Dragon types are some of the strongest Pokemon of all time. However, not all of them are equally ferocious, so we’ve put together a list of the best Dragon-type Pokemon in the entire franchise.
If you ask any trainer which type of Pokemon is the most powerful, they’ll most likely say ‘Dragons.’ This is because these beasts have gained a reputation for being incredibly powerful, with strong stats and impressive moves. Plus, many Legendaries are Dragon-type, which only adds to their popularity.
To shed some light on the best Dragon-type Pokemon of all time, we’ve ranked the top 15 taking into account a range of factors like stats, move pool, how interesting their lore is, and the quality of their design. So here they are.
Every Pokemon in the list appears in its standard form, except for those that change to receive a secondary typing that allows them to be a part of the ranking.
Contents
- What is the best and strongest Dragon-type Pokemon?
- 15 best Dragon-type Pokemon of all time
- What are the worst Dragon-type Pokemon?
What is the best and strongest Dragon-type Pokemon?
The ultimate Dragon-type Pokemon in the whole franchise is Rayquaza, which becomes even more powerful once it reaches its Mega evolution.
However, there are some other great options if you’re not so keen on the dual Dragon/Flying ‘mon or if you prefer classic Pokemon over Legendaries.
15 best Dragon-type Pokemon of all time
15. Dragapult
- Debut: Pokemon Sword & Shield
- Type: Dragon/Ghost
- Weaknesses: Ghost / Ice / Dragon / Dark / Fairy
The first pseudo-Legendary on our list is Dragapult, which was introduced in Sword & Shield. It might not look very imposing, but with its high Speed, it’s one of the fastest Pokemon of all time, which pretty much ensures it will attack first. Combine this with a good Attack and Special Attack, and it’s a big threat.
Being a dual Dragon/Ghost-type gives it great coverage and some unique resistances, while access to attacks like Draco Meteor and Hex means it can pack a punch. It won’t last long in battle, but as long as you’re prepared for that, Dragapult will hit hard – and fast.
Dragapult base stats:
| HP | ATTACK | DEFENSE | SP. ATK | SP. DEF | SPEED | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 88 | 120 | 75 | 100 | 75 | 142 | 600 |
14. Dragonite
- Debut: Pokemon Red & Blue
- Type: Dragon/Flying
- Weaknesses: Ice / Rock / Dragon / Fairy
Dragonite has been the go-to Dragon-type Pokemon for many trainers since its debut in the early Kanto days. It can hit hard, has decent bulk, and remains one of the most beloved creatures in the series, so it’s easy to see why Dragonite has earned its status as a pseudo-Legendary Pokemon.
It might not be as intimidating as some of the more recent Dragon types, but it performs well against most enemies (except Ice-types, watch out for that 4x damage), and the hidden ability Multiscale was a brilliant addition to Dragonite’s perks, halving the damage it receives when it’s at full health.
Dragonite base stats:
| HP | ATTACK | DEFENSE | SP. ATK | SP. DEF | SPEED | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91 | 134 | 95 | 100 | 100 | 80 | 600 |
13. Salamence
- Debut: Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire
- Type: Dragon/Flying
- Weaknesses: Ice / Rock / Dragon / Fairy
Another pseudo-Legendary that makes it onto our list is the brilliant Salamence, which has a solid Attack and Special Attack, as well as Speed which means it gets to move quicker than many of its Dragon-type Pokemon counterparts.
When Mega-Evolved, Salamence becomes almost unstoppable, as its stats rise to 145 Attack, 120 Special Attack, 130 Defense, and 120 Speed. It also gains the ability Aerilate, which turns Normal-type attacks like Hyper Beam into Flying-type attacks, giving them shocking STAB damage in the process.
Salamence base stats:
| HP | ATTACK | DEFENSE | SP. ATK | SP. DEF | SPEED | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 95 | 135 | 80 | 110 | 80 | 100 | 600 |
12. Garchomp
- Debut: Pokemon Diamond & Pearl
- Type: Dragon/Ground
- Weaknesses: Ice / Dragon / Fairy
Pseudo-Legendary Pokemon Garchomp has been a fan favorite for years, especially due to its appearance in Diamond & Pearl, where many players saw it as a must-have on a winning team. Unsurprisingly, it remains a top choice to this day, largely thanks to its brilliant typing combination.
Garchomp has access to some of the best moves across all the games it appears in, allowing it to fill different roles and gain coverage against most opponents, while the great hidden ability Rough Skin deals damage every time an enemy makes contact. It’s the most well-rounded Dragon-type you can get.
Garchomp base stats:
| HP | ATTACK | DEFENSE | SP. ATK | SP. DEF | SPEED | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 108 | 130 | 95 | 80 | 85 | 102 | 600 |
11. Koraidon
- Debut: Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
- Type: Fighting/Dragon
- Weaknesses: Flying / Psychic / Ice / Dragon / Fairy
One of the Gen 9 mascots is Koraidon, Cyclizar’s past version. This Paradox Pokemon is a dual Fighting/Dragon-type with prominent stats focusing more on its physical damage.
