Steel (type)
- This article is about the in-game type. For the TCG type, see Metal (TCG).
The Steel type (Japanese: はがねタイプ Steel type) is one of the eighteen types. Notable Trainers that specialize in the Steel type include Jasmine of Olivine City, Steven Stone, former Champion of Hoenn, Byron of Canalave City, and Wikstrom of the Kalos Elite Four. Prior to changes in Generation IV all Steel-type moves were physical, but they may now also be special depending on the attack.
The Steel type was introduced in Generation II. As well as introducing new Pokémon with the Steel type, Magnemite and Magneton were changed to be dual-type Electric/Steel Pokémon.
Statistical averages
Overall
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Fully evolved
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Battle properties
Generation II-V
Offensive | Defensive | |||
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Power | Types | Power | Types | |
2× | ½× | |||
½× | 2× | |||
0× | None | 0× |
Generation VI-onward
Offensive | Defensive | |||
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Power | Types | Power | Types | |
2× | ½× | |||
½× | 2× | |||
0× | None | 0× |
Characteristics
Defense
Defensively, Steel types are considered to be the best type of Pokémon to use. Until Generation VI, pure steel Pokémon had resistances to 11 of the 17 types, which can make for a good physical and special tank in battle. Since Generation VI, that number has decreased to 10 out of the now 18 types. Steel types also have an immunity to Poison-type attacks and cannot be poisoned (except when using Twineedle in Generation II or if poisoned while not Steel-type). They can hold up to many attacks, because of their typically high Defense. They are also notably the only type capable of resisting the Dragon type that could otherwise take advantage of its STAB.
However, all three of the Steel type's weaknesses—Fighting, Ground and Fire—are very common and popular types. This makes it weak to common moves of those types, including the extremely common Earthquake. Fortunately, most Steel types are dual types, which defends usually against one of these types; however, it is possible for dual-type Steel Pokémon to develop double weaknesses to some of these moves.
Pokémon purely of the Steel type have the 2nd greatest amount of resistances in the game. Magnemite, Magneton, and Magnezone, being Steel and Electric, are the most resistant Pokémon in the game, having 12 resistances plus an immunity to Poison. The added Electric type means these Pokémon are also resistant to Electric moves, and have a double resistance to Flying and Steel moves. However, they also have a double weakness to Ground-type moves (though this can be negated with the move Magnet Rise, giving them a second immunity).
Offense
Offensively, it is only recommended that Steel-type moves be used for STAB. There are only three types weak to Steel: Ice, Rock, and Fairy, the prior two are rarely used defensively, and have other type weaknesses with more versatility. Furthermore, the types that do resist Steel are very common (Including itself). There are only five pure Steel-type Pokémon and thus most have a second type able to provide more effective moves that could offset this disadvantage. Steel-type Pokémon typically have good Attack and below-average Special Attack, though there are some high-powered outliers in either the Physical field, such as Scizor, Metagross and Excadrill, and the Special field, such as Lucario, Empoleon and Magnezone. Said outliers are used often, so STAB on Steel-type moves can prove valuable. All in all, Steel can be a useful type offensively if combined with STAB, paired with another type for support and boosted by a high base total of at least one of the attacking stats.
Contest properties
When used in Contests, Steel-type moves typically become Cool moves, but can also be of the other four Contest types.
Pokémon
As of Generation VI, there are 42 Steel-type Pokémon or 5.7% of all Pokémon (counting forms and Mega Evolutions that change typing as different Pokémon), making it the 5th rarest type.
