Is Dragonite Good in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Playthrough?
600 BST with great coverage. If you get Dragonite online before the E4, it handles basically everything except Candice. The problem is Garchomp exists natively in Sinnoh and evolves earlier. Dragonite is excellent, just redundant.
Dratini has the type edge here and should clean up Roark's team.
Dratini trades roughly evenly with Gardenia's team.
Dratini trades roughly evenly with Maylene's team.
Dratini trades roughly evenly with Crasher Wake's team.
Fantina's team hits Dratini's weaknesses hard.
Byron's typing presses Dratini's defenses.
Dratini trades roughly evenly with Candice's team.
Dratini trades roughly evenly with Volkner's team.
Dragonite resists most of Aaron's coverage and hits back hard.
Dragonite has the type edge here and should clean up Bertha's team.
Dragonite has the type edge here and should clean up Flint's team.
Dragonite has the type edge here and should clean up Lucian's team.
Dragonite has the type edge here and should clean up Cynthia's team.
Catch Dragonair on Mt. Coronet (Super Rod fishing, Lv 15-40, uncommon).
Your Dratini should hit Level 55 before you reach Aaron, at typical leveling pace.
How to Get Dragonite in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
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.
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
 Geodude RockGround | C | |
 Onix RockGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Onix builds →Stone Edge 2x47-57% Dragon Pulse 2x21-26% | ||
Geodude RockGround | C | |
Onix RockGround | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Onix builds →Stone Edge 2x50-59% Dragon Pulse 2x23-29% | ||
 Granbull Fairy | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Granbull builds →Ice Fang 4x79-93% Outrage 2x69-82% Stone Edge 2x57-68% Dazzling Gleam 2x42-50% | ||
 Probopass RockSteel | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Probopass builds →Power Gem 2x47-55% Dazzling Gleam 2x31-37% | ||
 Mr. Mime PsychicFairy | B | |
 Clefairy Fairy | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Clefairy builds →Ice Beam 4x62-74% Dazzling Gleam 2x42-50% | ||
 Graveler RockGround | C | |
Granbull Fairy | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Granbull builds →Ice Fang 4x79-93% Outrage 2x69-82% Stone Edge 2x57-68% Dazzling Gleam 2x42-50% | ||
 Sudowoodo Rock | C | |
Probopass RockSteel | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Probopass builds →Power Gem 2x47-55% Dazzling Gleam 2x31-37% | ||
Mr. Mime PsychicFairy | B | |
 Azumarill WaterFairy | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Azumarill builds →Ice Beam 4x62-74% Play Rough 2x42-50% Rollout 2x11-14% | ||
Granbull Fairy | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Granbull builds →Ice Fang 4x75-89% Outrage 2x66-79% Stone Edge 2x56-66% Dazzling Gleam 2x39-47% | ||
Sudowoodo Rock | C | |
Probopass RockSteel | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Probopass builds →Power Gem 2x46-54% Dazzling Gleam 2x30-36% | ||
Mr. Mime PsychicFairy | B | |
Azumarill WaterFairy | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Azumarill builds →Ice Beam 4x58-69% Play Rough 2x39-47% Rollout 2x9-11% | ||
 Snover GrassIce | D | |
Granbull Fairy | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Granbull builds →Ice Fang 4x72-85% Outrage 2x65-77% Stone Edge 2x55-65% Dazzling Gleam 2x39-45% | ||
Probopass RockSteel | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Probopass builds →Power Gem 2x44-52% Dazzling Gleam 2x30-35% | ||
Sudowoodo Rock | C | |
Mr. Mime PsychicFairy | B | |
 Abomasnow GrassIce | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Abomasnow builds →Ice Beam 4x116-136%KO Rock Slide 2x33-40% | ||
 Weavile DarkIce | A | |
 Mamoswine IceGround | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Mamoswine builds →Ice Fang 4x116-136%KO Stone Edge 2x59-70% | ||
Probopass RockSteel | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Probopass builds →Power Gem 2x43-51% Dazzling Gleam 2x28-34% | ||
Granbull Fairy | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Granbull builds →Ice Fang 4x72-85% Outrage 2x65-77% Stone Edge 2x54-64% Dazzling Gleam 2x38-45% | ||
 Jynx IcePsychic | C | |
Abomasnow GrassIce | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Abomasnow builds →Ice Beam 4x116-136%KO Rock Slide 2x33-40% | ||
Weavile DarkIce | A | |
Mamoswine IceGround | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Mamoswine builds →Ice Fang 4x116-136%KO Stone Edge 2x59-70% | ||
