Special
Cannon
465Average
70Moderate
CTier

Magneton is technically a pre-evolution of Magnezone, but it holds its own in formats where Eviolite is allowed. Poison moves can't touch it, and only 3 types hit it super-effectively. It needs some investment to avoid getting outsped. Known as the Magnet Pokemon.

Sp. Atk and Defense carry most of Magneton's stat budget. HP's the obvious dump stat. Moderately hard to find and yields 2 Sp. Atk EVs. Follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve.

Base Stats
465Above
HP50
D
Attack60
C
Defense95
B
Sp. Atk120
A
Sp. Def70
C
Speed70
C
Total465
Low <60
Avg 60-89
High 90-149
Top 150+
EV YieldDefeating Magneton yields +2 SpA
HPAtkDefSpA+2SpDSpe
Details
Catch60Challenging•Medium Fast1M XP•1m / 3'03"•60kg / 132.3 lbs•163Base XP
Pokedex Entries

When many MAGNETON gather together, the resulting magnetic storm disrupts radio waves.

Crystal

Magneton Weakness

Excellent

Type-wise, Magneton takes extra damage from Ground, Fire, and Fighting. Watch out for Ground attacks, those deal 4x damage. Poison moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity. With 12 resistances, the defensive profile is strong. Magneton's physical bulk (base 95 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.

Gen II Type Chart
  • Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
  • Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
  • Special stat split into Sp.Atk and Sp.Def
4xCriticali
Ground
2xWeaki
FireFighting
½xResisti
NormalElectricGrassIcePsychicBugRockGhostDragonDark
¼xResisti
FlyingSteel
0xImmunei
Poison
STAB (4)i
WaterFlyingIceRock
3Weak
12Resist
1Immune
Scorei+9
SpikesGrounded — up to 25%
4x Ground — Earthquake, Earth Power, Scorching Sands
Abilities
Magnet PullPrevents steel opponents from fleeing or switching out.
SturdyPrevents being KOed from full HP, leaving 1 HP instead. Protects against the one-hit KO moves regardless of HP.
AnalyticHAStrengthens moves to 1.3× their power when moving last.

Sitting between Magnemite and Magnezone, Magneton is part of a chain that requires an evolution item. Not your typical level-up setup. HP has grown the most so far (+25), but there's still another 70 stats to gain in the final evolution.

How to Evolve

2 Forms
Magnemite
#081Magnemite
30
Level 30
Magneton
#082Magneton
Stat Comparison 2 Stages
Magnemite
ElectricSteel
Magneton
ElectricSteel
HP
25
50+25
ATK
35
60+25
DEF
70
95+25
SP.ATK
95
120+25
SP.DEF
55
70+15
SPE
45
70+25
BST
325C-Tier
465B-Tier+140
ROLE
Balanced
Cannon
TYPE
Special
Special
Breeding
Challenging

Breed with Magneton to get Magnemite eggs (with patience) using 12 partners from the Mineral egg group.

Egg Groups
Mineral
Gender
GenderlessDittoDitto only
Hatch Time
20 cycles·5,140 steps
Quick~5 min with Flame Body
Breed With (best first)
porygon2golemelectrodemagnetonsudowoodogravelerporygonmagnemitevoltorbgeodudesteelixonix
Showing all 12

Nothing fancy here. Magneton builds around Leftovers for passive recovery each turn, a nature nature for the right stat lean, and flexible EVs EVs. An ability does its job quietly.

Best Build

Utility
Ability
Not in Gen 2
Item
LeftoversSUSTAIN
Nature
Not in Gen 2

Best Magneton Moveset

  • ThunderboltSTAB
  • Thunder WaveSTAB
  • SubstituteUtility
  • Hidden Power Ice

Recommended Teammates

Steelix
SteelixDecent
Alakazam
AlakazamDecent
Gengar
GengarDecent

Leveling does the heavy lifting. Magneton picks up Zap Cannon and Hyper Beam along the way, building toward a complete offensive set. TMs add Normal and Rock coverage, but the foundation's already strong by then.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Sonic Boom
—9020Normal
Lv 1
Supersonic
—5520Normal
Lv 1
Tackle
3510035Normal
Lv 1
Thunder Shock
4010030Electric
Lv 6
Thunder Shock
4010030Electric
Lv 11
Supersonic
—5520Normal
Lv 16
Sonic Boom
—9020Normal
Lv 21
Thunder Wave
—10020Electric
Lv 27
Lock-On
—1005Normal
Lv 35
Tri Attack
8010010Normal
Lv 43
Screech
—8540Normal
Lv 53
Zap Cannon
100505Electric

TM Moves

Src
TM03
Curse
——10Ghost
TM32
Double Team
——15Normal
TM20
Endure+4
——10Normal
HM05
Flash
—7020Normal
TM21
Frustration
—10020Normal
TM10
Hidden Power
6010015Normal
TM15
Hyper Beam
150905Normal
TM17
Protect+4
——10Normal
TM18
Rain Dance
——5Water
TM44
Rest
——10Psychic
TM27
Return
—10020Normal
TM04
Rollout
309020Rock
TM35
Sleep Talk
——10Normal
TM13
Snore
4010015Normal
TM34
Swagger
—8515Normal
TM39
Swift
60—20Normal
TM25
Thunder
1207010Electric
TM06
Toxic
—8510Poison
TM07
Zap Cannon
100505Electric

Egg Moves

Magneton doesn't have any Egg moves

Tutor Moves

Src
Tutor
Thunderbolt
9510015Electric

Reminder Moves

Src
Rem
Swift
60—20Normal

Magneton is obtained through an in-game trade. Visit the NPC at Power Plant and bring the requested Pokemon to make the swap. No wild encounters are available in this game.

How to Obtain Magneton in Crystal

To get Magneton, start by catching Magnemite through walking and trade encounters at Lv. 14-16. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.

  1. Magnemite
    Step 1Catch Magnemite
    Route 6
    GrassLv.14UncommonEarlyRoute
    EASY
    Route 11
    GrassLv.15UncommonEarlyRoute
    EASY
    Route 38
    GrassLv.16UncommonMidRoute
    EASY
    Route 39
    GrassLv.16UncommonMidRoute
    EASY
  2. Magneton
    Step 2Magneton ✓
    Power Plant
    In-game tradeLimitedPower-plantTrade for (give Dugtrio)
    LEGENDARY
    or evolve from Magnemite (Step 1)

  • Magneton is meant to evolve into Magnezone. At 465 BST, the stats aren't there for competitive play yet. Pre-evolution Pokemon rarely hold up against fully evolved threats.

  • Magneton's biggest threats include Golem (Ground), Charizard (Fire), and Hitmonlee (Fighting), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Golem is the most dangerous since Ground moves deal 4x damage.

  • Magnemite evolves into Magneton at level 30. Magneton evolves into Magnezone using a Thunder Stone. Magneton is a middle-stage evolution in the Magnemite line.

  • Base 70 Speed is workable — faster than some, slower than many. On offense, Magneton is a special attacker with base 120 Sp. Atk. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two. Best used as a cannon.

  • Magneton appears in 21 games, including Yellow, Red & Blue, and Gold & Silver.

One of the original 151, Magneton has appeared in 21 games — nearly every mainline game. From Red & Blue through the latest titles, it's rarely been left out of a regional Pokedex.