HAH! Jumping straight into the deep end I see. Don’t you think you’d be better off with an easier type to master, like Grass? No? Well then you better bring your A-game, because becoming a Dragon Pokémon master is not for the faint of heart! Despite missing out on the first half of the Sword and Shield block, Dragon is really making up for lost time with some of the gnarliest attackers in Gym Leader Challenge getting printed in recent sets. The difficulty with Dragon Pokémon, of course, is accommodating for their challenging and often contradicting Energy requirements. Classic Dragon stuff, right? Thankfully, Dragon has all the support it needs to be a top contender in Gym Leader Challenge, and is only improving as its cardpool grows.

Support Pokémon

Dragon doesn’t have a lot of draw support, but it’s got what every other type wishes it had: free Pokémon search and free Supporter Search! What more do you need?! Though just the middle evolution of a Stage 2 line, Gabite is the glue that holds the whole Dragon deck together. Dragon Call can be used to set up Dragonite (TEU), and once Dragonite is online, you can search your deck for whatever Supporter you want every turn with Fast Call. Absolutely busted.

Attackers

Dragon has a lot of good Stage 2 attackers, but how many Stage 2 Pokémon can you reliably put in a single deck? Typically I’ll limit myself to just a few Stage 2 Pokémon to keep things as consistent as possible. Every Dragon Deck will likely run Dragonite and Garchomp, which leaves room for roughly one more Stage 2 if you’re feeling adventurous. Fortunately, Dragon also has access to some of the best Basic attackers in the format, with Drampa and Ultra Necrozma cranking out 160+ damage for just two Energy! Zygarde is also an insane way to close out games, dealing up to 200 snipe damage if the opponent has taken five Prizes! Though Dragons have relatively difficult attack costs to fulfill, they also have access to one of the best Special Energy cards ever printed: Double Dragon Energy!

Decklists

Fast Call

Credit: Tricky Gym

Dragon is a tough type to master, but when piloted carefully, this deck can compete with the best decks in Gym Leader Challenge! Gabite and Dragonite make a fantastic consistency core with Dragon Call and Fast Call respectively, allowing you to search out whichever Pokémon and Supporter you want each turn. Utilizing Double Dragon Energy, Drampa can start swinging for 160 damage as early as the first turn of the game with Berserk, making Dragon one of the most aggressive decks in GLC! Navigating the mid to late game with Dragon can be difficult. You need to map out your Energy attachments and attackers perfectly to take all 6 Prizes. Though not the easiest deck to play, Dragon has a high skill ceiling and lots of potential for success.

Last Update: June 2024

  • 1 Applin TWM 126
    1 Flapple EVS 120
    1 Drampa EVS 119
    1 Dratini OBF 157
    1 Dragonair SUM 95
    1 Dragonite TEU 119
    1 Dreepy TWM 128
    1 Drakloak TWM 129
    1 Druddigon BRS 113
    1 Gible BRS 107
    1 Gabite DRX 89
    1 Garchomp BRS 109
    1 Regidrago ASR 118
    1 Buddy-Buddy Poffin TEF 144
    1 Buddy-Buddy Rescue BKT 135
    1 Evolution Incense SSH 163
    1 Field Blower GRI 125
    1 Hisuian Heavy Ball ASR 146
    1 Level Ball BST 129
    1 Mysterious Treasure FLI 113
    1 Nest Ball PAF 84
    1 Quick Ball FST 237
    1 Rare Candy PAF 89
    1 Rescue Stretcher GRI 130
    1 Special Charge STS 105
    1 Super Rod PAL 188
    1 Tag Call CEC 206
    1 Town Map BKT 150
    1 Ultra Ball PAF 91
    1 VS Seeker PHF 109
    1 Exp. Share SVI 174
    1 Float Stone BKT 137
    1 Luxurious Cape PAR 166
    1 Technical Machine: Turbo Energize PAR 179
    1 Stormy Mountains EVS 161
    1 Team Magma's Secret Base DCR 32
    1 Arven OBF 186
    1 Boss's Orders (Ghetsis) PAL 172
    1 Cynthia UPR 119
    1 Cynthia & Caitlin CEC 189
    1 Guzma BUS 115
    1 Guzma & Hala CEC 193
    1 Hex Maniac AOR 75
    1 Iono PAF 80
    1 Mela PAR 167
    1 N FCO 105
    1 Professor's Research PAF 87
    1 Raihan CRZ 140
    1 Teammates PRC 141
    2 Basic Fighting Energy SVE 6
    3 Basic Fire Energy SVE 2
    2 Basic Water Energy SVE 3
    1 Aurora Energy SSH 186
    1 Blend Energy WaterLightningFightingMetal DRX 118
    1 Double Dragon Energy ROS 97
    1 Rainbow Energy CES 151

Looking for more ideas or feedback on your deck?

Head over to Tricky Gym Discord’s glc-decklists channel for threads on every archetype to discuss strategy, get suggestions, and browse decklists!