Okay, let's be real – nothing ruins your day in Pokémon battles faster than facing down a Salamence that's set up two Dragon Dances. Your team gets shredded before you can blink. Been there? Yeah, me too. That's exactly why we're digging into "what is dragon type weak to" today. This isn't just some theoretical guide – it's battle-tested stuff that'll save your skin when facing Cynthia's Garchomp or Leon's Dragapult.
I remember this one tournament where I got cocky thinking my Tyranitar could handle a Dragonite. Big mistake. Hyper Beam nearly took my head off. That painful lesson cost me the match and taught me to respect dragon types. But here's the good news: once you understand their weaknesses, dragons go from terrifying to manageable.
Breaking Down Dragon Type Weaknesses
Alright, let's cut straight to the chase. When you're screaming "what is dragon type weak to" during a battle, here's what actually works:
Dragon types have three major weaknesses:
| Weakness Type | Damage Multiplier | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Ice | 2× | Dragons are cold-blooded reptiles – extreme cold shuts them down fast |
| Fairy | 2× | Magic disrupts their primal energy (introduced in Gen 6 specifically to balance dragons) |
| Dragon | 2× | Dragons are their own worst enemies in clan battles |
Critical detail everyone misses: Dragon weakness isn't universal. Some dragons have secondary typings that change everything. Flygon? Ground/dragon means it takes 4× damage from ice. Kingdra? Water/dragon makes it neutral to ice. You have to check dual types.
Why These Weaknesses Matter in Battle
Ice moves are your most accessible option early game. You can teach Ice Beam to half your team via TM. But fairies? Better long-term investment since they're immune to dragon moves entirely. I always pack one fairy in my competitive teams – saved me countless times against Outrage spammers.
Dragon vs dragon? Risky but sometimes necessary. When my Garchomp went head-to-head with a rival's Dragonite last season, it came down to who landed the first Dragon Claw. Tense stuff.
Resistances That'll Make You Groan
Now here's where things get frustrating. Before you ask "what is dragon type weak to," understand what doesn't work:
| Resisted Types | Damage Multiplier | Common Moves Wasted |
|---|---|---|
| Fire | 0.5× | Flamethrower, Fire Blast, Overheat |
| Water | 0.5× | Surf, Hydro Pump, Scald |
| Grass | 0.5× | Energy Ball, Solar Beam, Leaf Blade |
| Electric | 0.5× | Thunderbolt, Thunder, Volt Switch |
Seriously, nothing hurts more than wasting your Charizard's Fire Blast on a Goodra. That sludge monster just laughs it off. And don't get me started on Water-types – I've seen so many trainers try to Surf a Garchomp only to get earthquaked into next week.
Pro Tip: Fairy types aren't just offensive counters – their immunity to dragon moves makes them perfect defensive switches when you predict an Outrage. Bait that move and switch to Clefable. Watch them panic.
Best Dragon Slayers For Your Team
Knowing "what is dragon type weak to" means nothing without the right Pokémon. These are my personal MVPs against dragons:
Top Ice-Type Counters
| Pokémon | Best Moves | Why It Works | Watch Out For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mamoswine | Icicle Crash, Ice Shard | Priority Ice Shard wrecks dragon dancers | Steel-type coverage moves |
| Weavile | Ice Punch, Triple Axel | Blistering speed outspeeds most dragons | Bulky dragons like Goodra |
| Alolan Ninetales | Blizzard, Moonblast | Aurora Veil supports whole team | Fire moves from dragon/fire types |
I've carried Mamoswine in three different regional tournaments specifically for dragon coverage. That Ice Shard priority has stolen so many wins against +1 speed dragons. Though honestly, Weavile feels glassy sometimes – one mispredict and it's toast.
Top Fairy-Type Counters
| Pokémon | Best Moves | Why It Works | Watch Out For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Togekiss | Dazzling Gleam, Moonblast | Serene Grace flinch hax with Air Slash | Poison jab coverage |
| Clefable | Moonblast, Calm Mind | Unaware ability ignores dragon boosts | Steel-type attacks |
| Primarina | Sparkling Aria, Moonblast | Resists fire/water coverage moves | Grass/electric coverage |
Confession time: I used to hate fairies when they first dropped. Felt like cheating. Then a well-timed switch to Clefable walled my friend's Dragonite completely. Three failed Outrages later, I became a believer. Moonblast just deletes dragons.
Essential Dragon-Killing Moves
Sometimes you can't dedicate a team slot to a dragon counter. These moves can turn regular Pokémon into dragon slayers:
- Ice Beam (TM13): The classic. Taught to water, psychic, even some flying types. Perfect coverage.
- Dazzling Gleam (TR92): Fairy-type spread move. Gardevoir, Sylveon, even some dark types learn it.
- Dragon Claw (TM02): For when you need to fight fire with fire. Physical dragons love this.
- Ice Punch (Tutor): Saves physical attackers. My Scizor runs this purely for dragon coverage.
- Freeze-Dry (Special): Brutal against water/dragons like Kingdra and Palkia. Ignores water resistance.
Personal opinion? Ice Beam is overrated in competitive play. Everyone expects it. Freeze-Dry is the real gem – caught so many Kingdra users off-guard when their "resistance" didn't work.
Dual Types Change Everything
This is where most trainers mess up. You can't just know "what is dragon type weak to" generically. Secondary typing alters weaknesses dramatically:
| Dragon Combo | Weaknesses | Resistances | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon/Flying | 2× Ice (4×!), Rock | Fighting, Bug, Fire | Salamence, Dragonite |
| Dragon/Ground | 2× Ice (4×!), Fairy, Dragon | Poison, Rock, Electric | Garchomp, Flygon |
| Dragon/Water | 2× Fairy, Dragon | Fire, Water, Steel | Kingdra, Palkia |
| Dragon/Steel | 2× Fighting, Ground | Normal, Grass, Flying, Psychic, Bug, Rock, Dragon, Fairy, Steel | Dialga |
See what I mean? That Dragon/Flying weakness makes Salamence fold to any ice move. But try using ice against Dialga? Waste of time. Garchomp's double ice weakness? Exploitable if you survive its attacks. My advice? Always carry an ice move and a fairy move to cover bases.
Battle Strategies That Actually Work
Knowing "what is dragon type weak to" is step one. Applying it? That's the art:
Against Setup Dragons (Dragon Dance/Rush)
Priority moves are lifesavers. Ice Shard, Bullet Punch, even Sucker Punch if they're low. Stopping a boosted sweeper is critical. I lost an online match last week because I let a Dragonite get two dances. Never again.
Against Bulky Dragons (Goodra, Appletun)
Special attackers work better here. Moonblast from Primarina or Draco Meteor from your own dragon. Physical walls struggle against special moves.
Against Dragon/Fire Types (Reshiram, Turtonator)
Trickiest matchups. Their fire typing neutralizes ice weakness. Use rock or ground moves instead. Fairy still works but watch for steel coverage.
Dragon Weakness FAQs Answered
What is dragon type weak to in Pokémon Go?
Same as main games: dragon, ice, fairy. Moves like Dragon Tail, Avalanche, and Dazzling Gleam shine. But watch for CP differences – a high CP dragon might still overpower counters.
Why are dragons weak to fairies?
Game balance history lesson: Dragons dominated competitive play until Gen 6 introduced fairy as a direct counter. Lore-wise, it's magic vs primal force. Personally, I think Game Freak nailed this balancing act.
What is dragon type weak to besides ice and fairy?
Just dragon itself. But dual types add more weaknesses – like ground for dragon/electric or fighting for dragon/steel. Always check the full typing.
Can psychic beat dragon?
Nope. Dragon resists psychic completely (0.5× damage). One of the worst matchups unless you have coverage moves. Learned this painfully when my Alakazam tried psychic on a Latios.
Is dragon weak to dark?
No, dark does neutral damage. But dark types often learn fairy or ice moves for coverage. Weavile's a prime example.
Countering Dragon Legends and Pseudos
Special cases demand special tactics:
Rayquaza (Dragon/Flying)
4× ice weakness is its death sentence. Mamoswine's Ice Shard chunks it hard. Just survive the initial Dragon Ascent. Easier said than done though – that thing hits like a truck.
Garchomp (Dragon/Ground)
Ice moves again. Weavile outspeeds and OHKOs with Ice Punch. If it has Rough Skin ability, use special attackers to avoid contact damage.
Dialga (Dragon/Steel)
Fighting and ground moves. Excadrill's Earthquake wrecks it. Fairy works but watch for steel STAB moves. This one requires careful prediction.
My toughest matchup? Probably Mega Rayquaza in a doubles format. Had to lead with Fake Out support plus priority ice moves. Even then, we barely clinched it.
Building Your Anti-Dragon Toolkit
Practical team-building advice based on painful experience:
- Always include at least one ice OR fairy move in your party – type coverage TMs are everywhere
- Carry a fast Pokémon with priority ice moves (Weavile, Mamoswine) for emergency dragon stopping
- For balance teams, Clefable handles both dragon offense and defense beautifully
- In sandstorm teams, Tyranitar + Excadrill covers dragons surprisingly well with stone/ground moves
- Weather matters! Hail boosts ice moves, sun weakens water moves against dragon/fire types
Final thought? Dragons seem unbeatable until you exploit those key weaknesses. Once you understand what is dragon type weak to and how to apply it, they become thrilling challenges instead of roadblocks. Except maybe that one Hydreigon that swept my rain team last month. Still salty about that.
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