Stats & Training
Defense leads and Speed gets almost nothing. That's Steelix's stat line in a nutshell. 2 stats sit in respectable range, but the spread is brutal. Very hard to catch and yields 2 Defense EVs.
This Pokémon evolved through use of a strange item. Its body is coated with steel powder and notably hard—not even diamond can leave so much as a scratch.
Steelix Weakness
Steelix is weak to Fire, Water, Fighting, and Ground. On the flip side, it's immune to Electric and Poison-type moves entirely. With 8 resistances, the defensive profile is strong. Steelix's physical bulk (base 200 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Water, Fighting, Ground |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Normal, Flying, Psychic, Bug, Dragon, Steel, Fairy |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Rock |
| 0x (Immune) | Electric, Poison |
 Heatran FireSteel | S | |
Obtain MethodFirespit Island Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Steelix View Heatran builds →Fire Fang 2x27-32% Ember 2x56-66% | ||
 Gyarados Water | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Steelix View Gyarados builds →Aqua Tail 2x48-57% Water Pulse 2x46-54% | ||
 Manaphy Water | B | |
Obtain MethodSeaside Hollow Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Steelix View Manaphy builds →Water Pulse 2x66-79% Bubble 2x46-54% | ||
 Landorus Ground | B | |
Obtain MethodRamanas Island Interact Encounter | ||
 Mantine Water | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Steelix View Mantine builds →Hydro Pump 2x100-118%KO Water Pulse 2x56-66% Bubble 2x37-44% | ||
In Legends: Arceus, Excadrill's Earthquake hits Steelix for 52-61%. Cobalion deals 47-56% with Close Combat.
Heatran FireSteel | S | |
Recommended Build AbilityFlashfire ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves View Heatran builds →
| ||
 Excadrill GroundSteel | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityMold Breaker ItemLeftovers NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Steelix View Excadrill builds →Earthquake 2x52-61% Rapid Spin4-5% | ||
 Cobalion SteelFighting | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityJustified ItemRocky Helmet NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Steelix View Cobalion builds →Close Combat 2x47-56% | ||
 Slowking WaterPsychic | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemColbur Berry NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Steelix View Slowking builds →Scald 2x70-82% | ||
 Volcarona BugFire | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityFlame Body ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureModest Moves
Damage vs Steelix View Volcarona builds →Psychic22-26% | ||
Legends: Arceus Evolution
Getting Steelix requires a trade, not just grinding levels. The chain starts at Onix. Breed this form to get Onix eggs (average hatch time). HP grew the most through evolution (+40 over Onix), and Steelix peaks at 510 total stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Legends: Arceus Steelix Best Moveset
Brave nature gives Steelix the slow physical lean it needs to trade hits effectively. Leftovers adds passive recovery each turn, max HP and Attack EVs split the difference, and utility options punishes anything trying to wall it.
Best Build
Legends: Arceus uses different battle mechanics.
Competitive build content is not applicable for this game. Select a main series game for builds.
Moves
A solid spread overall. Steelix gets Steel Beam and Iron Tail for same-type damage alongside coverage across 8 types. It won't blow anyone away, but it doesn't leave you stuck either.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
How to Get Steelix in Legends: Arceus
A trade step sits in Steelix's 2-stage line from Onix. The step cards below map each stage with catch locations and evolution methods. Onix shows up at decent rates, so the starting catch is the easy part.
Where To Catch Steelix in Legends: Arceus
The path to Steelix starts with Onix at walking via walking encounters. 2 catchable stages total, with locations listed for each one below.
Step 1Catch OnixBolderoll SlopeGrassUncommonCelestica TrailGrass RouteUncommonLake ValorGrass WaterUncommonScarlet BogGrass SwampUncommon
Step 2Steelix ✓Celestica TrailGrass RouteUncommonor evolve from Onix (Step 1)
Steelix Guide
In Legends: Arceus, Sheer Force changes the entire equation for Steelix. The 510 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked C-Tier as a trick room. Earthquake with Leftovers is the standard set.
Mega Evolution isn't available in Legends: Arceus, but Steelix does have a Mega form in Gen 6-7 games (X/Y, ORAS, Sun/Moon). Mega Steelix hits 610 BST.
In Legends: Arceus, Steelix's biggest threats include Charizard (Fire), Starmie (Water), and Machamp (Fighting), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Ground-type attackers are also a problem. At base 30 Speed, Steelix won't outrun any of these threats so switching to a resist is usually the safer play.
Sheer Force is what you want on Steelix. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Rock Head, Sturdy) work on paper but Sheer Force is what makes Steelix worth using.
Base 30 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. On offense, Steelix is a physical attacker with base 85 Attack. Defensively? Tanky enough to absorb a few hits. Best used as a trick room.
Game Availability
Since debuting in Gold & Silver, Steelix has appeared in 18 titles over 9 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 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 2GSDebut
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
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