Probopass RockSteel | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Probopass builds →Power Gem 2x43-51% Dazzling Gleam 2x28-34% | ||
Jynx IcePsychic | C | |
Abomasnow GrassIce | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Abomasnow builds →Ice Beam 4x113-133%KO Rock Slide 2x33-39% | ||
Weavile DarkIce | A | |
Mamoswine IceGround | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Mamoswine builds →Ice Fang 4x115-136%KO Stone Edge 2x59-69% | ||
 Rhydon GroundRock | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Rhydon builds →Stone Edge 2x88-104%KO Avalanche 4x72-85% Dragon Pulse 2x21-25% | ||
S | ||
Recommended Build AbilityFlashfire ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves View Heatran builds →
| ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySpeed Boost ItemLeftovers NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Blaziken builds →Close Combat22-26% Flare Blitz22-26% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityCursedbody ItemChoice Scarf NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Gengar builds →Shadow Ball27-32% Sludge Bomb30-36% Giga Drain6-7% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityNatural Cure ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureBold Moves View Blissey builds →
| ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityDrizzle ItemDamprock NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Pelipper builds →U Turn5-6% Hurricane24-28% | ||
Dragonite Evolutions
The three-stage chain from Dratini through Dragonair ends here at Dragonite. Want more? Breed for Dratini eggs. A decent partner pool 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
Breeding
Breed with Dragonite to get Dratini eggs easily using 30 partners from the Dragon and Water1 egg groups. Notable egg moves include Aqua Jet, Dragon Breath, Dragon Dance and 5 more.
BDSP Dragonite Best Moveset
Hidden AbilityMultiscale halves damage at full HP, guaranteeing a free turn for MoveDragon Dance setup that didn't exist in the original Gen 4. The moveset uses that free turn to boost Attack and Speed, then hits with Dragon/Flying TermStab at 134 base Attack. S-tier because the guaranteed setup interaction makes the physical offense unstoppable when played correctly.
Best Build
Dragonite best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Roost
- Ice Punch
Moves List
Need something that threatens multiple types? Dragonite's movepool delivers. Coverage across 10 types plus STAB from Draco Meteor and Outrage gives it answers for most defensive cores you'll run into.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- Egg
- Inherited via breeding.
- Tutor
- NPC tutor (cost: items, BP, money).
- Reminder
- An NPC reteaches any move this Pokemon could have learned by leveling up.
- Transfer
- Carried over from an older game using Pokemon HOME.
- Event
- Given out through Mystery Gift events.
Visual Signals
CAT (Category)
How the move deals damage and which stats it uses.
A small dot on the icon's corner marks the move as contact. That triggers abilities like Static, Flame Body, Rough Skin, or Iron Barbs, plus items like Rocky Helmet and Sticky Barb.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM, Egg, and Tutor sort by tier by default (best first). On Level-Up, click the Tier header to do the same.
PWR (Power)
Base damage. Numbers shown in a type color include STAB (base × 1.5). Hover any colored number to see the math.
— means no power (status moves) or variable power.
Sorting & Filter
Click any column header to sort. Level-Up opens with Lv 1 at the top. TM, Egg, and Tutor open with the highest-tier moves at the top.
Search filters by move name or type. The Filter button limits the list to STAB, Physical, Special, or Status moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
It is said to make its home somewhere in the sea. It guides wrecked ships to shore.
Dragonite Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Guide
In the Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl meta, Dragonite already has 600 BST going for it, and Multiscale pushes the competitive value even higher. B-Tier wallbreaker on our tier list. Dragon Dance with Heavy-Duty Boots is the standard set.
In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, 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.
In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, run Dragon Dance, Earthquake, Roost, and Icepunch on Dragonite. Dragon Dance is the most common pick at 0% usage. This set covers the wallbreaker role with a mix of damage and utility.
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