Stats & Training
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.
It folds its four legs when flying. Its four brains are said to be superior to a supercomputer.
It folds its four legs when flying. Its four brains are said to be superior to a supercomputer.
Metagross Weakness
Metagross is weak to Fire and Ground. On the flip side, it's immune to Poison-type moves entirely. With 8 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 |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Normal, Grass, Ice, Flying, Rock, Dragon, Steel |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Psychic |
| 0x (Immune) | Poison |
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, Armaldo deals 51-60% with Earthquake.
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityNatural Cure ItemLeftovers NatureBold Moves View Blissey builds →
| ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityMagic Guard ItemLeftovers NatureCareful Moves
Damage vs Metagross View Clefable builds →Knock Off8-9% | ||
 | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityBattlearmor ItemLeftovers NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Metagross View Armaldo builds →Stone Edge19-23% Earthquake 2x51-60% | ||
 | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityStatic ItemFocus Sash NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Metagross View Electrode builds →Explosion11-13% Thunderbolt22-26% | ||
 | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityTechnician ItemLife Orb NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Metagross View Ambipom builds →U Turn18-22% | ||
HeartGold & SoulSilver 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 onlyHeartGold & SoulSilver Metagross Best Moveset
The moveset leans on Ground and Normal coverage to catch would-be counters. Lum Berry means one-time status cleanse for Metagross, and max HP and Attack EVs make sure nothing walls it cleanly. Clearbody fills in the gaps.
Best Build
Metagross best EVs are HP and Attack
Physical Tank Moveset
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
- Explosion
- Stealth Rock
Recommended Teammates
Moves
The TM pool is where it gets interesting. Coverage across 12 types means almost nothing walls Metagross cleanly, with Psychic and Meteor Mash anchoring the STAB side. Matchup flexibility isn't a problem.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Transfer Moves
How to Get Metagross in HeartGold & SoulSilver
No wild encounters for Metagross. The 3-stage chain runs through Beldum, which you can catch but it's a rare spawn from the locations below. Evolve at level 45 once you've got the levels.
Metagross Guide
For HeartGold & SoulSilver, we rate Metagross S-Tier: one of the best picks in the HeartGold & SoulSilver meta. At 600 BST, it fits the wallbreaker role. Meteormash with Lum Berry is the standard set.
Mega Evolution isn't available in HeartGold & SoulSilver, but Metagross does have a Mega form in Gen 6-7 games (X/Y, ORAS, Sun/Moon). Mega Metagross hits 700 BST.
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, Metagross's biggest threats include Arcanine (Fire) and Swampert (Ground), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Only 2 weaknesses means fewer dedicated counters to worry about. Metagross has enough bulk to absorb a hit, but don't push the matchup. Pivot to a teammate that resists.
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 7, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RSDebut
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 6ORASMega
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