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Steelix is a long, serpentine Pokémon with a silvery-gray body made up of rock-like sections, which can possess chips and scrapes from fights and tunneling. Three of those sections have massive rock spikes coming out of them. It has a massive head mainly made up of its large, wide jaw with sets of large square teeth inside. Along it bottom jaw are ridges: there are two pairs of ridges on a male Steelix, while there is only one pair on a female. Several small, square lumps cover the underside of its lower jaw. Its eye sockets are slightly deep set, and the eyes themselves are red with white sclera. Its head has two long ridges going from the eyes up to the top of its head. Its tail ends in a long sharp point, but with a blunt tip.
Steelix burrows underground and can be found in mountains or caves. It lives deep underground, and has been found as deep as six tenths of mile. It is capable of chewing through boulders with its powerful jaws, and its eyes are capable of seeing in the dark. It its body is made harder than diamond by the iron it ingests when it eats soil. Its further strengthened by the pressure and heat underground.
Team Rocket accidentally stuck three shovels into the head of an underground Steelix while digging a pitfall trap in Faced with Steelix Determination. It went on to terrorize a village of Bidoof until the shovels were removed through the combined efforts of multiple Bidoof, Ash's Staravia, and his Pikachu.
In Dealing With Defensive Types!, a Steelix belonging to Byron was used in the Gymbattle against Ash. It put up a tough fight, defeating Ash's Buizel, despite its type advantage and then fought against Ash's Chimchar. Despite its exhaustion from its earlier battle, Chimchar was able to defeat Steelix after a prolonged battle.
Steelix, the Iron Snake Pokémon, and the evolved form of Onix. Steelix's body is much harder than any metal as it is tempered underground under high pressure and heat.
In Pokémon Adventures, Jasmine used a Steelix disguised as an Onix in the Gym Leader's Tournament of the opening ceremonies in the Pokémon League. Brock's Onix tightened its grip on the hidden steel Pokémon, but against the unusual hardiness of its evolution, it only hurt itself, and was eventually defeated after Steelix's stone "hide" scraped off and it was exposed. Jasmine explains that because it was a newly discovered species only so far uncovered by Crystal's capture, she tried to hide its identity in the hopes that it wouldn't be treated as simple eye candy for curious spectators. Years later, Carr of the Team Rocket beast trio used one against Red's Poli as they clashed in the Sevii Islands. It was swung aside rather easily as it was interrupted in its rampage, and after a failed Iron Tail, it was beaten by a smart Mind Reader maneuver. Another was on Iron Island and was used for training with Riley.
In the Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure! manga
Byron has two Steelix which were used in the challenge in which they served as walls to prevent Hareta from getting to the top in Challenge! The Fortress Of Steel!!.
A combination of Steel- and Ground-types, Steelix are the longest Pokémon yet to be discovered, reaching over 30 feet in length. Since they live so deep under the surface of the earth, the intense pressure has made their bodies stronger than diamonds. Evolved from Onix, Steelix is every bit as intimidating as its relative.
Game data
NPC appearances
Pokémon Ranger
Steelix is a boss in Pokémon Ranger. After being enraged by the Go-Rock Squad, it rampages through Panula Cave until the player captures it with their Styler.
Pokédex entries
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation II.
Steelix lives even further underground than Onix. This Pokémon is known to dig towards the earth's core. There are records of this Pokémon reaching a depth of over six-tenths of a mile underground.
Steelix live even further underground than Onix. This Pokémon is known to dig toward the earth's core, reaching a depth of over six-tenths of a mile underground.
Steelix has the highest Defense base stat of all Ground-type Pokémon and Steel-type Pokémon, as well as the highest single base stat of both types.
Steelix is shown floating above the ground in all console games, rather than, like its pre-evolved form, resting on the ground.
Steelix is the only Pokémon so far in the Pokémon Ranger games that can hurt the Capture Styler simply by touching the line.
Steelix and Altaria are the only dual-type Pokémon that change their primary type during evolution.
While Steelix's Pokédex descriptions often mention diamond-like composition or that it evolved using iron from the soil it eats, it should be noted that actual diamonds are made primarily out of carbon. (though iron may be included as an impurity)
All Steelix in the anime have used the move Iron Tail (excluding cameos).
Origin
Steelix, like Onix, is most likely based on a combination of a snake and earthworm. It may also been based on the wyrm, a type of dragon that has been presented as limbless and burrowing.
Name origin
Steelix is a combination of steel and onyx. It may also refer to helix (with regards to its serpentine body).
Haganeil may be a combination of 鋼 hagane (steel) and nail or tail.
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.