First introduced in Pokémon X&Y, Fairy Typing has been in every game since and was met with mixed reactions. Dark and Steel types were much more accepted when introduced in the second generation and didn't retroactively change any previous Pokémon typing. These additions make gameplay changes for moves, but it also adds new weaknesses and resistances. Now in the eighth generation, Fairy typing has been integrated just fine in the game and many pure Fairy-type Pokémon have since been added.

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There are certainly ones better than others, but it has caused a shift in the meta and more thought when creating a team. There are strengths and weaknesses to every typing, and with Fairy, there have been many reasons why the Pokémon games are the strongest they've ever been as well as many reasons why they were ruined by this new addition.

10 Improved: Fairy Typing Finally Countered The Dragon Meta

Gigantimax Haxorus Pokemon Sword And Shield

Up until Gen VI, Dragons were very strong in the overall meta of the game boasting a very high base stat total. Pseudo legendaries had little to rival them apart from a strong Ice-type move to shut them down. Pokémon like Haxorus and Garchomp could 6-0 teams with their high attack and the move Ice Beam or Hidden Power Ice was carried on many teams just to counter these threats anyway they could. Even with a super-effective move, however, nothing was safe to switch into a Dragon-type attack like Draco Meteor or Outrage.

That was until Fairy was added to the game, shifting the meta by giving players a safe switch-in that was immune to Dragon. Dragons are still regarded to be very strong, but Fairies are right next to them in terms of power.

9 Ruined: It Added A Weakness To Dark & Fighting Types

Scrafty Pokemon Anime

While the game may have been balanced for Dragons, the same could not be said for Dark and Fighting types. Like Water-types, these two types had only two weaknesses with a moderate amount of resistances.

They weren't always the strongest in the meta as Psychic and Flying are strong in the meta with fast attacks and speed, but Fairy being a counter to Dragon meant that it was on nearly every team. Their place didn't matter in the meta because as soon as Fairy was seen a mandatory, these two typings suffered more so than any other.

8 Improved: Steel & Poison Were Seen As Very Strong

Muk Hugging Ash Pokemon Anime

Because of its rise in the meta, many Pokémon rose up in order to eliminate the Fairy types on everyone's team. This gave counters like Steel and Poison-type Pokémon an edge. Poison was usually a mildly offensive typing as it's only super-effective against grass while still being resisted by many common typings.

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Steel was in a similar state, mostly seen as a defensive typing and only being super-effective against rock and ice. One typing changed a lot more than people realize and making underused typings more viable is a marked improvement for the state of the game.

7 Ruined: Secondary Typings Made Some Pokémon Weaker

Mr. Mime Pokemon Anime

Normal-type Pokémon are very middling in the meta and because they only have one weakness, it's hard to go wrong with having one on a team. Generation VI, however, made many Normal types into dual Normal/Fairy. While this gets rid of their Fighting weakness, it adds the same weaknesses that Fairy.

Poison and Steel are still super-effective against these mons, and Normal moves are still resisted against Steel types, making it very difficult to counter. It solves one problem, only to add another two.

6 Improved: Dual Typings Were Done Right For Some Pokémon

Diantha's Gardevoir about to attack during a gym battle

Of the Pokémon that received Fairy typing retroactively, there were many that were buffed because of the addition typing. Psychic-types, in particular, had weaknesses covered as Psychic/Fairy covered its Poison weakness with access to a STAB super-effective Psychic move.

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Psychic's Dark-type weakness was also covered as Fairy is super-effective against it. Mr. Mime, who was previously Psychic/Normal benefited from this change as it was made Psychic/Fairy. The same was done to Gardevoir who was pure Psychic and they even received a Mega as well.

5 Ruined: It Made Sableye & Spirtomb Have A Weakness

Carrie's Sableye Pokemon Anime Fight

The Ghost/Dark typing is rare in the Pokémon games, with only two Pokémon possessing the unique combination. Prior to Gen VI, these two Pokémon had no weakness though they weren't very strong because of it. Sableye has the Prankster ability and could be used as a supportive Pokémon, able to take hits if invested with the right EVs, but it wasn't a Pokémon that could shine on its own.

Spiritomb was in a similar situation, able to stall with Pain Split and Toxic, but for the most part, was seen as average. With Fairy-typing these average Pokémon were made almost obsolete with their tactics. They can be good under the right circumstances, but because Fairies are so common, it's difficult to make them work.

4 Improved: Pixelate Finally Made Normal-Type Moves Matter

Snorlax using Hyper Beam in Pokémon

A wide variety of Pokémon are capable of learning very powerful Normal-type moves, but because they aren't STAB, they don't see much play. With the ability Pixelate, however, these moves are then treated as Fairy moves, giving them some much-needed use in the game. Mega-Gardevoir and Sylveon were the first two that received this ability, followed by Mega-Altaria.

Seeing moves like Hyper Beam, Hyper Voice, or Giga-Impact make more appearances brings many underused moves back into player's heads with this ability specifically for Fairy-types.

3 Ruined: Ice Was Out Of The Meta For A Long Time

Sara Ninetales Pokemon Anime

Ice is a weak and rare typing, mostly used as a secondary typing when seen. Offensively there are strong Ice-Moves, but defensively, Ice is frail with several common weaknesses. Fire-types rose up because of their resistance to Fairy as well as their offensive capabilities to take down Steel types, making Ice very susceptible to taking a Flamethrower.

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The game's answer for Dragons prior to Gen VI was to throw another Dragon at it or use Ice-type moves. Because it was quickly taken over by Fairy, Ice sees little play apart from Pokemon like Alolan Ninetails. Being weak to Fire, Steel, Rock, and Fighting, Ice-types just wouldn't survive very long in a battle, while Fairy is just an easier to choose to have on the party.

2 Improved: Misty Terrain Saves Battlers From Status Effects

Misty Terrain Battle X&Y With Scizor, Mega Khangaskan, Gardevoir, and Meowstic

Status Effects are the bane of many trainer's existences and many things are left to chance with them. Paralysis reduces a Pokémon's speed as well as sometimes not even be able to make a move. Burn lowers the Attack stat and gives a damage over time effect to any mon affected by it. Sleep has 2-3 turns of guaranteed immobilization, and poison gives a DoT as well. Toxic makes this DoT even stronger each turn, and Frozen is left to chance as to whether the Pokémon will break free or not.

All these things are frustrating to deal with when battling but there are moves to remove them such as Aromatherapy. None of this matters at all when Misty Terrain is used, however, as it prevents any status ailment from being inflicted on any Pokémon on the ground. A saving grace for those who hate the RNG of Paralysis and being frozen.

1 Ruined: Too Many Fairies Mean Some Will Shine More Than The Rest

Pokemon Sawyer's Slurpuff From The Anime

Even fully loving Fairy-type Pokémon has its disadvantages as a full Fairy team won't cover their weaknesses well enough. The strongest ones, like the Tapu's, Mega-Gardevoir, Mimikyu, or Mega-Mawile, are good choices on a team, but being spoiled for choice isn't always a good thing. Many Fairy-types are just above average in terms of move pools, base stat totals, and versatility. Shiinotic the Grass/Fairy type was added in Gen VII and only has a 405 base stat total; the same as many stage 1 Pokémon like Combusken, Haunter, and Prinplup.

Even Pokémon like Hatterene who has a 510 total are limited by a small move pool of mostly Psychic and Fairy moves. It's unfortunate, but not every Pokémon is going to be viable to use. Of course, no one can stop players from using their favorites anyway.

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