Ubers Salamence


QC: Minority / Nayrz / CKW
GP: P Squared / The Dutch Plumberjack


[OVERVIEW]

* Mega Salamence is an offensive powerhouse thanks to a high Attack stat, access to Dragon Dance, and a powerful ability in Aerilate to help bolster its Normal-type attacks into stronger Flying-type STAB attacks.
* It's a highly versatile Pokemon with a fantastic offensive and supportive movepool, which allows it to fit on to a plethora of different teams and playstyles.
* Mega Salamence sits at a high Speed tier of base 120, which enables it to naturally outspeed key threats such as Mega Lucario, Yveltal, unboosted Xerneas, and Rayquaza while potentially Speed tying with Arceus formes.
* Thanks to a combination of Salamence's Intimidate ability prior to Mega Evolution, a base 130 Defense stat, and a Ground-type immunity, Mega Salamence is one of the premier offensive checks to many of the tier's most prominent physical attackers, especially Primal Groudon and Ho-Oh.
* Mega Salamence has reliably recovery in the form of Roost, which enables it to repeatedly switch into the Pokemon it's designed to check and find more setup opportunities for a Dragon Dance sweep.
* Mega Salamence stands out as an offensive Defog user thanks to its immunity to Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and Sticky Web; access to high-powered STAB attacks; high Speed; reliable recovery; ability to scare away Ubers's most common Stealth Rock user in Primal Groudon; and lack of fear of being trapped by Gothitelle thanks to Double-Edge 2HKOing it even if Charm was used before the second attack.
* Mega Salamence has a plethora of checks and counters in the tier that can stop it, such as Zygarde-C, Celesteela, Lugia, and Necrozma-DM.
* Since Mega Salamence's main STAB attack is Double-Edge, the recoil damage produced by this move chips away at Mega Salamence's health relatively quickly, and it doesn't help that most of Mega Salamence's targets in Ubers have high HP stats.
* Mega Salamence has a nasty Stealth Rock weakness that limits its switch in potential, especially if it has yet to Mega Evolve.
* Many Pokemon in the Ubers tier, such as Marshadow, support Arceus formes, Primal Groudon, and Ho-Oh, can carry Ice-type attacks to take advantage of Mega Salamence's 4x Ice-type weakness to knock it out in one hit.

[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Double-Edge
move 3: Roost
move 4: Facade / Earthquake / Substitute
item: Salamencite
ability: Intimidate
nature: Adamant
evs: 44 HP / 252 Atk / 212 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Dragon Dance bolsters Mega Salamence's Attack and Speed stats, enabling it to outpace most of the boosted metagame at +1 and sweep through weakened teams.
* Double-Edge is Mega Salamence's main STAB attack. When unboosted, it has the strength to 2HKO defensive Yveltal, Gothitelle, support Arceus formes, and Lugia after Stealth Rock. After a Dragon Dance, Double-Edge OHKOes standard Geomancy Xerneas, Mega Sableye, and offensive Arceus formes after Stealth Rock.
* Roost helps sustain Mega Salamence's health, allowing it to find more setup opportunities throughout the match.
* Facade lets Mega Salamence take advantage of burn and poison status afflictions caused by Ho-Oh, Primal Groudon, and Necrozma-DM, becoming stronger than Double-Edge once Mega Salamence is statused. A +1 status-boosted Facade is strong enough to OHKO Ferrothorn without entry hazards and is capable of knocking out Lugia and fast support Arceus formes after Stealth Rock.
* Earthquake can be used instead of Facade to improve Mega Salamence's matchup versus Necrozma-DM, Magearna, and Tyranitar and to hit Primal Groudon almost as hard as Double-Edge without making Mega Salamence suffer from recoil damage.
* Substitute allows Mega Salamence to bypass status conditions and ensure that a Dragon Dance goes off, along with preventing Primal Groudon's and Giratina-O's Dragon Tail from phazing it. However, Mega Salamence is still susceptible to non-damaging phazing moves such as Roar and Whirlwind.
* It's possible to run a Dragon Dance + 3 attacks set with Facade or Earthquake over Roost to help Mega Salamence out in more situations during a sweep, but this set should only be used on hyper offense teams when the objective is to avoid losing momentum versus the opposing team and to punch enough holes for another sweeper. Any other playstyle will want Roost.

Set Details
========

* Salamencite is required to Mega Evolve into Mega Salamence.
* An Adamant nature and 252 Attack EVs are used to provide Mega Salamence as much damage potential as possible.
* 212 Speed EVs enable Mega Salamence to naturally outpace maximum Speed base 100 Pokemon and below, such as Yveltal, Rayquaza, Tapu Lele, Primal Groudon, and Primal Kyogre, and to outpace Choice Scarf Xerneas and Yveltal after a boost.
* 44 HP EVs let Mega Salamence survive a Life Orb-boosted Brave Bird from Ho-Oh after Stealth Rock.
* If Life Orb Ho-Oh isn't a concern, a spread using 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe can be used to outspeed Necrozma-DM after it has set up an Autotomize once Mega Salamence uses Dragon Dance. A Jolly nature with the same spread lets Mega Salamence naturally Speed tie with Arceus formes and opposing Mega Salamence and outpaces everything slower, especially Pokemon such as Mega Lucario and Mega Diancie, and at +1 Speed, it is faster than Adamant Sand Rush Excadrill in sand and below. However, the difference in power from Adamant to Jolly is noticeable, and Sand Rush Excadrill is an extremely rare set.
* If Substitute is being used, a spread using 248 HP / 64 Atk / 124 Def / 72 Spe with an Impish nature is recommended, as it prevents Mega Salamence's Substitute from being broken by Celesteela's Heavy Slam and defensive Zygarde-C's Thousand Arrows and lowers the chance of Zygarde-C's Dragon Tail breaking Substitute as well. This turns two would-be checks into setup fodder. 72 Speed EVs will also allow Mega Salamence to still naturally outspeed Modest Lunala and Adamant Rayquaza. However, do keep in mind that this spread heavily decreases Mega Salamence's natural damage output.

Usage Tips
========

* There will be situations where having access to Salamence's Intimidate for more than a single use can come in handy, so it's possible to stay in Salamence's base forme by coming in on a physical attacker to activate Intimidate and doubling out to another Pokemon on a predicted switch. However, never attack with a Salamence that has not Mega Evolved yet unless the foe is in range of being knocked out and when regular Salamence can outspeed whatever is in front of it, as its damage output is nonexistent due to not having STAB on Double-Edge and Facade.
* Mega Salamence serves as a good switch-in for Pokemon such as Ho-Oh, Primal Groudon, Mega Scizor, and Mega Lucario. Mega Salamence can potentially bait these Pokemon into switching out to gain a setup opportunity or to begin whittling down its checks.
* Pinpoint the correct time to start setting up with Dragon Dance. Mega Salamence prefers to start setting up when its checks and counters either are in range of being knocked out by its boosted attacks or have already been knocked out previously. If nearly all members of the opposing team are still healthy, it's better to just start attacking with Double-Edge straight away, which aids in wearing down Mega Salamence's switch-ins.
* If Mega Salamence aims to become statused to boost Facade's power, stay away from paralysis at all costs. Pokemon like Glare Zygarde-C and Nuzzle Smeargle can cripple Mega Salamence's Speed stat to prevent a Dragon Dance sweep from ever happening, and Mega Gengar can trap it and knock it out with Hex. Try to have Mega Salamence burned, if possible, since burn's residual damage is much lower than Toxic's, but keep in mind that Double-Edge and Earthquake's damage output is reduced in this state.
* Be wary of Pokemon that can potentially use Ice-type attacks, such as Hidden Power Ice Primal Groudon and Marshadow as well as Ice Beam Lunala, Mewtwo, and Deoxys-A.
* If an opposing Pokemon is in range of being knocked out by Facade or Earthquake, use them over Double-Edge in this situation to prevent Mega Salamence from taking unnecessary recoil damage. This may prolong Mega Salamence's sweep by an extra turn or two.

