Is Salamence Good in Sun & Moon Playthrough?
600 BST, AbilityIntimidate, and Dragon/Flying typing make Salamence one of the strongest Pokemon available in Sun and Moon. Wild through SOS encounters. No Mega during the story, but base Salamence dominates the E4 without needing one.
Bagon has the type edge here and should clean up Ilima's team.
Bagon trades roughly evenly with Hala's team.
Bagon trades roughly evenly with Lana's team.
Bagon trades roughly evenly with Kiawe's team.
Bagon trades roughly evenly with Mallow's team.
Bagon trades roughly evenly with Olivia's team.
Bagon trades roughly evenly with Sophocles's team.
Shelgon trades roughly evenly with Acerola's team.
Shelgon trades roughly evenly with Nanu's team.
Shelgon has the type edge here and should clean up Totem Kommo-o's team.
Shelgon trades roughly evenly with Hapu's team.
Salamence has the type edge here and should clean up Hala's team.
Salamence trades roughly evenly with Olivia's team.
Salamence has the type edge here and should clean up Acerola's team.
Salamence has the type edge here and should clean up Kahili's team.
Catch Salamence on Route 3 (walking, Lv 9-12). Alternate S.O.S. encounters; UNCOMMON; Called by Bagon.
Catch Shelgon on Kala'e Bay (walking, Lv 15-18). Alternate S.O.S. encounters; UNCOMMON; Called by Bagon.
How to Get Salamence in Sun & Moon
Salamence appears at moderate rates across 2 spots in early-game routes. Sort by Best below if you want the highest rate, or Earliest if you want the quickest access point in your playthrough.
Where To Catch Salamence in SM
Bagon is your first catch on the way to Salamence. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 9-18 across 8 total spots in the chain.
Step 1Catch BagonKala'e BayLv.15-18GrassRate 10%Route 3 - SouthLv.9-12GrassRate 1%
Step 3Salamence ✓Route 3 - SouthLv.9-12GrassSOS from Bagonor evolve from Shelgon (Step 2)
Salamence Weakness
Ice, Rock, Dragon, and Fairy moves hit Salamence for super-effective damage. Ice hits land at 4x, so they're the biggest threat. The upside? Ground-type moves can't touch it at all. 5 resistances help offset the weaknesses. Salamence's physical bulk (base 130 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Ice |
| 2x (Weak) | Rock, Dragon, Fairy |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Water, Fighting, Bug |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Grass |
| 0x (Immune) | Ground |
What is Salamence Weak Against
GoodBest Pokemon Against Salamence
 Sudowoodo Rock | C | |
 Carbink RockFairy | C | |
 Roggenrola Rock | C | |
 Shelgon Dragon | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Shelgon builds →Rock Slide 2x31-38% Dragon Breath 2x38-47% | ||
 Rockruff Rock | D | |
 Glaceon Ice | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Paniola Ranch Gift) | ||
Carbink RockFairy | C | |
Sudowoodo Rock | C | |
Roggenrola Rock | C | |
Shelgon Dragon | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Shelgon builds →Rock Slide 2x30-35% Dragon Breath 2x34-41% | ||
Glaceon Ice | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Paniola Ranch Gift) | ||
Carbink RockFairy | C | |
Sudowoodo Rock | C | |
 Spheal IceWater | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Spheal builds →Aurora Beam 4x70-83% Rock Slide 2x16-20% | ||
Roggenrola Rock | C | |
Glaceon Ice | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Paniola Ranch Gift) | ||
 Froslass IceGhost | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Froslass builds →Ice Beam 4x116-138%KO Draining Kiss 2x22-26% | ||
 Probopass RockSteel | C | |
 Bastiodon RockSteel | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Shieldon (Route 8 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Bastiodon builds →Ice Beam 4x52-62% Rock Slide 2x27-32% | ||
 Rampardos Rock | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Cranidos (Route 8 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Rampardos builds →Rock Slide 2x65-76% Ice Beam 4x66-79% Dragon Tail 2x34-41% | ||
Glaceon Ice | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Paniola Ranch Gift) | ||
 Primarina WaterFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Primarina builds →Ice Beam 4x105-124%KO Disarming Voice 2x36-42% | ||
 Mamoswine IceGround | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Mamoswine builds →Ice Fang 4x90-107%KO Rock Slide 2x33-40% | ||
Froslass IceGhost | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Froslass builds →Ice Beam 4x109-129%KO Draining Kiss 2x21-25% | ||
Probopass RockSteel | C | |
Glaceon Ice | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Paniola Ranch Gift) | ||
Primarina WaterFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Primarina builds →Ice Beam 4x105-124%KO Moonblast 2x84-99% | ||
 Rhydon GroundRock | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Rhydon builds →Stone Edge 2x68-80% Ice Beam 4x49-59% Dragon Tail 2x27-33% | ||
Mamoswine IceGround | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Mamoswine builds →Ice Fang 4x90-106%KO Stone Edge 2x45-54% | ||
Rampardos Rock | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Cranidos (Route 8 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Rampardos builds →Stone Edge 2x82-97% Ice Beam 4x64-76% Dragon Tail 2x34-40% | ||
Glaceon Ice | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Paniola Ranch Gift) | ||
Rampardos Rock | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Cranidos (Route 8 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Rampardos builds →Head Smash 2x122-144%KO Ice Beam 4x62-74% Dragon Tail 2x33-39% | ||
