Metagross Best Moveset
135 Attack and 130 Defense at 80 HP on Steel/Psychic with AbilityClear Body ignoring Intimidate and other stat drops. Held ItemAssault Vest with NatureAdamant patches Sp. Def while pushing physical TermStab to devastating levels. The moveset tanks hits on both sides and fires back with some of the hardest physical damage available. Tera Steel amplifies Meteor Mash.
Steel/Psychic with 135 Attack and 130 Defense in Gen III (Ruby & Sapphire). Meteor Mash hit absurdly hard, and the typing resisted 10 types. Built different.
Best Moves
Best Build
Metagross best EVs are Attack and HP
Physical Attacker Moveset
- Meteor Mash
- Explosion
- Earthquake
- Agility
Recommended Teammates
Bullet Punch provided Steel priority in Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl). Choice Band, Agility, or Stealth Rock sets — all viable. Three gens straight at the top.
Physical Tank Moveset
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
- Explosion
- Stealth Rock
Recommended Teammates
Three gens of dominance in Gen V (Black & White). Meteor Mash, Earthquake, Bullet Punch, and coverage for any threat. Metagross adapted to everything.
Physical Tank Moveset
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Bullet Punch
Recommended Teammates
Fairy-types resisted both STABs and Knock Off punished it in Gen VI (X & Y). Mega Metagross with Tough Claws was banned from standard play, but base form dropped for the first time.
Physical Tank Moveset
- Earthquake
- Meteor Mash
- Bullet Punch
- Ice Punch
Recommended Teammates
Fell further in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). 70 Speed was too slow without Agility, and Dark-types with Knock Off exploited its weakness relentlessly.
Physical Tank Moveset
- Earthquake
- Bullet Punch
- Ice Punch
- Meteor Mash
Recommended Teammates
Same issues in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). The metagame's speed and power outpaced what 130 Defense could wall without better recovery options.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Agility
Recommended Teammates
Bounced back in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet). Clear Body prevented stat drops, and the format valued Metagross's combination of power and bulk again.
Physical Tank Moveset
- Earthquake
- Bullet Punch
- Psychic Fangs
- Meteor Mash
Recommended Teammates
Metagross Weakness
Metagross is weak to Fire, Ground, Ghost, and Dark. On the flip side, it's immune to Poison-type moves entirely. With 9 resistances, the defensive profile is strong. Metagross's physical bulk (base 130 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Ground, Ghost, Dark |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Normal, Grass, Ice, Flying, Rock, Dragon, Steel, Fairy |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Psychic |
| 0x (Immune) | Poison |
What is Metagross Weak Against
GoodBest Pokemon Against Metagross
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityLiquidooze ItemBlack Sludge NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Metagross View Tentacruel builds →Rapid Spin3-3% Knock Off 2x14-17% Surf14-17% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityShielddust ItemFocus Sash NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Metagross View Ribombee builds →Moonblast8-10% | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySnow Warning ItemLightclay NatureTimid Moves View Ninetales-Alola builds →
| ||
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureSassy Moves View Slowking-Galar builds →
| ||
Recommended Build AbilityNeutralizinggas ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureBold Moves View Weezing-Galar builds →
| ||
Evolution
End of the line. Metagross caps a three-stage chain that started at Beldum. Breeding produces the base form, and eggs are takes forever to hatch. Attack grew the most through evolution (+80 over Beldum), and Metagross peaks at 600 total stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Metagross is genderless — breed with Ditto to produce Beldum eggs. Part of the Mineral egg group.
Ditto onlyHow to Get Metagross
Metagross doesn't appear wild. Catch Beldum instead, it shows up at moderate rates. Evolve it at level 45 to get Metagross. The 3-stage chain is mapped in the step cards below.
How to Obtain Metagross in SV
Beldum is your first catch on the way to Metagross. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 50-80 across 8 total spots in the chain.
Step 1Catch BeldumCanyon BiomeLv.50-80OverworldPolar BiomeLv.50-80Overworld
Step 2Catch or Evolve MetangCanyon BiomeLv.50-80OverworldPolar BiomeLv.50-80Overworldor evolve from Beldum (Step 1)
Step 3Metagross ✓BREEDINGAvailableLeave a compatible parent at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Metagross egg.
Metagross appears at moderate rates across 1 spots in endgame routes. Sort by Best below if you want the highest rate, or Earliest if you want the quickest access point in your playthrough.
No wild encounters for Metagross. The 3-stage chain runs through Beldum, which you can catch at solid rates from the locations below. Evolve at level 45 once you've got the levels.
How to Obtain Metagross in BDSP
Beldum is your first catch on the way to Metagross. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 53-63 across 12 total spots in the chain.
Can't catch Metagross directly. Start with Beldum at solid rates from the locations below, then evolve at level 45. The 3-stage chain from Beldum to Metagross is where the leveling time goes.
How to Obtain Metagross in SwSh
To get Metagross, start by catching Beldum through walking encounters at Lv. 60-65. The chain covers 1 catchable stage before reaching the final form.
Step 1Catch BeldumSnowslide SlopeLv.60-65OverworldRate 100%ThunderstormSnowslide SlopeLv.60-65OverworldRate 100%RainingSnowslide SlopeLv.60-65OverworldRate 100%SandstormSnowslide SlopeLv.60-65CaveRate 33%Heavy FogSnowslide SlopeLv.60-65CaveRate 25%SnowstormSnowslide SlopeLv.60-65CaveRate 25%Normal WeatherSnowslide SlopeLv.60-65CaveRate 25%SnowingSnowslide SlopeLv.60-65CaveRate 25%OvercastSnowslide SlopeLv.60-65OverworldRate 24%Intense SunSnowslide SlopeLv.60-65OverworldRate 24%Normal WeatherSnowslide SlopeLv.60-65OverworldRate 24%Heavy FogSnowslide SlopeLv.60-65OverworldRate 24%OvercastSnowslide SlopeLv.60-65CaveRate 20%Intense SunSnowslide SlopeLv.60-65OverworldShieldRate 19%SnowstormSnowslide SlopeLv.60-65OverworldRate 19%SnowingSnowslide SlopeLv.60-65OverworldSwordRate 14%Snowstorm
Step 2Evolve into MetangBREEDINGAvailableLeave Metagross with a compatible partner at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Metang egg.
Step 3Metagross ✓
Base Stats
Attack and Defense carry most of Metagross's stat budget. Speed's the obvious dump stat. Near-impossible to catch and yields 3 Defense EVs. Follows a slow 1.25M XP grind.
Because the magnetic powers of these Pokémon get stronger in freezing temperatures, Metagross living on snowy mountains are full of energy.
Metagross Guide
We rate Metagross B-Tier: a solid choice for the right team. At 600 BST, it fits the wallbreaker role. Base 135 Attack stands out.
Metagross can Mega Evolve into Mega Metagross. That's 700 BST, up from 600. The stat redistribution often changes its best role. Mega Stone required, one per battle.
Clear Body is the go-to ability for Metagross. It prevents stats from being lowered by other Pokémon. Its hidden ability Light Metal can work in specific setups.
Base 70 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. On offense, Metagross is a physical attacker with base 135 Attack. Defensively? Tanky enough to absorb a few hits. Best used as a wallbreaker.
Game Availability
Since debuting in Ruby & Sapphire, Metagross has appeared in 16 titles over 8 generations. Along the way, it received a Mega form in Generation 6, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RSDebut
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 6ORASMega
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
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