Are Fighting-type moves viable against Snorlax?

Question

Knowing that Fighting type moves are super effective against Snorlax, we might choose them. But since Fighting type Pokemons have low HP, we might choose other type of Pokemons with Fighting moves.

However, is it true that, even though with Type Effectiveness considered, say, for a Rhydon:

Rock Smash     DPS 10.6 x 1.25 = 13.25    (x 1.25 for type effectiveness)
Mud Slap       DPS 13.9 (with STAB)

So it really is not so useful to choose fast fighting moves to fight against Snorlax. I checked all 3 fast fighting moves: Karate Chop, Low Kick, and Rock Smash, and Rock Smash is already the most powerful of all 3. So in the case of Rhydon, it really is more effective to choose a Rhydon with Mud Slap than Rock Smash to fight against a Snorlax.

Actually, to have a good fighting charge move, we need Cross Chop (the other two fighting charge moves Brick Break and Low Sweep have low DPS). But for Cross Chop, it is only for: Primeape, Machamp, Machop, Machoke, Mankey, and Psyduck. So if we can't choose fighting type Pokemons due to low HP, and Psyduck has low HP and we can't choose it either, so we can really just forget about fighting type moves altogether?

Is the logic / reasoning mentioned above correct or is anything missing?

Answer 1

Much has changed in Pokemon Go since when this question was first posted. The super-effective damage multiplier is now 1.6x, not 1.25x. Rhydon now deals more damage to Snorlax with Rock Smash than Mud Slap. There are also many more Fighting-type moves, some of which are better than the ones available in 2016. For example, the fast move Counter and the charge move Dynamic Punch let Machamp deal the highest damage per second in gym or raid battles, but other good moves exist too. Machamp can beat a similarly levelled Snorlax even with Zen Headbutt using both of these moves. Pokemon stats have been rebalanced too in a way that benefited lower HP Pokemon more than higher HP Pokemon. This buffed most Pokemon, but this made Snorlax worse relative to other Pokemon due to its very large HP stat, especially considering it has more HP than every Fighting-type (and also Rhydon).

Overall with these changes, Fighting-type moves are now very viable against Snorlax, and many Pokemon with Fighting-type moves have a strong match-up against Snorlax, including the aforementioned Machamp and Rhydon.

Answer 2

As other users have pointed out in the comments, your logic is sound here. Your example with Rhydon is good, as it shows that, without STAB, fighting-type moves are largely ineffective in the current state of the game.

However, Machamp, for example, would not be a bad matchup against Snorlax. Machamp actually does not have a low Stamina stat (180, which, according to the site you linked, places Machamp at #17 overall for Stamina). Thus, a Machamp with Karate Chop and Cross Chop would be a very good contender against a Snorlax, or even a Lapras, as Fighting is super-effective against Ice.

Additionally, despite its low Stamina, I'd be likely to take a Primeape into a fight against a defensive wall like Snorlax. Even if it was unable to defeat it, a Low Kick/Cross Chop Primeape would very likely take out a large chunk of HP from Snorlax (or Lapras).

Based on this, I would say that unless you are getting a Same Type Attack Bonus as well as a type effectiveness boost, Fighting moves are relatively underpowered, though it would be incorrect to say that Fighting types are not feasible at the moment.