Dragonair Best Moveset
84 Attack at 70 Speed on Dragon. AbilityMarvel Scale boosts Defense under status. Held ItemEviolite adds bulk since Dragonite exists. The moveset has moderate Dragon TermStab that trails Dragonite by two tier grades. One evolution from the 134 Attack and AbilityMultiscale that dominate the format.
Dragon-type without Dragon STAB in Gen I (Red & Blue). Dragon Rage did fixed 40 damage. 84 Attack and 70 Special were mid for the format.
Utility Moveset
- Thunder Wave
- Wrap
- Blizzard
- Thunderbolt
Recommended Teammates
Shed Skin healed status 33% of the time in Gen II (Gold & Silver). Dragon typing had few weaknesses. Dragonair walled but couldn't pressure back.
Best Moves
Best Build
Utility Moveset
- Extreme Speed
- Thunder Wave
- Thunder
- Fire Blast
Recommended Teammates
420 BST Dragon in Gen III (Ruby & Sapphire) with no setup moves. Dragon Dance existed but Dragonair didn't learn it until Gen IV.
Wall Moveset
- Thunder Wave
- Ice Beam
- Toxic
- Hidden Power Grass
Recommended Teammates
Marvel Scale boosted Defense by 50% when statused in Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl). Rest plus Marvel Scale was the defensive set. Eviolite wasn't available yet.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Dragon Dance
- Extreme Speed
- Waterfall
- Rest
Recommended Teammates
Dragonair saw minimal competitive use in Gen V (Black & White / B2W2). This was a decline from C-Tier in the previous generation. Its most popular set ran Shedskin with Life Orb, favoring a Hasty nature.
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Extreme Speed
- Draco Meteor
- Fire Blast
- Sunny Day
Recommended Teammates
Dragonair saw minimal competitive use in Gen VI (X & Y / ORAS). Dragonair maintained its position from the previous generation. Its most popular set ran Shedskin with Eviolite, favoring a Careful nature.
Wall Moveset
- Outrage
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Rest
Recommended Teammates
Dragonair saw minimal competitive use in Gen VII (Sun & Moon / USUM). Dragonair maintained its position from the previous generation. Its most popular set ran Shedskin with Eviolite, favoring a Adamant nature.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Dragon Dance
- Dragon Tail
- Aqua Tail
- Iron Tail
Recommended Teammates
Dragonair saw minimal competitive use in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield / BDSP). Dragonair maintained its position from the previous generation. Its most popular set ran Shedskin with Nothing, favoring a Lonely nature.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Dragon Dance
- Ice Beam
- Fire Blast
- Iron Tail
Recommended Teammates
Dragonair saw minimal competitive use in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet / Legends Z-A). Dragonair maintained its position from the previous generation. Its most popular set ran Shedskin with Eviolite, favoring a Adamant nature.
Physical Tank Moveset
- Dragon Dance
- Dragon Tail
- Extreme Speed
- Thunder Wave
Recommended Teammates
Dragonair Weakness
Dragonair is weak to Ice, Dragon, and Fairy. 4 resistances help offset the weaknesses. Standard number of weaknesses for the Dragon typing.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Ice, Dragon, Fairy |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Water, Electric, Grass |
What is Dragonair Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Dragonair
Garchomp's Earthquake hits Dragonair for 48-56%. Togekiss's Dazzling Gleam hits Dragonair for 69-81%.
 Garchomp DragonGround | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityRough Skin ItemRocky Helmet NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Garchomp builds →Earthquake48-56% | ||
 Togekiss Fairy | B | |
Recommended Build AbilitySerenegrace ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Togekiss builds →Air Slash32-38% Dazzling Gleam 2x69-81% | ||
 Lapras WaterIce | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityWaterabsorb ItemLeftovers NatureModest Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Lapras builds →Surf17-20% Thunderbolt11-13% | ||
Evolution
Partway through Dratini's chain. Dragonair still has another evolution ahead before reaching Dragonite. For breeding, takes forever to hatch with plenty of partners via two egg groups. HP has grown the most so far (+20), but there's still another 180 stats to gain in the final evolution. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
How to Get Dragonair
low spawn rates across 2 encounter spots for Dragonair. That's the kind of hunt where you pick one location and settle in. Sort by Best below to see where the odds are highest.
Where To Catch Dragonair in SV
The path to Dragonair starts with Dratini at Lv. 20-54 via walking encounters. 2 catchable stages total, with locations listed for each one below.
Step 1Catch DratiniCasseroya Lake - LakeLv.20-52OverworldRate 20%South Province (Area Six) - RiverLv.20-52OverworldRate 10%North Province (Area One) - LakeLv.20-52OverworldRate 8%North Province (Area Two) - LakeLv.20-52OverworldRate 8%
Step 2Dragonair ✓Casseroya Lake - LakeLv.50-54OverworldRate 3%or evolve from Dratini (Step 1)
Step 3Evolve into DragoniteBREEDINGAvailableLeave a compatible parent at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Dragonite egg.
Dragonair doesn't appear wild. Catch Dratini instead, it shows up in the wild. Evolve it at level 55 to get Dragonair. The 3-stage chain is mapped in the step cards below.
You'll want early-game access before hunting Dragonair. Moderate rates across 2 encounter spots means the location matters. Sort by Best below and target the top-rated area first.
Where To Catch Dragonair in BDSP
The path to Dragonair starts with Dratini at Lv. 15-63 via fishing and walking encounters. 2 catchable stages total, with locations listed for each one below.
Can't catch Dragonair directly. Start with Dratini at moderate rates from the locations below, then evolve at level 55. The 3-stage chain from Dratini to Dragonair is where the leveling time goes.
How to Obtain Dragonair in SwSh
The path to Dragonair starts with Dratini at Lv. 60-65 via surfing encounters. 1 catchable stage total, with locations listed for each one below.
Step 1Catch DratiniBallimere LakeLv.60-65Surfing on waterRate 5%Normal WeatherBallimere LakeLv.60-65Surfing on waterRate 5%SnowingBallimere LakeLv.60-65Surfing on waterRate 5%RainingBallimere LakeLv.60-65Surfing on waterRate 5%ThunderstormBallimere LakeLv.60-65Surfing on waterRate 5%OvercastBallimere LakeLv.60-65Surfing on waterRate 5%Intense Sun
Step 2Dragonair ✓BREEDINGAvailableLeave Dragonite with a compatible partner at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Dragonair egg.
Step 3Evolve into Dragonite
Base Stats
An unusually even spread gives Dragonair flexibility. Attack barely edges ahead. But HP isn't far off. Tough to catch and follows a slow 1.25M XP grind. Yields 2 Attack EVs.
They say that if it emits an aura from its whole body, the weather will begin to change instantly.
Dragonair Guide
Dragonair is meant to evolve into Dragonite. At 420 BST, the stats aren't there for competitive play yet. Pre-evolution Pokemon rarely hold up against fully evolved threats.
Shed Skin is the go-to ability for Dragonair. It has a 33% chance of curing any major status ailment after each turn. Its hidden ability Marvel Scale can work in specific setups.
Base 70 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. On offense, Dragonair is a physical attacker with base 84 Attack.
You can run Dragonair through the first few routes without issues. 420 BST won't carry you far though. Get it to Dragonite as fast as you can.
Game Availability
One of the original 151, Dragonair has appeared in 21 games — nearly every mainline game. From Red & Blue through the latest titles, it's rarely been left out of a regional Pokedex.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves