Salamence Analysis (Mega Croissant)



Occupying a niche as a Flying Intimidator, Salamence provides a safe check to the ever common Landorus. With a powerful spread STAB move and access to Physical sets, Salamence can fulfill the role of either a Special Attacker with Tailwind or Physical Sweeper with Dragon Dance.



Pros
*145 Attack and 120 Special Attack allows Mega Salamence to function as both a Physical and Special Attacker
*95 / 130 / 90 Defensive Bulk is very impressive; Salamence can survive a multitude of attacks
*Two incredibly useful Abilities in Intimidate and Aerilate
*Fulfills the niche of a Flying Intimidator, allowing Salamence to switch into Landorus
*Aerilate combined with moves such as Hyper Voice and Double-Edge allow Salamence to deal wonderful, Flying type damage, something no other Pokemon can do
*Access to Tailwind, allowing Salamence to also provide Speed Control
*120 Speed allow Salamence the option to outspeed threats such as Metagross, Persian, and Kartana
*Able to run Special Attacking Sets as well as Dragon Dance sets
*You’re a flying croissant
Cons
*The introduction of Tapu Koko following 2016 greatly threatens Salamence; Dazzling Gleam is a 2HKO while Gigavolt Havoc in Electric Terrain OHKOs Mega Salamence
*Salamence also matches up poorly into all Tapus except for Tapu Bulu
*4x weakness to Ice makes Salamence extremely susceptible to Ice beams in the same way that Landorus is
*If running a mixed set, Salamence has to run Naive or Hasty, hampering a Defensive stat
*Mega Metagross is currently the most common Mega evolution, a Pokemon Salamence can not beat


Set #1 - Mixed Mence
Salamence-Mega @ Salamencite  
Ability: Intimidate  
Level: 50  
EVs: 44 Atk / 212 SpA / 252 Spe  
Naive Nature  
- Hyper Voice  
- Double-Edge  
- Tailwind  
- Protect
*A classic spread from 2015, this Mixed Salamence set provides a balance between Attack and Special Attack
*Mixed spreads run Hyper Voice and Double-Edge to deal heavy STAB damage to all but Electric and Steel Types
*44 Attack Mega Salamence Double-Edge KO’s 4/0 Tapu Lele 100% of the time
*212 Special Attack Mega Salamence KO’s 4/0 Kartana and 2HKOs 4/0 Landorus
*As a very fast Pokemon, Salamence can set up Tailwind before opposing Pokemon can KO it
*With its natural bulk, Salamence can survive many attacks including:
*-1 252 Atk Metagross Mega Ice Punch
*-1 +252 Atk Life Orb Tyranitar Ice Punch
*252 SpA Life Orb Tapu Koko Dazzling Gleam / Thunderbolt in Electric Terrain
*+252 Atk Landorus Rock Slide is a 3HKO
*This set aims at providing spread damage to chip away at opponents, while following up with Double-Edge to net KO’s
Set #2 - Dragon Dance
Salamence-Mega @ Salamencite   Salamence-Mega @ Salamencite
Ability: Intimidate   Ability: Intimidate  
Level: 50   Level: 50
EVs: 20 HP / 180 Atk / 4 Def / 52 SpD / 252 Spe EVs: 60 HP / 20 Atk / 4 Def / 204 SpD / 220 Spe   
Adamant Nature   Careful Nature
- Return   - Return  
- Earthquake / Roost - Roost
- Dragon Dance   - Dragon Dance  
- Protect - Protect
*Dragon Dance Salamence relies on setting up at least one Dragon Dance to begin sweeping through opposing teams.
*Return can be used over Double-Edge in Dragon Dance sets because Dragon Dance compensates for the minor decrease in power
*You also don’t want to KO yourself with recoil after spending a turn to set up
*Earthquake can be used for teams needing an answer to Tapu Koko, and Mega Gengar, which is a 100% KO at +1 Attack
*Roost can be used in place of Earthquake to increase Salamence’ longevity, and is especially useful on the bulkier, second set
*Roost also gets rid of Salamence’ Flying typing for a turn, allowing it to become 2x weak to Ice, take neutral damage from Rock Slide, and resist Electric type attacks
*The first spread is a more offensive variant piloted by Ashton Cox in Oceania Internats.
*252 Speed outspeeds Nihilego and Max Speed Positive Base 100 Pokemon
*+180 Attack Return cleaning picks up 2HKOs on every Pokemon that does not resist Flying
*At +1, Salamence will cleanly KO Bulky Kartana, Tapu Lele, and Specs Fini
*20 / 52 SpD allows Salamence to survive 252 SpA Cresselia Ice Beam and 252 SpA Life Orb Tapu Koko Hidden Power Ice
*The second spread is an incredibly bulky, Special Defense oriented set from Japan
*220 Speed underspeeds Nihilego, but still outspeeds Positive Base 100 Pokemon
*60 / 204 +SpD allows Salamence to live 252 SpA Tapu Koko Gigavolt Havoc in Electric Terrain, +124 SpA Choice Specs Tapu Fini Moonblast, and +252 SpA Tapu Lele Moonblast
Using Salamence
*In the face of common Pokemon such as Fini / Lele + Metagross, Tyranitar, and Zapdos, Salamence requires allies that can actually deal with the latter three
*Pokemon such as Tyranitar, Tapu Koko, and Aegislash help in dealing with threats that Salamence can’t touch
*Salamence also does not fare well against Trick Room setters such Cresselia and Porygon2, which can threaten Mence with Ice Beam or just go for a Trick Room
*Again, Tyranitar is useful in covering these threats, as well as Aegislash
*If running Dragon Dance, Salamence requires Redirection to help it set up, or Fairy / Ice type attacks will often 2HKO Salamence
*Because it gets Intimidate in its base form, Salamence fares fairly well against Landorus, providing a solid switch in against the genie
*Often times Salamence should not Mega Evolve straight away, especially if there are Pokemon that severely threaten Salamence on the field
*Preserving the Base form Ability of Intimidate is more useful, because you are switching Salamence off the field anyways
*Sand teams incorporate Salamence as part of its core because of its ability to counteract Landorus as well as set up Tailwind
*When run on sand teams, Salamence runs only Mixed or Fully Special Attack variants

