What is the best moveset for Mega Salamence in Pokemon GO? (January 2023)

Introduced in Pokemon GO's Twinkling Fantasy event, Salamence's Mega Evolution has finally made its way to the mobile title. Mega Salamence is considered to be one of the best Mega Evolutions in the franchise, and it is incredibly potent in the mobile game as well.

However, although Mega Salamence can perform well on its own without any assistance, many trainers will want to optimize it for raids. After all, Mega Evolutions are some of the greatest allies when tackling high-tier raids, and the fact that Mega Energy isn't easy to obtain for many makes it a wise move to optimize Pokemon like Mega Salamence. Apart from its stats, Pokemon GO trainers can outfit their Salamence with specific moves that will enhance its combat prowess after it mega evolves.

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The top movesets for Mega Salamence in Pokemon GO

Mega Salamence can dominate Pokemon GO raids with the right moveset (Image via Niantic)

Since Mega Evolutions can't be used in PvP formats in Pokemon GO (outside of unranked trainer battles), players tend to gear them specifically for tackling PvE raids. The same applies to Mega Salamence, which utilizes the moveset that it has before it mega evolves. This means the same moveset applied to a player's Salamence will have to be used for its mega iteration. However, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. A well-constructed moveset can benefit Salamence regardless of whether it's mega evolved or not.

Top Mega Salamence Movesets in Pokemon GO for January 2023:

• Dragon Tail + Draco Meteor
• Dragon Tail + Outrage

If players want Mega Salamence to deal the highest amount of damage in Pokemon GO, they'll want to stick to its best Dragon-type moves. Apart from dealing a lot of damage, these moves also require less energy and receive a Same Type Attack Bonus (STAB) when used by Salamence. However, there's still plenty of wiggle room for a player's individual preferences, particularly when it comes to Charged Moves.

Draco Meteor is slightly outclassed by Outrage due to its energy requirements. However, Draco Meteor deals 40 more damage than Outrage in PvE environments. Depending on whether a trainer wants to go all-in on damage or strike a more economical balance, they can swap between Draco Meteor or Outrage in their build. However, it's worth noting that Outrage is tougher to secure for Mega Salamence since it's an Elite Charged Move that requires an Elite Charged TM.

Technically, Salamence and Mega Salamence can also branch out into other elemental types by using Charged Moves like Fire Blast or Hydro Pump. While this improves Mega Salamence's ability to deal with opponents belonging to various elemental types, these moves don't receive STAB since they don't match Mega Salamence's Dragon/Flying typing. These two Charged Moves are resultingly more useful in PvP situations for standard Salamence when enemy teams are more unpredictable.

At the end of the day, the ultimate decision of what moveset Mega Salamence uses in Pokemon GO comes down to the player. Even if a Dragon-type moveset is optimal for dealing damage and being fairly energy efficient, trainers shouldn't feel restricted by this.