Introduced in generation one, with the original Pokemon Red, Blue, and Green games, Magmar is a monotype fire Pokemon. While it was a standalone Pokemon when initially released, it received a pre-evolution in generation two as well as a final evolution in generation four. Magmar is classified by the Pokedex as the “Spitfire Pokemon”. This guide will showcase it’s appearances in the anime, its capabilities in battle and other general facts about Magmar.
About Magmar
Magmar is fairly unique as it was one of the original 151 Pokemon from generation one. It also received two different evolutions as part of its line in two different generations. Magby was introduced in generation two and evolves into Magmar at level 30. Magmortar was introduced in generation four and Magmar will evolve after being traded while holding a Magmarizer. As a generation one Pokemon, Magmar has had many opportunities to appear in various Pokemon media, first appearing in the original series with the episode Riddle Me This.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Original Series: Riddle Me This |
| First appearance in game | Red/Green (Japan) Red/Blue (International) |
| Region | Kanto |
| Evolution | Evolves from Magby, evolves into Magmortar |
| 1st Evo level | 30 |
| 2nd Evo level | Evolves from Magmar into Magmortar when traded holding a Magmarizer |
| Pokedex Entry | In battle, Magmar blows out intensely hot flames from all over its body to intimidate its opponent. This Pokémon's fiery bursts create heat waves that ignite grass and trees in its surroundings. |
Magmar Base Stats
| HP | 65 |
| ATTACK | 95 |
| DEFENCE | 57 |
| SP. ATTACK | 100 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 85 |
| SPEED | 93 |
| TOTAL | 495 |
Appearance
Magmar is a bipedal Pokemon with red and orange all over its body and has a duck-billed mouth with flame-like ornaments on top of its head. At the ends of its arms are clawed hands, with five pointed claws on each. Magmar also has a spiked back and the red and orange design makes its body appear to be made of flames with a long tail at the base of its body. Magmar is 4 feet and 3 inches, or 1.3 meters tall.
Behavior
Most of what we understand about Magmar’s behavior is through the lens of gym leaders or various other trainers. It appears to have a protective side, caring deeply for its trainer and the environment around it. Magmar will spare no expense at shaping the area around it to protect it or prevent harsh conditions. Not only that, as a Pokemon that originated from a volcano, Magmar has no problem handling lava.
Strengths and Weaknesses
While most of Magmar’s depictions in the anime are typically as the trainer’s ace, it is unfortunately rather mediocre in terms of battle capabilities. It has a respectable offensive statline with decent physical and special attack along with an okay speed stat. However, Magmar is just very weak in terms of bulk and as a monotype fire Pokemon, it is weak to ground, rock, and water type moves. It does, however, resist steel, bug, fire, grass, ice, and fairy type moves.
Shiny Magmar
It would be difficult to find a more distinct shiny than Shiny Magmar. The entirety of Shiny Magmar’s color palette is swapped to a pinker shade. This particular shiny variant is a favorite of fans, as it complements Magmar’s fiery design with another color variant that is both distinct as well as appropriate for its flame-like body. Shiny Magmar has mostly pink and lighter pink colour palette throughout its body. Like all shiny Pokemon, Shiny Magmar gains a starry animation upon entering battle.
Credit to ExoticPoke on DeviantArt for the below picture.
Best Moveset
Since Magmar’s inclusion in the original generation one games, it has not been very powerful in competitive play. It is consistently near the bottom of competitive brackets and has been outclassed by many of the other Pokemon in the franchise. However, with its respectable offensive stats, it has a chance to One Hit KO opponent’s Pokemon in battle. Consider running Fire Blast, Focus Blast, Hidden Power Grass, and Mach Punch/Sunny Day to get the best out of Magmar. Fire Blast benefits from STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus), Focus Blast and Hidden Power Grass exist for type coverage, and Mach Punch is also for type coverage consideration while Sunny Day can power up Magmar’s fire type moves.
| Fire Blast | Focus Blast |
| Hidden Power Grass | Mach Punch/Sunny Day |
How to Catch Magmar in Pokemon Go
If you would like to obtain a Magmar in Pokemon Go, it is a rare spawn. The easiest way to go about it would be to hatch a Magby from 5 km eggs and eventually evolve it into a Magmar. While Magmar was a standalone Pokemon in generation one, since it is not the base evolution in Pokemon Go, it has become more uncommon than other Pokemons in the wild. Magmar has also appeared as a tier two raid boss in Pokemon Gyms in the past, so keep an eye out. You will need 25 Magby candies in order to evolve it into Magmar, and another 100 plus a Sinnoh Stone in order to evolve it into Magmortar.
Video
Trivia
- The inspiration for Magmar’s design appears to be a cross between a booby, which is a seabird, or duck and a salamander from mythology.
- The name Magmar is a combination of the words magma and mar, meaning to damage or spoil.
- While Magmar’s evolution line is fairly unique, it is a parallel to Electabuzz. Both being stand-alone Pokemon released in generation one that received a base evolution and a final evolution a few generations later.
FAQ
Who is the 126th Pokemon in the Pokedex?
Magmar is the 126th Pokemon in the Pokedex. Every Pokemon is assigned a number by the Pokedex, typically in sequential order with its evolution line. However, Magmar is much higher up than either Magby or Magmortar as these numbers are assigned after their release. This number can also remind you which generation a Pokemon was released in.
Is Magmar a Rare Pokemon?
Magmar is typically a gifted Pokemon or obtained in the wild. While it is not exceptionally rare, it has a typically lower spawn rate than most other Pokemon in the area. In the mainline games, if Magmar is able to be encountered in the wild, it is not particularly rare. However, it can be considered rare as many games require trade in order to access a Magmar.
Is Magmar better than Magmortar?
Magmortar is the evolution of Magmar, making Magmortar more powerful in terms of base stats. There is almost no reason to consider Magmar instead of Magmortar. Even their abilities remain the same, so there is almost no benefit to keeping your Magmar instead of a Magmortar.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this “Spitfire Pokemon”. While Magmar’s impact on competitive play has been rather minor, it is still fairly unique as a standalone Pokemon from generation one. Magmar received two different evolutions throughout the franchise’s history, which makes Magmar the middle evolution of the line. Even though Magmar may not be the most powerful Pokemon, reserve a slot for it on your teams and you will not be disappointed.
