Steel Type
The Steel type (Japanese: はがねタイプ Steel Type) is one of the eighteen Pokemon types. Steel-type Pokemon are characterized by their metallic bodies, exceptional defensive capabilities, and association with man-made or industrial themes. Introduced in Generation II alongside Dark type, Steel boasts the most resistances of any type and is widely regarded as the best defensive typing in competitive Pokemon.[1]
Overview
| Attribute | Details |
|---|
| Introduced | Generation II |
| Number of Pokemon | 70+ |
| Notable Trainers | Jasmine, Byron, Wikstrom, Molayne, Clair |
| Common Habitats | Caves, mountains, industrial areas, man-made structures |
Type Effectiveness
Offensive
| Effectiveness | Against Types |
|---|
| Super Effective (2x) | Ice, Rock, Fairy |
| Not Very Effective (0.5x) | Fire, Water, Electric, Steel |
| No Effect (0x) | — |
Defensive
| Effectiveness | From Types |
|---|
| Weak To (2x) | Fire, Fighting, Ground |
| Resistant To (0.5x) | Normal, Grass, Ice, Flying, Psychic, Bug, Rock, Dragon, Steel, Fairy |
| Immune To (0x) | Poison |
Key Note: Best Defensive Type
Steel possesses the most resistances of any type with 10 resistances and 1 immunity in current generations, making it the premier defensive typing.[2] In Generation V, Steel had an incredible 11 resistances before Ghost and Dark resistances were removed in Generation VI.[3]
Characteristics
Common Traits
| Trait | Description |
|---|
| Appearance | Metallic, armored, mechanical designs |
| Abilities | Sturdy, Heavy Metal, Light Metal, Clear Body |
| Habitat | Mountains, caves, industrial areas |
| Behavior | Stoic, protective, durable |
Special Properties
| Property | Effect |
|---|
| Poison Immunity | Steel-types cannot be poisoned or badly poisoned |
| Sandstorm Resistance | Not damaged by sandstorm weather |
| Heavy Metal | Many Steel-types have high weight for moves like Heavy Slam |
| Hazard Control | Common users of Stealth Rock and Spikes |
Notable Steel-Type Pokemon
Pseudo-Legendary
| Pokemon | Type | Notable For |
|---|
| Metagross | Steel/Psychic | 600 BST, Clear Body, Meteor Mash |
Metagross stands as the only Steel-type pseudo-legendary, featuring an exceptional 600 base stat total with balanced defenses and strong offensive presence.[4]
Legendary/Mythical
| Pokemon | Type | Generation |
|---|
| Dialga | Steel/Dragon | IV |
| Heatran | Fire/Steel | IV |
| Cobalion | Steel/Fighting | V |
| Genesect | Bug/Steel | V (Mythical) |
| Solgaleo | Psychic/Steel | VII |
| Magearna | Steel/Fairy | VII (Mythical) |
| Celesteela | Steel/Flying | VII |
| Kartana | Grass/Steel | VII |
| Zacian | Fairy/Steel (Crowned) | VIII |
| Zamazenta | Fighting/Steel (Crowned) | VIII |
| Gholdengo | Steel/Ghost | IX |
Iconic Steel Types
| Pokemon | Type | Notable For |
|---|
| Steelix | Steel/Ground | Massive Defense stat, Gen II evolution |
| Skarmory | Steel/Flying | Defensive pivot, hazard setter |
| Aggron | Steel/Rock | Filter ability, high Defense |
| Lucario | Fighting/Steel | Aura mechanic, popular design |
| Excadrill | Ground/Steel | Sand Rush sweeper |
| Ferrothorn | Grass/Steel | Iron Barbs, defensive core |
| Aegislash | Steel/Ghost | Stance Change, unique mechanic |
| Corviknight | Flying/Steel | Mirror Armor, defensive typing |
| Kingambit | Dark/Steel | Supreme Overlord, Gen IX threat |
Competitively Notable
| Pokemon | Notable For |
|---|
| Kingambit | Supreme Overlord ability, Sucker Punch priority |
| Gholdengo | Good as Gold blocks status moves, perfect immunity |
| Great Tusk | Steel Tera type for defensive pivoting |
| Iron Valiant | Mixed attacking future paradox |
| Iron Hands | Bulk + Drain Punch recovery |
| Iron Treads | Ground/Steel rapid spinner |
