One of the more controversial games in the series, Pokemon Black and White, and their sequels, Black 2 and White 2, are interesting choices for a Monotype (or Single Type) Run.  Black and White have a limited amount of available Pokemon, harkening back to the Generation 1 days, while their sequels start you off in a completely new part of the map while changing the gym line up.  Some Pokemon in BW don’t even show up until after the Elite Four in B2W2 like the Seismitoad line and the Fossil Pokemon.  As such, you have games that are so different from each other that it’s better to treat the two pairs as separate incarnations (this is why it took me awhile to research and write this article).

This article analyzes every type and breaks down which type is the best and worst to do a Monotype Run in each of the games.  You can read an analysis below as well as every type’s ideal team but first, the rules!

Rules

1. Only Pokémon of a certain type may be caught and trained.
2. You must catch the first Pokémon available of that type if your starter does not match that type (you’ll then have to disregard that starter).
3. You may train a Pokémon that evolves to said type as long as you do it ASAP.
4. No out-of-game trading allowed.
5. Only Pokémon caught before Elite Four are counted.

Check out the chart below for a general overview of BW, B2W2, and other Pokemon games

Best and Worst Types for Black and White

Because a lot of types don’t become available until, at the earliest, after the first gym, you’ll make a hard call which types to go for.  Given your limited options, I think the most doable are Water, Normal as the top two, followed by Bug, Ground, Electric, Fighting, and Flying.  I think Water comes in first place thanks to a full team with decent type coverage.  You have your starter, of course, who’s there from the get go.  Swanna and Seismitoad tag team and neutralize your weaknesses early on and Jellicent gives some move diversity that is very appreciative.  More than that, you’re getting Pokemon after Pokemon throughout the game and do not have to wait for the very end unlike Fighting and Steel type.

I’m going to skip over Normal and talk about Bug and Electric because they stand out to me.  Pokemon Black and White are honestly very nice games for a Bug Type run and are among the best in the series for it.  Every team member has a different secondary type and brings something unique to the table.  The team members alone should be enough to satisfy with Volcarona, Scolipede, Leavanny, Durant, Galvantula, and Crustle all being good Pokemon.  Shifting gears, Black and White are one of the few decent games for an Electric run thanks to Eelektross, Emolga, and Galvantula boosting your team.

The worst types are definitely Dragon and Ice followed by Ghost and Poison.  Dragon, Ice, and Ghost suffer from mid-to-late game availability.  Poison, Ice, and Dragon lack some hard diversity and a full team.  And all of them are wide open to their weaknesses.  And Ice is just, woof, just bad.  Just three Pokemon with no secondary typing.  Not even Red and Blue gave Ice such a crap setup.

Best and Worst Types for Black 2 and White 2

The B2W2 games are going to give you type runs that are otherwise hard to pull off in other games.  I think Steel, Electric, Fighting, Bug (B2), and Flying are great followed by Dark, Poison, Normal and Water. All these types have early availability, consistent introduction of new Pokemon, and diverse teams (especially Flying).  Steel and Electric need a special shout out.  You can catch a Riolu and Magnemite early on and slowly build your team from there.  The cherry on top comes from the Metagross line as you can catch one before the Elite Four (something that rarely happens!).  Electric type, meanwhile, further improves BW and adds Mareep before the first gym, and then Magnemite before the second, both of which add diversity to your team and give some new moves and defenses.

Quick shoutout to Flying, normally a restricted type, finds itself very diverse as you can have anything from Crobat to Vespiquen, Altaria to Gliscor, and Sigilyph to Swanna.  It’s very diverse and my “Ideal Team” listed below shouldn’t be taken as gospel as you can do a lot of combinations and still have a solid set.

Unfortunately, despite B2W2 adding diverse Pokemon, we see a major problem of your first Pokemon coming in mid game.  The worst of which is Dragon and Ghost which all have Pokemon showing up after the third gym.  This is a real shame because these teams are really nice!  But damn do you have to wait awhile and nothing kills the mood of a Monotype Run when it takes a couple of hours at least to get to your first Pokemon.  Also, Dragon and Ghost still can’t cover their weaknesses so you’re wide open to a variety of attacks.

Type Teams

Bug
BW
Ideal Team: Scolipede, Leavanny, Crustle, Galvantula, Volcarona, Durant
Optional: Karrablast, Shelmet
First Pokémon: Sewaddle and Venipede via Pinwheel forest after second gym
Cover weaknesses? Yes

B2W2
Ideal Team: Galvantula, Scolipede, Crustle, Vespiquen, Heracross/Leavanny, Volcarona
Optional: Karrablast, Shelmet, Pinsir, Shuckle
First Pokémon: Sewaddle via Route 20 before the first gym
Cover weaknesses?  Yes.  HOWEVER, be warned that in White 2 you can only get a Heracross via Hidden Grotto in Lostlorn Forest and even then it has a 0.75% of appearing.  So technically you can cover your weaknesses it would just be very annoying.  At least in Black 2 you don’t need the Hidden Grotto.

Dark
BW
Ideal Team: Liepard, Scrafty, Krookodile, Bisharp, Mandibuzz (B), Hydreigon
First Pokémon: Purrloin via Route 2 before the first gym
Cover weaknesses? Only for Pokemon Black, in Pokemon White Fighting is not neutralized.

B2W2
Ideal Team: Hydreigon, Mandibuzz (B2)/Weavile, Krookodile, Scrafty, Drapion, Bisharp
Optional: Liepard, Umbreon, Absol, Zoroark
First Pokémon: Purrloin via Route 19 before the first gym
Cover weaknesses? Yes, thanks to Drapion

Dragon
BW
Ideal Team: Haxorus, Druddigon, Hydreigon, Zekrom (W)/Reshiram (B)
First Pokémon: Axew, via Mistralton Cave, after the sixth gym
Cover weaknesses?  No, neither version neutralizes Dragon moves.  Pokemon White has an additional weakness to Ice.

B2W2
Ideal Team: Flygon, Haxorus, Altaria, Druddigon, Hydreigon
First Pokémon: Trapinch via Desert Resort after third gym
Cover weaknesses? No, watch out for Ice and Dragon attacks

Electric
BW
Ideal Team: Zebstrika, Emolga, Galvantula, Eelektross, Stunfisk, Zekrom
First Pokémon: Blitzle via Route 3 after the first gym
Cover weaknesses? Yes

B2W2
Ideal Team: Ampharos, Magnezone, Electabuzz (W2)/Jolteon, Emolga, Galvantula, Eelektross
Optional: Zebstrika
First Pokémon: Mareep via Floccesy Ranch before first gym
Cover weaknesses? Yes

Fighting
BW
Ideal Team: Emboar, Scrafty, Cobalion, Virizion, Terrakion, Mienshao
Optional: Sawk (B)/Throh (W), Gurdurr
First Pokémon: Tepig via starter
Cover weaknesses?  Yes

B2W2
Ideal Team: Emboar, Lucario/Cobalion, Scrafty, Mienshao, Virizion, Terrakion
Optional: Gurdurr, Sawk, Throh, Heracross
First Pokémon: Tepig via starter
Cover weaknesses? Yes
Note: Heads up that in White 2 you can only get a Heracross via Hidden Grotto in Lostlorn Forest and even then it has a 0.75% of appearing.  Black 2 they are easier to catch and don’t need the Hidden Grotto.

Fire
BW
Ideal Team: Emboar, Darmanitan, Chandelure, Volcarona, Heatmor, Reshiram (B)
Optional: Simisear
First Pokémon: Tepig via starter
Cover weaknesses? Only in Pokemon Black and even then it happens at the very end when you get Reshiram.  Otherwise you’re exposed to Water moves in both versions.

B2W2
Ideal Team: Emboar, Arcanine, Magmar (B2)/Camerupt (W2), Darmanitan, Volcarona, Chandelure
Optional: Flareon, Simisear, Darmanitan
First Pokémon: Tepig via starter
Cover weaknesses? No, Water is not neutralized

Flying
BW
Ideal Team: Tornadus (B)/Thundurus (W), Sigilyph, Archeops, Emolga, Swanna, Braviary (W)/Mandibuzz (B)
Optional: Swoobat, Unfezant
First Pokémon: Pidove via Route 3 after the first gym
Cover weaknesses? No, Rock is not neutralized.

B2W2
Ideal Team: Skarmory, Gliscor, Emolga, Altaria, Swanna, Sigilyph
Optional: Swoobat, Crobat, Unfezant, Drifblim, Mantine, Pelipper, Mandibuzz (B2)/Braviary (W2), Delibird, Vespiquen
First Pokémon: Pidove via Route 20 before the first gym
Cover weaknesses? Yes

Ghost
BW
Ideal Team: Cofagrigus, Chandelure, Jellicent, Golurk
First Pokémon: Yamask via Relic Castle after the third gym
Cover weaknesses? No, Dark and Ghost moves not neutralized.

B2W2
Ideal Team: Cofagrigus, Chandelure, Banette, Drifblim, Jellicent, Golurk
First Pokémon: Yamask via Relic Castle after the third gym
Cover weaknesses? No, Dark and Ghost moves not neutralized

Grass
BW
Ideal Team: Serperior, Ferrothorn, Virizion, Leavanny, Amoongus, Sawsbuck
Optional: Maractus, Lilligant, Whimsicott, Simisage
First Pokemon: Snivy via Starter
Cover weaknesses?   No, Fire is not neutralized

B2W2
Ideal Team: Serperior, Leavanny, Virizion, Roserade, Sawsbuck, Ferrothorn
Optional: Sunflora, Whimsicott, Lilligant, Simisage, Amoongus, Tangrowth, Maractus, Leafeon
First Pokémon: Snivy via starter
Cover weaknesses? No, Fire is not neutralized

Note: you can trade a Cottonee for a Petilil and vice versa in BW and B2W2 despite version exclusiveness.

