[OVERVIEW]
Salamence is a decent addition to DragMag teams over Dragonite due to its better Speed, Moxie, and surprise factor. Its Speed gives it the leg up on common Pokemon like Landorus-T and Excadrill, while Moxie lets it have more potential to sweep after a KO, making Dragon Dance sets potentially more dangerous than Dragonite while also letting it run a solid Choice Scarf set. Its Dragon Dance set can find a decent amount of setup opportunities on Pokemon like Gliscor, Ferrothorn lacking Gyro Ball and Leech Seed, and Heatran and Volcarona lacking Hidden Power Ice as a result of its decent typing and good Speed. It also has more surprise value than Dragonite on DragMag teams due to it being less common and its sets requiring different counterplay. However, Salamence has a harder time setting up Dragon Dance than Dragonite as a result of its worse bulk and lack of Multiscale; these issues and its lack of Extreme Speed cause it to perform worse against offensive teams that don't let it easily set up. Beyond competing with Dragonite, Salamence is also weak to Stealth Rock and can have its sweep cut short by common Choice Scarf users like Latios, Keldeo, and Garchomp. It also doesn't fit on any other team styles except DragMag due to its lack of utility compared to other Dragon-types like Dragonite, Latios, Garchomp, and Hydreigon.
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Dragon Claw
item: Dragon Gem
ability: Moxie
nature: Jolly
evs: 72 HP / 252 Atk / 184 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Earthquake hits all Steel-types that aren't Skarmory or Ferrothorn hard while also heavily damaging Tyranitar. Dragon Claw is used alongside Outrage to give Salamence a more reliable STAB option so it doesn't need to lock into Outrage and get confused. However, it should only be used after the Dragon Gem has been used up. Aqua Tail should be used over Dragon Claw if if Salamence is paired with rain since the weather lets Salamence threaten Pokemon like Gliscor, Landorus-T, and Air Balloon Heatran.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread outspeeds Choice Scarf Landorus-T after a boost with the HP ensuring its Stone Edge doesn't OHKO Salamence. Moxie is chosen to let Salamence more easily sweep after getting a KO. Dragon Gem is the item of choice to secure the OHKO on bulky targets like Reuniclus, Gastrodon, Slowbro, and Gliscor with some prior damage while OHKOing Landorus-T after Intimidate. Lum Berry can be used over Dragon Gem on the Dragon Dance set to more easily set up on Pokemon like Rotom-W, Jellicent, Tentacruel, and Politoed. However, this makes Salamence lack the power to muscle past bulky targets like Reuniclus and Landorus-T, which ultimately makes it harder to sweep than just setting up on different foes.
Team Options
========
As the other half of the DragMag core, Magnezone is an essential partner for trapping Steel-types like Skarmory and Ferrothorn so Salamence can more easily sweep. Magnezone can also safely switch Salamence in with Volt Switch if running a Choice item or force in Ground- or Fighting- types that Salamence can set up on. Jirachi sets up Stealth Rock so Salamence is even harder to switch into while also safely pivoting it in with U-Turn. It can also take Dragon- and Ice-type moves from Pokemon like Latios, Alakazam, and Reuniclus. Choice Band Kyurem-B is able to break the opposing team open with its powerful Outrage so Salamence can more easily sweep. Fast Dragon-types, namely Choice Scarf variants of Garchomp and Latios, can sweep late-game thanks to the holes Salamence creates in the opposing team while also putting less pressure on it to act as a DragMag teams only method to take on opposing offensive teams. Salac Berry Garchomp can be used in tandem with Salamence to threaten faster teams while forming a dual setup core that can break through bulkier teams. Offensive Starmie can remove Stealth Rock with Rapid Spin while outspeeding and threatening Pokemon faster than Salamence like opposing Garchomp, Latios, Thundurus-T, and Keldeo.
This set can also fit on rain teams due to it giving rain teams a strong sweeper and means to threaten sand teams. Politoed is required to bring rain and can take Ice-type attacks while also baiting in bulky Water- and Grass-types like Gastrodon lacking Ice Beam, Breloom, and Celebi that Salamence can set up on. Politoed can also run Encore to lock Pokemon into moves that Salamence can set up on, like Celebi using Giga Drain. Choice Scarf Keldeo is a fantastic revenge killer on rain teams and gives Salamence a partner that backs it up against offensive teams so there isn't as much of a burden on its shoulders to win the game. Choice Specs Keldeo, on the other hand, can pressure bulkier threats so Salamence can break through them more easily. Thundurus-T is able to wallbreak effectively with its 3 attacks set that takes out answers to Salamence like Skarmory and Slowbro. The two of them together also put a lot of pressure on sand teams, since sand teams can only really handle one of them before the other finishes the job. Tentacruel can use Rapid Spin to keep Stealth Rock off the field, take on Steel-types like Scizor, Heatran, and Excadrill, and tank Ice-type attacks, while Salamence puts a lot of pressure on sand teams where Tentacruel may not be able to do as much against. Ferrothorn is able to counter opposing Dragon-types like Latios and Kyurem-B, handle Water-types like Starmie, and set Stealth Rock and Spikes.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Outrage
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Hidden Power Ice / Fire Blast
move 4: Dragon Claw
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Moxie
nature: Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 72 SpA / 184 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Earthquake hits all Steel-types that aren't Skarmory or Ferrothorn hard while also heavily damaging Tyranitar. Hidden Power Ice OHKOes Choice Scarf Landorus-T after Stealth Rock while doing the same to bulkier variants with a bit more prior damage, letting Salamence more easily sweep later in the game since Landorus-T can no longer Intimidate it while it uses Outrage. Fire Blast can be used over Hidden Power Ice to reduce Salamence's dependency on Magnezone to take out Steel-types. However, it's generally redundant, and Hidden Power Ice has more overall utility most of the time. Dragon Claw is used alongside Outrage to give Salamence a more reliable STAB option so it doesn't need to lock into Outrage and get confused.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread outspeeds Choice Scarf Landorus-T and improves Hidden Power Ice's damage rolls on Gliscor and Landorus-T. Moxie is chosen to let Salamence more easily sweep after getting a KO.
Team Options
========
Magnezone traps Steel-types like Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Excadrill with an Air Balloon set and wears down other bulky Pokemon like Tyranitar and Reuniclus so Salamence can more easily KO them and start its sweep. Jirachi sets up Stealth Rock so Salamence can more easily sweep while also safely pivoting it in with U-Turn. It can also take Dragon- and Ice-type moves from Pokemon like Latios, Alakazam, and Reuniclus. Choice Band Kyurem-B is able to break the opposing team open with its powerful Outrages so Salamence can more easily sweep late-game. Other wallbreaking Dragon-types like Choice Specs Latios and Swords Dance Garchomp can do much the same. However, Choice Scarf variants of Garchomp and Latios can still be used alongside this set to provide even more of a safety net against offensive teams and can also sweep late-game with the holes Salamence breaks should it fail to sweep outright. Offensive Starmie can remove Stealth Rock with Rapid Spin while outspeeding and threatening Pokemon faster than Salamence like opposing Garchomp, Latios, Thundurus-T, and Keldeo.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Tailwind can be used over Hidden Power Ice on the Choice Scarf set to grant whatever comes in after it higher Speed so they can sweep themselves should Salamence be unable to pull of its own sweep. However, it's situational, and Hidden Power Ice heavily damaging Landorus-T and Gliscor is usually more beneficial to DragMag partners that are checked by them anyway. Mixed and special sets may seem good thanks to Salamence's high Special Attack and great movepool; (period->semicolon) however, it's outclassed in these roles by Pokemon like Latios, Alakazam, Jirachi, and Hydreigon. Flamethrower or Fire Blast over Dragon Claw on the Dragon Dance set or Hidden Power Ice on the Choice Scarf set may seem appealing to let Salamence beat Steel-types like Ferrothorn and Skarmory. However, Magnezone traps these threats, and both Dragon Claw and Hidden Power Ice bring much more value.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Pokemon**: Faster Pokemon that can hit Salamence super effectively, like Latios, Alakazam, Keldeo, Garchomp all force Salamence out. Keldeo, Garchomp, and Latios can all also run Choice Scarf sets to outspeed even boosted Salamence, while Mamoswine can circumvent its Speed boosts with Ice Shard. However, these Pokemon struggle to switch in safely.
**Bulky Pokemon**: Bulkier Pokemon like Landorus-T, Gliscor, Slowbro, and Reuniclus can take at least one of Salamence's hits from full health, even when boosted, and hit it back super effectively with Ice--type coverage. However, they can all be KOed by a +1 Outrage backed by Dragon Gem with a bit of prior damage.
**Status**: Paralysis makes Salamence unable to outspeed anything and burn cuts its Attack; both make it more or less useless. Poison wears Salamence down, making it more difficult to sweep; however, it it doesn't hinder any of Salamence's stats, so it still poses a threat even when poisoned.
**Steel-types**: Skarmory is able to wall Salamence by healing off its hits with Roost and phazing it out with Whirlwind; it can also set up Spikes on it. Ferrothorn can wear down Salamence with Leech Seed or stop it from setting up in front of it with Gyro Ball or Thunder Wave. However, sets lacking these moves can be set up on. Air Balloon Heatran can't be hit with Earthquake and can KO Salamence with Hidden Power Ice. These Pokemon must be wary of getting trapped and KOed by Magnezone, however.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Ophion, 433215]]
- Quality checked by: [[BluBirD252, 347088], [Finchinator, 114198]]
- Grammar checked by: [[dex, 277988]]
Salamence is a decent addition to DragMag teams over Dragonite due to its better Speed, Moxie, and surprise factor. Its Speed gives it the leg up on common Pokemon like Landorus-T and Excadrill, while Moxie lets it have more potential to sweep after a KO, making Dragon Dance sets potentially more dangerous than Dragonite while also letting it run a solid Choice Scarf set. Its Dragon Dance set can find a decent amount of setup opportunities on Pokemon like Gliscor, Ferrothorn lacking Gyro Ball and Leech Seed, and Heatran and Volcarona lacking Hidden Power Ice as a result of its decent typing and good Speed. It also has more surprise value than Dragonite on DragMag teams due to it being less common and its sets requiring different counterplay. However, Salamence has a harder time setting up Dragon Dance than Dragonite as a result of its worse bulk and lack of Multiscale; these issues and its lack of Extreme Speed cause it to perform worse against offensive teams that don't let it easily set up. Beyond competing with Dragonite, Salamence is also weak to Stealth Rock and can have its sweep cut short by common Choice Scarf users like Latios, Keldeo, and Garchomp. It also doesn't fit on any other team styles except DragMag due to its lack of utility compared to other Dragon-types like Dragonite, Latios, Garchomp, and Hydreigon.
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Dragon Claw
item: Dragon Gem
ability: Moxie
nature: Jolly
evs: 72 HP / 252 Atk / 184 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Earthquake hits all Steel-types that aren't Skarmory or Ferrothorn hard while also heavily damaging Tyranitar. Dragon Claw is used alongside Outrage to give Salamence a more reliable STAB option so it doesn't need to lock into Outrage and get confused. However, it should only be used after the Dragon Gem has been used up. Aqua Tail should be used over Dragon Claw if if Salamence is paired with rain since the weather lets Salamence threaten Pokemon like Gliscor, Landorus-T, and Air Balloon Heatran.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread outspeeds Choice Scarf Landorus-T after a boost with the HP ensuring its Stone Edge doesn't OHKO Salamence. Moxie is chosen to let Salamence more easily sweep after getting a KO. Dragon Gem is the item of choice to secure the OHKO on bulky targets like Reuniclus, Gastrodon, Slowbro, and Gliscor with some prior damage while OHKOing Landorus-T after Intimidate. Lum Berry can be used over Dragon Gem on the Dragon Dance set to more easily set up on Pokemon like Rotom-W, Jellicent, Tentacruel, and Politoed. However, this makes Salamence lack the power to muscle past bulky targets like Reuniclus and Landorus-T, which ultimately makes it harder to sweep than just setting up on different foes.
Team Options
========
As the other half of the DragMag core, Magnezone is an essential partner for trapping Steel-types like Skarmory and Ferrothorn so Salamence can more easily sweep. Magnezone can also safely switch Salamence in with Volt Switch if running a Choice item or force in Ground- or Fighting- types that Salamence can set up on. Jirachi sets up Stealth Rock so Salamence is even harder to switch into while also safely pivoting it in with U-Turn. It can also take Dragon- and Ice-type moves from Pokemon like Latios, Alakazam, and Reuniclus. Choice Band Kyurem-B is able to break the opposing team open with its powerful Outrage so Salamence can more easily sweep. Fast Dragon-types, namely Choice Scarf variants of Garchomp and Latios, can sweep late-game thanks to the holes Salamence creates in the opposing team while also putting less pressure on it to act as a DragMag teams only method to take on opposing offensive teams. Salac Berry Garchomp can be used in tandem with Salamence to threaten faster teams while forming a dual setup core that can break through bulkier teams. Offensive Starmie can remove Stealth Rock with Rapid Spin while outspeeding and threatening Pokemon faster than Salamence like opposing Garchomp, Latios, Thundurus-T, and Keldeo.
This set can also fit on rain teams due to it giving rain teams a strong sweeper and means to threaten sand teams. Politoed is required to bring rain and can take Ice-type attacks while also baiting in bulky Water- and Grass-types like Gastrodon lacking Ice Beam, Breloom, and Celebi that Salamence can set up on. Politoed can also run Encore to lock Pokemon into moves that Salamence can set up on, like Celebi using Giga Drain. Choice Scarf Keldeo is a fantastic revenge killer on rain teams and gives Salamence a partner that backs it up against offensive teams so there isn't as much of a burden on its shoulders to win the game. Choice Specs Keldeo, on the other hand, can pressure bulkier threats so Salamence can break through them more easily. Thundurus-T is able to wallbreak effectively with its 3 attacks set that takes out answers to Salamence like Skarmory and Slowbro. The two of them together also put a lot of pressure on sand teams, since sand teams can only really handle one of them before the other finishes the job. Tentacruel can use Rapid Spin to keep Stealth Rock off the field, take on Steel-types like Scizor, Heatran, and Excadrill, and tank Ice-type attacks, while Salamence puts a lot of pressure on sand teams where Tentacruel may not be able to do as much against. Ferrothorn is able to counter opposing Dragon-types like Latios and Kyurem-B, handle Water-types like Starmie, and set Stealth Rock and Spikes.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Outrage
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Hidden Power Ice / Fire Blast
move 4: Dragon Claw
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Moxie
nature: Naive
evs: 252 Atk / 72 SpA / 184 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Earthquake hits all Steel-types that aren't Skarmory or Ferrothorn hard while also heavily damaging Tyranitar. Hidden Power Ice OHKOes Choice Scarf Landorus-T after Stealth Rock while doing the same to bulkier variants with a bit more prior damage, letting Salamence more easily sweep later in the game since Landorus-T can no longer Intimidate it while it uses Outrage. Fire Blast can be used over Hidden Power Ice to reduce Salamence's dependency on Magnezone to take out Steel-types. However, it's generally redundant, and Hidden Power Ice has more overall utility most of the time. Dragon Claw is used alongside Outrage to give Salamence a more reliable STAB option so it doesn't need to lock into Outrage and get confused.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread outspeeds Choice Scarf Landorus-T and improves Hidden Power Ice's damage rolls on Gliscor and Landorus-T. Moxie is chosen to let Salamence more easily sweep after getting a KO.
Team Options
========
Magnezone traps Steel-types like Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Excadrill with an Air Balloon set and wears down other bulky Pokemon like Tyranitar and Reuniclus so Salamence can more easily KO them and start its sweep. Jirachi sets up Stealth Rock so Salamence can more easily sweep while also safely pivoting it in with U-Turn. It can also take Dragon- and Ice-type moves from Pokemon like Latios, Alakazam, and Reuniclus. Choice Band Kyurem-B is able to break the opposing team open with its powerful Outrages so Salamence can more easily sweep late-game. Other wallbreaking Dragon-types like Choice Specs Latios and Swords Dance Garchomp can do much the same. However, Choice Scarf variants of Garchomp and Latios can still be used alongside this set to provide even more of a safety net against offensive teams and can also sweep late-game with the holes Salamence breaks should it fail to sweep outright. Offensive Starmie can remove Stealth Rock with Rapid Spin while outspeeding and threatening Pokemon faster than Salamence like opposing Garchomp, Latios, Thundurus-T, and Keldeo.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Tailwind can be used over Hidden Power Ice on the Choice Scarf set to grant whatever comes in after it higher Speed so they can sweep themselves should Salamence be unable to pull of its own sweep. However, it's situational, and Hidden Power Ice heavily damaging Landorus-T and Gliscor is usually more beneficial to DragMag partners that are checked by them anyway. Mixed and special sets may seem good thanks to Salamence's high Special Attack and great movepool; (period->semicolon) however, it's outclassed in these roles by Pokemon like Latios, Alakazam, Jirachi, and Hydreigon. Flamethrower or Fire Blast over Dragon Claw on the Dragon Dance set or Hidden Power Ice on the Choice Scarf set may seem appealing to let Salamence beat Steel-types like Ferrothorn and Skarmory. However, Magnezone traps these threats, and both Dragon Claw and Hidden Power Ice bring much more value.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Pokemon**: Faster Pokemon that can hit Salamence super effectively, like Latios, Alakazam, Keldeo, Garchomp all force Salamence out. Keldeo, Garchomp, and Latios can all also run Choice Scarf sets to outspeed even boosted Salamence, while Mamoswine can circumvent its Speed boosts with Ice Shard. However, these Pokemon struggle to switch in safely.
**Bulky Pokemon**: Bulkier Pokemon like Landorus-T, Gliscor, Slowbro, and Reuniclus can take at least one of Salamence's hits from full health, even when boosted, and hit it back super effectively with Ice--type coverage. However, they can all be KOed by a +1 Outrage backed by Dragon Gem with a bit of prior damage.
**Status**: Paralysis makes Salamence unable to outspeed anything and burn cuts its Attack; both make it more or less useless. Poison wears Salamence down, making it more difficult to sweep; however, it it doesn't hinder any of Salamence's stats, so it still poses a threat even when poisoned.
**Steel-types**: Skarmory is able to wall Salamence by healing off its hits with Roost and phazing it out with Whirlwind; it can also set up Spikes on it. Ferrothorn can wear down Salamence with Leech Seed or stop it from setting up in front of it with Gyro Ball or Thunder Wave. However, sets lacking these moves can be set up on. Air Balloon Heatran can't be hit with Earthquake and can KO Salamence with Hidden Power Ice. These Pokemon must be wary of getting trapped and KOed by Magnezone, however.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Ophion, 433215]]
- Quality checked by: [[BluBirD252, 347088], [Finchinator, 114198]]
- Grammar checked by: [[dex, 277988]]
Last edited:
