Stats & Training
Magcargo's all-in on Defense at the expense of Speed. The special lean is obvious from the bars. Yields 2 Defense EVs and follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
The shell on its back is just skin that has cooled and hardened. It breaks easily with a slight touch.
Its brittle shell occasionally spouts intense flames that circulate throughout its body.
Magcargo Weakness
Magcargo's Fire/Rock typing leaves it vulnerable to Water, Ground, Fighting, and Rock. Water and Ground hits land at 4x, so they're the biggest threat. 6 resistances give it solid defensive coverage on top of that. Magcargo's physical bulk (base 120 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Water, Ground |
| 2x (Weak) | Fighting, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Normal, Ice, Poison, Flying, Bug |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Fire |
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, Infernape can KO Magcargo with Close Combat (95-112%). Flygon threatens a KO with Earthquake (154-182%). Swampert's Earthquake also KOs at 132-156%.
 Infernape FireFighting | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityBlaze ItemExpert Belt NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Magcargo View Infernape builds →Close Combat 2x95-112%KO U Turn9-11% Fire Blast8-9% | ||
 Flygon GroundDragon | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityLevitate ItemChoice Scarf NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Magcargo View Flygon builds →Earthquake 4x154-182%KO Outrage46-54% U Turn9-11% | ||
 Swampert WaterGround | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityTorrent ItemLeftovers NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Magcargo View Swampert builds →Earthquake 4x132-156%KO Ice Beam8-9% Waterfall 4x107-126%KO | ||
 Aerodactyl Rock | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityPressure ItemFocus Sash NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Magcargo View Aerodactyl builds →Earthquake 4x106-125%KO Stone Edge 2x80-94% | ||
HeartGold & SoulSilver Evolution
Magcargo is the evolved form of Slugma. Breeding produces Slugma eggs, and they're average hatch time. Evolving from Slugma gave Magcargo the biggest boost in Defense (+80), bringing the total to 420 stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Magcargo to get Slugma eggs easily using 31 partners from the Indeterminate egg group. Notable egg moves include Acid Armor, Curse, Heat Wave and 5 more.
HeartGold & SoulSilver Magcargo Best Moveset
Stealth Rock is the priority every time Magcargo comes in. Calm nature and max HP and Sp. Def EVs keep it alive long enough to get layers down, while Leftovers provides passive recovery each turn. Flame Body rounds it out. Recover keeps it healthy between hits.
Best Build
Magcargo best EVs are HP and Sp. Def
Wall Moveset
- Stealth Rock
- Recover
- Lava Plume
- Yawn
Recommended Teammates
Moves
You'll want to breed for Acid Armor and Curse on Magcargo. These egg moves aren't just nice to have. Combined with STAB from Overheat and Fire Blast, they expand what Magcargo can actually threaten in practice.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Transfer Moves
How to Get Magcargo in HeartGold & SoulSilver
Can't catch Magcargo directly. Start with Slugma at moderate rates from the locations below, then evolve at level 38. The 2-stage line from Slugma to Magcargo is where the leveling time goes.
How to Obtain Magcargo in HeartGold & SoulSilver
Slugma is your first catch on the way to Magcargo. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 27-29 across 6 total spots in the chain.
Step 1Catch SlugmaRoute 16HeartGoldGrass Lv.27 RouteRareMidRoute 16SoulSilverGrass Lv.27 RouteRareMidRoute 18SoulSilverGrass Lv.27 RouteRareMidRoute 18HeartGoldGrass Lv.27 RouteRareMidRoute 17HeartGoldGrass Lv.29 RouteRareMidRoute 17SoulSilverGrass Lv.29 RouteRareMid
Step 2Magcargo ✓
Magcargo Guide
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, watch for Starmie (Water), Rhydon (Ground), and Hitmonlee (Fighting) when using Magcargo. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Starmie is the most dangerous since Water moves deal 4x damage. Rock-type attackers are also a problem. At base 30 Speed, Magcargo won't outrun any of these threats so switching to a resist is usually the safer play.
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, Slugma evolves into Magcargo at level 38. Magcargo is the fully evolved form. It sits at 420 BST in its evolved form.
For HeartGold & SoulSilver, it depends on your team. Magcargo at 420 BST isn't a powerhouse, but the Fire/Rock coverage might be exactly what you're missing.
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, Magcargo has a 420 base stat total and ranks as C-Tier: a niche pick in HeartGold & SoulSilver's meta. It works best as a support. Stealth Rock with Leftovers is the standard set.
Magma Armor prevents freezing. That's the one you want on Magcargo. Weak Armor is the hidden ability. Niche, but it has its uses. Flame Body works too if your team needs something different.
Game Availability
Magcargo first appeared in Gold & Silver and has been available in 17 games across 9 generations. Obtainable through wild encounters in most titles where it appears.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 2GSDebut
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves