Forums · Salamence Revamp

Here is the first analysis revamp that follows the new format!

Aldaron

0 +0

May 15 '08

[GLOBAL INFO]

Analysis: Salamence

[DEFENSIVE COMBINATIONS]
Salamence's Dragon / Flying type gives it a weakness to Ice, Rock and Dragon, a resist to Fire, Water, Grass, Fighting and Bug, and an immunity to Ground.  Steel Pokémon like Metagross, Jirachi, Bronzong, Registeel, Forretress and Heatran are great defensive complements, as they all resist Ice, Rock (besides Heatran and Forretress, who are neutral) and Dragon.  Magnezone actually resists everything that Salamence does not resist, so when it comes to defensive combinations, Salamence and Magnezone are perfect.  Since the most common Super Effective attacks against Salamence are the special Ice Beam (predominantly from bulky Water Pokémon and Blissey / Cresselia), the physical Stone Edge (predominantly from Tyranitar) and the physical Dragon Claw / Outrage (predominantly from Garchomp), physically bulky Water Pokémon also tend to be good defensive partners. 

Suicune / Slowbro don't mind being hit by Ice Beam (though Slowbro does mind Crunch from Tyranitar), and can hit both Tyranitar and Garchomp with Super Effective attacks.  A Thick Fat Hariyama with an emphasis on HP and Def EVs can take Ice and Rock attacks and hit both Tyranitar and Garchomp for massive damage.  Intimidate Hitmontop can switch into Ice Beam with its high Special Defense, and, with Intimidate + Bulk Up, not take too much damage while simultaneously pose serious harm to both Tyranitar and Garchomp.  Regirock, especially in Sand, can take all those attacks easily, and again pose immediate harm to Salamence's threats, though less so with its Water and Ground weaknesses.  Snorlax with Curse and Thick Fat can easily switch into Ice attacks, and while it has trouble switching into Stone Edge and Outrage, it can definitely lure either out and proceed to Curse, or lure out a Fighter, a type Salamence can come in pretty easily against. 

For most of Salamence's sets, such as the SpecsMence or Offensive DD Mence sets, the real issue is getting Salamence in safely so that it can proceed to deal large amounts of damage to the opposing team.  Therefore, optimal defensive combinations aren't limited only to direct attacks, but also include luring in Pokémon that Salamence can feel comfortable switching in against, such as Heracross, Gliscor (for the Special variants), Metagross or Choiced Pokémon stuck in Fighting or Ground moves.  Lucario / Heatran, who often attract ScarfChomp (who will Earthquake for fear of Swords Dance / Dragon Pulse) and Blissey / Cresselia, who often attract Heracross, are four examples of potential lures for Salamence.  All four, coincidentally, can also help Salamence with its Ice weakness (as neither Blissey nor Cresselia mind absorbing an Ice Beam).
[/DEFENSIVE COMBINATIONS]

[/GLOBAL INFO]


[SET]
Name: MixMence
Item: Life Orb
IVs: 29 HP
EVs: 116 Atk / 216 SpAtk / 176 Speed
Nature: Mild
Ability: Intimidate
Stats: 329 HP / 335 Atk / 176 Def / 341 SpAtk / 196 SpDef / 280 Speed
Moves:
- Draco Meteor
- Fire Blast
- Brick Break
- Roost
[/SET]

[SET DESCRIPTION]
Life Orb is the perfect item for MixMence, as it boosts both sides of the damage spectrum while having a negative side effect that doesn't hinder its offensive nature too much.  Draco Meteor, Fire Blast and Brick Break hit everything in the game for at least neutral damage, and Brick Break is specifically for that Blissey that switches in expecting to absorb a SpecsMence's Draco Meteor.  The 29 HP IV is there for optimal Life Orb usage, as it is a typical **9 number. The amount of health Life Orb will take from 279 HP is 27, from 359 HP, 35, meaning instead of 10 chances to attack, the Pokémon actually has 11 (27 * 10 = 270, 279 - 270 = 9).

The true utility of this set is found in its ability to deal massive damage on the special side, and then deal massive physical damage to those Pokémon that resist its attacks on the special side.  MixMence, as this is known, was developed early in the DP metagame when Blissey was seen countering SpecsMence every time.  Paired with Stealth Rock, MixMence has the potential to 2HKO Blissey on the switch with a Draco Meteor and then a Brick Break.
[/SET DESCRIPTION]

[OTHER OPTIONS]
This set has a plethora of viable alternative options.  If Cresselia is an issue, substituting either Brick Break or Roost for Crunch will allow a 2HKO with Stealth Rock on some Cresselia with a Draco Meteor + Crunch combination.  It can also run Dragon Claw, in case a reliable STAB is required, or Earthquake, in case OHKOing either Tentacruel or Heatran is a necessity.  Dragon Rush, Flamethrower, Hydro Pump and Stone Edge are potential substitute moves that, while not as effective on average as the given set, still have their own little advantages. 
[/OTHER OPTIONS]

[OFFENSIVE COMBINATIONS]
MixMence doesn't truly require any offensive complements, as it hits both sides of the spectrum for large damage.  However, Pokémon such as Swords Dance Lucario, Life Orb Gengar and Breloom all deal with potential issues, such as a defensive Snorlax, Uxie / Mesprit, and some Cresselia. 
[/OFFENSIVE COMBINATIONS]

[STRATEGIC COMBINATIONS]
MixMence is best served with Stealth Rock and either Sandstorm / Hail.  It might seem counterintuitive to have Salamence losing 16.25% per turn, but the additional 6.25% (essentially the negating of Leftovers recovery) helps ensure a 2HKO against questionable targets like Blissey or Cresselia, and it is a nice addition to the massive damage Draco Meteor will be dealing.  Since Salamence is weak to Stealth Rock and will be taking large amounts of recoil damage, a Rapid Spinner and a Wisher are auspicious complements. 
[/STRATEGIC COMBINATIONS]

[SET COUNTERS]
There are few true "counters" to this, as nearly everything in the standard game is potentially 2HKOed.  However, since most players will Draco Meteor first turn, switching to any Steel Pokémon and then switching away again would be the optimal method for defeating this. Of all OU Pokémon, Salamence is the one that hits hardest from both sides of the damage spectrum, and it has the Speed to back it up.  Still, certain Pokémon, like Cresselia and Blissey, can take the first attack and switch out accordingly.  Milotic can also generally take a Draco Meteor and the subsequent physical hit (as long as it isn't Dragon Claw, as Draco Meteor + Dragon Claw can sometimes KO Milotic) and Recover off the damage.
[/SET COUNTERS]

[SET]
Name: SpecsMence
Item: Choice Specs
EVs: 8 Atk / 248 SpAtk / 252 Speed
Nature: Mild
Ability: Intimidate
Stats: 331 HP / 308 Atk / 176 Def / 349 SpAtk / 196 SpDef / 299 Speed
Moves:
- Draco Meteor
- Fire Blast
- Dragon Pulse
- Earthquake
[/SET]

[SET DESCRIPTION]350 Special Attack supporting a 140 BP move with STAB and Choice Specs multipliers equates to a majority of neutral Pokémon getting 2HKOed, even with the second Draco Meteor's reduction in power.  Fire Blast is there for the Steel Pokémon that resist Dragon moves, and Regice, who isn't 2HKOed with 252 HP / 252 SpDef EVs and a +SpDef nature by Draco Meteor, but is potentially 2HKOed by the Fire Blast.  Earthquake is there for Heatran, Empoleon, Tentacruel and Rock / Steel Pokémon, all of which resist or don't take massive damage from the other three attacks.  

Dragon Pulse is also on the set for late-game sweeping, as Draco Meteor's -2 drop in Special Attack is not optimal when the opponent's Pokémon have taken residual damage and don't require a 140 BP move to be KOed.  It may seem counterintuitive to have two special attacks of the same type on a set, but just think of Draco Meteor as the early-game move and Dragon Pulse as the late-game move.

Those wondering about the -Def nature as opposed to the -Atk nature on a Choice Specs set should simply look at Salamence's purpose. Its purpose is to directly defeat the opposition, not necessarily take incoming attacks.  At 308 Atk, Salamence's Earthquake is always a OHKO to a 4 HP / 0 Def Heatran, and a OHKO on average to a 252 HP / 0 Def Heatran.  308 Atk also allows Salamence to always 2HKO a 252 HP / 40 Def Empoleon with Leftovers, whereas 275 Atk only accomplishes this 30.9% of the time.
[/SET DESCRIPTION]

[OTHER OPTIONS]
If Fire Blast's accuracy is not appealing, Flamethrower is certainly a viable alternative. In fact, Flamethrower is still a OHKO to the common Skarmory, and both are 2HKOs to the common Bronzong.  Fire Blast is the "main" option simply because it has the potential to 2HKO special defensively oriented Regice and Registeel, and it is a guaranteed OHKO to 252 HP / 0 SpDef Metagross, who survives Flamethrower on average. 

Nothing in the game resists this set, though both Blissey and Cresselia have the potential to wall it effectively.  In spite of this, do not be attracted to either Brick Break or Crunch as viable alternatives to Earthquake, as neither 2HKOes either of those Pokémon.  A potential substitute for Earthquake, however, is the less accurate Hydro Pump.  Draco Meteor will actually never 2HKO 252 HP / 0 SpDef Tyranitar in sand or 252 HP / 0 SpDef Shuckle in sand, while Hydro Pump possesses the potential to do so. Should Hydro Pump be substituted for Earthquake, the nature would have to be changed to Modest and the Attack EVs would have to be redistributed. However, Rock Pokémon in general still take a 210 total BP move from Draco Meteor, while the upgrade to Hydro Pump is only 240 total BP, approximately a 14% increase in power.  Hydro Pump will also never OHKO the standard Special Defensive Heatran, and it leaves Salamence vulnerable to Empoleon and Tentacruel.
[/OTHER OPTIONS]

[OFFENSIVE COMBINATIONS]
Since this set really only cannot handle Blissey and Cresselia, the optimal Pokémon to offensively complement it would be anything that is capable of dealing massive damage to either, while also dealing respectable damage to Regice / Registeel / Tentacruel / Empoleon, all of which can potentially take advantage of the "Choice" factor and switch in accordingly.  If Cresselia were not in this list, simply any physical attacker would suffice, yet Cresselia's inclusion requires either a SE STAB or a potentially Attack-boosting move on a Pokémon that isn't worried about becoming paralyzed.  Optimal offensive complements are therefore Tyranitar, Heracross, and Metagross.
[/OFFENSIVE COMBINATIONS]

[STRATEGIC COMBINATIONS]
There isn't anything particularly "subtle" or "strategic" about blasting the opponent with massively powerful attacks, yet there are a few Pokémon that can subtly assist Salamence in what it tries to accomplish.  It is weak to Stealth Rock and can find itself taking some possibly detrimental residual damage during the course of a battle, so Pokémon with Rapid Spin or Wish are certainly helpful complements. Since it only reaches 299 Speed, it is susceptible to the revenge killing potential of faster Pokémon, and can therefore be greatly assisted by a Pokémon or two that have Thunder Wave (for Gengar or Azelf) and Body Slam / Stun Spore (for Garchomp).  Starmie gets Rapid Spin, Jirachi gets Wish and Thunder Wave / Body Slam, and Blissey can take all those Ice Beams directed toward it and respond with a helpful Thunder Wave.
[/STRATEGIC COMBINATIONS]

[SET COUNTERS] 
The only true "counters" to this set are Blissey, Milotic and a special defensively oriented Cresselia.  Otherwise, every Pokémon in the metagame viable in OU is potentially 2HKOed by one of its attacks.  A standard 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpDef (neutral or + nature) Blissey can handle all of this set's attacks, and respond with a Thunder Wave / Ice Beam, and use Softboiled to heal itself.  A 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 SpDef Calm Cresselia can easily switch into this and Moonlight or Rest off the damage, and respond with a Thunder Wave or Ice Beam.  252 HP / 252 SpDef Calm Milotic can also switch into Salamence's Draco Meteors and not be 2HKOed, even with Stealth Rock down. 
[/SET COUNTERS]

[SET]
Name: Offensive DD Mence
Item: Life Orb
IVs: 29 HP
EVs: 248 Atk / 84 SpAtk / 176 Speed
Nature: Lonely
Ability: Intimidate
Stats: 329 HP / 404 Atk / 176 Def / 277 SpAtk / 196 SpDef / 280 Speed
Moves:
- Dragon Dance
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
[/SET]

[SET DESCRIPTION]A standard coverage Dragon Dance set.  This switches in on a predicted Ground / Fighting move, Dragon Dances, and proceeds to sweep with 606 Attack, 420 Speed and a 30% boost to its attacks due to Life Orb.  277 SpA is reached for two reasons: first, Skarmory occasionally run 252 HP / 40 SpD, and 277 SpA will allow a Life Orb Fire Blast to always OHKO, and second, the standard 338 HP / 330 SpDef Bronzong is always 2HKOed by that same Fire Blast.  280 Speed is reached because various threats in the game, Adamant Heracross (269), Adamant Lucario (279), and Timid Heatran (278), just to name a few, are slower.  Again, it has an HP IV of 29 to maximize Life Orb usage.

Just to demonstrate how effective this is, here are a few damage calculations, all assuming one Dragon Dance.

Zapdos needs 252 HP / 192 Def EVs and Bold nature, 384 HP / 279 Def, to never be OHKOed by Dragon Claw after taking Stealth Rock damage.

Starmie is always OHKOed with 252 HP / 0 Def, 324 HP / 206 Def, by Dragon Claw, and needs 252 HP / 208 Def Bold, 324 HP / 283 Def, to never be OHKOed by Dragon Claw after switching into Stealth Rock.

Blissey needs to run a very inefficient 224 HP / 252 Def Bold, 707 HP / 130 Def, to never be OHKOed by Dragon Claw after Stealth Rock.

Celebi, running 252 HP / 216 Def Bold, 404 HP / 319 Def, is always 2HKOed by Dragon Claw with either Stealth Rock or Sandstorm in play.  It is 2HKOed 97% of the time without.

Cresselia is the only Pokémon not 2HKOed by this set, but it still takes a substantial amount of damage, and if both Stealth Rock and Sandstorm are in play, even a 252 HP / 252 Def Bold, 444 HP / 372 Def, version is 2HKOed by Dragon Claw most of the time. 
[/SET DESCRIPTION]

[OTHER OPTIONS]
Crunch, Stone Edge, Rock Slide, Brick Break, Dragon Rush, Zen Headbutt and Aerial Ace are all viable alternatives to consider for this set.  Brick Break in place of Earthquake allows Salamence to have a guaranteed OHKO on all Blissey after Stealth Rock, and still deals significant damage to the standard Heatran and Empoleon, so that should certainly be considered.  Dragon Rush has the same BP as Brick Break on Blissey, has a chance to flinch the opponent and it allows Earthquake and its OHKO on Tyranitar and Metagross to remain on the set.  Stone Edge / Rock Slide are both for Gyarados, depending on how much of a threat Gyarados poses to the team.  Crunch allows for the guaranteed 2HKO on all Cresselia, without Stealth Rock or Sandstorm.  Aerial Ace helps Salamence hit physically bulky Machamp and Heracross for SE damage, though both are rare.  Finally, Zen Headbutt should be considered if Weezing becomes popular and is suddenly a troublesome wall for the team.

Another consideration is making the nature +Speed and reaching 308 Speed to out-speed 306 Speed Choice Scarfers and Adamant Garchomp, both potential checks against this set.  If running a +Speed nature, be aware of the subsequent drop in power, as Salamence does actually depend on the extra 10% in some situations, such as ensuring a OHKO against Zapdos or ensuring a 2HKO against Celebi. 
[/OTHER OPTIONS]

[OFFENSIVE COMBINATIONS]
Since Skarmory is OHKOed and Blissey is potentially OHKOed, the Pokémon that really give this set difficulty are Cresselia, bulky Water Pokémon and bulky Pokémon that have Thunder Wave, like Celebi.  Again, a "power based" Heracross, or a Swords Dance Lucario with Crunch and Close Combat are both potentially useful partners.   Because a ScarfChomp can come in and kill Salamence with only one Dragon Dance, a Pokémon such as Adamant Swords Dance Ice Shard Night Slash Life Orb Weavile is very useful, as it OHKOes ScarfChomp and ScarfGengar every time with Ice Shard, and ScarfAzelf 59% of the time with Ice Shard (calculations assume 4 HP / 0 SpDef) and Stealth Rock damage.  The same Weavile's Night Slash is a OHKO on Celebi, and OHKO on 252 HP / 252 Def Bold Cresselia 21% of the time.   Calm Mind Substitute Raikou can actually deal with nearly all the Pokémon that this set has troubles with, especially behind a Substitute so that a Choice Scarf Explosion (Gengar and Azelf) or Earthquake (Garchomp) won't affect it. 
[/OFFENSIVE COMBINATIONS]

[STRATEGIC COMBINATIONS]
Offensive DD Mence, more than all the other Salamence sets, needs a teammate to lay Stealth Rock on the field.  Various 3HKOes and 2HKOes become 2HKOes and OHKOes simply with Stealth Rock down, such as Dragon Claw on Celebi and Brick Break on Blissey.  A Pokémon with U-turn also helps Salamence set up, as the main issue with this set is simply getting the first Dragon Dance in.  A Pokémon such as Celebi uses U-turn on a predicted Bug or Fire attack, and allows Salamence to come in and essentially Dragon Dance for free.  Another interesting complement to Salamence is Yache Berry Swords Dance Garchomp, for two reasons.  First, Blissey, Cresselia and Celebi will often use Thunder Wave against Salamence the first turn, which Garchomp is immune to.  Second, the counter to Offensive DD Mence is often the same counter to YacheChomp, which of course means that with a Swords Dance + Outrage / Earthquake, the counter to Salamence will either be gone or severely hurt.  Here, Garchomp acts as a lure for Salamence. 
[/STRATEGIC COMBINATIONS]

[SET COUNTERS]
Because of the various options Offensive DD Mence has, only a few viable Pokémon are not potentially 2HKOed, and the most sturdy one is 252 HP / 252 Def Bold Cresselia.  Suicune with 252 HP / 252 Def Bold usually isn't 2HKOed by Dragon Claw, but the chance remains at 7.5%. However, this does not mean that the DD set is unbeatable.  A common flaw that most players have is that once they Dragon Dance once, they feel they are faster than the majority of the game, and therefore will not switch.  Hence, a Jolly Choice Scarf Garchomp, a Timid Choice Scarf Gengar and various other high speed Choice Scarfers, while not being able to switch in necessarily, can certainly defeat it with a SE move.  Certainly take advantage of this "player's fallacy" and use the power of Choice Scarf to prevent a Salamence sweep.  Also noteworthy is that Shuckle can easily take a single Dragon Dance Dragon Claw / Dragon Rush, and proceed to Encore the move and switch to a counter to that move. 
[/SET COUNTERS]

[SET]
Name: S. Bulky DD Mence
Item: Life Orb
EVs: 172 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpDef / 80 Speed
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Intimidate
Stats: 374 HP / 337 Atk / 196 Def / 230 SpAtk / 259 SpDef / 256 Speed
Moves:
- Dragon Dance
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Roost
[/SET]

[SET DESCRIPTION]
269 SpAtk is a magical number that Pokémon without STAB on Ice Beam use to guarantee a OHKO on Garchomp, and by extension, Salamence.  This set ensures that Salamence survives that 269 SpAtk Ice Beam and has enough HP to take Life Orb recoil and survive.  It takes 336 maximum damage from that Ice Beam, and Life Orb takes 37 from Salamence, meaning it will always survive with at least 1 HP.  The real "beauty" of this, however, is in Roost's ability to remove Salamence's Flying weaknesses, meaning, of course, that Ice Beam will now do 168 maximum while Salamence Roosts back up to above 10% (maximum of 2 Roosts) to fire back with another high powered Dragon Claw or Earthquake. 

However, this set isn't specialized solely for Ice attacks.  Gengar, the most common special attacker in the game, is checked by this set, as a 359 Special Attack Life Orb STAB Shadow Ball does 49.2% maximum, meaning Salamence can switch in, Dragon Dance, and Roost until it is above 10% to kill Gengar.  Hidden Power Ice is a concern, though it is only Choice Scarf Gengar that tend to carry Hidden Power Ice, and that does 88.7% maximum assuming the Gengar is Timid, and 88.7% on average if the Gengar is Modest, while Salamence's Dragon Claw does 262 damage on average, propitiously just enough to OHKO 4 HP / 0 Def Gengar. 

Just for a potential example, this always beats the standard 252 HP / 0 Def / 0 SpA Starmie.  Starmie comes in on the Dragon Dance, Salamence Dragon Claws, Starmie does a maximum of 79% and recovers with Leftovers.  The great part is that Starmie is now in KO range, and Salamence is not in Life Orb KO range, meaning it wins.  This works the same way with Vaporeon, Swampert (assuming it has Ice Beam and not Avalanche), and various other Pokémon that are often used to deal with Garchomp. 

256 Speed is necessary for 2 reasons: to out-speed Deoxys-S after 2 Dragon Dances, and to out-speed Weavile after one.  It also allows Salamence to be faster than Modest Heatran without a Dragon Dance, a useful ability.  Dropping below this Speed is highly discouraged. 
[/SET DESCRIPTION]

[OTHER OPTIONS]
This set very purposefully dropped the Fire move for Roost, and not one of the other two, because Dragon / Ground allows Salamence to OHKO many more threats than Dragon / Fire or Fire / Ground would allow.  However, a potential exchange would be Leftovers for Life Orb.  The ability to OHKO and 2HKO a lot of Pokémon would be sacrificed for more survivability in Sand, and to more efficiently gain back the HP lost from an incoming Ice attacking while Roosting. Still, for this set's purpose, Leftovers is mathematically a less efficient item, as the attack drop is not compensated by the additional 6.25% recovery. 
[/OTHER OPTIONS]

[OFFENSIVE COMBINATIONS]
Dragon / Ground really only has issues with Skarmory / Bronzong, some very physically bulky Water Pokémon like Suicune and Slowbro, and Cresselia.  Breloom, with its ability to use Substitute and Leech Seed to stall Cresselia, Spore Skarmory / Bronzong and significantly hurt Suicune / Slowbro is a great offensive complement to this Salamence set.  Heracross, preferably a "power" based one, as in Choice Band or Swords Dance, is a viable offensive complement, as CBCross's Close Combat is a 2HKO to Skarmory, Bronzong and Suicune, and its Megahorn is a OHKO on Cresselia and Slowbro.  Metagross and Tyranitar aren't optimal offensive options this time, as both help against Cresselia, but are stopped short by the bulky Water Pokémon and run into issues with Skarmory / Bronzong.  A Tyranitar set with Thunderbolt and Crunch could feasibly be effective, yet Suicune will still come out on top with Calm Mind.  A +SpAtk nature Life Orb Heatran does enough with Overheat / Fire Blast + Explosion to KO Suicune on average, and obviously deals with the others just fine.  Infernape, assuming Life Orb, Nasty Plot, Overheat, Grass Knot and maximum Special Attack, also deals massive damage to all of those (actually only having to 2HKO Cresselia).  Finally, Zapdos has the ability to take on all of them, especially with Metal Sound. 
[/OFFENSIVE COMBINATIONS]

[STRATEGIC COMBINATIONS]
Pair this with Magnezone.  Magnezone's Magnet Pull ability instantly removes both Skarmory and Bronzong as Pokémon that might stop Salamence, and Magnezone's Electric STAB is SE against those aforementioned problematic bulky Water Pokémon.  Even Cresselia does not appreciate 394 SpAtk Thunderbolts, especially if paralyzed.  Magnezone is the perfect complement to this Salamence, and should be paired with it almost every time.  The same considerations for the previous sets are relevant; a Rapid Spinner, Wisher, and paralysis-specialist are still all viable complements. 
[/STRATEGIC COMBINATIONS]

[SET COUNTERS]
The ways to deal with this set, assuming that Bronzong / Skarmory are not viable options due to the fear of Magnezone, are to have very high defenses, be at least neutral to both attacks and possess either Ice Beam or Thunder Wave.  Cresselia, Suicune / Slowbro, Celebi and Gyarados (with Ice Fang) are all viable potential checks. 
[/SET COUNTERS]

[SET]
Name: P. Bulky DD Mence
Item: Life Orb
EVs: 224 HP / 12 Atk / 196 Def / 76 Speed
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Intimidate
Stats: 374 HP / 308 Atk / 259 Def / 230 SpAtk / 196 SpDef / 280 Speed
Moves:
- Dragon Dance
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Roost
[/SET]

[SET DESCRIPTION]
This spread and concept was borrowed directly from the Bulky Gyarados concept, and developed due to certain deficiencies in that concept.  BulkyDos had one significant problem: no reliable recovery. Without reliable recovery, Gyarados could not be expected to switch in repeatedly to take physical hits, especially with the threat of Stealth Rock hanging around.  With Roost and significantly higher Speed, Salamence sacrifices Special Defense for a better ability to wall threats such as Heracross and Swords Dance Lucario. 

(All of the following factor Intimidate in the calculations, as Salamence will be switching in) CBCross with Close Combat does 29.95% maximum to Salamence, meaning with Roost, Salamence can easily afford to continually switch into Heracross.  The spread even takes bad prediction into account; CBCross's Stone Edge does 66.84% maximum to Salamence, meaning even with Stealth Rock damage and Sandstorm damage, Salamence can switch in, take the Stone Edge, and then Roost off the damage.  Only Jolly CBCross would pose a problem, but that is extremely rare.  Adamant Lucario's Extremespeed, after one Swords Dance and the Intimidate, is never a 2HKO even with Stealth Rock and Sandstorm damage, meaning Salamence can switch in, Dragon Dance, Roost, and deal with it accordingly.  This can even come into Mamoswine as a last resort scenario, as it is immune to Earthquake, and a 394 Attack Life Orb Ice Shard only does 71.66% maximum, meaning Salamence can survive and attack Mamoswine even with Stealth Rock in play. 

Observant individuals might note how the S. Bulky DD Mence set only had 256 Speed, while this has 280 Speed, and then decide to cut the Speed and pump more EVs into Attack. This should NEVER be considered! Why? Because the S. Bulky set and this P. Bulky set serve two entirely different purposes.  For this set to be successful, it needs to be faster than threats such as Lucario, Breloom and Heracross, in order to take advantage of Roost.  The S. Bulky DD Mence set, however, only needs to out-speed Pokémon after a Dragon Dance, and does so with 256 Speed.
[/SET DESCRIPTION]

[OTHER OPTIONS]
The same issue with the Fire move for the S. Bulky set is relevant here. Do not consider substituting the Fire move for one of the other moves.  However, unlike the S. Bulky set, Leftovers is a viable alternative to Life Orb.  Again, this is because immediate power is less of a priority on a physical set, just like with Bulky Gyarados.  Obi from Smogon summarized the math behind this idea:

[22:45:16] <+Obi> If an attack would do 44.8% or less to your Life Orb Mence, you're better off with Leftovers
[22:45:33] <+Obi> If it would do more than 61.1% to my Leftovers Mence, you're better off with Life Orb

Now, the spreads he was discussing had 387 HP / 245 Def for the Life Orb set, and 355 HP / 196 Def for the Leftovers set, so even though this set has changed to 374 HP / 259 Def, the general idea is still the same: For larger damage, the Life Orb set is superior, and for lesser damage, the Leftovers set is superior. 

Just for easier reference, his set's EVs were 96 HP / 236 Atk / 176 Spe.
[/OTHER OPTIONS]

[OFFENSIVE COMBINATIONS]
The offensive combinations for this set are generally the same as for the S. Bulky set, yet one point should be emphasized: since the S. Bulky set actually was catered to remove a specific set of counters to Salamence, those must now be taken into account here.  Hence, Pokémon such as Blissey, Starmie, Vaporeon, Swampert and others must be included in any offensive combination discussion.  Thankfully, the previously discussed complements all take care of these Pokémon efficiently.  Swords Dance Weavile also becomes viable, along with Nasty Plot Grass Knot (Explosion) Azelf. 
[/OFFENSIVE COMBINATIONS]

[STRATEGIC COMBINATIONS]
Magnezone is once again Salamence's best friend, and understandably so.  Because Blissey and Starmie are now issues, a Pursuit + U-turn Scizor, paired with Magnezone (for the Skarmory and Bronzong that will switch in) and Dugtrio (in case you are able to U-turn Blissey or Starmie), now becomes useful.  In fact, a Scizor by itself, with Swords Dance, Pursuit and Brick Break is enough to give some of Salamence's counters problems.  The same assistance that has been considered before, Rapid Spin, Wish, and Paralysis, is still viable, so consider that as well. 
[/STRATEGIC COMBINATIONS]

[SET COUNTERS]
The P. Bulky set has the same counters and checks as the S. Bulky set, except with the addition of those Pokémon the S. Bulky set was designed to defeat, such as Blissey, Starmie, Vaporeon and the like. 
[/SET COUNTERS]

[SET]
Name: BandMence
Item: Choice Band
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Speed
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Intimidate
Stats: 332 HP / 405 Atk / 196 Def / 230 SpAtk / 196 SpDef / 299 Speed
Moves:
- Dragon Claw / Dragon Rush
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Flamethrower
[/SET]

[SET DESCRIPTION]
The standard in Advance is now reduced to an afterthought with the SpecsMence, MixMence, and various DD Mences able to deal much more damage in a much more efficient manner.  Still, BandMence can serve to surprise some of its common switch-ins.  Dragon, Ground and Rock physical attacks hit nearly everything for at least neutral damage, and Flamethrower allows this to 2HKO Skarmory and 3HKO Bronzong. 

Dragon Rush's appeal is such that it should be considered more than simply an "other option."  Dragon Claw has a very low chance of 2HKOing Suicune with Stealth Rock in play, and has no chance of 2HKOing 252 HP / 252 Def Bold Cresselia.  Dragon Rush, however, is 100% (not including accuracy obviously) able to 2HKO Suicune, and 2HKOes Cresselia 97% of the time with Stealth Rock down.  The flinch opportunity also allows Salamence to possibly escape unscathed against both Suicune and Cresselia, something the other sets cannot boast. 
[/SET DESCRIPTION]

[OTHER OPTIONS]
Again, there are various options to consider, all with their specific advantages.  However, two options that should not be considered are Brick Break and Fire Blast, as neither OHKOes whatever Pokémon they are intended to hit (Blissey, Skarmory).  Rock Slide can be considered for its flinch opportunity and better accuracy than Stone Edge; Aerial Ace is an option for Heracross, but shouldn't be considered on average simply because Dragon Claw does massive damage and Dragon Rush OHKOes Heracross; Zen Headbutt can be considered if Weezing or Bulk Up Machamp become popular; Crunch is a guaranteed 2HKO on Cresselia, Uxie and Celebi assuming Stealth Rock is in play. 

Running +Speed isn't really recommended because there isn't much that threatens Salamence between 299-328, besides Adamant Garchomp (non-Scarf), Porygon-Z, Lucario and Roserade. On second thought...+Speed nature could be viable :P  Seriously though, the extra power is actually superior on average and should be played as such, but 328 Speed Salamence does beat all other Salamence and doesn't have to worry about Porygon-Z, Roserade, Lucario, Electivire and the like. 
[/OTHER OPTIONS]

[OFFENSIVE COMBINATIONS]
Since this is a physical set that is stopped by some of the more common defensive Pokémon, such as Skarmory, Bronzong, Cresselia, and Celebi, a strong special attacker would be optimal.  Pokémon such as Life Orb or Choice Specs Heatran, Life Orb or Metal Sound (or both) Zapdos, Life Orb Gengar, Porygon-Z, Azelf and Infernape all assist this set. 
[/OFFENSIVE COMBINATIONS]

[STRATEGIC COMBINATIONS]
Magnezone effectively removes the Steels that might counter this set, along with dealing massive damage to those bulky Waters.  Since BandMence's optimal results are gained through its surprise factor, a surprisingly successful auxiliary Pokémon is a Choice Scarfer.  This is because BandMence will deal surprisingly high damage on turn one, so that later in the game, a high Speed Pokémon can come in and sweep whatever Pokémon were crippled by the unexpected damage dealt earlier.
[/STRATEGIC COMBINATIONS]

[SET COUNTERS]
Countering a Choice set is usually all about prediction, but the typical physical walls, such as Cresselia, Skarmory, Suicune and Celebi all deal with Salamence.
[/SET COUNTERS]

[SET]
Name: Stall Mence
Item: Leftovers
EVs: 252 HP / 220 Def / 36 Speed
Nature: Bold
Ability: Intimidate
Stats: 394 HP / 275 Atk / 276 Def / 256 SpAtk / 196 SpDef / 245 Speed
Moves:
- Wish / Roost
- Toxic
- Dragon Pulse
- Flamethrower / Protect
[/SET]

[SET DESCRIPTION]
Wish + Toxic is a strategy used on various Pokémon; Jirachi, Blissey, Vaporeon and Hypno all utilize it to some degree of success.  Here, Salamence takes advantage of its Ground immunity, Fighting resist and Intimidate to provide another option for this strategy.

