TLDR: Pokemon SWSH are the best games in the series for a Monotype Run. You can catch every type before the first gym. Water, Flying, Steel, Psychic, and Bug are probably the best whereas Fire and Dragon are the worst. The full list of teams is at the end of this article.
Without a doubt, Pokemon Sword and Shield (SWSH) are the best games in the entire Pokemon franchise for a Monotype Run (also called Single Type). A Monotype Run is a self-imposed challenge where you play a Pokemon game with only one type, sort of like a gym leader. You pick a type, like Dark, and catch the first Pokemon that matches that type, in this case Nickit, and from there only catch Pokemon of that type and progress your way to the Champion. The Pokemon diversity in SWSH is absolutely incredible as you can catch every type before the first gym (compared to XY’s 14 types)! Additionally, out of 18 types and two games, 32 of 36 team combinations have all their weaknesses covered which is INSANE (XY ties it for the best). As such any type you pick will basically be a winner! I have a list of full teams below but first let’s take a look at the rules.
Rules
- A type must be selected before starting the game. Upon playing the game the player must make all attempts to capture a Pokémon of that type as soon as possible. Once captured, the previous Pokémon of the party must be disregarded if they are not of that type.
- Pokémon that have yet to evolve into that type (e.g., Chewtle for a Rock type run) may be caught but must be evolved as soon as possible.
- Out-of-game trading is not allowed
- Only Pokemon caught before you fight the Champion are counted
Optional Rules
Many folks have commented that SWSH are among the easiest games in the series. If you find that to be the case with your Monotype team I encourage you to make it more difficult by imposing such rules as
- Changing the battle from “shift” to “set” so you won’t have an advantage on your opponent
- Not teaching your Pokemon TM, TR, or Move Relearner moves
- Avoid potions and other healing items
- And any other rules you think may give you a more challenging, but still fun, playthrough
Best Types
I could go on and on why all these types are amazing so I’ll do my best to keep it short and to the point. The short of it is that any type is pretty great because you can catch a Pokemon from EVERY TYPE before the first gym! No other game has come close to this perfection! The Wild Area is the main factor as, in some cases, you can have a full team of Pokemon of your type before hitting the first gym. But what about the best? Water, Steel, Psychic, Bug, and Flying are probably the best due to their extreme early availability and amazing diversity. There are so many team combinations that to say that one is the “best” is a mute point. My interpretation of a type’s ideal team will certainly be different from yours and I think that’s what makes these types so great.
Weather Teams are also really wonderful as you can catch Pokemon that will trigger weather conditions on the battlefield. Ground is excellent, as usual, but I want to focus on Ice and Rock. SWSH are probably the best games in the series for an Ice and Rock run. For Ice, you can catch a Snover and Vanillite at the Wild Area whereas for Rock you can catch a Larvitar in Shield and a Gigalith in both versions. These Pokemon’s abilities will trigger weather conditions that you can use to full advantage. I strongly recommend you to catch a Darmanitan in Sword as its ability Gorilla Tactics makes it a fast, physical sweeper.
Worst Types
Unfortunately, Sword and Shield came SO CLOSE to getting a perfect record! Despite your starter, Fire is probably the worst type due to its inability to cover weaknesses. In Shield you are exposed to Rock and Water moves whereas in Sword it’s just Rock thanks to the version exclusive Turtonator. Granted, Fire traditionally has a tough time covering weaknesses and has only pulled it off a few times. If a SWSH sequel comes out Gamefreak just needs to add Camerupt or one of the fire starters and it’s perfect. Still though, this is a pretty good team! You got a Torkoal with Drought, which is excellent, and combined with such Pokemon as Chandelure, Centiskorch, and Coalossal you’ll have a great team! Finally, Ghost in both versions and Fairy in Shield have a weakness exposed so be prepared.
