Best Movesets For Shelgon Evolution: A Guide

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Hey guys! So you're looking for the best movesets for your Shelgon as it evolves, huh? You've come to the right place! Shelgon, the evolved form of Bagon and the pre-evolution of the mighty Salamence, is a Dragon/Flying-type Pokémon with some serious potential. Choosing the right moves for your Shelgon as it levels up can make a huge difference in battles. This guide will help you navigate the best options and create a powerful moveset that will carry you through your journey. Let's dive into the world of Shelgon movesets and unleash its full potential!

Understanding Shelgon's Strengths and Weaknesses

Before we jump into specific movesets, let's quickly touch on Shelgon's strengths and weaknesses. Understanding these will help you tailor your moveset to compensate for shortcomings and capitalize on its strengths. Shelgon boasts a fantastic Defense stat, making it a resilient physical wall. However, its Special Defense is significantly lower, making it vulnerable to special attacks. Offensively, Shelgon's Attack stat is decent, but its Special Attack is quite low, which means you'll generally want to focus on physical moves. Speed-wise, Shelgon is pretty slow, so don't expect to outspeed many opponents.

  • Strengths: High Defense, access to powerful physical moves, Dragon/Flying typing offers good offensive coverage.
  • Weaknesses: Low Special Defense and Speed, reliant on physical attacks before evolution, vulnerable to Ice, Rock, Dragon, and Fairy-type moves.

Knowing these strengths and weaknesses, we can now strategize about the best moves to teach your Shelgon as it evolves. We want moves that will maximize its defensive capabilities, deal significant physical damage, and provide good coverage against various types of opponents. Keeping its future evolution, Salamence, in mind will also guide our choices.

Early Game Moveset (Levels 30-40)

In the early stages of Shelgon's evolution (around levels 30-40), your main goal is to have a moveset that provides reliable damage output and covers different types. Here's a sample moveset you can consider:

  • Headbutt: A Normal-type move learned at level 1. It provides decent damage early on and has a chance to cause flinching, which can be useful for disrupting opponents.
  • Bite: A Dark-type move learned at level 1. This provides coverage against Ghost and Psychic-type Pokémon, which Shelgon otherwise struggles against.
  • Dragon Breath: A Dragon-type move learned at level 35. This is your primary STAB (Same-Type Attack Bonus) move, dealing significant damage to other Dragon-types and having a chance to paralyze.
  • Leer: A Normal-type move learned at level 31. Although it doesn't deal damage, Leer lowers the opponent's Defense, making your physical attacks more potent.

This early game moveset focuses on building a solid foundation for Shelgon. Dragon Breath is your powerhouse move during this phase, while Headbutt and Bite offer type coverage. Leer sets up your physical attacks, making them even more effective. Remember, the key is to level up and get closer to evolving Shelgon into the mighty Salamence!

Mid-Game Moveset (Levels 40-50)

As you progress through the game and Shelgon levels up further (around levels 40-50), you'll gain access to some more powerful moves. It's time to replace some of the earlier moves with better options. Here’s a solid mid-game moveset suggestion:

  • Dragon Claw: A Dragon-type move learned at level 43. This is a stronger STAB move than Dragon Breath, offering more consistent damage without the chance of paralysis.
  • Crunch: A Dark-type move learned via TM (Technical Machine). Crunch is a significant upgrade over Bite, providing much higher damage output against Ghost and Psychic-types and having a chance to lower the opponent's Defense.
  • Rock Tomb: A Rock-type move learned via TM. This move gives you excellent coverage against Flying-type Pokémon, which are 4x super effective against Salamence after it evolves. It also lowers the opponent's Speed, which can help Shelgon outspeed slower threats.
  • Zen Headbutt: A Psychic-type move learned via breeding or TM. This move provides coverage against Fighting-types, which can be troublesome for Dragon-types. It also has a decent chance to make the opponent flinch.

This mid-game moveset really starts to showcase Shelgon's offensive potential. Dragon Claw becomes your go-to STAB move, while Crunch and Rock Tomb provide crucial coverage against various threats. Zen Headbutt offers another coverage option and a chance to disrupt opponents. At this stage, Shelgon is becoming a formidable force to be reckoned with!

