Competitive Information for Salamence [Sword/Shield]
Dragon / Flying
Abilities:
On switch-in, this Pokemon lowers the Attack of opponents by 1 stage.
This Pokemon's Attack is raised by 1 stage if it attacks and KOes another Pokemon.
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Movesets for Singles
Looking for a competitive moveset for Salamence? These builds are optimized for Sword/Shield Single Battles. The movesets and EVs are designed to maximize damage against common opponents and threats in the Sword/Shield metagame. Check out the expert movesets below to boost your battle performance and dominate your opponents!
AmoongussIncineroarRotom-WashTyranitarExcadrillMetagrossRegielekiUrshifuRillaboomTapu Koko
Say hello to Salamence, a notable Pokémon that excels with Dragon and Flying typing! Salamence is a common Pokémon to see in the SS metagame. It is weak to Dragon, Fairy, Ice, and Rock-typed attacks. Ready to elevate your game with Salamence's movesets? They're right below!
Item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
Ability: Moxie
Nature: Jolly (+Spe, -SpA)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Earthquake / Bulldoze
- Dragon Claw / Outrage
- Dual Wingbeat / Fly
- Protect
Salamence stands out as a stupendous Physical Sweeper in single battles. This approach seeks to overwhelm foes with destructive physical moves. Life Orb boosts the power of Salamence's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Moxie, Salamence's attack is raised by 1 stage if it attacks and koes another pokemon. With a Lum Berry equipped to it, Salamence cures itself if it has a non-volatile status or is confused then the Lum Berry gets consumed.
◆ Bulldoze is a physical 60-base power Ground-type move (100% chance lower adjacent Pokemon speed by 1 stage).
◆ Dragon Claw is a physical STAB-boosted 80-base power Dragon-type move that deals a substantial amount of damage.
◆ Outrage is a physical STAB-boosted 120-base power Dragon-type move (lasts 2-3 turns. Confuses your Salamence afterwards).
◆ Dual Wingbeat is a physical STAB-boosted 40-base power Flying-type move (hits 2 times in one turn).
◆ Fly is a physical STAB-boosted 90-base power Flying-type move (flies up on first turn, then strikes the next turn).
◆ Protect is a status move (prevents moves from affecting your Salamence this turn).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/maa175
Item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
Ability: Moxie
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Flamethrower / Heat Wave
- Air Slash
- Dragon Dance / Draco Meteor
- Protect
In single battles, Salamence's Special Sweeper role is a dazzling. The main aim of this moveset is to take down the opponent's team with destructive special power. Life Orb boosts the power of Salamence's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Moxie, Salamence's attack is raised by 1 stage if it attacks and koes another pokemon. With a Lum Berry equipped to it, Salamence cures itself if it has a non-volatile status or is confused then the Lum Berry gets consumed.
◆ Heat Wave is a special 95-base power Fire-type move (10% chance to burn the foes).
◆ Air Slash is a special STAB-boosted 75-base power Flying-type move (30% chance to make the target flinch).
◆ Dragon Dance is a status move (raises your Salamence's attack and speed by 1 stage).
◆ Draco Meteor is a special STAB-boosted 130-base power Dragon-type move (lowers your Salamence's special attack by 2 stages).
◆ Protect is a status move (prevents moves from affecting your Salamence this turn).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/mba175
Item: Yache Berry / Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 12 Hp / 252 Atk / 244 Spe
Moveset:
- Outrage / Dragon Claw
- Aqua Tail / Double-Edge
- Dual Wingbeat
- Earthquake
Taking on single battles? Salamence is a marvelous Physical Sweeper. The intention of this moveset is to overwhelm foes with brute physical attacks. Life Orb boosts the power of Salamence's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Intimidate, on switch-in Salamence lowers the attack of opponents by 1 stage. Aqua Tail was added to provide additional threat coverage. With a Yache Berry equipped to it, halves damage taken from a supereffective ice-type attack then the Yache Berry gets consumed.
◆ Dragon Claw is a physical STAB-boosted 80-base power Dragon-type move that deals a hefty amount of damage.
◆ Aqua Tail is a physical 90-base power Water-type move that deals a considerable amount of damage.
◆ Double-Edge is a physical 120-base power Normal-type move (has 33% recoil).
◆ Dual Wingbeat is a physical STAB-boosted 40-base power Flying-type move (hits 2 times in one turn).