Hmm, if I have to pick one more type it would be Dragon as it’s comparatively “bad” even though SWSH are the best games in the entire series for a Dragon run. It has two main pitfalls. Finding your first Dragon Pokemon can be a draaaaag. Initially, Dragon Pokemon only spawn from this one specific Den (37/64)in the Wild Area so if it’s not going you need to buy a few Wishing Stones to spawn them in Max Raid Battles. Thankfully, you’ll start with good team members like Trapinch, Axew, Noibat and Jangmo-o (Sword) or Goomy (Shield). Second, you will be wide open to your weaknesses until near the end of the game thanks to the late-appearing Duraludon so that Fairy and Ice Gym is going to be rooooooooough.
Wild Area and Your First Pokemon
Usually, finding your first Pokemon is pretty straightforward. Is it your starter? If not, what’s the first route it shows up on? That’s it.
Sword and Shield’s Wild Area has thrown that out of the window and was by far the most time consuming part of my research. I’m glad that 11 out of the 18 types can be found before the Wild Area because those were super easy. But those other seven types were rough so here’s how I broke it down. I wrote down what Pokemon were easiest or most likely to find first and then wrote other Pokemon you can find that are rarer but still possible to find. If there’s a Pokemon you can find only in Max Raid battles, I took note of that and wrote down their den numbers which were provided by Serebii.
Also, so we’re on the same page, random encounters are encounters with the “!” symbol whereas overworld encounters are Pokemon just walking around.
Type Teams
Bug
Ideal Team: Crustle, Centiskorch, Durant, Orbeetle, Galvantula, Araquanid/Golisopod
Optional: Butterfree, Vikavolt, Shedinja, Ninjask, Escavalier (Sword Raid), Accelgor (Shield Raid), Ribombee, Vespiquen, Shuckle, Frosmoth
First Pokémon: Blipbug, Caterpie, Grubbin by random encounters (30%, 15%, and 10%) via Route 1.
Weaknesses Covered? Yes, and it’s taken care of before the first gym!
Dark
Ideal Team: Drapion, Grimmsnarl, Malamar, Bisharp, Scrafty (Sword)/Pangoro, Mandibuzz (Shield)/Crawdaunt
Optional: Thievul, Liepard, Shiftry (Sword), Obstagoon, Skuntank, Umbreon, Weavile, Morpeko, Tyranitar (Shield), Hydreigon (Sword)
First Pokémon: Nickit by overworld (5%) via Route 1. Route 2 is more productive with Zigzagoon and Nickit by overworld (2% and 15%) and Purrloin and Seedot (Sword) by random encounters (10% and 20%).
Weaknesses Covered? Yes
Dragon
Ideal Team: Flygon, Dracovish, Turtonator (Sword)/Haxorus, Kommo-o (Sword)/Drampa (Shield), Duraludon, Dragapult
Optional: Goodra (Shield), Flapple (Sword)/Appletun (Shield), Dracozolt, Hydreigon (Sword)
First Pokémon: In Rolling Fields, you can always find Dragon Pokemon by Max Raids at Den 37/64. These include Noibat, Trapinch, Axew, Jangmo-o (Sword), Goomy (Shield) and sometimes Applin and Dreepy.
Weaknesses Covered? Yes, thanks to Duraludon who’s unfortunately catchable near the end of the game.
Electric
Ideal Team: Vikavolt, Toxtricity, Wash Rotom, Galvantula, Dracozolt, Arctozolt
Optional: Manectric, Jolteon, Other Rotom Forms, Boltund, Raichu, Morpeko, Togedemaru, Pincurchin, Heliolisk
First Pokémon: Grubbin by random encounters (10%) via Route 1. Yamper will follow soon after on Route 2 by overworld (5%).
Weaknesses Covered? Yes
Fairy
Ideal Team: Weezing, Togekiss, Gardevoir, Mawile (Sword)/Sylveon, Mimikyu, Grimmsnarl
Optional: Clefable, Shiinotic, Slurpuff (Sword), Ribombee, Whimsicott, Alcremie, Aromatisse (Shield), Hatterene, Rapidash (Shield)
First Pokémon: You can find a Ralts in Overcast random encounters in Rolling Fields. In Rolling Fields, Den 33/62 will always spawn Fairy Pokemon (Cleffa, Togepi, Cutiefly, Swirlix, Clefairy, Morelull and sometimes Impidimp and Ralts).