Comments

Post a Comment

Other Resources

VGC 2018 Teams

Image
A Compilation of Common VGC 2018 Teams! If you are just starting out, I recommend learning how to play CHALK -CHALK is a bulky team that helps you to learn the basic mechanics If you ever need help or pointers, don't be afraid to ask for help! I'll probably be online. CHALK http://pokepast.es/b172a04b8a32ecf9 Team Notes: -All of the Pokemon on this team are in the middle speed tier (low 100’s) -You have the option of Tailwind or Trick Room to outspeed opponents -Cresselia carries Icy wind, and after one Icy Wind, -Landorus will outspeed Timid 252 Tapu Koko and Gengar -Tapu Fini will outspeed Mega Metagross and Alolan Persian and Kartana -Zapdos will outspeed Mega Salamence -Kangaskhan will outspeed Positive Nature Base 100 Pokemon (Max Speed Kang) -Cresselia Underspeeds Heatran by One point, allowing it to move first in Trick Room -Especially useful in setting up Sunny Day and using Firi
Read more

Naganadel Analysis

Image
One of three new Ultra Beasts introduced in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, Naganadel finds its niche as a speedy and offensive Poison type in a Tapu filled format. With a decent speed stat, access to Tailwind, and the flexibility of Z Moves, Naganadel can serve as a check to major threats in the format. Pros *Poison Dragon is an excellent Offensive and Defensive typing in the current format *127 Special Attack allows Naganadel to OHKO all Tapus with the exception of Tapu Fini, and also provides 2HKOs with Super Effective attacks *121 Speed allows Naganadel to outspeed most of the format barring Tapu Koko and Mega Gengar, and is the fastest Tailwind setter available *Decent coverage and access to Tailwind allow Naganadel to fulfill multiple roles *Choice Scarf Naganadel outspeeds Ludicolo in the Rain, and KO’s with Sludge Bomb Cons *73 / 73 / 73 Defensive stats are lackluster; Naganadel requires Intimidate support to survive most STAB and Super Effective Physical
Read more

Charizard Y Analysis

Image
Mega Evolutions are once again legal in VGC, allowing the fan favorite sun-setter back into the format. Everyone’s favorite Gen 1 starter boasts and incredibly high Special Attack along with the incredibly useful ability of Drought. Combined with a decent speed stat and passable bulk, Charizard Y threatens to blaze through teams with powerful Fire type attacks. Pros *159 Special Attack stat allows Charizard Y to hit very hard without much investment, KOing and 2HKOing targets with sun up *100 Base Speed allows Charizard Y to outspeed and KO the likes of Tapu Lele and non-Choice Scarf Landorus-T *Its Mega Evolution Ability, Drought, summons Sunny Day for 5 turns or until a different weather is summoned. *Sun not only disrupts other weathers but also boosts Charizard’s damage output while protecting it from Water type attacks *Access to a decent movepool allows Charizard Y to hit most of its weaknesses for super effective damage Cons *Fire / Flying typing i
Read more

Lurantis Analysis

Image
Coming out of obscurity after the introduction of Intimidate Incineroar, Lurantis fulfills a special niche as a slow Grass Type Sweeper. Its ability Contrary allows Lurantis to deter Intimidators, while access to Superpower allows Lurantis to check Incineroar and sweep through unprepared teams. Pros *105 Attack stat is decent, considering Lurantis will almost never be below neutral Attack due to Contrary *70 / 90 / 90 Bulk allows Lurantis to survive numerous Super Effective attacks and proc its Pinch Berry *Contrary reverses stat drops such as Intimidate, giving Lurantis a +1 Attack Boost when Intimidated *Combined with Superpower, Lurantis can quickly rack up both Attack and Defense Boosts Cons *Requires both Intimidate Support and Trick Room Support to function properly *70 / 90 Defense requires Intimidate Support to survive Incineroar Flare Blitz *Common threats such as Salamence, Gengar, Incineroar, and Cresselia heavily threaten Lurantis’ longevi
Read more

