The Metal Coat is one of those items you won’t stumble upon early in Pokémon Legends: Z‑A. It’s tied to late‑game progression and, in most cases, post‑game access. If you’re aiming to evolve Scyther or Onix and fill out the Pokédex, here’s exactly where it shows up, what it costs, and how to use it.
Metal Coat locations and unlock timing
There are two side missions that reward a Metal Coat, both toward the back half of the story:
- Side Mission 101: “Steadfast as Steel” — available late game; first appears around Main Mission 35.
- Side Mission 114: “A Feather from Skarmory” — appears after the credits; the quest giver typically stands near the entrance to Wild Zone 17.
Neither mission is an early pickup, so plan on advancing the main story before relying on these rewards. If you need more than those two, the most consistent method arrives after the credits.
Buy Metal Coat at Racine Construction (post‑game)
After you see the credits, Racine Construction becomes a fast‑travel location and opens a reliable shop option:
- Vendor location: Inside Racine Construction HQ; enter and take a right into the garage to find the trader.
- Price: ₽4,980 per Metal Coat (Pokédollars).
- Stock: Unlimited; buy as many as you can afford.
For orientation, this is the same building used for the Rank E promotion match with Canari, a short walk from Gare de Lumiose and just south of Restaurant Le Nah. If you’ve reached the post‑game, this is the fastest, repeatable route to stock up.
Endgame repeatable reward: Infinite Z‑A Royale
In the post‑game, Metal Coat can also appear as a reward from the Infinite Z‑A Royale. Treat this as a supplemental source if you’re already grinding that mode; for guaranteed access on demand, the Racine Construction vendor remains the straightforward choice.
Use Metal Coat to evolve Scyther and Onix
Metal Coat has two evolution uses in Z‑A, and both require trading. Give the item to the Pokémon to hold, then complete a trade while it’s holding the item to trigger the evolution immediately.
| Base Pokémon | Requirement | Evolves Into |
|---|---|---|
| Scyther | Trade while holding Metal Coat | Scizor |
| Onix | Trade while holding Metal Coat | Steelix |
Both Scizor and Steelix can Mega Evolve later; their Mega Stones are available from the Stone Emporium on Vernal Street.
Quick reference: all Metal Coat sources
| Method | When it unlocks | Where | Cost | Repeatable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Side Mission 101: “Steadfast as Steel” | Late game (around Main Mission 35) | Side mission reward | — | No (one Metal Coat) |
| Side Mission 114: “A Feather from Skarmory” | Post‑credits | Side mission reward | — | No (one Metal Coat) |
| Racine Construction vendor | Post‑credits | Inside the HQ, garage area | ₽4,980 each | Yes (unlimited stock) |
| Infinite Z‑A Royale | Post‑game | Endless Royale rewards | — | Yes (random reward) |
If you’re chasing evolutions as soon as possible, target Side Mission 101 once you reach the late‑game stretch, then lean on the Racine Construction shop after credits to finish the job. With Scizor and Steelix secured, the next step is picking up their Mega Stones from the Stone Emporium and building the sets you want for endgame content.
