Games - Steelix

	Games - Steelix

Steelix (Haganail ハガネール Haganeiru in Japanese, also called Steelix in French and Stahlos in German) is a fictional character of the Pokémon franchise.

The name Steelix is a portmanteau of steel, and elix, the latter meaning a type of distillation - aconstituents being separated or evolved into a new compound. It also shows its relation to Onix, whose name also ends in "-ix", and is derived from onyx.

Its Japanese name is derived from the word 鋼 (はがね - hagane - steel).

Appearance

Steelix's appearance is highly similar to that of its pre-evolved form, Onix. However, it is around two feet even longer (in the generation of the Gold and Siver versions, Steelix was the longest measuring pokemon at over 30 feet long, but it lost that honor to Wailord of the Ruby and Sapphire versions, at 48+ feet long), its body or at least its surface is comprised of steel, some of the boulder formations that make up its body have spikes growing out of them, its tail ends in a sharp point, and it has a large and prominent jaw.

Biology

Although within the games Steelix is normally acquired only by trading Onix (see below) the Pokédex suggests that an Onix can essentially evolve into Steelix if it lives long enough and digs deep enough.

According to the theory, as an Onix grows older, it burrows deeper underground. Around the age of 100, the pressures exercised on its stone body become so high that it is compressed into a much harder, diamond-like composition, although it is closer to metal in nature. Steelix's multi-faceted body reflects bright light very well, giving it a shiny, glittery appearance.

Steelix continues to burrow underground like it did as an Onix, but it reaches far greater depths, reaching records of up to 0.6 miles (900 metres) while heading for the earth's core.

In the video games

Steelix is not available in the wild. It is evolved from Onix when it is traded to another game cart holding the Metal Coat item. Therefore, the availability of Steelix depends on the availability of Onix, the Metal Coat and another person to trade Onix to momentarily. Sometimes, if you catch a magnemite, it holds the metal coat item. Steelix was rumoured to exist long before it was actually available in the games, and was supposedly called Baryonix.

Steelix has average Hit Points and good attack, but by far its most noteworthy attribute is its extremely high defense, almost the highest among all Pokémon. Unfortunately, it is simultaneously plagued by mediocre special defense and very low speed. Its Steel type grants it a host of elemental resistances, but its Ground subtype makes it vulnerable against Water-type attacks.

Moves like Earthquake and Iron Tail, which are powerful and match Steelix's types, are fairly common in its movesets. Thanks to its Rock Head trait which nullifies recoil damage, Double-Edge is also popular. Generally a Steelix strategy is outlasting the opponent with its phenomenal defense, while dealing a fair bit of damage or inflicting opponents with bad poison status through Toxic.

In the animé

Steelix first appeared in episode #226 (Nerves of Steelix) under the control of Jasmine, the Olivine City Gym Leader, who used it in her badge battle against Ash. Steelix was also used by a Team Rocket member against the protagonists of the Raikou-Legend of Thunder special, as well as by Harrison against Ash in the Silver Conference. Another one appeared in episode #334 (All Torkoal, no play) antagonizing a Torkoal that went on to join Ash's team. Morrison, one of Ash's rivals in the Hoenn League, owns a Steelix.

In the trading card game

Steelix has appeared on a good number of Pokémon cards throughout the game’s history. Each card is Stage 1 and Steel-type unless otherwise noted:

Neo Genesis
Neo Destiny (as Shining Steelix, Basic-class)
Aquapolis
Skyridge
EX Sandstorm
EX Team Rocket Returns (as Dark Steelix, as a Dark/Steel dual type)
EX Unseen Forces (as Steelix EX)

Shining Steelix is considered useless and downright dubious in its battling structure because it has an extremely expensive attack (two metal energies and two ground energies) that, though it can do 80 damage and 10 damage to benched Pokémon to both sides, both depends on a coin flip and cannot be used twice in a row, whether or not the coin flip landed heads. In the views of card game players, this means that the damage is averaged down to 20 damage per turn.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Steelix ]