Beating Dragonite Raids in Pokémon GO — Best Counters and Catch CP
Dragonite is a Dragon and Flying-type Tier 3 Raid Boss in Pokémon GO, and one of the original pseudo-legendary Pokémon that players still chase. Its dual typing creates a critical vulnerability: a 2.56× weakness to Ice-type moves. That double weakness makes Ice attackers the fastest and most reliable way to take it down, though Dragon, Fairy, and Rock types work as well.
Quick answer: Lead with White Kyurem using Ice Fang and Ice Burn for the fastest clear (~70 seconds). High-level trainers can solo Dragonite; otherwise, bring 2–5 players depending on your roster strength.
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Dragonite Raid Catch CP
After defeating Dragonite, the encounter CP falls within a fixed range determined by your Trainer level and weather conditions. A shiny encounter is possible — raid bosses carry roughly 1-in-20 shiny odds.
| Condition | CP Range |
|---|---|
| No weather boost (Level 20) | 2,079 – 2,167 |
| Windy weather boost (Level 25) | 2,599 – 2,709 |
Dragonite Weaknesses and Resistances
| Weaknesses | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Ice | 2.56× |
| Dragon | 1.6× |
| Fairy | 1.6× |
| Rock | 1.6× |
| Resistances | Multiplier |
| --- | --- |
| Bug | 0.625× |
| Fighting | 0.625× |
| Fire | 0.625× |
| Water | 0.625× |
| Grass | 0.39× |
| Ground | 0.39× |
The 2.56× Ice weakness is the single most important factor when building your raid team. Even mid-tier Ice attackers will outperform top-tier Dragon or Fairy options in most scenarios.
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Top 15 Dragonite Raid Counters
The table below ranks counters by time to win (TTW). Lower TTW means a faster clear. Faints indicate how many Pokémon you'll lose during the fight, which matters if you're short on Revives.
| # | Pokémon | Fast Move | Charged Move | TTW | Faints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | White Kyurem | Ice Fang | Ice Burn | 70s | 3 |
| 2 | Black Kyurem | Dragon Tail | Freeze Shock | 80s | 4 |
| 3 | Shadow Mamoswine | Powder Snow | Avalanche | 84s | 4 |
| 4 | Mega Rayquaza | Dragon Tail | Breaking Swipe | 92s | 4 |
| 5 | Shadow Weavile | Ice Shard | Avalanche | 92s | 7 |
| 6 | Eternatus | Dragon Tail | Dynamax Cannon | 93s | 3 |
| 7 | Shadow Mewtwo | Psycho Cut | Ice Beam | 95s | 4 |
| 8 | Galarian Darmanitan | Ice Fang | Avalanche | 96s | 6 |
| 9 | Mega Gardevoir | Charm | Triple Axel | 98s | 2 |
| 10 | Mega Abomasnow | Powder Snow | Weather Ball | 98s | 4 |
| 11 | Mamoswine | Powder Snow | Avalanche | 98s | 4 |
| 12 | Baxcalibur | Ice Fang | Avalanche | 98s | 5 |
| 13 | Shadow Aurorus | Frost Breath | Weather Ball | 99s | 5 |
| 14 | Mega Glalie | Frost Breath | Avalanche | 99s | 5 |
| 15 | Shadow Mr. Rime | Ice Shard | Triple Axel | 99s | 6 |
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White Kyurem finishes the fight roughly 10 seconds faster than any other counter. If you have one powered up, it should always lead your team against Dragonite.
Shadow Weavile deserves a special mention. It clears at 92 seconds — tied with Mega Rayquaza — but it faints seven times during the fight. Only use it if you have plenty of Revives and Max Potions to spare. Mega Gardevoir sits on the opposite end, fainting just twice while still finishing under 100 seconds, making it the most efficient pick for players who want to conserve healing items.
If you lack legendaries and Shadow Pokémon, regular Mamoswine with Powder Snow and Avalanche remains one of the most accessible and effective counters. Glaceon, Baxcalibur, and Galarian Darmanitan are solid alternatives that don't require rare candy investment.
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Dragonite Raid Boss Moveset
Knowing what Dragonite can throw at you helps with team selection. Its fast moves are Dragon Tail, Dragon Breath, and Steel Wing. The charged move pool is much wider and includes some heavy hitters.
| Move Type | Moves |
|---|---|
| Fast Moves | Dragon Tail, Dragon Breath, Steel Wing |
| Charged Moves | Outrage, Dragon Claw, Hurricane, Superpower, Thunder Punch, Hyper Beam, Draco Meteor*, Dragon Pulse* |
Moves marked with * are legacy. Hurricane is the most dangerous charged move for Ice-type counters since it deals super-effective Flying damage against them. If you notice your Ice attackers dropping unusually fast, Hurricane is likely the culprit. Dragon-type counters like Mega Rayquaza and Eternatus handle Hurricane sets more comfortably but take super-effective damage from Dragonite's Dragon moves instead.
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Dragonite Base Stats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Max CP | 4,287 |
| Attack | 263 |
| Defense | 198 |
| HP | 209 |
How to Get Dragonite in Pokémon GO
Raids are the most direct path, but they aren't the only option. Dragonite appeared as a Tier 3 Raid Boss on April 4, 2026, during the Fashion Raid Day event. Outside of raid rotations, you can obtain one through several other methods.
Evolving Dratini is the most common route. Dratini spawns near water and during certain in-game events. You need 25 Dratini Candy to evolve it into Dragonair, then another 100 Candy to reach Dragonite — 125 total. Pinap Berries on every Dratini catch will speed this up considerably.
Wild spawns exist but are extremely rare. If you encounter a wild Dragonite, use a Golden Razz Berry and an Ultra Ball to maximize your catch chance.
Special Research and Field Research tasks occasionally reward a Dragonite encounter during themed events. These rotate and aren't always available, so check active tasks during events.
Trading with another player works if someone in your friend list has a spare. Keep in mind that Dragonite costs more Stardust to trade if neither player has one registered in their Pokédex.
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Shiny Dragonite Odds
Shiny Dragonite is available in Pokémon GO. When encountered through raids, the shiny rate sits at approximately 1 in 20. Wild Dratini has a much lower shiny rate of roughly 1 in 500 under normal conditions, though Community Day events have historically boosted that to around 1 in 25.
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Mega Dragonite
Dragonite can Mega Evolve into Mega Dragonite using 300 Mega Dragonite Energy. This energy is earned by defeating Mega Dragonite in Super Mega Raids. Mega Dragonite was introduced during the GO Tour Kalos Global 2026 event. After the initial Mega Evolution, subsequent Mega Evolutions cost less energy and eventually become free once you reach the highest Mega Level.
Is Dragonite Worth Powering Up?
Dragonite's value depends on what role you need it to fill. As a Dragon-type raid attacker running Dragon Tail and Draco Meteor, it lands in the top 30 of the category — decent but outclassed by White Kyurem, Mega Rayquaza, and Eternatus. Its Flying-type performance is weaker, ranking around 60th due to a mediocre Flying moveset. In Trainer Battles, Dragonite performs best in Master League, where its high stats shine with Thunder Punch and Superpower, placing it in the top 60. It struggles in Great League and Ultra League, where CP-capped formats favor different stat distributions.
For gym defense, Dragonite's bulk and high CP make it a reliable option to place on top of gyms. It won't wall dedicated attackers, but it discourages casual challengers. If you're building a collection or need a versatile Dragon-type and don't have the rarer legendaries, Dragonite remains a worthwhile investment — just don't expect it to top any leaderboards in 2026's meta.
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