At the peak of Stark Mountain is a legendary Pokemon often forgotten among its peers. This fire/steel type oddity is far removed from most other Pokemon but while Heatran is somewhat of the black sheep of legendary Pokemon, it should not be overlooked.
About Heatran
| First appearance in anime | In the Pokemon movie ‘Arceus and the Jewel of Life’ |
| First appearance in-game | Diamond and Pearl |
| Region | Sinnoh |
| Evolution | None |
Heatran’s Base Stats
| HP | 91 |
| Attack | 90 |
| Defense | 106 |
| Sp. Attack | 130 |
| Sp. Defense | 106 |
| Speed | 77 |
Appearance
Heatran has an incredibly strange appearance. It's a quadrupedal Pokemon covered in yellow spots which break up its otherwise dark brown color. There are metal bands and bulbs on its legs and the top of its head and this metal also seems to form its feet and teeth.
Behavior
Heatran can dig its claws into solid stone which allows it to climb on walls and ceilings. This mode of movement helps it navigate its mountainous environment which is why Heatran is the guardian of the mountain it resides on. It also protects an item called the Magma Stone but if this stone is taken, Heatran will go on a furious rampage.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Heatran is one of several legendary Pokemon that possess opposing dual types and this makes its matchups difficult to remember. Its steel typing makes it entirely immune to poison-type moves and it takes half damage from normal, flying, psychic, and dragon-type moves. Not only that, it takes quarter damage from the bug, steel, grass, ice, and fairy-type moves. Heatran, however, is weak to fighting, water, and ground type moves and thus takes double damage from the first two and quadruple damage from the latter.
Shiny Heatran
Shiny Heatran is the rare, recolored version of Heatran. It has a more saturated color palette than its normal form with the brown and orange coloring on a Shiny Heatran closer to red and yellow, making the body appear molten. Shiny Heatran also has more yellow-colored metal and purple eyes instead of brown eyes.
Best Movesets for Heatran
Defensive: Heatran, with its large swathe of strong resistances and incredible defensive stats, is a great tank Pokemon. While its health isn't the highest it makes up for that with defensive stats and defensive moves like Protect and items like Leftovers. Combined with longer-term moves like Toxic and Stealth Rock, this set can reliably whittle down enemies to nothing.
| Lava Plume | Protect |
| Toxic | Stealth Rock/Earth Power |
Offensive: While defense may be Heatran’s specialty, this actually makes it versatile. Its high starting defenses mean it needs very little in terms of setup to be bulky. This means it can go right for an all-out aggressive strategy with strong moves like Magma Storm and Earth Power capable of overcoming the enemy team as soon as possible.
| Magma Storm/Lava Plume | Flash Cannon/Solar Beam |
| Earth Power | Stealth Rock |
How to Catch Heatran in Pokemon Go
In Pokemon Go, Heatran appears as a raid boss which must be defeated. Teaming up with other players and using Pokemon which are water, fighting, or ground types will help ensure victory against the powerful Pokemon. Once defeated, you’ll be given the chance to capture Heatran.
Explainer Video
Trivia
- Heatran has five double resistances which is the most double resistance of any Pokemon ever.
- Heatran is the only Pokemon with dual fire/steel typing.
- Heatran was introduced before Hidden Abilities, however, unlike other Pokemon like this, it cannot be obtained with its Hidden Ability without an Ability Patch.
FAQs
Q. Is Heatran a legendary Pokemon?
While it may not seem like it, Heatran is a legendary Pokemon although it’s not defined as a mythical or ultra beast.
Q. Does Heatmor evolve into Heatran?
Neither Heatmor nor Heatran have evolution lines and are not evolutionarily associated with each other.
Q. Is Heatran a good Pokemon?
While Heatran’s stats are rather standard for legendary Pokemon, its high number of strong resistances make it a formidable opponent especially when considering it can learn a large array of powerful and an array of moves.
Conclusion
Heatran may often be forgotten but it shouldn’t be. This legendary has one of the strongest dual types out there and can really put pressure on unprepared opponents. Definitely consider adding this molten creature to your team to spice up matchups and really make your opponents think.
