Dragon type weaknesses
Dragon-type Pokémon are weak to Fairy, Ice, and other Dragon-type attacks, taking double damage from all three. They resist Fire, Water, Grass, and Electric moves, taking half damage. Fairy-type Pokémon are completely immune to Dragon-type attacks.
TYPE EFFECTIVENESS
Defensive Reading: Punishing the Dragon Type
Exploiting Dragon-types requires carrying Ice or Fairy coverage. In modern playthroughs, especially looking toward Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Scarlet/Violet, relying on a Dragon-type to counter an opposing Dragon is a volatile coin flip. The faster Pokémon usually wins via a one-hit knockout.
Fairy-type Pokémon remain the absolute best defensive switch-ins. They take zero damage from Dragon-type moves, instantly forcing the opponent to rely on secondary coverage.
Ice-type moves are equally critical for punishing Dragons. Many late-game Dragon-types carry a secondary Flying or Ground typing, turning a standard 2x Ice weakness into a devastating 4x vulnerability.
Offensive Reading: When to Attack
Dragon-type attacks are notoriously linear. They only deal super-effective damage to other Dragon-types. You never draft a Dragon move to exploit specific gym leader weaknesses outside of the obligatory late-game Dragon specialist.
Instead, Dragon shines as a neutral battering ram. Because only Steel resists it and Fairy is immune, a strong Dragon attack hits the vast majority of the Pokédex for consistent, unresisted damage.
During a standard playthrough, giving your lead Pokémon a Dragon Claw or Dragon Pulse provides a safe, spammable option when exploring unknown routes where wild encounters are unpredictable.
Notable Dual-Typings
Secondary typings drastically alter a Dragon's survivability. Certain combinations either compound their weaknesses or completely negate them.
- Dragon/Flying: The classic late-game archetype. It gains an immunity to Ground but suffers a fatal 4x weakness to Ice-type moves. A simple Ice Shard often guarantees a knockout.
- Dragon/Steel: One of the strongest defensive profiles in the franchise. Steel neutralizes the Ice, Fairy, and Dragon weaknesses, leaving vulnerabilities only to Fighting and Ground.
- Dragon/Ground: Excellent offensive synergy that provides an immunity to Electric. However, it shares the same crippling 4x Ice weakness as the Flying variant.
Team Integration
Running a Dragon-type requires dedicated team support to handle Steel and Fairy-types. Without it, your Dragon will hit a hard wall against late-game trainers.
Always pair your Dragon with a strong Fire or Ground-type. These teammates easily dispatch the Steel-types that resist your primary Dragon attacks.
To handle opposing Fairy-types, equip a Poison or Steel-type teammate. Alternatively, teach your Dragon-type a coverage move like Iron Head or Poison Jab. Giving your Dragon a Clear Amulet in Scarlet/Violet prevents Intimidate drops, ensuring physical coverage moves hit hard enough to break through Fairy walls.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Dragon type weak against?
Dragon-type Pokémon take double damage from Fairy, Ice, and other Dragon-type moves. Fairy-types are completely immune to Dragon attacks, while Steel-types resist them. Always use Ice or Fairy moves for the safest offensive advantage.
What is the best Pokémon to counter a Dragon?
Fairy-type Pokémon are the optimal counters because they take zero damage from Dragon-type attacks. Pokémon like Tinkaton or Azumarill excel here, as their secondary typings also provide resistances to common coverage moves Dragons might carry.
Is Dragon a good defensive type?
Yes, it offers excellent innate resistances. Dragon-types take half damage from Fire, Water, Grass, and Electric moves. This allows them to easily switch into the most common elemental attacks used by early and mid-game opponents.
Why is Ice so effective against Dragons?
While Ice is naturally super-effective against pure Dragons, many powerful Dragon-types have a secondary Flying or Ground typing. This combination stacks the weakness, resulting in a massive 4x damage multiplier from any Ice-type attack.
