Dragonite Best Moveset
AbilityMultiscale halves damage at full HP, guaranteeing a free MoveDragon Dance that boosts Attack and Speed simultaneously. Held ItemHeavy Duty Boots blocks TermEntry Hazards that would break Multiscale on the switch. NatureAdamant at 134 Attack after one Dragon Dance overwhelms defensive answers. Tera Normal turns MoveExtreme Speed into a priority nuke. The moveset has defined the format since launch.
The only Dragon-type in Gen I (Red & Blue). 134 Attack and a wide movepool, but Dragon had no real STAB moves. Blizzard off 100 Special hit hard enough.
Utility Moveset
- Wrap
- Hyper Beam
- Blizzard
- Agility
Recommended Teammates
Still the Dragon to beat in Gen II (Gold & Silver). 134 Attack with Earthquake plus 100 Sp. Atk for special coverage kept it unpredictable.
Utility Moveset
- Dynamic Punch
- Ice Beam
- Thunder
- Thunderbolt
Recommended Teammates
Salamence arrived as direct competition with Intimidate in Gen III (Ruby & Sapphire). Dragonite had more movepool variety but Salamence hit harder.
Physical Attacker Moveset
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power Flying
- Dragon Dance
- Ice Beam
Recommended Teammates
Dragon Dance plus Outrage from 134 Attack was terrifying in Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl). ExtremeSpeed gave it priority that Salamence and Garchomp lacked.
Best Moves
Best Build
Dragonite best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Extreme Speed
- Outrage
- Dragon Dance
- Fire Punch
Recommended Teammates
Multiscale arrived and Dragonite became a monster in Gen V (Black & White). Full HP meant the first hit always did half damage. One free Dragon Dance, then sweep.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Dragon Dance
- Extreme Speed
- Outrage
- Fire Punch
Recommended Teammates
Three straight gens at the top. Multiscale plus Roost in Gen VI (X & Y) meant Dragonite could reset its ability and take another reduced hit. Incredibly hard to OHKO.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Extreme Speed
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Outrage
Recommended Teammates
Dropped slightly in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). Fairy-types resisted Dragon STAB, and Tapus shut down ExtremeSpeed priority with terrain effects.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Extreme Speed
- Fly
Recommended Teammates
Back on top in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). Multiscale plus Dragon Dance plus Heavy-Duty Boots gave it Stealth Rock immunity and a guaranteed setup turn.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Roost
- Ice Punch
Recommended Teammates
Six total gens at the highest tier in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet). Multiscale remained one of the best abilities in the game, and Dragonite's versatility kept opponents guessing.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Dragon Dance
- Extreme Speed
- Earthquake
- Ice Spinner
Recommended Teammates
Dragonite Weakness
Ice, Rock, Dragon, and Fairy moves hit Dragonite for super-effective damage. Ice hits land at 4x, so they're the biggest threat. The upside? Ground-type moves can't touch it at all. The Dragon/Flying typing picks up 5 resistances to work with. Dragonite's overall bulk (91/95/100) lets it take a hit or two from most weaknesses before going down.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Ice |
| 2x (Weak) | Rock, Dragon, Fairy |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Water, Fighting, Bug |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Grass |
| 0x (Immune) | Ground |
What is Dragonite Weak Against
GoodBest Pokemon Against Dragonite
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySniper ItemFocus Sash NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Ariados builds →Sucker Punch21-25% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityFlame Body ItemAssault Vest NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Magmortar builds →Thunderbolt30-35% Flamethrower15-17% Psychic30-35% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityDrought ItemHeatrock NatureTimid Moves View Ninetales builds →
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C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityUnnerve ItemAir Balloon NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Pyroar builds →Dark Pulse24-28% Flamethrower13-16% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityChlorophyll ItemFocus Sash NatureModest Moves View Sunflora builds →
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Evolution
The three-stage chain from Dratini through Dragonair ends here at Dragonite. Want more? Breed for Dratini eggs. Plenty of partners available via two egg groups. The evolution from Dratini pushed Dragonite to 600 total stats. Attack saw the largest single gain at +70. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
How to Get Dragonite
You're catching Dratini first, not Dragonite. Dratini appears at decent rates in the encounters below. The step cards map the full 3-stage chain with evolution methods between each stage.
How to Obtain Dragonite in SV
Dratini is your first catch on the way to Dragonite. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 20-54 across 10 total spots in the chain.
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 2Catch or Evolve DragonairCasseroya Lake - LakeLv.50-54OverworldRate 3%or evolve from Dratini (Step 1)
Step 3Dragonite ✓BREEDINGAvailableLeave a compatible parent at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Dragonite egg.
moderate rates for Dragonite across 1 locations in endgame routes. Nothing complicated. Check the sorted list below, compare the top few options, and head to whichever is closest.
Dragonite doesn't appear wild. Catch Dratini instead, it shows up at solid rates. Evolve it at level 55 to get Dragonite. The 3-stage chain is mapped in the step cards below.
How to Obtain Dragonite in BDSP
To get Dragonite, start by catching Dratini through fishing and walking encounters at Lv. 15-63. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.
Can't catch Dragonite directly. Start with Dratini at moderate rates from the locations below, then evolve at level 55. The 3-stage chain from Dratini to Dragonite is where the leveling time goes.
How to Obtain Dragonite in SwSh
Dratini is your first catch on the way to Dragonite. You'll find surfing encounters from Lv. 60-65 across 12 total spots in the chain.
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 2Evolve into DragonairBREEDINGAvailableLeave Dragonite with a compatible partner at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Dragonair egg.
Step 3Dragonite ✓
Base Stats
Nothing fancy in Dragonite's spread. It leans physical with Attack out front. And you'll get 3 Attack EVs per KO for it. Follows a slow 1.25M XP grind.
It is said that somewhere in the ocean lies an island where these gather. Only they live there.
Dragonite Guide
Dragonite already has 600 BST going for it, and Multiscale pushes the competitive value even higher. A-Tier wallbreaker on our tier list.
Watch for Cloyster (Ice), Aerodactyl (Rock), and Kingdra (Dragon) when using Dragonite. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Cloyster is the most dangerous since Ice moves deal 4x damage. Fairy-type attackers are also a problem.
Dragonite gets Multiscale and Inner Focus. But Multiscale is the one that matters. It's the centerpiece of every viable set. Build around that. Multiscale synergizes with Dragonite's base 100 Sp.Def, letting it soak special attacks as a pivot.
Dragonite is a physical attacker with base 134 Attack. Tanky enough to absorb a few hits, too. Speed tells the real story. Base 80 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. Fits the wallbreaker role.
Dragonite has answers, but so do you. Status moves (Toxic, Will-O-Wisp) wear it down. Setup sweepers can use it as a boost opportunity. Special attackers bypass its physical bulk.
Game Availability
Present since Red & Blue, Dragonite appears in 21 games spanning 10 generations. Gen 1 originals like Dragonite have the longest track record of availability in the series.
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