Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: Complete Guide & Walkthrough

Quick Links

• Where to Find Bagon

  • Bagon Location in Pokemon Violet

• How to Get Bagon in Pokemon Scarlet

  • How to Trade and Transfer Pokemon

• How to Evolve Bagon into Shelgon and Salamence

  • What Level Does Bagon Evolve

• Is Salamence Good?

  • Salamence Strengths & Weaknesses
  • Recommended Moves

Bagon, a Dragon-type Pokemon that evolves into the formidable Salamence, is a key addition to any trainer's team in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. However, if you're playing Pokemon Scarlet, you won't be able to find Bagon or its evolutions in the wild, as they are exclusive to Pokemon Violet. For those aiming to complete their Paldea Pokedex, acquiring Bagon, Shelgon, and Salamence is a must.

Updated on January 13, 2025 by Renri Seong: Bagon, a Dragon-type Pokemon, evolves into the powerful Salamence, making it a valuable member of your team in Pokemon Violet. You can catch Bagon and even its evolved form, Shelgon, in various locations. However, if you're playing Pokemon Scarlet and want to fill out your Pokedex, you'll need to transfer one from Pokemon Violet. Salamence, like Dragonite, is a Dragon/Flying-type pseudo-legendary with a base stat total of 600. But how does it stack up against other pseudo-legendaries? This guide has been updated with detailed information on Salamence's stats, type effectiveness, and recommended moves.

Where to Find Bagon

Bagon Location in Pokemon Violet

In Pokemon Violet, Bagon can be found in several locations. One of the best places to start your search is in East Province (Area Three), known for its expansive caves that are ripe for exploration.

If you're still in the starting area, you can find a fixed spawn Bagon on a mountain in South Province (Area Five). Simply climb the mountain southwest of the bridge that connects the grassy and rocky areas of South Province (Area Five).

Another prime location is Dalizapa Passage, north of The Great Crater of Paldea and south of Glaseado Mountain. There, you'll find a deep hole with a Pokemon Center. You can ride Koraidon or Miraidon to jump into the hole or enter through one of the many cavern entrances. This location is less open than East Province but offers the chance to encounter rare Pokemon like Bagon and Frigibax.

For those who enjoy Tera Raids, you can catch Bagon from 3-star Tera Raids, which unlock after you earn three gym badges. Keep in mind that Bagon's Tera Type might differ from its regular type when caught in a raid. Additionally, Pokemon from 3-star Raids may have their Hidden Ability, adding value to your Bagon.

How to Get Bagon in Pokemon Scarlet

How to Trade and Transfer Pokemon

If you're playing Pokemon Scarlet, you won't be able to catch Bagon or its evolutions in the wild. Instead, you'll need to trade with a Pokemon Violet player or use Pokemon HOME to transfer Bagon from another game. To trade, you can either create or join a Group via the Union Circle, but remember that you'll need a Nintendo Switch Online Membership to use online features. Transferring via Pokemon HOME might be the more straightforward option.

To transfer Bagon from another game using Pokemon HOME:

1. Open HOME, then select the game you're transferring Bagon from.
2. Move Bagon to your Basic Box (the left side of the screen), and save and exit.
3. Open your Pokemon Scarlet file and move Bagon from the Basic Box to one of your Scarlet PC Boxes.
4. Save and exit.

Once you reopen Pokemon Scarlet, Bagon should be in the PC Box you chose, and its Dex Entry will be complete.

How to Evolve Bagon into Shelgon and Salamence

What Level Does Bagon Evolve

To evolve Bagon into Shelgon, you need to raise its level to 30. From there, level Shelgon up to 50 to evolve it into Salamence. The fastest way to achieve this is through auto-battling Pokemon around Bagon's level.

If you're not focused on EV training, have Bagon battle Pokemon like Chansey, which provide more experience. Chanseys can be found in East Province (Area Two), North Province (Areas One-Three), Casseroya Lake, and West Province (Areas Two-Three).

Alternatively, you can use Exp. Candy to expedite the process. One piece of Exp. Candy L or Exp. Candy XL will boost Bagon's level significantly. Exp. Candy M works as well, but you might need more to evolve Shelgon into Salamence.

You can also catch Shelgon and Salamence from 4-star and 5/6-star Tera Raids, respectively.

Is Salamence Good?

Salamence Strengths & Weaknesses

Salamence, alongside Metagross, is a Gen 3 pseudo-legendary Pokemon with a base stat total of 600. These Pokemon are highly sought after for their impressive stats and are ideal for competitive battles when properly trained.

A recommended Nature for Salamence is Adamant (+Attk, -Sp.Attk) or Lonely (+Attk, -Def).

As a Dragon/Flying-type Pokemon, Salamence can learn both Dragon and Flying-type moves, making it super effective against a wide range of opponents. However, its dual-typing also comes with a significant weakness.

Recommended Moves

Salamence's move set leans heavily towards physical attacks, aligning well with its higher Attack stat compared to its Special Attack. You should opt for moves like Dragon Claw over Dragon Breath. To mitigate its weaknesses to Fairy and Rock types, you can teach it Iron Head using TM099.

Despite its higher Attack, Salamence's base Special Attack is still respectable, allowing it to function as a special attacker if you prefer. In this case, consider a Timid (+Spd, -Attk) Nature instead of Adamant or Lonely. A specially trained Salamence would make good use of moves like Draco Meteor and Flamethrower.