Weaknesses Covered? Only in Sword thanks to Mawile. In Shield, Fairy is exposed to Steel type moves.
Fighting
Ideal Team: Scrafty (Sword)/Pangoro, Lucario, Toxicroak (Shield)/Kommo-o (Sword), Gallade, Bewear, Hawlucha
Optional: Hitmonchan, Hitmonlee, Hitmontop, Gurdurr, Machamp, Sirfetch’d (Sword), Throh, Sawk, Passimian (Sword), Falinks, Grapploct
First Pokémon: You can always find Tyrogue by overworld encounters in the Rolling Fields and you can always find Pancham in the Rolling Hills’ western most grasses by overworld. In the East Lake Axewell, you can always find a Stufful by overworld encounters and sometimes by random encounters. Look out for Machop at South Lake Miloch as you can find them in most weather conditions. Finally, Ralts is rarer but you can find them in Overcast encounters at Rolling Fields. In Rolling Fields, Den 1/48 will always spawn Fighting Pokemon for Max Raid battles such as Scraggy (Sword), Croagunk (Shield), Timburr, and sometimes Riolu. This is before the first gym.
Weaknesses Covered? Yes, and you can accomplish this before the first gym!
Fire
Ideal Team: Cinderace, Torkoal, Centiskorch, Coalossal, Heat Rotom, Turtonator (Sword)/Arcanine
Optional: Flareon, Ninetales, Salazzle, Chandelure, Heatmor, technically Darmanitan in Zen Mode
First Pokémon: Scorbunny via Starter
Weaknesses Covered? Sadly no, Shield is weak to Water and Rock. Sword is weak to just Rock thanks to Turtonator.
Flying
Ideal Team: Corviknight, Noivern, Sigilyph, Togekiss, Gyarados, Hawlucha
Optional: Swoobat, Braviary (Sword), Mandibuzz (Shield), Xatu, Noctowl, Unfezant, Butterfree, Pelipper, Delibird, Ninjask, Vespiquen, Drifblim, Fan Rotom, Cramorant, Mantine
First Pokémon: Rookidee by overworld (30%) and Hoothoot and Caterpie by random encounters (5% and 15%) via Route 1.
Weaknesses Covered? Yes
Ghost
Ideal Team: Golurk, Dragapult, Dusknoir, Mimikyu, Gengar, Aegislash
Optional Pokémon: Runerigus, Cofagrigus, Shedinja, Gourgeist, Froslass, Polteageist, Rotom, Cursola (Shield), Chandelure, Jellicent, Trevanant (Raid), Dhelmise, Drifblim, Eternatus
First Pokémon: Watchtower Ruins is your best bet. Regardless of weather you will find a Duskull, Drifloon, Gastly, or Golett by random encounters. You can also find a Nincada at South Lake Miloch by Intense Sun random encounter. Finally, you will always catch Ghosts in Den 6/47 at Watchtower Ruins for Max Raid battles.
Weaknesses Covered? Unfortunately no as both are exposed to Ghost weaknesses (and Sableye is only available after the championship in Shield).
Grass
Ideal Team: Rillaboom, Ludicolo (Shield)/Dhelmise, Flapple (Sword)/Appletun (Shield), Roserade, Ferrothorn, Mow Rotom
Optional: Vileplume, Gourgeist, Cherrim, Shiftry (Sword), Eldegoss, Whimsicott, Shiinotic, Bellossom, Trevanant (Raid), Leafeon, Tsareena, Abomasnow, Maractus
First Pokémon: Grooky via Starter
Weaknesses Covered? Yes
Ground
Ideal Team: Flygon, Hippowdon, Golurk, Gastrodon, Excadrill, Sandaconda
Optional: Diggersby, Mudsdale, Onix, Whiscash, Steelix, Quagsire, Runerigus, Seismitoad, Rhyperior (Raid), Dugtrio, Claydol, Stunfisk, Mamoswine
First Pokémon: In the Rolling Fields, you will find Bunnelby in the overworld in every weather except Snowstorm and Thunderstorm; additionally, you will always find them by random encounter. You can also find Nincada, Mudbray, Baltoy, Golett, and Diggersby in random encounters throughout the Wild Area. They are most common in Sandstorms and Intense Sun (although Sandstorms won’t be unlocked until after the third gym). Look for Swinub when it’s Snowing, Barboach fishing in South Lake Miloch, and Tympole and Wooper in West Lake Axewell. You can also find Ground Pokemon for Den 16/52 in Rolling Fields for Max Raid Battles including the aforementioned Pokemon as well as Diglett and Yamask. There’s also a chance to find a Trapinch by Max Raid battles in Rolling Fields. This is before the first gym.
