Is Dragonair Good in Sword & Shield Playthrough?
Dragonair carries you through the later gyms decently with Dragon moves, but the real goal is Dragonite at level 55. That evolution might come just in time for Leon if you keep pushing experience through the Champion Cup bracket. AbilityShed Skin occasionally cures status, which helps the grind.
Dratini has the type edge here and should clean up Milo's team.
Dratini has the type edge here and should clean up Nessa's team.
Dratini has the type edge here and should clean up Kabu's team.
Dratini trades roughly evenly with Bea's team.
Opal's team hits Dratini's weaknesses hard.
Dratini has the type edge here and should clean up Gordie's team.
Dratini trades roughly evenly with Piers's team.
Dratini has the type edge here and should clean up Raihan's team.
Bede's team hits Dratini's weaknesses hard.
Dragonite has the type edge here and should clean up Leon's team.
Catch Dratini on Ballimere Lake (Surf, Lv 60-65). Normal Weather.
Your Dratini should hit Level 55 before you reach Leon, at typical leveling pace.
How to Get Dragonair in Sword & Shield
Can't catch Dragonair directly. Start with Dratini at moderate rates from the locations below, then evolve at level 55. The 3-stage chain from Dratini to Dragonair is where the leveling time goes.
How to Obtain Dragonair in SwSh
The path to Dragonair starts with Dratini at Lv. 60-65 via surfing encounters. 1 catchable stage total, with locations listed for each one below.
Step 1Catch DratiniBallimere LakeLv.60-65Surfing on waterRate 5%Normal WeatherBallimere LakeLv.60-65Surfing on waterRate 5%SnowingBallimere LakeLv.60-65Surfing on waterRate 5%RainingBallimere LakeLv.60-65Surfing on waterRate 5%ThunderstormBallimere LakeLv.60-65Surfing on waterRate 5%OvercastBallimere LakeLv.60-65Surfing on waterRate 5%Intense Sun
Step 2Dragonair ✓BREEDINGAvailableLeave Dragonite with a compatible partner at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Dragonair egg.
Step 3Evolve into Dragonite
Dragonair Weakness
Dragonair is weak to Ice, Dragon, and Fairy. 4 resistances help offset the weaknesses. Standard number of weaknesses for the Dragon typing.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Ice, Dragon, Fairy |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Water, Electric, Grass |
What is Dragonair Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Dragonair
 Glaceon Ice | B | |
 Cutiefly BugFairy | D | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Cutiefly builds →Draining Kiss 2x42-50% | ||
 Milcery Fairy | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Milcery builds →Draining Kiss 2x37-45% | ||
 Ralts PsychicFairy | D | |
 Vanillite Ice | D | |
Glaceon Ice | B | |
 Spritzee Fairy | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Spritzee builds →Draining Kiss 2x43-51% | ||
 Swirlix Fairy | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Swirlix builds →Draining Kiss 2x40-47% | ||
Cutiefly BugFairy | D | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Cutiefly builds →Draining Kiss 2x40-47% | ||
 Kirlia PsychicFairy | D | |
 Ribombee BugFairy | B | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Ribombee builds →Draining Kiss 2x55-65% | ||
Glaceon Ice | B | |
Spritzee Fairy | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Spritzee builds →Draining Kiss 2x42-50% | ||
Swirlix Fairy | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Swirlix builds →Draining Kiss 2x38-46% | ||
Kirlia PsychicFairy | D | |
 Gardevoir PsychicFairy | B | |
 Shiinotic GrassFairy | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Shiinotic builds →Dazzling Gleam 2x84-99% | ||
Spritzee Fairy | C | |
 Fraxure Dragon | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Fraxure builds →Dragon Claw 2x108-127%KO | ||
Ribombee BugFairy | B | |
Gardevoir PsychicFairy | B | |
 Hatterene PsychicFairy | B | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Hatterene builds →Dazzling Gleam 2x114-134%KO | ||
 Grimmsnarl DarkFairy | B | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Grimmsnarl builds →Spirit Break 2x101-119%KO | ||
 Axew Dragon | C | |
Shiinotic GrassFairy | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Shiinotic builds →Dazzling Gleam 2x81-96% | ||
Gardevoir PsychicFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Gardevoir builds →Moonblast 2x124-146%KO Icy Wind 2x49-58% | ||
Hatterene PsychicFairy | B | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Hatterene builds →Dazzling Gleam 2x113-134%KO | ||
Grimmsnarl DarkFairy | B | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Grimmsnarl builds →Spirit Break 2x102-121%KO | ||
Axew Dragon | C | |
Shiinotic GrassFairy | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Shiinotic builds →Dazzling Gleam 2x79-94% | ||
 Haxorus Dragon | B | |
Gardevoir PsychicFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Gardevoir builds →Moonblast 2x126-149%KO Icy Wind 2x49-58% | ||
Grimmsnarl DarkFairy | B | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Grimmsnarl builds →Play Rough 2x124-147%KO | ||
Hatterene PsychicFairy | B | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Hatterene builds →Dazzling Gleam 2x115-135%KO | ||
 Clefable Fairy | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Clefable builds →Moonblast 2x101-119%KO Icy Wind 2x40-47% | ||
Haxorus Dragon | B | |
Gardevoir PsychicFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Gardevoir builds →Moonblast 2x128-151%KO Icy Wind 2x50-59% | ||
