

Notable Ground-Type Pokemon

Pseudo-Legendary Pokemon

Legendary/Mythical

Iconic Ground Types

Competitively Notable

Common Ground-Type Moves

Physical Moves

Special Moves

Status Moves

Ground-Type Specialists

Gym Leaders

Elite Four/Champions

Evil Team Leaders

Type Combinations

All Ground-Type Combinations

Unique Combinations

Strategic Type Combinations

Ground/Flying is particularly noteworthy: while Ground-types are immune to Electric moves, adding Flying creates a weakness to Electric defensively but grants immunity to Ground offensively. This creates Pokemon like Landorus-Therian and Gliscor that can still use Ground moves effectively while being immune to opposing Ground attacks.^[2]

Ground/Water creates one of the best defensive combinations in the game, with only a single weakness to Grass-type moves. Pokemon like Swampert and Gastrodon exemplify this synergy.

Abilities

Ground-Type Related Abilities

Sand Abilities

The sandstorm weather condition synergizes heavily with Ground-types:

• Sand Stream automatically sets sandstorm upon entry
• Sand Rush doubles Speed for devastating sweepers
• Sand Force boosts Ground-type move power
• Sandstorm deals passive damage to non-Rock/Ground/Steel types^[3]

Arena Trap

Arena Trap was historically one of the most powerful abilities in competitive play, allowing Dugtrio to trap and eliminate threats. It has been banned from most competitive formats due to its overwhelming strategic advantage.^[4]

Competitive Analysis

Strengths

Weaknesses

Role in Metagame

Earthquake: The Universal Coverage Move

Earthquake is widely considered the best physical move in Pokemon due to its:

• Perfect 100 Base Power and 100% Accuracy
• Widespread distribution (learned by 500+ Pokemon)
• Super effective coverage against common types
• No drawbacks or recoil damage

Nearly every physical attacker runs Earthquake for coverage, making it the most common move in competitive Pokemon outside of switching moves.^[5]

Stealth Rock Utility

Ground-types are among the most common users of Stealth Rock, the game's most important entry hazard. Pokemon like Landorus-Therian, Garchomp, and Hippowdon combine excellent stats with Stealth Rock access, making them premier lead and pivot options.

Special Mechanics

Electric Immunity Mechanics

Ground-types are completely immune to:

• All Electric-type damaging moves
• Thunder Wave (Electric-type status move)
• Paralysis from Electric-type sources

This immunity cannot be bypassed by moves like Miracle Eye (which only affects Dark-type immunity to Psychic). However, the Electric-type move Thousand Arrows (Zygarde's signature move) can hit Ground-types by "grounding" Flying-types first.

Sandstorm Weather

Sandstorm provides multiple benefits to Ground-types:

• Passive damage to opponents (1/16 HP per turn)
• Rock-types gain +50% Special Defense
• Activates Sand Rush, Sand Force, and Sand Veil
• Powers up Shore Up healing (2/3 HP instead of 1/2)
• Weather Ball becomes Rock-type^[3]

Flying and Levitate Interaction

Ground-type moves are completely negated by:

• Flying-type Pokemon
• Pokemon with the Levitate ability
• Pokemon using Magnet Rise
• Pokemon holding an Air Balloon

The move Gravity can ground all Pokemon, allowing Ground moves to hit Flying-types and Levitate users. Similarly, Thousand Arrows grounds targets, making subsequent Ground moves effective.

Entry Hazard Mastery

Ground-types have excellent distribution of entry hazards:

• Stealth Rock: Universal hazard, widely distributed
• Spikes: Stacking hazard for chip damage
• Often have high Defense to survive while setting hazards
• Many have Ground immunity or Flying type to avoid opposing hazards

Ground-Type in Different Generations

Generation I

Ground was extremely powerful due to:

• Earthquake's perfect distribution and power
• Few counters (limited Grass-types)
• Rhydon as a dominant physical wall

Generation III-IV

Introduction of abilities transformed the type:

• Sand Stream made Hippowdon and Tyranitar central
• Arena Trap Dugtrio became a meta-defining trapper
• Garchomp introduced as a pseudo-legendary

Generation V

Landorus-Therian became the most used Pokemon in competitive play, a position it has held for multiple generations due to its:

• Perfect stat spread (145 Attack, 91 Speed)
• Intimidate ability
• Stealth Rock + U-turn utility^[6]

Generation VIII-IX

Great Tusk emerged as a premier Ground-type threat, while Gastrodon's Storm Drain continued to provide defensive utility against Water-types.

Competitive Tier Placement

Ground-types dominate competitive tiers:

The type's combination of offensive power, Electric immunity, and Stealth Rock utility makes it indispensable in competitive play.

See Also

• Pokemon Types Index
• Electric Type
• Rock Type
• Dragon Type
• Pokemon Main Page