| Corviknight | Defensive pivot, Defog support |
| Ferrothorn | Hazard stacking, Leech Seed |
| Heatran | Fire/Steel typing, Magma Storm trapping |
| Skarmory | Physical wall, hazard setter |
Regional Variants
| Pokemon | Original Type | Steel Variant Type |
|---|
| Alolan Sandshrew | Ground | Ice/Steel |
| Alolan Sandslash | Ground | Ice/Steel |
| Alolan Diglett | Ground | Ground/Steel |
| Alolan Dugtrio | Ground | Ground/Steel |
| Galarian Meowth | Normal | Steel |
| Galarian Perrserker | Normal | Steel |
Common Steel-Type Moves
Physical Moves
| Move | Power | Accuracy | Effect |
|---|
| Iron Head | 80 | 100% | May flinch (30%) |
| Heavy Slam | Varies | 100% | More damage vs lighter foes |
| Meteor Mash | 90 | 90% | May raise Attack |
| Bullet Punch | 40 | 100% | Priority +1 |
| Steel Roller | 130 | 100% | Removes terrain |
| Gyro Ball | Varies | 100% | More damage when slower |
| Behemoth Blade | 100 | 100% | Doubles vs Dynamax (Zacian) |
| Behemoth Bash | 100 | 100% | Doubles vs Dynamax (Zamazenta) |
| Double Iron Bash | 60 | 100% | Hits twice, may flinch (Melmetal) |
| Sunsteel Strike | 100 | 100% | Ignores abilities (Solgaleo) |
Special Moves
| Move | Power | Accuracy | Effect |
|---|
| Flash Cannon | 80 | 100% | May lower Sp. Def |
| Steel Beam | 140 | 95% | User loses 50% HP |
| Doom Desire | 140 | 100% | Hits after 2 turns (Jirachi) |
| Make It Rain | 120 | 100% | Lowers user Sp. Atk, money (Gholdengo) |
| Tachyon Cutter | 50 | — | Hits twice, never misses (Iron Crown) |
Status Moves
| Move | Effect |
|---|
| Iron Defense | +2 Defense |
| Metal Sound | -2 Sp. Def to target |
| Autotomize | +2 Speed, reduce weight |
| Steel Beam | Sets hazards |
| Shift Gear | +1 Attack, +2 Speed |
Signature Moves
| Move | Pokemon | Details |
|---|
| Meteor Mash | Metagross | 90 power, may raise Attack |
| Behemoth Blade | Zacian | 100 power, doubles vs Dynamax |
| Make It Rain | Gholdengo | 120 power, scatters coins |
| Sunsteel Strike | Solgaleo | 100 power, ignores abilities |
| Double Iron Bash | Melmetal | 60 power, hits twice |
Steel-Type Specialists
Gym Leaders
| Trainer | Region | Signature Pokemon |
|---|
| Jasmine | Johto | Steelix |
| Byron | Sinnoh | Bastiodon |
| Wikstrom | Kalos (Elite Four) | Aegislash |
| Molayne | Alola (Trial Captain) | Dugtrio-Alola |
Elite Four/Champions
| Trainer | Region | Notable Pokemon |
|---|
| Wikstrom | Kalos | Aegislash, Scizor |
| Steven Stone | Hoenn | Metagross, Aggron, Skarmory |
Other Notable Trainers
| Trainer | Role | Notable Pokemon |
|---|
| Steven Stone | Champion (Hoenn) | Metagross |
| Cynthia | Champion (Sinnoh) | Lucario (occasional) |
Type Combinations
All Steel-Type Combinations
| Secondary Type | Example Pokemon |
|---|
| Pure Steel | Registeel, Melmetal |
| Steel/Psychic | Metagross, Jirachi, Bronzong |
| Steel/Fighting | Cobalion, Lucario, Zamazenta |
| Steel/Flying | Skarmory, Celesteela, Corviknight |
| Steel/Fairy | Magearna, Zacian, Klefki |
| Steel/Ground | Excadrill, Steelix |
| Steel/Rock | Aggron, Bastiodon |
| Steel/Dragon | Dialga, Duraludon |
| Steel/Ghost | Aegislash, Gholdengo |
| Steel/Dark | Bisharp, Kingambit |
| Steel/Bug | Scizor, Genesect, Forretress |
| Steel/Grass | Ferrothorn, Kartana |
| Steel/Electric | Magnezone, Iron Thorns |
| Steel/Fire | Heatran |
| Steel/Ice | Alolan Sandslash |
| Steel/Water | Empoleon |
| Steel/Poison | — (unused) |
| Steel/Normal | — (unused) |
Defensive Type Combinations
Steel's resistances create exceptional defensive cores:
| Combination | Pokemon | Defensive Benefit |
|---|
| Steel/Flying | Skarmory, Corviknight | Neutralizes Ground weakness, immune to Ground |
| Steel/Fairy | Zacian, Magearna | Resists Dragon, Dark; excellent defensive typing |
| Steel/Psychic | Metagross, Bronzong | Bronzong with Levitate immune to Ground |
| Steel/Ground | Excadrill | Resists Rock, immune to Electric |
| Steel/Grass | Ferrothorn | Quad resists Grass, many resistances |
Offensive Type Combinations
| Combination | Pokemon | Offensive Synergy |
|---|
| Steel/Dragon | Dialga | Excellent dual STAB coverage |
| Steel/Fighting | Lucario, Cobalion | Wide offensive coverage |
| Steel/Ghost | Aegislash | Neutral coverage on most types |
| Steel/Grass | Kartana | Ultra Beast with massive Attack |
Abilities
Steel-Type Related Abilities
| Ability | Effect | Pokemon |
|---|
| Sturdy | Survives OHKO at full HP | Skarmory, Aggron, Forretress |
| Clear Body | Prevents stat reduction | Metagross, Beldum |
| Heavy Metal | Doubles weight | Aggron, Bronzong |
| Light Metal | Halves weight | Scizor, Kartana |
| Steelworker | 1.5x boost to Steel moves | Dhelmise (not Steel-type) |
| Filter | Reduces super effective damage | Aggron |
| Solid Rock | Reduces super effective damage | Rhyperior |
| Levitate | Ground immunity | Bronzong, Magnezone (Gen III-VI) |
Signature Abilities
| Pokemon | Ability | Effect |
|---|
| Aegislash | Stance Change | Changes form on attack/King's Shield |
| Corviknight | Mirror Armor | Reflects stat drops |
| Kingambit | Supreme Overlord | +10% Attack/Sp.Atk per fainted ally |
| Gholdengo | Good as Gold | Immune to status moves |
| Zacian | Intrepid Sword | +1 Attack on switch-in |
Competitive Analysis
Strengths
| Strength | Details |
|---|
| Best Defensive Typing | 10 resistances, 1 immunity |
| Fairy Resistance | Key resistance in modern metagame |
| Hazard Control | Common Stealth Rock, Spikes, Defog users |
| Physical Bulk | Many high-Defense Steel-types |
| Reliable Moves | Iron Head, Flash Cannon widely distributed |
Weaknesses
| Weakness | Details |
|---|
| Three Common Weaknesses | Fire, Fighting, Ground all prevalent |
| Earthquake Vulnerability | Most Steel-types weak to common move |
| Fire Weakness | Often 4x for Steel/Grass, Steel/Bug |
| Speed Issues | Many Steel-types have low Speed |
| Limited Offensive Presence | Steel not super effective vs many types |
Role in Metagame
| Role | Examples |
|---|
| Physical Wall | Skarmory, Corviknight, Ferrothorn |
| Hazard Setter | Ferrothorn, Skarmory, Excadrill |
| Hazard Control | Corviknight (Defog), Excadrill (Rapid Spin) |
| Pivot | Scizor (U-turn), Corviknight (U-turn) |
| Offensive Sweeper | Kingambit, Excadrill, Metagross |
| Priority Attacker | Scizor (Bullet Punch), Bisharp (Sucker Punch) |
Steel-Type Cores
Steel-types form defensive cores with complementary types:
| Core | Pokemon | Benefit |
|---|
| Steel/Flying + Ground | Corviknight + Landorus-T | Covers each other's weaknesses |
| Steel/Fairy + Poison | Magearna + Toxapex | Defensive synergy |
| Steel/Ghost + Normal | Aegislash + Blissey | Complements immunities |
Special Mechanics
Poison Immunity
Steel-types are completely immune to the Poison status and Toxic:[5]
| Aspect | Details |
|---|
| Poison | Cannot be poisoned by any means |
| Toxic | Cannot be badly poisoned |
| Toxic Spikes | Immune to Toxic Spikes damage |
| Poison-type Moves | Still take damage from Poison moves |
Sandstorm Immunity
Steel-types (along with Rock and Ground) take no residual damage from sandstorm weather. Steel-types on sandstorm teams provide:
| Benefit | Details |
|---|
| No Chip Damage | Unaffected by 1/16 HP per turn |
| Excadrill Synergy | Sand Rush doubles Speed |
| Tyranitar Core | Complements sandstorm setter |
Weight-Based Moves
Many Steel-types benefit from weight mechanics:[6]
| Move | Mechanic | Beneficiary |
|---|