Clefable Fairy | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Clefable builds →Moonblast 2x102-120%KO Ice Punch 2x44-52% | ||
Grimmsnarl DarkFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Grimmsnarl builds →Play Rough 2x124-146%KO Ice Punch 2x69-81% | ||
Hatterene PsychicFairy | B | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Hatterene builds →Dazzling Gleam 2x117-138%KO | ||
Haxorus Dragon | B | |
Gardevoir PsychicFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Gardevoir builds →Moonblast 2x128-151%KO Icy Wind 2x50-59% | ||
Clefable Fairy | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Clefable builds →Moonblast 2x102-120%KO Ice Beam 2x64-76% | ||
Grimmsnarl DarkFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Grimmsnarl builds →Play Rough 2x124-146%KO Ice Punch 2x69-81% | ||
Hatterene PsychicFairy | B | |
Haxorus Dragon | B | |
Gardevoir PsychicFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Gardevoir builds →Moonblast 2x128-151%KO Icy Wind 2x50-59% | ||
Clefable Fairy | A | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Clefable builds →Moonblast 2x102-120%KO Ice Beam 2x64-76% | ||
Grimmsnarl DarkFairy | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Grimmsnarl builds →Play Rough 2x124-146%KO Ice Punch 2x69-81% | ||
Hatterene PsychicFairy | B | |
In Sword & Shield, Garchomp can KO Dragonair with Earthquake (99-116%). Togekiss threatens a KO with Dazzling Gleam (127-149%). Lapras's Avalanche also KOs at 98-115%.
 Garchomp DragonGround | S | |
Recommended Build AbilityRough Skin ItemLeftovers NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Garchomp builds →Earthquake99-116%KO | ||
 Togekiss Fairy | B | |
Recommended Build AbilitySerenegrace ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Togekiss builds →Air Slash59-70% Dazzling Gleam 2x127-149%KO | ||
 Lapras WaterIce | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityWaterabsorb ItemLeftovers NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Dragonair View Lapras builds →Avalanche 2x98-115%KO Thunderbolt13-15% Waterfall33-38% | ||
Dragonair Evolutions
Partway through Dratini's chain. Dragonair still has another evolution ahead before reaching Dragonite. For breeding, takes forever to hatch with plenty of partners via two egg groups. HP has grown the most so far (+20), but there's still another 180 stats to gain in the final evolution. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
SwSh Dragonair Best Moveset
Better stats than Dratini but still nothing close to competitive. 84 Attack and 70 Speed give modest physical presence, and AbilityShed Skin helps against status. The moveset previews Dragonite's Dragon TermStab without the Attack, bulk, or AbilityMultiscale that make it work at S-tier.
Best Build
Dragonair best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Dragon Dance
- Ice Beam
- Fire Blast
- Iron Tail
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
TMs carry this one. Dragonair learns Outrage and Dragon Rush naturally for STAB, but the offensive range comes almost entirely from technical machines. Normal and Water and beyond give it real matchup play.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- Egg
- Inherited via breeding.
- Tutor
- NPC tutor (cost: items, BP, money).
- Reminder
- An NPC reteaches any move this Pokemon could have learned by leveling up.
- Transfer
- Carried over from an older game using Pokemon HOME.
- Event
- Given out through Mystery Gift events.
Visual Signals
CAT (Category)
How the move deals damage and which stats it uses.
A small dot on the icon's corner marks the move as contact. That triggers abilities like Static, Flame Body, Rough Skin, or Iron Barbs, plus items like Rocky Helmet and Sticky Barb.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM, Egg, and Tutor sort by tier by default (best first). On Level-Up, click the Tier header to do the same.
PWR (Power)
Base damage. Numbers shown in a type color include STAB (base × 1.5). Hover any colored number to see the math.
— means no power (status moves) or variable power.
Sorting & Filter
Click any column header to sort. Level-Up opens with Lv 1 at the top. TM, Egg, and Tutor open with the highest-tier moves at the top.
Search filters by move name or type. The Filter button limits the list to STAB, Physical, Special, or Status moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
This Pokémon lives in pristine oceans and lakes. It can control the weather, and it uses this power to fly into the sky, riding on the wind.
This Pokémon gathers power in the orbs on its tail and controls the weather. When enshrouded by an aura, Dragonair has a mystical appearance.
Dragonair Sword & Shield Guide
Dragonair is meant to evolve into Dragonite. At 420 BST, the stats aren't there for competitive play yet. Pre-evolution Pokemon rarely hold up against fully evolved threats.
Shed Skin is the go-to ability for Dragonair. It has a 33% chance of curing any major status ailment after each turn. Its hidden ability Marvel Scale can work in specific setups.
Base 70 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. On offense, Dragonair is a mixed attacker with base 84 Attack and 70 Sp. Atk.
For Sword & Shield, you can run Dragonair through the first few routes without issues. 420 BST won't carry you far though. Get it to Dragonite as fast as you can.
Game Availability
One of the original 151, Dragonair has appeared in 21 games — nearly every mainline game. From Red & Blue through the latest titles, it's rarely been left out of a regional Pokedex.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves