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 who specialize in Steel-type Pokémon are 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
| Stat | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
Fully evolved
| Stat | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
Battle properties
Generation II-V
Steel-type Pokémon are immune to the poisoned and badly poisoned conditions.
In Generation II only, Steel-type Pokémon can be poisoned by the Bug move Twineedle.
| Offensive | 
|
Defensive | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power | Types | Power | Types | |
| 2× |  
|
½× |        
| |
| ½× |   
|
2× |  
| |
| 0× | None | 0× | 
| |
Generation VI-onward
| Offensive |
|
Defensive | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power | Types | Power | Types | |
| 2× | 
|
½× |
| |
| ½× |
|
2× |
| |
| 0× | None | 0× |
| |
Characteristics
Defense
Defensively, Steel types are considered to be one of the best types 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.
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 11 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 or for hitting Fairy-type Pokémon super effectively. There are only three types weak to Steel: Ice, Rock and Fairy, the prior two of which are rarely used defensively. Furthermore, the types that do resist Steel — Fire, Electric, Water and itself — are very common. There are only five pure Steel-type Pokémon; 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 or Special fields, with a handful in both categories. 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
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
|
Pokéstar Studios opponents
|
Half Steel-type Pokémon
Primary Steel-type Pokémon
|
Secondary Steel-type Pokémon
|
Pokéstar Studios opponents
|
Moves
| Gen | Move | Category | Contest | Power | Accuracy | PP | Target | Description | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | Autotomize | Status | — | —% | 15 (max 24) |
|
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) |
|
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) |
|
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) |
|
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) |
|
The user attacks by throwing two steel gears at its target. | ||||||||||
| IV | Gyro Ball | Physical | Beauty | Varies | 100% | 5 (max 8) |
|
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) |
|
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) |
|
The user hardens its body's surface like iron, sharply raising its Defense stat. | |||||||||
| IV | Iron Head | Physical | Tough | 80 | 100% | 15 (max 24) |
|
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) |
|
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) |
|
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) |
|
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) |
|
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) |
|
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) |
|
A horrible sound like scraping metal harshly reduces the target's Sp. Def stat. | |||||||||
| III | Meteor Mash | Physical | Cool | 90 | 90% | 10 (max 16) |
|
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) |
|
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) |
|
The user rotates its gears, raising its Attack and sharply raising its Speed. | ||||||||||
| II | Steel Wing | Physical | Cool | 70 | 90% | 25 (max 40) |
|
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. | |||||||||||||||||
Abilities
Interacting with Steel-type
User of Color Change will be changed into Steel-type after it is hit with a Steel-type move. Protean will change its user into Steel-type when it uses a Steel-type move. When a Pokémon with Multitype holds a Iron Plate, it will become a Steel-type Pokémon. When a Pokémon with Imposter is sent out and its opposite opponent is Steel-type, it will transform into that Pokémon and turn into Steel-type. In addition, Steel-type Pokémon are immune to Poison Point, Poison Touch. Synchronize and Effect Spore cannot inflict poisoning status condition on Steel-type Pokémon.
| Gen | Ability | Description |
|---|---|---|
| III | Magnet Pull | Prevents Steel-type Pokémon from escaping. |
| V | Sand Force | Strengthens Rock, Ground, and Steel moves to 1.3× their power during a sandstorm. |
| All details are accurate to Generation VI games. For details that have changed between generations, please see an individual Ability's page. | ||
Exclusive Abilities
Only Steel-type Pokémon can have these Abilities. This does not include signature Abilities.
| Gen | Ability | Description |
|---|---|---|
| V | Heavy Metal | Doubles the Pokémon's weight. |
| V | Light Metal | Halves the Pokémon's weight. |
| All details are accurate to Generation VI games. For details that have changed between generations, please see an individual Ability's page. | ||
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 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 type change in a move (Bite), but no change in a Pokémon.
- All Steel-type moves affect only one Pokémon at a time. Similarly, it is the only type to lack a move that functions differently in Double Battles.
- Prior to Generation VI, Steel was the only type that didn't have a neutral type match-up with any of the seventeen existing types, considering both the offense and defense of both types. In Generation VI, it was changed so it no longer resisted Dark or Ghost-type moves.
- 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
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