Team Options
========

* Necrozma-DM is an excellent check to Xerneas, Arceus-Water, and Arceus-Fairy, which are Pokemon that Mega Salamence typically struggles with. Necrozma-DM can even take on support Arceus-Ground as long as it remains healthy, as Judgment fails to 2HKO specially defensive sets. It also has the ability to set up Stealth Rock, which helps Mega Salamence pick up necessary OHKOs and 2HKOs, and can cripple some of the checks that it shares with Mega Salamence, such as Giratina-O and Mega Slowbro, with Toxic. In turn, Mega Salamence checks Ho-Oh and Primal Groudon, two Pokemon that Necrozma-DM generally tries to avoid staying in on.
* Gothitelle makes for a phenomenal partner due to its ability to trap many of the bulkier threats that give Mega Salamence trouble. Passive Pokemon such as Skarmory, Lugia, support Necrozma-DM, Celesteela, and support Arceus formes, other than Arceus-Dark, are vulnerable to Gothitelle's ability to PP stall their moves with a combination of Charm, Confide, Taunt, and Rest, which eventually gives Mega Salamence more breathing room to set up with Dragon Dance, especially when running Substitute.
* Primal Groudon can utilize its Fire- and Ground-type attacks to obliterate the many Steel-type Pokemon that check Mega Salamence, such as Celesteela, Skarmory, Ferrothorn, Necrozma-DM, and Magearna. It can also come in on Xerneas and Primal Kyogre, set up Stealth Rock, phaze with Roar or Dragon Tail, and whittle down bulky Pokemon with Toxic. Offensive sets are also nice when paired with Mega Salamence, as both Pokemon are able to whittle down their shared checks together. Mixed Rock Polish Primal Groudon is known to run Hidden Power Ice to smack Zygarde-C, which is a threat that normally switches into both it and Mega Salamence comfortably.
* Xerneas appreciates Mega Salamence's ability to check Ho-Oh, Mega Scizor, and Primal Groudon, while it takes advantage of Zygarde-C and support Arceus formes to use them as setup fodder for a Geomancy sweep.
* On hyper offense teams, suicide hazard leads such as Deoxys-S, Smeargle, Excadrill, and Cloyster are invaluable in helping Mega Salamence set up a sweep. Excadrill, Smeargle, and Cloyster are known for utilizing Rapid Spin to remove opposing hazards, while Deoxys-S is fast enough to shut down most hazard setters and hazard removers with Taunt.
* Support Arceus formes such as Arceus-Fairy, Arceus-Water, and Arceus-Ground make for great partners for Mega Salamence thanks to them having the bulk to withstand certain attacks that are aimed for Mega Salamence. Arceus-Fairy switches in on Hidden Power Ice Marshadow, Arceus-Ground can come in on Mega Diancie and Dialga, and Arceus-Water can pivot in on an Ice Beam from Primal Kyogre. Arceus-Water and Arceus-Ground can also reliably use Defog to remove Stealth Rock.
* Mega Salamence appreciates wallbreakers that punch holes into, or remove, its checks and counters. Bulk Up Marshadow, Calm Mind Lunala, Deoxys-A, Primal Kyogre, Rayquaza, and Life Orb Yveltal deal massive amounts of damage to a majority of the tier, which is something Mega Salamence can take advantage of with a Dragon Dance sweep later in the game.

[SET]
name: Offensive Defog
move 1: Defog
move 2: Double Edge
move 3: Roost
move 4: Toxic / Facade / Earthquake
item: Salamencite
ability: Intimidate
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Defog clears entry hazards, such as Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Sticky Web, off of the field.
* Double-Edge is Mega Salamence's primary offensive option and is capable of OHKOing Mega Lucario, 2HKOing fast support Arceus formes after Stealth Rock, and 2HKOing Gothitelle even if Charm is used before the second attack.
* Roost provides Mega Salamence with a reliable recovery move, which helps it sustain itself and clear entry hazards with Defog throughout the match.
* Toxic can cripple many of Mega Salamence's usual checks, such as Lugia, support Arceus formes, Mega Slowbro, and Giratina-O.
* Alternatively, Facade enables Mega Salamence to benefit from a usually crippling burn status, which is typically inflicted by Primal Groudon and Ho-Oh. Once boosted by a status condition, Facade becomes stronger than Double-Edge.
* Earthquake hits Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon, such as Tyranitar, Magearna, and offensive Necrozma-DM, for a considerable amount of damage. Beware of support Necrozma-DM, however, as Earthquake is a 3HKO, which means Mega Salamence loses this matchup.
* Dragon Dance can give Mega Salamence some extra role compression, turning it into a hazard remover and a sweeper at the same time. However, such a set is worn down very easily by Toxic and increased Double-Edge recoil when its team needs a healthy hazard remover, and a mono-attacking Jolly Mega Salamence that is trying to sweep has a tougher time getting past its Steel-type checks without Earthquake.


Set Details
========

* Salamencite is required to enable Salamence's Mega Evolution.
* A Jolly nature and 252 Speed EVs are used to Speed tie with Arceus and outpace everything slower, which gives Mega Salamence more room to get a Defog off versus most of the unboosted metagame.
* 252 Attack EVs enable Mega Salamence to hit as hard as possible.
* An Adamant nature could be used for more power, but the loss in Speed can be detrimental when going up against Arceus-Fairy and Arceus-Ground, which will always outspeed and OHKO Mega Salamence rather than Speed tying.

Usage Tips
========

* Use Defog to clear the field of any and all entry hazards and the rare screens.
* Sometimes, keeping Salamence in its base forme can be a good idea to use Intimidate more than once against physical attackers. Regular Salamence can even use Defog on a predicted switch or against Primal Groudon, but it should never attack in this state, as Double-Edge and Facade do minimal damage without Aerilate.
* If running Toxic, try to predict whether a Pokemon such as a support Arceus forme or Giratina-O is coming in to cripple them on the switch.
* Keep this variant of Mega Salamence away from status conditions. Mega Gengar traps, outspeeds, and knocks a statused Mega Salamence out with Hex after Stealth Rock. If Mega Salamence is running Facade, try to only let it be statused by burn. Toxic makes it harder for Mega Salamence to sustain itself, and burn weakens all of Mega Salamence's attacks other than Facade, which can render Mega Salamence setup fodder. Paralysis and sleep should be avoided at all costs even if Facade is being used, as these status ailments leave Mega Salamence prone to being revenge killed or used as setup fodder, respectively.
* There's no need to use Double-Edge when a target is in range of being knocked out by Facade, Earthquake, or Toxic's residual damage. It's best to try to preserve Mega Salamence's HP by any means necessary so it can keep using Defog and checking various Pokemon for a longer period of time, and mindlessly clicking Double-Edge when there's no reason to do so will inflict unnecessary harm onto Mega Salamence.

Team Options
========

* Support Necrozma-DM is arguably the tier's best answer to Xerneas, Lugia, Deoxys-A, Mega Slowbro, and support Arceus. With its defensive typing that gives it resistances to Fairy- and Ice-type attacks while rendering it immune to Toxic, Necrozma-DM can comfortably switch into all of these Pokemon and threaten to status them back with its own Toxic, and it can also set up Stealth Rock, which helps Mega Salamence pick up a necessary 2HKO versus Arceus-Fairy with Double-Edge.
* With Mega Salamence playing the role of an entry hazard remover, support Arceus formes are free to use a different move in place of Defog. Arceus-Fairy can use Stealth Rock to threaten out common hazard control Pokemon such as Giratina-O, Mega Sableye, and opposing Mega Salamence, while Arceus-Water and Arceus-Ground have the freedom to use Toxic alongside Judgment and Ice Beam.
* When not running Facade, this Mega Salamence set appreciates status absorbers and clerics. Gothitelle runs Rest to rid itself of status conditions and has the ability to trap, weaken, and PP stall many of Mega Salamence's checks. Defensive Xerneas runs Rest alongside Aromatherapy and Sleep Talk to not only absorb and heal status conditions for itself but also get rid of its teammates' status ailments . Defensive Xerneas also has the bulk to withstand attacks from Marshadow, a Pokemon that threatens Mega Salamence with Hidden Power Ice. Lastly, Magearna has the option to run Heal Bell while acting as a switch-in to opposing Xerneas.
* Primal Groudon's powerful Fire- and Ground-type STAB combination enables it to incinerate the majority of Mega Salamence's Steel- and Rock-type checks, and it can comfortably come in on Primal Kyogre's Ice Beam and Xerneas's Moonblast. Primal Groudon can also lure in some of the checks that it shares with Mega Salamence, such as Lugia, Arceus-Water, Arceus-Ground, and Giratina-O, and cripple them with Toxic or use Overheat or Eruption against Arceus-Ground.
* Marshadow is an excellent partner that can revenge kill Mega Gengar, Necrozma-DM, Ultra Necrozma, Deoxys-A, and Mewtwo, and its Bulk Up Marshadium Z set is one of the few setup sweepers in the tier that can reliably break Iron Defense Mega Slowbro thanks to Spectral Thief stealing the Defense boosts.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

* Return over Double-Edge gives Mega Salamence a relatively strong and recoilless attack. However, the reduced damage output compared to Double-Edge is very noticeable, and Mega Salamence loses out on potential OHKOs and 2HKOs when using it.
* Refresh can be used on a Dragon Dance set to have a much better matchup versus Toxic users as well as Glare Zygarde-C.
* A defensive Defog set with Body Slam and Dragon Tail allows Mega Salamence to switch into physical attackers much more easily, potentially spread paralysis, and phaze setup sweepers. However, such a set is much slower and weaker than the offensive Defog set, and Mega Salamence loses the ability to Speed tie with Arceus and be much slower than Mega Lucario.
* Outrage is a secondary STAB move that can slam through Giratina-O and Zygarde-C, but being locked into it is a dangerous situation, as it lets Xerneas come in to set up a free Geomancy while also making Mega Salamence vulnerable to revenge killing.
* A special set with Hyper Voice, Draco Meteor, and Fire Blast can catch some of Mega Salamence's usual switch-ins off guard, but it's much weaker than the standard physical sets and has no way to boost its Special Attack stat. This set also makes Mega Salamence's matchup against Ho-Oh much worse, as not even a Modest Draco Meteor is able to OHKO Ho-Oh after Stealth Rock.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Earthquake-immune Steel-types**: Celesteela, Skarmory, and Bronzong practically hard counter most Mega Salamence sets thanks to their defensive typings (and Levitate in Bronzong's case) giving them an immunity to Earthquake and a resistance to Mega Salamence's Aerilate-boosted STAB attacks. Celesteela can stall Mega Salamence out with a combination of Leech Seed, Toxic, and Protect; Skarmory can phaze Mega Salamence with Whirlwind or rely on Sturdy + Counter to stop it from sweeping; and Bronzong can use Trick Room and Gyro Ball to take advantage of Mega Salamence's high Speed stat and boosts from Dragon Dance.

