Is Onix Good in FireRed & LeafGreen Playthrough?
Recoil-free physical attacks through AbilityRock Head. AbilitySturdy blocks OHKO moves instead. Neither ability fixes the core problem: Onix can't deal damage. Handles Surge through Ground immunity. The Defense is massive but nothing Onix hits goes down quickly. Brock uses Onix. That says more about Brock than about Onix.
Brock's typing presses Onix's defenses.
Misty's team hits Onix's weaknesses hard.
Onix trades roughly evenly with Lt. Surge's team.
Erika's typing presses Steelix's defenses.
Steelix trades roughly evenly with Koga's team.
Steelix has the type edge here and should clean up Sabrina's team.
Steelix trades roughly evenly with Blaine's team.
Steelix has the type edge here and should clean up Giovanni's team.
Steelix trades roughly evenly with Lorelei's team.
Steelix has the type edge here and should clean up Bruno's team.
Steelix trades roughly evenly with Agatha's team.
Steelix trades roughly evenly with Lance's team.
Steelix trades roughly evenly with Terry's team.
Catch Onix on Rock Tunnel (walking, Lv 13-15, rare).
- After Brock
- TM39RockRock Tomb9095%15
- After Lt. Surge
- TM28GroundDig120100%10
- After Erika
- HM04NormalStrength80100%15
- LV 45SteelIron Tail10075%15
- After Giovanni
- TM26GroundEarthquake150100%10
- LV 56NormalDouble-Edge120100%15
- Post-Game
- TUTORNormalBody Slam85100%15
- TM42NormalFacade70100%20
Most players are ready to trade before reaching Erika.
- After Lt. Surge
- TM28GroundDig120100%10
- After Erika
- TM15NormalHyper Beam15090%5
- HM04NormalStrength80100%15
- LV 45SteelIron Tail15075%15
- After Giovanni
- TM26GroundEarthquake150100%10
- LV 52DarkCrunch80100%15
- LV 56NormalDouble-Edge120100%15
- Post-Game
- TUTORNormalBody Slam85100%15
- TM42NormalFacade70100%20
How to Get Onix in FireRed & LeafGreen
12 walking encounters in both versions scattered across three different caves. Onix's rates vary wildly from common to rare per location.
Wild Onix may be holding when caught:
Hard Stone (5% chance) An item to be held by a Pokemon. An unbreakable stone that boosts the power of ROCK-type moves.3 locations to catch Onix
Encountered via tall grass encounters
Badge 3
Badge 4
Badge 5
Badge 6
Badge 7
Badge 8Where To Catch Onix in FRLG
Onix is your first catch on the way to Onix. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 13-54 across 12 total spots in the chain.
Step 2Evolve into Steelix
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 |
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
What is Onix Weak Against
FragileBest Pokemon Against Onix
 Wartortle Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Squirtle (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Wartortle builds →Waterfall 4x217-257%KO Dig 2x24-29% | ||
 Nidoking PoisonGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Nidoking builds →Earthquake 2x79-93% Water Pulse 4x129-152%KO Double Kick 2x19-24% | ||
 Nidoqueen PoisonGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Nidoqueen builds →Earthquake 2x71-86% Water Pulse 4x121-143%KO Double Kick 2x19-24% | ||
 Ivysaur GrassPoison | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Bulbasaur (Pallet Town Gift) | ||
 Geodude RockGround | C | |
Wartortle Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Squirtle (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Wartortle builds →Waterfall 4x217-257%KO Brick Break 2x26-33% Dig 2x24-29% | ||
Nidoking PoisonGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Nidoking builds →Earthquake 2x79-93% Water Pulse 4x129-152%KO Brick Break 2x40-48% | ||
Nidoqueen PoisonGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Nidoqueen builds →Earthquake 2x71-86% Water Pulse 4x121-143%KO Brick Break 2x36-43% | ||
Ivysaur GrassPoison | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Bulbasaur (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Ivysaur builds →Vine Whip 4x121-143%KO Rock Smash 2x12-14% | ||
Geodude RockGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Geodude builds →Earthquake 2x67-79% Brick Break 2x31-38% | ||
 Vaporeon Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Celadon City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Vaporeon builds →Waterfall 4x315-371%KO Ice Beam 2x122-144%KO Iron Tail 2x34-41% Dig 2x22-26% | ||
 Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x59-71% Iron Tail 2x40-47% Brick Break 2x32-38% Ice Beam 2x66-79% | ||
Wartortle Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Squirtle (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Wartortle builds →Waterfall 4x209-247%KO Ice Beam 2x82-97% Iron Tail 2x34-41% Brick Break 2x26-32% | ||
Ivysaur GrassPoison | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Bulbasaur (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Ivysaur builds →Giga Drain 4x187-221%KO Rock Smash 2x9-12% | ||
 Gyarados Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Magikarp (Route 4 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Gyarados builds →Waterfall 4x194-229%KO Earthquake 2x57-68% Ice Beam 2x76-91% Rock Smash 2x15-18% | ||
Vaporeon Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Celadon City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Vaporeon builds →Surf 4x388-458%KO Ice Beam 2x129-153%KO Iron Tail 2x36-42% Dig 2x22-26% | ||
 Exeggutor GrassPsychic | B | |
Marowak Ground | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Marowak builds →Earthquake 2x63-75% Iron Tail 2x42-50% Brick Break 2x30-37% Ice Beam 2x74-87% | ||
 Venusaur GrassPoison | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Bulbasaur (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Venusaur builds →Giga Drain 4x234-276%KO Earthquake 2x42-50% Rock Smash 2x11-13% | ||
