Is Onix Good in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Playthrough?
Sinnoh cave encounter. Steelix via Metal Coat trade is a strong Steel/Ground defensive Pokemon. Onix itself is too fragile on the special side to recommend.
Steelix trades roughly evenly with Roark's team.
Steelix has the type edge here and should clean up Gardenia's team.
Steelix trades roughly evenly with Maylene's team.
Steelix trades roughly evenly with Crasher Wake's team.
Steelix trades roughly evenly with Fantina's team.
Steelix has the type edge here and should clean up Byron's team.
Steelix trades roughly evenly with Candice's team.
Steelix trades roughly evenly with Volkner's team.
Steelix has the type edge here and should clean up Aaron's team.
Steelix trades roughly evenly with Bertha's team.
Steelix trades roughly evenly with Flint's team.
Steelix trades roughly evenly with Lucian's team.
Steelix trades roughly evenly with Cynthia's team.
Catch Onix on Oreburgh Mine (walking, Lv 8, uncommon).
How to Get Onix in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Onix's 2-stage line starts with Onix, which appears in the wild in the locations below. Level through 2 stages while you find a trade partner. Everything except the trade step is solo.
Where To Catch Onix in BDSP
Onix is your first catch on the way to Onix. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 8-56 across 70 total spots in the chain.
Step 1Onix ✓Oreburgh Mine - 1FLv.8CaveRate 10%Oreburgh Mine - B1FLv.9CaveRate 10%Big Bluff CavernLv.16-20CaveRocky CaveLv.16-20CaveSandsear CaveLv.16-20GrassTyphlo CavernLv.16-20CaveVolcanic CaveLv.16-20CaveIron Island - B2F Right CaveLv.31-33GrassRate 30%Iron Island - B2F Left CaveLv.32-33GrassRate 30%Iron Island - B3FLv.32-33GrassRate 30%Iron Island - 1FLv.32-33GrassRate 10%Iron Island - B1F Left CaveLv.32-33GrassRate 10%Iron Island - B1F Right CaveLv.32-33GrassRate 10%Victory Road - 1FLv.44CaveRate 10%Victory Road - 2FLv.45CaveRate 10%Snowpoint Temple - 1FLv.50-52CaveRate 15%Victory Road - Nat Dex AreaLv.50CaveRate 10%Snowpoint Temple - B1FLv.52-53CaveRate 5%Snowpoint Temple - B2FLv.52-53CaveRate 5%Snowpoint Temple - B3FLv.52-53CaveRate 5%Stark Mountain - EntranceLv.54CaveRate 5%Stark Mountain - InteriorLv.56CaveRate 5%
Step 2Catch or Evolve into SteelixIron Island - B2F Left CaveLv.33-34GrassRate 10%Iron Island - B3FLv.33-34GrassRate 10%Snowpoint Temple - B4FLv.54-56CaveRate 20%Snowpoint Temple - B5FLv.54-56CaveRate 20%Snowpoint Temple - B1FLv.53-54CaveRate 15%Snowpoint Temple - B2FLv.53-54CaveRate 15%Snowpoint Temple - B3FLv.53-54CaveRate 15%Victory Road - 1FLv.46CaveRate 10%Victory Road - B1FLv.46CaveRate 10%Victory Road - 2FLv.47CaveRate 10%Victory Road - Nat Dex AreaLv.52CaveRate 10%Victory Road - Nat Dex Area B1FLv.52CaveRate 10%Snowpoint Temple - 1FLv.52CaveRate 5%or evolve from Onix (Step 1)
Onix Weakness
Onix's Rock/Ground typing leaves it vulnerable to Water, Grass, Ice, Fighting, Ground, and Steel. Water and Grass hits land at 4x, so they're the biggest threat. It shrugs off Electric-type attacks completely. The Rock/Ground typing picks up 5 resistances to work with. Onix's physical bulk (base 160 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Water, Grass |
| 2x (Weak) | Ice, Fighting, Ground, Steel |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Normal, Fire, Flying, Rock |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Poison |
| 0x (Immune) | Electric |
What is Onix Weak Against
FragileBest Pokemon Against Onix
 Machop Fighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Machop builds →Focus Punch 2x92-111%KO Earthquake 2x45-53% | ||
 Psyduck Water | D | |
Obtain MethodCelestic Town Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Psyduck builds →Surf 4x239-284%KO Focus Punch 2x45-53% Iron Tail 2x29-37% | ||
 Cubone Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Cubone builds →Earthquake 2x45-55% Focus Punch 2x45-53% Iron Tail 2x29-37% | ||
 Phanpy Ground | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Phanpy builds →Earthquake 2x53-63% Iron Tail 2x34-42% Rock Smash 2x16-21% | ||
 Budew GrassPoison | D | |
 Bibarel NormalWater | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Bibarel builds →Waterfall 4x113-135%KO Focus Punch 2x68-80% Iron Tail 2x45-55% | ||
Machop Fighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Machop builds →Focus Punch 2x95-113%KO Earthquake 2x45-55% | ||
Psyduck Water | D | |
Obtain MethodCelestic Town Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Psyduck builds →Surf 4x255-300%KO Focus Punch 2x50-60% Iron Tail 2x38-45% | ||
 Buizel Water | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Buizel builds →Surf 4x228-270%KO Focus Punch 2x58-70% Iron Tail 2x43-50% | ||
Cubone Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Cubone builds →Earthquake 2x50-60% Focus Punch 2x50-60% Iron Tail 2x33-40% | ||
 Floatzel Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Floatzel builds →Waterfall 4x123-146%KO Focus Punch 2x74-89% Iron Tail 2x50-60% Ice Beam 2x99-117%KO | ||
 Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x61-73% Focus Punch 2x60-71% Iron Tail 2x40-49% Ice Beam 2x70-83% | ||
Bibarel NormalWater | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Bibarel builds →Waterfall 4x109-129%KO Focus Punch 2x63-74% Iron Tail 2x43-51% Bulldoze 2x26-31% | ||
 Machoke Fighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Machoke builds →Focus Punch 2x109-129%KO Earthquake 2x49-57% | ||
 Gastrodon WaterGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Gastrodon builds →Surf 4x320-377%KO Earthquake 2x64-77% Ice Beam 2x106-126%KO Rock Smash 2x19-23% | ||
Floatzel Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Floatzel builds →Waterfall 4x123-146%KO Focus Punch 2x74-89% Dig 2x40-49% Iron Tail 2x50-60% | ||
Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x61-73% Focus Punch 2x60-71% Iron Tail 2x40-49% Ice Beam 2x70-83% | ||
Bibarel NormalWater | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Bibarel builds →Waterfall 4x109-129%KO Focus Punch 2x63-74% Dig 2x36-43% Iron Tail 2x43-51% | ||
Machoke Fighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Machoke builds →Focus Punch 2x109-129%KO Earthquake 2x49-57% | ||
Gastrodon WaterGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Gastrodon builds →Surf 4x320-377%KO Earthquake 2x64-77% Ice Beam 2x106-126%KO Rock Smash 2x19-23% | ||
 Golduck Water | C | |
Obtain MethodCelestic Town Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Golduck builds →Surf 4x323-380%KO Focus Punch 2x60-71% Ice Beam 2x107-127%KO Dig 2x33-39% | ||
 Bronzong SteelPsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Bronzong builds →Solar Beam 4x249-293%KO Flash Cannon 2x124-146%KO Earthquake 2x43-51% Rock Smash 2x18-22% | ||
Floatzel Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Floatzel builds →Waterfall 4x117-139%KO Focus Punch 2x72-85% Dig 2x39-46% Iron Tail 2x49-59% | ||
Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x59-70% Focus Punch 2x57-68% Iron Tail 2x39-46% Ice Beam 2x68-80% | ||
Bibarel NormalWater | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Bibarel builds →Waterfall 4x105-124%KO Focus Punch 2x62-73% Dig 2x34-41% Iron Tail 2x41-49% | ||
 Roselia GrassPoison | C | |
Bronzong SteelPsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Bronzong builds →Solar Beam 4x243-286%KO Flash Cannon 2x122-143%KO Earthquake 2x42-50% Rock Smash 2x19-23% | ||
Golduck Water | C | |
Obtain MethodCelestic Town Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Golduck builds →Surf 4x318-375%KO Focus Punch 2x59-70% Ice Beam 2x106-125%KO Dig 2x32-39% | ||
Floatzel Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Floatzel builds →Waterfall 4x116-136%KO Focus Punch 2x70-84% Dig 2x39-45% Iron Tail 2x48-57% | ||
Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x60-72% Focus Punch 2x58-68% Iron Tail 2x40-48% Ice Beam 2x65-77% | ||
 Roserade GrassPoison | B | |
Bronzong SteelPsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Bronzong builds →Solar Beam 4x241-285%KO Flash Cannon 2x121-144%KO Earthquake 2x41-49% Rock Smash 2x18-21% | ||
 Abomasnow GrassIce | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Abomasnow builds →Solar Beam 4x412-485%KO Focus Punch 2x63-74% Ice Beam 2x154-182%KO Water Pulse 4x140-166%KO | ||
Golduck Water | C | |
Obtain MethodCelestic Town Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Golduck builds →Surf 4x319-377%KO Focus Punch 2x57-68% Ice Beam 2x106-126%KO Dig 2x32-38% | ||
Floatzel Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Floatzel builds →Waterfall 4x119-140%KO Focus Punch 2x70-83% Dig 2x39-47% Iron Tail 2x48-57% | ||
Roserade GrassPoison | B | |
Bronzong SteelPsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Bronzong builds →Solar Beam 4x241-285%KO Flash Cannon 2x121-144%KO Earthquake 2x41-49% Rock Smash 2x18-21% | ||
Abomasnow GrassIce | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Abomasnow builds →Solar Beam 4x412-485%KO Focus Punch 2x63-74% Ice Beam 2x154-182%KO Water Pulse 4x140-166%KO | ||
Golduck Water | C | |
Obtain MethodCelestic Town Surfing Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Golduck builds →Surf 4x319-377%KO Focus Punch 2x57-68% Ice Beam 2x106-126%KO Dig 2x32-38% | ||