◆ Earthquake is a physical 100-base power Ground-type move (hits adjacent pokemon).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/mca175
Item: Yache Berry / Throat Spray
Ability: Intimidate
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 12 Hp / 252 SpA / 244 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Draco Meteor / Dragon Pulse
- Air Cutter / Air Slash
- Flamethrower / Heat Wave
- Hyper Voice / Hyper Beam
Salamence proves to be a superior Special Sweeper for single battles. The purpose of this moveset is to overwhelm foes with intense special power. Throat Spray activates when a Pokemon uses a sound-based move (in this case Hyper Voice) and strengthens Salamence's special attack stat by 2 stages. With Intimidate, on switch-in Salamence lowers the attack of opponents by 1 stage. With a Yache Berry equipped to it, halves damage taken from a supereffective ice-type attack then the Yache Berry gets consumed.
◆ Dragon Pulse is a special STAB-boosted 85-base power Dragon-type move that deals a decent amount of damage.
◆ Air Cutter is a special STAB-boosted 60-base power Flying-type move (high critical hit ratio. Hits adjacent foes).
◆ Air Slash is a special STAB-boosted 75-base power Flying-type move (30% chance to make the target flinch).
◆ Flamethrower is a special 90-base power Fire-type move (10% chance to burn the target).
◆ Heat Wave is a special 95-base power Fire-type move (10% chance to burn the foes).
◆ Hyper Voice is a special 90-base power Normal-type move (no additional effect. Hits adjacent foes).
◆ Hyper Beam is a special 150-base power Normal-type move (Salamence cannot move next turn).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/mda175
Item: Choice Scarf
Ability: Moxie
Nature: Naive (+Spe, -SpD)
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Dragon Claw
- Outrage
- Fire Blast / Aqua Tail
- Earthquake
Salamence is an impressive Physical Sweeper to use for single battles. The objective of this moveset is to overwhelm foes with overwhelming physical power. Choice Scarf will increase Salamence's speed by 1.5x but will lock you into the first move you pick. With Moxie, Salamence's attack is raised by 1 stage if it attacks and koes another pokemon.
◆ Outrage is a physical STAB-boosted 120-base power Dragon-type move (lasts 2-3 turns. Confuses your Salamence afterwards).
◆ Fire Blast is a special 110-base power Fire-type move (10% chance to burn the target).
◆ Aqua Tail is a physical 90-base power Water-type move that deals a considerable amount of damage.
◆ Earthquake is a physical 100-base power Ground-type move (hits adjacent pokemon).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/mea175
Item: Salac Berry
Ability: Moxie
Nature: Jolly (+Spe, -SpA)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Dragon Dance
- Dragon Claw
- Rock Slide / Roost
- Earthquake / Stone Edge
For single battles, Salamence is an extraordinary Physical Sweeper. This strategy is built to crush rivals using heavy-hitting physical moves. With Moxie, Salamence's attack is raised by 1 stage if it attacks and koes another pokemon. With a Salac Berry equipped to it, raises Salamence's speed by 1 stage when at 1/4 max hp or less then the Salac Berry gets consumed.
◆ Dragon Claw is a physical STAB-boosted 80-base power Dragon-type move that deals a substantial amount of damage.
◆ Rock Slide is a physical 75-base power Rock-type move (30% chance to make the foes flinch).
◆ Roost is a status move (heals 50% hp. Flying-type removed until turn ends).
◆ Earthquake is a physical 100-base power Ground-type move (hits adjacent pokemon).
◆ Stone Edge is a physical 100-base power Rock-type move (high critical hit ratio).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/mfa175
Movesets for Doubles
Need a strong doubles moveset for Salamence? These builds are perfect for VGC (Pokémon Video Game Championship) and other competitive Sword/Shield Double Battles. The VGC is the ultimate test of strategy and skill, and these movesets and EVs are designed to excel against multiple opponents at once while providing essential support to your team. Dominate the Sword/Shield metagame with these expert-crafted setups!
AmoongussIncineroarRotom-WashTyranitarExcadrillMetagrossRegielekiUrshifuRillaboomTapu Koko
Item: Yache Berry / Shell Bell
Ability: Intimidate
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 12 Hp / 252 Atk / 244 Spe
Moveset:
- Breaking Swipe / Outrage
- Earthquake / Bulldoze
- Rock Slide
- Double-Edge / Dual Wingbeat
For double battles, Salamence is a marvelous Physical Sweeper. This setup is intended to crush rivals using formidable physical power. The Shell Bell item option is to help Salamence recover from the recoil damage it may take from Double-Edge. With Intimidate, on switch-in Salamence lowers the attack of opponents by 1 stage. With a Yache Berry equipped to it, halves damage taken from a supereffective ice-type attack then the Yache Berry gets consumed.
