The Official Salamence RTP

[Wii4Mii 99]

Pokemon Name: Salamence
National Pokedex Number: 373
Metagame Tier: OU (Overused)
Ability: Intimidate
Type: Dragon/Flying
Base Stats:

-HP: 95
-Attk: 135
-Def: 80
-Sp. Attk: 110
-Sp. Def: 80
-Spd: 100

MOVESETS

Moveset Name: DDMence
Nature: Adamant
Item: Leftovers / Life Orb
EVs: 120 HP / 252 Attk / 136 Spd

Move 1: Dragon Dance
Move 2: Dragon Claw
Move 3: Earthquake
Move 4: Rock Slide / Stone Edge

Salamence got a good treat from DP in physical Dragon Claw. Now, it's STAB attack goes off it's higher Attack stat. Dragon Dance a few times and sweep. Before a DD, you're at 270, outspeeding Adamant Choice Band Heracross. After one DD, you're at 405, outspeeding Adamant Choice Scarf Heracross. Stone Edge or Rock Slide is up to you, but remember, after a few DDs, an ordinary Rock Slide hit can feel like a Stone Edge critical hit. Leftovers if you want more survivability, or Life Orb if you want more power.

Just a note, you may have an advantage when using DDMence as most people would expect SpecsMence and switch to Blissey, etc. But once they see you DD, they'll catch on.

Moveset Name: SpecsMence
Nature: Modest
Item: Choice Specs
EVs: 252 Sp. Attk / 252 Spd / 4 HP

Move 1: Draco Meteor
Move 2: Dragon Pulse
Move 3: Flamethrower
Move 4: Hydro Pump

Salamence is no longer stuck with physical attacks. DP gave it the 140 base power Draco Meteor to go off it's often overlooked 110 base Special Attack stat.

Dragon attacks are only resisted by Steel types. Flamethrower hits Skarmory, Bronzong, Jirachi and Metagross, while Hydro Pump hits Heatran, Probopass and Bastiodon. Use Dragon Pulse at the end, to "clean up" whatever is left.

Moveset Name: CBMence
Nature: Adamant
Item: Choice Band
EVs: 252 Attk / 252 Spd / 4 HP

Move 1: Dragon Claw
Move 2: Earthquake
Move 3: Fire Blast / Brick Break
Move 4: Stone Edge / Rock Slide

As mentioned before, Salamence got a new toy in physical Dragon Claw. If you can otherwise handle Skarmory, use Brick Break instead of Fire Blast so you can hit Tyranitar and Normal types.

Moveset Name: BulkyMence (Note: Somewhat Gimmick set)
Nature: Bold / Impish
Item: Leftovers
EVs: 212 HP / 252 Def / 44 Spd

Move 1: Dragon Claw / Dragon Pulse
Move 2: Earthquake / Flamethrower
Move 3: Wish / Roost
Move 4: Protect / Roar

BulkyMence. Resistance to Fighting and Bug attacks, as well as Waterfall, Seed Bomb and Fire Fang, are helpful. Protect for stalling / Leftovers recovery or Roar for Phazing. HP is 384 for max Leftovers recovery. Use Bold if you're using Dragon Claw and Earthquake, or use Impish if you're using Dragon Pulse and Flamethrower.

COUNTERS

A Pokemon is considered a counter to another Pokemon if it can safely switch into the Pokemon it wants to counter and then immediately threaten it. It is technically hard to counter Salamence, as you don't know which varient it is, and when you find out, you've probably just sacrificed a Pokemon. This is because Salamence can attack from both sides of the damage spectrum quite well. You could send in a Blissey to take a Draco Meteor, but instead be Brick Breaked. You could send in a Hippowdon to take a predicted Stone Edge, but instead be drowned by Hydro Pump.

Cresselia is, overall and technically, the only Salamence counter. It can take 1-3 hits from either varient and has access to an Ice Beam going off 235 Special Attack, which is the minimum needed to KO a 4 HP / 0 SpDef Salamence.

But, if you know what varient the Salamence is...

BulkyGyara can switch into the DD or CB sets thanks to Intimidate, and KO with Ice Fang, although it needs to watch out for Stone Edge. Weezing can also come in and Will-o-Wisp Salamenceand Thunderbolt it while Pain Splitting when necessary. Hippowdon with Ice Fang and defensively EVed Rhyperior with a Rock attack also work.

Blissey can take some Specs hits and Ice Beam it. Empoleon also works if its Calm and EVed properly. Registeel can switch into it, save Flamethrower, and KO with Ice Punch.

Ice Shard Weavile/Donphan/Mamoswine can revenge kill Salamence. However, Donphan fairs a little better because it can take hits from the physical variants. Salamence also loses 25% of its health if switched in while Stealth Rock is up.

CONTENT SECTION

Salamence is one of the biggest threats in DP because it can attack from both ends of the damage spectrum quite well. You could confidently switch in a physical wall to take a predicted physical hit, but then humiliatingly lose said physical wall to a Draco Meteor. etc.

Jirachi is a good teammate for Salamence (well, not exactly Double Battle teammate. Teammate like Gyarados and Electivire) First of all, they cover each other's weaknesses. Second, Jirachi has Wish, allowing Salamence to survive longer, and can put up Light Screen so Salamence can take some Ice BEAMS AND SURPRISE THE OPPONENT.

