K posting all the sets I have tested EXTENSIVELY since platinum was implemented
if you think I am wrong, you can constructively criticize but note I will be severely skeptical as I guarantee no one has tested Salamence as extensively as I have.
no format to this, just set, some random comments, some other options
Great Sage can take care of incorporating whatever he wants I am getting sick of shit here anyway
(directly exported from shoddy, also note shoddy has the evs for Speed marked as "spd" so don't get confused lol)
ScarfMence (Salamence) (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 40 Atk/252 Spd/216 SAtk
Hasty nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Earthquake
- Draco Meteor
- Fire Blast
- Outrage
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you'll note +Speed on Scarf...yea. 2 reasons: checking DD Mences, and this annoying fad of running Lucarios and Porygon-Z as +Speed natures too (I was actually burned by Luke once and PZ twice)
wasn't a fan at all of Crunch / Stone Edge / Aqua Tail as I prefered to Draco Meteor incoming Gyarados / Cresselia / Hippowdon instead of predicting and not doing too much
as for EVs, they were theorymonned initially and surprisingly did not change, ever lol
310 SpAtk always beats 252 HP / o SpDef Gyarados switching into Stealth Rock (50% minimum the first time, you're faster, 25% minimum the second time), the speed was for checking other Mence (though I suggest Mence runs +Speed...no one does so >_>) and random scarfers, 316 Attack allows Mence to usually 2hko 252 hp / 252 def bold blissey after stealth rock (68%)
anyway, main point of Scarf Mence is check pokemon and give you a fast, hard hitting guy from both sides of the spectrum that is only outspeed by +Speed Deoxys, Choice Scarf Dugtrio / Alakazam / Azelf and +Speed Choice Scarf Gengar, with the only things really worrying you are the Deoxys-S and Gengar
DD Bulky Roost Mence (Salamence) (M) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 56 HP/124 Atk/96 Spd/232 SDef
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Roost
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My fucking favorite set ever. I wanted to be a cunt and not reveal it...but whatever lol. People have already realized how awesome this can be, but the platinum version only improves on it. Outrage + Lum Berry take care of three issues the other version had:
1.) Power 2.) Life Orb's annoying recoil 3.) Pokemon like Celebi / Cresselia / Blissey ruining your day with Thunder Wave
By power, I mean power remains without Life Orb, so 1 and 2 are connected obviously.
Anyway, obviously you run this with Magnezone or skarm / forry / bronzong lures
so evs come out to 345 HP / 370 Atk / 260 Speed / 253 SpDef
you'll notice straight off that this is less bulky than the old version, this is because it is now more capable of beating Cresselia / Celebi / bulky waters due to outrage and the evs pumped into attack
for example, 1 dd outrage will 2hko 252 hp / 252 def bold cresselia on average after stealth rock, and cresselia won't ohko you with ice beam and it will be helpless if it thunder waves your lum berry
as for this thing's special bulk...it is never ohkoed by a timid heatran's hp ice (meaning Gengar and outspeeding you with scarf hp ice will never ohko you either ;P) this also again always survives a 269 spatk ice beam, but I'm not sure how relevant that is in a non garchomp metagame, but the hp ice 359 spatk stuff is very useful anyway
it's imperative to note this thing's speed...260...do NOT be clever and try and take on heracross / porygon-z with this unless you are sure they aren't scarfed. 260 let's it always outspeed Skymin, which is pretty significant since it ohkos
this thing is meant to be a special check and a lure for beating salamence's common checks, and it is EXTREMELY effective at doing so
there are plenty of alternate ev spreads...if the cresselia / celebi thunder wavers arent a huge issue and you are confident you will nail them with at least some residual damage, you can always sacrifice attack all the way down to 347 (which is the point that will allow you to always 2hko cresselia with stealth rock and sand in play) and throw the rest into HP / SpDef
MixMence (Salamence) (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 84 Atk/208 Spd/216 SAtk
Mild nature (+SAtk, -Def)
- Draco Meteor
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
- Outrage / Roost
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ALRIGHT. Seems to be an issue here...Aqua Tail / Brick Break / Crunch / Stone Edge were so mediocre for me on this thing it wasn't even funny. Outrage does more to Cresselia / Blissey than either Brick Break or Crunch, and unlike the other two, has a high chance to ko them on the switch with Draco Meteor + Stealth Rock
I used to always run Roost on Mence but I have found Earthquake + Outrage to be very important, since Heatran / Metagross are literally everywhere (and yes, some do switch into you expecting the specs set), but if you HAD to substitute one my experience says remove OUtrage for it.
