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On the Fanfiction Pet Peeves thread (and elsewhere,) people talk about how predictable a villain's Pokemon selection is because of how certain types are, in a way, "typecast" as evil. The types in question are Poison, Ghost, and Dark.
However, with the right approach, any type specialist can be an effective villain. To help writers expand their options for characterizing their villain characters in Pokemon fan work, here are some ways in which every type can be corrupted. I hope you'll find this both informative and enjoyable!
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Fire:
Ah, fire. The most (inherently) destructive of the classical four elements. Its destructive potential makes it attractive to wicked trainers seeking to cause destruction. And arson.
Fire is also viewed as a cleansing, purging force, making it a good fit for particularly ruthless Knight Templar characters. And if they ever harness the power of Reshiram's searing blue flames... Watch out. You've got one mother of an unholy crusader on your hands and you better pray they're not coming to purge you from this world.
Water:
Who knows what kinds of terrifying beasts lurk beneath the oceans? Not only is there a wide selection of intimidating sea monsters to choose from, but Cthulhu-esque monsters often take on elements of sea creatures (usually squid or octopi.) Because of that, a Lovecraft-themed villain could feel right at home as a Water-type specialist (ignoring Malamar.)
In addition, any criminal who does most of their dirty work at sea would make good use of Water-types. Pirates, poachers, (maybe) Team Aqua... The most effective nautical criminals will likely have the ocean's most formidable and efficient denizens working for them.
Grass:
As much as people talk about the wonders of the outdoors... Nature is quite ruthless. Some plants sabotage other plants or eat animals, and many plants can make a person's life a living hell in the wilderness. With plants like Shiinotic, Ferrothorn, and Victreebel in existence, the Pokémon world is no exception to this rule. Wayward conservationists, heartless hunters, and guerrilla fighters (among others) all know how to use nature's deadliest tools to their advantage.
Electric:
Electric-themed villains in general have a history of being wild and unpredictable since electricity itself is like that. On a similar note, scientists unconcerned with ridiculous things like ethics (like Colress... Well, he at least exemplifies the latter part) would be a natural fit for Electric (also since Electric is the de facto "techie" type in Pokémon.)
On another note, lightning is commonly associated with the gods. Lightning strikes were (and occasionally still are) viewed as acts of god and there are various gods with dominion over lightning, like Zeus and Thor. A character who either views themselves as a god or aspires to godhood may enjoy wielding the awesome power of Electric-types.
Ice:
At its worst, Ice is cold (figuratively) and heartless, feeling not a single ember of emotion for those who perish to it. Ice has the potential to extinguish life in an unforgiving winter, hence why Grass is weak to it. Those with a grudge against life itself may find themselves drawn to this type.
Ironically, Zinzolin hates the cold yet specializes in this type.
Bug:
While Bug-types are not well-known for being powerful as a whole, many people seem to be unnerved by insects. Villains seeking to strike fear into people (like Guzma!) could command army of intimidating creepy-crawlies; Scizor, Golisopod, Mega Beedrill, Vikavolt, Araquanid, and Scolipede would all do the trick.
The ideas of the "hive mind" and the "queen bee" also comes from some insects' behavior. Enforcers of conformity and manipulative teenagers may seek to emulate these creatures to such an extent that they add them to their team.
Fighting:
As one of the physically strongest types, Fighting can be favored by those who care little for subtlety. Why weave complex plans when beating up whoever crosses you is much simpler? After enough displays of intimidating brute force, a corrupt Fighting-type specialist could simply threaten others into submission.
Since the Fighting type is also the living embodiment of honorable combat (mainly through the Swords of Justice,) villains with a strong sense of honor (and villains who claim to have one) would find kindred spirits in Fighting-types. They could have a knight or samurai motif, too.
