Dragonite (Genetic Apex 244)
Date Reviewed: March 16, 2025
Ratings Summary:
Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale. 1 is horrible. 3 is average. 5 is great.
Reviews Below:
Otaku
Dragonite (A1 185, 244) is a Stage 2 Dragon-Type Pokémon. It has 160 HP, no Weakness, a Retreat Cost of (C)(C)(C), and the attack “Draco Meteor”. Priced at (W)(L)(C)(C), Draco Meteor randomly selects an opposing Pokémon four times; each time a Pokémon is selected, it takes 50 damage. Dragonite is available as a ♦♦♦ and ★ rare.
As a Stage 2 Pokémon, Dragonite needs a lot of deck space. If you want to be able to field two Dragonite at the same time, or just to have the best odds of getting them into your hand in the right order, at the right time, you’ll have to commit six slots. Plus, you’ll need to wait at least two turns before Dragonite can hit the field. Did I mention Aerodactyl ex (A1 046, 078, 084) has an Ability to prevent your opponent from evolving their Active Pokémon?
Being a Stage 2 isn’t easy, but what is it like being a Dragon-Type? Dragon is the least printed Type. There are only eight (N) Type cards in Pocket, split between two Stage 2 lines and two different, non-evolving Basic Pokémon. In the Pokémon TCG Pocket, there’s no (N) support, counters, Weakness, or Energy.1 This technically makes Dragon the worst Type, though there are some advantages to it I’ll explain in the next paragraph.
Dragonite has 160 HP, the highest printed on any non-Pokémon ex. Even a baseline extra heavy attack isn’t enough to OHKO Dragonite, though there are some attackers who can do the deed, even restricting ourselves to decks that have seen recent competitive success. Dragonite has the best Weakness: none! This is a common feature for (N) Pokémon in Pocket. The Retreat Cost of (C)(C)(C) is chunky; pack X Speed (P-A 002) and/or Leaf (A1a 068, 082)!
Draco Meteor is… confusing. To begin with, it requires two different Energy Types to be used; both (W) and (L). This is in addition to requiring four total Energy. If you’re relying on your normal, once-per-turn Energy attachment from the Energy Zone, not only can it take a while but there’s a real risk you won’t get both Energy Types in time to actually attack with Draco Meteor.
The really confusing part of Draco Meteor is how it works. As stated at the beginning, the attack randomly selects from the opposing Pokémon, both Active and Benched. The odds of depend on how many Pokémon your opponent has in play. Something on its own is guaranteed to be selected, while the odds are even if there are two or four, or one-in-three per time with one Active and two on the Bench.
Plus, the same Pokémon can be selected more than once! Yes, even with a single use of Draco Meteor. When something is chosen more than once, the damage is simply added together. This means a lone Active facing down a Draco Meteor takes 200 damage (before other effects)! Note that a Pokémon cannot be KO’d and discarded before the attack finishes, thus something can take more damage than it has HP remaining.
Currently, there are no alternatives to Dragonite, and only one version of each of its lower Stages. Dratini and Dragonair are both Dragon Types with no Weaknesses, (C) Retreat Costs, and one attack. Dratini (A1 183) is a 70 HP Basic Pokémon that can use “Ram” for (W)(L) to do 40 damage. Dragonair is a Stage 1 Pokémon with 100 HP, and for (W)(L)(C) can use “Tail Smack” to do 80 damage. They’re filler Pokémon, but with slightly better HP and damage output than we usually see. Though the latter is due to the painful Energy requirements.
Dragonite has a lot going for it; the best Weakness2 anything can have, the best HP a non-Pokémon ex can have, and an attack that does 200 damage for four Energy, without any discard costs or self-damage. However, it is a Stage 2 with a chunky Retreat Cost and even chunkier and clunkier attack cost. If an injured Dragonite gets going, though, you generally have to hope the random selections Draco Meteor make go in your favor… if they can go in your favor. Which is why this deck never goes away…
…but unfortunately, it’s also never proven truly competitive. Pokémon Zone classifies it as a Low Tier Deck, which both is and isn’t accurate. The ambiguity comes from Low Tier decks not being the step below Middle Tier, but the step below Honorable Mentions, which are usually included when there’s something below the “cut off” threshold for a list or ranking system, but somehow still worth mentioning.
If that makes no sense, don’t sweat it. What you need to understand is just that Dragonite Decks have been attempted since Genetic Apex, but have never actually proven competitive. Dragonite has been pursued so hard that there are established variants. Exactly where to draw the line between a true variant, and something that’s just not going to work, isn’t clear… because none of them have truly worked.
The Frosmoth variant should be a historical footnote. Frosmoth (A1 093) was partnered with Dragonite because its a Stage 1 that runs on (W) Energy and can put the opposing Active to Sleep with its attack. I guess it was chosen over Hypno (A1 125) because Hypno’s Ability requires a coin flip to work, and has a more expensive Retreat Cost? Even if you wanted to try something like this, you can find a Basic to fulfill a similar role to Frosmoth… or just don’t worry about the opposing Active and use Manaphy.
Weezing (A1 177, 243) isn’t as competitive as it once was, but it got its own variant. A Stage 1 meatshield that can effectively attack without Energy through the use of its Ability to Poison the opposing Active. Weezing can also be bounced with Koga (A1 222, 269), to aid in stalling. The reason you’re not actually attacking with Weezing is the deck runs only (L) and (W) Energy, and all the attachments are going to Dragonite.
Not listed on Pokémon Zone are Druddigon variants. Druddigon (A1a 056) is your preferred opener; just let it sit up front, soak attacks as long as it can, while you attach Energy to the Dragonite line on your Bench. These decks don’t typically run (R) Energy, just (W) and (L), so Druddigon can’t attack itself. Which is how Druddigon is normally run; you take advantage of its 100 HP and its Ability that damages Pokémon that attack and damage your active Druddigon.
Manaphy (A2 050, 162) can attack to attach one (W) Energy, from the Energy Zone, to two Benched Pokémon, regardless of their Type. Magneton (A1 098) has an Ability that lets it attach a (L) Energy to itself from the Energy Zone. There’s also Dawn (A1 154, 194), who can move an Energy from one of your Benched Pokémon to your Active Pokémon.
Magneton needs Dawn to be of any use, but it can also speed things up with Manaphy. Magnezone (A2 053) may costar, as Magneton can evolve into it to attack well. Some Dragonite decks use just Manaphy or just Magneton, with or without Dawn. I suppose someone could try to use all three, but there’s just not enough deck space.
Rating: 2.75/5
Yes, I’m resorting to a double-decimal-point score. Dragonite is so close to being viable. Irida (A2a 072, 087) has helped all (W) using decks and Dragonite is no exception. Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but Dragonite always seems to be just a little bit of additional support away from finally working. If this sounds like too much of a stretch…
….when I’ve run into a Dragonite deck, and my own deck was poor, or I just had bad luck and Dragonite got setup, it isn’t an autoloss, but it’s close. You might only need to take one more point and they may need to take three, but if you don’t OHKO Dragonite, it’ll get to attack twice. That’s a total of 400 damage, divided among however many Pokémon you have. Multiple KOs all at once… or maybe just a shocking OHKO of something big, even if it was still on your Bench.
1In the full TCG, we eventually received all of these things, though (N) Energy only exists in the form of Special Energy cards, but not basic Energy cards.
2Again, no Weakness is the best Weakness!
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