Palworld has nine elements: Neutral, Fire, Water, Grass, Electric, Ice, Ground, Dark, and Dragon. The complete matchup chart is below, but the key battle rule is simpler: damage is checked against the active skill’s element, not just the element shown on the attacking Pal. A Pal carrying an off-element skill can therefore target a weakness that its own type does not cover.
Use the chart to identify the best attack element, check both elements when the defender has a dual type, and then compare skill power and other damage modifiers. The direction of each advantage is consistent across current chart references, while exact numeric multipliers are still reported differently by sources.
What are Palworld’s nine elements?
Palworld’s element system contains nine types. In the table, “strong against” means an attack of that element targets a listed defensive weakness. The final column reverses the relationship so you can quickly see what threatens a defender of that element.
| Attack element | Strong against | Defensive weakness shown by the chart |
|---|---|---|
| Neutral | None listed | Dark |
| Fire | Grass, Ice | Water |
| Water | Fire | Electric |
| Grass | Ground | Fire |
| Electric | Water | Ground |
| Ice | Dragon | Fire |
| Ground | Electric | Grass |
| Dark | Neutral | Dragon |
| Dragon | Dark | Ice |
This nine-element cycle is documented by current Palworld type-chart references, including Palworld.tools and the chart maintained by Palworld Guide. Fire is the only attacking element with two listed advantages; Neutral has no offensive advantage listed in the chart.
How do I read the Palworld type chart in a fight?
Read from the attack outward: find the element of the skill you are about to use, then check whether the opponent carries that element as a weakness. Do not start with the attacker’s portrait or assume every move inherits the Pal’s displayed type.
- Identify every defensive element. A single-type defender has one entry to check. A dual-element defender must be checked against both entries.
- Identify the active skill’s element. Pals can learn or equip skills from elements other than their own, so inspect the move itself rather than relying on the Pal’s headline element.
- Compare the skill element with the defender’s elements. A listed advantage means the attack is favored; a listed defensive weakness tells you which attack rows to use.
- Resolve both elements for dual types. Two weaknesses can combine, while an advantage against one element and a resistance from the other can cancel to ordinary damage according to current chart references.
- Use skill power and other modifiers as a separate decision. The type chart identifies the matchup; it does not rank individual skills, cooldowns, range, attack stats, or defenses.
For example, if the target is Grass, choose a Fire skill when practical. If the target is Dragon, choose Ice. If a Pal’s own element does not offer the right matchup, an off-element active skill can still provide the needed coverage.
Which element beats each Palworld element?
The table is the complete lookup, but these are the practical counter directions to remember when deciding quickly:
- Neutral: Dark is the chart’s listed counter. Neutral has no listed offensive advantage.
- Fire: Water is the listed counter.
- Water: Electric is the listed counter.
- Grass: Fire is the listed counter.
- Electric: Ground is the listed counter.
- Ice: Fire is the listed counter.
- Ground: Grass is the listed counter.
- Dark: Dragon is the listed counter.
- Dragon: Ice is the listed counter.
These relationships are presented consistently by Palworld.tools, PalProof’s v1.0.3-checked reference, and Palworld Guide. The links describe the same directional matchups even where their damage-number explanations differ.
How do dual-element Pals change the matchup?
Check both defensive elements instead of stopping after the first one. Current Palworld 1.0 chart and calculator references describe each relationship as contributing to the final result: two weaknesses increase damage together, while one strength and one resistance cancel to normal damage.
The exact multiplier is not settled by an authoritative current in-game statement. The published values conflict:
| Reference | Version or date noted by the source | Single strong hit | Single weak hit | Two weaknesses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palworld.tools type chart | Palworld 1.0 chart | 1.5x reported | 0.66x reported | 2.25x reported |
| Palworld.tools damage calculator | Current calculator reference | 1.5x reported | 0.66x reported | 2.25x reported |
| PalProof | Checked against v1.0.3 on 2026-08-25 | 2x reported | 0.5x reported | Not stated |
Use the matchup direction with confidence, but treat those figures as source-specific reports rather than universal constants. If a dual-type target has two weaknesses, select an attack that is strong against both whenever your available skills allow it. If your attack is strong against one element but resisted by the other, the references describe the result as normal damage rather than a bonus.
What does “normal damage” mean for a mixed matchup?
It means the elemental advantage and resistance offset one another, so the type interaction itself contributes no bonus or penalty. Skill power, the Pal’s stats, defenses, and any other game modifiers can still make two attacks produce different totals.
Does the Pal’s element or the active skill determine effectiveness?
The active skill determines the matchup. A Pal’s displayed element is still relevant to its own elemental identity, but it does not force every attack to use that type.
This distinction matters when building a moveset. A Fire Pal can carry a skill whose element addresses a different target, and a Pal with an otherwise poor matchup can switch to an off-element move. Choose the move whose element matches the opponent’s weakness first; then compare power, cooldown, range, and your build’s other modifiers.
