
Is Salamence Good in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon Playthrough?
600 BST Dragon/Flying with AbilityIntimidate and Attack to rival any non-legendary. If you evolve Bagon before the E4, Salamence demolishes everything that isn't Ice or Fairy. Late availability from Route 3 makes the grind long. Worth every bit of it.
Bagon trades roughly evenly with Ilima's team.
Bagon trades roughly evenly with Hala's team.
Salamence trades roughly evenly with Lana's team.
ElectricSteelReceived as a Totem-sized gift Pokemon by collecting enou... (Ultra Moon only)
BugElectricReceived as a Totem-sized gift Pokemon by collecting enou... (Ultra Sun only)
GrassReceived as a Totem-sized gift Pokemon by collecting enou... (Ultra Sun only)
GhostFairyReceived as a Totem-sized gift Pokemon by collecting enou...
Bagon trades roughly evenly with Kiawe's team.
Bagon trades roughly evenly with Mallow's team.
Bagon trades roughly evenly with Olivia's team.
Sophocles's typing presses Shelgon's defenses.
Shelgon trades roughly evenly with Acerola's team.
Shelgon trades roughly evenly with Nanu's team.
Salamence has the type edge here and should clean up Mina's team.
Salamence has the type edge here and should clean up Hapu's team.
Salamence trades roughly evenly with Molayne'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.
Salamence trades roughly evenly with Kukui'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.
Your Bagon should hit Level 30 before you reach Sophocles, at typical leveling pace.
How to Get Salamence in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
2 encounter spots for Salamence at moderate rates starting from early-game routes. Best and Earliest sort options below help narrow down your approach based on odds vs. Accessibility.
Where To Catch Salamence in USUM
To get Salamence, start by catching Bagon through walking encounters at Lv. 9-18. The chain covers 3 catchable stages before reaching the final form.
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.
| 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
Glaceon Ice | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Paniola Ranch Gift) | ||
Jynx IcePsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Jynx builds →Frost Breath 4x110-131%KO Draining Kiss 2x31-37% | ||
Carbink RockFairy | C | |
Amaura RockIce | D | |
Obtain MethodRoute 8 Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Amaura builds →Aurora Beam 4x82-97% Rock Tomb 2x34-41% | ||
Sudowoodo Rock | C | |
Glaceon Ice | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Paniola Ranch Gift) | ||
Probopass RockSteel | C | |
Jynx IcePsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Jynx builds →Frost Breath 4x113-133%KO Draining Kiss 2x32-38% | ||
Lycanroc Rock | C | |
Amaura RockIce | D | |
Obtain MethodRoute 8 Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Amaura builds →Aurora Beam 4x82-97% Ancient Power 2x38-45% | ||
Glaceon Ice | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Paniola Ranch Gift) | ||
Primarina WaterFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Primarina builds →Ice Beam 4x122-144%KO Disarming Voice 2x42-49% | ||
Jynx IcePsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Jynx builds →Ice Beam 4x167-197%KO Draining Kiss 2x32-38% | ||
Mamoswine IceGround | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Mamoswine builds →Ice Fang 4x138-162%KO Rock Tomb 2x42-49% | ||
Clefable Fairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Clefable builds →Ice Beam 4x98-115%KO Disarming Voice 2x33-39% | ||
Glaceon Ice | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Paniola Ranch Gift) | ||
Primarina WaterFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Primarina builds →Ice Beam 4x115-135%KO Moonblast 2x91-107%KO | ||
Lapras WaterIce | C | |
Obtain MethodPoke Pelago Gift | ||
Aurorus RockIce | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Amaura (Route 8 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Aurorus builds →Ice Beam 4x142-167%KO Ancient Power 2x47-56% Dragon Tail 2x26-32% | ||
Walrein IceWater | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Walrein builds →Ice Beam 4x138-163%KO Rock Slide 2x34-40% | ||
Glaceon Ice | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Paniola Ranch Gift) | ||
Aurorus RockIce | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Amaura (Route 8 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Aurorus builds →Ice Beam 4x142-167%KO Stone Edge 2x64-75% Dragon Tail 2x26-31% | ||
Jynx IcePsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Jynx builds →Ice Beam 4x158-187%KO Draining Kiss 2x30-35% | ||
Haxorus Dragon | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Haxorus builds →Outrage 2x131-154%KO Rock Slide 2x55-64% | ||
Primarina WaterFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Primarina builds →Ice Beam 4x115-136%KO Moonblast 2x90-107%KO | ||
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 2x183-216%KO Ice Beam 4x68-81% Dragon Tail 2x50-59% | ||
Jynx IcePsychic | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Jynx builds →Ice Beam 4x161-190%KO Draining Kiss 2x30-36% | ||
Aurorus RockIce | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Amaura (Route 8 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Aurorus builds →Ice Beam 4x143-168%KO Stone Edge 2x65-77% Dragon Tail 2x26-31% | ||
Rayquaza Dragon | S | |
Obtain MethodUltra Space Wilds Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Rayquaza builds →Ice Beam 4x135-160%KO Dragon Pulse 2x97-114%KO Stone Edge 2x75-89% | ||
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemBlack Sludge NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Toxapex builds →Scald6-8% | ||
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 Bomb21-24% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityDrizzle ItemDamprock NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Pelipper builds →U Turn5-6% Hurricane27-33% Scald10-12% | ||
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 (+70 over Bagon), and Salamence peaks at 600 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. Notable egg moves include Defense Curl, Dragon Dance, Dragon Pulse and 7 more.
USUM Salamence Best Moveset
AbilityIntimidate drops Attack on entry, and Mega Salamence gains AbilityAerilate converting Normal moves to Flying with a power boost from 145 Attack at 120 Speed. MoveDragon Dance boosts further. Without the Mega, 135 Attack at 100 Speed with AbilityMoxie as a hidden ability snowballs on knockouts. The moveset holds A-tier through both Mega and base identities working at the highest offensive level.
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 Outrage 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
Base Stats
Overjoyed at finally being able to fly, it flies all over the place and usually doesn’t land until it’s completely exhausted and needs to sleep.
Thanks to its fervent wishes, the cells in its body finally mutated, and at last it has its heart’s desire—wings.
Salamence Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon Guide
In Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, Intimidate changes the entire equation for Salamence. The 600 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked B-Tier as a sweeper. Earthquake with Flyiniumz is the standard set.
In Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, Salamence can Mega Evolve into Mega Salamence. That's 700 BST, up from 600. The stat redistribution often changes its best role. Mega Stone required, one per battle.
In Ultra Sun & Ultra 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.
Intimidate is what you want on Salamence. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Moxie) work on paper but Intimidate is what makes Salamence worth using. With base 100 Speed, Intimidate gives Salamence an edge before opponents can react.
Base 100 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. On offense, Salamence is a physical attacker with base 135 Attack. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two. 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