Movepool Physical

Fire Fang
Thunder Fang
Rage
Bite
Headbutt
Zen Headbutt
Crunch
Dragon Claw
Double-Edge
Frustration
Iron Tail
Earthquake
Return
Brick Break
Rock Tomb
Aerial Ace
Facade
Secret Power
Steel Wing
Shadow Claw
Giga Impact
Stone Edge
Rock Slide
Natural Gift
Cut
Fly
Strength
Rock Smash
Thrash
Dragon Rush

Movepool Special
Ember
Dragonbreath
Hidden Power
Hyper Beam
Flamethrower
Fire Blast
Dragon Pulse
Draco Meteor
Hydro Pump
Dragon Rage
Twister

Movepool Support
Leer
Focus Energy
Protect
Scary Face
Roar
Toxic
Sunny Day
Rain Dance
Double Team
Rest
Attract
Roost
Endure
Captivate
Swagger
Substitute
Defog
Dragon Dance
Wish

So, what do you think?

 

[Metadour-2]

it think it's beautiful!
the sprites were awesome as well.
You actually should add Wish as a move bolded to salamence, as it can be learned by it.

and add a set to it like this.

BulkyMence w/leftovers
212 HP/ 24 ATK (SA)/ 252 DE (SD)/ 40 SP

Dragon Claw/ Dragon Pulse
Earthquake/ Flamethrower
Wish
Protect/Roar

384 HP for max leftovers recovery.
I checked and it's even on serebii.

hehe.
I like it!

Edit: you could bold a hidden power. It has to be good for SOMETHING on the specs set, no?

 

[Wii4Mii 99]

it think it's beautiful!
the sprites were awesome as well.
You actually should add Wish as a move bolded to salamence, as it can be learned by it.

and add a set to it like this.

BulkyMence w/leftovers
212 HP/ 24 ATK (SA)/ 252 DE (SD)/ 40 SP

Dragon Claw/ Dragon Pulse
Earthquake/ Flamethrower
Wish
Protect/Roar

384 HP for max leftovers recovery.
I checked and it's even on serebii.

hehe.
I like it!

Edit: you could bold a hidden power. It has to be good for SOMETHING on the specs set, no?

Your EVs spread adds up to 528.

Until wii meet again,
Wii4Mii 99

 

[Metadour-2]

woops. does it? haha, i know that much speed wasn't allowed!

kick of the extra 18 from speed, or throw a little bit more attack/SA off.

 

[ss118]

Also mention that "teaming up", as you put it, with Metagross, they cover each other's weaknesses, while at the same time hitting both ends of the damage spectrum hard.

Good job, IMO

 

[Terywj [태리]]

awesome job1 'nuff said.

 

[Chiko_]

Also mention that "teaming up", as you put it, with Metagross, they cover each other's weaknesses, while at the same time hitting both ends of the damage spectrum hard.

Good job, IMO

Or Jirachi. The Choice variants loves the Wish supporter.

Hidden Power Ground works pretty good over Hydro Pump on SpecsMence. Hits what Hydro Pump is supposed to hit even harder, and got better accuracy. Yeah, and it also makes it harder for Empoleon to counter it.

 

[Deleted member]

it's important to note that a counter is defined as something that can switch in and get a KO or force a switch, since all counters to each variant are completely different. The only common counter to all variants is cresellia, since she can take (barring critical hits) any 2 attacks, or any 1 attack after a dragondance and still run 235 special attack, the minimum amount for non-stab ice beam to OHKO salamence (4 HP/0 def).

Metagross is better than jirachi as a teammate, since metagross's massive attack lets him deal with cresellia and clear body beats gyara's intimidate. meta can also bullet punch weavile and OHKO, but most play focus sash so I also run him w/ tyranitar for sandstream, since it doesn't hurt sala much either.

Meh, I could go on about this all day.

IMO, salamence is the best poke in OU.

 

[Deleted member]

omg no aerial ace.
no gimmick set??? ubububu

 

[mood4food77]

i still don't like the decieving size of salamence

even though it has nothing to do with the poke, it's size is incredibly small fo what power it has

i mean, it's only 4'11 226.2 lbs

while no it's not small, it still should be much bigger, like 6 feet, 7 feet tall, 400+ pounds

 

[Chiko_]

Metagross is better than jirachi as a teammate, since metagross's massive attack lets him deal with cresellia and clear body beats gyara's intimidate. meta can also bullet punch weavile and OHKO, but most play focus sash so I also run him w/ tyranitar for sandstream, since it doesn't hurt sala much either.

A ChoicerMence loves the Wishsupport from Jirachi, and it makes him pretty unbeatable. Salamence probably don't need to fear any Stone Edges or Ice Beams, thanks to Jirachi's resistances to it.
I've based a lot of team on these two, and it'd usually works out great. Opponents usually needs to sacrifice something against Salamence to counter it, making it i huge threat to most teams. Wishsupport makes him even better.

I suppose you've never heard about switching? >_> Nor Cresselia or Weavile can do anything to a Metagross, so of course they'll send in a new counter. Just the same with Jirachi, but he can recover Salamence's HP, making him **** hard to get down.

Meh, I could go on about this all day.

I doubt it.

 

[Deleted member]

cowardly switches are a very fast way to lose from my experience.

3 of my friends currently hold the top team spot of the MLG pokemon ladder, and 2 of them use my salamence/metagross combo, 1 of them use them both directly from my team (my sig), so yeah I'm going to stand by my opinion.

edit: they were 1st yesterday, I stand corrected, they're now 2nd.

 

[Chiko_]

Eh, switching is an important factor in competitive battling. The fastest way to lose is if you choose not to switch in a situation like that, unless you do predict well.

I'm not sure what the MLG pokémon ladder is, but that really doesn't make Metagross a better teammate than Jirachi. A sweeper like that can easily be replaced, while a supporter like Jirachi is cannot be replaced that well.