Dragonite has the stats to dominate any format it's allowed in. 134 base Attack stands out, and the rest of the spread doesn't have obvious weak points either. Known as the Dragon Pokemon. A longtime staple going back to Gen 1.
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 this POKéMON lives somewhere in the sea and that it flies. However, it is only a rumor.
Dragonite Weakness
GoodIce, Rock, and Dragon-type 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.
- Only 15 types exist — Dark, Steel, and Fairy are absent
- Ghost has no effect on Psychic (a known bug, fixed in Gen II)
- Special stat governs both offense and defense — no Sp.Atk / Sp.Def split
You get Dragonite from Dratini at level 55. This Dragon/Flying-type hits 600 total stats and can't produce eggs. The evolution from Dratini pushed Dragonite to 600 total stats. Attack saw the largest single gain at +70.
How to Evolve
Start with flexible EVs EVs. A nature nature gives Dragonite the right balanced lean, an item adds extra utility, and an ability works in the background. Wrap is the main damage option.
Best Build
Best Dragonite Moveset
- Wrap
- Hyper Beam
- Blizzard
- Agility
Recommended Teammates
The level-up pool is slim, so TMs matter here. Dragonite's Normal and Ice coverage and more all comes from technical machines, built on top of Dragon Rage for same-type damage. Hyper Beam and Blizzard are the payoff moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Can't catch Dragonite directly. Start with Dratini at solid 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 Yellow
Dratini is your first catch on the way to Dragonite. You'll find fishing encounters from Lv. 10-15 across 5 total spots in the chain.
Step 1Catch DratiniEASYSafari Zone - CenterSuper RodLv.10CommonEarlyFacilityEASYSafari Zone - NorthSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyFacilityEASYSafari Zone - WestSuper RodLv.15CommonEarlyFacilityMODERATESafari Zone - EastSuper RodLv.10UncommonEarlyFacility
Step 2Catch or Evolve DragonairMODERATESafari Zone - CenterSuper RodLv.15UncommonEarlyFacilityor evolve from Dratini (Step 1)
Step 3Dragonite ✓
Dragonite already has 600 BST going for it, and Multiscale pushes the competitive value even higher. B-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.
Dragonite is a mixed attacker — base 134 Attack and 100 Sp. Atk. Tanky enough to absorb a few hits, too. But the speed tells the real story — base 80 Speed is workable — faster than some, slower than many. Fits the wallbreaker role.
Dragonite appears in 21 games, including Yellow, Red & Blue, and Gold & Silver.
Present since Red & Blue, Dragonite appears in 21 games spanning 9 generations. Gen 1 originals like Dragonite have the longest track record of availability in the series.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen IIGS
Gold & Silver - Gen IIC
Crystal - Gen IIIRS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen IIIFRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen IIIE
Emerald - Gen IVPt
Platinum - Gen IVHGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen IVDP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen VBW
Black & White - Gen VB2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen VIXY
X & Y - Gen VIORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen VIIUSUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen VIISM
Sun & Moon - Gen VIILGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen VIIISwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen VIIIPLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen VIIIBDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen IXSV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen IXLZA
Legends: Z-A