Pokémon The 5 Best Dragon-Type Pokémon & The 5 Worst

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Pokémon The 5 Best Dragon-Type Pokémon & The 5 Worst

Dragon-Type Pokémon are one of the most powerful in the game. From Druddigon to Dragonite, we separate the strong from the weak. Not too long ago, Dragon-type Pokémon were running rampant in the games. Their generally high stats and the sheer effectiveness and easy-spam nature of Dragon moves made them a dominant force to be reckoned with. with simple Outrage sweeps. For the Pokémon X and Y generation, Game Freak hit the big red emergency button to try and redress the balance, and the Fairy-type was introduced. Fairies may deal with a lot of Dragons quite nicely, but this dominant offensive typing isn’t going to just disappear. Let’s celebrate them with a look at some of the very best (and very worst) Dragon-types. Watch out for a spoiler if you haven’t finished the main story. THEGAMER VIDEO OF THE DAY

BEST Garchomp

Well, enough said, really. Generation IV’s Gible line represents one of the strongest and most effective pseudo-legendary Pokémon the series has ever seen. On its introduction, the Dragon/Ground Garchomp quickly established itself as a powerhouse to be feared, and has been popular in every format it’s been allowed in since. It’s the full package: super strong STAB moves, fantastic Attack, the perfect amount of Speed, it can be effective with a range of items…Garchomp has it all. In terms of offensive Ground-types, it tends to only be beaten out when Landorus-T is also permitted.

WORST Druddigon

You’ve got to feel for Druddigon. Dragon, as we know, has been an incredibly dominant force in the series. They have average base stats that are just about the highest of all, and some of the strongest Legendary Pokémon ever created are Dragons. Maybe the majority of them, even. Even so, there are still absolutely average Pokémon like Druddigon in their ranks. This pure Dragon-type isn’t exactly bad, with its reasonable bulk and nice Attack, but its mediocre Speed and the fact that its fellow Dragons are just that good make it look much worse in comparison. Its design is also every possible kind of shonky, as though an intrepid child had built it from LEGO bricks.

BEST Dracovish

Speaking of shonky designs, we don’t quite know what the heck has happened here. The four new Fossil Pokémon added to Pokémon Sword and Shield all have faces even Frankenstein’s Monster’s mother would struggle to love, but Dracovish might be the oddest-looking of the bunch — and when that bunch includes an icy/electrical drippy-nosed dragon, that’s really saying something. Let’s not be too snarky about its design, though. This Water/Dragon Pokémon has quickly risen to become one of the superstars of early Sword and Shield competitive play. Its main asset is Fishious Rend, an 85 base power physical Water-type attack that deals double damage if it hits before the opponent makes a move. Coupled with its ability Strong Jaw and maybe rain too, this is a very, very strong move, capable of making short work of even defensive Pokémon that resist it. Dracovish’s stats may not be anything impressive (base 90 Attack), but it’s so much deadlier than it may appear on paper.

WORST Noivern

Noivern is a curious case. Like Druddigon, it isn’t technically bad by any means. This Gen VI Flying- and Dragon-type brings blistering Speed (base 123 was blistering at the time), handy Abilities (Infiltrator, Frisk or Telepathy), decent Special Attack, and a nice range of supportive moves like Tailwind, Defog, and Super Fang to the table. The sad truth is, though, it just has too much competition and its stats don’t really cut it. A fast Draco Meteor is always a nice asset, but base 97 Special Attack just isn’t enough.

BEST Dragonite

Ah, yes. Our old buddy Dragonite, the OG pseudo-legendary Pokémon. It holds a special place in the hearts of fans of the original 151, and has been consistently buffed out the wazoo since the days of Lance cheating with his Barrier Dragonite that didn’t really exist. As the generations went by, Dragonite was given nifty new tricks like Dragon Dance, Extreme Speed, and the Multiscale Ability. Its Attack is stellar and its other stats are way above average too. Newer Dragons may have a little more speed and immediate presence, but give it a moment to set up, and it can crush a team in a trice.

WORST Goodra

Now, Game Freak tried something a little different with Pokémon X and Y’s Goomy line. Dragons have long been known as offensive powerhouses, but here was a Dragon designed to be used as more of a wall. Base 150 Special Defense is super high, and it has quite a lot of HP to boot. Everywhere else, its stats are solid too (Defense is lacking, though), meaning it’s strong enough to boost and take the offensive too. As a result, Goodra’s never quite sure what it should be doing. Its base stats are very awkward for a pseudo-legendary, meaning that it’s often overlooked in favor of something with more immediate firepower. Now for that Sword and Shield spoiler we promised!

BEST Eternamax Eternatus

Well, dang. When it comes to Dragons with absurd base stat totals, Eternamax Eternatus (the special form Eternatus briefly takes in the battle during Sword and Shield’s dramatic conclusion) absolutely takes the cake. Its combined stat total equals 1125. To give some context, only hit 780. This battle takes so darn long because Eternamax Eternatus' HP is base 255, while its Defense and Special Defense are both 250. This was intentional, of course, so the player could see Zacian and Zamazenta (and magnificent sheep too, naturally) in action for longer and enjoy a theatrical Max Raid showdown. Its offenses are quite modest in comparison, but when it comes to defensive might, no other Dragon (or other Pokémon generally) in series history comes close.

WORST Drampa

Here’s another Dragon-type that isn’t strictly bad by any means, but has awkward stats that mean it can’t just swoop in there and claim souls left and right as the best dragons do. Drampa is super slow, has slim-to-middling bulk and a powerful base 135 Special Attack. Its Normal/Dragon typing is unique but doesn’t offer it a whole lot in terms of coverage, while its Berserk Ability (which gives it a boost to its Special Attack whenever a move takes it below half of its HP) can be very nice but is tough to use. In the right situation (read: Trick Room with healing support), it can cause some real devastation, but it’s a lot more situational than the best Dragons.

BEST The Applin Line

With each new generation, of course, comes a crop of new Pokémon. Some of which we fall in love with at first glance (Sobble Squad, assemble!), while others convince us that Game Freak has truly lost their touch when it comes to designs. With the Galar region being based on the U.K., it was inevitable that some sort of tea-related Pokémon was going to materialize, hence the Sinistea line. The simple (and super subjective, of course) brilliance of the Applin line also deserves a shout-out here. This unassuming little worm-‘mon (that’s a real apple it’s hiding in) has two entirely different forms, both of which are some of the most unique, creative and teeny Dragon-types the series has ever seen. From a gameplay standpoint, they’re not the most effective and need a fair amount of support to get the best from, but you’ve got to appreciate how very different they are from every other Dragon. Maybe Game Freak still has it after all?

WORST Mega Rayquaza

That’s right, friends. We’re going to close this one out with a real curveball of an entry. Mega Rayquaza, one of the strongest Pokémon in the history of the series? How could it be bad? Because it represents the worst of Mega Evolution, that’s why. It’s a real powerhouse with an excellent Ability in Delta Stream (which sets high winds that remove the weaknesses of Flying-types while it’s on the field), but was entirely unnecessary gameplay-wise. So many previously ignored Pokémon would have really benefited from a Mega Evolution, while Rayquaza was fine as it was. Still, it needed to be able to fly into space and battle Deoxys, so there it was.