Stats & Training
The stat budget goes to damage. Attack and Sp. Atk carry the offense, Defense doesn't even come close. A Dragon Pokemon on a slow 1.25M XP grind, worth 3 Attack EVs per KO.
SALAMENCE came about as a result of a strong, long-held dream of growing wings. It is said that this powerful desire triggered a sudden mutation in this POKéMON’s cells, causing it to sprout its magnificent wings.
By evolving into SALAMENCE, this POKéMON finally realizes its long-held dream of growing wings. To express its joy, it flies and wheels all over the sky while spouting flames from its mouth.
Salamence Weakness
Ice, Rock, and Dragon 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. With 95 HP and balanced defenses, Salamence can afford to eat a neutral hit or two.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Ice |
| 2x (Weak) | Rock, Dragon |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Water, Fighting, Bug |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Grass |
| 0x (Immune) | Ground |
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
In Ruby & Sapphire, Dugtrio's Rock Slide hits Salamence for 75-88%. Shedinja's Shadow Ball hits Salamence for 41-48%. Camerupt's Explosion also KOs at 86-101%.
 | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityArenatrap ItemChoice Band NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Dugtrio builds →Rock Slide 2x75-88% | ||
 | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityWonderguard ItemLum Berry NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Shedinja builds →Shadow Ball41-48% | ||
 | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityMagmaarmor ItemLeftovers NatureBrave Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Camerupt builds →Explosion86-101%KO Fire Blast28-34% | ||
 | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityNatural Cure ItemLeftovers NatureCalm Moves View Roselia builds →
| ||
 | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityChlorophyll ItemLeftovers NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Salamence View Shiftry builds →Explosion75-89% Shadow Ball24-29% | ||
Ruby & Sapphire Evolution
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 27 partners from the Dragon egg group. Notable egg moves include Dragon Dance, Dragon Rage, Hydro Pump and 2 more.
Ruby & Sapphire Salamence Best Moveset
Rash nature gives Salamence the special lean it needs to trade hits effectively. Leftovers adds passive recovery each turn, max Sp. Atk and Speed EVs split the difference, and Ground coverage punishes anything trying to wall it.
Best Build
Salamence best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Brick Break
- Hidden Power Flying
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
Recommended Teammates
Moves
Without breeding, Salamence misses out on Dragon Dance and Dragon Rage. That's 5 egg moves adding depth that the base kit lacks. STAB comes from Fly and Dragon Claw, with coverage across 8 types rounding things out.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
How to Get Salamence in Ruby & Sapphire
Salamence doesn't appear wild. Catch Bagon instead, it shows up at decent rates. Evolve it at level 50 to get Salamence. The 3-stage chain is mapped in the step cards below.
Salamence Guide
In Ruby & Sapphire, Intimidate changes the entire equation for Salamence. The 600 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked S-Tier as a sweeper. Brickbreak with Leftovers is the standard set.
Mega Evolution isn't available in Ruby & Sapphire, but Salamence does have a Mega form in Gen 6-7 games (X/Y, ORAS, Sun/Moon). Mega Salamence hits 700 BST.
In Ruby & Sapphire, 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.
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 mixed attacker with base 135 Attack and 110 Sp. Atk. 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 7, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RSDebut
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORASMega
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves