[OVERVIEW]
Salamence is one of the defining threats in ADV OU due to its fantastic offensive stats, expansive movepool, and defensive utility from Intimidate alongside a useful resistance palette. The latter two let it run Salamence can run a variety of sets that can dismantle multiple team types while providing important defensive utility. Mixed Salamence has a great matchup against Toxic, Spikes, and Sandstorm (TSS) cores, more specifically ones that contain Skarmory, Blissey, Swampert, and Tyranitar; its good Speed and coverage also make it generally effective against moderately fast offense teams, which usually lack good options to switch into and eliminate it. With Choice Band, the powerful and fast Salamence becomes one of the strongest wallbreakers in ADV OU—it also becomes one of the most effective ways to prevent Baton Pass Celebi from passing Calm Mind or Swords Dance. Dragon Dance Salamence excels as a sweeper against offensive teams that rely on frail physical checks. Its defensive properties are not to be overlooked; it is one of the sturdiest checks to Fighting-types such as Heracross and Breloom. Moreover, Intimidate is useful against physical Tyranitar and Salamence, especially to stop a Dragon Dance sweep. Additionally, Salamence is one of the few viable Pokemon with Wish, allowing it to heal itself and teammates effectively.
There are no Pokemon that can comfortably deal with all Salamence sets, but each set is answerable once revealed. Mixed Salamence is walled completely by Milotic, Porygon2, and defensive Zapdos if it lacks Rock Slide and is easily revenge killed by most threats with an Ice-type move. Choice Band Salamence is frequently prediction reliant due to its individually weak attacks, can be countered by common physical walls like Skarmory, and can get Pursuit trapped by Tyranitar if it locks into Hidden Power Flying or Rock Slide. Dragon Dance Salamence has a harder time sweeping when its checks, especially bulky Water-types, Gengar, and even Blissey, are healthy. Offensively, Salamence can be threatened by a variety of prominent and fast Pokemon like Gengar, Starmie, and Aerodactyl, limiting the offensive potential of non-Dragon Dance sets. Additionally, Salamence frequently requires prediction just to get in effectively, as its 4x weakness to Ice and vulnerability to status mean that Pokemon it can check with its Speed and coverage, such as weakened Blissey, Swampert, and Tyranitar, can devastate it on the switch.
[SET]
name: Mixed
move 1: Dragon Claw / Rock Slide
move 2: Brick Break
move 3: Hidden Power Grass
move 4: Fire Blast
item: Leftovers
ability: Intimidate
nature: Rash / Naive
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Mixed Salamence is able to heavily damage most of the tier, including common Pokemon like Tyranitar, Swampert, Metagross, and Skarmory, with its coverage moves. It is a wallbreaker that is particularly potent against Toxic + Spikes + Sandstorm (TSS) teams and moderate-Speed offensive teams with its good Speed tier and coverage. Dragon Claw hits most of the tier neutrally and is a safe choice to use if a switch is expected. Specifically, Dragon Claw hits foe Dragon-types like Flygon and Salamence hard and chips checks such as Gengar and Zapdos on the switch. Alternatively, Rock Slide can OHKO Moltres and better handle specially defensive Zapdos. Brick Break threatens Blissey, Snorlax, and Tyranitar. Hidden Power Grass is a key move in order to hit Swampert very hard and 3HKO Suicune, Starmie, and Milotic switch-ins in sand. Fire Blast completes the coverage by handling Steel-types such as Skarmory, Forretress, and Metagross and other Fire-weak threats like Celebi. Additionally, Fire Blast heavily damages Heracross and Breloom, making mixed Salamence a solid check to Fighting-types.
Sometimes, other moves can be used over Hidden Power Grass or Brick Break. The most prominent of these are Wish and Roar. Wish is used to support Pokemon that have a better matchup against the opponent's team. For example, when against strong defensive answers such as Milotic, Suicune, defensive Starmie, and Porygon2, Salamence can use the opportunity to pass Wish to a strong offensive threat like Snorlax or Heracross instead of using a weak coverage move. Roar can be used to mitigate weakness to defensive Suicune and Calm Mind + Baton Pass Celebi on teams that neither have strong offensive presence nor specially robust phazers, such as ones featuring Forretress.