There is a bit of uncertainty for the "best set," as evident by the two "/s."  Wish is obviously for team support, but the immediate healing of Roost plus the additional PP is also a large advantage.  As for the last move, Flamethrower is there because Toxic does not affect Steels and Flamethrower is SE against them, and Protect is an option to take advantage of Wish and increase Toxic's damage (though Toxic would obviously not be used if Roost was picked as the first move).  The choices here are purely a matter of preference, and each option has a significant enough "on average" advantage that none of them deserve to be delegated to "other options."

This has 36 Speed EVs to out-speed Jolly Tyranitar and those pesky faeries, Celebi and Jirachi, by one point, since they often use enough Speed EVs to reach 244. 252 HP EVs and 220 Def EVs plus the Bold nature are essential for Salamence to survive a plethora of physical attacks, some requiring this exact EV spread.

Here are some damage calculations regarding Salamence's ability to take physical hits. Note, all of these factor Intimidate, as you will be switching Salamence in to take physical attacks that it resists or is immune to. I have made the first part of this list Super Effective hits on Salamence, just to show that even if you predict incorrectly once, you almost always have a chance to remedy the situation later by Roosting / Wish Protecting off the damage.

252 Atk Adamant Choice Band Heracross Stone Edge: 50.76-59.9%

252 Atk Adamant Choice Band Mamoswine Ice Shard: 61.93-74.11%

252 Atk Adamant Choice Scarf Garchomp Outrage: 62.44- 73.6%

252 Atk Adamant Life Orb Dragon Dance Gyarados Ice Fang: 86.29-101.52% (93.4% on average, 92.31% chance to survive)

252 Atk Adamant Choice Band Tyranitar Stone Edge: 79.7-94.42%

252 Atk Adamant Life Orb Swords Dance Lucario Stone Edge: 89.85-106.09% (97.46% on average, 66.7% chance to survive)

252 Atk Adamant Life Orb Medicham (Pure Power) Ice Punch: 83.25-98.48%

Those were common Super Effective attacks that you might require Salamence to face. Here are some more general, neutral or resisted attacks. Again, Intimidate is factored in for all of these, as it is assumed you will be switching Salamence into them.

252 Atk Adamant Choice Band Heracross Close Combat: 22.59-26.65%

252 Atk Adamant Life Orb Dragon Dance Gyarados Return: 33.5-39.59%

252 Atk Adamant Choice Band Tyranitar Crunch: 31.98-37.56%

252 Atk Adamant Leftovers Metagross Meteor Mash: 40.36-47.46%

252 Atk Adamant Choice Band Staraptor Brave Bird: 44.16-52.03%

As is evident, this can certainly take physical hits as well as most other Pokémon, and it has useful resistances that just support this bulkiness. 
[/SET DESCRIPTION]

[OTHER OPTIONS]
Fire Blast and Draco Meteor are both viable alternatives to their less powerful versions, yet are not recommended due to accuracy and PP issues.  A Stalling Pokémon would prefer to deal accurate damage, and as much of it as possible, something the less powerful alternatives provide.  Draco Meteor is somewhat intriguing, however, because of its potential to always OHKO 4 HP / 0 SpDef Garchomp, and OHKO 401 HP Garchomp on average.  The most practical scenario for this is a late game Choice Scarf Garchomp fainting a comrade Pokémon, and Salamence switching in, taking an Adamant Outrage for less than 75% (meaning it can switch into Stealth Rock), and OHKOing with Draco Meteor. 
[/OTHER OPTIONS]

[OFFENSIVE COMBINATIONS]
Destroying the opponent with offensive prowess is not the goal of this set, but there are some Pokémon who complement it offensively.  Regardless of which move is picked in the last slot, Heatran, Tentacruel, Empoleon, and general Rock / Steels give this set difficulty.  All are taken care of by Dugtrio.  The usual bulky Pokémon with Ice Beam / Thunder Wave, Blissey, Cresselia, Suicune and Milotic give this set issues, and Breloom, Heatran and Lucario are once again optimal offensive complements.  For a more "stall" type offensive complement, consider Substitute, Leech Seed, Recover, Grass Knot Celebi, since it easily takes care of Salamence's main threats, while simultaneously "slowing the pace down."  Since Poison Pokémon are now issues for Salamence, Pokémon with STAB Ground moves, such as Mamoswine, become very useful partners. 
[/OFFENSIVE COMBINATIONS]

[STRATEGIC COMBINATIONS]
This Salamence set is obviously a stall type set, yet shouldn't be relegated to only stall teams.  Offensive teams all could use a potential Wish passer, since they focus on resistances to be able to switch around effectively, and hence build up quite a bit of residual damage.  Salamence can come in on a predicted Ground or Fighting attack, and pass Wish to some of its more offensively inclined teammates. 
[/STRATEGIC COMBINATIONS]

[SET COUNTERS]
Empoleon, Tentacruel and Heatran are the most obvious counters against a set relying on Toxic for major damage, along with bulky Resters.  Blissey has a field day with this set, setting up whatever support moves she wants for her team and then Natural Curing the Toxic effect on the switch. 
[/SET COUNTERS]

[SET]
Name: WishRoost Mence
Item: Leftovers
EVs: 248 HP / 96 Def / 128 SpDef / 36 Speed
Nature: Bold
Ability: Intimidate
Stats: 393 HP / 275 Atk / 248 Def / 256 SpAtk / 228 SpDef / 245 Speed
Moves:
- Wish
- Roost
- Toxic
- Dragon Pulse / Flamethrower
[/SET]

[SET DESCRIPTION]
This is a slight variation of the StallMence set, but just as viable for stalling purposes. Wish and Softboiled is a popular strategy on Blissey, and this set attempts to emulate that, with a significant drop in Special Defense in exchange for nice resists in Fire, Water, Fighting, Grass and Ground plus great physical walling with Intimidate. The idea is to Toxic the opponent first, and then slowly whittle down its HP by Wish + Roosting.

The move choice and nature choice are dependent on how exactly Salamence is utilized. Roost and Wish are the only guaranteed moves, while there are 3 moves, Dragon Pulse, Flamethrower, and Toxic, all vying for the two remaining slots. Wish + Roost + Toxic can seriously infuriate an opponent, and either Dragon Pulse can used as a dependable STAB, or Flamethrower can be used as a complement to Toxic to hit Steels for SE damage. Also note that there is no point to using Fire Blast over Flamethrower, as Flamethrower 2HKOes standard Skarmory and OHKOes standard Forretress.  Another option is to replace Toxic for one of the two attacks, but this is discouraged simply because Wish + Roost will allow Salamence to deal significant damage to all non Steel, Poison or Ice attacking Pokémon with Toxic. Remember, Dragon Pulse will hit everything for some damage, but Flamethrower can be absorbed by Flash Fire Pokemon, troublesome really only with Heatran, as it is immune to Toxic as well. 

