The Pokemon TCG Pocket Dragonite deck build is currently hanging around on the edge of the meta, with players constantly trying to work out how to validate it and make the most out of Dragonite's incredibly powerful Draco Meteor attack. Dragonite and the prior evolution chain, Dratini and Dragonair, are the only Dragon-type cards in the game right now, using a mixture of Water and Electric energy, and it places them in a unique position when it comes to cards.
However, the Dragonite is also a comparatively common card when compared to the various Pokemon TCG Pocket rare cards that are dominating the meta, making this a budget-friendly option, if hardly an S-tier one at time of writing. Let's call it one of the most "interesting" builds right now, if nothing else.
The best Dragonite decks in Pokemon TCG Pocket
To make a powerful Dragonite deck in Pokemon TCG Pocket, you need to build it around the understanding that getting out Dragonite itself isn't easy. You need to evolve Dratini to Dragonair and then once more to its final form, and supply it with four energy (at least one Lightning and one Water) to be able to use Draco Meteor.
That means you need to focus on delaying, weakening and staying alive long enough to set up that devastating attack. You can do this through status effects like sleep and paralysis, or by having some low-cost support Pokemon to fight immediately to buy you time. Below, we've put together several versions of working Dragonite Decks, each focused on different types and strategies.
Water Dragonite Deck
This Dragonite deck focuses on the Water-type side of Dragonite's typing, using Frosmoth to quickly put foes to sleep.
- Dratini x2
- Dragonair x2
- Dragonite x2
- Snom x2
- Frosmoth x2
- Misty x2
- Professor's Research x2
- Sabrina x2
- Poke Ball x2
- X Speed x2
If you don't have (or care for) Snom and Frosmoth, you can always try replacing them with Staryu and Starmie ex, for quick damage on the field, or Psyduck and Golduck, for limiting their ability to cast supporter cards. Or, if you're playing the Pokemon TCG Pocket Lapras ex event, there's potential to have Lapras ex in there as a tank/self-healer.
Lightning Dragonite Deck
Contrarily, this version focuses on the sparkier side of the Dragonite, using Pincurchins' paralysis and Zapdos ex's raw power to hold the field until you can slam down the final evolution of the dragon line.
- Dratini x2
- Dragonair x2
- Dragonite x2
- Pincurchin x2
- Zapdos ex x2
- Professor's Research x2
- Giovanni x2
- Sabrina x2
- Poke Ball x2
- X Speed x2
It's the Giovanni that's probably the least essential card here, so feel free to swap it out either for a Meowth (for the per-turn card draw) or some potions (for survival). This is the best format though; add too many basic Pokemon and your Poke Ball cards won't help you draw the essential Dratini.
Dark Dragonite Deck
This one is a little trickier - people are having some success adding Dark-type to their Dragonite deck, using the cheap/durable Weezing as a barrier than can poison foes and wear them down. It can potentially work very well, though Dragonite already requiring you draw two different types of energy gets even harder when there's a third, largely unhelpful energy type clogging things. It's always possible that you just keep rolling Dark energy, and the big Dragon can't do much with that.
- Dratini x2
- Dragonair x2
- Dragonite x2
- Koffing x2
- Weezing x2
- Koga x2
- Professor's Research x2
- Sabrina x2
- Poke Ball x2
- X Speed x2
The play here is to immediately get Koffing and Weezing on the field and have them tanking damage until Dragonite is ready to leave the bench, before then using the Koga card to instantly take Weezing off the field for free (or using Koga to effectively reset Weezing so it can start tanking again). No easy substitutes here; this deck is very specifically built around Weezing's strengths.
Want to understand how to customise your cards with cool cosmetics? We've got the Pokemon TCG Pocket flair explained here; or find out if the Pokemon TCG Pocket bent packs really do give better cards!
© GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission
