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Pokemon GO: Best Moveset For Dragonite (2021) | Game Rant

As the very first pseudo-legendary pokemon in the franchise, Dragonite deserves respect for being a powerhouse in every game that they make an appearance in, whether it is in the main series of Pokemon games or in numerous side games that have popped up over the years.

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Avid walkers and real-world explorers can even find this mighty Dragon-type pocket monster in Pokemon GO, where they can ally with Dragonite to become a strong and dynamic duo. Appropriately, this pokemon can learn some excellent moves, though, since only a couple can be active at a time, players will need to choose wisely.

Updated on August 9, 2021, by Reyadh Rahaman: Dragonite's moves in Pokemon GO all originate from the mains series Pokemon games, though, from different generations. The only moves that have existed in the franchise as long as the pseudo-legendary themselves are Dragon Breath and Hyper Beam, the rest having been introduced in Generation II and onwards.

The moves available to players in Pokemon GO all harken back to not only moves from the main series but also the lore and general vibe associated with Dragonite. As a dual-type pokemon being both Dragon-type and Flying-type, players know exactly what they're facing when they encounter a Dragonite.

Currently, Dragonite has 3 Fast Attacks and 5 Charged Attacks to choose from, and the player should decide based on their opponent, however, if one does not know who they will be going up against, it can be prudent to get a sense of one's Dragonite's combat potential by looking at all the options as well as the damage, damage per second (DPS) of each move, and type.

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  • Dragon Breath – 6 damage (12 DPS) [Dragon-type]
  • Dragon Tail – 15 damage (14 DPS) [Dragon-type]
  • Steel Wing – 11 damage (14 DPS) [Steel-type]
  • Dragon Claw – 50 damage (29 DPS) [Dragon-type]
  • Hurricane – 110 damage (41 DPS) [Flying-type]
  • Hyper Beam – 150 damage (39 DPS) [Normal-type]
  • Outrage – 110 damage (28 DPS) [Dragon-type]
  • Draco Meteor – 150 damage (42 DPS) [Dragon-type]

Out of the 3 potential options, Dragon Tail and Steel Wing are the top contenders, as they possess the highest DPS (tied) with Dragon Tail performing a bit better in the single-hit damage department.

Steel Wing is great if players need to counter a Fairy-type opponent, as Steel is super effective against Fairy. This can surprise foes who think they have a type advantage and allow one to gain momentum in battle.

However, in every other situation, Dragon Tail is the better Fast Attack, as it does better base damage and also gains a Same Type Attack Bonus (STAB) due to Dragonite being part Dragon-type (in addition to part Flying-type). Overall, Dragon Tail is the best Fast Attack for a Dragonite moveset in the majority of situations.

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Again, damage, DPS, and type-consideration will allow trainers to determine the best possible attack for this move slot. Though, since Draco Meteor can only be learned from events, most players will have to pass on that as an option. Furthermore, Dragon Claw is woefully weak and should be ignored, leaving Hurricane, Hyper Beam, and Outrage as the 3 best choices.

Upon taking a close look at them, one will note that Outrage has a very low DPS compared to the other top choices, so, unless one wants a Dragon-type Charged Attack, they should avoid this move. Between Hurricane and Hyper Beam, things are a bit closer with Hurricane having better DPS and Hyper Beam doing better damage per slightly slower hit.

The deciding factor here is that since Hurricane is a Flying-type move, it will gain a STAB thanks to Dragonite's secondary type being the same. In the end, Hurricane is the best Charged Attack for a Dragonite moveset after the trainer considers all the factors.

  • Roost
  • Dragon Dance
  • Dual Wingbeat
  • Earthquake

Competitive players are likely familiar with this best moveset if they've encountered enemy Dragonites, as it (and slight variations of it) are the most overused on this Dragon and Flying-type pokemon. Dragon Dance is an excellent offensive buff for a physical sweep like Dragonite as it raises Attack and Speed by 1 stage each. Dragonites with the Multiscale ability can also afford to tank a hit while setting up, granting an almost guaranteed chance to use Dragon Dance at the beginning of a battle with few repercussions.

Dual Wingbeat hits twice, therefore it benefits more from the Attack boost applied by Dragon Dance than single-hit moves, and, it can be used for breaking an enemy's Substitute before hitting them during the same turn. Earthquake, as it has been since Generation I, exists on this set as a reliable way to do a lot of damage to the Rock and Steel-type pokemon that adversaries may intend to switch in to counter Dragonite.

  • Agility
  • Wrap
  • Thunderbolt
  • Blizzard

Very different from the current metagame, Dragonite's original best moveset is a lot more about abusing the Speed mechanics of Gen I games as well as the unbreakable lockdown of Wrap. When used, Wrap will trap the opponent for a few turns, preventing them from attacking or switching out while doing a bit of damage to them every turn, until they are released and can have a chance to counterattack before their oppressor potentially uses Wrap again. Though, in Gen I, the turn that Wrap releases its target still does not allow them to move, meaning that if the user of Wrap is faster, they can continuously apply Wrap to both trap and whittle down a foe's HP while they remain helpless.

Thunderbolt and Blizzard are simply there as powerful coverage moves instead of the set's core focus, which, interestingly, demonstrates how much the mechanics of Pokemon games have changed over the years and across different series.

NEXT: Pokemon GO: Best Moveset For Gengar

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