Bagon Catching and Evolution Guide 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 it 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, the Dragon-type Pokémon, evolves into the mighty Salamence, and you can add it to your team in Pokémon Violet. There are multiple ways to catch Bagon and its evolved forms. However, if you're aiming to complete your Pokédex in Pokémon Scarlet, you'll need to transfer one from Pokémon Violet. Salamence, like Dragonite, is a Dragon/Flying-type pseudo-legendary with a base stat total of 600. This guide has been updated to include detailed information on Salamence's stats, type effectiveness, and recommended moves.

Where to Find Bagon

Bagon Location in Pokemon Violet

You can encounter Bagon in several locations in Pokémon Violet, but starting in East Province (Area Three) is recommended due to its expansive caves. If you're still in the starting area, you can find a fixed spawn Bagon on a mountain in South Province (Area Five). Climb the mountain southwest of the bridge between the grassy and rocky regions of South Province (Area Five).

Another great spot is Dalizapa Passage, located north of The Great Crater of Paldea and south of Glaseado Mountain. Here, there's a deep hole with a Pokémon Center. You can ride Koraidon or Miraidon to jump down or enter through various cavern entrances. Although less open than East Province, this cave hosts several rare Pokémon, including Bagon and Frigibax.

For those who enjoy Tera Raids, you can catch Bagon 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 in raids, but it could have its Hidden Ability, making it an appealing option.

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 use Pokémon HOME to transfer Bagon. 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. Alternatively, transferring Bagon from another game via Pokémon HOME might be more straightforward.

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

When you open Pokémon Scarlet, Bagon should be in the PC Box you chose, and its Pokédex entry will be completed.

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. Then, level Shelgon to 50 to evolve it into Salamence. The fastest way to do this is through auto-battling Pokémon around its level.

If you're not focusing on EV training, have Bagon auto-battle high-experience Pokémon like Chansey, found in East Province (Area Two), North Province (Areas One to Three), Casseroya Lake, and West Province (Areas Two to Three).

You can also use Exp. Candy to speed up the process. One piece of Exp. Candy L or Exp. Candy XL can elevate their level significantly, while Exp. Candy M works but might require more pieces, especially when evolving Shelgon into Salamence.

Additionally, you can obtain Shelgon and Salamence from 4-star and 5/6-star Tera Raids, respectively.

Is Salamence Good?

Salamence Strengths & Weaknesses

Salamence, along with Metagross, were the pseudo-legendary Pokémon introduced in Generation 3. These non-legendary Pokémon boast a base stat total of 600, making them highly sought after for competitive play when properly trained.

Recommended Natures for Salamence include Adamant (+Attack, -Special Attack) or Lonely (+Attack, -Defense).

As a Dragon/Flying-type Pokémon, Salamence learns both Dragon and Flying-type moves, making it super effective against a wide range of opponents. However, its dual-typing leaves it vulnerable to certain types.

Recommended Moves

Salamence's move set primarily consists of physical moves, aligning well with its high Attack stat. You can opt for moves like Dragon Claw over Dragon Breath, which is a special move. To counter its weaknesses to Fairy and Rock types, consider teaching it Iron Head using TM099.

Despite a higher Attack, Salamence's Special Attack is still formidable, allowing it to function as a special attacker if preferred. In this case, a Timid Nature (+Speed, -Attack) would be beneficial. A special-attacking Salamence can effectively utilize moves like Draco Meteor and Flamethrower.