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Counter guide · Rock / Electric · Gen IX

What beats Iron Thorns?

The 5 hardest counters to Iron Thorns ranked by type effectiveness, base-stat total, and Speed. Great Tusk outspeeds and hits for 4× with ground-type STAB.

Iron Thorns
No. 995
Iron Thorns
Rock Electric
BST 570 · Speed 72 · Atk 134 · SpA 70

Top 5 counters

  1. #1
    Great Tusk
    No. 984
    Great Tusk
    Ground Fighting
    Hits Iron Thorns for 4× via ground-type STAB Takes ¼× back from rock-type STAB Speed: 87 > 72 (outspeeds) Lean: Physical (Atk 131)
  2. #2
    Groudon
    No. 383
    Groudon
    Ground
    Hits Iron Thorns for 4× via ground-type STAB Takes ½× back from rock-type STAB Speed: 90 > 72 (outspeeds) Lean: Physical (Atk 150)
  3. #3
    Iron Treads
    No. 990
    Iron Treads
    Ground Steel
    Hits Iron Thorns for 4× via ground-type STAB Takes ¼× back from rock-type STAB Speed: 106 > 72 (outspeeds) Lean: Physical (Atk 112)
  4. #4
    Excadrill
    No. 530
    Excadrill
    Ground Steel
    Hits Iron Thorns for 4× via ground-type STAB Takes ¼× back from rock-type STAB Speed: 88 > 72 (outspeeds) Lean: Physical (Atk 135)
  5. #5
    Garchomp
    No. 445
    Garchomp
    Dragon Ground
    Hits Iron Thorns for 4× via ground-type STAB Takes ½× back from rock-type STAB Speed: 102 > 72 (outspeeds) Lean: Physical (Atk 130)

Iron Thorns's type weaknesses

4× weak to
Ground
2× weak to
Water Grass Fighting

How this list is computed

Each candidate is scored on best-STAB damage into Iron Thorns, the damage taken back, Speed comparison, base-stat total, and offensive lean (Attack vs Sp. Attack). Candidates that Iron Thorns hits super-effectively for 2× or more without taking comparable damage back are filtered out — they die first. Type-immune candidates are excluded entirely.

Counters are theoretical type-chart matchups, not damage calculations. Item, ability, and move-set choices can swing real battles. Use this list as a starting point, not a final answer.