Gen 3 got creative with the Steel-type formula, then the Gen 6 remakes took these experiments and made them even more interesting by adding new types, moves, and mega forms. So let’s count down the best choices you might want on your team.
4. Skarmory
Skarmory is a Steel/Flying-type that plays a bit different to the rest of the list. Instead of focusing on dealing huge damage, Skarmory’s moveset and base stats requires us to get a little creative. At level 28, Skarmory will learn Spikes, a move that places entry hazards on the opponent’s side of the battlefield. Entry hazards will damage any enemy Pokémon that switches into battle, with Spikes dealing more if you use it multiple times. Spikes will stack up to three times:
1 layer deals 1/8 of a Pokémon’s max HP when it switches in 2 layers deal 1/6 of max HP 3 or more layers will deal a huge 1/4
Every time you’re about to fight a tough opponent, put Skarmory in the front of your party, and open the battle with 3 layers of Spikes to turn some strong foes into one-shot fodder. If you’re not using Skarmory as your first Pokémon, then you might instead want to poison your foes, with the hope that Skarmory’s high defense will keep it alive as their health whittles down. Toxic is the best Poison move in the game – and Skarmory can learn it via TM06 found in the Fiery Path on Route 112. If you’re in a pinch and need to use Skarmory as an offensive Pokémon, Steel Wing is your best bet there, learned naturally at level 34. How to catch: Skarmory can be caught on Route 113.
3. Mega Mawile
Mawile got a massive upgrade in Generation 6. Its new mega form and typing has changed a once lackluster Pokémon into a powerhouse. Note: Mawile is exclusive to Omega Ruby, so if you’re playing Alpha Sapphire, you’ll have to rely on a trade to get your hands on one. Mawile is built towards dishing out physical damage, so we’ll base its ideal attacks/moveset around dishing out hits as much as possible. As soon as you can, take advantage of Mawile’s new Fairy-type by taking it to the Move Relearner in Fallarbor Town. Here you can teach it Play Rough, its strongest Fairy STAB move. Iron Head is by far Mawile’s best Steel-type STAB move, learned at a pretty late level 45. If you’re willing to pay an extra Heart Scale, the Move Reminder will teach Iron Head to Mawile much earlier. I recommend doing it this way, since Mawile can be a nightmare to train without a good Steel-type move. Mawile’s most dangerous weakness is to Fire-type attacks, so we can use Stone Edge (TM71) to cover for this. You’ll get the TM after beating the Rustboro City Gym. Mawile’s only other type weakness is to Ground attacks. Our options for covering this are pretty sparse, so we’ll have to settle with the special-damaging Ice Beam as a last resort. TM13 for Ice Beam is found in Sea Mauville. How to catch: Mawile is available in Omega Ruby only, in Granite Cave, Cave of Origin, Sky Pillar and Victory Road. You can find Mawile’s mega stone at the west end of Route 117.
2. Magnezone
Magnezone is a Gen 4 upgrade to a classic line of Steel/Electric-types. Luckily, Magnezone is a very easy Pokémon to raise and build, with all of its best moves learned naturally. First up is Metal Sound at level 29, a Steel-type move that will harshly lower the opponent’s special defense. Magnezone is a special-attacker, so this gives us the perfect opening to deal massive damage. Flash Cannon is Magnezone’s best Steel-type STAB move, learned at level 33. Then Magnezone will learn its best offensive move, Discharge, at level 43. This should be your go-to move if Magnezone can’t deal any super-effective damage. And finally, Magnet Rise can be used to cover for Magnezone’s x4 weakness to Ground-type attacks by giving it the Levitate ability until the end of battle, rendering Ground-type moves useless. Magnezone will learn Magnet Rise at level 62. Due to the unique method that Magnezone uses to evolve, you may end up evolving Magneton into Magnezone later than the levels that it learns these moves. If this happens, don’t panic – you can always head to the Move Reminder to get them back. How to catch: Catch a Magnemite on Route 110. Raise it to level 30 to evolve it into Magneton. Once you’ve beaten the 8th Gym, meet Wattson in Square Tower to unlock New Mauville. Leveling up Magneton in New Mauville will evolve it into Magnezone.
1. Mega Aggron
Aggron is a Steel/Rock type that was already one of the best Pokémon you could have on a journey through Hoenn. ORAS made it even stronger with its mega form, bringing its physical attack and defense stats to new heights. And here’s what you can try for a build idea: Start off the fight by transforming Aggron, then buffing its already absurd defense with Iron Head, learned at level 15 by Aggron’s first form, Aron. At level 25, Aron will learn Rock Slide, which will remain Aggron’s strongest Rock-type STAB all the way into the endgame. Aggron’s best Steel-type STAB move is learned early as well, as Lairon will learn Iron Tail naturally at level 40. Bizarrely, Aggron can also learn the Surf HM, which covers against its x4 weakness to Ground-type moves, as well as letting you travel across the sea without a water-type on your team. How to catch: Catch an Aron in Granite Cave, then raise it to level 32 to evolve it into Lairon. Lairon will evolve again into Aggron, starting at level 42. You can collect Aggron’s mega stone from Rusturf Tunnel by breaking rocks with Rock Smash.
