Salamence Movesets and Strategies

[reapsoul964]

Just thinking about movesets... vote for which one you'd use, if you use Salamence.

My current-Special Sweeper, Surpriser

Salamence (F) @ Petaya Berry
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Dragon Claw
- Dragon Dance
- Flamethrower
- Refresh(MOD Move)

Dragon Claw gets STAB, Flamethower takes Skarm down to 3/4. DD is to boost speed, and that's where part 1 of the surprise comes in. DD once, they're thinking "Oh, just another DDMence. Easy, just bring in a defense pokemon", and then there you go with a high powered special attack. Still very weak... Refresh is the second part of the surprise. Take away Toxic and all that other stuff. Probably will replace with HP: Grass. Petaya Berry's there in case I get down to 25% health, for that extra boost up to over 500 special attack.

Anti-Skarmory DDMence

Salamence (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 SAtk
Naughty Nature (+Atk, -SDef)
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
- Dragon Dance

Basic strategy as the regular DDMence, but with Fire Blast to do some nice damage to Skarmory. 257 Special Attack works decently enough.

Basic DDMence

Salamence (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Hidden Power [Flying]
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake

Basic DDMence.

All-Out Special Attacker

Salamence (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Hydro Pump
- Dragon Claw
- Hidden Power [Grass]

Lame to me, but powerful.

Special Surpriser

Salamence (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Dragon Claw
- Flamethrower
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Refresh

Refresh says BYE BYE to those moves that can really hurt, status moves. HP: Grass is for Swampy and other waters(although 'Mence will have to retreat on that...), Dragon Claw gets STAB, and Flamethrower's for Skarm.

CBMence

Salamence (F) @ Choice Band
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Rock Slide
- Hidden Power [Flying]
- Earthquake
- Brick Break

Meh. All-Out Physical Attacker with Choice Band.

Special Surpriser

Salamence (F) @ Lum Berry
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Dragon Claw
- Flamethrower
- Dragon Dance

Might go with this one.

Whaddya think of em? Just tryin to figure out a final pokemon for my team...

Salamence (F) @ Petaya Berry
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Dragon Claw
- Dragon Dance
- Flamethrower
- Refresh

Infantry Unit, Scout.

Raikou @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 116 HP / 140 Spd / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Substitute
- Thunderbolt

Heavy Trooper, trench captain.

Crobat (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Inner Focus
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Confuse Ray
- Haze
- Hidden Power [Flying]
- Sludge Bomb

Scout, Spec. Ops. Leader

Snorlax (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 160 HP / 68 Atk / 136 Def / 16 Spd / 128 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Curse
- Rest
- Return
- Shadow Ball

Tank, Heavy Trooper

Suicune @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 240 HP / 116 Def / 16 Spd / 136 SAtk
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Ice Beam
- Rest
- Surf

Tank, Heavy Trooper

Metagross @ Choice Band
Trait: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Explosion
- Meteor Mash
- Sludge Bomb

Blitzkrieg attacker, Tank

Scout-Fast, Unpredictable
Infantry-well rounded soldier
Spec. Ops.-fast, annoying, confusing, exploits weaknesses
Tank-staller, holds the lines
Blitzkrieg attacker-all out attacker, ready to fight with monster power
Trench Captain-staller, but not until the trenches are dug(Calm Mind)
Heavy Trooper-powerful, but slow to power up or slow in general

Probably missed one or two... basically, you've gotta make sure your team works together, right? This sounds like a pretty decent set up to me. 3 tanks, 1 infantry unit, 1 heavy troop, and 1 special operations leader. The tanks take all the heavy damage and dish it back out, while the infantry, troop, and spec. ops. leader dish out more.

Yeah, probably a really dumb analogy.

Main thing is though, Salamence. What moveset? I'll keep tally here-

Special Sweeper/Surpriser-
Anti-Skarm DD-
DD-
Special Attacker-1
Special Surpriser 1-
Choice Bander-
Special Surpriser 2-
Other-2

Vote for a Mence, R/F the Team(with the mence you choose), Tell why you voted for that Mence, and whatever else.

Or just laugh ^^

[Venny]

Just thinking about movesets... vote for which one you'd use, if you use Salamence.

My current-Special Sweeper, Surpriser

Salamence (F) @ Petaya Berry
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Dragon Claw
- Dragon Dance
- Flamethrower
- Refresh(MOD Move)

Replace refresh with HP flying/Brick break. Your attack is pretty good after dragon dance. Brick break will beat up most special tanks like snorlax/regice/blissey. HP-flying is just a good STAB attack. Earthquake could also be good.

Honestly, I find that elemence is typically best if you go all out special sweeper. D-claw/HP [Grass]/Fire blast/Hydro pump hits so many guys hard that it is just beautiful.

