Mega Salamence in SoulGold: Aerilate plus Windcaller

Mega Salamence is the hardest-hitting physical attacker I used in SoulGold’s postgame. Its Mega ability turns Double-Edge into a Flying move, and at level 75 Windcaller stacks another boost on every Flying move it has. Catch a Bagon in Dragon’s Den, grab the Dragotite in the same cave, and get it to 75.

Why it’s broken

Aerilate makes Normal-type moves Flying-type and gives them 20% more damage. Windcaller makes Flying-type moves deal 30% more. Mega Salamence is Dragon/Flying, so STAB applies too. Multiply it out and an Aerilate Double-Edge hits at 1.2 x 1.3 x 1.5, about 2.34x, off 145 base Attack.

Windcaller also makes Tailwind last 2 turns longer, but only when a Windcaller ‘mon uses the Tailwind move. A partner’s Windburst Tailwind still lasts 4 turns.

Mega Salamence’s ability and innate ladder:

• Ability: Aerilate (the Mega’s ability, works at any level)
• Lv 75: Windcaller. Flying moves deal 30% more damage, and Tailwind lasts 2 turns longer.
• Lv 85: Battle Armor.
• Lv 95: Rivalry.

Base Salamence has the same three innates, so Windcaller is there before you Mega Evolve too. Without Aerilate, though, its Normal moves stay Normal, so Windcaller does nothing for Double-Edge until the Mega turn. The Mega is Dragon/Flying with 95/145/130/120/90/120, a 700 total.

The set

Move	Why
Dragon Dance	One boost and it outspeeds almost everything. Tutor.
Double-Edge	The main hit. Aerilate, Windcaller and STAB all stack on it. Lv 73, or tutor.
Earthquake	Hits the Steel and Rock types that resist Double-Edge. TM26, an item ball on Victory Road 1F.
Roost	Heals off the Double-Edge recoil. Lv 1 from the move relearner, or TM19 from the Violet City Gym.

Return (TM27, a gift on Goldenrod Department Store 5F) gets the same boosts as Double-Edge with no recoil. Swap it in if you’d rather drop Roost for another coverage move. Body Slam (tutor) also turns Flying and can paralyze. Hyper Voice (tutor) turns Flying too and hits both foes in doubles, but it’s special, so it runs off the 120 Sp. Atk. Dual Wingbeat (Lv 1 from the relearner, or tutor) is a real Flying move, so it gets Windcaller and STAB but not Aerilate. Double-Edge still hits harder.

How I play it:

1. Lead with a partner that can take a hit, and keep Mega Salamence in the back.
2. Bring it in on something that can’t touch it, like a resisted hit or a slow setup turn.
3. Mega Evolve and use Dragon Dance on the same turn.
4. Fire off Double-Edge, use Earthquake on Steel and Rock types, and Roost when the recoil adds up.

If the other side has a Steel type left, I switch out before the Dance instead of after. One wasted boost costs less than a Salamence.

The tutors are in the top-right house in Olivine City. Pay 44,444 once, then teach tutor moves from the summary screen whenever you want.

Item: Dragotite. Mega Salamence can’t hold anything else. You also need the Mega Ring, then press Start while picking a move to Mega Evolve.

Nature and EVs: I run Jolly with 252 Attack and 252 Speed. After one Dragon Dance, 120 base Speed is plenty, and you’d rather keep the Speed than the extra Attack. Mints are sold at the beach café by Olivine, a house on Route 40.

Where to get Bagon, Salamence and the Dragotite

Bagon lives in Dragon’s Den Cavern. It’s there day and night at levels 42 to 45 with a 30% rate. It evolves into Shelgon at 30 and Salamence at 50.

The Odd Egg is your other shot. Your rival leaves it at the Route 34 Day Care, it’s a one-time egg, and Bagon is one of seven things it can hatch. The others are Gible, Feebas, Riolu, Jangmo-o, Hisuian Zorua and Goomy. I got a Riolu, so I went to Dragon’s Den anyway.

1. Get the Mega Ring from Prof. Oak after the Team Rocket takeover in Goldenrod.
2. Catch Bagon in Dragon’s Den Cavern.
3. Pick up the Dragotite from the item ball in the same cave.
4. Level it to 50 for Salamence, then to 75 for Windcaller.

When Mega Salamence comes online

Windcaller turns on at level 75. Aerilate works the moment it Mega Evolves, so the Mega already hits hard in the story. The 1.3x on top is the postgame upgrade, because the story caps you at 70 until you’re Champion.

Every innate is on at any level in the Battle Tower, Factory, Pyramid and Café challenges, so Windcaller is live there at level 50. Salamence isn’t on the Classic ban list.

Title Defense and the Elite Four rematches are level 85, which also gives you Battle Armor. On Hard those fights are doubles, so a Tailwind partner helps most. Watch Earthquake there, because it hits your partner too. My Tailwind team is built around exactly that.

What beats Mega Salamence

• Steel types. They resist Flying, so Earthquake is your only real hit on them. Mega Aggron, Mega Steelix and Kingambit all take a Double-Edge well.
• Rock types. Rhyperior resists Flying and hits back with Rock moves.
• Ice moves. Dragon/Flying takes 4x from Ice, so anything faster with an Ice move is a problem before you’ve set up.
• Intimidate. Each drop cancels the Attack half of a Dragon Dance. Staraptor and Mawile can both carry it, so watch for them on the switch.
• Recoil. Double-Edge chips you every time it lands. Roost it off, or run Return instead.

Steel types are the one I had to plan for every time. Next, pair it with a Ground or Fire partner from my best innate combos, and check the Mega Evolution guide for the other Dragotite Megas.