Dragonite vs Salamence
Dragonite and Salamence have the same base stat total (600), Salamence is faster (base Speed 100 vs 80), and each can hit the other super effectively with its own types (Dragonite’s Dragon moves hit Salamence for 2×; Salamence’s Dragon moves hit Dragonite for 2×).
Dragonite and Salamence are both among the ten “pseudo-legendary” Pokémon, a fan term (not an official category) for three-stage finals with a 600 base stat total.
Base stats side by side
| Stat | Dragonite | Salamence |
|---|---|---|
| HP | 91 | 95 (higher) |
| Attack | 134 | 135 (higher) |
| Defense | 95 (higher) | 80 |
| Sp. Atk | 100 | 110 (higher) |
| Sp. Def | 100 (higher) | 80 |
| Speed | 80 | 100 (higher) |
| Total | 600 | 600 |
| Bulk | 286 (higher) | 255 |
Who has the edge?
Salamence is faster (100 vs 80 base Speed), has the higher Attack (135 vs 134), has the higher Sp. Atk (110 vs 100), and hits Dragonite for 2× with its Dragon moves, but Dragonite has more bulk, counting HP, Defense and Sp. Def together (286 vs 255) and hits Salamence for 2× with its Dragon moves.
Dragonite is ahead on
- has more bulk, counting HP, Defense and Sp. Def together (286 vs 255)
- hits Salamence for 2× with its Dragon moves
Salamence is ahead on
- is faster (100 vs 80 base Speed)
- has the higher Attack (135 vs 134)
- has the higher Sp. Atk (110 vs 100)
- hits Dragonite for 2× with its Dragon moves
This compares base numbers and the type chart; it does not predict a winner. A real battle also depends on level, nature and EVs, the moves each one knows (a Pokémon does not always learn a move of its own type), held items, weather and terrain, and abilities (Dragonite: Inner Focus, Multiscale; Salamence: Intimidate, Moxie), so either one can come out ahead.
Who moves first?
At Level 50 with 252 Speed EVs, 31 IVs and a neutral nature, Dragonite has 132 Speed and Salamence has 152, so Salamence moves first when both use moves of the same priority and no item, ability, status or stat change gets in the way.
| Speed | Dragonite | Salamence |
|---|---|---|
| Base Speed | 80 | 100 |
| Level 50, 252 EVs, neutral nature | 132 | 152 |
Type matchup, both ways
Dragonite (Dragon/Flying) attacking Salamence
Dragon 2×, Flying 1×. Using only its own types, Dragonite hits Salamence for 2× with Dragon moves (super effective) and 1× with Flying moves (normal damage).
Salamence (Dragon/Flying) attacking Dragonite
Dragon 2×, Flying 1×. Using only its own types, Salamence hits Dragonite for 2× with Dragon moves (super effective) and 1× with Flying moves (normal damage).
What hits each one for 2× or more
- Dragonite: Ice 4× (super effective), Rock 2× (super effective), Dragon 2× (super effective), Fairy 2× (super effective).
- Salamence: Ice 4× (super effective), Rock 2× (super effective), Dragon 2× (super effective), Fairy 2× (super effective).
The multipliers come from the 18×18 type chart; what a Pokémon can actually use depends on the moves it learns.
Abilities
Dragonite
- Inner Focus. Prevents flinching.
- Multiscale (hidden ability). Halves damage taken from full HP.
Salamence
- Intimidate. Lowers opponents' Attack one stage upon entering battle.
- Moxie (hidden ability). Raises Attack one stage upon KOing a Pokémon.
Size, generation and evolution
Dragonite is taller (2.2 m vs 1.5 m for Salamence), and Dragonite is heavier (210 kg vs 102.6 kg for Salamence).
| Detail | Dragonite | Salamence |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 2.2 m | 1.5 m |
| Weight | 210 kg | 102.6 kg |
| Generation | 1 (Kanto) | 3 (Hoenn) |
| Evolution line | Dratini → Dragonair → Dragonite | Bagon → Shelgon → Salamence |
Dragonite (#0149) is a Dragon/Flying-type Dragon Pokémon from Kanto, first seen in Generation 1, a pseudo-legendary (a fan term, not an official category) Pokémon. Its evolution line is Dratini → Dragonair → Dragonite.
Salamence (#0373) is a Dragon/Flying-type Dragon Pokémon from Hoenn, first seen in Generation 3, a pseudo-legendary (a fan term, not an official category) Pokémon. Its evolution line is Bagon → Shelgon → Salamence.
Keep exploring
- Open Dragonite and Salamence in the Compare tool
- Dragonite and Salamence Pokédex pages
- Dragon/Flying weaknesses
- Speed tiers