How to Catch and Evolve Bagon in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

Bagon, a Dragon-type Pokémon that evolves into the formidable Salamence, is a prized catch in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. However, if you're playing Pokémon Scarlet, you'll find that Bagon and its evolutionary line are exclusive to Pokémon Violet. To complete your Paldea Pokédex, you'll need to secure Bagon, Shelgon, and Salamence. This guide has been updated on January 13, 2025, by Renri Seong to include comprehensive details on Salamence's stats, type effectiveness, and suggested moves, helping you decide if this pseudo-legendary is worth the effort.

Where to Find Bagon

Bagon Location in Pokémon Violet

In Pokémon Violet, Bagon can be found in several locations. A prime spot to start your search is in East Province (Area Three), known for its expansive terrain and numerous caves. If you're still in the early stages of the game, you can also catch a fixed spawn Bagon on a mountain in South Province (Area Five). This mountain is located to the southwest of the bridge connecting the grassy and rocky regions of South Province (Area Five).

Another hotspot is Dalizapa Passage, situated north of The Great Crater of Paldea and south of Glaseado Mountain. Here, you'll find a deep hole near a Pokémon Center. You can either ride Koraidon or Miraidon to jump into it or explore the many cavern entrances that lead to this area. Although not as open as East Province, Dalizapa Passage is a cave system teeming with rare Pokémon, including Bagon and Frigibax.

For those who enjoy Tera Raids, Bagon can be encountered in 3-star Tera Raids, which become available after earning three gym badges. Keep in mind that Bagon caught in raids may have a different Tera Type than its regular type, and they might also possess a Hidden Ability, adding to their allure.

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 trade with a Pokémon Violet player or transfer Bagon using Pokémon HOME. To trade, you can either create or join a Group via the Union Circle. A Nintendo Switch Online Membership is required for online features, making transferring Bagon from another game a more convenient option.

If Pokémon HOME is installed on your Switch, you can transfer Bagon from other games like Pokémon Sword/Shield (Expansion Pass), Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl, or directly from Pokémon HOME.

1. Open Pokémon HOME, select the game from which you're transferring Bagon.
2. Move Bagon to your Basic Box on the left side of the screen, then 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 Pokédex entry will be complete.

How to Evolve Bagon into Shelgon and Salamence

What Level Does Bagon Evolve

To evolve Bagon into Shelgon, you must raise its level to 30. To further evolve Shelgon into Salamence, reach level 50. The fastest way to level up is by auto-battling Pokémon of similar levels. If you're not focused on EV training, battling Chansey, found in locations like East Province (Area Two), North Province (Areas One-Three), Casseroya Lake, and West Province (Areas Two-Three), will provide substantial experience.

Alternatively, you can use Exp. Candy to expedite the process. Exp. Candy L or XL will boost your Pokémon's level significantly, while Exp. Candy M may require more pieces for the evolution from Shelgon to Salamence.

You can also encounter Shelgon and Salamence in 4-star and 5/6-star Tera Raids, respectively.

Is Salamence Good?

Salamence Strengths & Weaknesses

Salamence, alongside Metagross, is a pseudo-legendary Pokémon from Generation 3, boasting a base stat total of 600. This makes it highly desirable for competitive play when trained correctly.

Recommended Natures for Salamence include Adamant (+Attk, -Sp.Attk) or Lonely (+Attk, -Def).

Salamence's Dragon/Flying typing allows it to use both Dragon and Flying-type moves effectively, making it strong against a variety of opponents. However, this dual-typing also comes with a significant weakness to Ice-type moves, being doubly weak to them.

Recommended Moves

Salamence's move pool leans heavily towards physical attacks, aligning with its higher Attack stat. Moves like Dragon Claw, a physical move, are preferable over special moves like Dragon Breath. To mitigate its weaknesses to Fairy and Rock types, consider teaching it Iron Head via TM099.

Despite its higher Attack, Salamence's Special Attack is still respectable, allowing it to function as a special attacker with the right moves and Nature. For a special attacker build, opt for a Timid Nature (+Spd, -Attk). This setup would make better use of moves like Draco Meteor and Flamethrower.