"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 powerful Salamence and is obtainable in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. However, if you're playing Pokémon Scarlet, you won't find Bagon and its evolutions in the wild because they are exclusive to Pokémon Violet. To complete your Paldea Pokédex, you'll need to catch Bagon, Shelgon, and Salamence.

Updated on January 13, 2025 by Renri Seong: Bagon, the Dragon-type Pokémon, evolves into the formidable Salamence, which you can add to your team in Pokémon Violet. There are several ways to catch 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 Pokémon Violet. Like Dragonite, Salamence is a Dragon/Flying-type pseudo-legendary with a base stat total of 600. But how does Salamence stack up against other pseudo-legendaries? Is it worth catching? This guide has been updated with 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 a great starting point is East Province (Area Three). This expansive area is filled with caves ripe for exploration.

If you're still in the early stages of the game, you can catch a fixed spawn Bagon on a mountain in South Province (Area Five). Head southwest from the bridge that separates the grassy and rocky sections of South Province (Area Five) to climb the mountain.

Another promising spot is Dalizapa Passage, located 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 the hole or enter through one of the many cavern entrances leading to it. This location, though less open than East Province, is a hotspot for rare Pokémon like Bagon and Frigibax.

If you're into Tera Raids, you can also catch Bagon in 3-star Tera Raids. These become available after earning three gym badges. Keep in mind that Bagon's Tera Type might differ from its usual type when caught in a raid. Additionally, Pokémon from 3-star Raids may have their Hidden Ability, which could be beneficial 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 via Pokémon HOME. To trade, you can create or join a Group via the Union Circle. Remember, using online features requires a Nintendo Switch Online Membership. Transferring Bagon from another game using Pokémon HOME might be more convenient.

If Pokémon HOME is 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.

Upon reopening Pokémon Scarlet, Bagon should be in the designated PC Box, and its Pokédex entry will be complete.

How to Evolve Bagon into Shelgon and Salamence

What Level Does Bagon Evolve

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

If you're not focused on EV training, have Bagon battle Pokémon like Chansey, which offer 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 speed up the process. A single piece of Exp. Candy L or Exp. Candy XL can boost Bagon or Shelgon's level significantly. Exp. Candy M is also effective, though you may need more of it to evolve Shelgon into Salamence.

You can also obtain 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. Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon are non-legendary with a base stat total of 600, making them highly desirable for competitive play when properly trained.

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

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

Recommended Moves

Salamence's move set leans heavily towards physical moves, aligning with its higher Attack stat. Consider using physical moves like Dragon Claw instead of special moves like Dragon Breath. To counter its weaknesses to Fairy and Rock types, you can teach it Iron Head via TM099.

Despite its higher Attack, Salamence's Special Attack stat is still respectable, allowing it to function as a special attacker if you choose. In this case, opt for a Timid (+Spd, -Attk) Nature instead of Adamant or Lonely. A special attacker Salamence would benefit from moves like Draco Meteor and Flamethrower.