Tier 3 Batle Raid bosses aren't as difficult as Legendary Mega Raids in Pokemon GO, but that doesn't mean there isn't a lot of strategy that goes into them. Trainers who take the time to prepare early can ensure that they deal maximum damage during the battle and earn some extra Premier Balls for the encounter reward. They can also even solo some of the tier 3 bosses if they're experiences enough and have the optimal counters and strong conditions.
In order to properly prepare for any Battle Raid boss in Pokemon GO, trainers need to take the time to learn about the boss' weaknesses. In the case of a dual Dragon-/Fairy-type like Salamence, that's going to mean studying up on all of the best Ice-, Dragon-, Flying-, and Rock-type move sets that are available in the game.
Salamence has four different weaknesses, which gives players a lot of options when it comes to forming their counter roster, but to get the best results they'll want to lean heavily on that double weakness to Ice-types. If players are planning to attempt a solo or very small group battle, they'll want to take the time to spend some Stardust, Candy, and Elite TMs before heading into the big fight.
Salamence Weaknesses
This tier 3 Battle Raid boss is a Dragon- and Flying-type, which means that Salamence is 2x weak to Ice-type and also weak to Dragon-, Fairy-, and Rock-type moves.
Best Salamence Counters
- Abomasnow (Mega) - Powder Snow/Weatherball
- Mamoswine - Powder Snow/Avalanche
- Darmanitan (Galarian Standard) - Ice Fang/Avalanche
- Glaceon - Frost Breath/Avalanche
- Weavile - Ice Shard/Avalanche
- Mewtwo - Psycho Cut/Ice Beam
- Jynx - Frost Breath/Avalanche
- Charizard (Mega X) - Dragon Breath/Dragon Claw
- Ampharos (Mega) - Volt Switch/Dragon Pulse
- Vanilluxe - Frost Breath/Blizzard
- Blastoise (Mega) - Bite/Ice Beam
- Beartic - Powder Snow/Ice Punch
- Gengar (Mega) - Lick/Sludge Bomb
- Articuno - Ice Shard/Ice Beam
- Cloyster - Ice Shard/Avalanche
That should be everything trainers need to know before they head into the tier three battle against Salamence. Be sure to stick to the recommended counter types and enter the battle with enough allies around to help out. High level players with the best counters can technically solo this tier three raid boss, but players who want to play it safe should enter the fight with one to three friends instead to secure a successful battle.
Be sure to check back in the near future for lots more Pokemon GO strategy guides, news, and updates. Until then, good luck out there, trainers!
Pokemon GO is available now in select regions on Android and iOS devices.