Steelix is a long, serpentine Pokémon with a silvery-gray body made of rock-like sections, which can possess chips and scrapes from fights and tunneling. Three of those sections have long rock spikes coming out of them on either side. It has a massive head mainly made up of its large, wide jaw with sets of large square teeth inside. Along its bottom jaw are ridges: there are two pairs of ridges on a male Steelix, while there is only one pair on a female. Several small, square lumps cover the underside of its lower jaw. Its eye sockets are slightly deep-set, and the eyes themselves are red. Its head has two long ridges going from the eyes up to the top of its head. The tip of its tail is conical with a blunt tip.
Steelix burrows up to six-tenths of a mile underground, even further than its pre-evolved form Onix, and it can be found in mountains or caves. Steelix can dig even towards the world's core. It easily chews through boulders with its powerful jaws, and its eyes are capable of seeing in the dark. Exposure to underground heat and pressures alongside its iron-rich soil diet has made its body harder than diamonds. Steelix's Evolution is said to have been the result of an Onix's composition becoming more diamond-like after living for about 100 years. As mentioned in Pokémon Sleep, Steelix is known to sleep in an upright postion.[1] As noted by researchers, it can maintain this superb balance without even toppling over.
As Mega Steelix, its body becomes longer, almost doubles its mass, and gains more features. Mega Steelix's eyes turn blue and its lower jaw becomes more heavily armored with a round, curved shape. Additionally, a third pair of ridges appear on its bottom jaw, as well as two sharp, flat structures consisting of three conjoined projections on each side. The gray, rock-like spikes and its tail point have transformed into iridescent crystalline spikes; the segments from which the spikes protrude are much larger as well. In-between the head and individual spiked segments are smaller units, now adorned by a black spot with a blue hexagon on each side.
Several metallic-looking scraps are magnetically rotated around its neck; these scraps react to Mega Steelix's movements and are positioned defensively when attacking. The cells within its body, crystallized by the energy produced from Mega Evolution, are stronger than any mineral and are able to withstand any temperature. It moves incredibly slowly, but its strengthened body is also impervious to damage, and it lashes out at foes without flinching.[2]
Its body has been compressed deep under the ground. As a result, it is even harder than a diamond. (Pokémon Red, Silver, or Crystal inserted) It is said that if an Onix lives for over 100 years, its composition changes to become diamond-like. (Pokémon Blue, Gold, or Yellow inserted)
Steelix lives even further underground than Onix. This Pokémon is known to dig towards the earth's core. There are records of this Pokémon reaching a depth of over six-tenths of a mile underground.
Steelix live even further underground than Onix. This Pokémon is known to dig toward the earth's core, reaching a depth of over six-tenths of a mile underground.
Steelix lives even further underground than Onix. This Pokémon is known to dig toward the earth's core. There are records of this Pokémon reaching a depth of over six-tenths of a mile underground.
This Pokémon evolved through use of a strange item. Its body is coated with steel powder and notably hard—not even diamond can leave so much as a scratch.
Even when Steelix is nodding off and looks ready to topple over, it somehow keeps its huge body upright. Researchers observed it for an entire night, but it held out with superb balance and didn't topple over even once.
In Faced with Steelix Determination, Team Rocket accidentally stuck three shovels into the head of an underground Steelix while digging a pitfall trap. It went on to terrorize a village of Bidoof until the shovels were removed through the combined efforts of multiple Bidoof, Ash's Staravia, and his Pikachu.
In Dealing With Defensive Types!, Byron used a Steelix in his Gymbattle against Ash. It put up a tough fight, defeating Buizel despite its type advantage, and then fought Chimchar. Despite its exhaustion from its earlier battle, Chimchar was able to defeat Steelix after a prolonged battle.
Steelix, the Iron Snake Pokémon, and the evolved form of Onix. Steelix's body is much harder than any metal, as it is tempered underground under high pressure and heat.
Steelix, the Iron Snake Pokémon. A Steel and Ground type. Heat from deep underground strengthens its hide, and the pressure gives its body a toughness harder than metal.
Steelix, the Iron Snake Pokémon. A Steel and Ground type. Exposure to underground heat and pressure, plus its iron-rich diet, make its body harder than any metal or diamonds.
Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire Animated Trailer
A soldier's Steelix appeared in The Redemption, during a fantasy of a story from the past. It was one of the many Pokémon fighting in the great war of Kalos 3,000 years previously.
In Pokémon Adventures, Jasmine used a Steelix disguised as an Onix in the Gym Leader's Tournament of the opening ceremonies in the Pokémon League. Brock's Onix tightened its grip on the hidden steel Pokémon, but against the unusual hardiness of its Evolution, it only hurt itself and was eventually defeated after Steelix's stone "hide" scraped off and it was exposed. Jasmine explains that because it was a newly discovered species only so far uncovered by Crystal's capture, she tried to hide its identity, so to ensure that it wouldn't get the audience scared.
Byron has two Steelix, which appeared in Challenge! The Fortress Of Steel!!. They were used in the challenge in which they served as walls to prevent Hareta from getting to the top.
A combination of Steel- and Ground-types, Steelix are the longest Pokémon yet to be discovered, reaching over 30 feet in length. Since they live so deep under the surface of the earth, the intense pressure has made their bodies stronger than diamonds. Evolved from Onix, Steelix is every bit as intimidating as its relative.
NA:With a body harder than diamond, this Pokemon is well suited to digging, using its powerful jaws to tunnel around. Steelix lives deep underground - even deeper than its pre-Evolution, Onix. Was it pride that made Steelix prove itself able to go farther? It's hard to say. We tried to dig around for clues, but we got tired after only 10 feet...
PAL:Being harder than diamond, Steelix can crush any rock with its jaw. It can also see in pitch darkness. Its territory lies deeper than its pre-Evolution, Onix, a full 1000m below the surface. Does it consider its Onix brethren to be "below" it, even though they're higher up? It's hard to say. We may have to dig a little deeper into the matter.
Steelix, like Onix, may be based on a combination of a snake and earthworm. It may also be based on the bergstutz or stollwurm, a type of dragon that has been presented as burrowing.
Mega Steelix's crystalline body may be a reference to graphite turning into diamonds from compression. The blue hexagonal patterns on its body resemble Liesegang rings, particularly those found in onyx. Mega Steelix could also be a reference to the Crystal Onix, a special Onix that appeared in an episode of Pokémon the Series, with a body of crystal instead of opaque rock.
Name origin
Steelix may be a combination of steel, helix, and Onix or onyx.
Haganeil may be a combination of 鋼 hagane (steel) and nail or tail.
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.
Metal Coat (5%)
For other sprites and images, please see Steelix images on the Bulbagarden Archives.
