Magcargo

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Magcargo
Image:Magcargo.png
National Pokédex
Slugma - Magcargo (#219) - Swinub

Johto Pokédex
Slugma - Magcargo (#212) - Sneasel

Hoenn Pokédex
Slugma - Magcargo (#104) - Torkoal
Japanese name Magcargot
Evolves from Slugma
Evolves into None
Generation Second
Species Lava Pokémon
Type Fire / Rock
Height 2 ft 7 in (0.80 m)
Weight 121.0 lb (55.0 kg)
Ability Flame Body / Magma Armor

Magcargo (マグカルゴ Magukarugo?, Magcargot in original Japanese language versions) is one of the 493 fictional species of Pokémon from the Pokémon Franchise – a series of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri.

The purpose of Magcargo in the games, anime, and manga, as with all other Pokémon, is to battle both wild Pokémon—untamed creatures encountered while the player passes through various environments—and tamed Pokémon owned by Pokémon trainers.[1]

The name "Magcargo" comes from the words "magma" and "escargot" (French for "snail"). (See also Omanyte and Omastar for the "Ess-Kargo" pun.) It may even be based on "magma" and "cargo", as it has a shell on its back (which could be considered "cargo").

Contents

[edit] Biological characteristics

Magcargo is a snail composed of molten lava with a shell on its back. The shell is actually a thin outgrowth of its skin that hardened due to cooling of the air, in spite of the fact that it lives in the heat of volcanic craters. The shell is brittle and fragile enough that touching it will cause it to break and crumble, though Magcargo “grows” back its shell passively in a short amount of time.

Magcargo, the majority of it comprised of molten magma, has a searing body temperature of approximately 18000 degrees Fahrenheit. Condensed, superheated flames constitute the blood of this Pokémon as it circulates throughout its body, and sometimes the flames spout out of the shell on its back (often through a hole that forms on the upper left area of the shell behind Magcargo’s head). Since Magcargo is composed of the molten lava, when traveling at its slow pace it leaves parts of its continually hardening body on the ground behind it, thus decreasing its physical size. To lose too much of its mass is potentially deadly, so Magcargo routinely restores its size and vitality by dipping its body into volcanic pools of magma.

Any water that comes into contact with Magcargo’s body is instantly vaporized into steam. If Magcargo is ever caught in the rain, which is a rare occurrence the Pokémon seeks to avoid, the raindrops that hit it turn into steam en masse, and the entire area is cloaked in a thick fog.

In the ancient past, Magcargo was quite a different Pokémon. It was a slug-like Pokémon whose body was not composed of magma at all. However, living in the vicinity of volcanic pools of lava over tens of thousands of years has physically converted the species into lava-entities of their own.

Magcargo looks like its preevolution, Slugma, just without the flame eyebrows and an added shell.

[edit] Role

[edit] Pokémon video games

In Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal, Magcargo cannot be found in the wild. However, Slugma can be found during the day along Route 16 and Route 18. In Sapphire, Ruby, and Emerald, Magcargo cannot be found in the wild either. However, Slugma can be found in the Fiery Pass. In Fire Red and Leaf Green, they can be found by Rock Smash, in Mount Ember on One Island.

Magcargo can be evolved from Slugma in Colosseum, and Magcargo is snaggable in XD.

Magcargo is a relatively under-used Pokémon due to its common weaknesses (especially to Water and Ground-type attacks) and lack of a great choice of attacks. It is also very slow.

In Pokémon Emerald, carrying a Magcargo causes eggs that you carry to be incubated faster and hatch in half the time.

[edit] Pokémon animé

In episode #240, "Some Like it Hot!," a bunch of Magcargo and Slugma block a canyon leading to Blackthorn City, which make them nuisances to Ash and co.

Ash's first official match in the Silver Conference was against a trainer named Macey who specialized in fire Pokémon (she also had an Electabuzz to fry water-types). After the battle, Macey's Slugma evolved into Magcargo.

[edit] In the Pokémon Trading Card Game

Magcargo, as seen in the Pokémon Trading Card Game
Magcargo, as seen in the Pokémon Trading Card Game

Magcargo has made numerous appearances in the Pokémon Trading Card Game. It has appeared in the following sets as both a Fire and a Fighting-type Stage-1 card (and, in one case, as an ex card):

  • Neo Revelations
  • Neo Destiny (as Dark Magcargo)
  • Skyridge (4 cards)
  • EX Dragon (as Magcargo ex)
  • EX Team Rocket Returns (as Dark Magcargo)
  • EX Deoxys (2 cards)
  • EX Unseen Forces

[edit] References

Publications
  • Barbo, Maria. The Official Pokémon Handbook. Scholastic Publishing, 1999. ISBN 0-439-15404-9.
  • Loe, Casey, ed. Pokémon Special Pikachu Edition Official Perfect Guide. Sunnydale, CA: Empire 21 Publishing, 1999. ISBN 1-930206-15-1.
  • Nintendo Power. Official Nintendo Pokémon FireRed Version & Pokémon LeafGreen Version Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., August 2004. ISBN 1-930206-50-X
  • Mylonas, Eric. Pokémon Pokédex Collector’s Edition: Prima’s Official Pokémon Guide. Prima Games, September 21 2004. ISBN 0-7615-4761-4
  • Nintendo Power. Official Nintendo Pokémon Emerald Version Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., April 2005. ISBN 1-930206-58-5

[edit] External links

In other languages