**Zygarde-C**: Zygarde-C has the physical bulk to withstand boosted attacks from Mega Salamence and can stop a potential sweep by phazing it with Dragon Tail or paralyzing it with Glare. Even a boosted Facade from a +1 Adamant Mega Salamence is unable to knock Zygarde out before Power Construct activates as long as it's at full health.

**Lugia**: With its titanic bulk, which is further amplified by Multiscale, Lugia is capable of shrugging off nearly anything Mega Salamence can throw at it and either retaliating with Ice Beam or phazing it with Whirlwind or Dragon Tail. However, Stealth Rock is a major pain for Lugia, and without Multiscale, Mega Salamence has a much easier time getting past it, especially if Facade gets boosted by a status condition.

**Necrozma-DM / Ultra Necrozma**: Variants of Mega Salamence that lack Earthquake are easily handled by Necrozma-DM. Defensive sets can stall Mega Salamence out with a combination of Toxic and Morning Sun / Moonlight, while offensive sets are able to OHKO Mega Salamence with a Searing Sunraze Smash. If Mega Salamence does happen to have Earthquake, Necrozma-DM's Prism Armor and solid natural bulk allow it to tank a single +1 Earthquake without defensive investment as long as it's healthy. However, offensive sets need to be wary of Salamence's Intimidate ability prior to Mega Evolution, which can weaken Necrozma-DM's physical attacks. Ultra Necrozma, while it cannot switch into Double-Edge after Ultra Burst, can switch in as Necrozma-DM and knock it out the next turn with Dragon Pulse thanks to a higher Speed stat. If it happens to lack Dragon Pulse, Power Gem or Stone Edge is capable of knocking Mega Salamence out after Stealth Rock.

**Magearna**: Magearna has the ability to shrug off Mega Salamence's STAB attacks and use a super effective Fleur Cannon to retaliate. However, Magearna needs to be cautious of Earthquake, as a +1 Adamant Mega Salamence can knock Magearna out with it after Stealth Rock.

**Support Arceus**: Arceus-Water, Arceus-Ground, and Arceus-Dragon are bulky enough to withstand boosted attacks from Mega Salamence, and they can knock it out with a super effective Ice Beam or Judgment.

**Arceus with a Type Advantage**: Arceus-Fairy, Arceus-Rock, and Arceus-Ice are able to tank at least one boosted Double-Edge, or Earthquake in Arceus-Rock's case, from Mega Salamence and retaliate with a super effective Judgment.

**Primal Groudon**: Primal Groudon detests Salamence's Intimidate ability prior to Mega Evolution and hates taking Earthquakes, but as long as it's healthy, it has the bulk to stomach most of Mega Salamence's attacks at least once. Support sets can phaze it with Dragon Tail or Roar, and Mega Salamence sets that lack Facade don't appreciate taking a burn from Lava Plume. Special Primal Groudon sets also tend to run Hidden Power Ice, which OHKOes Mega Salamence.

**Dialga and Zekrom** Dialga and Zekrom resist Mega Salamence's Flying-type attacks and retaliate with Draco Meteor or Outrage, respectively. Both of these Pokemon can also run Shuca Berry to weaken Ground-type attacks, which is bad news for Earthquake Mega Salamence.

**Primal Kyogre and Giratina-O**: Defensive Primal Kyogre and Giratina-O can't switch in on Mega Salamence, but they have the bulk to survive a +1 Double-Edge to knock it out with Ice Beam or Draco Meteor, respectively. Offensive Primal Kyogre sets can still eat an unboosted Double-Edge from full to OHKO Mega Salamence in the same manner.

**Mega Slowbro**: Mega Slowbro has a massive amount of physical bulk, which lets it withstand Mega Salamence's strongest attacks. Iron Defense prevents Mega Slowbro from falling behind Mega Salamence's Dragon Dance, while Shell Armor prevents critical hits to ensure Mega Slowbro's survival. Lastly, Ice Beam OHKOes Mega Salamence. However, Mega Slowbro needs to be wary of a potential Toxic from the Defog set.

**Offensive Pokemon with Ice-type Coverage**: Marshadow, Primal Groudon, and Ho-Oh are some examples of Pokemon that pack Ice-type moves to deal with Mega Salamence.
 
Last edited:

Minority

Numquam Vincar
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Mention maximum Speed with a Jolly nature in set details for the first set and what this gets, boosted and unboosted.

Arceus-Fairy is a good partner, but you mention it as a support Arceus (using Defog) which Arceus-Fairy does not do. Fix.

Re-list C&C in this order please:
- Earthquake immune Steel-types (Celesteela, Skarmory, Bronzong)
- Zygarde-C
- Lugia
- Dusk Mane Necrozma (discuss Ultra here)
- Magearna
- Support Arceus (Ground, Water, Dragon)
- Arceus with a type advantage (Fairy, Rock, Ice)
- Primal Groudon
- Dialga and Zekrom
- Primal Kyogre and Giratina-O
- Mega Slowbro
- Offensive Pokemon with Ice-type coverage

Good analysis. Impliment this and it's:


QC: 1/3
 
First, change the dashes to asterisks for formatting purposes.
- The nerf to the Aerilate ability that came with the 7th Generation forces Mega Salamence to run Double Edge as its main attack, and while it's stronger than Return and Frustration, it chips away at its health relatively quickly thanks to recoil damage, and it doesn't help that most of Mega Salamence's targets have high HP stats in the Ubers tier.
GP will tell you that generation shifts aren't allowed to be mentioned in analyses, so its best to remove this ahead of time. Something along the lines of Double Edge being required for damage output leads to recoil damage being an issue at times is fine.
- Many Pokemon in the Ubers tier, such as Marshadow, support Arceus formes, Deoxys-A, Lunala, and all formes of Mewtwo carry Ice-type attacks to take advantage of Mega Salamence's quad Ice-type weakness to knock it out in one hit.
I'd argue these mons aren't worth noting for Ice moves as they aren't supposed to be faced by Salamence and their stabs do a shitload anyway. Primal Groudon and Ho-Oh use HP Ice to cover Salamence at times which is a testament to how good it is. Those mons are also better notes over the bolded. This applies to the last bullet of C&C as well.

Switch slots 3 and 4 around on the sets - ideally unslashed slots come before slashes. This also means switching the description orders in Moves.
- Double Edge is Mega Salamence's main STAB attack. When unboosted, it has the strength to 2HKO defensive Yveltal, Gothitelle, support Arceus formes, Lugia, and support Primal Groudon after Stealth Rock.
With the USM support set running some physical defense this isn't entirely accurate. If it takes SR as regular Groudon its super unlikely.
252+ Atk Aerilate Salamence-Mega Double-Edge vs. 252 HP / 56+ Def Groudon-Primal: 162-192 (40 - 47.5%) -- 50% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock (taking SR as Primal)
**Dialga and Zekrom** Dialga and Zekrom resist Mega Salamence's Flying-type attacks and retaliate with Draco Meteor or Outrage, respectively. Both of these Pokemon run Shuca Berry to weaken Ground-type attacks, which is bad news for Earthquake Mega Salamence.
We don't have stuff in the works for either mon atm so keep this to a "can run" rather than an absolute. I'll stamp after the changes.
 
* Many Pokemon in the Ubers tier, such as Marshadow, support Arceus formes, Primal Groudon, and Ho-Oh can carry Ice-type attacks to take advantage of Mega Salamence's quad Ice-type weakness to knock it out in one hit.
add the bolded

Remove Bronzong from C&C - it isn't currently up for an analysis and its the shakiest of the 3 levitating Steels anyway as +1 Edge is likely to 2HKO.

QC 2/3
 

ckw

Tired
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248 HP / 68 Atk / 124 Def / 68 Spe (Impish)
Talk about this EV spread in the first set's set details. Imo this is the only set that should run Substitute as it allows you to always tank Heavy Slam from Celesteela, and Thousand Arrows from defensive zygarde (dtail most of the time). As a result, you can use both the mons as setup fodder.

Add dragon dance under Moves of Offensive Defog. Sweeper and hazard remover in one. Mention the downsides as well.

Goodstuff. Implement these for QC 3/3
 
248 HP / 68 Atk / 124 Def / 68 Spe (Impish)
Talk about this EV spread in the first set's set details. Imo this is the only set that should run Substitute as it allows you to always tank Heavy Slam from Celesteela, and Thousand Arrows from defensive zygarde (dtail most of the time). As a result, you can use both the mons as setup fodder.

Add dragon dance under Moves of Offensive Defog. Sweeper and hazard remover in one. Mention the downsides as well.

Goodstuff. Implement these for QC 3/3
Question about the spread. Would it be alright if I went with 248 HP / 64 Atk / 124 Def / 72 Spe instead, as it still has the same defensive benchmark, but 72 Spe would allow Mence to outpace Modest Lunala instead of speed tie? Does 68 Atk have any benchmarks that I'm not aware of? Otherwise, implemented.
 
