Salazzle #758: the cave queen who rules over a court of Salandit

There isn't a single male Salazzle. Salazzle ("Malamandre" in French) is Alola's Toxic Lizard Pokémon, a 1.2-meter reptilian salamander that lives deep in caves, surrounded by a court of male Salandit entranced by her pheromones.

Contents

• Who is Salazzle?
• Type, ability and stats
• Evolution: female Salandit only
• Totem Salazzle in Kiawe's trial
• Whiptail lizards and a Hawaiian dragon
• Salazzle at a glance
• Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Salazzle?

Listed at #758 in the National Pokédex, she stands 1.2 meters tall and weighs 22.2 kilos, more than four and a half times the weight of Salandit. Her dark gray body brightens into a purple belly streaked with wavy pink markings that evoke flickering fire and smoke.

Her slender head has almond-shaped mauve eyes with slit pupils and two fangs on each side of the lower jaw, and her black-and-pink tail looks like a whip.

Pokémon Sun's Pokédex sets the scene: "Curiously, this species is made up only of females. They like to surround themselves with many male Salandit admirers." Those admirers are drawn in by the pheromones in her toxic gas.

The males have to bring her food, and Pokémon Ultra Moon doesn't mince words: she "mercilessly punishes any Salandit that come back from the hunt empty-handed, usually with a slap of her flaming palm ." Pokémon Shield adds that when two Salazzle clash, the one with more Salandit in her entourage wins.

Type, ability and stats

Like Salandit, she combines Poison and Fire — a pairing that only Iron Moth, in the ninth generation, has come along to share. The downside is stark: Ground deals quadruple, and Water, Rock and Psychic deal double damage.

The rest is comfortable: she takes half damage from Fighting, Poison, Steel, Fire and Ice, and a quarter from Bug, Grass and Fairy. No type leaves her completely unharmed, but she can be neither poisoned nor burned.

Its Ability Corrosion lets her poison even Steel- and Poison-type Pokémon, normally considered untouchable — it has nothing to do with heat, despite her Fire type. It was the line's signature Ability right up until Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, where Glimmet and Glimmora got it as their hidden Ability.

Her own hidden Ability is Oblivious : the one who bewitches everyone is herself immune to infatuation and taunting. As for the numbers, she has 117 Speed and 111 Special Attack, for a base stat total of 480.

🔥 Looking to spoil an Alola fan? The queen of the caves and her court are waiting for you in our Pokémon gift ideas.

Evolution: female Salandit only

Salazzle evolves from a female Salandit at level 33. The gender requirement is absolute: a male Salandit never evolves, which is why there's no such thing as a male Salazzle. Since females make up only 12.5% of the species, you often have to catch several Salandit before you land one.

Evolving immediately grants her Fire Lash, which she learns the very moment she transforms: a physical Fire-type move with 80 power and 100 accuracy that strikes the target with a red-hot whip and lowers its Defense by one stage.

Watch the timeline, though: in the seventh generation, this move still belonged to Heatmor, and Salazzle only learns it from Pokémon Sword and Shield onward. She doesn't become its sole user, and therefore its signature, until Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.

However, no Mega Evolution, no regional form, no Gigantamax form. The seventh generation's five Mega Evolutions go to Crabominable, Golisopod, Drampa, Magearna and Zeraora. Salazzle is a final stage : she doesn't evolve any further.

Totem Salazzle in Kiawe's trial

In Pokémon Sun and Moon, a Totem Salazzle closes out Kiawe's trial at Wela Volcano Park on Akala Island. She waits at level 22, holds a Petaya Berry and calls a Salandit for backup; defeating her earns you a Firium Z.

A Totem Pokémon is an individual far larger than normal — 2.1 meters and 81 kilos here — wrapped in an aura that raises its Special Defense by one stage. Its type, Ability and base stats, however, stay the same.

In Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, the trial gets a new star: the Totem becomes an Alolan Marowak and Salazzle settles for the role of backup. The Totem version is then obtained another way, in exchange for 50 Totem Stickers in Ultra Moon, at level 30.

Whiptail lizards and a Hawaiian dragon

Its French name, "Malamandre," simply fuses mal (evil) and salamandre (salamander), while the Japanese エンニュート Ennewt plays on 炎 into, the flame, 艶 into, the enchantress, and the English newt. The Chinese name 焰后蜥 blends the flame, the " enchanting queen " and the salamander.

Poképédia links her to the Teiidae, long-tailed lizards, some species of which are all-female. Another lead points to the Mo'o, a dragon-like lizard from Hawaiian mythology, described as a huge female with scales as black as night.

The Pokémon Moon Pokédex saves the most unexpected detail for last: her gas is so rich in pheromones that "they can be isolated to concoct a powerful aphrodisiac perfume ».

In the anime, a Salazzle belonging toLusamine stands up to Kiawe while both of them are under Nihilego's control, before being freed. That's enough to earn her a place among the Pokémon figures and the plush toys for collectors.

Salazzle at a glance

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do you get Salazzle?
  By evolving a female Salandit at level 33. There's no item, no trade and no friendship requirement, but the gender requirement is absolute: a male Salandit will never become a Salazzle. Since only 12.5% of the species is female, you often have to catch several.
• Why are there only female Salazzle?
  Because only female Salandit can evolve. The males stay stuck at the basic stage, so the evolved species is 100% female. The Pokédex blames this on the males' malnutrition, since they hand over nearly all their prey to the females as tribute.
• What is Salazzle's signature move?
  Fire Lash, a physical Fire-type move with 80 power and 100 accuracy that lowers the target's Defense by one stage. Salazzle learns it the moment she evolves. Keep in mind, though, that in the seventh generation this move was still Heatmor's signature, and Salazzle only got it starting with Pokémon Sword and Shield. She has been its sole user only since Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.
• Does Salazzle have a Mega Evolution?
  No. The seventh generation has five Mega Evolutions, which go to Crabominable, Golisopod, Drampa, Magearna and Zeraora: neither Salazzle nor Salandit is among them. No Mega Stone bears her name, and she has no regional form and no Gigantamax form.
• What makes Totem Salazzle different?
  It's a Salazzle much larger than normal, 2.1 meters and 81 kilos instead of 1.2 meters and 22.2 kilos. Her type, Ability and base stats don't change, but an aura raises her Special Defense by one stage, she holds a Petaya Berry and she calls a Salandit for backup. You face her at level 22 during Kiawe's trial at Wela Volcano Park, in Pokémon Sun and Moon. In Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, the trial goes to an Alolan Marowak instead.
• What are Salazzle's weaknesses?
  Four types give her trouble: Ground, which deals quadruple damage, then Water, Rock and Psychic, which deal double. She resists Fighting, Poison, Steel, Fire and Ice, and resists Bug, Grass and Fairy four times over. She has no type immunity, but her Poison type protects her from being poisoned and her Fire type from burns.

In short

Queen of the caves, leader of a court of suitors and sole user of Fire Lash, Salazzle turns a finicky evolution requirement into a true throne.