Professor Noctowl's Raid Research: Mega Salamence
A Scholarly Analysis from the Pokebattler Pokémon Research Institute
Raid Introduction
Hello students! My name is Professor Geekbeak, and today, I wish to draw attention to Mega Salamence. Mega Salamence is one of the best flying type megas, outside of the absurdly broken Mega Raquaza and friends, so Mega Salamence is definitely worth the pickup if you need a Flying Mega still. Grab your notebooks, class is in session. For those who wish to do their research independently, our raw data can be found here. And for those who wish for a simple visual guide, go ahead and take a look at the below visual guide by CaptGoldfish.
Raid Syllabus
Course Schedule
This raid will take place from July 22nd to July 28th. It is preceded by Mega Sceptile and Kyogre, coincides with Mega Salamance, and will be followed by Mega Aggron and Kyurem.
Course Information
- Catch CP: 2054 - 2142
- Boosted (Windy): 2568 - 2678
- Minimum Required Trainers (Lvl 40, best friends, optimal weather): 1
- Recommended: 2+ with Lvl 20 counters
Type Effectiveness & Moveset List
Like so many dual dragon types before it, Mega Salamence has a double weakness to ice. However, Mega Salamence’s charge move pool is pretty large, so be aware of what it could possibly throw at you.
| Effectiveness | Types |
|---|---|
| Double Resist (0.4x) | |
| Resist (0.6x) | |
| Neutral | |
| Super Effective (1.6x) | |
| Double Super Effective (2.6x) |
Mega Salamence’s moveset includes the following charge moves:
- Fire Blast
- Hydro Pump
- Crunch
- Draco Meteor
- Return
- Fly
- Brutal Swing
The Dean's List - Top 5 Counters
The Dean’s List consists of the top 5 counters to Mega Salamence. As always, the Valedictorian, Salutatorian, and the Third Ranked will have their best moveset alternatives in a table with their rankings and a table detailing their defensive prowess against the charge moves listed above.

White Kyurem A
(Lvl 40)
| Quick Move | Charge Move | Efficacy |
|---|---|---|
| Ice Fang | Ice Burn | 100% |
| Dragon Breath | Ice Burn | 89% |
| Steel Wing | Ice Burn | 74% |
| Ice Fang | Blizzard | 74% |
| Dragon Breath | Blizzard | 68% |
| Ice Fang | Dragon Pulse | 54% |

Mega Mewtwo Y A
(Lvl 40)
| Quick Move | Charge Move | Efficacy |
|---|---|---|
| Psycho Cut | Ice Beam | 100% |
| Confusion | Ice Beam | 93% |
| Counter | Ice Beam | 85% |
| Confusion | Psystrike | 64% |
| Psycho Cut | Psystrike | 63% |
| Confusion | Psychic | 59% |

Black Kyurem A
(Lvl 40)
| Quick Move | Charge Move | Efficacy |
|---|---|---|
| Dragon Tail | Freeze Shock | 100% |
| Dragon Tail | Blizzard | 79% |
| Shadow Claw | Freeze Shock | 78% |
| Dragon Tail | Outrage | 64% |
| Dragon Tail | Stone Edge | 59% |
| Dragon Tail | Fusion Bolt | 59% |
Defensive Grades for Top 3
| Boss Move | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draco Meteor | ⚔ | — | ⚔ |
| Hydro Pump | 🛡 | — | 🛡 |
| Fly | — | — | — |
| Fire Blast | — | — | — |
| Brutal Swing | — | ⚔ | — |
| Crunch | — | ⚔ | — |

Mega Mewtwo X A
(Lvl 40)

Mega Rayquaza A
(Lvl 40)
Also Noteworthy: A: Mega GardevoirHonor Roll - The Bottom 5
We here at Pokebattler Pokémon Research Institute can’t expect you to have the best counters every time. So, here are some of our other best options, most of which will be easier to find than the members of the Dean’s List.
Shadow Weavile A
(Lvl 40)

Eternatus A
(Lvl 40)
Shadow Aurorus A
(Lvl 40)
Shadow Mamoswine A
(Lvl 40)
Shadow Regigigas A
(Lvl 40)
Honorable Mentions
Of course, besides our 10 best counters, there are plenty of Pokémon that also work against Mega Salamence. Here are a few star choices, worthy of praise.
| A | Mega Garchomp Mega Abomasnow Baxcalibur Mega Glalie Cetitan Primal Kyogre Dialga - Origin Weavile Regigigas |
Weather Specialists
Sometimes, the weather can be your most powerful ally. In certain weather conditions, certain Pokémon on our list excel. The most transformative cases are noted below.
Windy
SnowRaid Conclusion
Overall, Mega Salamence is a pretty easy raid. Having such a glaring weakness will always make it easy, especially since some of the best ice types in the game don’t get hit very hard by that charge move pool. However, for those who don’t have those top tier options, be careful of what could end your run. Of course, if you wish to do more research on your box’s best Pokémon for the job, Pokebattler.com itself can be a great help! Remember, the best counter is the one you have powered up and ready to go. I grant extra credit to those who use their best friend bonus and the weather to their advantage. Class dismissed!









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