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#149
Default
263
ATK
198
DEF
209
STA
Lvl 50Max CP
4287
Lvl 40
3792
Lvl 25Weather Boost
2709
Lvl 20Raids/Eggs
2167
Lvl 15Research
1625

PvE Analysis

When Pokemon Go first released, Dragonite was the Pokemon to have. Super Effective damage didn't have much advantage over simple STAB, so Dragonite's high power, great attacks, and pervasive typing made it a top choice for clearing gyms, and the general lack of Ice Types made it a top choice for defending gyms as well. Nowadays, Dragonite has fallen off a bit, but it's still very viable, and one of the most accessible "good" dragons in the game as well. Dragonite is a work-horse of a Pokemon that's very capable, and is a solid pick any time a Dragon Type weakness shows up.

Best PvE Offensive Moveset

  • Dragon Tail slightly outperforms Dragon Breath in damage output, but Dragon Breath is easier to dodge with.
  • Steel Wing has a different effectiveness profile but is inferior for neutral damage.
  • Outrage deals huge damage and has 2 bars, with its drawback being long cooldown. Dragon Pulse is strictly worse.
  • Draco Meteor, Dragonite's Community Day move, is competitive with Outrage, but being a 1-bar move is less consistent. 
  • Dragon Claw is great for clearing gyms with 3 bars and low cooldown, but trails Outrage in damage output.
  • Hurricane gets STAB but lacks synergy with Dragonite's fast moves. 
  • Hyper Beam and Superpower have no purpose on an offensive Dragonite.
  • Return has nothing to offer an offensive Dragonite.

Best PvE Defensive Moveset

  • Dragon Tail performs exceptionally better than all other fast moves on defense.
  • Steel Wing is acceptable on defense, with advantages vs. Ice, Fairy, and Rock.
  • Dragon Breath is underwhelming on defense.
  • Dragon Claw fires quickly and often, so it’s hard to dodge, but its power is low.
  • Superpower has great counter-coverage against Steel and Ice Types.
  • Outrage has stellar power and 2 bars but is easily reactable. Dragon Pulse is strictly worse.
  • Hurricane is difficult to react to, but Dragonite may likely faint before using it.
  • Draco Meteor has strong STAB damage, but is easy to dodge. 
  • Hyper Beam has no redeeming qualities on defense.
  • Return is extremely hard to dodge and has three bars, but its power is pretty low.

PvP Analysis

Following the GBL Season 8 update, Dragon Tail on paper is slightly stronger than Dragon Breath, but the latter is much easier to use and benefits significantly more from certain breakpoints. Steel Wing is a poor move. 

Dragon Claw is mandatory for its cheap energy cost and solid damage. You have some freedom in secondary charged moves, though you do spend most of your time just spamming Claws.

Draco Meteor is the most extreme option, giving an incredibly powerful nuke in shields-down scenarios. Outrage is less hard-hitting than Draco, but also less punishing if it gets shielded. Hurricane is really nice because it actually gives you a way to damage Fairy-types, though its energy cost makes it inconsistent as an actual answer. Superpower is the recommended move for Dragonite, giving it an option against common Steel-type Pokemon, in addition to its other weaknesses against Ice and Rock Pokemon. It should be noted that without Hurricane, Dragonite has no answer to Fairy Pokemon at all, but Dragonite wouldn't typically win in a one-on-one fair fight against Fairy Pokemon anyways. 

Great League4 / 5

Glassy but devastating, Dragonite is a highly potent and consistent damage dealer. It boasts useful resistances courtesy of its Dragon/Flying typing. Dragonite's main draw compared to other Dragon-type Pokemon is its access to Superpower, which can annihilate bulky Normal- and Steel-type Pokemon. This Pokemon requires ample protection from shields and tanky teammates in order for it to pop off, but it can absolutely carry its weight.

Shadow Dragonite is largely the preferred variant, leaning further to its oppressive and consistent damage output.

Ultra League4.5 / 5

The higher CP cap of Ultra League helps Dragonite survive longer compared to Great League, enabling it to spam more STAB Dragon Claws. Its resistances against common typings like Water and Fighting give it a major advantage against much of the meta. Access to Superpower following the September 2022 update further increases Dragonite's potential, allowing it to threaten common Steel-type Pokemon as well. It's not enough to mitigate its double weakness to Ice-type Pokemon, but at least Dragonite now gives them more to worry about. 

Master League4 / 5

Dragonite sets itself apart from the numerous Dragon types in Master League due to its access to Dragon Claw. This enables Dragonite to pressure other Dragon-types more quickly, giving it a slightly positive match up against them (outside of the ubiquitous Dialga). Its Flying secondary typing also allows it to completely counter Mud Shot Groudon and makes it challenging for Rhyperior to beat it while shields are available. Other than that, you can expect Dragonite to reliably perform its role as a Dragon-type, namely beating Kyogre, Ho-Oh, and Giratina-O, courtesy of its strong moveset, resistances, and overall high stats. Thanks to Superpower's addition following the September 2022 update, Dragonite can now fight back against Steel-type Pokemon. It can even sometimes defeat Dialga, a rare quality amongst Dragon-type Pokemon.

Dragonite's largest weakness remains to be its inability to break past Fairy-type Pokemon, further exacerbated by it choosing Superpower over Hurricane as its secondary Charged Attack. Zacian, Xerneas, Togekiss, and Primarina all can wall Dragonite without much effort. It can also be rather fragile at times - a Brave Bird from Ho-Oh can put it in critical condition. It also competes with Palkia-O and Zygarde for a slot on a team as they cover similar opponents, but those two Dragons have greater stats and better overall matchups against the rest of the meta.

Purification Cost
5 Candy + 5,000 Stardust
Second Charge Move Cost
75,000 Stardust + 75 Candy
Flee Rate
5 %
Buddy Distance
5 KM
Catch Rate
5 %
Female Ratio
50 %
Male Ratio
50 %