Weaknesses Covered? Yes
Ice
Ideal Team: Abomasnow, Froslass, Mamoswine, Cloyster, Mr. Rime, Frost Rotom
Optional: Glalie, Delibird, Glaceon, Vanilluxe, Beartic, Weavile, Frosmoth, Avalugg, Lapras, Darmanitan (Sword), Eiscue (Shield), Arctovish, Arctozolt
First Pokémon: You are guaranteed to find an Ice type Pokemon if it’s Snowing in the Wild Area. Find an area that’s snowing and start searching! The Pokemon you can find include Snover, Snorunt, Swinub, Vanillite, Delibird, and Shellder (fishing) via Wild Area. Look for Sneasel in Den 35 at West Lake Axewell for Max Raid battles. This can all be done before the first gym.
Weaknesses Covered? Yes, and it’s taken care of well before the first gym!
Normal
Ideal Team: Bewear, Heliolisk, Unfezant, Oranguru (Shield)/Indeedee, Drampa (Shield)/Obstagoon, Snorlax
Optional: Diggersby, Noctowl, Braviary (Sword), Greedent, Dubwool, Cinccino, Persian, Ditto
First Pokémon: Wooloo and Skwovet by overworld (15% and 50%) and Hoothoot and Skwovet by random encounters (5% and 50%) via Route 1.
Weaknesses Covered? Yes
Poison
Ideal Team: Drapion, Roserade, Toxapex, Weezing, Toxicroak (Shield)/Toxtricity, Gengar
Optional: Vileplume, Skuntank, Garbodor, Salazzle (Shield), Qwilfish, Toxtricity, Eternatus
First Pokémon: You can always find Stunky in random encounters at North Lake Miloch. Keep an eye out for Oddish, Gastly, Budew, and Roselia as they can be found throughout the Wild Area. Finally, Den 29/86 at East Lake Axewell will always spawn Poison Pokemon for Max Raid Battles.
Weaknesses Covered? Yes, and it’s taken care of before the first gym!
Psychic
Ideal Team: Orbeetle, Sigilyph, Bronzong, Gardevoir, Gallade, Malamar
Optional: Swoobat, Musharna, Solrock (Sword)/Lunatone (Shield), Meowstic, Reuniclus (Shield), Gothitelle (Sword), Hatterene, Mr. Rime, Espeon, Claydol, Xatu, Wobbuffet, Beheeyem, Rapidash (Shield), Indeedee, Oranguru (Shield)
First Pokémon: Blipbug by random encounters (30%) via Route 1
Weaknesses Covered? Yes, and it’s taken care of before the first gym!
Rock
Ideal Team: Crustle, Drednaw, Coalossal, Stonjourner (Sword)/Tyranitar (Shield), Gigalith, Solrock (Sword)/Lunatone (Shield)
Optional: Sudowoodo, Rhyperior (Raid), Shuckle, Onix, Barbaracle
First Pokémon: Chewtle by overworld (10%) via Route 2.
Weaknesses Covered? Yes, and it’s taken care of before the first gym! Which is good because it’s Grass, see if you can evolve your Rolycoly before you fight Milo otherwise you might need to lean on Dwebble. Also, get the Sandstream Ability from Gigalith.
