Bagon Catching and Evolution Guide in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

Bagon, a Dragon-type Pokémon, evolves into the formidable Salamence, making it a valuable addition to your team in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. However, if you're playing Pokémon Scarlet, you'll find that Bagon and its evolutions 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, a Dragon-type Pokémon, evolves into the powerful Salamence, which you can add to your team in Pokémon Violet. There are several methods to catch Bagon and its evolved form, Shelgon. If you're playing Pokémon Scarlet and aiming to fill your Pokédex, you'll need to transfer Bagon from Violet. Similar to Dragonite, Salamence is a Dragon/Flying-type pseudo-legendary with a base stat total of 600. But how does Salamence measure up against the first pseudo-legendary of the Pokémon world? Is it worth capturing? This guide has been updated to provide comprehensive details on Salamence's stats, type effectiveness, and recommended moves.

Where to Find Bagon

Bagon Location in Pokémon Violet

In Pokémon Violet, Bagon can be found in several locations, but starting your search in East Province (Area Three) is advisable. This area is expansive and filled with caves to explore. If you're still in the early stages, you can find a fixed spawn Bagon on a mountain in South Province (Area Five). Simply climb the mountain southwest of the bridge that connects the grassy and rocky areas of South Province (Area Five).

Another prime location 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 nearby. You can either ride Koraidon or Miraidon to jump down the hole or walk down via one of the many cavern entrances leading to it. While this location is less open than East Province, it's a cave teeming with rare Pokémon like Bagon and Frigibax.

For those interested in Tera Raids, you can encounter Bagon in 3-star Tera Raids, which become available after obtaining three gym badges. Note that Bagon's Tera Type might differ from its regular type when caught in a raid. Additionally, Pokémon from 3-star Raids may have a Hidden Ability, an aspect to consider when seeking Bagon.

How to Get Bagon in Pokémon Scarlet

How to Trade and Transfer Pokémon

Since Bagon and its evolutions are not available in Pokémon Scarlet, you'll need to either trade with a Pokémon Violet player or transfer Bagon using Pokémon HOME. To trade, you must create or join a Group through the Union Circle. Accessing online features requires a Nintendo Switch Online Membership, so transferring Bagon from another game via Pokémon HOME might be more convenient.

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 HOME, then select the game from which you're transferring Bagon.
2. Move Bagon to your Basic Box (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 appear in the designated PC Box, and its Dex Entry will be complete.

How to Evolve Bagon into Shelgon and Salamence

What Level Does Bagon Evolve

To evolve Bagon, you need to reach level 30, at which point it will evolve into Shelgon. Further, level Shelgon up to 50 to evolve it into Salamence. The fastest method to level up is to have Bagon/Shelgon auto-battle Pokémon around its level.

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

Alternatively, use Exp. Candy to expedite the process. One piece of Exp. Candy L or XL can boost their level significantly, while Exp. Candy M may require more pieces, especially when evolving Shelgon into Salamence.

You can also obtain Shelgon from 4-star Tera Raids and Salamence from 5/6-star Tera Raids.

Is Salamence Good?

Salamence Strengths & Weaknesses

Salamence, alongside Metagross, was 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 PVP battles 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 dual typing gives it a notable weakness.

Recommended Moves

Salamence's move set is primarily composed of physical moves, fitting its high Attack stat. Opt for moves like Dragon Claw over Dragon Breath, which is a special move. To counter its Fairy and Rock weaknesses, you can teach it Iron Head via TM099.

Despite its higher Attack, Salamence's base Special Attack is still impressive, allowing it to function as a special attacker. If you choose this path, a Timid (+Spd, -Attk) Nature may be more beneficial than Adamant or Lonely. A specially-trained Salamence would excel with moves like Draco Meteor and Flamethrower.