Getting the best utility out of mixed Salamence frequently involves aggressively exploiting Salamence's tendency to force switches; this is especially important in the absence of Spikes. For example, one can anticipate Blissey's entry with Brick Break, as Blissey is one of the few Pokemon that can recover from Salamence's attacks. A well-timed coverage move that cripples a crucial wall like Blissey, Swampert, or Metagross can sometimes tilt the game heavily in favor of one's Zapdos or Tyranitar. Due to only having 8 PP, Fire Blast should be used conservatively against Pokemon that may have Protect or Pressure such as Skarmory, Suicune, specially defensive Zapdos, and pivot Moltres. Salamence can choose to run a Naive nature instead of Rash so that it can outspeed Moltres, Celebi, and some Gengar sets. However, Rash allows Salamence to OHKO other offensive Salamence in sand and offensive Swampert. Additional Attack investment can help Brick Break and Rock Slide hit some damage rolls, such as 2HKOing Blissey and Zapdos.
Team Options
========
Mixed Salamence is a staple on momentum-based offensive teams. Metagross and mixed Salamence make for a great physically defensive backbone on offensive teams, providing short-term defensive coverage without losing momentum. Metagross can chip walls such as defensive Swampert and Skarmory so that Salamence can more easily OHKO them. Likewise, Salamence can weaken these walls to give Metagross an easier time breaking through them. Note that Metagross's set choice is highly flexible and depends on the team's needs; Choice Band Metagross's Meteor Mash, mixed Metagross's Psychic, and even defensive Metagross's Toxic can heavily cripple Swampert or even defeat it with some luck, and all sets can use Explosion on Water-types. In particular, Choice Band Metagross's Meteor Mash has a high probability of breaking through Water-types with an Attack boost or a critical hit. Mixed Metagross can potentially pack Pursuit, which takes out Gengar after some chip damage from Salamence, or at least limits its ability to check Salamence. Agility Metagross variants especially enjoy Rock Slide Salamence removing Zapdos, Gyarados, and Moltres.
Since mixed Salamence dismantles physically defensive cores that incorporate Skarmory and Swampert, physical sweepers such as Dragon Dance Tyranitar and Aerodactyl pair well with it. Salac Berry Heracross is also a synergistic sweeper for a different reason — mixed Salamence frequently lures in and chips Flying-types and Gengar, which prevent Heracross from sweeping. Generally, Fighting-types like Heracross, Hariyama, and Breloom benefit from Salamence luring in their checks and tend to do well against teams that wall Salamence with Milotic, defensive Suicune, or defensive Starmie.
Snorlax checks common special attackers that Salamence struggles against such as Starmie, Zapdos, and Jolteon. It also pressures mixed Salamence's walls—Milotic, defensive Starmie, Blissey, Porygon2—and can help put Skarmory and Metagross in KO range of Fire Blast with its coverage and Self-Destruct. Salamence can switch into Heracross and Breloom, which take advantage of Snorlax. Spikes support from Pokemon such as Skarmory, Forretress, and Cloyster can help put Pokemon such as Blissey, Tyranitar, and Swampert in KO range of Salamence's coverage moves. Spikes can also greatly reduce the need for prediction. In return, Salamence can give Spikes setters support against Fighting-types and be a strong, fast cleaner. Defensive Jirachi can provide mixed Salamence with Wish support while Salamence pressures its checks—Swampert, Tyranitar, Metagross, and Snorlax—with its coverage moves. In some matchups, Jirachi will need to predict moves and switch-ins like Earthquake and Celebi to pass Wish to Salamence. Tyranitar's summoned sand is important for retaining chip damage on bulkier Pokemon such as Porygon2 and Blissey so Brick Break 2HKOes them. Additionally, sand preserves damage on checks like Zapdos and Gengar.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Hidden Power Flying
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Brick Break
item: Choice Band
ability: Intimidate
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Choice Band Salamence is a potent combination of offense and defense. It excels as a wallbreaker with the movepool to OHKO or 2HKO a majority of ADV OU. At the same time, its typing and Intimidate let it switch into Celebi, defensive Suicune, Fighting-types, and Earthquakes easily. These offensive and defensive properties make Choice Band Salamence a good fit on balanced teams, especially those without sand. First, balance teams usually consist of a defensive backbone with only one or two offensive Pokemon. The passive backbone tends to sit at the mercy of Calm Mind + Baton Pass Celebi, defensive Suicune, and Fighting-types, so the team's offensive Pokemon should be able to switch into and force them out. Second, as balanced teams have a limited number of offensive Pokemon, the primary offense is often required to hit hard across a variety of matchups. Third, the defensive backbone can absorb momentum losses of the offensive Pokemon. Choice Band Salamence can lose momentum because it lacks the flexibility of switching moves, unlike mixed and Dragon Dance Salamence, but in exchange, they are walled more easily and cannot pressure Celebi and Suicune as easily.
Hidden Power Flying is Salamence's strongest physical STAB, dealing heavy damage to most targets and threatening Celebi and Fighting-types. Earthquake nails Tyranitar and Steel-types such as Metagross, Jirachi, and Magneton. Rock Slide hits Flying-types hard; it OHKOes uninvested Zapdos, Aerodactyl, and Moltres, and 2HKOes defensive Zapdos, opposing Salamence, and Gyarados. Its flinch chance can be used to break down defensive answers such as Skarmory in desperate situations. Brick Break OHKOes Tyranitar and heavily damages Blissey and Snorlax; it also 2HKOes Porygon2, which can recover from Salamence's other attacks.
There are significant compromises to be made when choosing Salamence's nature. Adamant Choice Band Salamence is able to 3HKO defensive Suicune, OHKO Zapdos, and possibly OHKO defensive Gengar in sand. A Jolly nature is best for a fast check to dangerous offensive Pokemon. Notably, it prevents Baton Pass Celebi from passing stats, threatens Moltres, and Speed ties Timid Jirachi and Zapdos.
Team Options
========
Choice Band Salamence excels on balance and occasionally bulky offense builds as the team's immediate offensive threat. Magneton is almost always partnered with it for removing Skarmory.
Choice-locked Salamence loses momentum easily, so it appreciates sturdy defensive Pokemon as partners. Common physically defensive partners include Skarmory, Protect Metagross, defensive Suicune, and defensive Swampert. Skarmory is the Spiker that has the strongest synergy with Salamence, as it is also a wall that can switch into Metagross, Swampert, and perhaps Tyranitar. Spikes generally helps with wallbreaking and makes Hidden Power Flying a safe move choice that chips switch-ins. In particular, Spikes provides the chip damage needed to OHKO Metagross, Jirachi, and Blissey and 2HKO Milotic. Protect Metagross complements Salamence with its Rock resistance and can use Toxic to cripple Swampert and Suicune. Defensive Suicune switches into Metagross and Swampert well but is less robust against Tyranitar; Claydol and defensive Metagross thus help bolster the physically defensive core. Defensive Swampert switches into most physical threats, but it should ideally be paired with Skarmory for other Swampert and to allow some flexibility in pivoting around lures and Metagross's Explosion.
Choice Band Salamence also needs sturdy specially defensive partners, the most common of which are Blissey, Celebi, and Snorlax. Blissey is the most reliable special wall; it checks Gengar, Zapdos, and Starmie, which outspeed Salamence and threaten to OHKO it. Wish support from Blissey can help negate the chip damage Salamence receives, in sand. Celebi is also a decent special wall; it may struggle with Starmie and is prone to getting trapped by Dugtrio or Pursuit Tyranitar, so it is sometimes found alongside Curse Snorlax, a secondary special check. Celebi has more opportunities for synergy; its Leech Seed chips the foe and heals Salamence—important given the lack of Leftovers—and it can use Baton Pass to let Magneton to trap Skarmory more reliably. It also pressures Swampert harder. Snorlax is the shakiest of the special walls, but with Curse it has the greatest ability to pressure Salamence's checks in Milotic and Suicune. While most Snorlax are found alongside Celebi in this context, a small fraction of bulky offense teams use Snorlax as the sole special check, perhaps in conjunction with Claydol or Suicune for additional defensive coverage against Electric- or Water-types. In return for protecting Salamence from special threats, special walls benefit from Salamence protecting them from Fighting-types.
Choice Band Salamence has several fringe partners. It is possible to use Salamence without Magneton, provided that one has a spinner to stop Skarmory's Spikes and other Pokemon that force Skarmory in to take strong hits. Usually, this leads to a core of Choice Band Salamence; Starmie, Claydol, or Forretress; and a Fighting-type like Heracross, Hariyama, or Medicham. Occasionally, one can use Dugtrio to remove Pursuit Tyranitar, which otherwise gets the opportunity to chip Salamence heavily upon entry. Finally, there is a small fraction of bulky offense teams that use Choice Band Salamence with Gyarados as a sweeper in the Magneton offense archetype. Gyarados acts as a switch-in to Water-types and a secondary line of defense against physical threats with Intimidate, stopping Dragon Dance Tyranitar, Dragon Dance Salamence, and Aerodactyl.
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Hidden Power Flying
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Earthquake
item: Leftovers
ability: Intimidate
nature: Adamant
evs: 116 HP / 252 Atk / 140 Spe
ivs: 30 SpA / 30 SpD / 30 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Dragon Dance Salamence is adept at sweeping offensive teams that rely on frail Pokemon such as offensive Swampert and Metagross or revenge killers like Dugtrio, Aerodactyl, and Starmie to check physical sweepers. This proficiency comes from Salamence's Speed; unlike Tyranitar, +1 Salamence outspeeds the entire metagame. Dragon Dance Salamence also offers some unique defensive properties; it is the best Heracross counter, with the ability to OHKO, boost its Speed past Salac Berry variants, and heal with Leftovers. Unfortunately, Dragon Dance Salamence suffers in terms of power, bulk, and susceptibility to Intimidate. Many common Pokemon seen as physically frail like defensive Zapdos, Gengar, and even Blissey can survive a boosted attack and stop Salamence from sweeping. Opposing Salamence can also deny a sweep with Intimidate; although Dragon Dance Tyranitar can similarly be stopped, it more heavily pressures opposing Salamence with its STAB Rock Slide.
Hidden Power Flying is Salamence's strongest attack. While it is comparable to Earthquake in power, it hits Celebi and Fighting-types super effectively and Claydol and Flygon neutrally. It also dissuades the opponent from weakening Salamence by switching to Intimidate Salamence or Gyarados on Earthquake. Rock Slide threatens Zapdos, Moltres, Aerodactyl, Gyarados, and other Salamence. Due to the flinch chance, it also allows Salamence to take down Skarmory despite being a 3HKO. Earthquake completes the coverage by threatening Tyranitar, Jirachi, and Metagross. Occasionally, Brick Break is used over Earthquake to help Salamence beat Blissey and Tyranitar at the expense of coverage against Metagross and Jirachi.
Salamence can use a variety of EV spreads that differ mostly in trading off Attack for Speed and bulk. The only mandatory benchmark is 116 Speed EVs for Aerodactyl and Jolteon after a boost. The listed EVs allow Salamence to outspeed Adamant Heracross. It is possible to increase the Speed investment to 180 EVs for Moltres, or simply maximize speed at the expense of bulk. This allows Salamence to outspeed Jolly Heracross and increases its chances of outspeeding other Dragon Dance Salamence, Gyarados, and Agility Metagross that try to get into a boosting war. It also Speed ties with neutral Zapdos and mixed Salamence, which can be important because Salamence usually cannot afford to boost against them.
Salamence can also run a specially defensive EV spread of 180 Atk / 212 SpD / 116 Spe, which takes defensive Gengar's Ice Punch and defensive Swampert's Ice Beam, turning two of the most prominent Salamence checks into non-answers or setup opportunities. Less commonly, these EVs also guarantee that Salamence survives Timid Jirachi's Ice Punch. Note that the divestment from Attack can be significant, for near-guaranteed OHKOs on uninvested Tyranitar and Zapdos after a boost become roughly two-thirds chances.
Dragon Dance Salamence's use and role depend on the team and matchup. One needs to discern whether its HP should be used liberally for defensive pivoting and inducing chip damage, sacrificed to wallbreak for other sweepers, or preserved for a Dragon Dance sweep in the endgame. Salamence can be used mid-game to switch into Fighting-types, defensive Suicune, Celebi, and other physical Salamence, and it can also pivot in on Earthquake to weaken Tyranitar, Swampert, Flygon, Claydol, and Snorlax with Intimidate. Most of these Pokemon are also potential setup targets; even some threatening Pokemon like Tyranitar, defensive Swampert, and Jirachi can be set up on in specific circumstances, as Intimidate softens Rock Slide's damage and Salamence can have EVs to survive Swampert's and Jirachi's Ice-type coverage. Additionally, Salamence can set up on Choice-locked Pokemon like Dugtrio and Aerodactyl; these are revenge killers that offensive teams sometimes use to relieve their physical weaknesses, yet +1 Salamence bypasses them.
Team Options
========
Dragon Dance Salamence fits well on momentum-based teams that benefit from its potential to sweep over the general utility of the mixed set. Occasionally, it can also fit on Magneton-based balance teams in lieu of Choice Band Salamence, where it pivots into Fighting-types, Celebi, and defensive Suicune. Most of Salamence's partners are geared towards breaking through its most prominent walls in Skarmory and bulky Water-types, most notably Swampert. Magneton is one of Salamence's most effective partners, as it can trap and remove Skarmory. Metagross is another effective partner that can plow through those walls. Choice Band Metagross is great for removing Skarmory and bulky Water-types with Explosion. While it targets Skarmory less specifically than Magneton, Choice Band Metagross prevents Skarmory from setting Spikes, which can exacerbate typical physically offensive teams' weakness to special sweepers like Starmie and Gengar. Mixed Metagross is great for wearing Skarmory and Swampert down over the course of a game. Pursuit on Mixed Metagross also chips Gengar and puts it into boosted Salamence's KO range. Defensive Metagross is a good choice in conjunction with Magneton, where Metagross has the flexibility of defensive and offensive use with Explosion or Toxic to wallbreak against bulky Water-types. This set also makes the best use of the physically defensive synergy of Salamence and Metagross.
A variety of Tyranitar sets can also lure Water-types in to chip them. The most prominent example is Dragon Dance + Hidden Power Grass Tyranitar, which frequently leaves the opponent no choice but to expend a huge amount of HP on their bulky Water-type. Hidden Power Grass is not strictly necessary if one has other means of luring and damaging Swampert or if the rest of the team has a good matchup against Toxic, Sandstorm, and Spikes (TSS) teams, which Swampert is usually found on and Dragon Dance Salamence struggles against. Mixed Tyranitar does not target Water-types as specifically and cannot get past Milotic, but it is great against TSS teams; it can chip Skarmory and other one-time checks like Blissey, defensive Zapdos, Starmie, and physically defensive Celebi. Note that Tyranitar's Sand Stream is really helpful for maintaining chip damage on most Pokemon, especially Milotic, Suicune, Gengar, Blissey, and Snorlax.
Offensive Water-types also tend to have good matchups against TSS teams and can switch into defensive Swampert relatively easily. Offensive Swampert is a good choice for heavily damaging Skarmory as it tries to set Spikes, and opposing Swampert is frequently compelled to trade blows for the lack of a better switch-in, unwittingly facilitating the Salamence sweep. Offensive Swampert is also generally great at luring in and chipping the other aforementioned one-time checks. Offensive Suicune works in a similar vein; it heavily threatens the special walls Celebi and Jirachi, and it can use Toxic to chip Blissey and dissuade it from staying in, thereby also forcing chip damage on Swampert, Skarmory, Gengar, or Starmie. It also trades with Snorlax, which could otherwise use Self-Destruct on Salamence.