Psychic:
Enter the Reign of the Superman. If you have seen Mewtwo or Sabrina (the anime and Pokémon Adventures versions,) you know just how terrifying an ill-intentioned soul with strong psychic powers at their disposal can be. Even if the trainer is not a Psychic themselves, they can still make use of their Psychic-type allies' powers.
While Bug is a good type to symbolize Lawful Evil, Psychic is an excellent Lawful Evil type in practice. With the type's orderly aura and the ability of some Psychic-types to invade others' thoughts and actions, totalitarian tyrants would use these Pokémon to fuel their reign of terror.
Rock:
Wrath and/or Greed would be the sins of choice for wicked Rock-type users. On one hand, brutish bullies would find much potential in them (and in Fighting-types too.)
On the other, Rock includes gemstones as well, so a character hungering for wealth and opulence could either show off gem-encrusted Rock-types or use Pokémon of that type to rob the earth of its precious minerals. Greedy treasure hunters could use them too; in fact, some of their allies may be restored Fossil Pokémon they plundered from the depths.
Ground:
Imagine being in front of a prestigious research facility. Now imagine that you want that piece of prime real estate for your five-star resort, the owner failed to properly pay you for your services, or they have tech that could ruin your company if they finish development. Either way, you need that building gone. Ground-types would be a perfect fit for the job due to how much destruction they cause to rock and steel. Corrupt corporate executives or mob bosses (like Giovanni!) would make devastating use of a wrecking crew of Ground-types.
Now that I think about it, Giovanni's type specialization makes even more sense... and it's a really good thing we stopped him when we did.
Steel:
Like Ice, steel can be portrayed as cold and lifeless. But unlike Ice, Steel is also the type that represents industry and modern ballistics. After all, World War I showed us how bloody mechanized warfare can be. Steel-types would be well-liked by corrupt "captains of industry" and ruthless dictators who both seek to expand their empires indefinitely.
Dragon:
While not often used by villains in the games, the power of Dragon-types would logically be coveted by noble and corrupt trainers alike (especially the latter considering how vicious some species can be.) Villains who like Dragon-types would exploit the hell out of their raw power, using it to trample over all who stand in their way. Cocky, cruel Ace Trainers would really have a liking for them, for example.
Fairy:
One explanation for why Dark is weak to Fairy is that the ways of fairies are alien even to the cunning Dark-types. Many fairies in real-life legend (and some in Pokémon) are indifferent, callous, or even malevolent toward humans. Villains seeking to screw people over in creative ways could collaborate with Fairy-types.
Even ignoring that, villains who view themselves as very nice and pleasant people despite their villainy (or villains that seek to keep up appearances) can get mileage out of Fairy-types (especially if they can one-shot the hero's trusty dragons.) A villain inspired by Dolores Umbridge would enjoy having at least one or two of them.
Flying:
Because there is only one pure Flying-type, this type is versatile. They can share corrupt elements with the other types based on which Pokémon are inhabiting their foul flock.
Out of all the types, Flying's worst traits have a surprising amount in common with Dark's worst traits. Both Flying and Dark use tactics that would be considered cowardly; Dark-types use underhanded tactics while Flying-types hover over the punches of Fighting-types. Air, out of the four classical elements, is the one most associated with trickery. Guess which other type is associated with that? (Okay, Ghost and Fairy are too, but still.) But the key advantage Flying has over Dark comes from its image. A group of birds would not look nearly as suspicious as a crew of obviously wicked-looking Pokémon.
Normal:
Sometimes the most terrible, disgusting people look completely mundane, like what a "normal, respectable human being" would look like. In fact, some people actively seek to eradicate the abnormal, the alien, the foreign. Normal-type specialists could fight to preserve normalcy in the face of a perceived threat to their society's stability, even if the evidence doesn't add up... at all.
The Normal type is also populated by many ferocious beasts like Ursaring and Zangoose. Corrupt trainers going for a rugged beast-master aesthetic could be Normal-type specialists too.