Wartortle Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Squirtle (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Wartortle builds →Surf 4x261-308%KO Ice Beam 2x87-103%KO Iron Tail 2x36-42% Brick Break 2x26-32% | ||
Vaporeon Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Celadon City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Vaporeon builds →Surf 4x388-458%KO Ice Beam 2x129-153%KO Iron Tail 2x36-42% Dig 2x22-26% | ||
 Hitmonlee Fighting | B | |
Obtain MethodSaffron City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Hitmonlee builds →Focus Punch 2x124-146%KO Earthquake 2x55-66% | ||
 Machoke Fighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Machoke builds →Focus Punch 2x107-126%KO Earthquake 2x49-58% | ||
 Primeape Fighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Primeape builds →Focus Punch 2x111-130%KO Earthquake 2x51-61% Iron Tail 2x51-61% | ||
Exeggutor GrassPsychic | B | |
Exeggutor GrassPsychic | B | |
Venusaur GrassPoison | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Bulbasaur (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Venusaur builds →Solar Beam 4x441-519%KO Earthquake 2x38-46% Rock Smash 2x10-12% | ||
Vaporeon Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Celadon City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Vaporeon builds →Surf 4x382-450%KO Ice Beam 2x127-150%KO Iron Tail 2x33-38% Dig 2x21-25% | ||
 Blastoise Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Squirtle (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Blastoise builds →Surf 4x309-363%KO Focus Punch 2x59-69% Earthquake 2x38-46% Ice Beam 2x103-121%KO | ||
 Hitmonchan Fighting | C | |
Obtain MethodSaffron City Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Hitmonchan builds →Focus Punch 2x105-124%KO Earthquake 2x47-56% Ice Punch 2x43-52% | ||
Exeggutor GrassPsychic | B | |
 Tangela Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Tangela builds →Solar Beam 4x458-540%KO Rock Smash 2x7-9% | ||
Venusaur GrassPoison | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Bulbasaur (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Venusaur builds →Solar Beam 4x458-540%KO Earthquake 2x40-47% Rock Smash 2x9-11% | ||
Vaporeon Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Celadon City Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Vaporeon builds →Surf 4x394-464%KO Ice Beam 2x131-155%KO Iron Tail 2x34-40% Dig 2x21-25% | ||
Blastoise Water | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Squirtle (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Blastoise builds →Surf 4x319-376%KO Focus Punch 2x60-71% Earthquake 2x41-49% Ice Beam 2x106-125%KO | ||
Exeggutor GrassPsychic | B | |
 Suicune Water | A | |
Obtain MethodRoaming Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Suicune builds →Surf 4x336-396%KO Ice Beam 2x112-132%KO Iron Tail 2x37-44% Dig 2x23-27% | ||
 Heracross BugFighting | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Heracross builds →Focus Punch 2x125-148%KO Earthquake 2x57-67% | ||
Tangela Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Tangela builds →Solar Beam 4x462-544%KO Rock Smash 2x7-8% | ||
Venusaur GrassPoison | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Bulbasaur (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Onix View Venusaur builds →Solar Beam 4x462-544%KO Earthquake 2x39-47% Rock Smash 2x9-11% | ||
In FireRed & LeafGreen, Gyarados's Earthquake hits Onix for 44-52%.
Gyarados Water | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityIntimidate ItemLeftovers NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Onix View Gyarados builds →Earthquake 2x44-52% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityEarlybird ItemChoice Band NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Onix View Doduo builds →Drill Peck9-11% Double Edge14-16% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityWaterveil ItemLeftovers NatureCareful Moves
Damage vs Onix View Wailmer builds →Earthquake 2x21-25% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityTrace ItemLeftovers NatureBrave Moves
Damage vs Onix View Porygon builds →Psychic39-46% Facade5-6% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityArenatrap ItemChoice Band NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Onix View Diglett builds →Earthquake 2x28-33% | ||
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
FRLG Onix Best Moveset
160 Defense on a Rock/Ground frame with AbilityRock Head for recoil-free moves, but 35 HP and 45 Attack undercut it entirely. The moveset can't threaten anything and the raw HP is too low to block effectively despite the Defense number.
Best Build
Onix best EVs are HP and Defense
Bulky Support Moveset
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Protect
- Roar
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
The natural movepool does the job, but Block and Explosion from the egg pool give Onix something extra. Pair those with Earthquake and Dig for STAB and Normal and Dragon coverage and more for reach, and the kit fills out nicely.
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
It usually lives underground. It searches for food while boring its way through the ground at 50 miles per hour.
As it grows, the stone portions of its body harden to become similar to black-colored diamonds.
Onix FireRed & LeafGreen Guide
No. Onix only evolves into Steelix through a real trade. There is no in-game alternative in FireRed & LeafGreen. 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. In FireRed and LeafGreen, Metal Coat is post-game only. Pick it up as a hidden item near Memorial Pillar in the Sevii Islands or win it as a prize for clearing Knockout Mode in Trainer Tower on Seven Island. Both spots unlock after entering the Hall of Fame and getting the Rainbow Pass from Celio on One Island. You can also bring one over from Ruby, Sapphire, or Emerald.
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