A current Palworld.tools damage calculator reports a 1.2x bonus when a Pal uses an active skill matching one of its own elements. That figure is calculator-reported and the available references do not provide direct official confirmation, so use it as a version-specific planning value rather than a guaranteed constant for every build.
How should I choose an attack against a dual-type target?
Use a two-pass check: first maximize the number of weaknesses covered, then select the best move among the qualifying skills.
Pass one: map the target
Write down both defensive elements. For a target with Fire and Ice, for instance, a Water skill is strong against Fire while a Fire skill is strong against Ice; neither automatically covers both. The chart tells you this before you spend time comparing moves.
Pass two: compare available skills
Sort your usable active skills into three groups: skills strong against both elements, skills strong against one, and skills with no listed advantage. Prefer the first group when its power and practical execution are comparable. A one-weakness attack can still be the better choice if it has substantially higher power or the only reliable range, because the chart does not replace the rest of the damage calculation.
When no single skill covers both
Carry two different attack elements and switch according to the target, or accept a single-weakness matchup when the stronger move is more useful in the encounter. Do not assume that a dual-type opponent always has a single “correct” move without checking the actual skills available to your Pal.
What are the most common Palworld type-chart mistakes?
- Choosing by the Pal’s element alone: an off-element active skill may be the correct counter.
- Checking only the first defensive element: dual-type targets require both checks.
- Treating a chart as a complete damage formula: type advantage does not tell you which skill has the highest total output.
- Quoting one multiplier as settled: current references disagree between the 1.0 chart/calculator values and the v1.0.3-checked PalProof values.
- Assuming Neutral has a hidden advantage: the cited chart lists no offensive advantage for Neutral.
- Ignoring the move itself: when comparing attacks, verify each skill’s element instead of inferring it from the Pal’s model or name.
What does this chart not tell me?
The chart is a matchup reference, not a complete build guide. It does not establish which Pal has the highest attack stat, which skill has the greatest base power, how cooldowns compare, or how non-elemental bonuses interact with a particular build. Those factors should be evaluated after you identify a favorable element.
It also does not provide a verified, current official multiplier table. The strongest provenance lead for the element rules is the in-game Survival Guide, cited by The Palworld Wiki’s Elements page; the available references do not show a current Pocketpair statement confirming one exact set of numbers.
Quick examples for applying the chart
Grass defender
Use a Fire active skill. If your Fire skill is weak or unavailable, the chart does not claim a second counter; compare neutral options by their actual skill properties.
Dragon defender
Use an Ice active skill. If the attacking Pal is not Ice, that is still valid because the skill’s element controls the matchup.
Neutral defender
Use a Dark active skill for the listed advantage. A Neutral skill has no listed offensive advantage, so it should be selected for other reasons rather than type bonus.
Dual-type defender
Check both entries before attacking. If one skill is strong against both, it is the clearest elemental choice; if the strengths split across different skills, compare their power and practical reliability after accounting for the type interactions.
Where can I verify Palworld’s element rules?
The in-game Survival Guide is the provenance lead cited by The Palworld Wiki. Community-maintained charts provide convenient lookup tables, but no cited source supplies an official current Pocketpair multiplier statement that resolves every numeric discrepancy.
Does the chart change by platform or region?
The cited chart references do not report separate PlayStation, Xbox, PC, or regional tables. They present one set of element relationships, so there is no evidence here for a platform-specific exception; confirm behavior after major game updates if a patch changes combat rules.
Can I use the type chart to pick the strongest Pal?
No. It can identify a favorable attack element, but it does not compare Pal statistics, passive effects, skill power, cooldowns, range, or survivability. Use it to choose coverage, then evaluate the rest of the build separately.
Why can two attacks with the same element deal different damage?
Element is only one input. Different active skills can have different power and other properties, and the attacking Pal’s build and the target’s defenses can change the result even when the matchup row is identical.
What should I do if an in-game result does not match a published multiplier?
Trust the directional matchup first, note your game version, and treat the numeric figure as version-dependent until it is confirmed for that build. The references currently disagree, so recording the version alongside any test result is more useful than assuming one multiplier applies everywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I verify Palworld’s element rules?
The Survival Guide is the in-game reference cited by The Palworld Wiki’s Elements page. The available references do not show a current official Pocketpair statement that fixes one universal set of numeric multipliers.
Does the type chart change by platform or region?
The cited chart sources do not identify separate platform or regional tables. They present one set of relationships, although major updates can change combat behavior and should be checked against the current build.
Can I use the type chart to pick the strongest Pal?
No. The chart only identifies elemental coverage. Pal statistics, skill power, cooldowns, range, passives, and survivability still determine which choice performs best in a particular fight.
Why can two attacks with the same element deal different damage?
Element is only one damage input. Skills can have different power and practical properties, while the attacking Pal’s build and the target’s defenses can change the final total.