Pure Steel-type Pokémon
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Pokéstar Studios opponents
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Half Steel-type Pokémon
Primary Steel-type Pokémon
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Secondary Steel-type Pokémon
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Pokéstar Studios opponents
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Moves
Gen | Move | Category | Contest | Power | Accuracy | PP | Range | Description | |||||||||
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V | Autotomize | Status | — | —% | 15 (max 24) |
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The user sheds part of its body to make itself lighter and sharply raise its Speed stat. | ||||||||||
IV | Bullet Punch | Physical | Smart | 40 | 100% | 30 (max 48) |
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The user strikes the target with tough punches as fast as bullets. This move always goes first. | |||||||||
III | Doom Desire | Special | Cool | 140 | 100% | 5 (max 8) |
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Two turns after this move is used, the user blasts the target with a concentrated bundle of light. | |||||||||
IV | Flash Cannon | Special | Smart | 80 | 100% | 10 (max 16) |
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The user gathers all its light energy and releases it at once. It may also lower the target's Sp. Def stat. | |||||||||
V | Gear Grind | Physical | 50 | 85% | 10 (max 16) |
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The user attacks by throwing two steel gears at its target. | ||||||||||
IV | Gyro Ball | Physical | Beauty | Varies | 100% | 5 (max 8) |
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The user tackles the target with a high-speed spin. The slower the user, the greater the damage. | |||||||||
V | Heavy Slam | Physical | Varies | 100% | 10 (max 16) |
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The user slams into the target with its heavy body. The more the user outweighs the target, the greater its damage. | ||||||||||
III | Iron Defense | Status | Tough | — | —% | 15 (max 24) |
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The user hardens its body's surface like iron, sharply raising its Defense stat. | |||||||||
IV | Iron Head | Physical | Tough | 80 | 100% | 15 (max 24) |
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The foe slams the target with its steel-hard head. It may also make the target flinch. | |||||||||
II | Iron Tail | Physical | Cool | 100 | 75% | 15 (max 24) |
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The target is slammed with a steel-hard tail. It may also lower the target's Defense stat. | |||||||||
VI | King's Shield | Status | — | —% | 10 (max 16) |
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The user takes a defensive stance while it protects itself from damage. It also harshly lowers the Attack stat of any attacker who makes direct contact. | ||||||||||
IV | Magnet Bomb | Physical | Cool | 60 | —% | 20 (max 32) |
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The user launches steel bombs that stick to the target. This attack will not miss. | |||||||||
IV | Metal Burst | Physical | Beauty | Varies | 100% | 10 (max 16) |
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The user retaliates with much greater power against the target that last inflicted damage on it. | |||||||||
II | Metal Claw | Physical | Cool | 50 | 95% | 35 (max 56) |
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The target is raked with steel claws. It may also raise the user's Attack stat. | |||||||||
III | Metal Sound | Status | Smart | — | 85% | 40 (max 64) |
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A horrible sound like scraping metal harshly reduces the target's Sp. Def stat. | |||||||||
III | Meteor Mash | Physical | Cool | 90 | 90% | 10 (max 16) |
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The target is hit with a hard punch fired like a meteor. It may also raise the user's Attack. | |||||||||
IV | Mirror Shot | Special | Cute | 65 | 85% | 10 (max 16) |
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The user looses a flash of energy at the target from its polished body. It may also lower the target's accuracy. | |||||||||
V | Shift Gear | Status | — | —% | 10 (max 16) |
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The user rotates its gears, raising its Attack and sharply raising its Speed. | ||||||||||
II | Steel Wing | Physical | Cool | 70 | 90% | 25 (max 40) |
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The target is hit with wings of steel. It may also raise the user's Defense stat. | |||||||||
All details are accurate to Generation VII games. For details that have changed between generations, please see an individual move's page. Target data assumes user is in the lower left. |
Trivia
- Generation V introduced the most Steel-type Pokémon of any generation (minus Generation I), with 12, and Generation VI introduced the fewest Steel-type Pokémon, with four.
- Generation IV introduced the most Steel-type moves of any generation (minus Generation I), with seven, and Generation VI introduced the fewest Steel-type moves, with only one.
- Out of all the types, Steel has the most resistances and the highest average Defense.
- In Generation II, the Steel type saw one retroactive type change in a Pokémon family (Magnemite and Magneton), but no change in moves. The opposite is true for the Dark type, which saw one retroactive type change in a move (Bite), but no change in a Pokémon.
- All Steel-type moves affect only one Pokémon at a time.
- The Steel type is the only type to lack a move that functions differently in Double Battles.
- Prior to Genereation VI, Steel was the only type that didn't have a neutral type match-up with any of the seventeen existing types, considering both offense and defense. In Generation VI, it was changed so it no longer resisted Dark or Ghost-types.
- Each of the three starter types have a different effectiveness when attacking a pure Steel-type Pokémon. Grass does ½× damage, Water does 1× damage, and Fire does 2× damage.
- A pure Steel-type Pokémon has more resistances than any dual type Pokémon that is not part Steel.
In other languages
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