This ancient creature is a very bulky ‘mon with a strong Attack and Speed, making it go first in most cases. It has access to incredible moves like Dragon Claw, and Outrage. Plus, its ability Orichalcum Pulse changes the weather to Harsh Sunlight, boosting its already powerful Attack stat by 30% for five turns.
Koraidon base stats:
| HP | ATTACK | DEFENSE | SP. ATK | SP. DEF | SPEED | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 135 | 115 | 85 | 100 | 135 | 670 |
10. Miraidon
- Debut: Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
- Type: Electric/Dragon
- Weaknesses: Ground / Ice / Dragon / Fairy
The other Gen 9 Legendary mascot is Miraidon, a dual Electric/Dragon-type creature. This time-traveling Pokemon from the future has great stats, focusing more on its special abilities.
Due to its typing, it has access to great moves such as Dragon Pulse and the high-powered Draco Meteor. Additionally, its signature move Electro Drift is an outstanding electric attack, which can even get an extra 33% boost, and its Hadron Engine creates the effect of the move Electric Terrain.
Miraidon base stats:
| HP | ATTACK | DEFENSE | SP. ATK | SP. DEF | SPEED | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 85 | 100 | 135 | 115 | 135 | 670 |
9. Zekrom
- Debut: Pokemon Black & White
- Type: Dragon/Electric
- Weaknesses: Ground / Ice / Dragon / Fairy
Despite common belief, the Dragon/Electric typing is a rare pairing with only Miraidon, Raging Bolt, Mega Ampharos, and Dracozolt having it. This gives Zekrom good coverage against some very used types such as Steel, Fire, and Water, leaving it with just four weaknesses.
This Legendary beast has very solid and well-balanced stats, with natural bulk and great offensive capabilities. Paired with some of its best moves like Outrage and Bolt Strike, Zekrom can take down defensive Pokemon like Ho-Oh, Giratina, and Lugia.
Zekrom base stats:
| HP | ATTACK | DEFENSE | SP. ATK | SP. DEF | SPEED | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 150 | 120 | 120 | 100 | 90 | 680 |
8. Reshiram
- Debut: Pokemon Black & White
- Type: Dragon/Fire
- Weaknesses: Ground / Rock / Dragon
Zekrom’s counterpart is Reshiram, a dual Dragon/Fire-type Legendary creature from Gen 5. With a 680 base stat, Reshiram has an impressive Sp. Atk that allows it to take advantage of great powerful moves.
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Flare Blitz and Outrage not only help to quickly cut through squishy Pokemon, but they also enable you to both burn and confuse your opponents. Not only is this an incredibly potent combination, but it also enables you to remove even the bulkiest monsters from the battlefield.
Reshiram base stats:
| HP | ATTACK | DEFENSE | SP. ATK | SP. DEF | SPEED | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 120 | 100 | 150 | 120 | 90 | 680 |
7. Kyurem
- Debut: Pokemon Black & White
- Type: Dragon/Ice
- Weaknesses: Fighting / Rock / Steel / Dragon / Fairy
The first Legendary on our list is Kyurem, a member of the Unova region’s Tao Trio. While its normal form may be weaker than both Zekrom and Reshiram, it outshines them both because it has the ability to fuse with either one of them to become one of two ultimate forms: White Kyurem or Black Kyurem.
Both of these forms are superior to their counterparts, with 700 total base stats split in different ways; Black Kyurem focuses on Physical Attack (170) while White Kyurem focuses on Special Attack (170). The ability to use it in multiple ways makes it one of the best Dragon-type Pokemon.
Kyurem base stats:
| HP | ATTACK | DEFENSE | SP. ATK | SP. DEF | SPEED | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 125 | 130 | 90 | 130 | 90 | 95 | 660 |
6. Palkia
- Debut: Pokemon Diamond & Pearl
- Type: Water/Dragon
- Weaknesses: Dragon / Fairy
The Legendary from Gen 4 is a well-known wall breaker thanks to its powerful Special Attack stat, plus, paired with its decent Speed, you’re almost assured to attack first, giving enemies no chance to defend themselves.
It has great typing, which makes it resistant to Steel, Fire, and Water, while just leaving it with two weaknesses. Additionally, it can access both Draco Meteor and Spacial Rend, two of the best Dragon-type moves in the franchise, while also using coverage moves like Earth Power and Hydro Pump.
Palkia base stats:
| HP | ATTACK | DEFENSE | SP. ATK | SP. DEF | SPEED | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90 | 120 | 100 | 150 | 120 | 100 | 680 |
5. Giratina (Origin Forme)
- Debut: Pokemon Diamond & Pearl
- Type: Ghost/Dragon
- Weaknesses: Ghost / Ice / Dragon / Dark / Fairy
Giratina is one of the most fearsome Pokemon of all time, with a back story that’s earned itself icon status among the fandom; It’s the embodiment of antimatter, is able to travel through dimensions at will, and controls an alternate dimension known as the Distortion World—scary stuff.
It can switch between two forms, Origin Forme for attack and Altered Forme for defense, although Origin Forme Giratina is considered supreme. It has brilliant stat distribution and powerful attacks, including the signature move Shadow Force, which can wreak absolute havoc on the battlefield.
Giratina (Origin Forme) base stats:
| HP | ATTACK | DEFENSE | SP. ATK | SP. DEF | SPEED | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 150 | 120 | 100 | 120 | 100 | 90 | 680 |
4. Dialga
- Debut: Pokemon Diamond & Pearl
- Type: Steel/Dragon
- Weaknesses: Fighting / Ground
Dialga and Palkia both have a special place in our hearts, but Dialga is the clear winner. The main reason is its Steel/Dragon-typing, which means the two big weaknesses Dragons usually have – Fairies and other Dragons – are negated. This puts it at a huge advantage when battling other Dragon-type Pokemon.
It also has an immense Special Attack, which makes its signature move Roar of Time a total show-stopper. All in all, Dialga is an absolute powerhouse with one of the best designs in the game – it’s a huge dinosaur covered in armor that can control time with the diamond in its chest, what’s not to like?
Dialga base stats:
| HP | ATTACK | DEFENSE | SP. ATK | SP. DEF | SPEED | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 120 | 120 | 150 | 100 | 90 | 680 |
3. Eternatus
- Debut: Pokemon Sword & Shield
- Type: Poison/Dragon
- Weaknesses: Ground / Psychic / Ice / Dragon
As far as its design goes, Eternatus is probably the most terrifying Pokemon we’ve ever seen – and that’s backed up with some pretty scary stats, too. It has a huge 690 total base stats, with 140 of those going to HP, another 145 going to Special Attack, and 130 going to Speed. That’s pretty impressive.
Being a unique Poison/Dragon-type Pokemon also means it has no weakness to Fairies, the notorious Dragon-slayers. One of the reasons Eternatus is so popular in Sword & Shield is its move Dynamax Cannon, which deals double damage to Dynamaxed opponents – making it perfect for Max Raid Battles.
Eternatus base stats:
| HP | ATTACK | DEFENSE | SP. ATK | SP. DEF | SPEED | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 140 | 85 | 95 | 145 | 95 | 130 | 690 |
2. Zygarde (Complete Forme)
- Debut: Pokemon X & Y
- Type: Dragon/Ground
- Weaknesses: Ice / Dragon / Fairy
Zygarde is one of the best Pokemon ever, with ridiculous power and some great signature moves, so it’s worth putting all of its parts together to have its Complete Forme.
In its Complete Form, the majority of Zygarde’s stats stay the same, with Speed actually dropping some points, but health is where things get interesting – it has an outrageous HP stat that gives it massive bulk and makes it almost impossible to take down, despite its double weakness to Ice-type attacks.
Zygarde (Complete Forme) base stats:
| HP | ATTACK | DEFENSE | SP. ATK | SP. DEF | SPEED | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 261 | 100 | 121 | 91 | 95 | 85 | 708 |
1. Rayquaza
- Debut: Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire
- Type: Dragon/Flying
- Weaknesses: Ice / Rock / Dragon / Fairy
As well as being one of the best Legendaries of all time, Rayquaza is also the best Dragon-type Pokemon, hands down. It has an iconic design, it was the first Pokemon that could Mega-Evolve, and it saved humanity from the formidable Groudon and Kyogre, proving that it reigns supreme.
When it comes to battle, there’s really no better Dragon-type choice than Rayquaza. It has devastating Attack and Special Attack stats, and the rest of them are pretty decent, too, especially with a solid HP to keep it alive for longer on the battlefield.
Those stats get even better when Mega-Evolved, with Attack and Special Attack stats both rising to 180. These impressive numbers are backed up by access to brilliant moves like Earthquake, Outrage, and Hyper Beam, which can easily dominate your opponents.
Rayquaza base stats:
| HP | ATTACK | DEFENSE | SP. ATK | SP. DEF | SPEED | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 105 | 150 | 90 | 150 | 90 | 95 | 680 |
What are the worst Dragon-type Pokemon?
Despite being one of the best types in the franchise, as well as a fan favorite, there are some Dragon-type Pokemon you should avoid at all costs if you want to win an encounter.
Drampa, the old decaying dragon is one of the worst options you can add to your team. This Pokemon is not only extremely slow, but it has no real bulk, and its secondary Normal type doesn’t offer much coverage against other creatures.
Even though Goodra is a good and solid Pokemon, its first stage, Goomy, has quite underwhelming stats. Plus, it takes too long (and a lot of effort) to reach its full potential, which can be quite annoying.
Finally, players looking for the best Dragon-type Pokemon should stay away from Druddigon. This Pokemon has regular stats, except for its Speed, which is embarrassingly low. But its main weakness is its single typing, as most of the best Dragon-type Pokemon in the franchise have a secondary type.
That’s all you need to know about the 15 best Dragon-type Pokemon of all time. For more Pokemon content, check our guides below:
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