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

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 Pokémon, evolves into the formidable Salamence, and you can capture one in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. However, if you're playing Pokémon Scarlet, you won't find Bagon or its evolutions in the wild, as they are exclusive to Pokémon Violet. To complete your Paldea Pokédex, you'll need to obtain Bagon, Shelgon, and Salamence.

Updated on January 13, 2025 by Renri Seong: Bagon, a Dragon-type Pokémon, evolves into the powerful Salamence, and you can add it to your team in Pokémon Violet. There are various locations where you can encounter Bagon and even its evolved form, Shelgon. For those playing Pokémon Scarlet and aiming to complete the Pokédex, you'll need to transfer Bagon from Violet. Like Dragonite, Salamence is a Dragon/Flying-type pseudo-legendary with a base stat total of 600. But does Salamence stand up to the first pseudo-legendary of the Pokémon world? This guide has been updated to provide detailed insights into Salamence's stats, type effectiveness, and recommended moves.

Where to Find Bagon

Bagon Location in Pokemon Violet

In Pokémon Violet, you can find Bagon in several locations, but starting your search in East Province (Area Three) is advisable due to its expansive terrain and numerous caves to explore.

If you're still in the early stages of the game, you can catch a Bagon at a fixed spawn point on a mountain in South Province (Area Five). Ascend the mountain southwest of the bridge that connects the grassy and rocky areas of South Province (Area Five).

Another recommended spot 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 either ride Koraidon or Miraidon to jump down or enter through one of the many cave entrances leading to it. While this location is less open than East Province, it's a hotspot for rare Pokémon like Bagon and Frigibax.

For those interested in Tera Raids, Bagon can be caught in 3-star Tera Raids, which become available after obtaining three gym badges. Note that Bagon's Tera Type might differ from its standard type when caught in raids. However, Pokémon from these raids can have Hidden Abilities, which could be a consideration when seeking Bagon.

How to Get Bagon in Pokemon Scarlet

How to Trade and Transfer Pokemon

Since Bagon and its evolutions are not available in Pokémon Scarlet, you'll need to trade with a Pokémon Violet player or transfer Bagon using Pokémon HOME. To trade, you can either create or join a Group via the Union Circle. Remember, you'll need a Nintendo Switch Online Membership to use online features, making transferring Bagon from another game a more straightforward option.

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 Pokémon HOME, then select the game from which you're transferring Bagon.
2. Move Bagon to your Basic Box (the left side of the screen), and 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.

Once you open Pokémon Scarlet again, Bagon should be in the PC Box you selected, and you'll have its Pokédex entry completed.

How to Evolve Bagon into Shelgon and Salamence

What Level Does Bagon Evolve

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

If you're not focusing on EV training, have Bagon battle Pokémon 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 boost their levels. One piece of Exp. Candy L or Exp. Candy XL will raise their level significantly. Exp. Candy M works too, but you might need more to evolve Shelgon into Salamence.

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

Is Salamence Good?

Salamence Strengths & Weaknesses

Salamence, along with Metagross, is a pseudo-legendary Pokémon from Generation 3. Pseudo-legendary Pokémon are non-legendary with a base stat total of 600, making them highly sought after for competitive play when properly trained.

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

As a Dragon/Flying-type Pokémon, Salamence can learn both Dragon and Flying-type moves, making it super effective against a variety of opponents. However, its dual typing also means it has a significant weakness.

Recommended Moves

Salamence's move set is predominantly physical, aligning well with its higher Attack stat. You can opt for moves like Dragon Claw, a physical move, over Dragon Breath, which is special. To address its Fairy and Rock weaknesses, you can teach it Iron Head via TM099.

Despite having a higher Attack stat, Salamence's Special Attack isn't negligible, and you can train it as a special attacker if preferred. If you choose this route, consider a Timid (+Spd, -Attk) Nature instead of Adamant or Lonely. A specially-trained Salamence would benefit from moves like Draco Meteor and Flamethrower.