Metal Claw in Pokemon Survivor

Metal Claw at a glance

What Metal Claw does

Metal Claw is a Steel-type melee move. A steel swipe in an arc.

A Pokemon can learn it if it is Steel-type, which is true of 61 of the 966 Pokemon. It reaches you as a new-move card when you level up, as long as one of your four move slots is free. 33 Pokemon begin a run with it. Each level-up draws three cards by weight from up to six new-move candidates, your move upgrades and the stat cards, so even a good move can sit out several level-ups.

It knocks enemies back.

Metal Claw stats by level

At level 1, Metal Claw deals 18 damage with a 0.5 second cooldown. At level 5 that becomes 38 damage every 0.38 seconds, which is 100.8 potential damage per second against 36 at level 1.

Potential damage per second multiplies damage by the number of hits and divides by the cooldown. It assumes every one lands on the same enemy and leaves out the Pokemon's attack multiplier, your cards and the type chart, so treat it as an upper bound for comparing levels and moves, not as a kill time.

Metal Claw level-up changes

Each level-up card for Metal Claw applies the changes below. They stack, so the level 5 row above already includes all of them.

• Level 2: +40% damage
• Level 3: +25% reach
• Level 4: -25% cooldown
• Level 5: full circle, +50% damage

Metal Claw evolution: Iron Head

Metal Claw evolves into Iron Head when it reaches level 5 and you have taken the Power card at least once in the same run. Once both are true, a golden evolution card is always offered at your next level-up. Until then, the Power card keeps showing up with a note that it unlocks this evolution, so you do not have to hunt for it.

Iron Head keeps the Steel type and the same slot. Its damage goes from 38 to 72 and its cooldown stays at 0.38 seconds. The move evolution guide lists all 59 evolutions and the cards they need.

• +90% damage
• +30% reach
• Full circle

Which Pokemon can use Metal Claw

61 Pokemon can learn Metal Claw: every Steel-type, which is 8 single-type and 53 dual-type. The best of them by Stat Score are Kartana, Solgaleo, Dialga, and Excadrill.

33 Pokemon start with Metal Claw.

How to use Metal Claw

• Melee moves aim at an enemy touching you first, then at a boss within 330 pixels, then at the nearest enemy, and wait until a target is in reach before they fire. A crowd around you takes the hits before a boss does.
• Ice, Rock, and Fairy take 60% more damage from Steel moves, while Fire, Water, Electric, and Steel take 40% less. Enemies with two types multiply both effects. See the type chart.
• Other melee moves are Tackle, Vine Whip, and Wing Attack. The moves list compares all 64.
• While your active slot holds a melee move, you take 25% less damage from ordinary hits. Pure damage such as the final fight's pillars and beams ignores that discount.
• Each Reflexes card multiplies every cooldown by 0.92 and each Power card multiplies damage by 1.10. After 5 Reflexes cards the 0.5 second cooldown of Metal Claw at level 1 becomes 0.33 seconds.
• Only the move group in your active slot fires, and every move in the group keeps its own cooldown timer. A bond, which a rift win gives you, fuses loose moves into one group.
• Weather can boost or weaken Steel moves: see the weather guide.

Metal Claw in Pokemon Survivor FAQ

What does Metal Claw do in Pokemon Survivor?

A steel swipe in an arc. It is a Steel-type melee move with 5 levels. It deals 18 damage at level 1 and 38 at level 5.

How do you evolve Metal Claw?

Level it to 5 and take the Power card at least once in the same run. A golden evolution card then appears at the next level-up and turns it into Iron Head.

Which Pokemon can learn Metal Claw?

The 61 Steel-type Pokemon, including dual types. 33 of them start with it.

Browse all 64 moves in the Pokemon Survivor moves list, or read the Pokemon Survivor guides.