[Overview]
<p>To put it simply, Salamence is an offensive powerhouse. Boasting the second highest Attack stat of any Dragon-type in OU at base 135, Salamence can easily take out the opponent with its massively powerful STAB Outrage, both before and after a boost. Salamence is made even more threatening by the addition of Moxie, allowing its damage output to snowball to uncontrollable levels. Intimidate is another nice ability that enables Salamence to tank physical hits just a bit better, and complements its decent defensive typing and stats. Furthermore, Salamence can separate itself from its Dragon-type brethren quite easily when using Dragon Dance, thanks to a higher Speed stat, as well as the ability to go mixed, taking out Steel-types outside of rain thanks to Fire Blast backed by a base 110 Special Attack stat.</p>
<p>Salamence does have a few key weaknesses, however. The most apparent of these is its vulnerability to Stealth Rock, which cripples even sets with Roost. Salamence's Speed could also just be a smidge faster; many Pokemon that outspeed it can hit it super effectively with Ice- or Dragon-type attacks. Garchomp in particular is a huge threat to Salamence, as Choice Scarf variants of Garchomp outspeed Salamence even if it has acquired a Dragon Dance boost and smash it with either Outrage or Stone Edge. Steel-types can also come in on Salamence if it's locked into Outrage and do whatever they please. However, don't let these drawbacks prevent you from using Salamence; there was a reason it was banned from DPP OU!</p>
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Outrage / Dragon Claw
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Fire Blast / Roost
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
nature: Naive / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Salamence is still the fastest relevant user of Dragon Dance in OU, and it can make use of the boosting move quite effectively thanks to STAB Outrage or Dragon Claw coming off its base 135 Attack. Earthquake is its main coverage move, hitting most Steel-types at least neutrally, bar Skarmory. Fire Blast hits all Steel-types except for Heatran, who is handled by Earthquake, and is Salamence's best way of getting past some of the most prominent Steel-types in the tier, namely Ferrothorn and Genesect. Roost, however, is also an option if you seek some sort of reliable recovery on Salamence.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Maximum Attack EVs ensure that Salamence will be hitting as hard as possible, while maximum Speed EVs let it hit as quickly as possible. Life Orb boosts Salamence's power even further, ensuring KOs on many Pokemon that would otherwise be unobtainable, such as an OHKO on Ferrothorn with Fire Blast outside of rain, as well as an OHKO on Jirachi with Earthquake. Lum Berry, however, is also an option to prevent Salamence from being crippled by status. A Naive nature is preferred to at least Speed tie with opposing base 100s; if you are using Roost over Fire Blast, use Jolly instead. Naughty and Adamant natures are options to boost Salamence's Attack even further; run Naughty with Fire Blast, and Adamant with Roost. However, Speed is often more important than power, as a neutral natured Salamence will be outsped after a Dragon Dance by Choice Scarf Genesect, then KOed with Ice Beam or Thunderbolt.</p>
<p>Teammates that can weaken the opponent before Salamence comes onto the field, such as Keldeo and Darmanitan, are recommended. Entry hazards also weaken the opponent, so teammates such as Deoxys-S are a big help as well. Pokemon who can take care of faster opponents are also great for removing troublesome opponents beforehand; Choice Scarf Garchomp and Life Orb Deoxys-S are both excellent examples.</p>
<p>An important thing to note is that even in DW OU, Salamence can only use Outrage and Dragon Dance on the same set if its ability is Intimidate. Thus, if you would like to use Moxie and Dragon Dance, Dragon Claw is the most powerful physical Dragon-type move you can use. </p>
<p>Yache Berry and Leftovers are both interesting items to try out on Salamence. Yache Berry lets it sponge one Ice-type attack and deal with the threat accordingly. Leftovers, however, gradually restores Salamence's HP, canceling out sandstorm damage. In terms of other moves to try on this set, Brick Break and Draco Meteor are both options in the final slot. Brick Break allows Salamence to break through Chansey and Blissey without resorting to Outrage, while Draco Meteor gives Salamence a special STAB move with which to surprise physical walls such as Gliscor and Slowbro, often allowing it to get a free Moxie boost as well.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Outrage
move 2: Dragon Claw
move 3: Fire Blast
move 4: Earthquake / Brick Break
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Moxie
nature: Naive / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With the release of Moxie, Salamence can effectively spam Outrage thanks to the Attack boosts Moxie brings after every KO, which can let Salamence sweep the opponent easily once Steel-types have been eliminated or significantly weakened. While it might be tempting to go ahead and select Outrage as soon as Salamence is out, this is rarely the best course of action. Dragon Claw has a decent amount of power after the STAB boost, while Fire Blast will easily take out most Steel-types looking to come in on Outrage; Heatran, the only Steel-type immune to Fire Blast, is easily dispatched by Earthquake. Brick Break will still hit Heatran and other Steel-types, while smashing into other Pokemon, namely Blissey and Terrakion.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Maximum EVs in Attack and Speed ensure that Salamence hits as hard and as fast as possible. Choice Scarf is the preferred item, as it allows Salamence to outspeed the majority of the unboosted metagame, as well as many slower users of Choice Scarf, notably Genesect, who is roasted by Fire Blast. A Naive nature further boosts Salamence's Speed, allowing it to tie with opposing base 100s; Jolly can be used if forgoing Fire Blast, or if one doesn't mind the power drop to Fire Blast that a Jolly nature provides. Moxie is the preferred ability as it increases Salamence's sweeping potential with Outrage, but Intimidate has the merit of allowing Salamence to come in on many more physical attacks. Draco Meteor is an option over one of the other moves, giving physical walls expecting Outrage quite a surprise. For example, Salamence 2HKOes Gliscor with Draco Meteor after Stealth Rock damage, allowing it to come in later and wreck the opposing team once they lack a physical wall to contain Salamence.</p>
<p>Salamence has a hard time getting through teams by itself, so powerful wallbreakers are very useful in this regard. Keldeo stands out as an excellent partner, being able to smash through the opposition with a powerful Hydro Pump under rain. Secret Sword lets Keldeo obliterate opposing Steel-types as well, allowing Salamence to spam Outrage much more easily. On that note, Pokemon that can trap Steel-types and generally bulky foes also make great teammates. Magnezone is great for removing Steel-types, while Chandelure can be used to trap more Pokemon, such as Latios and Breloom, if your team needs that support.</p>
[SET]
name: MixMence
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Earthquake / Brick Break
move 4: Outrage / Roost
item: Life Orb
nature: Rash / Naive
evs: 132 Atk / 200 SpA / 176 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Given that Salamence has amazing attacking stats across the board, the fact that it can run an excellent wallbreaker set should come as no surprise. Draco Meteor is the main move on this set, as it makes full use of Salamence's Special Attack stat and obliterates most of the physical walls that can take Outrage. Fire Blast is an interesting move in the second slot, as it allows Salamence to take care of Steel-types before using Draco Meteor. In the third slot, Earthquake provides coverage on Heatran and Chandelure while Brick Break hits all Steel-types and does super effective damage to Chansey and Blissey, who otherwise wall Salamence. In the final slot, Outrage gives Salamence an effective STAB move to use once Draco Meteor is spent; it is still incredibly powerful even without full investment. Roost is also an option that allows Salamence to recover health lost to Life Orb recoil, increasing its longevity.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given EVs spread Salamence's attacking power fairly evenly between its offenses, while 176 Speed EVs let it outspeed neutral base 90s with Speed investment. A Rash nature is preferred to give Salamence a boost to Draco Meteor while keeping its physical attacks powerful. A Naive nature can also be considered, but the drop in power is discouraging. On that note, one can also fully invest in Speed to beat Life Orb Genesect. However, as Choice Scarf variants are far more common, full Speed investment will be in vain quite a bit of the time. Regarding items, Life Orb is the preferred choice to further increase Salamence's power. Both Intimidate and Moxie can be used on this set; Intimidate allows Salamence to come in on physical attackers such as Breloom, while Moxie enables Salamence to go to town with Outrage after it KOes one opponent. However, Intimidate is more reliable in most situations.</p>
<p>Recommended teammates are ones that can take advantage of the gaping holes Salamence can create. Swords Dance Breloom, for example, appreciates the removal of Gliscor and other physical walls, such as Skarmory. Rapid Spin support is also essential to this set, especially if it lacks Roost, as Stealth Rock damage and Life Orb recoil will quickly pile up otherwise. Forretress in particular can provide both Rapid Spin and entry hazard support; Stealth Rock and Spikes greatly help Salamence break through the opposition.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>There are a number of sets that Salamence can run effectively, but they are often better done by other Pokemon. A Choice Band set is workable, as it poses a massive threat to defensive teams if it acquires boosts from Moxie. However, it faces direct competition from Dragonite and Garchomp, as the former has Multiscale while the latter has a higher base Speed. Choice Specs is an interesting option for Salamence thanks to its access to powerful special attacks, especially Hydro Pump, but again, Choice Specs Latios and Hydreigon are usually better in that role. Lastly, Salamence can attempt a defensive set thanks to access to Intimidate, phazing in the form of Dragon Tail or Roar, as well as Wish, but it suffers from too many common weaknesses to work effectively. Hydro Pump is a choice on any set that requires a special attack; it can work especially well over Fire Blast if one is using rain. However, Hydro Pump can only be used with one of Moxie or Outrage if you choose to use either, which greatly limits its viability. Fire Blast is also more reliable against Steel-types such as Ferrothorn. Dragon Pulse is an option over Draco Meteor, but the drop in power is painful.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Salamence's sheer versatility and power makes countering every set a difficult feat to accomplish. Intimidate variants of Salamence can all be handled nicely by Porygon2, whose Trace ability lowers Salamence's Attack by one stage. With all of Salamence's physical attacks weakened, Porygon2 can destroy it with Ice Beam. Skarmory and Bronzong can both switch in on any of Salamence's attacks except for Fire Blast; Skarmory can set up Spikes on Salamence if it's locked into Outrage, while Bronzong can nail Salamence with a super effective Hidden Power Ice. Other Steel-types make great checks as well. Metagross can come in and deal heavy damage with Bullet Punch, while Jirachi can take an Outrage and either heal back up with Wish or hit Salamence with STAB Iron Head. If rain is up, any Salamence not carrying Hydro Pump is hard-countered by Skarmory and Bronzong.</p>
<p>Offensive checks are much easier to come by, as there are many Pokemon that can outspeed Salamence and KO it. Choice Scarf Ditto will beat most Salamence sets by outspeeding and KOing with a Dragon-type attack. Choice Scarf Chandelure can also come in on MixMence and KO with Shadow Ball if Salamence is sufficiently weakened. Heatran can take on any Salamence without Earthquake and KO with Hidden Power Ice. Users of Ice Shard get a special note thanks to Ice Shard's priority. Mamoswine and Weavile are the first users that come to mind, though Donphan can use Ice Shard as well, albeit a much weaker one. Cloyster can also use Ice Shard effectively as well, though most Shell Smash sets do not carry Ice Shard. In addition, Cloyster has the benefit of tremendous physical bulk, which lets it tank most unboosted attacks with ease. Finally, Choice Scarf users that have more than base 100 Speed, such as Latios and Garchomp, are great revenge killers, as they outspeed even a boosted Salamence and can KO it with their respective STAB moves.</p>
<p>To put it simply, Salamence is an offensive powerhouse. Boasting the second highest Attack stat of any Dragon-type in OU at base 135, Salamence can easily take out the opponent with its massively powerful STAB Outrage, both before and after a boost. Salamence is made even more threatening by the addition of Moxie, allowing its damage output to snowball to uncontrollable levels. Intimidate is another nice ability that enables Salamence to tank physical hits just a bit better, and complements its decent defensive typing and stats. Furthermore, Salamence can separate itself from its Dragon-type brethren quite easily when using Dragon Dance, thanks to a higher Speed stat, as well as the ability to go mixed, taking out Steel-types outside of rain thanks to Fire Blast backed by a base 110 Special Attack stat.</p>
<p>Salamence does have a few key weaknesses, however. The most apparent of these is its vulnerability to Stealth Rock, which cripples even sets with Roost. Salamence's Speed could also just be a smidge faster; many Pokemon that outspeed it can hit it super effectively with Ice- or Dragon-type attacks. Garchomp in particular is a huge threat to Salamence, as Choice Scarf variants of Garchomp outspeed Salamence even if it has acquired a Dragon Dance boost and smash it with either Outrage or Stone Edge. Steel-types can also come in on Salamence if it's locked into Outrage and do whatever they please. However, don't let these drawbacks prevent you from using Salamence; there was a reason it was banned from DPP OU!</p>
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Outrage / Dragon Claw
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Fire Blast / Roost
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
nature: Naive / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Salamence is still the fastest relevant user of Dragon Dance in OU, and it can make use of the boosting move quite effectively thanks to STAB Outrage or Dragon Claw coming off its base 135 Attack. Earthquake is its main coverage move, hitting most Steel-types at least neutrally, bar Skarmory. Fire Blast hits all Steel-types except for Heatran, who is handled by Earthquake, and is Salamence's best way of getting past some of the most prominent Steel-types in the tier, namely Ferrothorn and Genesect. Roost, however, is also an option if you seek some sort of reliable recovery on Salamence.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Maximum Attack EVs ensure that Salamence will be hitting as hard as possible, while maximum Speed EVs let it hit as quickly as possible. Life Orb boosts Salamence's power even further, ensuring KOs on many Pokemon that would otherwise be unobtainable, such as an OHKO on Ferrothorn with Fire Blast outside of rain, as well as an OHKO on Jirachi with Earthquake. Lum Berry, however, is also an option to prevent Salamence from being crippled by status. A Naive nature is preferred to at least Speed tie with opposing base 100s; if you are using Roost over Fire Blast, use Jolly instead. Naughty and Adamant natures are options to boost Salamence's Attack even further; run Naughty with Fire Blast, and Adamant with Roost. However, Speed is often more important than power, as a neutral natured Salamence will be outsped after a Dragon Dance by Choice Scarf Genesect, then KOed with Ice Beam or Thunderbolt.</p>
<p>Teammates that can weaken the opponent before Salamence comes onto the field, such as Keldeo and Darmanitan, are recommended. Entry hazards also weaken the opponent, so teammates such as Deoxys-S are a big help as well. Pokemon who can take care of faster opponents are also great for removing troublesome opponents beforehand; Choice Scarf Garchomp and Life Orb Deoxys-S are both excellent examples.</p>
<p>An important thing to note is that even in DW OU, Salamence can only use Outrage and Dragon Dance on the same set if its ability is Intimidate. Thus, if you would like to use Moxie and Dragon Dance, Dragon Claw is the most powerful physical Dragon-type move you can use. </p>
<p>Yache Berry and Leftovers are both interesting items to try out on Salamence. Yache Berry lets it sponge one Ice-type attack and deal with the threat accordingly. Leftovers, however, gradually restores Salamence's HP, canceling out sandstorm damage. In terms of other moves to try on this set, Brick Break and Draco Meteor are both options in the final slot. Brick Break allows Salamence to break through Chansey and Blissey without resorting to Outrage, while Draco Meteor gives Salamence a special STAB move with which to surprise physical walls such as Gliscor and Slowbro, often allowing it to get a free Moxie boost as well.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Outrage
move 2: Dragon Claw
move 3: Fire Blast
move 4: Earthquake / Brick Break
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Moxie
nature: Naive / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With the release of Moxie, Salamence can effectively spam Outrage thanks to the Attack boosts Moxie brings after every KO, which can let Salamence sweep the opponent easily once Steel-types have been eliminated or significantly weakened. While it might be tempting to go ahead and select Outrage as soon as Salamence is out, this is rarely the best course of action. Dragon Claw has a decent amount of power after the STAB boost, while Fire Blast will easily take out most Steel-types looking to come in on Outrage; Heatran, the only Steel-type immune to Fire Blast, is easily dispatched by Earthquake. Brick Break will still hit Heatran and other Steel-types, while smashing into other Pokemon, namely Blissey and Terrakion.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Maximum EVs in Attack and Speed ensure that Salamence hits as hard and as fast as possible. Choice Scarf is the preferred item, as it allows Salamence to outspeed the majority of the unboosted metagame, as well as many slower users of Choice Scarf, notably Genesect, who is roasted by Fire Blast. A Naive nature further boosts Salamence's Speed, allowing it to tie with opposing base 100s; Jolly can be used if forgoing Fire Blast, or if one doesn't mind the power drop to Fire Blast that a Jolly nature provides. Moxie is the preferred ability as it increases Salamence's sweeping potential with Outrage, but Intimidate has the merit of allowing Salamence to come in on many more physical attacks. Draco Meteor is an option over one of the other moves, giving physical walls expecting Outrage quite a surprise. For example, Salamence 2HKOes Gliscor with Draco Meteor after Stealth Rock damage, allowing it to come in later and wreck the opposing team once they lack a physical wall to contain Salamence.</p>
<p>Salamence has a hard time getting through teams by itself, so powerful wallbreakers are very useful in this regard. Keldeo stands out as an excellent partner, being able to smash through the opposition with a powerful Hydro Pump under rain. Secret Sword lets Keldeo obliterate opposing Steel-types as well, allowing Salamence to spam Outrage much more easily. On that note, Pokemon that can trap Steel-types and generally bulky foes also make great teammates. Magnezone is great for removing Steel-types, while Chandelure can be used to trap more Pokemon, such as Latios and Breloom, if your team needs that support.</p>
[SET]
name: MixMence
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Earthquake / Brick Break
move 4: Outrage / Roost
item: Life Orb
nature: Rash / Naive
evs: 132 Atk / 200 SpA / 176 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Given that Salamence has amazing attacking stats across the board, the fact that it can run an excellent wallbreaker set should come as no surprise. Draco Meteor is the main move on this set, as it makes full use of Salamence's Special Attack stat and obliterates most of the physical walls that can take Outrage. Fire Blast is an interesting move in the second slot, as it allows Salamence to take care of Steel-types before using Draco Meteor. In the third slot, Earthquake provides coverage on Heatran and Chandelure while Brick Break hits all Steel-types and does super effective damage to Chansey and Blissey, who otherwise wall Salamence. In the final slot, Outrage gives Salamence an effective STAB move to use once Draco Meteor is spent; it is still incredibly powerful even without full investment. Roost is also an option that allows Salamence to recover health lost to Life Orb recoil, increasing its longevity.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The given EVs spread Salamence's attacking power fairly evenly between its offenses, while 176 Speed EVs let it outspeed neutral base 90s with Speed investment. A Rash nature is preferred to give Salamence a boost to Draco Meteor while keeping its physical attacks powerful. A Naive nature can also be considered, but the drop in power is discouraging. On that note, one can also fully invest in Speed to beat Life Orb Genesect. However, as Choice Scarf variants are far more common, full Speed investment will be in vain quite a bit of the time. Regarding items, Life Orb is the preferred choice to further increase Salamence's power. Both Intimidate and Moxie can be used on this set; Intimidate allows Salamence to come in on physical attackers such as Breloom, while Moxie enables Salamence to go to town with Outrage after it KOes one opponent. However, Intimidate is more reliable in most situations.</p>
<p>Recommended teammates are ones that can take advantage of the gaping holes Salamence can create. Swords Dance Breloom, for example, appreciates the removal of Gliscor and other physical walls, such as Skarmory. Rapid Spin support is also essential to this set, especially if it lacks Roost, as Stealth Rock damage and Life Orb recoil will quickly pile up otherwise. Forretress in particular can provide both Rapid Spin and entry hazard support; Stealth Rock and Spikes greatly help Salamence break through the opposition.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>There are a number of sets that Salamence can run effectively, but they are often better done by other Pokemon. A Choice Band set is workable, as it poses a massive threat to defensive teams if it acquires boosts from Moxie. However, it faces direct competition from Dragonite and Garchomp, as the former has Multiscale while the latter has a higher base Speed. Choice Specs is an interesting option for Salamence thanks to its access to powerful special attacks, especially Hydro Pump, but again, Choice Specs Latios and Hydreigon are usually better in that role. Lastly, Salamence can attempt a defensive set thanks to access to Intimidate, phazing in the form of Dragon Tail or Roar, as well as Wish, but it suffers from too many common weaknesses to work effectively. Hydro Pump is a choice on any set that requires a special attack; it can work especially well over Fire Blast if one is using rain. However, Hydro Pump can only be used with one of Moxie or Outrage if you choose to use either, which greatly limits its viability. Fire Blast is also more reliable against Steel-types such as Ferrothorn. Dragon Pulse is an option over Draco Meteor, but the drop in power is painful.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Salamence's sheer versatility and power makes countering every set a difficult feat to accomplish. Intimidate variants of Salamence can all be handled nicely by Porygon2, whose Trace ability lowers Salamence's Attack by one stage. With all of Salamence's physical attacks weakened, Porygon2 can destroy it with Ice Beam. Skarmory and Bronzong can both switch in on any of Salamence's attacks except for Fire Blast; Skarmory can set up Spikes on Salamence if it's locked into Outrage, while Bronzong can nail Salamence with a super effective Hidden Power Ice. Other Steel-types make great checks as well. Metagross can come in and deal heavy damage with Bullet Punch, while Jirachi can take an Outrage and either heal back up with Wish or hit Salamence with STAB Iron Head. If rain is up, any Salamence not carrying Hydro Pump is hard-countered by Skarmory and Bronzong.</p>
<p>Offensive checks are much easier to come by, as there are many Pokemon that can outspeed Salamence and KO it. Choice Scarf Ditto will beat most Salamence sets by outspeeding and KOing with a Dragon-type attack. Choice Scarf Chandelure can also come in on MixMence and KO with Shadow Ball if Salamence is sufficiently weakened. Heatran can take on any Salamence without Earthquake and KO with Hidden Power Ice. Users of Ice Shard get a special note thanks to Ice Shard's priority. Mamoswine and Weavile are the first users that come to mind, though Donphan can use Ice Shard as well, albeit a much weaker one. Cloyster can also use Ice Shard effectively as well, though most Shell Smash sets do not carry Ice Shard. In addition, Cloyster has the benefit of tremendous physical bulk, which lets it tank most unboosted attacks with ease. Finally, Choice Scarf users that have more than base 100 Speed, such as Latios and Garchomp, are great revenge killers, as they outspeed even a boosted Salamence and can KO it with their respective STAB moves.</p>