[reapsoul964]

Replace refresh with HP flying/Brick break. Your attack is pretty good after dragon dance. Brick break will beat up most special tanks like snorlax/regice/blissey. HP-flying is just a good STAB attack. Earthquake could also be good.

Honestly, I find that elemence is typically best if you go all out special sweeper. D-claw/HP [Grass]/Fire blast/Hydro pump hits so many guys hard that it is just beautiful.

hum

how bout...

Salamence (F) @ Petaya Berry/Lum Berry
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk (or replace the 4 Atk EVs with HP EVs)
(+SAtk, -SDef) nature/Modest Nature
- Aerial Ace/Brick Break/Substitute
- Dragon Dance/Dragon Claw
- Flamethrower
- Hidden Power [Grass]/Refresh

*shrugs* it'll be hard to take off Dragon Claw, but whatever. Main idea here is AA(or BB)/DD/Flame/HP: Grass. Flamethrower hits Skarm hard. Might even go Naughty(+Atk, -SDef)...

...man, missing Dragon Claw... base 120 power with STAB, no drawbacks, good PP, 100 accuracy, hits neutral on almost everything... HP: Grass is needed for Swampert though, take out swampert and they can't fight back too much... but then there's flygon... and that's what raikou's for

[Venny]

Fire blast over flamethrower. Hydro pump over hidden power grass. Salamence doesn't exactly get a high powered STAB attack, so having 120 base power moves helps a lot. Otherwise, you'll have problems dealing sufficient damage.

Dragon claw, hydro pump, and fire blast are typically your best attacks. I'd put in brick break/hidden power last.

Salamence (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Dragon Claw
- Fire Blast
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Hydro Pump

This is what I typically use, and it can clean up a team like nothing else. Fire blast two-hit kills celebi/jirachi, and OHKO or close to it on heracross/skarmory/metagross. Hydro pump owns all rocks/grounds (Not swampert) in one to two hits. Dragon claw is almost a OHKO on other salamence, and if they are all speed/attack you have a chance to OHKO. HP grass does about 75% to swampert. Usually, if they switch into a dragon claw/hydro pump, you can finish it with hidden power grass (Unless it's like a max SDEF and HP one, in which case you should switch).

[reapsoul964]

Hum... I tried out Elemence before and didn't really like it. Swampert gives my team some trouble cuz I don't have a grass type or anything... agh, iunno. My current 'Mence is kinda weak... I like the special attacker thing but... jeez... hum... Hydro Pump/Flamethrower(I prefer flamethrower=\)/Dragon Claw/HP: Grass... just... too attack related. I'm more into having some style of defense, which really isn't good on Salamence, but whatever. I'll test and test and test some more... I was really looking for a mixedish sweeper or a surpriser. Mixed can catch people off guard... hum... How's this-

Salamence (F) @ Lum Berry
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
(+SAtk, -SDef)
- Brick Break
- Dragon Claw
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Fire Blast

Brick Break hits those Blissey switch-ins pretty hard probably, Dragon Claw gets STAB, HP: Grass does nice enough damage to Swampert and the occasional Quagsire(I see em on standard teams all the time, probably for water absorb...), and FB hits Skarm HARD.

Additional Comment:

It's a Rash nature, +SAtk, -SDef

Additional Comment:

Might put on Substitute somewhere there... *shrugs* and some more Attack EVs, maybe drop Special attack from 349(would be 350 if it weren't for HP: Grass) to 320 or 325, put the rest in Attack... or just use a +Atk nature...

[Venny]

Hum... I tried out Elemence before and didn't really like it. Swampert gives my team some trouble cuz I don't have a grass type or anything... agh, iunno. My current 'Mence is kinda weak... I like the special attacker thing but... jeez... hum... Hydro Pump/Flamethrower(I prefer flamethrower=\)/Dragon Claw/HP: Grass... just... too attack related. I'm more into having some style of defense, which really isn't good on Salamence, but whatever. I'll test and test and test some more... I was really looking for a mixedish sweeper or a surpriser. Mixed can catch people off guard... hum... How's this-

Salamence (F) @ Lum Berry
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
(+SAtk, -SDef)
- Brick Break
- Dragon Claw
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Fire Blast

Brick Break hits those Blissey switch-ins pretty hard probably, Dragon Claw gets STAB, HP: Grass does nice enough damage to Swampert and the occasional Quagsire(I see em on standard teams all the time, probably for water absorb...), and FB hits Skarm HARD.

Additional Comment:

It's a Rash nature, +SAtk, -SDef

Additional Comment:

Might put on Substitute somewhere there... *shrugs* and some more Attack EVs, maybe drop Special attack from 349(would be 350 if it weren't for HP: Grass) to 320 or 325, put the rest in Attack... or just use a +Atk nature...

