Dragon Type Guide: Strengths & Counters
Explore the Dragon type: learn its strengths, weaknesses, resistances, immunities and practical tips for VGC and Showdown ladder play.
Start here: Home Quiz · Type Chart · Advanced Matchup Quiz
What Is Dragon Strong Against? Offensive Matchups
- Strong against: Dragon
- Not very effective against: Steel
- Has no effect: Fairy
Average Offensive Power: 97%: Bad offensively, ranking #16 of 18.
Offensive Matchup – Overview
Draconic power truly threatens only its own kind, dulled against unyielding Steel and completely nullified by pure Fairy magic.
Super-Effective
- Dragon – Legendary beasts duel equals.
Not Very Effective
- Steel – Scales can’t melt iron beams.
Ineffective
- Fairy – Fairy magic negates draconic force.
What Is Dragon Weak To? Defensive Matchups
- Weak to: IceDragonFairy
- Resists: FireWaterElectricGrass
- Immune to: None
Average Defensive Strength: 95%: Poor defensively, ranking #11 of 18.
Defensive Matchup – Overview
Dragons fear deep freeze, rival dragons, and fairy spells, yet their elemental mastery shrugs off Fire, Water, Grass, and Electric with regal ease.
Weak To
- Ice – Cold slows reptilian blood.
- Dragon – Civil wars of wyrms cause great harm.
- Fairy – Storybook purity defeats greed.
Resistant To
- Fire – Dragonhide is fireproof.
- Water – Scales channel tide.
- Grass – Nature bends before dragons.
- Electric – Thunder rolls off ancient hide.
Uneven Matchups
- Dragon→Fire1×←Fire→0.5×
- Dragon→Water1×←Water→0.5×
- Dragon→Electric1×←Electric→0.5×
- Dragon→Grass1×←Grass→0.5×
- Dragon→Ice1×←Ice→2×
- Dragon→Steel0.5×←Steel→1×
- Dragon→Fairy0×←Fairy→2×
Related Type Guides
Types Dragon is super effective against:
Full Type Chart
Type Effectiveness Chart
Interactive Battle Type Chart
DEFENSE → across columns • ATTACK ↓ down rows
Click or tap types/cells to pin details • Hover over cells for details on desktop
Matchup Details
Select a chart cell, row, or column to pin details here.
• Click on type names to highlight entire rows (attacking) or columns (defending)
• Hover over cells to see detailed effectiveness information
• Chart based on rules effective since 2013