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Shadow Dragonite

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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

As a Pokemon with high attack, Dragonite greatly benefits from the Shadow Boost, becoming one of the absolute strongest dragons in the game. It's very comparable to Shadow Salamence, but it has a little bit less DPS along-side a little more TDO, just like the interaction between the normal versions of these pseudo-legendary Pokemon.

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.

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 Shadow 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.

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 most likely 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 / 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. 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.

Dragonite does unfortunately suffer from many issues. Its extreme focus on Dragon-type damage leaves it almost helpless against Steel- and Fairy-types, such as Melmetal, Togekiss, and Zacian, whereas other Dragon-types often possess more reliable sources of counter-coverage to prevent a complete blowout. Being part Flying makes it vulnerable to Rock-type attacks, a coverage type often utilized by Ground types other than Groudon, making Dragonite an unreliable Pokemon to counter Ground-types with. On that note, Dragonite competes with Palkia, as Palkia's lack of Rock weakness and access to Aqua Tail makes it a more reliable Ground-type counter, in addition to being less vulnerable to Melmetal. Because of these, Dragonite best shines in limited rulesets like Premier Cup or draft, where its competitors aren't as omnipresent. 

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