So, you finally fished up that Dratini in the Safari Zone. Or maybe you spent way too many hours—and way too much money—at the Celadon Game Corner slot machines. Either way, you’ve got a Dragonair now.
It’s sleek. It’s elegant. And, honestly, it’s kinda weak.
If you’re expecting Dragonair to carry your team through the mid-game of Pokémon Fire Red just because it’s a "dragon," you’re in for a reality check. Most players struggle with Dragonair because its natural level-up pool is, frankly, garbage. If you don't know exactly which TMs to burn on it, your Dragonair is basically just a blue snake that knows how to use Wrap.
The Level-Up Trap: What Dragonair Actually Learns
Let’s look at the "natural" path. You’re likely holding onto Dragon Rage because it hits for a flat 40 HP. In the early game, that’s a godsend. It ignores types. It ignores defense. It’s a guaranteed 40-damage nuke.
But here’s the problem: 40 HP is nothing by the time you're hitting level 40.
By the time you’re facing the later Gym Leaders like Blaine or Giovanni, their Pokémon have enough HP to shrug off a Dragon Rage like it’s a mosquito bite. And don't even get me started on Slam. With 80 power but only 75% accuracy, it will miss exactly when you need it most. You’ve probably noticed that already.
Here is the depressing reality of the level-up moves for Dragonair in Fire Red:
- Level 1: Wrap, Leer, Thunder Wave, Twister
- Level 8: Thunder Wave
- Level 15: Twister (Only 40 base power... ouch)
- Level 22: Dragon Rage (Fixed 40 damage)
- Level 29: Slam (The king of missing)
- Level 38: Agility
- Level 47: Safeguard
- Level 56: Outrage (By this time, you should have evolved anyway)
Basically, if you rely solely on leveling up, your Dragonair is going to be a "Thunder Wave and pray" bot.
The TM Fix: Turning a Noodle into a Dragon
To make Dragonair actually usable before it hits level 55 and becomes a Dragonite, you have to use TMs. Dragonair has a massive move pool, but it’s all hidden behind those discs.
In Gen 3 (which Fire Red is part of), the physical/special split hadn't happened yet. This is huge. All Dragon-type moves are special. All Normal, Flying, and Ground moves are physical. Dragonair has a base Attack of 84 and a Special Attack of 70.
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Wait. Why is the "Physical" stat higher?
It’s a weird quirk of the Dratini line. Even though they are "mystical" dragons, they actually hit harder with physical moves in this generation. This is why Return (TM27) is secretly one of the best moves you can give it. If your Dragonair likes you, Return has 102 base power. That’s significantly stronger than Slam, and it has 100% accuracy.
Essential Coverage TMs
Since you can't rely on Dragon-type STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) for much damage—Twister is pathetic and Outrage comes too late—you need to turn Dragonair into a Swiss Army Knife.
1. Surf (HM03): Don't let the "HM" label fool you. Surf is a top-tier move. It has 95 base power and 100% accuracy. Even with Dragonair’s lower Special Attack, Surf is its most reliable way to deal with the abundance of Rock and Ground types in Kanto. Plus, you get it for free in the Safari Zone.
2. Ice Beam (TM13) or Thunderbolt (TM24): You can buy these at the Celadon Game Corner. They are expensive (4,000 coins each), but they change everything. Ice Beam is mandatory if you want to survive Lance later on. Thunderbolt handles the pesky Water and Flying types that infest the late game.
3. Shock Wave (TM34):
If you’re broke and can’t afford Thunderbolt, Shock Wave is a decent "budget" alternative you get from Lt. Surge. It never misses. It's not flashy, but it works.
The Secret Strategy: Move Tutors
A lot of players forget that Fire Red and Leaf Green introduced Move Tutors that weren't in the original 1996 games. These are one-time-only deals, so use them wisely.
Body Slam is taught by a tutor on Four Island (in the post-game, unfortunately), but Substitute can be found in Fuchsia City. If you want a fun, albeit risky, Dragonair build, you can use Substitute to hide while you paralyze the enemy with Thunder Wave.
Honestly, though? Most people just want to get to level 55.
Dragonair is in the "Slow" experience group. It takes forever to level up. If you're using it in a standard playthrough, you’re going to be under-leveled most of the time. This makes Thunder Wave (which it learns at level 8 and 1) its most important move. Paralysis cuts the opponent's speed by 75%, allowing your slow-growing Dragonair to actually move first.
Best Moveset for an In-Game Playthrough
If you want to actually enjoy using Dragonair before the Elite Four, run this set:
- Surf: For reliability and clearing Rock/Ground types.
- Thunder Wave: To fix your speed issues.
- Return (or Secret Power): Your main physical damage dealer.
- Ice Beam: Specifically for the end-game Bird and Dragon matchups.
Notice anything missing? Yeah, Dragon-type moves.
Twister is essentially a tickle. Dragon Rage is for finishing off low-HP enemies. Unless you are willing to wait until level 56—which is one level after it should have evolved—you aren't getting a "good" Dragon move.
Why People Get Frustrated with Dragonair
The community usually splits into two camps: the "Dragonite or Bust" group and the "Dragonair is a Utility King" group.
The first group hates Dragonair. They see it as a 25-level tax they have to pay to get the orange beast. They’re not wrong. Dragonair’s defenses (61 HP, 65 Def, 70 Sp. Def) are mediocre. It’s fragile. If a stray Ice Beam hits it, it’s over.
The second group realizes that Dragonair has the Shed Skin ability. This is underrated. There is a 33% chance every turn that Dragonair will just "heal" its own status conditions. Burned? It might go away. Paralyzed? Might be fine next turn. This makes it a surprisingly decent switch-in against status-heavy teams like Agatha’s.
Actionable Steps for Your Dragonair
If you’re currently staring at a level 35 Dragonair and wondering why it keeps fainting, do this:
- Drop Dragon Rage. It’s dead weight now. Go to the move deleter if you have to, but just stop clicking it.
- Max its Friendship. Walk with it, give it vitamins, don’t let it faint. Then, teach it Return. You’ll see an immediate jump in damage.
- Visit the Game Corner. If you haven't used your Ice Beam TM yet, give it to Dragonair. It covers its own Dragon weakness perfectly.
- Save your Rare Candies. The grind from level 45 to 55 is brutal. Use your candies for those final few levels to hit the Dragonite evolution.
Dragonair isn't a powerhouse by itself, but with the right TMs, it’s a versatile bridge to one of the strongest Pokémon in the game. Just stop expecting Slam to hit. It won't.