Stats & Training
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’s a kindhearted Pokémon. If it spots a drowning person or Pokémon, Dragonite simply must help them.
This Pokémon is known as the Sea Incarnate. Figureheads that resemble Dragonite decorate the bows of many ships.
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 |
In Sword & Shield, Volcarona's Psychic hits Dragonite for 34-41%.
 | S | |
Recommended Build AbilityFlashfire ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves View Heatran builds →
| ||
 | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityFlame Body ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureModest Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Volcarona builds →Psychic34-41% | ||
 | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityGrassy Surge ItemAssault Vest NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Rillaboom builds →U Turn13-15% Wood Hammer17-20% | ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityWaterabsorb ItemChoice Specs NatureModest Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Volcanion builds →Flamethrower37-44% | ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityCursedbody ItemChoice Scarf NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Gengar builds →Shadow Ball41-48% Sludge Bomb46-54% Giga Drain6-7% | ||
Sword & Shield 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
Breeding
Breed with Dragonite to get Dratini eggs easily using 63 partners from the Dragon and Water1 egg groups.
Sword & Shield Dragonite Best Moveset
The game plan is straightforward: click Dragon Dance, then sweep. Heavy-Duty Boots and Multiscale support the setup turn. EVs go into max Attack and Speed so Dragonite hits hard once it's boosted.
Best Build
Dragonite best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Roost
- Ice Punch
Doubles Support Moveset
- Dual Wingbeat
- Roost
- Haze
- Rock Slide
Recommended Teammates
Moves
Need something that threatens multiple types? Dragonite's movepool delivers. Coverage across 10 types plus STAB from Outrage and Hurricane gives it answers for most defensive cores you'll run into.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
How to Get Dragonite in Sword & Shield
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 Sword & Shield
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 LakeShieldSurfing on water Lv.60-65 Water5%PostOvercastBallimere LakeSwordSurfing on water Lv.60-65 Water5%PostThunderstormBallimere LakeShieldSurfing on water Lv.60-65 Water5%PostNormal WeatherBallimere LakeSwordSurfing on water Lv.60-65 Water5%PostIntense SunBallimere LakeSwordSurfing on water Lv.60-65 Water5%PostSnowingBallimere LakeSwordSurfing on water Lv.60-65 Water5%PostRainingBallimere LakeSwordSurfing on water Lv.60-65 Water5%PostOvercastBallimere LakeSwordSurfing on water Lv.60-65 Water5%PostNormal WeatherBallimere LakeShieldSurfing on water Lv.60-65 Water5%PostThunderstormBallimere LakeShieldSurfing on water Lv.60-65 Water5%PostIntense SunBallimere LakeShieldSurfing on water Lv.60-65 Water5%PostSnowingBallimere LakeShieldSurfing on water Lv.60-65 Water5%PostRaining
Step 2Evolve into Dragonair
Step 3Dragonite ✓
Dragonite Guide
In the Sword & Shield 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 Sword & Shield, 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 Sword & Shield, Dragonite's hidden ability is Multiscale. Halves damage taken from full HP. Better than the standard options for competitive play.
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 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves