Mega Salamence is one of the most formidable Mega Raid bosses in Pokémon GO, known for its incredible stats and devastating moves. To defeat this Dragon-type powerhouse, you’ll need a well-prepared team and a strategic approach. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to conquer Mega Salamence, from recommended counters to key tips for maximizing your success in the raid.
Mega Salamence Overview
Mega Salamence is a Dragon and Flying-type Mega Raid boss that poses a significant challenge, even for experienced trainers. With a 2x weakness to Ice-type moves, it’s crucial to build a team that can exploit this vulnerability. The raid typically requires at least three to five high-level trainers with optimized teams, though more trainers might be needed if your counters are not fully powered up.
Key Stats:
- Type: Dragon/Flying
- Weaknesses: Ice (2x), Dragon, Fairy, Rock
- Resistances: Grass, Ground, Bug, Fighting, Fire, Water
- Max CP at Level 40: 5031
- Max CP at Level 50: 5688
Recommended Counters
To take down Mega Salamence efficiently in a raid, focus on Ice-type Pokémon that can leverage its 2x weakness. Here are the top counters:
1. Mamoswine (Shadow)
- Fast Move: Powder Snow
- Charge Move: Avalanche
- Why It’s Effective: Mamoswine’s combination of high Attack stats and powerful Ice-type moves makes it a top choice for this raid.
2. Weavile (Shadow)
- Fast Move: Ice Shard
- Charge Move: Avalanche
- Why It’s Effective: Weavile’s Shadow form enhances its damage output, making it a strong contender against Mega Salamence.
3. Darmanitan (Galarian Standard)
- Fast Move: Ice Fang
- Charge Move: Avalanche
- Why It’s Effective: With its Ice-type moves, Darmanitan can deal significant damage quickly, especially with its high Attack stat.
4. Baxcalibur
- Fast Move: Dragon Breath
- Charge Move: Glacial Lance
- Why It’s Effective: Baxcalibur offers a mix of Dragon and Ice-type moves, making it versatile against Mega Salamence.
5. Abomasnow (Mega)
- Fast Move: Powder Snow
- Charge Move: Weather Ball (Ice)
- Why It’s Effective: Mega Abomasnow boosts the power of Ice-type moves for your entire team, making it an excellent support and damage-dealer.
Mega Salamence Moveset
Understanding Mega Salamence’s moveset is critical to selecting the right counters. Here’s what you might face:
Fast Moves:
- Dragon Tail (Dragon)
- Fire Fang (Fire)
Charged Moves:
- Outrage (Dragon)
- Hydro Pump (Water)
- Fire Blast (Fire)
Best Counters Based on Moveset:
- If Mega Salamence uses Dragon Tail and Outrage, prioritize Fairy and Steel-type counters like Togekiss and Metagross.
- For Fire Fang and Fire Blast, avoid Steel-types and focus on Water-types like Kyogre or Gyarados.
- Against Hydro Pump, be cautious with Rock-types and bring in strong Electric-types like Zekrom.
Catching Mega Salamence
Once defeated, Mega Salamence will revert to its regular form for capture. The CP range for a non-boosted Salamence is between 2054 and 2142. In Snow weather conditions, this range increases to 2568 – 2678 CP.
- Use a Golden Razz Berry to increase your chances of capture.
- Aim for Excellent throws with a curveball to maximize your capture odds.
- Watch its attack patterns carefully to time your throws between its movements.
- Pair your Mega Salamence with other Ice-type Pokémon to benefit from boosted Ice-type moves in subsequent raids.
Mega Energy Accumulation
To evolve Salamence into Mega Salamence, you’ll need 300 Mega Energy for the first evolution and 40 Mega Energy for subsequent evolutions. You can accumulate Mega Energy by:
- Participating in Mega Raids: Each victory grants Mega Energy.
- Walking with Salamence, Bagon, or Shelgon: Gain 5 Mega Energy per candy earned.
Shiny Mega Salamence
During the raid, there is a chance to encounter a Shiny Salamence. The shiny variant is highly sought after and adds significant value to your collection.
Appearance:
- Shiny Salamence has a green body with red wings, making it distinctly different from its standard form.
Mastering the Mega Salamence Raid
Mega Salamence is undoubtedly one of the most challenging and rewarding Mega Raids in Pokémon GO. By assembling a team of powerful Ice-type Pokémon and understanding Mega Salamence’s moveset, you can significantly increase your chances of victory. With this guide, you’re well-equipped to take on Mega Salamence and add this formidable Dragon to your roster.
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