Enabling a Dragon Dance Salamence sweep also requires chipping bulky Tyranitar and Metagross, which can survive boosted Earthquake and OHKO back. Offensive Snorlax lures in Tyranitar, Metagross, and Skarmory and can chip them with Earthquake, Focus Punch, or Self-Destruct; Curse + Self-Destruct can even take out these checks. Snorlax also acts as a special tank. Gyarados is another great partner for Salamence. They share similar checks in Tyranitar, Metagross, Salamence, Snorlax, Gengar, and Starmie; together, they can overload these checks. For example, a common sequence involves using Dragon Dance Gyarados to force bulky physical Tyranitar in, sacrificing Gyarados to chip Tyranitar with Earthquake, and exploiting Salamence's Intimidate to set up. Also, having two fast Dragon Dance users vastly expands one's coverage—Salamence's Rock Slide can make up for Gyarados's potential lack of coverage for Aerodactyl, while Gyarados can set up on Water-types and potentially carry Hidden Power Ghost for Gengar. Water-types are the bane of Salamence's existence, so Gyarados's ability to set up on Water-types is particularly complementary. Celebi is also able to gain momentum on Water-types. Offensive Calm Mind Celebi can lure in and trade with Tyranitar and Metagross or pass its boosts to Swampert; alternatively, Leech Seed variants can slowly provide the little chip damage needed to bring Tyranitar, Metagross, and Blissey into KO range. Salamence is also able to protect Celebi from Heracross and other physical Salamence sets to an extent. Offensive Jirachi performs a similar role of luring in and chipping Tyranitar, providing Salamence a setup opportunity upon its sacrifice; it can also wrestle with Snorlax to bring it into Salamence's KO range.
Chipping Gengar and opposing Salamence also makes it easier for Dragon Dance Salamence to sweep. Heracross lures in and chips these targets, and on top of that, it has a good matchup against Milotic-based stall teams Heracross is a decent switch-in to Water-types as well.
While Dragon Dance Salamence is harder to fit on Spikes teams than mixed Salamence, Spikes helps Salamence break through all grounded checks. On offensive teams, Cloyster can provide Spikes support, and its Explosion and Surf provide the little dent needed to beat Tyranitar, Metagross, or Gengar. On balanced teams, Skarmory is the default Spiker.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Salamence can run a more dedicated defensive and supportive set with 252 HP and 252 Defense EVs that utilizes Wish and Protect. The remaining moves are chosen to suit the team and can range from two attacks, like Hidden Power Flying + Earthquake or Dragon Claw + Flamethrower, to a single attack and a utility move like Roar or Toxic. Flamethrower is a good attacking move to accompany Toxic, as it hits poison-immune Steel-types. This can be useful in teams with bulky setup Pokemon such as Rest Snorlax and defensive Suicune or dedicated stall teams such as those running defensive Hariyama, though the lack of power increases the team's weakness to Rest Suicune and Calm Mind Celebi.
Dragon Dance Salamence can run a mixed set utilizing Fire Blast over Hidden Power Flying, especially to exploit a Calm Mind boost passed from Celebi. Dropping Hidden Power Flying, however, makes it much harder for Salamence to get past Claydol and Flygon. In its defense, Calm Mind + Baton Pass Celebi tends to have a good matchup against Claydol teams. Unfortunately, the lack of STAB also makes it easier for the opponent to pivot around and weaken Salamence with their own use of Intimidate. Dragon Dance Salamence can also use Hidden Power Grass in lieu of Hidden Power Flying to break through Swampert, though not only do the same drawbacks apply, but Celebi also walls it. Refresh is a nifty matchup pick that turns bulky Water-type stops that lack Ice Beam or Roar into setup fodder, namely Milotic, some Swampert, and defensive Starmie. This comes at the expense of an attacking move, which is usually Rock Slide to preserve Salamence's ability to hit Claydol, a common Milotic partner. Salamence thus becomes walled by Zapdos and Aerodactyl.