Ground
BW
Ideal Team: Excadrill, Seismitoad, Stunfisk, Krookodile, Golurk
First Pokémon: Drilbur via Wellspring Cave after first gym
Cover weaknesses?  Yes

B2W2
Ideal Team: Krookodile, Camerupt (W2)/Golurk, Flygon, Gliscor, Excadrill, Claydol
Optional: Sandslash, Onix
First Pokémon: Onix and Drilbur via Relic Passage (Castelia City side) after the second gym
Cover weaknesses? Yes

Ice
BW
Ideal Team: Vanilluxe, Beartic, Cryogonal
First Pokémon: Vanillite, via Cold Storage, shortly before the fifth gym
Cover weaknesses?  No, Fire, Fighting, Steel, and Rock are not neutralized.

B2W2
Ideal Team: Beartic, Walrein, Lapras, Mamoswine, Weavile, Delibird
Optional: Vanilluxe, Dewgong, Glaceon
First Pokémon: Eevee via Castelia Park before the third gym
Cover weaknesses? Yes

Normal
BW
Ideal Team: Stoutland, Unfezant, Cinccino, Audino, Sawsbuck, Bouffalant
Optional: Watchog, Braviary
First Pokémon: Patrat and Lillipup via Route 1 before first gym
Cover weaknesses?  Yes

B2W2
Ideal Team: Stoutland, Unfezant, Clefable, Sawsbuck, Bouffalant, Zangoose
Optional: Watchog, Braviary (W2), Dunsparce, Raticate, Delcatty (W2)/Lopunny (B2), Eevee, Cinccino, Castform, Audino, Ditto
First Pokémon: Lillipup via Route 19 before the first gym
Cover weaknesses?  Yes

Poison
BW
Ideal Team: Scolipede, Garbodor, Amoongus
First Pokémon: Venipede via Pinwheel Forest after second gym
Cover weaknesses?  No, Psychic is not neutralized.

B2W2
Ideal Team: Scolipede, Weezing, Muk, Crobat, Drapion, Roserade
Optional: Amoongus, Seviper, Garbodor
First Pokémon: Venipede via Route 20 in dark grass after the first gym
Cover weaknesses? Yes

Psychic
BW
Ideal Team: Musharna, Swoobat, Sigilyph, Gothitelle (B)/Reuniclus (W), Beheeyem
First Pokémon: Munna via Dreamyard right after the first gym
Cover weaknesses?  No, Dark and Ghost are not neutralized.

B2W2
Ideal Team: Sigilyph, Gothitelle (B2)/Reuniclus (W2), Starmie, Claydol, Metagross, Solrock
Optional: Grumpig (B2), Swoobat, Lunatone, Beheeyem, Espeon
First Pokémon: Eevee via Castelia Park and Woobat via Relic Passage before the third gym
Cover weaknesses? Yes

Rock
BW
Ideal Team: Boldore, Crustle, Carracosta, Terrakion
Optional: Archeops
First Pokémon: Roggenrola via Wellspring Cave after first gym
Cover weaknesses? Yes, if you pick Carracosta over Archeops as it gets rid of the Steel and Water weakness.

B2W2
Ideal Team: Crustle, Corsola, Terrakion, Aggron, Probopass, Solrock
Optional: Onix, Gigalith, Lunatone, Shuckle
First Pokémon: Onix and Roggenrola via Relic Passage (Castelia City side) after the second gym
Cover weaknesses? Yes
Note: You can get a Gigalith from a hiker on Route 7 in B2W2

Steel
BW
Ideal Team: Excadrill, Klinklang, Ferrothron, Cobalion, Bisharp, Durant
First Pokémon: Drilbur via Wellspring Cave after first gym
Cover weaknesses? No, Fire is not neutralized.

B2W2
Ideal Team: Lucario/Cobalion, Metagross, Excadrill, Aggron, Ferrothorn, Skarmory
Optional Pokémon: Klinklang, Probopass, Bisharp, Magnezone
First Pokémon: Riolu via Floccesy Ranch before first gym
Cover weaknesses? Yes

Water
BW
Ideal Team: Samurott, Seismitoad, Carracosta, Swanna, Alomomola, Jellicent
Optional: Simipour, Basculin
First Pokémon: Oshawott via starter
Cover weaknesses? Yes

B2W2
Ideal Team: Octillery, Walrein, Jellicent, Vaporeon, Swanna, Starmie
Optional: Samurott, Simipour, Basculin, Azumarill, Mantine, Wailord, Golduck, Pelipper, Lapras, Floatzel, Corsola, Dewgong
First Pokémon: Oshawott via starter
Cover weaknesses? No, Electric is not neutralized