It’s time to grab a Pokeball and come with us as we check out the best Steel type Pokemon!
The Steel type was first introduced in the second generation of Pokemon games, beginning with Pokemon Gold and Silver.
Overall, it’s the strongest type from the viewpoint of Defence; Steel has the highest average Defence stat of any type in the game!
Of the 1000-plus Pokemon in the Pokedex, a relatively small number of Steel type monsters appear.
There’s just 83 overall, with only 17 of those being single type, Steel-only Pokemon.
Which are the best though?
So, join us as we check out the best Steel type Pokemon!
Table of Contents
10. Mega Steelix
Though Steelix itself debuted in generation two titles Pokemon Gold and Silver, it wasn’t until Omega Ruby and Sapphire onwards that its Mega Evolution became available.
If you trade an Onix – one of the original, first generation Pokemon – while it holds Metal Coat, it’ll evolve into a Steel and Ground type Steelix.
As with many Steel type Pokemon, Steelix has absolutely phenomenal Defence – good luck with damaging this Pokemon!
Yet its Mega evolved form – which you can get using Steelixite – is even stronger, Defence-wise.
In fact, Mega Steelix is joint second in the entire Pokedex, in terms of how high its Defence stat is!
So why is it ranked so low on the list of the best Steel type Pokemon?
Unfortunately, though it definitely excels in terms of its Defence, as well as an above average Attack stat, it underwhelms in other areas – particularly in terms of its Sp. Atk and Speed.
Despite its incredible Defence, Mega Steelix is a very slow Pokemon with fairly average HP – which does mark it down in our estimation.
Like most Steel Pokemon, it has very few weaknesses – with Electric and Poison type moves being completely ineffective.
It’s worth noting that Fire, Water, Fighting and Ground type moves all have a chance against Mega Steelix, however – with them being Super Effective!
9. Mega Lucario
Generation four titles saw the introduction of Fighting and Steel type Pokemon Lucario.
Though Lucario is strong in its own right, it’s nothing compared to its Mega Evolution, which made its first appearance in Pokemon X and Y.
This bipedal beast is just as formidable as it looks, with a superb Attack stat that only just outranks its impressive Sp. Atk.
Though – surprisingly, for a Steel type – it doesn’t have particularly great Defence or Sp. Def, it makes up for it by being surprisingly quick in terms of its Speed.
Though Mega Lucario’s strongest Steel type move is learned at level 48 – Meteor Mash – and has only a 90% chance of hitting, it does have the superb Close Combat move at level 60, which is 100% accurate and has 120 Power too!
It’s definitely more Fighting than Steel in terms of its moves, but Mega Lucario definitely has the benefits of a Steel type in terms of its lack of weaknesses, with many types struggling to be effective against it.
So Mega Lucario is definitely a good all-rounder, especially if you aren’t intending to use it particularly defensively!
8. Mega Aggron
The original Aggron first popped up in Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire, part of the third generation of Pokemon games.
A Steel and Rock type Pokemon, Aggron’s Mega Evolution wasn’t made possible until the release of Pokemon X and Y.
Even in its normal form, Aggron’s Defence stat is genuinely impressive – but in Mega Aggron form, its Defence stat is the same as Mega Steelix, meaning that it’s also in joint second position for highest Defence in the entire Pokedex!
Mega Aggron excels in Attack too, making this a pretty fearsome beast.
Sadly, its low placement on this list is due to poor Speed and only average HP, Sp. Atk and Sp. Def stats.
It is worth noting, however, that there’s not one move type that’s super effective against Mega Aggron, which is pretty impressive. The closest any types get are Fire, Fighting and Ground, all of which do 150% damage.
Nothing does double damage to this monster!
7. Dusk Mane Necrozma
Psychic Pokemon Necrozma was introduced in Pokemon Sun and Moon; known as the Prism Pokemon, it can evolve into a variety of different forms, each of which has its own type in addition to Psychic.
To get hold of a Dusk Mane Necrozma yourself, you’ll need to fuse another Pokemon – specifically Solgaleo – with the N-Solarizer item.
Dusk Mane Necrozma has pretty impressive stats across the board – aside from its Speed – but truly excels with a devastatingly high Attack stat.
Its ranking is lower here than you may expect, because its offensive capability simply isn’t in Steel moves, however – most of which are defensive.
It does learn Psychic move Prismatic Laser at level 88 though; this is a 100% accurate move with 160 power, making it incredibly strong!
6. Solgaleo
If you do have a Solgaleo, however – you might want to hold onto it instead of evolving it into a Dusk Mane Necrozma.
In our humble opinion at Retro Dodo, we consider Solgaleo to just about be the better option if you’re looking for a strong, Steel type Pokemon!
Debuting in Pokemon Sun and Moon – and just like Dusk Mane Necrozma, one of its evolved forms – Solgaleo is a Psychic and Steel type Pokemon.
It evolves from Cosmoem once that Pokemon reaches level 53 – though only in Pokemon Sun or Ultra Sun; when Cosmoem reaches level 53 in Pokemon Moon or Ultra Moon, it actually evolves into Psychic/Ghost type Pokemon Lunala instead.
Cosmoem itself evolves from Cosmog at level 43.
Solgaleo’s HP and Attack stats are really high, with excellent stats elsewhere too, though Sp. Def is slightly underwhelming.
Solgaleo – perhaps befitting its Steel type – also has the ability Full Metal Body, which prevents other Pokemon from lowering its stats!
Much like Dusk Mane Necrozma, Solgaleo’s attack strength lies mostly in non-Steel type moves – with its strongest Steel attack, Flash Cannon, being learned at level 28.
However, there’s a special way to get your Solgaleo a great Steel type move – if you evolve it in Pokemon Sword and Shield; if you do, you’ll have access to Sunsteel Strike, which has 100% accuracy and 100 power too!
5. Dialga (Origin Forme)
Steel and Dragon type Pokemon Dialga was first introduced in Pokemon Diamond; being that game’s Legendary Pokemon, it appears on the cover art too!
While holding an Adamant Crystal in Pokemon Legends: Arceus or Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Dialga will transform into its Origin Forme.
This Pokemon’s stats are above average across the board, with Sp. Atk being the most impressive of all. Defence and Sp. Def are both well above average too!
Dialga’s Origin Forme only has weakness against Fighting and Ground type moves, with resistance to almost all other move types. It’s even completely immune to Poison type moves!
Despite how strong Origin Forme Dialga seems, just wait until you see the next entry on our list of the best Steel type Pokemon!
4. Dialga
That’s right – the OG Dialga just sneaks ahead of its Origin Forme in our Steel type Pokemon list!
Despite showing up way back in generation four, Steel and Dragon type Dialga is still among the very best Steel type Pokemon.
With a very strong Sp. Atk stat, as well as excellent Attack and Defence, Dialga is also above average with all its other stats too.
It has the same weaknesses as its Origin Forme – only two types, Fighting and Ground, are twice as effective against Dialga – with the same resistances and immunity to Poison too.
If you’re using Dialga in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, at level 55 it learns Flash Cannon – a 100% accurate move with 80 power. Though this isn’t Dialga’s strongest attack move, it is the best Steel type move it has in its oeuvre.
Dragon type move Roar of Time – which has an amazing 150 power and is learned at level 60, again in Pokemon Legends: Arceus – is the jewel in Dialga’s crown, though it does ‘only’ have 90% accuracy.
Its moveset and abilities do vary depending on which generation game you’re using it in, but regardless of that, Dialga is an excellent Pokemon and definitely one of the strongest Steel type Pokemon!
3. Crowned Shield Zamazenta
This Pokemon – which debuted as the cover star of Pokemon Shield – has a habit of making its way into the lists at Retro Dodo.
Crowned Shield Zamazenta has appeared in our heaviest Pokemon, best dog Pokemon and our best wolf Pokemon lists too!
So it’s clear that there’s definitely something special about this particular creature.
From a stats perspective, this Fighting and Steel type Pokemon is really impressive, aside from its slightly underpowered Sp. Atk and a just about above average HP.
In every other area though, Crowned Shield Zamazenta is superb.
Like many other Steel type moves, most of the ones that Crowned Shield Zamazenta learns are defensive in nature – though at level 33 it does learn Iron Head, which is 100% accurate and has 80 power.
Crowned Shield Zamazenta definitely deserves its place near the top of the best Steel type Pokemon list – it’s no wonder it’s so regularly featured in our articles!
2. Crowned Sword Zacian
The counterpart to Crowned Shield Zamazenta, Pokemon Sword’s Legendary cover star is Crowned Sword Zacian.
Another familiar face, Crowned Sword Zacian has appeared in our strongest Pokemon, best Fairy type Pokemon and best Pokemon team articles!
With incredible Speed and a massive Attack stat – the joint sixth highest Attack in the entire Pokedex – this Fairy and Steel type Pokemon is definitely one you want to have on your side.
Crowned Sword Zacian’s weaknesses are few too; only Fire and Ground types have a chance against it!
It even has immunity against Poison and Dragon type moves!
Just like Crowned Shield Zamazenta, the best Steel type move that Crowned Sword Zacian learns is Iron Head, also at level 33.
It does have other, seriously powerful moves in its repertoire though – earning it this high spot on the best Steel type Pokemon list!
Who’s taken the coveted number one spot though? Read on and find out!
1. Mega Metagross
The original form of Metagross makes an appearance on our best Psychic Pokemon list – but it’s the Mega Evolution that takes the number one spot on the best Steel type Pokemon list!
Metagross made its debut appearance way back in third generation titles Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire – but this Mega evolved form wasn’t introduced until much later, in Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.
Though ever so slightly lacking when it comes to HP, the Steel and Psychic Mega Metagross – which is made up of one Metang, and two Beldum linking up to create an absolutely huge Pokemon – has absolutely phenomenal Attack and Defence stats, along with above average Sp. Atk, Sp. Def and Speed stats.
At level 52, Mega Metagross learns its strongest Steel type attack move – Meteor Mash.
Yet it’s Hyper Beam, a Normal type attack learned at level 82, that’s the true trump card for Mega Metagross. Though only 90% accurate, when it hits, it really hits hard!
Unsurprisingly, a combination of its superb stats and wealth of great moves make Mega Metagross a clear choice for the top of the best Steel type Pokemon list!
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