Aegislash Analysis

Image
My personal favorite Ghost Type in the format, Aegislash comes back from its VGC 2015 hiatus to once again serve as an offensive and supportive threat. With its signature ability, Stance Change, Aegislash can both provide an immense offensive threat while boasting high defenses. Pros *Stance Change allows Aegislash to effectively have 50 / 150 / 150 / 150 / 150 / 60 stats, making Aegislash a solid wall and offensive threat. *Ghost / Steel typing complements Aegislash both defensively and offensively *Aegislash has eight resistances and one immunity *The introduction of Z Moves allows Aegislash to now nuke targets without having to run Life Orb, which decreases Aegislash’ longevity *Small but efficient movepool allows Aegislash to cover many threats and targets *Premier Wide Guard user, protecting allies from Spread moves Cons *The common threats of Charizard Y and Landorus-T still heavily threaten Aegislash *Z Moves also threaten Aegisla
Read more

Kartana Analysis

Image
One of seven Ultra Beasts introduced in Pokemon Sun and Moon, Kartana filled the niche of a fast and incredibly powerful Grass type Attacker. With an insane Attack stat coupled with a high speed tier, Kartana continues its dominance into 2018. Pros *181 Attack stat is the highest base value in the entire VGC 2018 format; Kartana hits over 200 Attack without any investment or boosting nature. *109 Speed Allows Kartana to hit 177 Speed, outspeeding numerous most Pokemon. Its naturally high speed means that Kartana does not have to invest too much into Speed to outspeed Positive Base 100 threats. *Kartana’s ability, Beast Boost, raises Kartana’s Attack by one stage for every KO it gets. *Thus, Kartana, with its high speed and Attack stat, can quickly snowball through opposing teams if given a kill *There is a distinct lack of viable Grass types and Fighting types in VGC 2018, which Kartana fulfills with the help of Sacred Sword *Along with USUM came USUM m
Read more

Snorlax Analysis

Image
With the introduction of Pinch Berries in 2017, Snorlax has risen to prominence as one of the best Pokemon in VGC. With its incredibly low base speed, access to consistent recovery, and a choice of set up moves, Snorlax is a bulky nuisance that can double as a Trick Room sweeper. Pros *160 / 60 / 110 Defenses allows Snorlax to tank Z Moves and Super Effective moves alike *Incredible bulk allows Snorlax to switch into moves in place of its allies *Normal Typing is great defensively, making Snorlax weak only to Fighting types *Fighting types are severely threatened in this format because of Tapus *Ability of Gluttony activates Snorlax’ Pinch Berry at 50% HP, allow Snorlax to abuse moves like Belly Drum and otherwise stay above 50% HP at all times *110 Attack stat is decent, and combined with set up moves (Curse / Belly Drum), Snorlax can become a terrifying sweeper *Base 30 Speed allows Snorlax to underspeed the majority of the format, becoming a threatenin
Read more

Gengar Analysis

Image
A speedy and incredibly offensive threat, Gengar is the premiere Poison type in a Tapu filled format. While no longer carrying Levitate, Gengar is still able to function exceptionally well with its Mega Form’s ability, Shadow Tag, trapping in opponents to allow your own Pokemon to set up or cycle Intimidates. Pros *Boasts an impressive 170 SpA and 130 Spe when Mega Evolved, outspeeding most of the metagame and speed tying with Tapu Koko *After Mega Evolving, Gengar gains access to Shadow Tag, one of the most useful and annoying abilities in Pokemon *As a Poison type, Gengar is immune to Fake Out and threatens KO’s on all Tapu Pokemon with Sludge Bomb Cons *Speed Ties with Tapu Koko, which is very annoying as Tapu Koko can KO Gengar before it moves *Increase in Specially Defensive bulky Pokemon mean that Gengar often misses KO’s and is counter KO’d *Ghost / Poison is not a great offensive typing when not super effective *60/80/95 Bulk means most Z Moves an
Read more

Alolan Marowak Analysis

Image
Alolan-Marowak, despite being currently overshadowed by other fire types such as Heatran and Incineroar, as well as other Lightning Rod users such as Manectric and Raichu, Marowak finds its niche in dishing out heavy damage under Trick Room while providing Lightning Rod support. Pros -Thick Club creates a sky-high Attack stat combined with decent coverage allowing for super-effective/neutral attacks on the entire metagame -Effectively two useful abilities; can often bluff Lightning Rod and run Rock head instead to allow for more damage output -Ghost typing allows a pseudo counter to GothLax or CressLax, the most common Trick Room set ups; also allows for switching out of Shadow Tag -Ally Switch Mind Games Cons -60/110/80 Defensive stats are not terrible, but doubles into Marowak often knock it out -Surge in Choice Specs Tapu Fini can KO Marowak with spread moves -Reliance on Snarl to survive majority of special attacks -Marowak lacks item flexibility, without Thick Club
Read more