#126, #240 + #467: Magmar, baby Magby and the newer one, Magmortar

Ok, so we had Electabuzz and co last time, and now we get the similar one, the one that got add-ons at the same time, the ones that also have the same hidden ability and very similar main ability, and also evolve using a trade with an item using '-izer' in the name. Dear Arceus they got lazy, like me using that joke again...

Magby: prediction here, it's fairly nippy with mixed damaging prowess and wobbly defences. Now I'll look it up and... Ok, so it's a bit slower with higher attack stats, but the bulk is still a little low. 75 physical attack and 70 special attack is the other way around, but still decent and mixed-available, with 83 speed a little lower but not awful for a baby. 45 HP, 37 defence and 55 special defence is the same. Vital spirit is there as the hidden ability (can't be put to sleep), whilst the main ability is flame body, so rather than contact causing paralysis, you cause a burn here. Pure fire-type, as well.

Is that Fellaini?

Smog is a base 30 special poison move that can cause poisoning 40% of the time, so we're off to an ok start. Leer is there to lower the foe's defence, but there's only one STAB physical move coming by level (I'll let you guess until we get there). Ember is a fairly weak (base 40) fire special move with a chance to burn, and smokescreen lowers the foe's accuracy, before feint attack offers a rare physical move as dark base 60 which ignores accuracy and evasion modifiers. Fire spin is a base 35 fire special move that traps the target in a burning ring of fire for a few turns, inflicting damage and preventing escape. Clear smog is another poison special, this time base 50 and removing stat changes to the target. Flame burst is a base 70 fire special move that causes fire splash damage to the foe's teammates on either side. Confuse ray is an annoying move that confuses the enemy, and fire punch is that move you should have guess, base 75 fire physical.

If you skip evolving at level 30, lava plume is a base 80 fire special move that hits all adjacent Pokemon and can burn them, whilst also destroying rocks in the background. Sunny day not only boosts your fire attacks but allows chargeless sunny day, which could be handy against those pesky ground and water enemies. Flamethrower and fire blast is like the thunder/bolt debate: flamethrower has 100 accuracy, more PP and 90 power, fire blast has 110 power, less PP and 85 accuracy (so better than thunder but weather has no effect other than on the impact power).

Standard TMs appear with hidden power and toxic, no solar beam, but flamethrower and fire blast are there with overheat (base 130 special fire that lowers the user's special attack 2 stages). Incinerate will burn off the foe's berry, psychic and brick break are back, and base 50 physical fire move flame charge can boost your speed a stage. Will-o-wisp will burn the target, and power-up punch does the same as always.

If you eat a berry, egg move belch can make that a weapon for the battle as a base 120 special poison move, whilst belly drum will take half your health but give all six stages of boost to attack. Cross chop and dynamic punch return alongside karate chop, and mach punch is basically a fighting version of quick attack. Thunder punch is there without ice punch, flare blitz is a base 120 fire physical with recoil, and iron tail exists here, too. The tutor gives a similar list to Elekid, with the standards all there (such as signal beam), dual chop is here, too, as is thunder punch, along with iron tail and heat wave (base 95 fire special that hits all adjacent opponents with a chance to burn and can break rocks).

If you get to level 30 again, you can become Magmar. Again we have the attack inversion whilst remaining close, 95 physical attack, 100 special attack. Speed inches up to 93, HP to 65, and the same defences as on Electabuzz, too, with 57 physical and 85 special. Lord Helix is this dull... No change in type, no change in abilities and the only changes to the attacks are hyper beam, giga impact and focus blast being added to TMs. Again, looks cheap but was the first.

I never really liked this design, not sure why...

Again when trading with a held item ending in '-izer', this time magmarizer, you evolve into a newer one that was all the rage in gen 4. Magmortar again drops the speed back to that of the baby at base 83, and messes with the attacks, this time going more logically to special with special attack at 125, physical attack at 95, HP at 75, defence at 67 and special defence at 95. There is more logic evolving here than there was with Electabuzz. The abilities and type remain the same, the level list gains thunder punch and hyper beam, thunderbolt, solar beam, rock tomb/slide and bulldoze are added to the TM list with earthquake and strength and the tutor adds nothing new.

Samus broke into the cake tin...

This is a better one to go for the final evolution, as the loss of speed is not so disappointing, the defences both change, and the chosen attack stat correlates better with the move available. It's still your choice, Magmar with eviolite isn't dreadful.

(All artwork presented by Ken Sugimori, taken from the Bulbapedia image archives)