Bagon

It looks like a dragon ready to take to the skies, but it has no wings and still cannot fly. That frustration defines its behaviour: it throws itself from cliffs to try, and when it fails, it takes its anger out on rocks. Repeated impacts have hardened its head, giving it enough strength to smash enormous boulders to pieces.

Its compact body measures 0.6 m and weighs 42.1 kg. The Rock Head Pokémon category sums up its most visible trait well, although its obsession with flying makes it more of an aspiring flier than an aerial predator. It is also impulsive: it headbutts everything it comes across to relieve its frustration.

It occupies the first stage of a Dragon-type evolutionary line. At level 30, it evolves into Shelgon, a more heavily armoured stage, and at level 50 it reaches Salamence, which does fulfil its dream of flying. The contrast between the desire and the inability of its first stage is the thread that connects all three forms.

It is not competitive outside very specific battle restrictions, and in Little Cup it falls behind other attackers that can set up their offence more safely. Its stats explain the problem: it has 45 HP, 75 Attack, 60 Defense, 40 Special Attack, 30 Special Defense and 50 Speed. It hits with some force, but takes little on the special side and is not fast without support.

Rock Head is its regular Ability and prevents it from being hurt by its own moves. This lets it use Double-Edge, with a power of 120, without taking recoil. Sheer Force, its Hidden Ability, increases power and removes secondary effects; it fits moves such as Fire Fang or Zen Headbutt, although losing their added effects reduces some of their usefulness.

The Dragon type lets it resist Fire-, Water-, Grass- and Electric-type attacks. Defensively, however, it is weak to Ice, Dragon and Fairy. Dragon Claw provides reliable physical STAB and Outrage reaches a power of 120, but forces it to keep attacking for several turns and can leave it exposed. Dragon Dance boosts Attack and Speed, although its low defenses make it difficult to find a safe turn to use it. In a normal playthrough, it works as a temporary attacker during the story, especially once it knows coverage moves and there is still some time before evolving.

Bagon belongs to the Dragon Egg Group and has a 50% female gender ratio. Its eggs take 40 cycles to hatch, equivalent to approximately 10,455 steps using the usual formula. It is a slow Pokémon to obtain, but breeding lets you prepare moves such as Dragon Rush, with a power of 100, Thrash, with a power of 120, or Twister. Defense Curl provides a status option for strengthening Defense.

Its catch rate is 45, so catching it takes more work than catching a common species. Areas of rough terrain suit its behaviour: it needs cliffs and rocky surfaces to practise its jumps and charges.

Its evolution is straightforward. Bagon evolves into Shelgon at level 30, and Shelgon evolves into Salamence at level 50. No items, trades or time-based conditions alter those steps. In the wild, it may be holding a Dragon Scale or Dragon Fang.