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 is said that this Pokémon constantly flies over the immense seas and rescues drowning people.
This marine Pokémon has an impressive build that lets it freely fly over raging seas without trouble.
Dragonite Weakness
Ice, Rock, and Dragon 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 |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Water, Fighting, Bug |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Grass |
| 0x (Immune) | Ground |
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, Azelf's Explosion hits Dragonite for 70-83%.
 | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityLevitate ItemFocus Sash NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Azelf builds →Explosion70-83% U Turn10-12% | ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityNatural Cure ItemBlack Sludge NatureTimid Moves View Roserade builds →
| ||
 Blaziken FireFighting | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityBlaze ItemChoice Scarf NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Blaziken builds →Flare Blitz30-35% Superpower30-35% Fire Blast18-21% | ||
 | C | |
Recommended Build AbilitySolidrock ItemLeftovers NatureSassy Moves
Damage vs Dragonite View Camerupt builds →Explosion61-72% | ||
 | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityOvergrow ItemLife Orb NatureJolly Moves View Sceptile builds →
| ||
HeartGold & SoulSilver Evolution
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 Dragon Breath, Dragon Dance, Dragon Rush and 5 more.
HeartGold & SoulSilver Dragonite Best Moveset
The game plan is straightforward: click Dragon Dance, then sweep. Life Orb and Innerfocus 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
- Extreme Speed
- Outrage
- Dragon Dance
- Fire Punch
Recommended Teammates
Moves
Need something that threatens multiple types? Dragonite's movepool delivers. Coverage across 12 types plus STAB from Draco Meteor and Outrage gives it answers for most defensive cores you'll run into.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Transfer Moves
How to Get Dragonite in HeartGold & SoulSilver
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 HeartGold & SoulSilver
The path to Dragonite starts with Dratini at Lv. 5-40 via fishing, gift, and more encounters. 2 catchable stages total, with locations listed for each one below.
Step 1Catch DratiniDragon's DenSoulSilverGift from NPC Lv.15CommonEarlyDragon's DenHeartGoldGift from NPC Lv.15CommonEarlyDragon's DenHeartGoldSurfing on water Lv.5-15UncommonEarlyDragon's DenSoulSilverSurfing on water Lv.5-15UncommonEarlyGoldenrod City - Game CornerSoulSilverGift from NPC Lv.15 CityLimitedEarlyPurchase: 2,100 coinsGoldenrod City - Game CornerHeartGoldGift from NPC Lv.15 CityLimitedEarlyPurchase: 2,100 coinsDragon's DenSoulSilverGood Rod Lv.20RareMidDragon's DenHeartGoldGood Rod Lv.20RareMidDragon's DenHeartGoldSuper Rod Lv.40CommonLateDragon's DenSoulSilverSuper Rod Lv.40CommonLate
Step 2Catch or Evolve DragonairDragon's DenSoulSilverSuper Rod Lv.40RareLateDragon's DenHeartGoldSuper Rod Lv.40RareLateor evolve from Dratini (Step 1)
Step 3Dragonite ✓
Dragonite Guide
In the HeartGold & SoulSilver meta, Dragonite already has 600 BST going for it, and Multiscale pushes the competitive value even higher. A-Tier wallbreaker on our tier list. Extreme Speed with Life Orb is the standard set.
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, 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 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.
For HeartGold & SoulSilver, Dragonite has answers, but so do you. Status moves (Toxic, Will-O-Wisp) wear it down. Setup sweepers can use it as a boost opportunity. Special attackers bypass its physical bulk.
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