Late-Game and Post-Evolution Moveset (Salamence)

The moment you've been waiting for! Shelgon evolves into Salamence at level 50, unlocking its full potential. As Salamence, its stats skyrocket, and it gains access to even more powerful moves. It's time to craft a moveset that truly makes the most of Salamence's capabilities. Here’s a late-game moveset suggestion, keeping in mind that TMs and move tutors may be required:

  • Outrage: A Dragon-type move learned at level 58. This is Salamence's ultimate STAB move, dealing massive damage. However, it locks Salamence into using the move for 2-3 turns and confuses it afterward, so use it strategically.
  • Earthquake: A Ground-type move learned via TM. Earthquake provides excellent coverage against Steel and Electric-types, which can otherwise wall Salamence. It's a very powerful move with high accuracy.
  • Fly: A Flying-type move learned via HM (Hidden Machine) or TM. Fly offers STAB and allows Salamence to dodge attacks on the first turn, making it a versatile option for both offense and defense.
  • Fire Blast: A Fire-type move learned via TM. This special attack covers Salamence's weakness to Ice-types and deals significant damage to other Pokémon like Steel-types that resist physical attacks. Alternatively, you could consider Fire Fang as a physical alternative.

This late-game moveset transforms Salamence into an absolute powerhouse. Outrage is your nuke button, dealing immense damage to anything that doesn't resist it. Earthquake and Fly provide crucial coverage and STAB, while Fire Blast (or Fire Fang) handles Ice and Steel-types. Remember to adjust the moveset based on your team composition and the challenges you're facing.

Alternative Moves and Strategies

Of course, there are always alternative moves and strategies you can consider for Shelgon and Salamence. The best moveset will often depend on your play style, your team composition, and the specific battles you're facing. Here are a few other moves and strategies to keep in mind:

  • Dragon Dance: A Dragon-type stat boosting move learned via breeding or TM. This move boosts Salamence's Attack and Speed, making it an even more formidable offensive threat. Setting up a Dragon Dance or two can turn Salamence into a sweeper.
  • Hydro Pump: A Water-type move learned via TM. This special attack provides coverage against Rock and Ground-types and can surprise opponents who expect physical attacks.
  • Stone Edge: A Rock-type move learned via TM. Stone Edge is a powerful physical Rock-type move that can provide coverage against Flying-types and has a high critical hit ratio.
  • Double-Edge: A Normal-type move learned via breeding or move tutor. This move deals high damage but also causes recoil damage to the user. It's a risky but powerful option for a last-ditch effort.

Experimenting with different moves and strategies is part of the fun of Pokémon! Don't be afraid to try out new things and see what works best for you.

Training and EVs (Effort Values)

Beyond just choosing the right moves, training your Shelgon and Salamence properly is essential for maximizing their potential. EV training (Effort Values) allows you to influence which stats your Pokémon excel in. For a physical attacker like Salamence, you'll generally want to focus on training its Attack and Speed stats.

  • Attack: Defeating Pokémon that yield Attack EVs, such as Pokémon in the Bagon line or other Dragon-types.
  • Speed: Defeating Pokémon that yield Speed EVs, such as Pokémon in the Zubat line or other Flying-types.

There are also items like Power Bracer and Power Anklet that can help speed up the EV training process. Distributing EVs strategically can make a significant difference in battles, turning Salamence into a true powerhouse.

Conclusion

So there you have it, guys! A comprehensive guide to the best movesets for Shelgon as it evolves into the mighty Salamence. From the early game to the late game, choosing the right moves can transform your Shelgon from a decent Pokémon into a formidable opponent. Remember to consider its strengths and weaknesses, plan for its evolution into Salamence, and experiment with different moves and strategies.

By understanding the best moves for each stage of Shelgon's evolution, you can train a Salamence that will dominate your battles. Happy training, and may your Salamence soar to victory! Good luck, and have fun on your Pokémon journey! Remember, the best part of Pokémon is the journey itself, so enjoy every step of the way.