"How to Catch and Evolve Bagon in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet"

Bagon, a Dragon-type Pokémon, evolves into the powerful Salamence, making it a valuable addition to your team in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. However, if you're playing Pokémon Scarlet, you'll quickly realize that Bagon and its evolutions are exclusive to Pokémon Violet. To complete your Paldea Pokédex, you'll need to secure Bagon, Shelgon, and Salamence.

Updated on January 13, 2025 by Renri Seong: Bagon, a Dragon-type, evolves into the formidable Salamence, and you can add it to your team in Pokémon Violet. There are multiple ways to catch Bagon and even its evolved form, Shelgon. If you're aiming to complete the Pokédex in Pokémon Scarlet, you'll need to transfer one from Violet. Salamence, like Dragonite, is a Dragon/Flying-type pseudo-legendary with a base stat total of 600. But how does Salamence compare to the original pseudo-legendary? Is it worth the effort to catch? This guide has been updated to provide detailed information on Salamence's stats, type effectiveness, and recommended moves.

Where to Find Bagon

Bagon Location in Pokémon Violet

In Pokémon Violet, you can find Bagon in several locations, but starting your search in East Province (Area Three) is advisable. This area is expansive and filled with caves ripe for exploration.

If you're still in the starting area, you can catch a fixed spawn Bagon on a mountain in South Province (Area Five). Ascend the mountain southwest of the bridge connecting the grassy and rocky regions of South Province (Area Five).

Another prime location is Dalizapa Passage, situated north of The Great Crater of Paldea and south of Glaseado Mountain. Upon arrival, you'll find a deep hole with a Pokémon Center. You can ride Koraidon or Miraidon to jump down the hole or walk down via one of the many cavern entrances. This spot, though less open than East Province, is a cave teeming with rare Pokémon like Bagon and Frigibax.

For those who enjoy raids, Bagon can be caught in 3-star Tera Raids, which become available after earning three gym badges. Note that Bagon's Tera Type might differ from its regular type when caught in a raid. Additionally, Pokémon from 3-star Raids may have their Hidden Ability, a factor to consider when hunting for Bagon.

How to Get Bagon in Pokémon Scarlet

How to Trade and Transfer Pokémon

Since Bagon and its evolutions are not available in Pokémon Scarlet, you'll need to trade with a Pokémon Violet player or use Pokémon HOME to transfer Bagon from another game. To trade, you can either create or join a Group via the Union Circle. For online trading, a Nintendo Switch Online Membership is required. Transferring Bagon from another game might be more straightforward.

If you have Pokémon HOME on your Switch, you can transfer Bagon from games like Pokémon Sword/Shield (Expansion Pass), Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl, or directly from Pokémon HOME.

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

When you relaunch Pokémon Scarlet, Bagon should appear in the designated PC Box, and its Dex Entry will be complete.

How to Evolve Bagon into Shelgon and Salamence

What Level Does Bagon Evolve

To evolve Bagon, you need to level it up to 30, at which point it will evolve into Shelgon. Further, level Shelgon to 50 to evolve it into Salamence. The fastest way to level up is by having Bagon or Shelgon auto-battle Pokémon around their level.

If you're not EV training, consider auto-battling against Chansey, which provides substantial experience. Chansey 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 level up Bagon or Shelgon quickly. A single piece of Exp. Candy L or Exp. Candy XL will boost their level significantly. Exp. Candy M is effective too, though you'll need more of it, especially when evolving 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 pseudo-legendary from Generation 3. These non-legendary Pokémon have a base stat total of 600, making them highly sought after for PVP battles when trained correctly.

| HP: | 95 | | Attack: | 135 | | Special Attack:| 110 | | Defense: | 80 | | Special Defense:| 80 | | Speed: | 100 | | Total: | 600 |

A recommended Nature for Salamence is Adamant (+Attack, -Special Attack) or Lonely (+Attack, -Defense).

As a Dragon/Flying-type Pokémon, Salamence can learn both Dragon and Flying-type moves, which are super effective against a wide range of Pokémon. However, its dual-typing makes it vulnerable to one major weakness.

| Super-effective against: | Dragon, | | Weaknesses: | Ice (x4), Fairy, Dragon, Rock,| | Resistances: | Grass (x1/4), Water, Fire, Fighting, Bug| | Immunities: | Ground |

Recommended Moves

Salamence's move set leans heavily towards physical attacks, which aligns well with its higher Attack stat compared to its Special Attack. Opt for moves like Dragon Claw over Dragon Breath, which is a special move. To counter its Fairy and Rock weaknesses, you can teach it Iron Head using TM099.

Despite its higher Attack, Salamence's base Special Attack is still respectable, and you can train it as a special attacker if you prefer. For this strategy, consider a Timid Nature (+Speed, -Attack) instead of Adamant or Lonely. A special-attacking Salamence will benefit more from moves like Draco Meteor and Flamethrower.