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P Squared

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GP 1/2
add remove comment


watch this video to see how to correctly implement a GP check: spo.ink/gpvideo

phaze stands for pseudo haze--it resets stats. that's why it's phaze, not phase.
[OVERVIEW]

* Mega Salamence is an offensive powerhouse thanks to a high Attack stat, access to Dragon Dance, and a powerful ability in Aerilate to help bolster its Normal-type attacks into stronger Flying-type STAB attacks.
* It's a highly versatile Pokemon with a fantastic offensive and supportive movepool, which allows it to fit on to a plethora of different teams and playstyles.
* Mega Salamence sits at a high Speed tier of 120, which enables it to naturally outspeed key threats such as Mega Lucario, Yveltal, unboosted Xerneas, and Rayquaza while potentially Speed tying with Arceus formes.
* Thanks to a combination of Salamence's Intimidate ability prior to Mega Evolution, a base 130 Defense stat, and a Ground-type immunity, Mega Salamence is one of the premier offensive checks to many of the tier's most prominent physical attackers, especially Primal Groudon and Ho-Oh.
* Mega Salamence has reliably recovery in the form of Roost, which enables it to repeatedly continuously switch into the Pokemon it's designed to check and find more setup opportunities for a Dragon Dance sweep.
* Mega Salamence stands out as an offensive Defog user thanks to its immunity being immune to Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and Sticky Web; while having access to high-powered STAB attacks; high fast Speed; reliable recovery; ability has the ability to scare away Ubers's most common Stealth Rock user in Primal Groudon; and lack of fear is unafraid of being trapped by Gothitelle thanks to Double-Edge 2HKOing it even if Charm was used before the second attack.
* Mega Salamence has a plethora of checks and counters in the tier that can stop it, such as Zygarde-C, Celesteela, Lugia, and Necrozma-DM to name a few.
* Since Mega Salamence's main STAB attack is Double-Edge, the recoil damage produced by this move chips away at Mega Salamence's health relatively quickly, and it doesn't help that most of Mega Salamence's targets in Ubers have high HP stats in the Ubers tier.
* Mega Salamence has a nasty Stealth Rock weakness that limits its switch in potential, especially if it has yet to Mega Evolve.
* Many Pokemon in the Ubers tier, such as Marshadow, support Arceus formes, Primal Groudon, and Ho-Oh, can carry Ice-type attacks to take advantage of Mega Salamence's 4x quad Ice-type weakness to knock it out in one hit.

[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Double-Edge
move 3: Roost
move 4: Facade / Earthquake / Substitute
item: Salamencite
ability: Intimidate
nature: Adamant
evs: 44 HP / 252 Atk / 212 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Dragon Dance bolsters Mega Salamence's Attack and Speed stats, enabling it to outpace most of the boosted metagame at +1 and sweep through weakened teams.
* Double-Edge is Mega Salamence's main STAB attack. When unboosted, it has the strength to 2HKO defensive Yveltal, Gothitelle, support Arceus formes, and Lugia after Stealth Rock. After a Dragon Dance, Double-Edge OHKOes standard Geomancy Xerneas, Mega Sableye, and offensive Arceus formes after Stealth Rock.
* Roost helps sustain Mega Salamence's health, allowing it to find more setup opportunities throughout the match.
* Facade lets Mega Salamence take advantage of burn and poison status afflictions caused by Ho-Oh, Primal Groudon, and Necrozma-DM, becoming stronger than Double-Edge once Mega Salamence is statused. A +1 status-boosted Facade is strong enough to OHKO Ferrothorn without hazards, (remove comma) and is capable of knocking out Lugia and fast support Arceus formes after Stealth Rock.
* Earthquake can be used instead of Facade to improve Mega Salamence's matchup versus Dusk Mane Necrozma-DM, Magearna, and Tyranitar, and it can hit Primal Groudon almost as hard as Double-Edge without making Mega Salamence having to suffer from recoil damage.
* Substitute allows Mega Salamence to bypass status conditions and to ensure that a Dragon Dance goes off, along with while preventing Primal Groudon’s's and Giratina-O’s's Dragon Tail from phazing phasing it. However, Mega Salamence is still susceptible to non-damaging phazing phasing moves such as Roar and Whirlwind.
* It's possible to run a Dragon Dance + 3 attacks set with Facade or Earthquake over Roost to help Mega Salamence out in more situations during a sweep, but this set should only be used on hyper offense teams when the objective is to avoid losing momentum versus verses the opposing team and to punch enough holes for another sweeper. Any other playstyle will want Roost.

Set Details
========

* Salamencite is required to Mega Evolve in to Mega Salamence.
* An Adamant nature and 252 Attack EVs are used to provide Mega Salamence as much damage potential as possible.
* 212 Speed EVs enable Mega Salamence to naturally outpace maximum Speed base 100 Pokemon and below, such as Yveltal, Rayquaza, Tapu Lele, Primal Groudon, and Primal Kyogre, and when boosted by Dragon Dance, Mega Salamence outpaces Choice Scarf Xerneas and Yveltal.
* 44 HP EVs let Mega Salamence survive a Life Orb-boosted Brave Bird from Ho-Oh after Stealth Rock.
* If Life Orb Ho-Oh isn't a concern, a spread using 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe can be used to outspeed Necrozma-DM after it has set up an Autotomize once Mega Salamence uses Dragon Dance. A Jolly nature with the same spread lets Mega Salamence naturally Speed tie with Arceus formes, (remove comma) and opposing Mega Salamence, (remove comma) and outpaces everything slower, especially Pokemon such as Mega Lucario and Mega Diancie, and at +1 Speed, it is faster than Adamant Sand Rush Excadrill in sand and below. However, the difference in power from Adamant to Jolly is noticeable, and Sand Rush Excadrill is an extremely rare set.
* If Substitute is being used, a spread using 248 HP / 64 Atk / 124 Def / 72 Spe with an Impish nature is recommended, as it prevents Mega Salamence's Substitute from being broken by Celesteela's Heavy Slam and defensive Zygarde-C's Thousand Arrows and lowers the chance of Zygarde-C's Dragon Tail from breaking Substitute as well. This turns two would-be checks into setup fodder. 72 Speed EVs will also allow Mega Salamence to still naturally outspeed Modest Lunala and Adamant Rayquaza. However, do keep in mind that this spread heavily decreases Mega Salamence's natural damage output.

Usage Tips
========

* There will be situations where having access to Salamence's Intimidate for more than a single use can come in handy, so it's possible to stay in Salamence's base forme by coming in on a physical attacker to activate Intimidate and doubling out to another Pokemon on a predicted switch. However, never attack with a Salamence that has not Mega Evolved yet unless the foe is in range of being knocked out and when regular Salamence can outspeed whatever is in front of it, as its damage output is nonexistent due to not having STAB from Double-Edge and Facade.
* If Mega Salamence is going to switch into verses anything, it should be a have it swap the Pokemon it usually has a good matchup against (does there exist an analysis that tells you to switch the Pokemon into something it has a bad matchup against? this just seems really obvious/useless to me, but w/e), such as Ho-Oh, Primal Groudon, Mega Scizor, and or Mega Lucario. Mega Salamence can potentially bait these Pokemon into switching out to gain a setup opportunity or to begin whittling its checks.
* Pinpoint the correct time to start setting up with Dragon Dance. Mega Salamence prefers to start setting up when its checks and counters are either are in range of being knocked out by its boosted attacks or have already been knocked out previously. If nearly all members of the opposing team are still healthy, it’s times like these where it's better to just start attacking with Double-Edge straight away, which aids in wearing down Mega Salamence's switch-ins.
* If Mega Salamence aims to become statused to boost Facade's power, stay away from paralysis at all costs. Pokemon like Glare Zygarde-C and Nuzzle Smeargle can cripple Mega Salamence's Speed stat to prevent a Dragon Dance sweep from ever happening, and Mega Gengar can trap it and knock it out with Hex. Try to have Mega Salamence burned, if possible, since burn's its residual damage is much lower than Toxic's, but keep in mind that Double-Edge and Earthquake's damage output is reduced in this state.
* Be wary of Pokemon that can potentially use Ice-type attacks, such as Hidden Power Ice Primal Groudon and Marshadow as well as Ice Beam Lunala, Mewtwo, and Deoxya-A.
* If an opposing Pokemon is in range of being knocked out by Facade or Earthquake, use them over Double-Edge in this situation to prevent Mega Salamence from taking unnecessary recoil damage. This may prolong Mega Salamence's sweep by an extra turn or two.

Team Options
========

* Necrozma-DM is an excellent check to Xerneas, Arceus-Water, and Arceus-Fairy, which are Pokemon that Mega Salamence typically struggles with. Necrozma-DM can even take on support Arceus-Ground as long as it remains healthy, as Judgment fails to 2HKO specially defensive sets. It also has the ability to set up Stealth Rock, which helps Mega Salamence pick up necessary OHKOs and 2HKOs, and can cripple some of the checks that it shares with Mega Salamence, such as Giratina-O and Mega Slowbro, with Toxic. In turn, Mega Salamence checks Ho-Oh and Primal Groudon, two Pokemon that Dusk Mane Necrozma-DM generally tries to avoid staying in on.
* Gothitelle makes for a phenomenal partner due to its ability to trap many of the bulkier threats that give Mega Salamence trouble. Passive Pokemon such as Skarmory, Lugia, support Necrozma-DM, Celesteela, and support Arceus formes, other than Arceus-Dark, are vulnerable to Gothitelle's ability to PP stall their moves with a combination of Charm, Confide, Taunt, and Rest, which eventually gives Mega Salamence more breathing room to set up with Dragon Dance, especially when running Substitute.
* Primal Groudon can utilize its Fire- and Ground-type attacks to obliterate the many Steel-type Pokemon that check Mega Salamence, such as Celesteela, Skarmory, Ferrothorn, Necrozma-DM, and Magearna, respectively. It can also come in on Xerneas and Primal Kyogre, set up Stealth Rock, phase phaze with Roar or Dragon Tail, and whittle down bulky Pokemon with Toxic. Offensive sets are also nice when paired with Mega Salamence, as both Pokemon are able to whittle down their shared checks together. Mixed Rock Polish Primal Groudon is known to run Hidden Power Ice to smack Zygarde-C, which is a threat that normally switches into both it and Mega Salamence comfortably.
* Xerneas appreciates Mega Salamence's ability to check Ho-Oh, Mega Scizor, and Primal Groudon, while it takes advantage of Zygarde-C and support Arceus formes to use them as setup fodder for a Geomancy sweep.
* On hyper offense teams, suicide hazard leads such as Deoxys-S, Smeargle, Excadrill, and Cloyster are invaluable in helping Mega Salamence setting set up a sweep. Excadrill, Smeargle, and Cloyster are known for utilizing Rapid Spin to remove opposing hazards, while Deoxys-S is fast enough to shut down most hazard setters and hazard removers with Taunt.
* Support Arceus formes such as Arceus-Fairy, Arceus-Water, and Arceus-Ground make for great partners for Mega Salamence thanks to them having the bulk to withstand certain attacks that are aimed for Mega Salamence. Arceus-Fairy switches in on Hidden Power Ice Marshadow, Arceus-Ground can come in on Mega Diancie and Dialga, and Arceus-Water can pivot in on an Ice Beam from Primal Kyogre. Arceus-Water and Arceus-Ground can also reliably use Defog to remove Stealth Rock.
* Mega Salamence appreciates wallbreakers that punch holes into, or remove, its checks and counters. Bulk Up Marshadow, Calm Mind Lunala, Deoxys-A, Primal Kyogre, Rayquaza, and Life Orb Yveltal deal massive amounts of damage to a majority of the tier, which is something Mega Salamence can take advantage of with a Dragon Dance sweep later in the game.

[SET]
name: Offensive Defog
move 1: Defog
move 2: Double-Edge
move 3: Roost
move 4: Toxic / Facade / Earthquake
item: Salamencite
ability: Intimidate
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Defog clears hazards, such as Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Sticky Web, off of the field.
* Double-Edge is Mega Salamence's primary offensive option, (remove comma) and is capable of OHKOing Mega Lucario, 2HKOing fast support Arceus formes after Stealth Rock, and 2HKOing Gothitelle even if Charm is used before the second attack.
* Roost provides Mega Salamence with a reliable recovery move, which helps it sustain itself and to continuously clear Defog entry hazards with Defog away throughout the match.
* Toxic can cripple many of Mega Salamence's usual checks, such as Lugia, support Arceus formes, Mega Slowbro, and Giratina-O.
* Facade enables Mega Salamence to benefit from a usually crippling burn status, which is typically inflicted by Primal Groudon and Ho-Oh. Once boosted by a status condition, Facade becomes stronger than Double-Edge.
* Earthquake hits Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon, such as Tyranitar, Magearna, and offensive Necrozma-DM, respectively, for a considerable amount of damage. Beware of support Necrozma-DM, however, as Earthquake is a 3HKO, which means Mega Salamence loses this matchup.
* Dragon Dance can give Mega Salamence some extra role roll-compression, turning it into a hazard remover and a sweeper at the same time. However, such a set is worn down very easily by Toxic and increased Double-Edge recoil when its team needs a healthy hazard remover, and a mono-attacking Jolly Mega Salamence that is trying to sweep has a tougher time getting past its Steel-type checks without Earthquake.

Set Details
========

* Salamencite is required to enable Salamence's Mega Evolution.
* A Jolly nature and 252 Speed EVs are used to Speed tie with Arceus and to outpace everything slower, which gives Mega Salamence more room to get a Defog off verses versus most of the unboosted metagame.
* 252 Attack EVs enable Mega Salamence to hit as hard as possible.
* An Adamant nature could be used for more power, but the loss in Speed can be detrimental when going up against Arceus-Fairy and Arceus-Ground, which will always outspeed and OHKO Mega Salamence rather than Speed tying.

Usage Tips
========

* Use Defog to clear the field of any and all entry hazards and the rare screens.
* Sometimes, keeping Salamence in its base forme can be a good idea utilized to use Intimidate more than once against physical attackers. Regular Salamence can even use Defog on a predicted switch or against Primal Groudon, but it should never attack in this state, as Double-Edge and Facade do minimal damage without Aerilate.
* If running Toxic, try to predict if whether a Pokemon such as a support Arceus forme or Giratina-O is coming in to cripple them on the switch.
* Keep this variant of Mega Salamence away from status conditions. Mega Gengar traps, outspeeds, and knocks a statused Mega Salamence out with Hex after Stealth Rock. If Mega Salamence is running Facade, try to only let it be statused by burn. Toxic makes it harder for Mega Salamence to sustain itself, and burn weakens all of Mega Salamence's attacks other than Facade when Facade isn't being used, a Burn status weakens all of its attacks, which can render Mega Salamence vulnerable to being used as setup fodder. Paralysis and sleep should be avoided at all costs even if Facade is being used, as these status ailments leave Mega Salamence prone to being revenge killed or used as setup fodder just like Burn, respectively.
* There's no need to use Double-Edge when a target is in range of being knocked out by Facade, Earthquake, or Toxic's residual damage. It's best to try to preserve Mega Salamence's HP by any means necessary so it can keep using Defog and checking various Pokemon for a longer period of time, and mindlessly clicking Double-Edge when there's no reason to do so will inflict unnecessary harm onto Mega Salamence.

Team Options
========

* Support Necrozma-DM is arguably the tier's best answer to Xerneas, Lugia, Deoxys-A, Mega Slowbro, and support Arceus answer. With its defensive typing that gives it resistances to enables it to resist Fairy- and Ice-type attacks while rendering it immune to Toxic, Necrozma-DM can comfortably switch into all of these Pokemon and threaten to status them back with its own Toxic, and it can also set up Stealth Rock, which helps Mega Salamence pick up a necessary 2HKO versus Arceus-Fairy with Double-Edge.
* With Mega Salamence playing the role of as a hazard remover, support Arceus formes are free to use a different move in place of Defog. Arceus-Fairy can use Stealth Rock to threaten out common hazard control Pokemon such as Giratina-O, Mega Sableye, and opposing Mega Salamence, while Arceus-Water and Arceus-Ground have the freedom to use Toxic alongside Judgment and Ice Beam.
* When not running Facade, this Mega Salamence set appreciates status absorbers and clerics. Gothitelle runs Rest to rid itself of status conditions, (remove comma) and has the ability to trap, weaken, and PP stall many of Mega Salamence's checks. Defensive Xerneas runs Rest alongside Aromatherapy and Sleep Talk to not only absorb and heal status conditions for itself, (remove comma) but also to get rid of its teammates' status ailments as well. Defensive Xerneas also has the bulk to withstand attacks from Marshadow, a Pokemon that threatens Mega Salamence with Hidden Power Ice. Lastly, Magearna has the option to run Heal Bell while acting as a switch-in to opposing Xerneas.
* Primal Groudon's powerful Fire- and Ground-type STAB combination enables it to incinerate the majority of Mega Salamence's Steel- and Rock-type checks, and it can comfortably come in on Primal Kyogre's Ice Beam and Xerneas's Moonblast. Primal Groudon can also lure in some of the checks that it shares with Mega Salamence, such as Lugia, Arceus-Water, Arceus-Ground, and Giratina-O, and cripple them with Toxic or use Overheat or Eruption against Arceus-Ground.
* Marshadow is an excellent partner that can revenge kill Mega Gengar, Necrozma-DM, Ultra Necrozma, Deoxys-A, and Mewtwo, and its Bulk Up Marshadium Z set is one of the few setup sweepers in the tier that can reliably break Iron Defense Mega Slowbro thanks to Spectral Thief stealing the Defense boosts.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

* Return or Frustration over Double-Edge gives Mega Salamence a relatively strong and recoilless attack. However, the reduced damage output compared to Double-Edge is very noticeable, and Mega Salamence loses out on potential OHKOs and 2HKOs when using either one of them.
* Refresh can be used on a Dragon Dance set to have a much better matchup versus Toxic users as well as Glare Zygarde-C.
* A defensive Defog set with Body Slam and Dragon Tail allows Mega Salamence to switch into verses physical attackers much more easily, potentially spread paralysis, and phase phaze setup sweepers. However, such a set is much slower and weaker than the offensive Defog set, and Mega Salamence loses the ability to Speed tie with Arceus and be much slower than Mega Lucario.
* Outrage is a secondary Dragon-type STAB move that can slam through Giratina-O and Zygarde-C, but being locked into Outrage is a dangerous situation, as it lets Xerneas come in to set up a free Geomancy, (remove comma) while also making Mega Salamence vulnerable prone to revenge killing.
* A special set with Hyper Voice, Draco Meteor, and Fire Blast can catch some of Mega Salamence's usual switch-ins off guard, but it's much weaker than the standard physical sets, (remove comma) and it has no way to boost its Special Attack stat. This set also makes Mega Salamence’s matchup verses against Ho-Oh much worse, as not even a Modest Draco Meteor is able to OHKO Ho-Oh after Stealth Rock.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Earthquake-immune Steel-types**: Celesteela, and Skarmory, and Bronzong practically hard counter most Mega Salamence sets thanks to their defensive typings (and Levitate ability in Bronzong's case), allowing making them to be immune to Earthquake while resisting Mega Salamence's Aerilate-boosted STAB attacks. Celesteela can stall Mega Salamence out with a combination of Leech Seed, Toxic, and Protect; Skarmory can phase phaze with Whirlwind or rely on Sturdy and + Counter to stop Mega Salamence from sweeping; and Bronzong can use Trick Room and Gyro Ball to take advantage of Mega Salamence's high Speed stat and boosts from Dragon Dance.