Whereas the StallMence set's purpose was to assist the team solely on the physical side (though 394 HP 196 SpDef is still decent for the special side), tedious testing has shown that a Wish + Roost set is better served by possessing the ability to more comfortably take a few special hits, such as a Life Orb Timid Gengar's Shadow Ball or a Life Orb Infernape's Hidden Power Ice (obviously in case of a bad prediction).  393 HP / 248 Def / 228 SpDef Salamence is able to never be 2HKOed by a Life Orb Timid Gengar's Shadow Ball, and survives a Life Orb Timid Infernape's Hidden Power Ice 66.67% of the time.  At 393 HP / 242 Def + Intimidate, it also keeps a large majority of its physically bulky nature from the StallMence set.
[/SET DESCRIPTION]

[GENERAL COUNTERS]
For all the special variants of Salamence, Blissey, Cresselia, Uxie, Regice, Registeel, Heatproof Bronzong, Tentacruel, and Empoleon can take a hit and pose immediate threat to Salamence in the form of Thunder Wave or Ice Beam (except Bronzong, who can Hypnosis, set up Light Screen, or use Hidden Power Ice).  For all the physical variants, physically bulky Waters with Ice attacks, such as Suicune, Slowbro or Gyarados, physically bulky Thunder Wavers not weak to Dragon / Ground, such as Celebi or Cresselia, and Bronzong and Skarmory (though both need to be wary of a Life Orb Fire Blast or Salamence paired with Magnezone) can take a hit.  For revenge killing purposes, Weavile and Mamoswine can both come in and OHKO with a Life Orb Ice Shard, and due to Ice Shard's priority, not worry about Dragon Dance variants.  A +Speed nature Deoxys-S reaching at 493 Speed will always be able to out-speed a 1 Dragon Dance Salamence, and hit Salamence with Ice Beam for the OHKO.  Finally, Choice Scarfers with initial Speed at 329 or higher and with an Ice or Dragon attack, such as Jolly ScarfChomp (Outrage) or Timid ScarfGar / ScarfAzelf (Hidden Power Ice), can come in and OHKO Salamence. 

For dealing with Salamence in a general manner, meaning knowledge regarding whether it is physical or special is unavailable, here are some EV spreads (all calculations assume defending Pokémon has Leftovers):

Cresselia - 240 HP / 212 Def / 56 SpDef Calm, translates to 441 HP / 329 Def / 341 SpDef.  This allows Cresselia to switch into Stealth Rock and still never be 2HKOed by SpecsMence's Draco Meteor, so it can effectively responded with either an Ice Beam or a Thunder Wave.  It is never OHKOed by a physical attack from Salamence, and even BandMence's Crunch 2HKOes this Cresselia 30.5% of the time, meaning Cresselia can usually switch into that. 

Uxie - 252 HP / 40 Def / 216 SpDef Calm, translates to 354 HP / 306 Def / 385 SpDef.  This allows Uxie to never be 2HKOed by SpecsMence's Draco Meteor, meaning it can switch in, take a Draco Meteor, and survive the next one to Thunder Wave.  This also allows Uxie to never be OHKOed by a Dragon Dance Crunch, meaning Uxie can switch in on the Dragon Dance, take the Crunch, and Thunder Wave back.  The only Salamence set that Uxie cannot handle is BandMence with Crunch, as Crunch will 2HKO Uxie, meaning Uxie cannot switch in.  However, should Uxie take a large amount of damage from said Crunch, the fact that the Salamence is Banded is realized, allowing for more efficient countering. 

Blissey - 224 HP / 252 Def / 32 SpDef Bold, translates to 707 HP / 130 Def / 314 SpDef. Obviously Blissey can always switch into Special variants, but this spread allows it to not be OHKOed on average by a Dragon Dance Life Orb Brick Break, allowing Blissey to Thunder Wave or Ice Beam accordingly.  Even MixMence never 2HKOes this Blissey with a Draco Meteor on the switch followed by a Brick Break, though with Stealth Rock in play, there is a small chance that the 2HKO occurs. 

Suicune - 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 SpDef Calm, translates to 404 HP / 296 Def / 330 SpDef.  This Suicune is never 2HKOed by a SpecsMence's Draco Meteor, and is never 2HKOed by a BandMence's Dragon Claw (though, factoring Accuracy in, a BandMence's Dragon Rush has a 56.25% chance of 2HKOing this Suicune).  At 216 SpAtk, Suicune does 90% minimum to a 331 HP / 196 SpDef Salamence, meaning Life Orb versions are always OHKOed. 

Registeel - 252 HP / 136 Def / 120 SpDef Impish, translates to 364 HP / 370 Def / 402 SpDef.  Registeel is here for its ability to resist Dragon moves, and hit Salamence with Thunder Wave or Ice Punch.  This Registeel is never OHKOed by an Offensive DD Mence's Earthquake, and never KOed by a MixMence's Draco Meteor (on the switch-in) followed by an Earthquake.  This is 2HKOed, however, by a Life Orb Fire Blast or a Life Orb Earthquake, so be sure to only switch Registeel in on a predicted Dragon move or Dragon Dance. 

Regice - 252 HP / 112 Def / 144 SpDef Calm, translates to 364 HP / 264 Def / 519 Spdef.  This Regice is never 2HKOed by Salamence's Draco Meteor, and rarely 2HKOed by SpecsMence's Fire Blast (25.71% of the time without Accuracy, 18.6% of the time with).  It also is only OHKOed 20.51% of the time by an Offensive DD Mence's Brick Break, meaning around 80% of the time, Regice can switch into Salamence and OHKO it with Ice Beam. 

Bronzong - Bronzong can run two sets, one with Levitate and one with Heatproof.  The Levitate one is primarily to counter physical variants, and the Heatproof one is to primarily counter special variants.  However, because the most common Bronzong runs Levitate, the Heatproof version can use "mind games" to help counter even physical variants.  For the Heatproof version, 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpDef Careful translates to 338 HP / 290 Def / 341 SpDef, which allows Bronzong to never be 2HKOed by SpecsMence's Fire Blast.  The especially advantageous part about this set is that if the first Fire Blast burns Bronzong, Bronzong will still have the opportunity to get one attack (Hypnosis or HP Ice) in before succumbing to the burn damage.  The Levitate set, coincidentally, should also run the same set, because Fire Blast will not be a OHKO (even with the Burn), and the Dragon / Ground moves don't do enough to merit concern.  As for MixMence with Fire Blast and Earthquake, the Bronzong will only be able to get one hit off, as a Fire Blast + Earthquake combination from MixMence is usually a 2HKO for the Heatproof version, and Fire Blast + Fire Blast is usually a 2HKO for the Levitate version. 

