Dragon type Dragon Type Top 30 Updated

Best Dragon Attackers — Pokemon GO

Top 30 Dragon-type raid attackers ranked by DPS with best movesets and tier rankings.

Super effective vs: Dragon type Dragon

The Dragon-type attacker tier list ranks the top 30 Pokemon by raid DPS in 2026. Use Dragon-type attackers against Dragon-type raid bosses. Shadow Pokemon deal 20% more damage, while Mega evolutions boost the entire raid team.

Rankings are calculated by simulating every possible fast and charged move combination for each Pokemon at level 40 against a generic Tier 5 raid boss. We measure DPS (Damage Per Second), TDO (Total Damage Output before fainting), and eDPS (a composite metric that balances raw damage with survivability). The final ranking weighs type-specific DPS at 70% and overall DPS at 30%, so Pokemon with strong same-type moves are prioritized while off-type coverage is still rewarded.

How We Calculate Raid DPS Rankings

Our raid attacker rankings simulate actual battle performance using Pokemon GO's damage formula. Here's how each metric is computed:

DPS — Damage Per Second

Calculated using the Pokemon GO damage formula: floor(0.5 × Power × Atk/Def × STAB) + 1. We simulate a full attack cycle (enough fast moves to charge one charged move) and divide total damage by cycle time. Higher DPS means faster raid clears.

TDO — Total Damage Output

Total damage dealt before fainting, calculated as DPS × Time Alive. Survival time is based on the Pokemon's effective HP and the boss's estimated damage output. TDO rewards bulky Pokemon that stay in the fight longer and need fewer revives.

eDPS — Effective DPS

A composite metric: (DPS³ × TDO)0.25. This balances raw speed with durability — a glass cannon with sky-high DPS but terrible TDO gets penalized, while a tanky attacker that's too slow also won't rank well. eDPS identifies the best all-round raiders.

STAB & Move Selection

Same Type Attack Bonus (STAB) adds a 1.2× multiplier when a move's type matches the Pokemon's type. At least one move must be Dragon-type to qualify. We test every fast + charged combination and select the one with the highest ranking score.

Shadow & Mega Variants

Shadow Pokemon receive a 20% Attack boost with a ~17% Defense penalty, making them high-DPS glass cannons. Mega Pokemon are evaluated with their boosted base stats. Both variants are ranked alongside regular forms so you can compare them directly.

Tier Assignment

Pokemon are placed into tiers based on how their DPS compares to the #1 attacker:

S-Tier: Top 5% or Top 3 A-Tier: Top 15% or Top 8 B-Tier: Top 25% or Top 15 C-Tier: Top 35% or Top 22 D-Tier: Remaining

All simulations use level 40 stats (CPM 0.7903) against a generic Tier 5 raid boss with 160 effective Defense. Rankings are recalculated daily to reflect the latest move updates and balance changes.

S

S-Tier — Best in Class

3 Pokemon

A

A-Tier — Top Picks

5 Pokemon

B

B-Tier — Solid Options

9 Pokemon

C

C-Tier — Usable

13 Pokemon

Dragon Type in Pokemon GO — Overview

Dragon-type Pokemon GO is home to the highest-DPS attackers in the game, including Mega Rayquaza (366 Attack — the highest of any released Pokemon), Origin Forme Dialga, Origin Forme Palkia, Mega Salamence, and Black Kyurem. Dragon moves are super-effective against other Dragon types only, but their high base power makes Dragon STAB the universal endgame attacker for trainers grinding XL Candy. Signature moves include Outrage, Draco Meteor (Dragon Community Day move), Dragon Tail, Dragon Pulse, Roar of Time (Origin Dialga signature), Spacial Rend (Origin Palkia signature), and Dragon Breath. Dragon types are weak to Ice, Dragon, and Fairy, with Fairy being the universal Dragon-killer added in 2017.

Top Dragon Attackers Explained

The top Dragon attackers are Mega Rayquaza, Mega Salamence, Origin Forme Dialga, Origin Forme Palkia, and Shadow Salamence. Mega Rayquaza with Dragon Tail and Outrage has the highest Dragon DPS in the game and doubles as the best Flying attacker. Mega Salamence (Dragon/Flying) with Dragon Tail and Outrage is the top Mega Dragon outside of Rayquaza. Origin Forme Dialga (Steel/Dragon) with Dragon Breath and Roar of Time tops the legendary Dragon tier. Shadow Salamence, Shadow Dragonite, and Shadow Garchomp round out the Shadow Dragon tier. Rayquaza, Palkia, Reshiram, and Zekrom are non-Mega legendary options.

Dragon Attackers in PvP & GO Battle League

Dragon types own the Master League meta. Origin Forme Dialga with Dragon Breath and Roar of Time is widely considered the best Master League pick. Mega Rayquaza, Origin Forme Palkia, Garchomp, Salamence, Dragonite, and Goodra anchor Master League cores. In Ultra League, Garchomp, Goodra, Dragonite, and Druddigon flex into limited cup teams. In Great League, Altaria (Dragon/Flying) with Dragon Breath and Sky Attack is a top pick despite its 4× Ice weakness. Hydreigon (Dark/Dragon) flexes into Ultra and Master League. Naganadel (Poison/Dragon) brings unique anti-Fairy coverage.

Matchups, Weaknesses & When to Field Dragon Attackers

Dragon attackers shine against other Dragon types (Garchomp, Salamence, Rayquaza, Dialga, Palkia) — making Dragon the only mainline solution to Mega Rayquaza raids without a 4× Ice attacker. Dragon types are 1.6× weak to Ice, Dragon, and Fairy — and Salamence-line Pokemon take 4× from Ice (Dragon/Flying). Windy weather boosts Dragon by 1.2× alongside Flying and Psychic. Avoid Dragon attackers against Mamoswine, Galarian Darmanitan, Mega Glalie, Crowned Zacian, Xerneas, and Togekiss. Dragon is also the universal Master League pick — almost every top-meta team includes at least two Dragon attackers, often paired with Steel resistances to flip the Fairy matchup.

Community Day Picks & Notable Dragon Investments

Dragon Community Days have included Dratini → Dragonite with Draco Meteor, Bagon → Salamence with Outrage, Gible → Garchomp with Earth Power, Deino → Hydreigon with Brutal Swing, Goomy → Goodra, Druddigon (technically not CD but featured), Axew → Haxorus, and Rayquaza Raid Days that unlocked Hurricane and Dragon Ascent. Mega Rayquaza debuted in 2024 and immediately took the Dragon DPS crown. Origin Forme Dialga and Origin Forme Palkia raids in 2025 introduced Roar of Time and Spacial Rend, both top-tier Master League moves. Black Kyurem and White Kyurem fusion forms remain unreleased as of 2026 but are highly anticipated.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the #1 ranked Dragon-type attacker right now?

Based on our DPS simulations, Eternatus currently ranks first among Dragon-type attackers in Pokemon GO, followed by Eternatus, Mega Rayquaza, Shadow Palkia (Origin). The full tier list above shows every viable Dragon attacker with its optimal moveset, DPS, TDO, and eDPS values.

Which raid bosses should I use Dragon attackers against?

Dragon-type attacks deal super-effective damage to Dragon-type Pokemon, so use Dragon attackers when those types appear in 5-Star, Mega, Elite, or Primal raids. Always weather-check the boss before launching the raid to maximize damage with the appropriate weather boost.

What is the best Dragon-type attacker in Pokemon GO?

Mega Rayquaza is the strongest Dragon attacker in the game thanks to its 366 Attack stat — the highest of any released Pokemon. Mega Salamence, Origin Forme Dialga, and Origin Forme Palkia are close behind. Shadow Salamence is the best non-Mega option. Most trainers also keep one Rayquaza with Dragon Tail and Outrage as a budget anchor.

Why is Dragon good against Dragon?

Dragon-type moves are super-effective against other Dragon types (1.6× damage). Since most top Master League PvP and raid bosses are Dragons, Dragon-type attackers are universally useful. Mega Rayquaza specifically is the best counter to Origin Forme Palkia, Mega Salamence, and Garchomp raids.

What are Dragon types weak to?

Dragon types take 1.6× damage from Ice, Dragon, and Fairy moves. Dragon/Flying duals like Salamence, Charizard, and Mega Rayquaza take 4× from Ice. Galarian Darmanitan, Mamoswine, Mega Glalie, Crowned Zacian, and Xerneas are the universal Dragon counters in raids and PvP.

Is Origin Forme Dialga the best Master League pick?

Yes. Origin Forme Dialga with Dragon Breath and Roar of Time is currently considered the best Master League PvP pick. Its Steel/Dragon typing resists most common Master League moves, and Roar of Time hits like a truck. It is the most-used Pokemon in the current Master League meta.

What weather boosts Dragon-type moves?

Windy weather boosts Dragon-type moves by 1.2× alongside Flying and Psychic. Windy windows are the optimal time to grind Dratini, Bagon, Gible, and Deino Community Days, and to run Mega Rayquaza, Mega Salamence, and Origin Forme Dialga in raids.

Related