The evolution of Onix, which will not have an entry on this site as they are not Steel Types. Steelix’s coats often have chips and scrapes from tunneling (or battling). Tunneling is very important to Steelix, making them a difficult pokémon to train. They can burrow up to 6/10 of a mile underground, which is further than Onix tunnel, and easily chew through boulders. They can often be found in mountains and caves.

Exposure to heat and pressure underground make Steelix bodies harder than diamonds. Most Steelix are quite old, 100+ years, due to how long it takes for an Onix’s coat to become hard enough to evolve. This can be sped up with the Metal Coat item.

Food

Steelix mainly eat iron-rich soil, but are able to enjoy poké treats as well, though treats should never be used as an alternative to their soil-based diet.

Grooming / Maintenance

Although their coat can become chipped and scratched, it’s not important to fix or fill these imperfections. Steelix do not require much maintenance at all, but can be groomed for shows and performances (or due to preference). Grooming a Steelix can be tough due to their size and attitude. An untrained Steelix will likely fight back against grooming. See the Tarnish and Rust Guide for more information on grooming your steelix.

Rank

Ranking System

Steelix are not a good option for beginners due to their size, tunnelling habits, and diet. They are absolutely massive at an average of 30 feet tall (9.2m) and incredibly heavy. Even with the fact they require no grooming, I simply cannot recommend training a Steelix without having experience with large pokémon.