Mastering the nuances of dual-type Pokémon is essential when it comes to competitive play. Varying and surprising move sets, as well as type resistance, can make or break a battle. For Water-type Pokémon, the biggest weaknesses to worry about are Grass and Electric moves, both being very common Pokémon and move types.
The good thing is that Water-type Pokémon are extremely fluid and adaptive. They can be healers, tanks, or quick and offensive members of a player’s party. With so many options, it can be hard to find a place to start. Here are some dual-type Pokémon to try out in a team.
Updated on January 11th, 2022 by Quinn Levandoski: Every type in the Pokémon franchise has dedicated fans, but it’s hard to argue against Water being one of the most effective in combat. Water is super-effective against three other types (Fire, Ground, and Rock) and resists four (Water, Steel, Fire, Ice).
Furthermore, Water is an incredibly diverse typing that can fit into almost any niche; strong attackers, walls, set-up pieces, and gimmick-users are all under the Water-type umbrella. The latest generation of mainline games, Pokémon Sword and Shield, continued the franchise’s tradition of adding memorable Water-type Pokémon to the game. While many of them, like the starter Sobble, don’t have secondary typing, others like Urshifu and Drednaw do.
Wash Rotom
Rotom is unique in that it has multiple forms that are different household items, changing its type and stats. One of these transformations is Wash Rotom, where Rotom inhabits a washing machine and becomes an Electric/Water dual-type.
Due to its Levitate ability, Ground-type moves don’t normally affect Wash Rotom, taking away its Electric-type weakness. And due to its Electric-type, that also erases the Water-type weakness to Electric-type moves. For Wash Rotom, Grass-type moves are the only moves to inflict super effective damage.
Relicanth
Slow and steady wins the race with Relicanth. Somewhat tough to find in the wild, Relicanth is a Water/Rock-type Pokémon that has its highest stats in HP, Attack, and Defense. Its ability to learn physical Psychic-type moves can make for a good surprise attack.
However, Relicanth is slow and needs a lot of thought to become part of a competitive team. Due to its Rock-type nature, that makes Grass-type moves four times more effective against Relicanth versus the usual two times. In addition, it adds weaknesses to Fighting and Ground. Mixed with the Hidden Ability Sturdy and some items to help with Relicanth’s move resistance, a player can integrate Relicanth into their team as a tank.
Toxapex
Somewhat of a favorite among newer players, Toxapex is a Poison/Water-type monster. Toxapex is another great option for a tank within a player’s team due to having some of the highest Defense stats in the Pokémon franchise. The double defense is what sets it apart from Tentacruel, with the latter being more of a balanced Pokémon.
Though the Poison-type adds Ground and Psychic to Toxapex’s weaknesses, it eliminates the threat of Grass-type moves. It also makes Toxapex super effective against Grass-type Pokémon as long as it knows at least one Poison-type move.
Crawdaunt
Crawdaunt is not for the faint of heart. As a Water/Dark Pokémon, its main contender in this combination is Sharpedo. Surprisingly, Crawdaunt has better overall stats compared to Sharpedo.
Thanks to the addition of Fairy-type starting in Generation VI, Crawdaunt is weak to five different move types. While that’s not great, none of those types deal four times the usual damage and because Crawdaunt is Dark-type, it’s immune to Psychic-type moves. With an impressively high Attack stat and ability to learn a variety of move types through TMs and TRs, Crawdaunt is worth trying out and refining.
Golisopod
One of the strongest Bug-type Pokémon, Golisopod is a contender for a tank teammate. Made popular by Guzma of Team Skull, Golisopod can become a great asset when trained and used correctly. Its most common ability, Emergency Exit, allows Golisopod to automatically switch out of battle when its HP drops below half or less of its total. If a player has a team reliant on switching Pokémon in and out of battle, this can save a move.
The Bug-type removes Golisopod’s weakness to Grass-type moves, but adds weaknesses to Flying and Rock-type moves. However, Golisopod makes up for this with a combination of Bug and Water-type moves, making it super effective against Rock, Grass, Psychic, Fire, and Ground-type Pokémon.
Gastrodon
Gastrodon may look like an unimposing sea slug, but this Pokémon is an incredibly effective defensive monster that can help check several popular attackers. Due to Gastrodon’s ability, Storm Drain, trainers will want to switch it into the battlefield when they think their opponent is using a Water-type attack.
This ability draws all Water attacks to Gastrodon in two-on-two battles, gives it an immunity to Water, and raises its Special Attack stat by one level when it takes a Water attack. This boosted Special Attack makes moves like Ice Beam and Earth Power hit much harder than they usually would.
Azumarill
Azumarill became a Water/Fairy-type Pokémon starting in Generation VI. Though it has relatively low stats, the fact that it is part Fairy-type gives it all of the Fairy-type benefits, like being immune to the most powerful Dragon-type moves.
The most useful ability Azumarill can possess is Sap Sipper. This grants Azumarill immunity to Grass-type moves as well as boosts its attack. Though Azumarill’s stats are geared towards defense, this ability helps buff the Pokémon without wasting a turn using items. Sap Sipper also makes it so Azumarill is only weak to Electric-type moves and Poison-type moves.
Jellicent
One of the weirder Pokémon introduced in the last few years, Jellicent is a Water/Ghost-type Pokémon. Its design changes depending on its gender, with males being blue and females being pink. Like all other Ghost-types, Jellicent has a spooky background, being the blame and cause of sunken ships.
Though the Ghost-type adds weaknesses to Ghost and Dark-type moves, it grants immunity from Normal and Fighting-type moves. In addition, one of Jellicent’s abilities is Water Absorb, which restores HP if Jellicent is hit by a Water-type move. This can be a good partner in competitive double battles if a faster Pokémon knows Surf and is paired with Jellicent. This allows the player to inflict damage to the opponent and restore Jellicent’s HP in the same move.
Walrein
Introduced in Generation III, Walrein is an Ice/Water-type Pokémon. Among the dual types, this one is common among the Water-types. Other options for this pairing include Lapras, Dewgong, and Arctovish. However, out of the four, not many players go for Walrein.
Walrein has good base stats, seemingly built as a balanced tank teammate. Unusually, its natural abilities give it more of an edge than its Hidden Ability. Thick Fat reduces the damage dealt by Fire and Ice-type moves while Ice Body allows Walrein to regenerate a small amount of HP during hail storms. Both cater to Walrein’s higher stats.
Seismitoad
As a Water/Ground-type, Seismitoad is one of the most useful dual-type Water Pokémon out there. Though Swampert is superior in stats, Seismitoad is much more readily available for players in the later Pokémon games.
Though, like Relicanth, it also has four times the normal weakness against Grass-type moves, its Ground-type status makes it immune to Electric-type moves. Players who are used to Swampert can use Seismitoad in a similar way, with the advantage of Seismitoad having more balanced stats.
Ludicolo
Best used for attack and defense in special attacks, Ludicolo is the only Water/Grass-type Pokémon the games have introduced. As the final evolution from Lotad, Ludicolo requires the use of a Water Stone in order to evolve from Lombre. But the item sacrifice is well worth it. Due to this unique combination, Ludicolo loses all of the usual Water-type weaknesses while also taking normal damage from Fire-type and Ice-type moves.
Instead, the player should treat Ludicolo more like training a Grass-type Pokémon since it’s still weak to Poison, Flying, and Bug-type moves. However, there are ways to combat these weaknesses. Many Flying-type and Bug-type moves tend to be physical attacks, so boosting Ludicolo’s Defense should help offset the super effectiveness of these moves. Additionally, Ludicolo already has a naturally high Sp. Def stat, helping it combat most Poison-type moves. Trained correctly, Ludicolo can be a valuable addition to a team and undermine other opponents’ strategies.
Pelipper
Pelipper, a dual-type Water and Flying Pokémon, was never considered competitively viable for several years after its introduction to the franchise in Pokemon Ruby and Saphhire due to its mediocre typing, move pool, and abilities.
However, Pelipper was given a massive boost in Sun and Moon when Game Freak decided to give it the Drizzle ability. Drizzle automatically starts the Rain weather effect when the Pokémon enters the battlefield. This change made Pelliper a staple of Rain-based teams where it often acts as a support piece with moves like Roost, Defog, and U-Turn.
Volcanion
Volcanion’s unique visual design and typing combination make it one of the Kalos region’s best Mythical Pokémon. Volcanion is currently the only pocket monster with a Fire and Water dual typing. This combination gives it impressive offensive and defensive capabilities. This Pokémon resists damage from five different types (Rock, Ground, Electric, Fairy, and Bug) and gains a Water immunity with its ability, Water Absorb.
These resistances combine well with one of its best moves, Steam Eruption, which deals Water-type damage and has a 30% chance of burning the target. With the physical attacks of Burned Pokémon only dealing half damage, Volcanion can be challenging to take out.
Urshifu
Urshifu was first introduced to the Pokémon franchise in the Sword and Shield DLC Isle or Armor. Urshifu is one of several Pokémon with multiple forms, as players can make it either Fighting/Dark or Fighting/Water depending on which tower they train Kubfu in.
Urshifu’s Rapid Strike form gives in a secondary Water typing. This Pokemon boasts impressive stats, and its ability, Unseen Fist, lets its hits land even against enemies using protection moves. Furthermore, fans of this martial-arts-inspired creature will be pleased to know that it is also one of the most powerful VMAX cards in the Pokémon TCG.
Drednaw
Drednaw was one of the first Pokémon revealed in the lead-up to Pokémon Sword and Shied, and this dual-type Water and Rock monster can be a powerful offensive tool for trainers that know how to get the most out of them.
Its base form isn’t imposing, but Gigantamax Drednaw gains exclusive access to the powerful G-Max Stonesurge move. This attack deals Water-type damage in addition to laying Stealth Rock. This combination of damage and entry hazard setup is hitherto unique to G-Max Stonesurge and should be used as early as possible in battle.
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