Mega Salamence is one of the most powerful Mega Evolutions in Pokemon Go, so here are the weaknesses and best counters you need to know about to help you defeat it.
This pseudo-Legendary is already a firm fan-favorite in its regular form, so its Mega Evolution makes it even more desirable – especially as it’s a top performer in Raid Battles.
Before you can add it to your team, though, you’ll need to defeat it. Here are Mega Salamence’s weaknesses and some of the best counters you can use to succeed in battle.
Mega Salamence weaknesses in Pokemon Go
Mega Salamence is a dual Dragon/Flying-type Pokemon, which means it’s weak against Dragon, Fairy, Ice, and Rock-type attacks.
It’s worth pointing out that Mega Salamence has a 4x weakness to Ice-type attacks, so it’s definitely best to focus on that if possible.
As for its resistances, you’ll want to avoid using Bug, Grass, Ground, Fighting, Fire, and Water-type moves as they won’t deal much damage.
Mega Salamence best counters
Here are some of the best counters for defeating Mega Salamence in Niantic’s game:
| POKEMON | SPRITE | BEST MOVESET |
|---|---|---|
| Mega Glalie | Ice Shard & Avalanche | |
| Mega Abomasnow | Powder Snow & Weather Ball | |
| Shadow Mamoswine | Powder Snow & Avalanche | |
| Shadow Weavile | Ice Shard & Avalanche | |
| Articuno | Ice Shard & Triple Axel | |
| Origin Forme Dialga | Metal Claw & Roar of Time | |
| Galarian Darmanitan | Ice Fang & Avalanche | |
| Baxcalibur | Ice Fang & Avalanche | |
| Glaceon | Ice Shard & Avalanche | |
| Rampardos | Smack Down & Rock Slide |
As you can see from the recommendations above, it’s best to focus on Ice-type Pokemon with Ice-type attacks, as they’ll be able to exploit Mega Salamence’s 4x weakness to Ice-type attacks.
We would normally suggest avoiding Dragon-type Pokemon in this scenario as they’ll be weak to Mega Salamence’s Dragon-type attacks, but Dialga is an exception as it’s not weak to Dragon-type attacks.
We’ve included a mix of Megas, Legendaries, Shadow, and more common Pokemon in the table above so there should be something for trainers of all levels.
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How to get Mega Salamence in Pokemon Go
Just like every other Mega Evolution in Pokemon Go, you can’t catch Salamence in its Mega-Evolved form.
Instead, you’ll fight and defeat Mega Salamence in a Mega Raid battle for a chance to catch its regular form. Then, you must gather the required amount of Mega Energy to trigger this temporary special form.
The first time it will cost 300 Mega Energy, but then the amount will drop to 60, 30, and finally 15. Players can gather Mega Energy by defeating Mega Raid bosses, by completing Special Research Tasks, or by setting the Pokemon they want to Mega Evolve as a Buddy and taking them for a walk.
Mega Salamence CP in Pokemon Go
As with every Raid Boss in the game, the CP Mega Salamence has during a Mega Raid battle won’t be the same once you manage to catch its regular form. Plus, certain types of weather can increase such CP.
| Raid Boss CP | 50,285 |
| CP range once captured | 2773 – 2875 |
| Windy weather CP range | 3467 – 3594 |
| Field and Special Research CP range | 2080 – 2156 |
| Egg CP range | 2773 – 2875 |
| Mega Salamence max CP (Level 50) | 5688 |
Can Mega Salamence be Shiny?
Yes, Mega Salamence can be Shiny in Pokemon Go, as this special variation was added to the game the same day this Mega Evolution debuted.
Trainers won’t have any trouble recognizing Shiny Mega Salamence, as its usual blue body will be green, and its red wings will turn a shade of orange.
To avoid being disappointed, keep in mind that the odds of finding a Shiny Pokemon are very low and there’s no special technique to ensure you’ll find one.
That’s everything you need to know about Mega Salamence’s weaknesses and counters in Pokemon Go. Check out some more guides including the Spotlight Hour schedule and event calendar, and for more on Mega Evolutions, check the costs and bonuses, as well as the Mega Evolutions missing from the game.