Magmar is a bipedal Pokémon with a red body that has yellow flame designs on it. A row of red spikes runs down its back, and there are two lumps on its forehead with a flame on top of each one. It has a puckered, yellow beak and small eyes. Its thighs are yellow, and it has red feet with two, clawed toes each. Its arms are covered in rigid, red scales and it has red hands with five, clawed fingers. It has black, metal shackles on its neck and ankles. At the tips of its yellow tail is a flame.
Magmar's body temperature is nearly 2,200 °F (1,200 °C). The anime has shown that extremely well trained Magmar can have the ability to block Electric-type attacks with super-heated air. Because it hates cold places, this Pokémon typically resides in and around active volcanoes. This Pokémon has even been known to alter unfavorably cold surroundings by spitting scorching flames about to warm up the area and establish an environment more suitable to it.
Magmar is able to heal its wounds by dipping its wound into lava. In battle, it blows out intense flames from all over its body as to intimidate its foes and incinerate its surroundings. However, an outmatched Magmar will quickly retreat, using its fiery camouflage and its wavering, rippling glare to blend into any present fires.
Two Magmar appeared in Rocking Clawmark Hill!, as some of the Pokémon training up on Clawmark Hill. Rockruff kept battling one of them and managed to defeat Magmar in the end.
Two Magmar were seen briefly burning up the Pewter Museum in Make Way for Magmar!, where Red battled them using his Sandshrew. Though they were stalled, Giovanni finished them off with his Cloyster.
In battle, Magmar blows out intensely hot flames from all over its body to intimidate its opponent. This Pokémon's fiery bursts create heat waves that ignite grass and trees in its surroundings.
In battle, it blows out intense flames from all over its body to intimidate its foe. These fiery bursts create heat waves that ignite grass and trees in the area.
In battle, Magmar blows out intensely hot flames from all over its body to intimidate its opponent. This Pokémon's fiery bursts create heat waves that ignite grass and trees in its surroundings.
Magmar and Electabuzz seem to be counterparts; both evolve in a very similar way (first at level 30, then after being traded holding an "-izer" item), and both are typically exclusive to one version of a pair of games. They both have similar Status-inducing abilities in Flame Body and Static, as well as the same Hidden Ability Vital Spirit. Since Generation V, they also have similar movesets, learning Fire Punch or Thunder Punch, respectively. They even have the same special moves when purified from Pokémon XD: Follow Me and Cross Chop. Their pre-evolutions and evolutions were released in the same generation.
Origin
Magmar seems to be a combination of a booby or duck with a mythical salamander of fire. However, the tail and the spikes on its back resemble those of an iguana. It is possibly overall based on a Karura, depicted in Japanese Hindu-Buddhist mythology as a birdlike, fire-breathing creature, similar to how its counterpart Electabuzz is based on an oni.
Name origin
Magmar may be a corruption of the word magma (intrusive molten rock), but may also involve the word mar (to damage or spoil), referring to the incineration of its surroundings to suit its own needs, or the Spanish fumar (to smoke).
Boober may be a combination of booby (a type of sea bird) and a corruption of burn.