| Heavy Slam | More power vs lighter foes | Aggron, Celesteela |
| Gyro Ball | More power when slower | Ferrothorn, Bronzong |
| Low Kick | Takes more damage (disadvantage) | Heavy Steel-types |
| Grass Knot | Takes more damage (disadvantage) | Heavy Steel-types |
Historical Significance
Generation II Introduction
Steel-type was introduced in Generation II to balance the overpowered Psychic type:[7]
| Impact | Details |
|---|
| Psychic Resistance | Immediately weakened dominant Psychic-types |
| Dragon Resistance | Provided counter to Dragon-type |
| New Evolutions | Steelix, Scizor, Forretress, Skarmory |
| Legendary Presence | Ho-Oh's Steel Wing coverage |
Generation V Peak
Generation V featured Steel at its most powerful:
| Aspect | Details |
|---|
| 11 Resistances | Resisted Ghost and Dark in addition to current |
| Metagross Dominance | Clear Body prevented stat drops |
| Scizor Ubiquity | Bullet Punch + Technician everywhere |
| Excadrill Ban | Sand Rush made it overcentralizing |
Generation VI Nerf
Generation VI rebalanced Steel by removing two resistances:[3]
| Change | Impact |
|---|
| Ghost Neutral | No longer resists Ghost attacks |
| Dark Neutral | No longer resists Dark attacks |
| Fairy Introduction | Steel resists new Fairy-type |
| Competitive Shift | Slightly reduced but still excellent |
Generation VIII-IX Dominance
Modern generations see Steel as the premier defensive type:
| Factor | Pokemon |
|---|
| Fairy Resistance | Key to handling Fairy threats |
| Corviknight | Best defensive Flying-type |
| Kingambit | Supreme Overlord sweeper |
| Gholdengo | Good as Gold immunity |
| Paradox Forms | Iron Valiant, Iron Hands, Iron Treads |
Notable Steel-Type Moments
Competitive History
| Event | Pokemon | Significance |
|---|
| Gen III OU | Metagross | Dominant pseudo-legendary |
| Gen IV OU | Scizor | Technician Bullet Punch meta-defining |
| Gen V Ubers | Excadrill | Banned from OU for Sand Rush |
| Gen VI VGC | Aegislash | Stance Change strategy |
| Gen VII VGC | Celesteela | Defensive Beast Boost stacking |
| Gen VIII OU | Corviknight | Premier physical wall |
| Gen IX OU | Kingambit, Gholdengo | Tier-defining threats |
Design Philosophy
Steel-types often represent:
| Theme | Examples |
|---|
| Fossils | Bastiodon (shield fossil) |
| Machinery | Metagross, Genesect |
| Medieval Armor | Escavalier, Aegislash |
| Man-Made Objects | Klefki, Bronzong |
| Industrial | Steelix, Aggron |
Steel-Type Paradox Pokemon
Generation IX introduced numerous Steel-type paradox forms:
| Pokemon | Based On | Type | Era |
|---|
| Iron Treads | Donphan | Ground/Steel | Future |
| Iron Bundle | Delibird | Ice/Water | Future (not Steel) |
| Iron Hands | Hariyama | Fighting/Electric | Future (not Steel) |
| Iron Jugulis | Hydreigon | Dark/Flying | Future (not Steel) |
| Iron Moth | Volcarona | Fire/Poison | Future (not Steel) |
| Iron Thorns | Tyranitar | Rock/Electric | Future (not Steel) |
| Iron Valiant | Gardevoir/Gallade | Fairy/Fighting | Future (not Steel) |
| Iron Leaves | Virizion | Grass/Psychic | Future (not Steel) |
| Iron Boulder | Terrakion | Rock/Psychic | Future (not Steel) |
| Iron Crown | Cobalion | Steel/Psychic | Future |
Note: Despite "Iron" naming, most paradox Pokemon are not Steel-type. Only Iron Treads and Iron Crown are Steel-types.
Tera Type Usage
Steel is one of the most popular Tera types in Generation IX:[8]
| Pokemon | Normal Type | Tera Steel Benefit |
|---|
| Great Tusk | Ground/Fighting | Gains Steel resistances, neutral to Fairy |
| Dragonite | Dragon/Flying | Removes Ice 4x weakness |
| Garchomp | Dragon/Ground | Resists Fairy, removes Ice weakness |
| Garganacl | Rock | Removes Fighting weakness |
See Also