**Zygarde-C**: Zygarde-C has the physical bulk to withstand boosted attacks from Mega Salamence, (remove comma) and can stop a potential sweep by phasing phazing it out with Dragon Tail or paralyzing it with Glare. Even a boosted Facade from a +1 Adamant Mega Salamence is unable to knock Zygarde out before Power Construct activates as long that it's at full health.

**Lugia**: With its titanic bulk, which is further amplified by Multiscale, Lugia is capable of shrugging off nearly anything Mega Salamence can throw at it and either retaliating retaliate with Ice Beam or phase phazing it out with Whirlwind or Dragon Tail. However, Stealth Rock is a major pain for Lugia, and without Multiscale, Mega Salamence has a much easier time getting past it, especially if Facade gets boosted by a status condition.

**Necrozma-DM / Ultra Necrozma**: Variants of Mega Salamence that lack Earthquake are easily handled by Necrozma-DM. Defensive sets can stall Mega Salamence out with a combination of Toxic and Morning Sun / Moonlight, while offensive sets are able to OHKO Mega Salamence with a Searing Sunraze Smash. If Mega Salamence does happen to have Earthquake, Necrozma-DM's Prism Armor and solid natural bulk allows it to tank a single +1 Earthquake without defensive investment as long as it's healthy. However, offensive sets need to be wary of Salamence's Intimidate ability prior to Mega Evolution, which can weaken Necrozma-DM's physical attacks. Ultra Necrozma, while it cannot switch into Double-Edge after Ultra Burst, can switch in as Necrozma-DM and knock it out the next turn with Dragon Pulse thanks to a higher Speed stat. If it happens to lack Dragon Pulse, then Power Gem or Stone Edge are is capable of knocking Mega Salamence out after Stealth Rock.

**Magearna**: Magearna has the ability to shrug off Mega Salamence's STAB attacks and use a super effective Fleur Cannon to retaliate. However, Magearna needs to be cautious of Earthquake, as a +1 Adamant Mega Salamence can knock Magearna out with it after Stealth Rock.

**Support Arceus**: Arceus-Water, Arceus-Ground, and Arceus-Dragon are bulky enough to withstand boosted attacks from Mega Salamence, and they can knock it out with a super effective Ice Beam or Judgment, respectively.

**Arceus With a Type Advantage**: Arceus-Fairy, Arceus-Rock, and Arceus-Ice are able to tank at least one boosted Double-Edge, or Earthquake in Arceus-Rock's case, from Mega Salamence and retaliate with a super effective Judgment.

**Primal Groudon**: Primal Groudon detests Salamence's Intimidate ability prior to Mega Evolution and hates taking Earthquakes, but as long as it's healthy, it Primal Groudon has the bulk to stomach most of Mega Salamence's attacks at least once. Support sets can phase phaze it out with Dragon Tail or Roar, and Mega Salamence sets that lack Facade don't appreciate taking a burn from Lava Plume. Special Primal Groudon sets also tend to run Hidden Power Ice, which OHKOes Mega Salamence.

**Dialga and Zekrom** Dialga and Zekrom resist Mega Salamence's Flying-type attacks and retaliate with Draco Meteor or Outrage, respectively. Both of these Pokemon can run Shuca Berry to weaken Ground-type attacks, which is bad news for Earthquake Mega Salamence.

**Primal Kyogre and Giratina-O**: Defensive Primal Kyogre and Giratina-O can't switch in, but they have the bulk to survive a +1 Double-Edge from Mega Salamence to knock it out with Ice Beam or Draco Meteor, respectively. Offensive Primal Kyogre sets can still eat an unboosted Double-Edge from full to OHKO Mega Salamence in the same manner.

**Mega Slowbro**: Mega Slowbro has a massive amount of physical bulk, which lets it withstand Mega Salamence's strongest attacks. Iron Defense prevents Mega Slowbro from falling behind Mega Salamence's Dragon Dance, while Shell Armor prevents critical hits to ensure Mega Slowbro's survival. Lastly, Ice Beam OHKO's OHKOes Mega Salamence. However, Mega Slowbro needs to be wary of a potential Toxic from the Defog set.

**Offensive Pokemon With Ice-type Coverage**: Marshadow, Primal Groudon, and Ho-Oh are some examples of Pokemon that pack Ice-type moves to deal with Mega Salamence.
 
Last edited:

Lumari

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GP 2/2
[OVERVIEW]

* Mega Salamence is an offensive powerhouse thanks to a high Attack stat, access to Dragon Dance, and a powerful ability in Aerilate to help bolster its Normal-type attacks into stronger Flying-type STAB attacks.
* It's a highly versatile Pokemon with a fantastic offensive and supportive movepool, which allows it to fit on to a plethora of different teams and playstyles.
* Mega Salamence sits at a high Speed tier of base 120, which enables it to naturally outspeed key threats such as Mega Lucario, Yveltal, unboosted Xerneas, and Rayquaza while potentially Speed tying with Arceus formes.
* Thanks to a combination of Salamence's Intimidate ability prior to Mega Evolution, a base 130 Defense stat, and a Ground-type immunity, Mega Salamence is one of the premier offensive checks to many of the tier's most prominent physical attackers, especially Primal Groudon and Ho-Oh.
* Mega Salamence has reliably recovery in the form of Roost, which enables it to repeatedly switch into the Pokemon it's designed to check and find more setup opportunities for a Dragon Dance sweep.
* Mega Salamence stands out as an offensive Defog user thanks to its immunity to Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and Sticky Web; access to high-powered STAB attacks; high Speed; reliable recovery; ability to scare away Ubers's most common Stealth Rock user in Primal Groudon; and lack of fear of being trapped by Gothitelle thanks to Double-Edge 2HKOing it even if Charm was used before the second attack.
* Mega Salamence has a plethora of checks and counters in the tier that can stop it, such as Zygarde-C, Celesteela, Lugia, and Necrozma-DM.
* Since Mega Salamence's main STAB attack is Double-Edge, the recoil damage produced by this move chips away at Mega Salamence's health relatively quickly, and it doesn't help that most of Mega Salamence's targets in Ubers have high HP stats.
* Mega Salamence has a nasty Stealth Rock weakness that limits its switch in potential, especially if it has yet to Mega Evolve.
* Many Pokemon in the Ubers tier, such as Marshadow, support Arceus formes, Primal Groudon, and Ho-Oh, can carry Ice-type attacks to take advantage of Mega Salamence's 4x Ice-type weakness to knock it out in one hit.

[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Double-Edge (AH)
move 3: Roost
move 4: Facade / Earthquake / Substitute
item: Salamencite
ability: Intimidate
nature: Adamant
evs: 44 HP / 252 Atk / 212 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Dragon Dance bolsters Mega Salamence's Attack and Speed stats, enabling it to outpace most of the boosted metagame at +1 and sweep through weakened teams.
* Double-Edge is Mega Salamence's main STAB attack. When unboosted, it has the strength to 2HKO defensive Yveltal, Gothitelle, support Arceus formes, and Lugia after Stealth Rock. After a Dragon Dance, Double-Edge OHKOes standard Geomancy Xerneas, Mega Sableye, and offensive Arceus formes after Stealth Rock.
* Roost helps sustain Mega Salamence's health, allowing it to find more setup opportunities throughout the match.
* Facade lets Mega Salamence take advantage of burn and poison status afflictions caused by Ho-Oh, Primal Groudon, and Necrozma-DM, becoming stronger than Double-Edge once Mega Salamence is statused. A +1 status-boosted Facade is strong enough to OHKO Ferrothorn without entry hazards and is capable of knocking out Lugia and fast support Arceus formes after Stealth Rock.
* Earthquake can be used instead of Facade to improve Mega Salamence's matchup versus Necrozma-DM, Magearna, and Tyranitar (RC) and it can to hit Primal Groudon almost as hard as Double-Edge without making Mega Salamence suffer from recoil damage.
* Substitute allows Mega Salamence to bypass status conditions and ensure that a Dragon Dance goes off, along with preventing Primal Groudon's and Giratina-O's Dragon Tail from phazing it. However, Mega Salamence is still susceptible to non-damaging phazing moves such as Roar and Whirlwind.
* It's possible to run a Dragon Dance + 3 attacks set with Facade or Earthquake over Roost to help Mega Salamence out in more situations during a sweep, but this set should only be used on hyper offense teams when the objective is to avoid losing momentum versus the opposing team and to punch enough holes for another sweeper. Any other playstyle will want Roost.

