Is Magmar Good in HeartGold & SoulSilver Playthrough?
Burned Tower encounter during the story. Fire-type with AbilityFlame Body potentially burning attackers on contact. HGSS introduces Magmortar through Magmarizer trade, adding serious Fire power. The Johto Fire roster is thin enough that Magmar has real value.
Magmar has the type edge here and should clean up Falkner's team.
Magmar resists most of Bugsy's coverage and hits back hard.
Magmar has the type edge here and should clean up Whitney's team.
Magmar has the type edge here and should clean up Morty's team.
Chuck's team hits Magmar's weaknesses hard.
Magmar resists most of Jasmine's coverage and hits back hard.
Magmar has the type edge here and should clean up Pryce's team.
Clair's team hits Magmar's weaknesses hard.
Magmortar has the type edge here and should clean up Brock's team.
Magmortar has the type edge here and should clean up Misty's team.
Magmortar has the type edge here and should clean up Lt. Surge's team.
Magmortar resists most of Erika's coverage and hits back hard.
Magmortar resists most of Janine's coverage and hits back hard.
Magmortar has the type edge here and should clean up Sabrina's team.
Magmortar trades roughly evenly with Blaine's team.
Magmortar has the type edge here and should clean up Blue's team.
Magmortar has the type edge here and should clean up Will's team.
Magmortar resists most of Koga's coverage and hits back hard.
Magmortar has the type edge here and should clean up Bruno's team.
Magmortar has the type edge here and should clean up Karen's team.
Magmortar trades roughly evenly with Lance's team.
Catchable
Catch Magmar in Burned Tower (walking, Lv 14, rare).
Recommended Moves
- After Bugsy
- TM15NormalHyper BeamPower 150Accuracy 90%PP 5Goldenrod Department Store
- TM52FightingFocus BlastPower 120Accuracy 70%PP 5Goldenrod Department Store
- LV 25GhostConfuse RayPower —Accuracy 100%PP 10
- LV 28FireFire PunchPower 113Accuracy 100%PP 15
- After Chuck
- TM01FightingFocus PunchPower 150Accuracy 100%PP 20Prize for defeating Chuck
- LV 36FireLava PlumePower 120Accuracy 100%PP 15
- LV 41FireFlamethrowerPower 143Accuracy 100%PP 15
- LV 54FireFire BlastPower 180Accuracy 85%PP 5
Evolve Magmar to Magmortar
Magmar evolves into Magmortar when traded. Most players are ready to trade before reaching Brock.
Recommended Moves
- STARTING (Lv 41)
- LV 41FireLava PlumePower 120Accuracy 100%PP 15
- LV 41FireFire PunchPower 113Accuracy 100%PP 15
- After Bugsy
- TM22GrassSolar BeamPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 10Goldenrod Department Store
- After Chuck
- TM01FightingFocus PunchPower 150Accuracy 100%PP 20Prize for defeating Chuck
- After Clair
- TM26GroundEarthquakePower 100Accuracy 100%PP 10Victory Road
- LV 43FireFlamethrowerPower 143Accuracy 100%PP 15
- LV 58FireFire BlastPower 180Accuracy 85%PP 5
- LV 67NormalHyper BeamPower 150Accuracy 90%PP 5
How to Get Magmar in HeartGold & SoulSilver
Daytime and the morning-night fringe are the only windows for Magmar, at a couple of fiery spots. The level band is tight in the teens with rare and uncommon rates, so do not expect a quick catch.
2 locations to catch Magmar
Encountered via tall grass encounters
Badge 4
Badge 5
Badge 6Where To Catch Magmar in HGSS
- Step 1Breed Magby from Magmar
Breed from Magmar at the Day Care.
- Step 2Magmar ✓Burned Tower - B1FLv.14FloorRate 5%Morning/nightBurned Tower - B1FLv.16FloorRate 10%DaySafari Zone - PeakLv.17FloorRate 10%Morning/dayor evolve from Magby (Step 1)
- Step 3Evolve into Magmortar
Not landing the catch? Calculate Magmar catch rates for HeartGold & SoulSilver by ball, status, and HP.
How to Get Shiny Magmar in HeartGold & SoulSilver
Magmar smolders in the Burned Tower and Safari Zone, though a shiny hatches faster from Masuda breeding. Compare Shiny Magmar odds across every game
HeartGold & SoulSilver Shiny Magmar Calculator
2 MethodsThe best route is Masuda Method, about 1 in 1,639 on each try.
Masuda Method: Breed with a parent from a different-language game. Works on any breedable line.
Full Odds: Walk through grass, surf, or fish. Every encounter is its own independent shiny roll.
How many you have done, or plan to do.
| Chance | Encounters | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 10%lucky few | 173-- | -- |
| 25%one in four | 472-- | -- |
| 50%coin flip | 1,136-- | -- |
| 90%very likely | 3,773-- | -- |
Time assumes -- at your pace and does not change your shiny odds.
How is this calculated?
Every encounter has the same shiny chance, the Shiny Odds Per Try shown above. Each one is a separate roll that does not care how many you have already done, so the more you hunt, the higher your overall chance of at least one shiny. The formula below turns your odds and your number of tries into that combined chance.
chance after N tries = 1 − (1 − p)^N, where p = 1 / odds per try
Example at 1 in 8,192 (classic full odds): about 864 encounters for a 10 percent chance, 5,678 for 50 percent, and 18,862 for 90 percent.
The table above flips that around: it shows how many encounters it takes to reach a 10, 25, 50, and 90 percent chance at your current odds. Turning on boosts like the Shiny Charm, sandwiches, or chains improves your odds, so the encounter numbers drop.
These are estimates, not promises. Most games have no pity counter, meaning no guaranteed shiny no matter how many you hunt, so even Very Likely is not guaranteed: some hunters find one early, others go well past that point.
Want exact numbers for your session? Calculate your shiny odds in HeartGold & SoulSilver with Magmar preloaded.
Magmar Weakness
Type-wise, Magmar takes extra damage from Water, Ground, and Rock. It resists 5 types, giving it decent defensive coverage. Magmar's special bulk (base 85 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Ground, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Grass, Ice, Bug, Steel |
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
What is Magmar Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Magmar
 Lapras WaterIce | C | |
Obtain MethodUnion Cave Interact Encounter | ||
 Sandslash Ground | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magmar View Sandslash builds →Dig 2x105-124%KO Rock Tomb 2x45-53% | ||
 Quagsire WaterGround | C | |
Obtain MethodCliff Edge Gate Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magmar View Quagsire builds →Dig 2x91-108%KO Surf 2x68-80% Rock Tomb 2x40-48% | ||
 Croconaw Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Totodile (New Bark Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magmar View Croconaw builds →Surf 2x64-76% Dig 2x59-69% Rock Tomb 2x37-45% | ||
 Nidoking PoisonGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magmar View Nidoking builds →Dig 2x105-124%KO Surf 2x53-64% Rock Tomb 2x45-53% | ||
 Nidoqueen PoisonGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magmar View Nidoqueen builds →Dig 2x97-116%KO Surf 2x49-59% Rock Tomb 2x40-48% | ||
 Graveler RockGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magmar View Graveler builds →Dig 2x101-120%KO Rock Tomb 2x64-76% | ||
 Bibarel NormalWater | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magmar View Bibarel builds →Surf 2x60-72% Dig 2x60-72% Rollout 2x24-29% | ||
 Sudowoodo Rock | C | |
Obtain MethodRoute 36 Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magmar View Sudowoodo builds →Dig 2x69-83% Rock Tomb 2x68-80% | ||
 Buizel Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magmar View Buizel builds →Surf 2x64-76% Dig 2x52-61% Rock Tomb 2x33-40% | ||
 Slowpoke WaterPsychic | C | |
Obtain MethodSlowpoke Well Surfing | ||
 Numel FireGround | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magmar View Numel builds →Dig 2x71-84% Rock Tomb 2x31-37% | ||
 Onix RockGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magmar View Onix builds →Dig 2x60-72% Rock Tomb 2x40-48% | ||
Magmar Evolutions
Magmar is partway through a three-stage line between Magby and Magmortar. The chain involves a trade, so it's not a straightforward grind. Sp.Atk has grown the most so far (+30), but there's still another 45 stats to gain in the final evolution. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Magmar to get Magby eggs using 39 partners from the Human-Like egg group. Notable egg moves include Barrier, Belly Drum, Cross Chop and 7 more.
HGSS Magmar Best Moveset
Special Fire attacker at 100 Sp. Atk and 93 Speed, fast enough to outrun mid-speed threats. AbilityFlame Body burns physical attackers on contact, punishing the close-range hits that 57 Defense can't absorb. The moveset fires hard and punishes contact. Evolve to Magmortar.
Best Build
Magmar best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed
Special Attacker Moveset
- Flamethrower
- Psychic
- Confuse Ray
- Sunny Day
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Breeding's the move. Barrier and Belly Drum give Magmar options it can't learn any other way, and coverage across 7 types already covers a decent range on top of Flare Blitz and Fire Blast. The egg moves push it further.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- Egg
- Inherited via breeding.
- Tutor
- NPC tutor (cost: items, BP, money).
- Reminder
- An NPC reteaches any move this Pokemon could have learned by leveling up.
- Transfer
- Carried over from an older game using Pokemon HOME.
- Event
- Given out through Mystery Gift events.
Visual Signals
CAT (Category)
How the move deals damage and which stats it uses.
A small dot on the icon's corner marks the move as contact. That triggers abilities like Static, Flame Body, Rough Skin, or Iron Barbs, plus items like Rocky Helmet and Sticky Barb.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM, Egg, and Tutor sort by tier by default (best first). On Level-Up, click the Tier header to do the same.
PWR (Power)
Base damage. Numbers shown in a type color include STAB (base × 1.5). Hover any colored number to see the math.
— means no power (status moves) or variable power.
Sorting & Filter
Click any column header to sort. Level-Up opens with Lv 1 at the top. TM, Egg, and Tutor open with the highest-tier moves at the top.
Search filters by move name or type. The Filter button limits the list to STAB, Physical, Special, or Status moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
All 21 TMs are obtainable before the Elite Four
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Reminder Moves
Base Stats
It dislikes cold places, so it blows scorching flames to make the environment suitable for itself.
The fiery surface of its body gives off a wavering, rippling glare that is similar to the sun.
Magmar Event Distributions
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, Magmar reaches players through one Mystery Gift distribution rather than a recurring giveaway.
Present With Friends! DiamondSoulSilverDiamondPlatinumNot shiny
Magmar HeartGold & SoulSilver Guide
- How do I catch Magmar in the HeartGold & SoulSilver Safari Zone?
See the Locations section above for where to find Magmar in HeartGold & SoulSilver.
Safari rules: You can only use Safari Balls. No battling. Two tactical items shift the catch/flee trade-off:
- Throw bait to keep Magmar from fleeing (flee rate cut to 1/4) but it becomes harder to catch (catch factor halved).
- Throw a rock to make Magmar easier to catch (catch factor doubled) but it flees twice as often.
- Each effect lasts 2-6 random turns; throwing one cancels the other.
Magmar evolves into Magmortar via trade. The Magmarizer must be held during the trade. Bring one over from a sibling Gen 3 game if needed.
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, Magmar does the job early-game if you need a Fire type on your team. Evolve it into Magmortar before the later gyms and it holds up fine through the story.
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, Magmar plays as a attacker. Speed is middling, so pick your spots carefully. Flamethrower is the primary attack.
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, Timid is the go-to nature for Magmar. That's +Speed / -Attack. Pair it with 252 SpA / 252 Spe EVs. Fits the attacker role.
Game Availability
Magmar has been part of the series since Red & Blue, appearing in 21 titles across all 9 generations. As a Gen 1 original, it's one of the most consistently available Pokemon in the franchise.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7Let's Go
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves
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