To summarize, Blissey is the best special Salamence counter, Cresselia and Suicune are the best physical Salamence counters, and Cresselia is the most efficient overall Salamence counter.
[/GENERAL COUNTERS]

[PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER]
Salamence obviously is capable of attacking for large damage on either side of the damage spectrum, boosted by Choice Specs and the 140 BP Draco Meteor, or by Dragon Dance and Life Orb.  It has general issues dealing with Cresselia, bulky Water Pokémon and Pokémon such as Celebi or Blissey, which can debilitate it with Thunder Wave.  Here are a few examples of "cores" to build a team around, with Salamence as one of the members:

S. Bulky DD Mence + CBCross + ScarfGross - S. Bulky DD Mence has serious issues with Cresselia and Thunder Wavers, both of which CBCross handles easily.  ScarfGross handles the non Scarf variants of Garchomp that S. Bulky will try to scout out, as well as dealing with Deoxys-S that will Psycho Boost Heracross and Ice Beam Salamence.  Defensively, Metagross takes care of Salamence's Rock, Ice and Dragon weaknesses and Heracross's Flying and Psychic weaknesses, Salamence takes care of Metagross's Ground weakness and both Metagross's and Heracross's Fire weakness.  Possible notes to consider when building the rest of the team are that both ScarfChomp and ScarfApe give this trio some trouble, so they should be taken into account.

SpecsMence + CBTar + Forretress - SpecsMence and CBTar hit extremely hard on both sides of the damage spectrum while simultaneously taking care of the Pokémon the other does not hit hard, and Salamence covers Tyranitar well defensively.  Forretress provides Stealth Rock / Spikes / Toxic Spikes and Rapid Spin, and also is a sturdy physical wall that complements Salamence well defensively.  With some field hazard in play and Tyranitar's Sandstream providing an addition 6.25% damage per turn, the damage a 350 Special Attack Choice Specs Draco Meteor and the damage a 403 Attack Choice Band Stone Edge will do to the opposition will build up, fast.  This trio is very vulnerable to Garchomp, so definitely add at least two checks against Garchomp, such as Bronzong or a defensively bulky Pokémon like Slowbro or Celebi.  But besides Garchomp (and it would have to be a non Scarf variant having Fire Blast, as Forretress can survive a Fire Fang and explode to OHKO Garchomp), everything in the metagame fears the damage potential of SpecsMence + CBTar.  An interesting offensive addition would be Deoxys-S, with at least 500 Speed, to "clean up" the "mess" that is left in the wake of the destruction that will inevitably be caused by these two offensive behemoths. 

Offensive DD Mence + Wish Stealth Rock Jirachi + CmCune - Here, Jirachi provides that almost necessary Stealth Rock for Offensive DD Mence, and also provides nearly perfect defensive coverage along with Salamence (with only Electric being unresisted).  Jirachi takes care of Deoxys-S, and with Thunderbolt can deal with Gyarados, so Suicune should run Ice Beam and provide that necessary check against Garchomp.  Possible notes to consider are that CM Cresselia can Calm Mind up with Suicune, and an unlucky Critical Hit can leave cripple the team, so some way to quickly deal with Cresselia should be implemented.  Also, Celebi or Cresselia Thunder Waving Salamence would be very detrimental to its sweeping potential, so an aromatherapist such as Blissey, who also supports Salamence by absorbing Ice Beams easily, should be considered.

MixMence + CMSubRaikou + Bronzong - Bronzong complements both Salamence and Raikou defensively, and sets up Stealth Rock so Salamence can 2HKO threats such as Blissey or Celebi.  Raikou takes care of Cresselia (via CMing and Subbing), bulky Water Pokémon, and all Blissey without Calm Mind or Seismic Toss.  Bronzong is necessary because it resists the Ground / Ice and the Ground / Rock combinations that seriously hurt both Salamence and Raikou.  Possible notes to consider when building the rest of the team are that because Bronzong has no reliable recovery, it won't be able to continuously cover for Raikou and Salamence, especially if the opponent becomes cognizant of this strategy and begins to use Fire Blast with his Garchomp on the switch.  Because of this, perhaps a bulky Water Pokémon or Skarmory might be worthwhile to consider, because both provide additional checks against Pokémon Raikou and Salamence are afraid of. 

P. Bulky DD Mence + Magnezone + CurseRestTalk Swampert - Salamence and Magnezone complement each other perfectly defensively, and Swampert's Grass weakness is handled by both Salamence and Magnezone.  P. Bulky DD Mence, which deals with the physical threats that Magnezone and Swampert fear, like Heracross and Lucario, and Swampert (EVed with an emphasis on HP and Special Defense because it has Curse and Rest + Sleep Talk) both used their respective stat buff moves to sweep the opponent, and Magnezone is there to trap and kill Skarmory / Bronzong, both of which would cause issues for Salamence and Swampert.  Vaporeon and Suicune, both of which are trouble for Swampert and Salamence, are also dealt with by Magnezone.  When building the rest of the team, consider that Magnezone cannot continually take Surfs from bulky Water Pokémon, and a Choice Band Garchomp could potentially be an issue, so a Calm Mind Cresselia or physically bulky SubSeeder, such as Celebi, are both helpful additions. 

StallMence + CBDugtrio + ToxicWishBlissey - StallMence has troubles dealing with Empoleon, Heatran, Rock / Steel Pokémon, Tentacruel and Blissey, all of which are soundly dealt with by CBDugtrio.  Both Salamence and Dugtrio are weak to Ice Beam, which Blissey can easily absorb.  Toxic Blissey increases the Toxic status on the members of the opposite team, and is a handy special wall that can stall the game, especially in combination with Salamence's Intimidate.  Because of Salamence's Stealth Rock weakness and the fact that Blissey lures in Fighting attacks, passing Wish is not only very helpful, but very viable.  Note that Mamoswine, especially a Life Orb version, has a field day with this trio, so Pokémon that deal with it easily, such as Bronzong, Skarmory, Cresselia, Suicune, Starmie or Shaymin should all be considered as helpful additions to the team.  As is the case with any team including Salamence and various Steel Pokémon, Garchomp is still (and always will be) an issue...but luckily, the same Pokémon that deal with Mamoswine also deal with Garchomp, so simply consider that Garchomp is an omnipresent threat.
[/PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER]
Rating: 1

Ominous Doom

0 +0

Jun 18 '08

Um um... The StallMence and WishRoostMence set are now a problem, due to Official Server's new policy. Wish is no longer possible.
Rating: 0

Aldaron

0 +0

Jun 18 '08

Since TLF does not agree with the blanket ban on Event moves, TLF will continue to make analyses that have these event moves.

However, since currently the majority of the competitive game is on the official ladder, I will make a point to say that in that environment this set is impossible.
Rating: 0