Pokemon Ice Types - Weaker Than Ever

[Sheriff_K]

Mamoswine <3
I love Mamoswine and all his prevolutions, I use them in all the Tiers I play on my teams.

Dat Stealth Rock, Earthquake, Icicle Spear, Ice Shard, all on top of its amazing bulk and attack... And he looks so cool (pun intended) and badass

Yeah I wish Ice (and Poison) were better, but we'll have to see what X/Y does to the metagame/etc...

 

[Conzipe]

It's really disappointing they didn't do anything to change the awful state that the Ice-typing currently is in. Instead they added the new fairy-typing and reduced Ice-types main niche, being one of the few ways to obliterate Dragons.
I hope Ice-types will at least get some new great bonuses in hail to make them more competitively viable.

 

[Mitja]

It's really disappointing they didn't do anything to change the awful state that the Ice-typing currently is in. Instead they added the new fairy-typing and reduced Ice-types main niche, being one of the few ways to obliterate Dragons.
I hope Ice-types will at least get some new great bonuses in hail to make them more competitively viable.

I was hoping they would at least get a Defense boost similar to how Rock gets a Sp.Def boost in Sandstorm, but if that were the case, it would say so on the new type chart on the official XY site.

 

[Poison Master]

Not fixing Ice's defenses is the one thing I'm not happy about with the type table's adjustments. When they took those two resists away from Steel, they should have given two to Ice. I always thought Ice should resist Dragon and Water at the very least. (Water needs to be taken down a peg.)

 

[Mitja]

Not fixing Ice's defenses is the one thing I'm not happy about with the type table's adjustments. When they took those two resists away from Steel, they should have given two to Ice. I always thought Ice should resist Dragon and Water at the very least. (Water needs to be taken down a peg.)

Giving Ice a Dragon resistance was the most obvious fix to do. But with Fairy that went from necessary to overdoing it in terms of nerfing Dragon. S:

The next crucial one Ice could use is Ground resistance now with the new situation, since that's still gonna be one of the two most common and strongest move types.

Although minor, I think everyone agrees on Water resistance.

 

[nightkeeper]

I agree Ice is horrible defensively, but there isn't a whole lot to do with its weaknesses... I mean all of them make sense. Fighting, Rock and Steel all shatter Ice, while Fire melts it.

Therefore, adding a resistance or two would be the only thing left to do, which should have been done by now. It is super effective against Dragon, Flying, and Ground but yet not resistant to any of them? Only resistant to itself?

I left out Grass because it already has so many weaknesses that I'd rather it not get any worse.

 

[Ohman177]

I think it would create balance and make logical sense if ice was:
Super effective against: Flying, Ground, Rock, Grass, and Dragon.
Reasons: You can't fly frozen, Weathering/Erosion, and Ice Age.
Not very effective against: Fighting, Steel, Water, and Fire.
Reasons: Fighting types are strong enough to fight through the cold, you can't affect Steel just by freezing it, ice melts in water and fire.
Resistant to: Ground, Rock, Water, and Ice.
Reasons: Weathering/Erosion, ice freezes water, ice doesn't effect ice.
Weak to: Fighting, Steel, and Fire.
Reasons: Fighting types are strong enough to break ice, same with Steel, fire melts ice.

 

[zappy800]

I'd like to point out ice type pokemon aren't weaker unless they get their stats lowered. What they should do is just make stronger ice pokemon.

 

[Juliacoolo]

Ice did become weaker relative to the rest of the game mechanics. Fairy will take a decent amount of Ice's hold on the anti-dragon moveslot. The introduction of fairy can also promote a rise in the usage of types that ice is weak to, making it less viable in the metagame. So while nothing actually changed, ice has become more inferior.

But as said, someone has to finish last. Poison suffered long enough.

 

[Blob55]

Ice did become weaker relative to the rest of the game mechanics. Fairy will take a decent amount of Ice's hold on the anti-dragon moveslot. The introduction of fairy can also promote a rise in the usage of types that ice is weak to, making it less viable in the metagame. So while nothing actually changed, ice has become more inferior.

But as said, someone has to finish last. Poison suffered long enough.

Which is why Fairy is dumb. Why does it get resistance or immunity to all the things it's strong against? I don't think any other type has that.

 

[Their Goominess]

Ice did become weaker relative to the rest of the game mechanics. Fairy will take a decent amount of Ice's hold on the anti-dragon moveslot. The introduction of fairy can also promote a rise in the usage of types that ice is weak to, making it less viable in the metagame. So while nothing actually changed, ice has become more inferior.

But as said, someone has to finish last. Poison suffered long enough.

Which is why Fairy is dumb. Why does it get resistance or immunity to all the things it's strong against? I don't think any other type has that.

Flying resists all the types its SE against (Fighting, Bug, Grass)
edit: I'm pretty sure Dark is the same (immune to Psy, resistant to Ghost)
Poison is the same (resistant to Grass and Fairy)
edit 2: Fire is also the same
Steel is also like this
sooo 5 other types have that, its not Fairy exclusive in any way, shape or form.

 

[Mitja]

I'd like to point out ice type pokemon aren't weaker unless they get their stats lowered. What they should do is just make stronger ice pokemon.

They just made the first mascot legendary Ice not long ago, and we saw how that went. Even coupled with a great type like Dragon, its the first mascot that didn't go into ubers straight away without serious discussion and testing (Black Kyurem is in OU right now).

But thats raw stats and offensive orientation doing its work.

A strongly defensive Ice Pokemon will suck without some godly ability or such. And there is pretty much no type that would fix its problems by making a dual type with it. In fact it would be better off without the Ice type no matter what.

