You’re wandering around the Asado Desert, sand getting in your shoes, and suddenly you see it. This massive, metallic worm-thing just chilling in the dunes. It’s the Steel Titan in Pokemon Violet, officially known as Orthworm, and honestly, it’s one of those boss fights that can either be a total breeze or a frustrating cycle of revives depending on if you actually know how the Earth Eater ability works. Most players just rush in with their strongest moves and get confused when the Titan seemingly ignores half their damage.
It’s big. It’s shiny. And it’s surprisingly tanky.
The Steel Titan is part of the Path of Legends storyline, which, if we’re being real, is the best part of the Gen 9 games because it actually gives you useful upgrades like high jumping and gliding. But Orthworm isn’t just a target practice dummy. It’s a level 29-ish encounter that tests whether you understand type matchups beyond the basics. If you’ve been relying on Ground-type moves because "Steel is weak to Ground," you’re about to have a very bad time in the desert.
Where the Steel Titan Pokemon Violet Actually Hides
Finding this thing isn't hard, but navigating the Asado Desert can be a pain if you haven't unlocked better traversal yet. You’ll find the Steel Titan in Pokemon Violet hanging out in the northern section of the desert, usually sticking its head out of the sand like a giant, terrifying Whack-A-Mole.
Arven will give you a call when you get close. He’s always stressed, isn't he?
The map marker is pretty accurate for this one. Just head northwest from Cascarrafa. You’ll see a giant metal cylinder poking out of a pit. Once you approach it, the thing bolts. You have to chase it down. It’s a bit of a scripted sequence, so don't worry if you feel like you're playing a weird version of Tag. You catch it, you fight it, it runs away, you eat some herbs—you know the drill by now.
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The Earth Eater Trap
Here is the thing most people mess up. Orthworm has an ability called Earth Eater. In any other Pokemon game, you’d use Dig or Earthquake against a Steel-type and call it a day. Do that here, and you are literally healing the boss.
Earth Eater makes Orthworm immune to Ground-type damage. Not just immune—it recovers HP. It’s a cruel joke by Game Freak, honestly. You’re in a desert, surrounded by Ground-types, facing a Steel-type, and your best weapon is actually a potion for the enemy.
Best Counters for the Steel Titan
So, if Ground is off the table, what do you do? You go for Fire, Fighting, or any decent Special Attacker. Orthworm’s physical defense is massive. It’s basically a walking (slithering?) tank. But its Special Defense? That’s its Achilles' heel.
- Skeledirge or Armarouge: If you picked Fuecoco, you’re winning. Torch Song or any decent Fire Blast will melt Orthworm. Fire is super effective, and since most Fire moves are Special, they bypass that chunky physical armor.
- Pawmot: This little electric squirrel-thing is a secret weapon. Close Combat or Arm Thrust deals heavy Fighting-type damage. Just watch out for Orthworm's "Iron Tail" because it hits like a freight train.
- Lucario: You can find Riolu early enough to have a Lucario by this point. Aura Sphere is a Special Fighting move. It’s basically the perfect "Delete" button for this fight.
- Flamigo: Don't sleep on the bird. It’s a Fighting/Flying type that you can catch right at the start of the game, and its stats are weirdly high for an unevolved-looking flamingo.
The fight happens in two stages. First, you take it on alone. Once its health gets low, it retreats into a cave to eat the Hidden Spice (Salty Herba Mystica). Then Arven joins you with his Toedscool. Arven’s Toedscool is actually helpful here because it uses Mud Shot—wait, no, Mud Shot is Ground-type. See? Even the NPC gets tripped up by Earth Eater sometimes.
Actually, Toedscool has the Mycelium Might ability, which technically lets it hit through some abilities, but it’s still a messy way to fight. Just focus on your own damage output.
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The "Hidden" Rewards
Beating the Steel Titan in Pokemon Violet isn't just about the badge or the Herba Mystica. It’s about the Koraidon/Miraidon upgrade. This specific Titan unlocks the High Jump ability.
Think about all those cliffs you couldn't quite reach. All those items sitting on pillars in the middle of nowhere. High Jump changes the game. It makes exploration in Paldea significantly less annoying. You can finally skip the long, winding paths and just hop over the geometry. It’s a literal game-changer for completionists.
Why Orthworm is Such a Weird Design
Can we talk about Orthworm for a second? It’s a giant earthworm made of steel. It looks like it belongs in a Mario game more than Pokemon. But competitively, it’s actually a bit of a niche monster. It has the move "Shed Tail," which is essentially a Substitute and a Switch-out combined.
In the Titan fight, you don't see that tactical depth. You just see a giant wall of HP.
The difficulty spike here usually comes from the move "Sandstorm." It chips away at your non-Steel/Rock/Ground types while Orthworm just sits there looking smug. If the fight is dragging on, use a Rain Dance or Sunny Day to clear the weather. Or just hit it harder. Usually, hitting it harder works.
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Tactics for Low-Level Players
Maybe you wandered into the desert too early. It happens. If you’re underleveled, you need to cheese it.
- Will-O-Wisp: Burning Orthworm cuts its Attack stat in half. This makes its physical moves much less scary.
- Confuse Ray: It’s RNG-heavy, but making a giant steel worm hit itself in the face is always satisfying.
- Intimidate Cycling: If you have a Luxray or a Gyarados, keep switching them in and out to drop Orthworm's Attack to rock bottom.
Honestly, the most important thing is just avoiding Ground moves. I cannot stress that enough. I've seen so many people tilt because they kept clicking Earthquake and wondering why the HP bar was going up. Read the ability pop-ups, folks. They’re there for a reason.
Final Preparations and Next Steps
Once the dust settles and you’ve enjoyed your sandwich with Arven, you’re one step closer to finishing the Path of Legends. The game doesn't force an order on you, but usually, people tackle the Steel Titan third or fourth.
If you just finished this, your next logical stop is probably the Quaking Earth Titan (Great Tusk or Iron Valiant depending on your version) if you're feeling brave, or the Sky Titan if you skipped it.
What you should do right now:
- Check your Miraidon/Koraidon: Hold the B button to jump higher. Go back to the earlier areas and grab the TMs you couldn't reach before.
- Catch an Orthworm for yourself: They are great for mid-game teams because of that Physical Defense. Just don't expect it to outspeed anything.
- Check your Herba Mystica: You now have the Salty variety. This is crucial later for shiny hunting sandwiches, though you'll need more than one to really get the "Sparkling Power" buffs going.
The desert is a harsh place, but the Steel Titan is really just a big softie once you take away its ability to eat the floor. Get your Fire types ready, stop using Dig, and go get that jump upgrade. You’ll need it for the mountain climbs ahead.