Steel
Ideal Team: Corviknight, Excadrill, Bronzong, Ferrothorn, Aegislash, Duraludon
Optional: Perrserker, Steelix, Klinklang, Stunfisk, Bisharp, Mawile (Sword), Lucario, Copperajah, Durant, Togedemaru, Escavalier (Sword Raid)
First Pokémon: Rookidee by overworld (30%) via Route 1
Weaknesses Covered? Yes
Water
Ideal Team: Inteleon, Gyarados, Gastrodon, Dracovish, Araquanid, Ludicolo (Shield)/Cloyster
Optional: Crawdaunt, Drednaw, Quagsire, Seismitoad, Golisopod, Qwilfish, Toxapex, Whiscash, Wishiwashi, Pyukumuku, Barraskewda, Milotic, Wailord, Lanturn, Mantine, Basculin, Vaporeon, Pelipper, Kingler, Seaking, Octillery, Wash Rotom, Cramorant, Lapras, Jellicent, Arctovish
First Pokémon: Sobble via Starter
Weaknesses Covered? Yes, and it can be taken care before the first gym! Which is good because the first gym is Grass. You might want to consider a Rain team with Pelipper’s Drizzle ability.
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Links to other Pokemon Monotype Articles
Games
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Gold/Silver/Crystal
Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald
FireRed/LeafGreen
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Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee
Sword/Shield
Types
Bug
Dark
Dragon
Electric
Fairy
Fighting
Fire
Flying
Ghost
Grass
Ground
Ice
Normal
Poison
Psychic
Rock
Steel
Water
The Unapologetic Nerd 
Hey, it’s me again. I noticed this while reading. Heavy fog doesn’t show up until the post-game, and snow and sand storms don’t appear until you reach Hammerlocke for the first time, which is about half-way through the game. Once again, don’t know if this matters, but just letting you know!
Thanks Flerpybird! Good catch. I’ll update it later. Snowstorm shouldn’t affect it too much but the sandstorm might. I never knew that!
So I checked and updated it. Thankfully, it doesn’t change too much. Snowstorm and Snowing pretty much have the same Pokemon. Sandstorm does make some Pokemon rarer like Hippopatas and Nincada but they’re still catchable. And you can catch a Ralts in Overcast. Thanks again for that catch!
Hiya, Sableye appears to be exclusive to heavy fog in Shield, affecting ghost types.
Thank you for the catch! I’ll correct that
Hello I’m curious if you’ll update this with the inclusion of Isle of Armor and eventually Crown Tundra. Having access to Isle of Armor as soon as you get to the wild area dramatically changes things and I’d like to hear your thoughts. Thanks!
Just as a fun note for a Rock or Ground team, Rhydon is pretty easily available in the Wild Area and can be very tanky thanks to Eviolite (which you can find in the town with the Fairy gym). It doesn’t get the awesome Solid Rock ability Rhyperior has to better deal with its typing, but it’s bonkers how physically tanky you get by boosting a base 120 defense by 50%!
Hello, I really want to thank you for making these awesome articles and because of them, I’ve attempted 4 monotype runs already! I am getting Sword or Shield for my birthday (in December). I want to know whether I should attempt a monotype run right off the bat because I know SwSh is very easy. And if I do what type do you recommend me using?
Hey! Thanks for the compliment! This makes me happy to hear that you took a lot of joy from it.
As for your question…that’s tricky! When I bought SwSh I was tempted to do a blind monotype playthrough but then I gave in because I wanted to train all the new Pokemon which is always fun. So that’s going to be up to you if you’re itching to train some new ones.
But for my recommendation, that’s easy. Go for Ice. If you’ve played other Monotypes before then it’s likely you haven’t done an Ice type yet. Sword and Shield are the best games for an Ice run. A lot of Ice Pokemon are available very early in the Wild Area and you can get a Snover with Snowstream. There’s also just a whole host of fantastic Ice Pokemon like Mamoswine, Mr. Rime, Frost Rotom and Cloyster. Definitely one of the most fun and doable Ice teams in the whole series!!
(I’m the same person just don’t know how to log in again.) Yeah, I haven’t attempted an Ice type run, since I’ve been doing monotype runs on games like BW2. I think I will do a playthrough with the new Galarian pokemon first and then attempt an Ice run. Thanks!
Hey love tour guides, just something for people wanting to do a fairy run. There are lots of Pokemon that help out the run by nuetralizing the Steel weakness that include Klefki, Primarina and Azumarill. This makes this run much more enjoyable and fun. I know from experience 🙂