Set Details
========

* Salamencite is required to Mega Evolve in to into Mega Salamence.
* An Adamant nature and 252 Attack EVs are used to provide Mega Salamence as much damage potential as possible.
* 212 Speed EVs enable Mega Salamence to naturally outpace maximum Speed base 100 Pokemon and below, such as Yveltal, Rayquaza, Tapu Lele, Primal Groudon, and Primal Kyogre, and when boosted by Dragon Dance, Mega Salamence outpaces to outpace Choice Scarf Xerneas and Yveltal after a boost.
* 44 HP EVs let Mega Salamence survive a Life Orb-boosted Brave Bird from Ho-Oh after Stealth Rock.
* If Life Orb Ho-Oh isn't a concern, a spread using 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe can be used to outspeed Necrozma-DM after it has set up an Autotomize once Mega Salamence uses Dragon Dance. A Jolly nature with the same spread lets Mega Salamence naturally Speed tie with Arceus formes and opposing Mega Salamence and outpaces everything slower, especially Pokemon such as Mega Lucario and Mega Diancie, and at +1 Speed, it is faster than Adamant Sand Rush Excadrill in sand and below. However, the difference in power from Adamant to Jolly is noticeable, and Sand Rush Excadrill is an extremely rare set.
* If Substitute is being used, a spread using 248 HP / 64 Atk / 124 Def / 72 Spe with an Impish nature is recommended, as it prevents Mega Salamence's Substitute from being broken by Celesteela's Heavy Slam and defensive Zygarde-C's Thousand Arrows and lowers the chance of Zygarde-C's Dragon Tail breaking Substitute as well. This turns two would-be checks into setup fodder. 72 Speed EVs will also allow Mega Salamence to still naturally outspeed Modest Lunala and Adamant Rayquaza. However, do keep in mind that this spread heavily decreases Mega Salamence's natural damage output.

Usage Tips
========

* There will be situations where having access to Salamence's Intimidate for more than a single use can come in handy, so it's possible to stay in Salamence's base forme by coming in on a physical attacker to activate Intimidate and doubling out to another Pokemon on a predicted switch. However, never attack with a Salamence that has not Mega Evolved yet unless the foe is in range of being knocked out and when regular Salamence can outspeed whatever is in front of it, as its damage output is nonexistent due to not having STAB from on Double-Edge and Facade.
* Mega Salamence serves as a good switch-in for mons Pokemon such as Ho-Oh, Primal Groudon, Mega Scizor, or and Mega Lucario. Mega Salamence can potentially bait these Pokemon into switching out to gain a setup opportunity or to begin whittling down its checks.
* Pinpoint the correct time to start setting up with Dragon Dance. Mega Salamence prefers to start setting up when its checks and counters either are in range of being knocked out by its boosted attacks or have already been knocked out previously. If nearly all members of the opposing team are still healthy, it's better to just start attacking with Double-Edge straight away, which aids in wearing down Mega Salamence's switch-ins.
* If Mega Salamence aims to become statused to boost Facade's power, stay away from paralysis at all costs. Pokemon like Glare Zygarde-C and Nuzzle Smeargle can cripple Mega Salamence's Speed stat to prevent a Dragon Dance sweep from ever happening, and Mega Gengar can trap it and knock it out with Hex. Try to have Mega Salamence burned, if possible, since burn's residual damage is much lower than Toxic's, but keep in mind that Double-Edge and Earthquake's damage output is reduced in this state.
* Be wary of Pokemon that can potentially use Ice-type attacks, such as Hidden Power Ice Primal Groudon and Marshadow as well as Ice Beam Lunala, Mewtwo, and Deoxya-A Deoxys-A.
* If an opposing Pokemon is in range of being knocked out by Facade or Earthquake, use them over Double-Edge in this situation to prevent Mega Salamence from taking unnecessary recoil damage. This may prolong Mega Salamence's sweep by an extra turn or two.

Team Options
========

* Necrozma-DM is an excellent check to Xerneas, Arceus-Water, and Arceus-Fairy, which are Pokemon that Mega Salamence typically struggles with. Necrozma-DM can even take on support Arceus-Ground as long as it remains healthy, as Judgment fails to 2HKO specially defensive sets. It also has the ability to set up Stealth Rock, which helps Mega Salamence pick up necessary OHKOs and 2HKOs, and can cripple some of the checks that it shares with Mega Salamence, such as Giratina-O and Mega Slowbro, with Toxic. In turn, Mega Salamence checks Ho-Oh and Primal Groudon, two Pokemon that Necrozma-DM generally tries to avoid staying in on.
* Gothitelle makes for a phenomenal partner due to its ability to trap many of the bulkier threats that give Mega Salamence trouble. Passive Pokemon such as Skarmory, Lugia, support Necrozma-DM, Celesteela, and support Arceus formes, other than Arceus-Dark, are vulnerable to Gothitelle's ability to PP stall their moves with a combination of Charm, Confide, Taunt, and Rest, which eventually gives Mega Salamence more breathing room to set up with Dragon Dance, especially when running Substitute.
* Primal Groudon can utilize its Fire- and Ground-type attacks to obliterate the many Steel-type Pokemon that check Mega Salamence, such as Celesteela, Skarmory, Ferrothorn, Necrozma-DM, and Magearna. It can also come in on Xerneas and Primal Kyogre, set up Stealth Rock, phaze with Roar or Dragon Tail, and whittle down bulky Pokemon with Toxic. Offensive sets are also nice when paired with Mega Salamence, as both Pokemon are able to whittle down their shared checks together. Mixed Rock Polish Primal Groudon is known to run Hidden Power Ice to smack Zygarde-C, which is a threat that normally switches into both it and Mega Salamence comfortably.
* Xerneas appreciates Mega Salamence's ability to check Ho-Oh, Mega Scizor, and Primal Groudon, while it takes advantage of Zygarde-C and support Arceus formes to use them as setup fodder for a Geomancy sweep.
* On hyper offense teams, suicide hazard leads such as Deoxys-S, Smeargle, Excadrill, and Cloyster are invaluable in helping Mega Salamence set up a sweep. Excadrill, Smeargle, and Cloyster are known for utilizing Rapid Spin to remove opposing hazards, while Deoxys-S is fast enough to shut down most hazard setters and hazard removers with Taunt.
* Support Arceus formes such as Arceus-Fairy, Arceus-Water, and Arceus-Ground make for great partners for Mega Salamence thanks to them having the bulk to withstand certain attacks that are aimed for Mega Salamence. Arceus-Fairy switches in on Hidden Power Ice Marshadow, Arceus-Ground can come in on Mega Diancie and Dialga, and Arceus-Water can pivot in on an Ice Beam from Primal Kyogre. Arceus-Water and Arceus-Ground can also reliably use Defog to remove Stealth Rock.
* Mega Salamence appreciates wallbreakers that punch holes into, or remove, its checks and counters. Bulk Up Marshadow, Calm Mind Lunala, Deoxys-A, Primal Kyogre, Rayquaza, and Life Orb Yveltal deal massive amounts of damage to a majority of the tier, which is something Mega Salamence can take advantage of with a Dragon Dance sweep later in the game.

[SET]
name: Offensive Defog
move 1: Defog
move 2: Double Edge
move 3: Roost
move 4: Toxic / Facade / Earthquake
item: Salamencite
ability: Intimidate
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Defog clears entry hazards, such as Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Sticky Web, off of the field.
* Double-Edge is Mega Salamence's primary offensive option and is capable of OHKOing Mega Lucario, 2HKOing fast support Arceus formes after Stealth Rock, and 2HKOing Gothitelle even if Charm is used before the second attack.
* Roost provides Mega Salamence with a reliable recovery move, which helps it sustain itself and clear entry hazards with Defog throughout the match.
* Toxic can cripple many of Mega Salamence's usual checks, such as Lugia, support Arceus formes, Mega Slowbro, and Giratina-O.
* Alternatively, Facade enables Mega Salamence to benefit from a usually crippling burn status, which is typically inflicted by Primal Groudon and Ho-Oh. Once boosted by a status condition, Facade becomes stronger than Double-Edge.
* Earthquake hits Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon, such as Tyranitar, Magearna, and offensive Necrozma-DM, for a considerable amount of damage. Beware of support Necrozma-DM, however, as Earthquake is a 3HKO, which means Mega Salamence loses this matchup.
* Dragon Dance can give Mega Salamence some extra role compression, turning it into a hazard remover and a sweeper at the same time. However, such a set is worn down very easily by Toxic and increased Double-Edge recoil when its team needs a healthy hazard remover, and a mono-attacking Jolly Mega Salamence that is trying to sweep has a tougher time getting past its Steel-type checks without Earthquake.


Set Details
========

* Salamencite is required to enable Salamence's Mega Evolution.
* A Jolly nature and 252 Speed EVs are used to Speed tie with Arceus and outpace everything slower, which gives Mega Salamence more room to get a Defog off versus most of the unboosted metagame.
* 252 Attack EVs enable Mega Salamence to hit as hard as possible.
* An Adamant nature could be used for more power, but the loss in Speed can be detrimental when going up against Arceus-Fairy and Arceus-Ground, which will always outspeed and OHKO Mega Salamence rather than Speed tying.