Floatzel Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Floatzel builds →Waterfall 4x119-140%KO Focus Punch 2x70-83% Dig 2x39-47% Iron Tail 2x48-57% | ||
Roserade GrassPoison | B | |
 Vileplume GrassPoison | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Vileplume builds →Petal Dance 4x495-583%KO Drain Punch 2x30-35% | ||
 Cacturne GrassDark | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Cacturne builds →Solar Beam 4x513-604%KO Focus Punch 2x77-92% | ||
 Victreebel GrassPoison | C | |
 Kingler Water | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Kingler builds →Crabhammer 4x172-203%KO Hammer Arm 2x57-68% Dig 2x46-55% Metal Claw 2x30-35% | ||
In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, Rillaboom's U-turn hits Onix for 38-45%. Gyarados threatens a KO with Waterfall (162-191%). Urshifu's Close Combat also KOs at 186-219%.
 Rillaboom Grass | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityGrassy Surge ItemChoice Band NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Onix View Rillaboom builds →Knock Off36-43% U Turn38-45% | ||
 Gyarados Water | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityIntimidate ItemWacanberry NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Onix View Gyarados builds →Waterfall 4x162-191%KO Earthquake 2x67-80% Crunch27-32% | ||
 Urshifu FightingDark | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityUnseenfist ItemChoice Band NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Onix View Urshifu builds →Close Combat 2x186-219%KO Sucker Punch54-64% U Turn36-43% | ||
 Landorus Ground | B | |
Recommended Build AbilitySheerforce ItemLife Orb NatureNaive Moves
Damage vs Onix View Landorus builds →Rock Slide13-16% | ||
Onix Evolutions
To get Steelix from Onix, you need a trade. The evolution method matters here. The evolved forms gain up to 125 total stats over Onix. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
BDSP Onix Best Moveset
160 Defense means nothing with 35 HP and 45 Attack behind it. Rock/Ground typing and hidden AbilityWeak Armor trading Defense for Speed on physical hits give some identity. The moveset can't threaten anything offensively. Evolve into Steelix for real bulk and Steel typing.
Best Build
Onix best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Rest
- Ancient Power
- Earthquake
- Flash Cannon
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
The natural movepool does the job, but Block and Defense Curl from the egg pool give Onix something extra.
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
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
When it travels underground, it causes rumbling and tremors. It can move at 50 mph.
It squirms through the ground using its long and rugged body. It always eats while burrowing.
Onix Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Guide
At 385 BST, Onix is firmly in pre-evolution territory. Evolve it into Steelix before bringing it to any serious fight.
In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, watch for Starmie (Water), Exeggutor (Grass), and Cloyster (Ice) when using Onix. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Starmie is the most dangerous since Water moves deal 4x damage. Fighting, Ground, and Steel-type attackers are also a problem. With 6 weakness types, most competitive teams carry at least one counter.
No. Onix only evolves into Steelix through a real trade. There is no in-game alternative in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. Trade needs a Game Boy Advance link cable and a second GBA running another Gen 3 game (FireRed, LeafGreen, Ruby, Sapphire, or Emerald). Trade Onix to a friend, then have them trade it back. The 2026 Switch re-release supports the same trade through local wireless on the Pokemon Center 2F Wireless Club, with no cables required. The Metal Coat must be held during the trade. Bring one over from a sibling Gen 3 game if needed.
Rock Head protects against recoil damage. That's the one you want on Onix. Weak Armor is the hidden ability. Niche, but it has its uses. Sturdy works too if your team needs something different.
Onix is a mixed attacker with base 45 Attack and 30 Sp. Atk. Enough bulk to take a hit or two, too. Speed tells the real story. Base 70 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many.
Game Availability
Present since Red & Blue, Onix appears in 21 games spanning 10 generations. Gen 1 originals like Onix have the longest track record of availability in the series.
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 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