---
title: "Pokémon Immunities Explained: Type Immunities, Levitate and More | pokee.si"
url: "https://pokee.si/articles/pokemon-immunities-explained"
description: "Eight type matchups do zero damage, and Abilities like Levitate add more. See every immunity, how many Pokémon have each, and how to get around them."
last_updated: "2026-10-21"
publisher: "pokee.si: a Pokédex for families (unofficial fan site)"
published: "2026-10-21"
---

# Pokémon Immunities Explained: Type Immunities, Levitate and More

Eight type matchups do no damage at all: Normal and Fighting moves on Ghost, Electric on Ground, Poison on Steel, Ground on Flying, Psychic on Dark, Ghost on Normal and Dragon on Fairy. On top of those, a long list of Abilities and one held item can grant more.

The type chart is covered in [the type chart for kids](https://pokee.si/articles/pokemon-type-chart-for-kids). This page adds the immunities that come from Abilities, items and status rules, and how to get around each one. The counts below come from the pokee.si Pokédex data.

## The eight type immunities

The "Pokémon with that type" column counts how many Pokémon are protected by each immunity.

| Attacking type | Has no effect on | Pokémon with that type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Normal](https://pokee.si/types/normal) | [Ghost](https://pokee.si/types/ghost) | 65 |
| [Electric](https://pokee.si/types/electric) | [Ground](https://pokee.si/types/ground) | 75 |
| [Fighting](https://pokee.si/types/fighting) | [Ghost](https://pokee.si/types/ghost) | 65 |
| [Poison](https://pokee.si/types/poison) | [Steel](https://pokee.si/types/steel) | 65 |
| [Ground](https://pokee.si/types/ground) | [Flying](https://pokee.si/types/flying) | 109 |
| [Psychic](https://pokee.si/types/psychic) | [Dark](https://pokee.si/types/dark) | 69 |
| [Ghost](https://pokee.si/types/ghost) | [Normal](https://pokee.si/types/normal) | 131 |
| [Dragon](https://pokee.si/types/dragon) | [Fairy](https://pokee.si/types/fairy) | 64 |

Ghost and Normal are the only two types immune to each other both ways. Immunities also carry over to dual types. A Pokémon with two types multiplies the two results, so one immunity makes the whole hit 0×. Our [dual-type weaknesses guide](https://pokee.si/articles/dual-type-weaknesses-explained) shows the maths.

Of the 1,025 Pokémon, 531 have no type immunity, 360 have one, 119 have two and 15 have three. The 15 with three come from five typings:

- Ghost/Dark ([Sableye](https://pokee.si/pokemon/sableye), [Spiritomb](https://pokee.si/pokemon/spiritomb)): immune to Normal, Fighting and Psychic
- Flying/Ghost ([Drifloon](https://pokee.si/pokemon/drifloon), [Drifblim](https://pokee.si/pokemon/drifblim)): immune to Normal, Fighting and Ground
- Ground/Ghost ([Golett](https://pokee.si/pokemon/golett), [Golurk](https://pokee.si/pokemon/golurk), [Sandygast](https://pokee.si/pokemon/sandygast), [Palossand](https://pokee.si/pokemon/palossand), [Runerigus](https://pokee.si/pokemon/runerigus)): immune to Normal, Electric and Fighting
- Ghost/Steel ([Honedge](https://pokee.si/pokemon/honedge), [Doublade](https://pokee.si/pokemon/doublade), [Aegislash](https://pokee.si/pokemon/aegislash), [Gholdengo](https://pokee.si/pokemon/gholdengo)): immune to Normal, Fighting and Poison
- Ghost/Fairy ([Mimikyu](https://pokee.si/pokemon/mimikyu), [Flutter Mane](https://pokee.si/pokemon/flutter-mane)): immune to Normal, Fighting and Dragon

## How to get around a type immunity

Most immunities have a counter.

| Immunity | Ways around it |
| --- | --- |
| Normal and Fighting on Ghost | [Scrappy](https://pokee.si/abilities/scrappy) or [Mind's Eye](https://pokee.si/abilities/minds-eye) on the attacker; [Foresight](https://pokee.si/moves/foresight) or [Odor Sleuth](https://pokee.si/moves/odor-sleuth) on the target |
| Ground on Flying | [Gravity](https://pokee.si/moves/gravity), [Smack Down](https://pokee.si/moves/smack-down) or [Thousand Arrows](https://pokee.si/moves/thousand-arrows) |
| Psychic on Dark | [Miracle Eye](https://pokee.si/moves/miracle-eye) on the target |
| Any type immunity | A Ring Target held by the defender |

Scrappy and Mind's Eye let Normal and Fighting moves hit Ghost types. Scrappy has an extra perk from Generation 8: the Pokémon is unaffected by Intimidate. [Kangaskhan](https://pokee.si/pokemon/kangaskhan) and [Miltank](https://pokee.si/pokemon/miltank) both have Scrappy, and so does [Bloodmoon Ursaluna](https://pokee.si/pokemon/ursaluna?form=ursaluna-bloodmoon) with Mind's Eye. In all, 15 species or forms have Scrappy.

Ring Target is a held item that removes the holder's type immunities. It leaves other kinds of immunity alone, such as Grass types ignoring powder and spore moves. [Thousand Arrows](https://pokee.si/moves/thousand-arrows) is the other odd one: a Ground move that hits Flying types and Levitate users and pulls them down to the ground.

## Immunities from Abilities

Abilities grant their own immunities, and many come with a bonus. All counts are species or forms with that Ability.

| Ability | Immune to | Bonus | Species or forms |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Levitate](https://pokee.si/abilities/levitate) | Ground moves | floats | 35 |
| [Earth Eater](https://pokee.si/abilities/earth-eater) | Ground moves | heals ¼ HP | 1 |
| [Flash Fire](https://pokee.si/abilities/flash-fire) | Fire moves | its own Fire moves get 50% stronger | 25 |
| [Well-Baked Body](https://pokee.si/abilities/well-baked-body) | Fire moves | Defense +2 stages | 1 |
| [Water Absorb](https://pokee.si/abilities/water-absorb) | Water moves | heals ¼ HP | 27 |
| [Storm Drain](https://pokee.si/abilities/storm-drain) | Water moves | Sp. Atk +1 stage | 8 |
| [Dry Skin](https://pokee.si/abilities/dry-skin) | Water moves | heals ¼ HP | 7 |
| [Volt Absorb](https://pokee.si/abilities/volt-absorb) | Electric moves | heals ¼ HP | 13 |
| [Lightning Rod](https://pokee.si/abilities/lightning-rod) | Electric moves | Sp. Atk +1 stage | 18 |
| [Motor Drive](https://pokee.si/abilities/motor-drive) | Electric moves | Speed +1 stage | 4 |
| [Sap Sipper](https://pokee.si/abilities/sap-sipper) | Grass moves | Attack +1 stage | 19 |
| [Wind Rider](https://pokee.si/abilities/wind-rider) | wind moves | Attack +1 stage | 3 |
| [Soundproof](https://pokee.si/abilities/soundproof) | sound moves | – | 15 |
| [Bulletproof](https://pokee.si/abilities/bulletproof) | ball and bomb moves | – | 10 |
| [Overcoat](https://pokee.si/abilities/overcoat) | powder and spore moves (and sand and hail damage) | – | 23 |
| [Good as Gold](https://pokee.si/abilities/good-as-gold) | other Pokémon's status moves | – | 1 |
| [Wonder Guard](https://pokee.si/abilities/wonder-guard) | every damaging move that is not super effective | – | 1 |

Among the Abilities that block a type, Levitate is the only one that gives no heal or boost when it stops a move. Storm Drain and Lightning Rod also give full immunity to Water and Electric moves from Generation 5. [Earth Eater](https://pokee.si/abilities/earth-eater) belongs to [Orthworm](https://pokee.si/pokemon/orthworm), and [Gholdengo](https://pokee.si/pokemon/gholdengo) is the only Pokémon with Good as Gold.

[Wonder Guard](https://pokee.si/abilities/wonder-guard) belongs to [Shedinja](https://pokee.si/pokemon/shedinja) alone. Only super effective hits hurt it, and everything else does nothing. For a side-by-side look, see [Ninjask vs Shedinja](https://pokee.si/vs/ninjask-vs-shedinja).

### When Levitate stops working

A Pokémon with Levitate is "ungrounded", so it also avoids Spikes, Toxic Spikes and terrain effects. It loses that status under Gravity, while holding an Iron Ball, while under Ingrain, or after being hit by Smack Down or Thousand Arrows.

[Gengar](https://pokee.si/pokemon/gengar) is a good example to watch. In our data its Ability is Cursed Body. Bulbapedia says Gengar had Levitate before Generation 7, so if an older guide tells you it floats over Earthquake, that guide is out of date.

### Ignoring Abilities

[Mold Breaker](https://pokee.si/abilities/mold-breaker), [Teravolt](https://pokee.si/abilities/teravolt) and [Turboblaze](https://pokee.si/abilities/turboblaze) make a Pokémon's moves ignore Abilities like Levitate. A Mold Breaker user can hit a Levitate target with [Earthquake](https://pokee.si/moves/earthquake). 24 species or forms have Mold Breaker, including [Pinsir](https://pokee.si/pokemon/pinsir) and [Excadrill](https://pokee.si/pokemon/excadrill), and Teravolt and Turboblaze belong to [Zekrom](https://pokee.si/pokemon/zekrom) and [Reshiram](https://pokee.si/pokemon/reshiram) and two Kyurem forms.

## The Air Balloon

The Air Balloon is a held item that makes the holder immune to Ground moves. It pops the first time a damaging move hits the holder. It doesn't work under Gravity, Ingrain, Smack Down or Thousand Arrows.

## Immunity to status

Types also protect against status conditions and some moves:

- Electric types can't be paralyzed (from Generation 6).
- Fire types can't be burned.
- Ice types can't be frozen.
- Poison and Steel types can't be poisoned, unless the attacker has [Corrosion](https://pokee.si/abilities/corrosion).
- Ground types are immune to [Thunder Wave](https://pokee.si/moves/thunder-wave).
- Grass types are immune to [Leech Seed](https://pokee.si/moves/leech-seed), and to powder and spore moves like [Spore](https://pokee.si/moves/spore) and [Sleep Powder](https://pokee.si/moves/sleep-powder) from Generation 6.
- Dark types are immune to status moves boosted by Prankster, from Generation 7.
- Ghost types are immune to effects that stop a Pokémon switching out or fleeing, like [Mean Look](https://pokee.si/moves/mean-look) and [Shadow Tag](https://pokee.si/abilities/shadow-tag), from Generation 6.

There's more in the [status conditions guide](https://pokee.si/articles/pokemon-status-conditions).

## A note on Pokémon GO

Pokémon GO has no zero-damage rule. It treats an immunity as a double resistance, so those matchups still do some damage there.

## Where to go next

- Try the [Type Clash game](https://pokee.si/games/type-clash) to practise matchups.
- Take the [Types 101 lesson](https://pokee.si/lessons/types-101) first, then the [Abilities basics lesson](https://pokee.si/lessons/abilities-basics) (a Plus lesson).
- Compare a Ghost/Poison Pokémon with a Psychic one in [Alakazam vs Gengar](https://pokee.si/vs/alakazam-vs-gengar), or browse every [Ability](https://pokee.si/abilities).

## Questions people ask

### What are the Pokémon type immunities?

There are eight: Normal moves can't hit Ghost, Electric can't hit Ground, Fighting can't hit Ghost, Poison can't hit Steel, Ground can't hit Flying, Psychic can't hit Dark, Ghost can't hit Normal and Dragon can't hit Fairy.

### How do you hit a Ghost type with Normal or Fighting moves?

Give the attacker the Scrappy or Mind's Eye Ability, use Foresight or Odor Sleuth on the Ghost type first, or have it hold a Ring Target. Any of these makes the hit land at normal damage.

### What does Levitate do?

It makes the Pokémon immune to Ground moves. It loses that protection under Gravity, while holding an Iron Ball, while rooted by Ingrain, or after being hit by Smack Down or Thousand Arrows.

### Can you break an immunity from an Ability?

Often, yes. Mold Breaker, Teravolt and Turboblaze ignore many defensive Abilities, so a Pokémon with Mold Breaker can hit a Levitate target with Earthquake.

### Are Pokémon immune to status moves too?

Some are. Electric types can't be paralyzed, Fire types can't be burned, Ice types can't be frozen, and Poison and Steel types can't be poisoned. Ground types are also immune to Thunder Wave and Grass types to Leech Seed.

## Sources

- [Bulbapedia: Type](https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Type)
- [Bulbapedia: Levitate (Ability)](https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Levitate_(Ability))
- [Bulbapedia: Scrappy (Ability)](https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Scrappy_(Ability))
- [Bulbapedia: Ring Target](https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Ring_Target)
- [Bulbapedia: Prankster (Ability)](https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Prankster_(Ability))
- [Bulbapedia: Status condition](https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Status_condition)

---

Source: https://pokee.si/articles/pokemon-immunities-explained (HTML page). pokee.si is an unofficial fan site and is not affiliated with Nintendo, Creatures, GAME FREAK or The Pokémon Company. Pokémon and all related names and images are © their respective owners.