Speed is to always outspeed Gyarados before the Dragon Dance, which is actually more important than you might give credit for. I just went the standard 216 for the special attack and saw no reason to change it, so if someone wants to give some input there that would be nice
BandMence (Salamence) (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 Atk/252 Spd/8 SAtk
Hasty nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Outrage
- Fire Blast
- Aqua Tail
- Earthquake / Stone Edge / Dragon Claw
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Alright! Choice Band Mence is VERY fun and VERY interesting. It actually runs Aqua Tail and effectively at that!
K, brief on the EVs first. 258 Special Attack allows you to always 2hko 252 hp / 0 spdef celebi with stealth rock, and the Speed is maxed just to get Lucario / Roserade / Electivire and other Salamence that try to be cute.
Aqua Tail helps you 2hko Hippowdon (without getting locked into Outrage) / Gliscor on the switch, both of which are 2hkoed the majority of the time with Stealth Rock. It's the preferred move over Stone Edge / Crunch because Outrage will 2hko all Zapdos / Gyarados (some will be ohkoed with SR) without the accuracy issue and you would rather outrage Cresselia / Dusknoir / Celebi
Aqua Tail really finds its advantage in giving a nice "safety" (yes, even in spite of its 90% accuracy) move for "predicting" heatran. Generally you Earthquaked and feared the Gyarados / Salamence / Zapdos / Togekiss / Gliscor switching in and setting up on you. Granted, you won't be doing a lot to Gyarados or Salamence, but it is damage that still does around 18% to non defensive versions of both, which is very much advantageous if they are repeatedly switching into Stealth rock.
Earthquake remains there to ohko Tyranitar / deal with Metagross (though Fire Blast does that as well). This can be replaced with Stone Edge if you Zapdos is a huge concern and you REALLY want to ohko it. If Earthquake or Stone Edge aren't issues and Outrage's side effect is sometimes too irritating, you can go with Dragon Claw as well.
Offensive DD Mence (Salamence) (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 232 Atk/252 Spd/24 SAtk
Hasty nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
- Outrage
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Yep, no max attack for the offensive version. Max Speed and some special attack in order to always ohko 252 / 0 spdef skarm with fire blast
max speed is so helpful on this guy I don't know why people don't run it. The extra power from adamant / lonely really isn't transforming some 2hkos into magical ohkos and the speed helps mence beat a lot of things trying to act cute
SpecsMence (Salamence) (M) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 8 Atk/252 Spd/248 SAtk
Hasty nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Draco Meteor
- Dragon Pulse
- Flamethrower
- Earthquake
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yea, earthquake > Hydro Pump / HP Ground because it lets Salamence 1hko / 2hko / 2hko common versions of the pokemon that you will use a ground attack on, Heatran / Tentacruel / Empoleon.
Again, I run Hasty for +Speed because I consider that extra speed to be very useful, but you can run Mild as well. 8 EVs in Attack allow Salamence to ohko that 252 hp / 200 spdef heatran, and they allow it to 2hko special defensive versions of empoleon / tentacruel
Salamence (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP/160 Def/96 Spd
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Dragon Claw
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Roost
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my second favorite salamence set ever, though this has also changed quite a bit in platinum, and its purpose has further shifted from the special version.
you'll notice 260 speed, before platinum i recommended 280 speed on this to counter lucario better, but with ice punch rampant, there is little point, and the 270 marker for heracross really isnt *that* necessary, but you can certainly reach it if you want, anyway, 260 speed lets you outspeed skymin after a DD, so its good for me (note, you can still run 280 again for timid scarftrans, but thats up to you)
anyway, you'll notice life orb gone...and with no outrage to boot! Listen, this thing is meant to wall physically guys and hit hard occasionally, not accidently get stuck with outrage. It's purpose doesn't let it get away with that side effect like the special version does. Don't run outrage on this thing. 394 HP 259 defense + intimidate really lets you switch into many physical threats and barely feel the repurcussions.
ALRIGHT. i might edit this in later for readability purposes lol but that is the gist of alot of how salamence has changed.