[OVERVIEW]
* Mega Salamence remains one of the threatening sweepers in the metagame, and with the new Mega Evolution mechanics it can take advantage of its great 120 Speed tier to immediate effect.
* Good physical and special coverage moves make Mega Salamence very hard to switch into. Mega Salamence also has the access to support moves like Dragon Dance and Roost.
* It has excellent stats overall, boasting a huge Attack stat, great Speed tier, and an impressive physical bulk also thanks to its non-Mega ability Intimidate.
* Generation VII brought new checks such as Celesteela or Tapu Koko, giving Salamence fewer setup opportunities. The new generation also reduced the damage boost from Mega Salamence's ability, Aerilate, from 1.3x to 1.2x.
* The 4x Ice-type weakness makes Mega Salamence heavily threatened by offensive Pokemon like Mamoswine or Ice Beam users such as porygon2.
* Teams are usually well prepared for it, being one of the most popular Mega Pokemon since ORAS, with no exception in this generation.
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Double-Edge / Return
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Roost
item: Salamencite
ability: Intimidate
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Dragon Dance is Mega Salamence's setup move, boosting its already great Attack and Speed to sky high levels, making it able to outspeeds every unboosted Pokemon when at +1.
* Double-Edge has an impressive Base Power (144 BP), hitting everything that doesn't resist it. You will usually need a dedicated physical wall to tank this. Return has no recoil, but less Base Power (122 BP); it still hits hard, but it usually requires an Adamant nature to be viable. Facade could be an option to have less fear of status moves while boosting.
* Earthquake completes coverage for Steel- (barring Celesteela), Eletric-, and Rock-types, OHKOing threats such as Tapu Koko even without a Dragon Dance boost.
* Roost is to heal up, giving Salamence the ability to set up in front of defensive Pokemon such as bulky Celesteela. When used, it also mitigates Mega Salamence's Ice-type weakness to 2x.
Set Details
========
*Running a straight 252 Atk / 252 Spe spread is usually the best option so Mega Salamence can hit as hard and fast as possible.
*An Adamant Nature guarantees more damage and makes Return a viable choice, while Mega Salamence is still able to outspeed Pokemon such as Garchomp and Nihilego.
*Running a Jolly nature could be worth it in order to outspeed threats such as Ninetales-A, Mega Metagross, and Mega Lucario before a boost, but you would usually need to run Double-Edge as a STAB move to make up for the power loss.
*A spread with 140 HP / 108 Atk / 8 SpD / 252 Spe EVs can be used in order to always survive to a Timid Tapu Koko's Life Orb Dazzling Gleam or Modest Tapu Lele's Moonblast, while still being faster than Garchomp and Nihilego, if running an Adamant nature, or taking the advantage of its fantastic Speed tier at its peak if running a Jolly nature. This set will usually need to run Double-Edge as its main STAB move.
Usage Tips
========
* Dragon Dance is a potent win factor. It should be use in the mid or late stages of the game, when Mega Salamence's checks are out of the field, or if Mega Salamence is at +1, meaning its checks are in KO range.
* Keep in mind that even with Dragon Dance being its win factor, Mega Salamence still does a lot of damage without a boost, so when predicting a switch out an option could be to just attack and spread damage, rather than being forced to switch out with a boost and nothing done.
* Mega Salamence doesn't need to rush the Mega Evolution with the fear of being outsped, taking the advantage of its ability Intimidate. For example this enables Mega Salamence to switch in and out while being able to Mega Evolve when it needs its Speed.
Team Options
========
* Steel-type checks are required, particurarly Pokemon that can handle Celesteela, which is immune to Earthquake and can tank Salamence's STAB moves fairly well. Fire-types such as Rotom-H and Marowak-A make good partners, even mitigating Mega Salamence's Ice weakness. Volcarona deserves a special mention as a Fire-type that can deal with Cresselia too. Buzzwole can play this role as well.
