Dragonite is a powerful Dragon/Flying-type Pokémon that has been a mainstay in the competitive metagame for many years. It boasts an impressive stat spread, with high Attack, Special Attack, and HP, making it a versatile threat that can fill a variety of roles on a team. However, choosing the right moveset for Dragonite can be a daunting task, as it has access to a wide range of powerful attacks. In this article, we will delve into the best attacks for Dragonite, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses and providing strategic insights to help you optimize your Dragonite’s performance in battle.
Dragonite’s primary attacking options are its Dragon-type moves, namely Dragon Claw and Outrage. Dragon Claw is a fast and reliable physical attack that deals significant damage to most opponents. It is a staple move for Dragonite, providing it with consistent and reliable damage output. Outrage, on the other hand, is a powerful Dragon-type physical attack that deals massive damage over two to three turns. However, it locks Dragonite into using the move for its duration, making it somewhat risky to use against faster opponents or those with priority moves. Additionally, Dragonite has access to Hurricane, a powerful Flying-type special attack that can be useful for hitting Grass-type Pokémon, which are otherwise resistant to Dragon-type moves. Hurricane can also be used to activate Dragonite’s Hidden Ability, Multiscale, which reduces the damage it takes from an attack by half.
Hyper Beam: A High-Powered Normal-Type Attack
Hyper Beam is a powerful Normal-type attack with a base power of 150. It is a one-hit KO move that can be used to take down even the toughest opponents.
Hyper Beam has a high energy cost of 150, so it is important to use it strategically. It is best to use Hyper Beam when you are sure that you can knock out your opponent in one hit.
Hyper Beam is a great attack for Dragonite because it is a powerful Normal-type move that can be used to take down a wide range of opponents. It is also a good choice for taking down Dragon-type opponents, as Normal-type moves are super effective against Dragon-type Pokémon.
Additional Points to Consider
1. High Energy Cost
Hyper Beam has a high energy cost, which means that Dragonite will need to charge up before using it. This can make Hyper Beam difficult to use in fast-paced battles.
2. One-Hit KO Potential
Hyper Beam is a powerful move with the potential to knock out an opponent in one hit. This can be a great advantage, as it can allow Dragonite to take down opponents quickly and easily.
3. Super Effective Against Dragon-Types
Normal-type moves are super effective against Dragon-type Pokémon. This makes Hyper Beam a great choice for taking down Dragon-type opponents, such as Garchomp or Salamence.
Dragon Claw: A Fast and Reliable Dragon-Type Move
Dragon Claw is a Fast Dragon-type move that deals 35 damage. It has a high Energy generation rate, making it a reliable source of Energy for Dragonite. Dragonite’s high Attack stat also makes Dragon Claw a powerful move, allowing it to deal significant damage to opponents. Additionally, Dragon Claw is considered a “stardust efficient” move, meaning that it requires relatively little Stardust to power up, making it a budget-friendly option for powering up Dragonite.
Advantages of Dragon Claw
Some of the advantages of using Dragon Claw include:
- High Energy generation: Dragon Claw’s high Energy generation rate allows Dragonite to quickly charge up its more powerful Charged Moves.
- Reliable damage: Dragon Claw’s low cooldown and high damage potential make it a reliable source of damage for Dragonite.
- Good coverage: Dragon-type moves like Dragon Claw are effective against many common Pokémon types, including Dragon, Steel, and Fairy.
- Stardust efficiency: Dragon Claw requires less Stardust to power up than many other Fast Moves, making it a cost-effective option.
- Low risk: Dragon Claw has a low base damage, which means that it is less likely to trigger the opponent’s shields.
Drawbacks of Dragon Claw
Some of the drawbacks of using Dragon Claw include:
- Lower damage output compared to other Fast Moves: Despite its high Energy generation, Dragon Claw’s damage output is lower than some other Fast Moves, such as Dragon Breath.
- Limited effectiveness against certain types: Dragon-type moves like Dragon Claw are not very effective against Pokémon that resist Dragon-type attacks, such as Steel-type and Fairy-type Pokémon.
| Move | Type | Power | Energy | Cooldown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon Claw | Dragon | 35 | 10 | 0.5s |
Earthquake: A Ground-Type Move for Coverage
Earthquake is a powerful Ground-type move that provides Dragonite with excellent coverage against Electric, Rock, and Fire-type Pokémon, which are some of its common weaknesses. With a base power of 100, Earthquake deals significant damage and can be a game-changer in many battles. Additionally, Earthquake has a high critical hit ratio of 10%, making it even more potent when it lands. Here’s a detailed breakdown of Earthquake’s effectiveness against different Pokémon types:
| Pokémon Type | Effectiveness |
|---|---|
| Electric | Very effective |
| Rock | Very effective |
| Fire | Very effective |
| Steel | Not very effective |
| Grass | Not very effective |
| Water | Not very effective |
As you can see, Earthquake is particularly effective against Electric, Rock, and Fire-type Pokémon, which are common threats to Dragonite. By incorporating Earthquake into its moveset, Dragonite can significantly improve its overall coverage and become a more versatile battler.
Best Attacks for Dragonite
Dragonite is a dual-type Dragon/Flying Pokémon that has been a top-tier choice in competitive Pokémon battles for many years. It has a great combination of stats, with high Attack, Defense, and Special Attack, and it can learn a wide range of powerful moves.
The best attacks for Dragonite are those that take advantage of its high Attack and Special Attack stats. For physical attacks, Dragon Claw and Outrage are both excellent choices. Dragon Claw is a fast, powerful move that has a high critical hit ratio, while Outrage is a powerful two-turn move that does massive damage. For special attacks, Dragon Pulse and Hurricane are both good choices. Dragon Pulse is a reliable, powerful move that has a high chance of causing flinching, while Hurricane is a powerful Flying-type move that can also cause confusion.
In addition to its offensive moves, Dragonite can also learn a variety of support moves, such as Roost, Protect, and Dragon Tail. Roost allows Dragonite to recover HP, while Protect can help it to block attacks. Dragon Tail is a useful move for knocking opponents out of the air, which can be helpful against Flying-type Pokémon.
