Ground-type

The Ground-type (じめんタイプ, Jimen Taipu) is one of the eighteen types. Notable Trainers that specialize in Ground-type Pokémon are Giovanni of Viridian City, Bertha of the Sinnoh Elite Four, and Clay of Driftveil City. Prior to changes in Generation Sinnoh, all Ground-type moves were physical, but they may now also be special depending on the attack.

Statistical averages[]

Overall[]

HP=73.37
Attack=86.83
Defense=82.42
SpAtk=55.93
SpDef=60.97
Speed=57.49
- Total=417.02

Fully evolved[]

HP=88.97
Attack=102.48
Defense=96.97
SpAtk=70.72
SpDef=76.34
Speed=65.97
- Total=501.45

Battle properties[]

Characteristics[]

Offense[]

Offensively, the Ground type is one of the most powerful offensive types, with the others being Ice-type, Rock-type, Fighting-type, and Fire-type. It is the only type super-effective against Electric-type, and is super-effective against five types in total; only the Fighting type is as powerful as this. It is also super-effective against two of the best defensive types, Poison-type and Steel-type. Grass- and Bug-type Pokémon do resist Ground, but this is largely mitigated by the common Grass/Poison and Bug/Poison typing. This, combined with the fact that the highly damaging and popular Earthquake has been available in every Generation, makes Ground a very potent type offensively. Given that the types Ground hits with super-effective damage (with the arguable exception of Poison-type) are fairly common types, and its unique ability to hit Electric types super effectively, Ground type is commonly considered as one of the best offensive types, along with Fighting-type.

The greatest disadvantage of the Ground type is that it does not affect the very common Flying-type Pokémon at all (unless the Flying type uses Roost), nor Pokémon with Levitate (unless Smack Down is used on it). However, all fully-evolved Ground-type Pokémon are able to learn Rock-type attacks, which somewhat alleviates the problem.

Defense[]

Defensively, the Ground type is somewhat risky. Whilst they do have above average HP and Defense, they have below average Special Defense and Speed. Combining that with weaknesses to the common Water, Grass and Ice types (all three of which have generally special movesets), decreases their ability to defend. It resists Poison-type, a type rarely used offensively, and Rock-type. It is, however, immune to the Electric type, posing a great advantage due to the minority of Pokémon resisting Electric-type moves that are not Electric themselves, and the fact that as of Generation Unova, only Zekrom and Rotom's Mow Form have a ¼ resistance to Electric-type. This also renders them immune to the crippling Thunder Wave (though not immune to paralysis itself).

Contest Properties[]

When used in Contests, Ground-type moves typically become Tough moves. No Ground-type moves are Beauty moves, while they can be the other three types.

Pokémon[]

As of Generation Sinnoh, there are 61 Ground-type Pokémon or 8.3% of all Pokémon (counting forms and Mega Evolutions that change typing as different Pokémon), making it the 7th most common type.

Pure Ground-type Pokémon[]

Half Ground-type Pokémon[]

Primary Ground-type Pokémon[]

Rhyhorn
Rhydon
Rhyperior
Gligar
Gliscor
Vibrava
Flygon
Baltoy
Claydol
Excadrill
Sandile
Krokorok
Krookodile
Stunfisk
Golett
Golurk
Landorus

Secondary Ground-type Pokémon[]

Moves[]

Trivia[]

Generation Kanto introduced the most Ground-type Pokémon of any Generation, with 14, and Generation Kalos introduced the least Ground-type Pokémon, with two.
Generation Kanto introduced the most Ground-type moves of any Generation, with six, and Generations Sinnoh, Unova, and Kalos introduced the least Ground-type moves, with two each.
Along with the Fighting type, Ground-type moves are super-effective against the most types: five.
Although Ground-type Pokémon are immune to Electric-type attacks, the Ability Static still affects them.
In the anime, Ground-type Pokémon's immunity to Electric-type attacks is treated inconsistently, sometimes upheld and sometimes ignored. The anime (in particular Showdown at Pewter City) also implies that Ground type's immunity to Electric types has a limit depending on the voltage, as Brock's Onix, when first fighting Pikachu, was completely unaffected by Pikachu's electricity, but in the rematch, Pikachu's electric attacks, having been boosted at an abandoned hydroelectric plant, were giving Onix a noticeable degree of pain, although it still wasn't enough to completely incapacitate it, as well as environmental factors (such as water being sprayed on it).
All types that resist the Flying type are weak to Ground, and vice versa; however, the type combinations Electric/Flying, Rock/Flying, and Steel/Flying still resist both due to the Flying type's immunity to Ground moves.
More Pokémon are immune to Ground-type moves than any other type, as both Flying-type Pokémon and Levitating Pokémon are immune to Ground.
The Ground type is the only type in the Generation Johto games and their remakes that a notable Trainer doesn't specialize in.