The Steel-Type was introduced to the Pokemon games with Generation II alongside the Dark-Type. It was a heavy-hitting new type that focused on the Defense stat but still suffered a weakness to Fire, Fighting, and Ground-Type. However, it was also resistant to Flying, Bug, Grass, Dragon, Psychic, Normal, Rock, Ghost, and Dark-Type moves (those last two resistances were removed in later generation games). It’s also completely unaffected by Poison-Type moves, and Fairy-Type moves were weak against Steel-Type too when the Fairy-Type was introduced with Generation VI.

All of this is to say that the Steel-Type is possibly the sturdiest type, and that is the topic of today’s discussion: the 10 Steel-Type Pokemon with the highest Defense stat. Pokemon database Serebii and competitive Pokemon hub Smogon University were two primary sources for this topic.

10 Melmetal

Melmetal is the Hex Nut Pokemon and is a Legendary Pokemon only available through Pokemon Go. In order to get Melmetal in Sword & Shield, one must obtain Meltan in Pokemon Go, accumulate 400 Meltan Candies, evolve Meltan, transfer it to either Pokemon Let’s Go Eevee or Let’s Go Pikachu, and then transfer it through Pokemon Home to Sword & Shield. Melmetal is technically a Generation VII Pokemon and is a pure Steel-Type.

Melmetal can take some heavy hits, as its base Defense stat is 143 and maxes out at 423. It falls under the OverUsed tier in competitive Pokemon play.

9 Probopass

Probopass is the Compass Pokemon and is a Rock and Steel-Type Pokemon originating from Generation IV and the Sinnoh Region. It is the evolved form of Nosepass, a pure Rock-Type from Generation III. Evolving Nosepass into Probopass requires leveling up Nosepass at a specific location, that being the Electric Rock in the Sun & Moon games.

Nosepass and Probopass are unfortunately unavailable in the current generation of Pokemon games. However, Probopass is Untiered in Generation VII competitive play, which is reserved for the lowest Pokemon in terms of competitive viability. Despite that, it has a high base Defense of 145 that maxes out at 427.

8 Zamazenta

Zamazenta is the Warrior Pokemon and the Legendary Pokemon mascot of Pokemon Shield. Zamazenta’s Pokemon Sword counterpart is Zacian. Zamazenta is a Fighting-Type Pokemon in its base form, but its Crowned Shield Form, achieved by giving Zamazenta the Rusted Shield item, is a Fighting and Steel-Type. The Crowned Shield Form is all-around more powerful and has the higher Defense.

Zamazenta’s base Defense is the same as Probopass’, meaning it’s 145 and maxes out at 427. Zamazenta falls under the Uber tier of competitive play, the tier generally reserved for the most powerful Pokemon.

7 Mega Metagross

Metagross is Iron Leg Pokemon that originates from Generation III and the Hoenn Region. It is a Psychic and Steel-Type Pokemon. It evolves from Metang at Level 45, and Metang evolves from Beldum at Level 20. Metagross received a Mega Evolution form in Generation VI with the Ruby & Sapphire remakes, Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire. Unfortunately for Metagross, Mega Evolutions were phased out with Generation VIII.

In its normal form, Metagross has a base Defense of 130 which maxes out at 394. Mega Metagross has a base Defense of 150 which maxes out at 438. Mega Metagross still qualifies as an Uber in Generation VII competitive play.

6 Doublade

Doublade occupies a weird spot in the list of Steel-Type Pokemon, as it’s not a fully-evolved Pokemon. It is the Sword Pokemon, and it evolves from Honedge at Level 35 and into Aegislash through exposure to a Dusk Stone. Doublade is a Steel and Ghost-Type Pokemon, and it originates from Generation VI and the Kalos Region.

Doublade’s base Defense is 150 and maxes out at 438 like Mega Metagross. Until Generation VII, Aegislash shared this base Defense in its Defensive Stance. However, it was nerfed down to a base Defense of 140 with Generation VIII, meaning Doublade actually has a higher Defense than its fully-evolved form. In any case, Doublade falls under the Rarely Used tier on Smogon.

5 Registeel

Registeel is the Iron Pokemon and is a Legendary pure Steel-Type Pokemon hailing from Generation III and the Hoenn Region. It was originally a part of a trio with Regice and Registeel. However, a fourth “Regi” was added with Regigigas in Generation IV, and a fifth and sixth were recently added with Regidrago and Regieleki in the Crown Tundra Expansion to the Generation VIII games, Pokemon Sword & Shield.

Registeel falls into the Rarely Used tier. Its base Defense is also 150, maxing out at 438.

4 Bastiodon

Bastiodon is an ancient prehistoric Pokemon added with Generation IV and the Sinnoh Region. It is known as the Shield Pokemon and evolves from Shieldon at Level 35. It is a Rock and Steel-Type that has not yet been added to the Generation VIII games.

Bastiodon provides a strong base Defense stat at 168, and it maxes out at 478. Despite that, Bastiodon is Untiered.

3 Stakataka

Stakataka is another Rock and Steel-Type Pokemon, this time originating from Generation VII and the Alola Region. Stakataka is an Ultra Beast and is classified as the Rampart Pokemon. In Generation VIII, thanks to the removal of Mega Evolutions, Stakataka has the highest Defense stat behind the Rock and Bug-Type Pokemon, Shuckle.

Stakataka has an incredible base Defense of 211, meaning it maxes out at 573. It falls into the Rarely Used tier in competitive play.

2 Mega Steelix

Steelix is the Iron Snake Pokemon and is a Steel and Ground-Type Pokemon introduced with Generation II and the Johto Region. It evolves from the Generation I Pokemon, the Rock and Ground-Type Pokemon Onix, through trading while holding the Metal Coat item. Steelix received a Mega Evolution with Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire in Generation VI.

In its normal form, Steelix has a base Defense of 200 which maxes out at 548 and falls into the Never Used tier. In its Mega Evolution form, Steelix has a base defense of 230 which maxes out at 614 but still falls into the UnderUsed tier.

1 Mega Aggron

Aggron is the Iron Armor Pokemon and originates from Generation III and the Hoenn Region. It is a Rock and Steel-Type Pokemon that evolves from Lairon at Level 42 and Aron at Level 32, It also received a Mega Evolution with VI. Regular Aggron has a base Defense of 180 which maxes out at 504 and falls under the Practically Useless tier.

Mega Aggron is a pure Steel-Type, and its base Defense is actually tied with Mega Steelix. The two are actually tied for the highest Defense behind Shuckle in Generation VII. However, Mega Aggron places higher on the list than Mega Steelix for being a pure Steel-Type, giving it fewer weaknesses. It falls under the UnderUsed tier in competitive play.

NEXT: Pokemon: Ranking The Games Based On What Pokemon Were Available Before The Elite Four