Dragon-types have always been among the most desired characters in the Pokémon universe. They are often very strong, rare to find, and extremely cool-looking. The first fully evolved Dragon introduced was the great Dragonite, a powerhouse that first appeared in the Kanto region. Over the course of the franchise, there have been many different Dragon-type Pokémon that trainers can catch and add to their team, including several Legendaries.
Dragon-type Pokémon are sought after because they have high stats, great diversity in moves that they can learn, and, typically, fewer weaknesses than most. The debate as to which Dragon-type Pokémon is the best has gone on and on, but when Legendary Dragon-type Pokémon are taken out of the equation, the answer becomes a little easier. By looking at base stats, move set diversity, special Abilities, and weaknesses, it becomes clear which are the strongest non-Legendary Dragon-type Pokémon trainers can obtain.
Kingdra
Kingdra is a dual Water/Dragon-type Pokémon that first appears in Generation 2. With base stats totaling 540, Kingdra is a strong Pokémon compared to most other options and has well-balanced stats across the board. Kingdra also has some great special Abilities like Swift Swim, which doubles Kingdra’s Speed in the rain.
Because Kingdra has a dual typing of Water/Dragon, it only has weaknesses to Fairy and Dragon-types. It can learn an ample variety of moves, including Ice and Dragon to counter its Dragon weakness and Steel to take care of those pesky Fairy types.
Duraludon
Introduced in Pokémon Sword and Shield, Duraludon is a dual-type Steel/Dragon Pokémon. Duraludon definitely does not look like a typical Dragon Pokémon, but it is pretty strong with a base stat total of 535. Due to its Steel typing, Duraludon is on the slower side and has a very weak Special Defense. This can create a bit of a liability in battle, but its Special Attack, Defense, and Attack stats make it a worthy adversary.
Duraludon is a unique Dragon-type in that it is not weak to Dragon, Ice, or Fairy attacks; it is only weak to Ground and Fighting moves, making it rather difficult for opponents to take down.
Haxorus
Haxorus is an awesome-looking pure Dragon-type Pokémon that first appeared in Generation 5. Haxorus is a heavy hitter with an amazing Attack and pretty good Speed, making it a viable option in battles; its other stats are not the greatest, though, which brings Haxorus’ base stats to 540.
It has a relatively diverse set of moves to choose from, and given the right moves, Haxorus could be a very deadly force to have on the team. Being solely Dragon does cause some concern as Haxorus would be weak to Dragon, Ice, and Fairy types, but the Pokémon can learn moves that could counter each of those types.
Kommo-o
Kommo-o is one of the coolest dual-type Dragon Pokémon both in looks and viability in battle. The Dragon/Fighting Kommo-o is covered in gold and silver scales that look like metal armor. As a result, this Dragon has incredible Defense, but its Speed suffers. With a base stat total of 600, Kommo-o is very well balanced and can be either a Physical or Special Attacker, allowing for a wide range of move sets.
What tends to be a drawback, along with Kommo-o’s Speed, are its weaknesses; it is weak to five types and extremely vulnerable to Fairy. However, if a trainer is able to get off a couple of Dragon Dances to boost its Speed and Attack, Kommo-o could be a lethal Pokémon.
Goodra
One of the Dragon-types with the most versatile move sets would be Goodra. The capability to learn moves from types like Dragon, Ice, Poison, Water, Grass, Fire, Electric, Ground, Steel, Fighting, and more makes this one very desirable. Goodra has an unreal Special Defense stat that makes it a tank; however, its Defense stat is not the greatest, so it could really depend on the foe’s attacks.
Goodra has a base stat total of 600, which puts it up there with the top Dragon Pokémon. Goodra’s Attack and Special Attack are basically the same, so a trainer can have a good mix of Physical and Special Attacks, which makes Goodra a great addition to the team.
Hydreigon
An extremely strong Special Attacker and dual-type Dark/Dragon Pokémon, Hydreigon, is one of the best Dragon options in the Pokémon franchise. With base stats reaching 600, Hydreigon has pretty good Speed, well-balanced defensive stats, and very high attacking stats. This makes Hydreigon a force to be reckoned with.
Hydreigon does suffer from having five type weaknesses, though. It is especially weak to Fairy moves, but due to the versatility of moves, Hydreigon can theoretically learn a move to counter each weakness and be a viable Special Attack sweeper.
Salamence
An iconic Dragon-type from the Hoenn region, Salamence, is one of the strongest and most loved Pokémon. Salamence is a dual Flying/Dragon that is extremely fast and has an incredible Attack, making it an excellent sweeper option. Salamence, like the other great Dragon-types, has a diverse move set to offset the four different weaknesses this Pokémon has.
Salamence’s base stats sit at 600 with very strong Speed and Physical Attack stats, pretty good Special Attack, and decent defensive stats. This powerful Pokémon would be a fantastic option for any trainer looking for a strong dual-type Dragon to add to their team.
Dragonite
Dragonite is one of the most lovable, kindhearted, and well-known Pokémon in the entire franchise, and it happens to be one of the most powerful Dragon-types as well. The original fully evolved Dragon in Pokémon, Dragonite has a base stat of 600 and benefits from having some good competitive Abilities for a Dragon Pokémon.
Dragonite’s stats are really well balanced with an amazing Attack stat. The downside of Dragonite, however, is its Speed, but Dragonite makes up for it with its defensive stats. Although, if a trainer could get off a Dragon Dance or two, it could make Dragonite quick enough and strong enough to wipe out an entire team.
Garchomp
First seen in the Sinnoh region, Garchomp is an absolute beast when it comes to battle, especially when paired with its Rough Skin Hidden Ability, which inflicts damage anytime an opposing Pokémon attacks Garchomp with a strike that makes contact. Garchomp is a Dragon/Ground Pokémon with an amazing Attack and incredible Speed, making it one of the best offensive options out of any Pokémon.
Garchomp has a base stat total of 600 and has similar Attack and Speed stats to those of Salamence. It benefits from having slightly better defensive stats that are closer to Dragonite, making it the best of both worlds. Garchomp does not have a very diverse move list in terms of types, but it has enough to choose from, allowing each trainer to set up Garchomp to best match their style.
Dragapult
Possibly the coolest-looking Dragon-type Pokémon would be the phantom Dragon/Ghost, Dragapult. With unreal Speed, Dragapult is able to deliver some serious damage along with its very high Attack. Dragapult’s base stats total 600, and it has some useful Special Abilities such as Cursed Body, Infiltrator, and Clear Body.
Dragapult can have a relatively versatile move set and is still able to deal solid damage with Special strikes. Dragapult’s defensive stats, however, are a downside; one super-effective hit and Dragapult is likely to get knocked out. Dragapult relies heavily on its Speed and Physical Attack, but as long as it is faster than a foe, Dragapult has the potential to wipe out a lot of the enemies’ team.
