Pokemon Emerald was the final edition of the third generation of Pokemon games, pulling together everything cherished about Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire and polishing all the edges to create one of the most beloved games in the series. The game became loved amongst fans for its expansive roster of Pokemon, exciting region, and abundance of interesting items.
One of the most exciting items in the game is the Metal Coat, which allows you to evolve the Pokemon Onix into Steelix and Scyther into Scizor. This is the only method of developing these Pokemon into their second form, making it an essential item for any completionists out there who wish to 100% their Pokedex in Pokemon Emerald.
But how do you obtain a Metal Coat, and how can you use it to take these Pokemon to their following evolutionary forms. Getting your hands on a Metal Coat in Pokemon Emerald is surprisingly more challenging than you may think, but that doesn’t mean that it is impossible. With a slice of luck and a fair bit of patience, your party will soon have a Steelix and a Scizor in it in no time.
How to Get a Metal Coat in Pokemon Emerald
The Metal Coat is a type of held item that was originally introduced in Gen II. It has the ability to evolve an Onix into a Steelix and a Scyther into a Scizor. In fact, it is the only way to evolve that specific kind of Pokemon, making it a must-have for any player who absolutely needs to have their Pokedex completed. The Metal Coat also increases the power of all Steel-type moves in your party by 10%.
In Gen III, the Metal Coat is fairly tricky to get your hands on but by no means impossible. In Pokemon Emerald, in order to get the Metal Coat, you will need to battle wild Magnemite or Magneton and hope that you obtain the Metal Coat as an item. Regardless of which Pokemon you face, you have exactly a 1 in 20 (5%) chance of getting hold of that special Metal Coat.
You can find both wild Magnemite and Magneton in New Mauville, which is a power plant located beneath Mauville City. This location can only be reached by surfing from Route 110 east underneath the Seaside Cycling Road. Here, you will find a small island to the east of the overhead path. In the game’s lore, New Mauville was originally intended to be an underground city before being converted into a habitat for wild Pokemon.
It just so happens that this habitat is the perfect breeding ground for both Magnemite and its evolved form, Magneton. Both Pokemon are Electric and Steel-type and are robotic-like in appearance – resembling the shape of a magnet. In the case of Magneton, the Pokemon looks like three metal orbs pulled together with screws with a half dozen magnets stuck to its heads.
While in New Mauville, you will want to battle as many Magnemite or Magneton as possible, as they hold the all-important Metal Coat that you need to evolve Onix and Scyther. Stay patient, keep on battling, and eventually, you will get your hands on this item. 5% may sound like a really small drop rate, but given the number of times, you will encounter either the Magnemite of Magneton in this location, the chances of you eventually getting hold of a Metal Coat or two is assured.
How to Use the Metal Coat in Pokemon Emerald
Congratulations! You now have the Metal Coat! With it, you will now be able to finally evolve Onix and Scyther into their next forms. While holding it in your inventory, all Steel-type attack moves will have their power increased by 10%. You only need the one Metal Coat to evolve both types of Pokemon, so don’t worry about having to spend even more time in New Mauville trying to get hold of two Metal Coats.
If you do have excess Metal Coats in your inventory, then you can sell them for the handy price of $50 each.
When looking to evolve either Onix or Scyther, all you need to do is make sure you have a Metal Coat in your inventory when it comes time to trade either one of those Pokemon. When traded while holding the Metal Coat, the Onix will evolve into a Steelix, and the Scyther will evolve into a Scizor.
The Steelix is a really cool-looking Pokemon, resembling a robotic shark-snake with devious eyes, spiky fins, and a grin that promises business will get done. Meanwhile, the Scizor is a Bug/Steel-type Pokemon that looks like a grasshopper crossed with a crab. Its red spiky exoskeleton and insect-like wings are undeniably inspired by bugs, but its menacing pincers at the end of each arm appear to take scary inspiration from crustaceans.
Regardless of their moves, there is no denying that Steelix and Scizor are some of the coolest-looking Pokemon in all of Pokemon Emerald. Their abilities are far from useless as well, and both make worthy additions to any Pokemon battle lineup. The fact that you need a Metal Coat in order to acquire these two Pokemon evolutions speaks to the importance of getting your hands on one.
The Metal Coat may not be the flashiest item in Pokemon Emerald, but there is no denying how essential it is to complete your Pokedex and get hold of some of the meanest-looking Pokemon in the region. We hope this guide has helped you learn how to obtain the Metal Coat in Pokemon Emerald. With it in your inventory, not only will you finally be able to evolve Onix to Steelix and Scyther into Scizor, but all of your Steel-type attack moves will be 10% more powerful for the rest of your playthrough.
It may take some time to find, but once you have the Metal Coat in your pocket, you will be pleasantly surprised by the neat possibilities it opens up for you in Pokemon Emerald.