Usage Tips
========

* Use Defog to clear the field of any and all entry hazards and the rare screens.
* Sometimes, keeping Salamence in its base forme can be a good idea to use Intimidate more than once against physical attackers. Regular Salamence can even use Defog on a predicted switch or against Primal Groudon, but it should never attack in this state, as Double-Edge and Facade do minimal damage without Aerilate.
* If running Toxic, try to predict whether a Pokemon such as a support Arceus forme or Giratina-O is coming in to cripple them on the switch.
* Keep this variant of Mega Salamence away from status conditions. Mega Gengar traps, outspeeds, and knocks a statused Mega Salamence out with Hex after Stealth Rock. If Mega Salamence is running Facade, try to only let it be statused by burn. Toxic makes it harder for Mega Salamence to sustain itself, and burn weakens all of Mega Salamence's attacks other than Facade, which can render Mega Salamence setup fodder. Paralysis and sleep should be avoided at all costs even if Facade is being used, as these status ailments leave Mega Salamence prone to being revenge killed or used as setup fodder, respectively.
* There's no need to use Double-Edge when a target is in range of being knocked out by Facade, Earthquake, or Toxic's residual damage. It's best to try to preserve Mega Salamence's HP by any means necessary so it can keep using Defog and checking various Pokemon for a longer period of time, and mindlessly clicking Double-Edge when there's no reason to do so will inflict unnecessary harm onto Mega Salamence.

Team Options
========

* Support Necrozma-DM is arguably the tier's best answer to Xerneas, Lugia, Deoxys-A, Mega Slowbro, and support Arceus. With its defensive typing that gives it resistances to Fairy- and Ice-type attacks while rendering it immune to Toxic, Necrozma-DM can comfortably switch into all of these Pokemon and threaten to status them back with its own Toxic, and it can also set up Stealth Rock, which helps Mega Salamence pick up a necessary 2HKO versus Arceus-Fairy with Double-Edge.
* With Mega Salamence playing the role of an entry hazard remover, support Arceus formes are free to use a different move in place of Defog. Arceus-Fairy can use Stealth Rock to threaten out common hazard control Pokemon such as Giratina-O, Mega Sableye, and opposing Mega Salamence, while Arceus-Water and Arceus-Ground have the freedom to use Toxic alongside Judgment and Ice Beam.
* When not running Facade, this Mega Salamence set appreciates status absorbers and clerics. Gothitelle runs Rest to rid itself of status conditions and has the ability to trap, weaken, and PP stall many of Mega Salamence's checks. Defensive Xerneas runs Rest alongside Aromatherapy and Sleep Talk to not only absorb and heal status conditions for itself but also get rid of its teammates' status ailments . Defensive Xerneas also has the bulk to withstand attacks from Marshadow, a Pokemon that threatens Mega Salamence with Hidden Power Ice. Lastly, Magearna has the option to run Heal Bell while acting as a switch-in to opposing Xerneas.
* Primal Groudon's powerful Fire- and Ground-type STAB combination enables it to incinerate the majority of Mega Salamence's Steel- and Rock-type checks, and it can comfortably come in on Primal Kyogre's Ice Beam and Xerneas's Moonblast. Primal Groudon can also lure in some of the checks that it shares with Mega Salamence, such as Lugia, Arceus-Water, Arceus-Ground, and Giratina-O, and cripple them with Toxic or use Overheat or Eruption against Arceus-Ground.
* Marshadow is an excellent partner that can revenge kill Mega Gengar, Necrozma-DM, Ultra Necrozma, Deoxys-A, and Mewtwo, and its Bulk Up Marshadium Z set is one of the few setup sweepers in the tier that can reliably break Iron Defense Mega Slowbro thanks to Spectral Thief stealing the Defense boosts.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

* Return or Frustration (redundant / implied) over Double-Edge gives Mega Salamence a relatively strong and recoilless attack. However, the reduced damage output compared to Double-Edge is very noticeable, and Mega Salamence loses out on potential OHKOs and 2HKOs when using either one of them it.
* Refresh can be used on a Dragon Dance set to have a much better matchup versus Toxic users as well as Glare Zygarde-C.
* A defensive Defog set with Body Slam and Dragon Tail allows Mega Salamence to switch into physical attackers much more easily, potentially spread paralysis, and phaze setup sweepers. However, such a set is much slower and weaker than the offensive Defog set, and Mega Salamence loses the ability to Speed tie with Arceus and be much slower than Mega Lucario.
* Outrage is a secondary Dragon-type STAB move that can slam through Giratina-O and Zygarde-C, but being locked into Outrage it is a dangerous situation, as it lets Xerneas come in to set up a free Geomancy while also making Mega Salamence vulnerable to revenge killing.
* A special set with Hyper Voice, Draco Meteor, and Fire Blast can catch some of Mega Salamence's usual switch-ins off guard, but it's much weaker than the standard physical sets and has no way to boost its Special Attack stat. This set also makes Mega Salamence’s Salamence's matchup against Ho-Oh much worse, as not even a Modest Draco Meteor is able to OHKO Ho-Oh after Stealth Rock.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Earthquake-immune Steel-types**: Celesteela, Skarmory, and Bronzong practically hard counter most Mega Salamence sets thanks to their defensive typings (and Levitate in Bronzong's case) making them immune giving them an immunity to Earthquake while resisting and a resistance to Mega Salamence's Aerilate-boosted STAB attacks. Celesteela can stall Mega Salamence out with a combination of Leech Seed, Toxic, and Protect; Skarmory can phaze Mega Salamence with Whirlwind or rely on Sturdy + Counter to stop Mega Salamence it from sweeping; and Bronzong can use Trick Room and Gyro Ball to take advantage of Mega Salamence's high Speed stat and boosts from Dragon Dance.

**Zygarde-C**: Zygarde-C has the physical bulk to withstand boosted attacks from Mega Salamence and can stop a potential sweep by phazing it out with Dragon Tail or paralyzing it with Glare. Even a boosted Facade from a +1 Adamant Mega Salamence is unable to knock Zygarde out before Power Construct activates as long that as it's at full health.

**Lugia**: With its titanic bulk, which is further amplified by Multiscale, Lugia is capable of shrugging off nearly anything Mega Salamence can throw at it and either retaliating with Ice Beam or phazing it out with Whirlwind or Dragon Tail. However, Stealth Rock is a major pain for Lugia, and without Multiscale, Mega Salamence has a much easier time getting past it, especially if Facade gets boosted by a status condition.

**Necrozma-DM / Ultra Necrozma**: Variants of Mega Salamence that lack Earthquake are easily handled by Necrozma-DM. Defensive sets can stall Mega Salamence out with a combination of Toxic and Morning Sun / Moonlight, while offensive sets are able to OHKO Mega Salamence with a Searing Sunraze Smash. If Mega Salamence does happen to have Earthquake, Necrozma-DM's Prism Armor and solid natural bulk allows allow it to tank a single +1 Earthquake without defensive investment as long as it's healthy. However, offensive sets need to be wary of Salamence's Intimidate ability prior to Mega Evolution, which can weaken Necrozma-DM's physical attacks. Ultra Necrozma, while it cannot switch into Double-Edge after Ultra Burst, can switch in as Necrozma-DM and knock it out the next turn with Dragon Pulse thanks to a higher Speed stat. If it happens to lack Dragon Pulse, then Power Gem or Stone Edge is capable of knocking Mega Salamence out after Stealth Rock.

**Magearna**: Magearna has the ability to shrug off Mega Salamence's STAB attacks and use a super effective Fleur Cannon to retaliate. However, Magearna needs to be cautious of Earthquake, as a +1 Adamant Mega Salamence can knock Magearna out with it after Stealth Rock.

**Support Arceus**: Arceus-Water, Arceus-Ground, and Arceus-Dragon are bulky enough to withstand boosted attacks from Mega Salamence, and they can knock it out with a super effective Ice Beam or Judgment.

**Arceus with a Type Advantage**: Arceus-Fairy, Arceus-Rock, and Arceus-Ice are able to tank at least one boosted Double-Edge, or Earthquake in Arceus-Rock's case, from Mega Salamence and retaliate with a super effective Judgment.

**Primal Groudon**: Primal Groudon detests Salamence's Intimidate ability prior to Mega Evolution and hates taking Earthquakes, but as long as it's healthy, it has the bulk to stomach most of Mega Salamence's attacks at least once. Support sets can phaze it out with Dragon Tail or Roar, and Mega Salamence sets that lack Facade don't appreciate taking a burn from Lava Plume. Special Primal Groudon sets also tend to run Hidden Power Ice, which OHKOes Mega Salamence.

**Dialga and Zekrom** Dialga and Zekrom resist Mega Salamence's Flying-type attacks and retaliate with Draco Meteor or Outrage, respectively. Both of these Pokemon can also run Shuca Berry to weaken Ground-type attacks, which is bad news for Earthquake Mega Salamence.

**Primal Kyogre and Giratina-O**: Defensive Primal Kyogre and Giratina-O can't switch in on Mega Salamence, but they have the bulk to survive a +1 Double-Edge from Mega Salamence to knock it out with Ice Beam or Draco Meteor, respectively. Offensive Primal Kyogre sets can still eat an unboosted Double-Edge from full to OHKO Mega Salamence in the same manner.

**Mega Slowbro**: Mega Slowbro has a massive amount of physical bulk, which lets it withstand Mega Salamence's strongest attacks. Iron Defense prevents Mega Slowbro from falling behind Mega Salamence's Dragon Dance, while Shell Armor prevents critical hits to ensure Mega Slowbro's survival. Lastly, Ice Beam OHKOes Mega Salamence. However, Mega Slowbro needs to be wary of a potential Toxic from the Defog set.

**Offensive Pokemon with Ice-type Coverage**: Marshadow, Primal Groudon, and Ho-Oh are some examples of Pokemon that pack Ice-type moves to deal with Mega Salamence.
 
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