Lastly, many Normal-type Pokémon are cute and/or goofy-looking but deceptively effective. Villains could employ them for the same reason they would use Fairy-types: no one would suspect a trainer with such innocent-looking Pokémon to be evil.
However, with the right approach, any type specialist can be an effective villain. To help writers expand their options for characterizing their villain characters in Pokemon fan work, here are some ways in which every type can be corrupted. I hope you'll find this both informative and enjoyable!
------------------------------------------------------------------
Fire:
Ah, fire. The most (inherently) destructive of the classical four elements. Its destructive potential makes it attractive to wicked trainers seeking to cause destruction. And arson.
Fire is also viewed as a cleansing, purging force, making it a good fit for particularly ruthless Knight Templar characters. And if they ever harness the power of Reshiram's searing blue flames... Watch out. You've got one mother of an unholy crusader on your hands and you better pray they're not coming to purge you from this world.
Water:
Who knows what kinds of terrifying beasts lurk beneath the oceans? Not only is there a wide selection of intimidating sea monsters to choose from, but Cthulhu-esque monsters often take on elements of sea creatures (usually squid or octopi.) Because of that, a Lovecraft-themed villain could feel right at home as a Water-type specialist (ignoring Malamar.)
In addition, any criminal who does most of their dirty work at sea would make good use of Water-types. Pirates, poachers, (maybe) Team Aqua... The most effective nautical criminals will likely have the ocean's most formidable and efficient denizens working for them.
Grass:
As much as people talk about the wonders of the outdoors... Nature is quite ruthless. Some plants sabotage other plants or eat animals, and many plants can make a person's life a living hell in the wilderness. With plants like Shiinotic, Ferrothorn, and Victreebel in existence, the Pokémon world is no exception to this rule. Wayward conservationists, heartless hunters, and guerrilla fighters (among others) all know how to use nature's deadliest tools to their advantage.
Electric:
Electric-themed villains in general have a history of being wild and unpredictable since electricity itself is like that. On a similar note, scientists unconcerned with ridiculous things like ethics (like Colress... Well, he at least exemplifies the latter part) would be a natural fit for Electric (also since Electric is the de facto "techie" type in Pokémon.)
On another note, lightning is commonly associated with the gods. Lightning strikes were (and occasionally still are) viewed as acts of god and there are various gods with dominion over lightning, like Zeus and Thor. A character who either views themselves as a god or aspires to godhood may enjoy wielding the awesome power of Electric-types.
Ice:
At its worst, Ice is cold (figuratively) and heartless, feeling not a single ember of emotion for those who perish to it. Ice has the potential to extinguish life in an unforgiving winter, hence why Grass is weak to it. Those with a grudge against life itself may find themselves drawn to this type.
Bug:
While Bug-types are not well-known for being powerful as a whole, many people seem to be unnerved by insects. Villains seeking to strike fear into people (like Guzma!) could command army of intimidating creepy-crawlies; Scizor, Golisopod, Mega Beedrill, Vikavolt, Araquanid, and Scolipede would all do the trick.
The ideas of the "hive mind" and the "queen bee" also comes from some insects' behavior. Enforcers of conformity and manipulative teenagers may seek to emulate these creatures to such an extent that they add them to their team.
Fighting:
As one of the physically strongest types, Fighting can be favored by those who care little for subtlety. Why weave complex plans when beating up whoever crosses you is much simpler? After enough displays of intimidating brute force, a corrupt Fighting-type specialist could simply threaten others into submission.
Since the Fighting type is also the living embodiment of honorable combat (mainly through the Swords of Justice,) villains with a strong sense of honor (and villains who claim to have one) would find kindred spirits in Fighting-types. They could have a knight or samurai motif, too.
Psychic:
Enter the Reign of the Superman. If you have seen Mewtwo or Sabrina (the anime and Pokémon Adventures versions,) you know just how terrifying an ill-intentioned soul with strong psychic powers at their disposal can be. Even if the trainer is not a Psychic themselves, they can still make use of their Psychic-type allies' powers.
While Bug is a good type to symbolize Lawful Evil, Psychic is an excellent Lawful Evil type in practice. With the type's orderly aura and the ability of some Psychic-types to invade others' thoughts and actions, totalitarian tyrants would use these Pokémon to fuel their reign of terror.
Rock:
Wrath and/or Greed would be the sins of choice for wicked Rock-type users. On one hand, brutish bullies would find much potential in them (and in Fighting-types too.)
On the other, Rock includes gemstones as well, so a character hungering for wealth and opulence could either show off gem-encrusted Rock-types or use Pokémon of that type to rob the earth of its precious minerals. Greedy treasure hunters could use them too; in fact, some of their allies may be restored Fossil Pokémon they plundered from the depths.
Ground:
Imagine being in front of a prestigious research facility. Now imagine that you want that piece of prime real estate for your five-star resort, the owner failed to properly pay you for your services, or they have tech that could ruin your company if they finish development. Either way, you need that building gone. Ground-types would be a perfect fit for the job due to how much destruction they cause to rock and steel. Corrupt corporate executives or mob bosses (like Giovanni!) would make devastating use of a wrecking crew of Ground-types.
Now that I think about it, Giovanni's type specialization makes even more sense... and it's a really good thing we stopped him when we did.
Steel:
Like Ice, steel can be portrayed as cold and lifeless. But unlike Ice, Steel is also the type that represents industry and modern ballistics. After all, World War I showed us how bloody mechanized warfare can be. Steel-types would be well-liked by corrupt "captains of industry" and ruthless dictators who both seek to expand their empires indefinitely.
Dragon:
While not often used by villains in the games, the power of Dragon-types would logically be coveted by noble and corrupt trainers alike (especially the latter considering how vicious some species can be.) Villains who like Dragon-types would exploit the hell out of their raw power, using it to trample over all who stand in their way. Cocky, cruel Ace Trainers would really have a liking for them, for example.
Fairy:
One explanation for why Dark is weak to Fairy is that the ways of fairies are alien even to the cunning Dark-types. Many fairies in real-life legend (and some in Pokémon) are indifferent, callous, or even malevolent toward humans. Villains seeking to screw people over in creative ways could collaborate with Fairy-types.
Even ignoring that, villains who view themselves as very nice and pleasant people despite their villainy (or villains that seek to keep up appearances) can get mileage out of Fairy-types (especially if they can one-shot the hero's trusty dragons.) A villain inspired by Dolores Umbridge would enjoy having at least one or two of them.
Flying:
Because there is only one pure Flying-type, this type is versatile. They can share corrupt elements with the other types based on which Pokémon are inhabiting their foul flock.
Out of all the types, Flying's worst traits have a surprising amount in common with Dark's worst traits. Both Flying and Dark use tactics that would be considered cowardly; Dark-types use underhanded tactics while Flying-types hover over the punches of Fighting-types. Air, out of the four classical elements, is the one most associated with trickery. Guess which other type is associated with that? (Okay, Ghost and Fairy are too, but still.) But the key advantage Flying has over Dark comes from its image. A group of birds would not look nearly as suspicious as a crew of obviously wicked-looking Pokémon.
Normal:
Sometimes the most terrible, disgusting people look completely mundane, like what a "normal, respectable human being" would look like. In fact, some people actively seek to eradicate the abnormal, the alien, the foreign. Normal-type specialists could fight to preserve normalcy in the face of a perceived threat to their society's stability, even if the evidence doesn't add up... at all.
The Normal type is also populated by many ferocious beasts like Ursaring and Zangoose. Corrupt trainers going for a rugged beast-master aesthetic could be Normal-type specialists too.
Lastly, many Normal-type Pokémon are cute and/or goofy-looking but deceptively effective. Villains could employ them for the same reason they would use Fairy-types: no one would suspect a trainer with such innocent-looking Pokémon to be evil.
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