 Haxorus Dragon | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Haxorus builds →Outrage 2x88-104%KO Rock Slide 2x37-44% | ||
Primarina WaterFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Primarina builds →Ice Beam 4x106-125%KO Moonblast 2x84-98% | ||
 Walrein IceWater | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Walrein builds →Ice Beam 4x126-149%KO Rock Slide 2x22-26% | ||
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemBlack Sludge NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Toxapex builds →Scald6-7% | ||
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityFlashfire ItemLeftovers NatureCalm Moves View Heatran builds →
| ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityNatural Cure ItemEviolite NatureBold Moves View Chansey builds →
| ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemBlack Sludge NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Amoonguss builds →Giga Drain4-5% Sludge Bomb19-22% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityDrizzle ItemDamprock NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Pelipper builds →U Turn4-4% Hurricane25-30% Scald9-11% | ||
Salamence Evolutions
End of the line. Salamence caps a three-stage chain that started at Bagon. Breeding produces the base form, and eggs are takes forever to hatch. Sp.Atk grew the most through evolution (+80 over Bagon), and Salamence peaks at 700 total stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Salamence to get Bagon eggs using 57 partners from the Dragon egg group.
SM Salamence Best Moveset
Mega Salamence fires 145 Attack with AbilityAerilate converting Normal moves to boosted Flying attacks, making MoveDouble-Edge a 156-power Flying TermStab. Base form AbilityIntimidate drops Attack and AbilityMoxie raises Attack on KOs. Dragon/Flying TermStab fires at 100 Speed. The moveset earns A-tier through Mega Aerilate power that turns Normal moves into the strongest Flying attacks in the format.
Best Build
Salamence best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Earthquake
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Dragon Claw
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Need something that threatens multiple types? Salamence's movepool delivers. Coverage across 11 types plus STAB from Draco Meteor and Fly gives it answers for most defensive cores you'll run into.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- Egg
- Inherited via breeding.
- Tutor
- NPC tutor (cost: items, BP, money).
- Reminder
- An NPC reteaches any move this Pokemon could have learned by leveling up.
- Transfer
- Carried over from an older game using Pokemon HOME.
- Event
- Given out through Mystery Gift events.
Visual Signals
CAT (Category)
How the move deals damage and which stats it uses.
A small dot on the icon's corner marks the move as contact. That triggers abilities like Static, Flame Body, Rough Skin, or Iron Barbs, plus items like Rocky Helmet and Sticky Barb.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM, Egg, and Tutor sort by tier by default (best first). On Level-Up, click the Tier header to do the same.
PWR (Power)
Base damage. Numbers shown in a type color include STAB (base × 1.5). Hover any colored number to see the math.
— means no power (status moves) or variable power.
Sorting & Filter
Click any column header to sort. Level-Up opens with Lv 1 at the top. TM, Egg, and Tutor open with the highest-tier moves at the top.
Search filters by move name or type. The Filter button limits the list to STAB, Physical, Special, or Status moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Reminder Moves
Transfer Moves
Base Stats
Anyone standing in its path gets sliced right in two, while this Pokémon continues its flight without interruption.
Mega Evolution fuels its brutality, and it may even turn on the Trainer who raised it. It's been dubbed "the blood-soaked crescent."
Salamence Sun & Moon Guide
For Sun & Moon, we rate Salamence B-Tier: a solid option in Sun & Moon for the right team. At 700 BST, it fits the sweeper role. Earthquake with Flyiniumz is the standard set.
In Sun & Moon, Salamence can Mega Evolve into Mega Salamence. That's 800 BST, up from 700. The stat redistribution often changes its best role. Mega Stone required, one per battle.
In Sun & Moon, watch for Cloyster (Ice), Aerodactyl (Rock), and Dragonite (Dragon) when using Salamence. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Cloyster is the most dangerous since Ice moves deal 4x damage. Fairy-type attackers are also a problem. Salamence has enough bulk to absorb a hit, but don't push the matchup. Pivot to a teammate that resists.
Aerilate turns the bearer's normal moves into flying moves and strengthens them to 1.3× their power. That's the one you want on Salamence. It's the only ability Salamence has.
Base 120 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. On offense, Salamence is a physical attacker with base 145 Attack. Defensively? Tanky enough to absorb a few hits. Best used as a sweeper.
Game Availability
Since debuting in Ruby & Sapphire, Salamence has appeared in 16 titles over 8 generations. Along the way, it received a Mega form in Generation 6, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RSDebut
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORASMega
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves