Slicing / Dicing

Which Pokémon Types Actually Mix?

A visual breakdown of Pokémon dual-type pairings, from the common early-game Pokémon to the combinations that still don’t exist.

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Gen:
Battle-Ready All Generations N = 1,264 144 / 153 dual pairings

N counts battle-relevant form entries (defaults + battle forms).

NormalFireWaterElectricGrassIceFightingPoisonGroundFlyingPsychicBugRockGhostDragonDarkSteelFairyNormalFireWaterElectricGrassIceFightingPoisonGroundFlyingPsychicBugRockGhostDragonDarkSteelFairy

How to read this chart

Across 153 possible dual-type pairings, some combinations are common, some are still absent, and some only appear when alternate forms are counted. Use Lift to compare observed pairings against a simple chance baseline, and switch between species, battle-ready forms, and all forms to see how “missing” combinations can change under different definitions.

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Method & sources

This piece is descriptive. It measures the distribution of type pairings across Pokémon, without asserting competitive viability or design intent beyond what the data supports.

Method notes

Pairings are unordered: {Water, Ground} is identical to {Ground, Water}.

Lift is computed as observed / expected under independence: Lift = P(A,B) / (P(A) × P(B)). Values above 1 indicate over-representation.

Forms policy units differ by design: species counts default species entries, battle counts battle-relevant form entries, and all counts varieties/forms listed by PokéAPI (including non-battle variants where represented).

Core claim

Some Pokémon type combinations are super common, others are almost nonexistent—and the picture changes if you look at different games or special forms.

Definitions
  • Pairing: A combination of two types, regardless of order (Water/Ground is treated exactly the same as Ground/Water).
  • Forms policy: The filter controlling which Pokémon entries count. Are we looking at just the base species, battle-relevant forms, or all PokéAPI-listed varieties/forms.
  • Lift: How over- or under-represented a pairing is relative to random chance. Lift 1× means a combo appears exactly as often as random math predicts; Lift 2× means it's twice as common as chance.
Limitations

Scope and methodology

  • This analysis uses the current PokéAPI typings (modern canonical), not historical typings at the time of each game's release (e.g., Clefairy is treated as Fairy-type, not its original Gen 1 Normal-type).
  • Pokémon are grouped by the Generation their base species debuted in. For example, Alolan Vulpix (introduced in Gen 7) is counted under Gen 1 with the rest of the Vulpix family.
  • Lift calculations treat type assignments as independent, which is a simplification. In reality, Pokémon are designed around themes, e.g. a fish almost has to be Water-type—which naturally skews the numbers.

Interpretation

  • Common pairings are not necessarily strong pairings. This is not a competitive viability or tier list analysis.
  • If a combo looks 'missing,' try switching the Forms setting. Rare typings may be hidden behind Mega Evolutions or alternate states.

Trademarks and affiliation

  • Pokémon and Pokémon character names are trademarks of Nintendo, Creatures Inc., and GAME FREAK inc. Pokémon images/sprites are © Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc. and are used here for reference. This project is independent and unofficial and is not affiliated with, sponsored, or endorsed by Nintendo, Creatures Inc., GAME FREAK inc., or The Pokémon Company.
Sources & citation

Latest source accessed:

  1. PokéAPI REST v2 (opens in a new tab)

    Accessed

    Species, varieties, types, and form flags retrieved at build time and cached locally.

  2. Prior Art: Co-occurrence of Pokemon Types (u/shahinrostami) (opens in a new tab)

    Accessed

    Visual inspiration for the chord diagram layout.

How to cite

Which Pokémon Types Actually Mix?. Slicing / Dicing. https://dataviz-767.pages.dev/2026/03/05/pokemon-types-mix. Published 2026-03-05. As of 2026-03-05.

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Takeaway: Some Pokémon type combinations show up constantly. Others still do not exist. This interactive maps 30 years of design patterns across the Pokédex.

Why it matters: It shows how design patterns build up over time. What can feel random in the Pokédex often turns out to be recurring combinations, edge cases, and genuinely missing pairings.

Link: https://dataviz-767.pages.dev/2026/03/05/pokemon-types-mix

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