The Steel type (Japanese: はがねタイプSteel type), originally called the メタルタイプMetal type in the Pokémon Gold and Silver Spaceworld '97 demo, is one of the eighteen types. It was introduced in Generation II, along with the Dark type. As well as introducing new Pokémon and moves with the Steel type, two Pokémon were changed to have the Steel type. Steel-type moves are super effective against Fairy-, Ice-, and Rock-type Pokémon, while Steel-type Pokémon are weak to Fighting-, Fire-, and Ground-type moves.
Battle properties
Note: Type effectiveness multipliers may vary in other games outside the core series.
As of Generation IX, 81 Pokémon are Steel-type (counting those that are Steel-type in at least one of their forms, including regional forms), which makes up 7.88% of all Pokémon, making it the 8th rarest type among Pokémon after Rock and before Dark.
The Pokémon below are listed by their current types. Some Pokémon have had their types changed, usually when a new type was introduced.
As of Generation IX, there are 40 Steel-type moves, which makes up 4.28% of all moves (excluding those that are Steel-type only under certain circumstances), making it the 8th most common type among moves after Fire and before Poison.
The user wields a large, powerful sword using its whole body and cuts the target in a vigorous attack. This move deals twice the damage if the target is Dynamaxed.*
The user attacks by launching particle blades at the target twice in a row. This attack never misses.
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.
Changed types
The following moves have had their types changed into Steel.
A Pokémon with Protean or Libero will become a Steel-type Pokémon if it uses a Steel-type move. A Pokémon with Color Change will become a Steel-type Pokémon if it is hit with a Steel-type move.
Unlike in the core series games, in Pokémon Sleep, each Pokémon can only have one type, which determines the kind of Berry that the Pokémon will gather for Snorlax to feed on. Steel-type Pokémon will gather Belue Berries, and typically have the Slumbering sleep type.
The following is a list of Steel-type Pokémon in Pokémon Sleep.
Introduced in the Neo Genesis set, Metal-type Pokémon in the TCG are generally weak to Fire and Fighting with resistances to Grass and Psychic. Metal-type Pokémon can be strong against Water and Fairy, whilst some Water and Lightning Pokémon can resist this type.
Trivia
The Steel type has the most resistances of any type.
As of Generation IX, Steel-type Pokémon have the highest average base Defense of all types.
Generation VIII introduced the most Steel-type moves of any generation, with eight, and Generation VI introduced the fewest Steel-type moves since the type was created, with one.
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.
This makes the Steel type the only added type to not have a previously introduced attack have its type changed.
Before Generation VI, Steel was the only type that had a non-neutral type match-up with all the seventeen existing types, considering both the offense and defense of both types. In Generation VI, it was changed so that Steel no longer resisted Dark- or Ghost-type moves.
Each of the three first partner Pokémon types inflict a different amount of damage when attacking a pure Steel-type Pokémon (Grass does ½× damage, Water does 1× damage, and Fire does 2× damage).
The Steel type is tied with the Poison type for being the most common type among Ultra Beasts, with three Ultra Beasts being Steel- or Poison-type each.
They are also the only types to share an immunity to a status condition, both being immune to poisoning.
The Steel type has been paired up with every other type except for Normal (not including Pokéstar Studios opponents).
The Steel type resists every type that it is supereffective on. It shares this distinction with the Fire type.
The Steel type is the only type that has lost resistances.
According to Junichi Masuda in an interview with Journal du Geek in 2013, the Steel type's effectiveness against the Fairy type stems from the folkloric belief of fairies being susceptible to iron and other metals[1] (the specific type of iron is traditionally known as "cold iron").