Pokémon Unite continues to expand its roster of characters that you can play. In its latest update, a fan-favorite Pokémon, Dragonite, has landed in the game—and just in time for the holiday season. Here's all the details on Dragonite's release date, moveset and gameplay in Pokémon Unite.

Pokémon Unite Dragonite Release Date: December 19, 2021

Dragonite debuted in Pokémon Unite on December 19, 2021 bringing its arsenal of Dragon-type abilities and pseudo-legendary stats. For long-time fans of the franchise, seeing another old and well-loved Pokémon enter the game brings much excitement over mastering the new addition.

Moveset and gameplay

Players start out as Dragonite's basic form, Dratini. The first evolution into Dragonair comes upon hitting level 5, then finally getting Dragonite at level 8. As an All-Rounder, Dragonite provides excellent physical damage alongside mobility. Moreover, there's a lot of flexibility to how you want to use the new Pokémon in Unite.

You can build Dragonite as a brawler, focusing on a Dragon Dance and Outrage combo, alongside strong held items like Focus Band and Weakness Policy to allow you to dive into fights as the frontline. If you'd like to go long, then Hyperbeam is the ranged alternative instead of Outrage, allowing you to keep a safe distance while dishing out burst damage. Even with a Ranged approach, Focus Band can be a good held item, helping with survivability.

Basic Attacks and Passive

The Pokémon's basic attacks are boosted for every third attack, which also reduces the cooldown of its other moves. This boosted attack also takes on different types at different stages in the evolutionary line.

For Dratini, the boosted basic attack shoots out water that not only damages enemies but also heals a bit of HP for Dratini. Meanwhile, Dragonair's boosted attack alternates between water-type and electric-type. For the water move, it has the same effects as Dratini's case, but the electric-type attack works similar to a stun or paralysis effect, leaving the opponent unable to act for a brief time. For Dragonite, the rotation expands to add a fire-type attack, going from water, to electric, to fire. The effects are the same as the first two forms, with the fire attack just dealing a little extra damage.

Dratini and Dragonair have the passive ability Marvel Scale, which raises their Defense if they are hit with a status condition like burn or poison. Upon evolving into Dragonite, it will gain the Multiscale ability, which lowers the amount of damage you take for a short time, and which has a cooldown period.

Dratini Level 1-3 Moves

  • Twister [Ranged, Physical]
    • Release a Twister in the designated direction, dealing damage while reducing opponent's movement speed.
    • Cooldown: 8 seconds
  • Dragon Breath [Ranged, Physical]
    • Exhale a mighty gust in designated direction. If the move hits an opponent, the next basic attack is boosted.
    • Cooldown: 8 seconds

Dragonair Level 5 Moves – Upgrades for Twister

  • Dragon Dance [Dash + Buffs]
    • Increases damage dealt (up to 3x every time this move is used), movement speed, and basic attack speed
    • Moves to a designated location while performing the dance (for the stat buffs). If a basic attack hits an opponent during this time, Dragon Dance's cooldown is shortened.
    • Cooldown: 5 seconds
    • Upgrade: Further increases movement speed if opponents are nearby
  • Extreme Speed [Dash + Area of Effect]
    • Deals damage and slows down opponents in an AOE by leaping at, throwing and shoving the enemies
    • Cooldown: 9 seconds
    • Upgrade: Negates any movement speed debuffs / slows on the player when Extreme Speed is used

Dragonite Level 8 Moves – Upgrades for Dragon Breath

  • Hyper Beam [Ranged]
    • Aim at target, charge up power and then unleash a bright beam of light in a straight line, dealing high damage.
    • Also deals additional damage for a certain percentage of the opponents' max HP.
    • However, Dragonite cannot act for a short time after using Hyper Beam.
    • Cooldown: 8 seconds
    • Upgrade: Decreases damage taken by Dragonite while using Hyper Beam, including the charging period
  • Outrage [Area of Effect, Physical]
    • Begins a rampage, stomping the ground to deal AOE damage.
    • Basic attacks become special melee boosted attacks with higher attack speed, while also activating the additional effect of the last boosted basic attack (i.e., heal for water attack, stun for electric attack, extra damage for fire attack)
    • However, Dragonite cannot act for a short time after using Outrage
    • Cooldown: 8 seconds
    • Upgrade: Reduces duration of any hindrance effects inflicted during the rampage

Dragonite Level 9 Unite Move: Draco Impact

  • Fly high into the air then crash down with several comets in the targeted area, dealing AOE damage and throwing enemies
  • For the duration of this move, Dragonite is immune to hindrances
  • The farther the range (how far Dragonite flies), the more that the Unite Move gauge is consumed.