* Fairy-Types have always been good partners for Dragons-types. Tapu Fini covers Salamence's weakness very well and can clear Porygon2 from the field with the combination of Nature's Madness plus Hydro Vortex, whereas Tapu Koko is a decent Celesteela check. Tapu Bulu is probably worse than Tapu Fini and Koko when paired with Salamence, but can offer a better answer to those Garchomp that are not running Poison Jab and deal huge damage to Porygon2 if equipped with Choice Band or Grassium-Z. Primarina can work instead of Tapu Fini, also checking Pokemon that like to use Substitute, such as Celesteela, thanks to its Sparkling Aria. Ninetales-A deserves a special mention, not only mitigating Salamence's Ice and Dragon weaknesses, but being able to set up Aurora Veil that hugely aids Dragon Dance setups, and even helping sweeps with the hail damage.
* Bulky Water-types could also work fine if paired with Mega Salamence, guarding it from its 4x Ice-type weakness and threatening checks such as Mamoswine. Tapu Fini and Primarina are both good choices. Slowbro can come in into Ice attacks and easily check threats like Garchomp, Rhyperior, and Mamoswine; even Suicune can be a great partner since it's resistant to Ice, can deal with Ground-types, and thanks to its bulk and access to Ice Beam can even offer a decent answer to Dragon-types.
* Steel-types are also great partners for Salamence, both defensively and offensively. Aegislash and Celesteela are both good options. Ferrothorn and Heatran have both always been very solid choices for Mega Salamence cores. Magnezone can fulfill this role as well, being also able to trap opposing Celesteela thanks to Magnet Pull.
* Mamoswine offers a good answer to opposing Dragon-types, while working as a check to Porygon2, being able to fire off several Fissures if running its Assault Vest set.
* Stealth Rock support could be a good idea to break Focus Sashes. Mamoswine and Nihilego are good candidates for this role. Hippowdon and Tyranitar are two other great Stealth Rock setters, since Mega Salamence fits really well on sand teams; Excadrill can complete sand cores and offer Stealth Rock support as well. Ferrothorn deserves a special mention since it can set up Stealth Rock while also doing pretty well against Water-types.
[SET]
name: Mixed Attacker
move 1: Double-Edge
move 2: Draco Meteor
move 3: Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move 4: Earthquake / Hyper Voice / Substitute / Roost
item: Salamencite
ability: Intimidate
nature: Naive / Rash
EVss: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Double-Edge is still a powerful attack even without offensive EVs, able to break through special walls.
* Draco Meteor OHKOes Garchomp and opposing Mega Salamence.
* Fire Blast hits Steel-types and has good Base Power, having chances to 2HKO Celesteela if it's not running heavy investments in Special Defense and OHKO Mega Lucario when Mega Salamence is Naive; Flamethrower can be used for its accuracy but will miss the 2HKO on Celesteela and will have only a 25% chances to OHKO Mega Lucario if Salamence has a Naive nature. With a Rash nature Flamethrower will be enough to always OHKO Mega Lucario.
* Earthquake completes the offensive coverage, hitting Electric-, Rock-, and Fire-types for super effective damage; Hyper Voice is a STAB option that hits fairly well, while also giving Mega Salamence the ability to hit through Substitutes. Running Substitute itself is an option to answer to Celesteela's Leech Seed, to absorb status, or to scout for an Ice attack, while Roost sacrifices coverage for more staying power.
Set Details
========
* Maximizing Mega Salamence's Special Attack and Speed is the best idea, so it can have the best possible offensive presence.
* Its Nature should be either Naive or Rash, lowering Mega Salamence's average Special Defense to take the advantage of its fantastic Defense with Intimidate. A Naive nature uses Mega Salamence's great Speed at its best, allowing it to outspeed threats such as Ninetales-A and allowing Speed ties with other Mega Salamence; Rash gives it chance to 2HKO Special Defense-oriented Celesteela with Fire Blast and to OHKO Mega Lucario with Flamethrower, also increasing its Draco Meteor damage output and allowing it to still be faster than threats such as Garchomp and Nihilego.
Usage Tips
========
* This Mega Salamence set works as an early-game attacker. It has the role of opening up holes in the enemy team to aid late-game sweepers.
* It can take advantage of the surprise factor, being able to deal good damage to Pokemon such as Celesteela that work as checks for the physical attack variants of Mega Salamence, or to wreck opposing Salamence with Draco Meteor.
* Team preview is crucial when using this set, since it struggles to get past walls such as Porygon2, Cresselia, and Suicune, so make sure you have counter measures for these.
Team Options
========
* Physical setup sweepers greatly benefit from the presence of this potent early-game attacker that has the role of cleaning or weakening physical tanks. Blaziken, Scizor, Gyarados, and Aegislash are all great options, having good synergy with it. Even late-game sweepers such as Sand Rush Excadrill appreciate Mega Salamence's strong early-game presence, making their sweeping chances much higher.
* Fairy-types such as Tapu Koko and Tapu Bulu can guard it from Dragon-type attacks, while also granting good offensive presence versus some of the Pokemon that this set struggles at damaging, such as Water-types like Tapu Fini, Suicune, or Pyukumuku.
* Pokemon that can threaten those tanks that can completely wall Mega Salamence, such as Porygon2, Cresselia, and Suicune, also are good partners for it. Offensive sets of Tapu Fini can KO Porygon2 with the combination of Nature's Madness and Hydro Vortex. Aegislash can take care of Porygon2 with a SubToxic set, and can deal with Cresselia too. Mamoswine and Buzzwole can threaten Porygon2 when using an Assault Vest set, with Mamoswine also checking Dragon-types and Buzzwole also checking Steel-types. Even Tapu Koko can handle weakened Porygon2 if equipped with an Electrium Z while also easily dealing with Suicune.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* A SubToxic set can be an option to deal with tanks that Salamence can't threaten such as Porygon2 and Cresselia.
* Facade could be used to absorb burns or status moves in general.
* Hydro Pump on the mixed set can be used to deal damage to Fire-types such as Heatran, and has a chance to OHKO Marowak-A.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Ice Users**: Pokemon such as Cresselia, Porygon2, and Suicune can all take attacks from Mega Salamence, and are able to fire back with Ice Beam.
**Offensive Ice Users**: Pheromosa is faster than Mega Salamence and can hit it very hard with Ice Beam, most likely OHKOing it. Mamoswine can threaten it with Ice Shard, and likes to run Focus Sash or Choice Scarf to be able to hit it even with Icicle Spear. Alolan Ninetales would outspeed an Adamant or Rash Mega Salamence, OHKOing it with Blizzard, and would threaten as well a Jolly or a Naive one if is equipped with a Focus Sash. Even Blaziken's mixed set can deal huge damage with Hidden Powe Ice. However none of these Pokemon can really switch into Mega Salamence's attacks.
**Faster or Bulky Fairy-types**: Offensive variants of Tapu Koko have good chances to OHKO Mega Salamence with Dazzling Gleam, while Tapu Fini is bulky enough to survive its attack and answer with Moonblast or even with an Ice Beam. Choice Scarf Tapu Lele is a very popular set and OHKOes Salamence with Moonblast, and can 2HKO Mega Salamence if it switches into a Psychic. Unware Clefable can ignore Dragon Dance, while Mimikyu has its ability Decoy that guards it from the first attack, firing back with a STAB Play Rough.
**Bulky Steel- and Rock-types**: Aegislash and Rhyperior can tank Salamence's Earthquake. Salamence needs to be at +2 to OHKO Aegislash and fails to OHKO Rhyperior even at +2, while being hit hard by both in return.
**Faster or Bulky Dragons-types**: Both of Garchomp's main sets, Choice Scarf with its fast Outrage and Focus Sash with the combination of Rock Tomb and Outrage, can threaten Mega Salamence. Dragonite can't be OHKOed by any of Mega Salamence's attacks thanks to Multiscale and can set up with Dragon Dance or attack with Outrage. Mega Charizard X could be a problem as well if it manages to get Dragon Dance boosts before Salamence.
**Bulky Flying- / Electric-types**: Zapdos and Thundurus are both able to deal with Mega Salamence's Dragon Dance set, specially if running bulky spreads, being resistant to its STAB moves and immune to Earthquake. Even Rotom-W and Rotom-H can deal with Mega Salamence for the same reason, also being able to burn it with Will-O-Wisp. If running a mixed set, Draco Meteor would deal good damage to them, but wouldn't be enough to OHKO either of them.
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