Dratini is the Dragon-type that starts one of the most recognizable evolution lines in the series. It is a small, serpentine creature that keeps growing because its life energy never stops building, which is why it constantly sheds its skin. Whether you are raising one in the main games or powering one up in Pokémon GO, the path to Dragonite runs straight through Dratini.
Quick answer: In the core games, Dratini evolves into Dragonair at level 30 and into Dragonite at level 55. In Pokémon GO, evolve Dratini with 25 Candy, then evolve Dragonair with 100 Candy.
How to evolve Dratini in the main games
Dratini evolves purely by leveling up. There is no item, friendship requirement, or trade involved, so you just need to keep it in battles or use experience items until it reaches the right level. The line ends with Dragonite, which gains the Flying type when it evolves.
| Stage | Pokémon | Type | Evolves at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base | Dratini (#0147) | Dragon | — |
| First | Dragonair (#0148) | Dragon | Level 30 |
| Second | Dragonite (#0149) | Dragon · Flying | Level 55 |
You will know it worked when the evolution animation plays and the Pokédex number updates. Dratini has a Slow growth rate and lower base Friendship (35), so it can take more experience than usual to reach those levels.
How to evolve Dratini in Pokémon GO
Pokémon GO uses Candy instead of levels. You collect Dratini Candy by catching the species, hatching eggs, or walking it as your Buddy, which earns Candy every 5 km. Once you have enough, the evolution is instant.
| Evolution | Candy cost |
|---|---|
| Dratini → Dragonair | 25 Candy |
| Dragonair → Dragonite | 100 Candy |
| Dragonite → Mega Dragonite | 300 Mega Energy (first time), then 60 |
Reaching Dragonite from a single Dratini costs 125 Candy in total. Dratini is also available as a Shiny in Pokémon GO, and its encounters are boosted during Windy weather.
Dratini type weaknesses and resistances
As a pure Dragon type, Dratini takes extra damage from a small set of attacks and shrugs off several common offensive types. Keep this in mind when choosing matchups or building a counter team.
| Weak to | Resists |
|---|---|
| Dragon, Fairy, Ice | Water, Electric, Grass, Fire |
Dratini base stats
Dratini’s stats are modest, which is expected from the first stage of a three-part line. Its highest stat is Attack, and it yields 1 Attack EV when defeated. The catch rate is 45, and it shares the Dragon and Water 1 Egg Groups.
| Stat | Base value |
|---|---|
| HP | 41 |
| Attack | 64 |
| Defense | 45 |
| Sp. Atk | 50 |
| Sp. Def | 50 |
| Speed | 50 |
| Total | 300 |
Dratini can have the Shed Skin ability or the hidden ability Marvel Scale. In Pokémon GO, its numbers translate to 119 Attack, 91 Defense, and 121 HP, with a maximum of 1,136 CP at Level 50.
Dratini best moveset
In Pokémon GO, the strongest combination is Dragon Breath as the fast attack and Aqua Tail as the charged attack. That pairing produces about 5.51 DPS and 37.1 total damage output, and both moves benefit from Windy weather for the fast move and Rain for the charged move.
| Fast attack | Charged attack | DPS | TDO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon Breath | Aqua Tail | 5.51 | 37.1 |
| Dragon Breath | Wrap | 5.36 | 36.0 |
| Dragon Breath | Twister | 5.36 | 36.0 |
Dragon Breath is one of the better PvP quick moves, which makes Dratini a genuinely competitive pick in the Little Cup format. Its low CP ceiling keeps it out of Great League, Ultra League, and Master League, where its evolutions are far better suited.
Notable level-up moves in the core games
In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Dratini’s learnset builds toward its signature Dragon-type power. It picks up Dragon Rush at level 35, Dragon Dance at level 50, Outrage at level 55, and Hyper Beam at level 60. Through TMs, it can also learn Draco Meteor, Ice Beam, Flamethrower, Thunderbolt, and Surf, giving it wide coverage well before it reaches Dragonite.
Where Dratini lives
Dratini favors bodies of water with a strong current, especially the plunge pools at the base of waterfalls. It stays near the bottom and feeds on whatever sinks down, living quietly until it grows stronger. Long dismissed as a myth and nicknamed the “Mirage Pokémon,” its existence was confirmed only after a fisherman pulled one up following a ten-hour struggle, and a small colony was later found living underwater.
That rarity is part of the appeal. Catching a Dratini and walking it all the way to Dragonite remains one of the more satisfying long-term goals across both the main series and Pokémon GO, and the route there has stayed remarkably consistent over the years.