◆ Outrage is a physical STAB-boosted 120-base power Dragon-type move (lasts 2-3 turns. Confuses your Salamence afterwards).
◆ Earthquake is a physical 100-base power Ground-type move (hits adjacent pokemon).
◆ Bulldoze is a physical 60-base power Ground-type move (100% chance lower adjacent Pokemon speed by 1 stage).
◆ Rock Slide is a physical 75-base power Rock-type move (30% chance to make the foes flinch).
◆ Double-Edge is a physical 120-base power Normal-type move (has 33% recoil).
◆ Dual Wingbeat is a physical STAB-boosted 40-base power Flying-type move (hits 2 times in one turn).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/naa175
Item: Yache Berry / Throat Spray
Ability: Intimidate
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 12 Hp / 252 SpA / 244 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Air Cutter / Air Slash
- Hyper Voice / Hyper Beam
- Draco Meteor / Dragon Pulse
- Heat Wave / Incinerate
Salamence makes an a wonderful Special Sweeper in double battles. It's designed to overwhelm foes with lethal special power. Throat Spray activates when a Pokemon uses a sound-based move (in this case Hyper Voice) and strengthens Salamence's special attack stat by 2 stages. With Intimidate, on switch-in Salamence lowers the attack of opponents by 1 stage. With a Yache Berry equipped to it, halves damage taken from a supereffective ice-type attack then the Yache Berry gets consumed.
◆ Air Slash is a special STAB-boosted 75-base power Flying-type move (30% chance to make the target flinch).
◆ Hyper Voice is a special 90-base power Normal-type move (no additional effect. Hits adjacent foes).
◆ Hyper Beam is a special 150-base power Normal-type move (Salamence cannot move next turn).
◆ Draco Meteor is a special STAB-boosted 130-base power Dragon-type move (lowers your Salamence's special attack by 2 stages).
◆ Dragon Pulse is a special STAB-boosted 85-base power Dragon-type move that deals a considerable amount of damage.
◆ Heat Wave is a special 95-base power Fire-type move (10% chance to burn the foes).
◆ Incinerate is a special 60-base power Fire-type move (destroys the foes berry/gem).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/nba175
Movepool
Want to know what moves Salamence can learn? Check out the full list of moves available in the Pokemon Sword/Shield generation.
Sort and organize the learnset by type, category, accuracy, and power. Moves in bold get the same-type attack bonus (STAB) when used by Salamence.
Damage Modifiers:
Combo List
These are a list of several common move combinations Salamence can perform in Sword/Shield. Not every combo going to be game-changing, but some can be pretty fun to play with. Sometimes these can be easily overlooked or forgotten, hence why we find and list them here. Discover what items, abilities, and moves this Pokemon can use in combination with each other to gain a strategic advantage in competitive battles.
Competitive SS Move and Ability Combos for Salamence
- Moves: Defense curl + Rollout
- Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
- Moves: Rest + Snore
- Move: Swagger + Item: Mirror Herb
- Move: Facade + Item: Flame Orb
- Move: Facade + Item: Toxic Orb
- Moves with Priority: Endure, Protect
- Moves that Break Screens: Defog, Brick Break
- Moves that inflict status: Toxic
Moves that boost Salamence's stats
- Defense Curl
- Dragon Dance
- Hone Claws
- Iron Defense
- Steel Wing
Most notable and possible best moves for Salamence
- Air Slash
- Bulldoze
- Draco Meteor
- Dragon Claw
- Dragon Dance
- Dual Wingbeat
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
- Flamethrower
- Fly
- Heat Wave
- Hydro Pump
- Outrage
- Protect
- Rest
- Rock Slide
- Roost
- Stone Edge
- Toxic
Common Effort Values for Salamence in Sword and Shield
- Jolly Nature ( 4/252/0/0/0/252 )
- Timid Nature ( 4/0/0/252/0/252 )
- Optimize Salamence's Defensive EV-spread for Pokemon Sword and Shield
Usage Data
Explore the latest analytical usage data for this Pokémon from various VGC and online competitions. We use this data to develop our strategies and movesets. The data is categorized by competition and skill level: top-ranking trainers, mid-level players, and entry-level players.
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Here are the best movesets for Salamence. Top rated Salamence Sword/Shield movesets. You can find Salamence builds Sword/Shield. Salamence movesets Sword/Shield are listed here. VGC Salamence Competitive Movesets can be found here. Find various EV spreads, find the best nature for Salamence in Sword/Shield along with competitive movesets. Basic info and Movesets for evolution