Salamence isn't much of a non-sweeper. It's pretty much all stats boost and attacking. Elemence is nice because it can clean up very nicely and is a good surprise early into the match. A mixed sweeping salamence is okay, but if it had a stronger fighting move it would help a lot.

Brick break with no attack EVs does about 36-44% to blissey/snorlax. Blissey can just softboiled up in your face, but if snorlax sticks around a second brick break will leave the fatty fairly weakened and maybe force a rest. Also consider hydro pump over HP Grass, because honestly HP grass is good only for 4x weakness. 70 base power really blows. Hydro pump blows away stuff like donphan, and can two hit KO a lot of problems such as tyranitar.


If you're looking for something more defensive, maybe try out dragonite? Dragonite can subpunch and stuff, and he gets access to thunderbolt and ice beam.

[reapsoul964]

true... i'm just trying to figure out the last part of the team. i needed a faster sweeper, and i don't like DDMence, but I do like Salamence, sorta...

[WildAce]

What I've noticed is that Salamence can't really take a hit from either side. So, the best way to bring him in is through a BPer.

Else, here's the other ways I run him:

Salamence (M) @ Liechi Berry
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 136 HP / 252 Atk / 120 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Endure
- Hidden Power [Rock]

Salamence (M) @ Salac Berry
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 136 HP / 120 Spd / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Dragon Claw
- Fire Blast
- Substitute
- Swagger

[reapsoul964]

Interesting. I switched up my moveset on 'Mence a bit... still working out the kinks.
Salamence (F) @ Petaya Berry
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 80 Atk / 252 Spd / 176 SAtk
Rash Nature (+SAtk, -SDef)
- Brick Break
- Dragon Claw
- Fire Blast
- Hydro Pump

[WildAce]

Interesting. I switched up my moveset on 'Mence a bit... still working out the kinks.
Salamence (F) @ Petaya Berry
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 80 Atk / 252 Spd / 176 SAtk
Rash Nature (+SAtk, -SDef)
- Brick Break
- Dragon Claw
- Fire Blast
- Hydro Pump

Petaya on this version seems interesting, but by the time you get it active, you'll easily be within OHKO range. Plus, most of Salamence's counters have speeds greater than 299.
That's why I gave my guy Substitute and Salac Berry. Get that damn berry actiive and then proceed to Special Sweep. Bare in mind that Elemence is not a powerful Special Sweeper though, but is great for catching things off guard.

[reapsoul964]

Yeah, that's one part that's got me a bit stumped. I had the Petaya activated once, and took out 2 or 3 pokemon with Dragon Claw, and did serious damage to the next one, but... if only I could put DD on there somewhere...

[WildAce]

I still say that Hydro Pump is kinda pointless since Dragon Claw does neutral STAB damage to almost every PKMN, and whatever it Can't hit well, Fire Blast hits S.E.
So, replace Hydro Pump for Dragon Dance and Viola.

[Venny]

I still say that Hydro Pump is kinda pointless since Dragon Claw does neutral STAB damage to almost every PKMN, and whatever it Can't hit well, Fire Blast hits S.E.
So, replace Hydro Pump for Dragon Dance and Viola.

The less things you hit SE with elemence, the more you weaken it.

Edit: If you really wanna go dragon dancing though, then yeah cut off hydro pump. Brick break/Dragon Claw/Fire Blast/Dragon Dance should work okay. Though if you're using dragon dance, you may want to switch over to dragonite who will stick around a bit longer to make use of the dragon dances. Also, you get bolt-beam, which is arguably way better than Dragon claw/Fire blast.

Dragonite (M) @ Leftovers/Petaya berry
Trait: Inner Focus
EVs: 116 HP / 216 Spd / 176 SAtk
Mild Nature (+SAtk, -Def)
- Dragon Dance
- Brick Break/Focus Punch
- Thunderbolt/Thunder
- Ice Beam/Fire Blast

Something to try out, unless you really needed that intimidate. One dragon dance puts you faster than everything except jolteon/aerodactyl. Thunderbolt hits suicune for almost half its health, something elemence has serious issues with. Ice beam typically is superior to dragon claw, even with the STAB. Brick break hurts blissey/snorlax a lot after a dragon dance, and is more than enough to keep them away. Focus punch is certainly an option here too. After you dragon dance, they'll send in a physical wall. If its not suicune or something else with Ice beam, boltbeam it, and then focus punch as they switch to a special wall. Of course, brick break is typically more reliable.

Dragonite sometimes also survives ice beams with a little health to spare, so petaya berry might be easier to activate in that sense.

[reapsoul964]

Good point there. Might switch to it when I get back to my house.

Additional Comment:

I was thinking either Elemence with BB, HP: Grass, D Claw, and Flamethrower, or going with what you said for D-Nite. Different EVs though, depending on my mood, haha... but yeah. DD/BB/BoltBeam. Bolt'll screw Skarm.