Hydro Pump is an option on mixed Salamence in order to OHKO Aerodactyl and Moltres, which can be really useful if Salamence has been passed a Speed boost, but this requires giving up another attack. Sleep Talk can be used on Choice Band or mixed Salamence for a safe switch-in to Breloom and Venusaur. Toxic is also another option on the mixed set to cripple Water-types without Refresh and Porygon2.
Checks and Counters
=============
There are very few Pokemon that can check all of Salamence's sets because it can hit hard both physically and specially. You will need a combination of the Pokemon below if you want to successfully check each Salamence set.
**Bulky Water-types**: Bulky Water-types such as Swampert, Milotic, and Suicune wall specific Salamence sets and threaten Salamence back with Ice-type coverage, Toxic, or phazing. Swampert is the most robust check to physical Salamence under sand, but it should be wary of mixed Salamence running Hidden Power Grass. Milotic is the best check to all variants of Salamence in a vacuum, but it can frequently be put into 2HKO range of Choice Band Salamence and possibly mixed Salamence when chipped. It is prone to critical hits in the process of healing with Recover. Milotic still requires secondary checks. Defensive Suicune without Ice Beam can phaze physical Salamence with Roar and set up on mixed Salamence. However, it is an unreliable check, as Salamence can muscle through it with critical hits.
**Skarmory**: Skarmory is one of the biggest problems for physical Salamence due to it walling both Choice Band and Dragon Dance sets to cripple it with Toxic or set up Spikes. However, Skarmory should not be a team's sole Salamence check because Salamence is frequently paired with Magneton and other wallbreakers.
**Revenge Killers**: Revenge killers such as Aerodactyl, Gengar, Starmie, Zapdos, and Jolteon can switch in, possibly after a KO, to force Choice Band and mixed Salamence out with super effective coverage or status moves. Starmie and physically defensive Gengar have the added luxury of surviving any physical or special attack and threatening to OHKO with their Ice-type coverage or, in the case of defensive Starmie, disable Salamence with Thunder Wave. Aerodactyl and Zapdos can get KOed by Choice Band Salamence's Rock Slide but are safe switch-ins against mixed Salamence too. As Starmie and defensive Gengar can survive boosted Salamence's attacks, they are also single-use checks to Dragon Dance Salamence. Many common Pokemon can also tank a hit from Dragon Dance Salamence and retaliate with Explosion, including Metagross, Snorlax, Claydol, Cloyster, and Forretress. Mixed Salamence OHKOes Salamence without bulk investment under sand with Dragon Claw, and with Intimidate to soften physical blows, it can be an emergency check to physical Salamence as well.
**Blissey**: Blissey is a decent mixed Salamence check, as it can OHKO Salamence with Ice Beam or Counter and heal off damage from Brick Break. It can also check Dragon Dance Salamence in a pinch, but a Rock Slide flinch can put it out of commission. Blissey is vulnerable to Spikes and sand damage and cannot check Salamence well if it becomes too weakened.
**Porygon2**: Porygon2 is able to check mixed and Dragon Dance Salamence thanks to its Ice Beam and Recover. It even checks Choice Band Salamence pretty reliably, as only Brick Break can 2HKO it.
**Pursuit Tyranitar**: Pursuit Tyranitar can trap and deal a heavy blow to Choice Band Salamence if it's locked into Hidden Power Flying or Rock Slide. Sacrificing a Pokemon weak to these moves can thus form a reliable strategy for removing Salamence that does not require the risky predictions typically associated with Choice Band users.
**Intimidate**: Pokemon with Intimidate such as Gyarados and other Salamence can stop Dragon Dance Salamence from sweeping or soften its attacks mid-game, allowing Pokemon such as Metagross, Tyranitar, and bulky Water-types an easier time switching in. Mixed Salamence itself can also survive Rock Slide after Intimidate and attempt to KO opposing physical Salamence.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[BP, 272450]]
- Quality checked by: [[vapicuno, 5454], [johnnyg2, 57904]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [CryoGyro, 331519]]
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