Something like Mamoswine, where Ground gives it an immunity and much needed Rock resistance, while Thick Fat adds a Fire resistance is the closest I can imagine.

 

[KiryatheDragonite]

I'd like to point out ice type pokemon aren't weaker unless they get their stats lowered. What they should do is just make stronger ice pokemon.

They just made the first mascot legendary Ice not long ago, and we saw how that went. Even coupled with a great type like Dragon, its the first mascot that didn't go into ubers straight away without serious discussion and testing (Black Kyurem is in OU right now).

But thats raw stats and offensive orientation doing its work.

A strongly defensive Ice Pokemon will suck without some godly ability or such. And there is pretty much no type that would fix its problems by making a dual type with it. In fact it would be better off without the Ice type no matter what.

Something like Mamoswine, where Ground gives it an immunity and much needed Rock resistance, while Thick Fat adds a Fire resistance is the closest I can imagine.

You forgot Froslass. She's pretty rad, but you are unfortunately correct. I love Ice types, but they are usable only in very specific scenarios. Auroros, despite being super cool, is going to be completely useless. Perhaps their thinking is that Ice should be lethal, but delicate, beautiful and sharp as actual ice, but in a game, this just manifests as a Pokemon that comes out and drops.

 

[nightkeeper]

I think it would create balance and make logical sense if ice was:
Super effective against: Flying, Ground, Rock, Grass, and Dragon.
Reasons: You can't fly frozen, Weathering/Erosion, and Ice Age.
Not very effective against: Fighting, Steel, Water, and Fire.
Reasons: Fighting types are strong enough to fight through the cold, you can't affect Steel just by freezing it, ice melts in water and fire.
Resistant to: Ground, Rock, Water, and Ice.
Reasons: Weathering/Erosion, ice freezes water, ice doesn't effect ice.
Weak to: Fighting, Steel, and Fire.
Reasons: Fighting types are strong enough to break ice, same with Steel, fire melts ice.

The only things I have to say in contrast to your points is that Ice should probably still be weak to rock as rock would smash ice. I would agree with ice then being super effective against rock as well. Cause why not.

 

[zappy800]

They just made the first mascot legendary Ice not long ago, and we saw how that went. Even coupled with a great type like Dragon, its the first mascot that didn't go into ubers straight away without serious discussion and testing (Black Kyurem is in OU right now).

But thats raw stats and offensive orientation doing its work.

A strongly defensive Ice Pokemon will suck without some godly ability or such. And there is pretty much no type that would fix its problems by making a dual type with it. In fact it would be better off without the Ice type no matter what.

Something like Mamoswine, where Ground gives it an immunity and much needed Rock resistance, while Thick Fat adds a Fire resistance is the closest I can imagine.

You forgot Froslass. She's pretty rad, but you are unfortunately correct. I love Ice types, but they are usable only in very specific scenarios. Auroros, despite being super cool, is going to be completely useless. Perhaps their thinking is that Ice should be lethal, but delicate, beautiful and sharp as actual ice, but in a game, this just manifests as a Pokemon that comes out and drops.

What tiers are Lapras, Walrein, and Dewgong, in because they are (well most of them) tanks? Of course that's probably because they are part water.

 

[Frezgle]

What tiers are Lapras, Walrein, and Dewgong, in because they are (well most of them) tanks? Of course that's probably because they are part water.

Allllll NeverUsed. :/
Having the Ice type really is a burden for most Pokemon, keeping them back from greatness by having just too many weaknesses that are extremely common in the higher tiers of the metagame, and only one resistance (to itself, no less). Even outside of the metagame, I've always found them too situational and only useful against Dragons and birds.
They seem to be throwing the type a bone with Aurorus' Freeze Dry, but... That's Aurorus. 4x weak to both Steel and Fighting. We'd better hope it's a powerful attack and other Pokemon receive it.

 

[zappy800]

What tiers are Lapras, Walrein, and Dewgong, in because they are (well most of them) tanks? Of course that's probably because they are part water.

Allllll NeverUsed. :/
Having the Ice type really is a burden for most Pokemon, keeping them back from greatness by having just too many weaknesses that are extremely common in the higher tiers of the metagame, and only one resistance (to itself, no less). Even outside of the metagame, I've always found them too situational and only useful against Dragons and birds.
They seem to be throwing the type a bone with Aurorus' Freeze Dry, but... That's Aurorus. 4x weak to both Steel and Fighting. We'd better hope it's a powerful attack and other Pokemon receive it.

Huh I expected at least one of them to be higher then again I never use steel or fighting types so guess that's why. Someone really should make a thread that has all the pokemon their tiers and also has a discussion for what pokemon can actually go higher. How high is Jynx though might be useful to know what ice types are decent?

 

[Blob55]

I think Weavile is in UU and Mamoswine is probably the best non-Legendary Ice type.

 

[Axell Starr]

So wasn't rock types weak against ice type moves at one point? It's always made sense to me that ice types would be strong against both ground and rock, since rock and ground are similar types. Kinda like how they're both weak to grass or water.

 

[Scattered mind]

So wasn't rock types weak against ice type moves at one point? It's always made sense to me that ice types would be strong against both ground and rock, since rock and ground are similar types. Kinda like how they're both weak to grass or water.

If they had the same weakness and resistance they were simply the same type.
The thing is they are different in many ways like for example the Ground type move Bone club cannot possibly be related to Rock.

By the way don't you think that with the Fairy type now, one of the biggest weaknesses of Ice type,the Fighting type is going to loose some of its popularity ? That way Ice type can gain a little more use in OU
IMO