How to Catch and Evolve Dratini in Pokémon Legends Z-A

Dratini has always been one of the most coveted Pokémon in any game it appears in, and Pokémon Legends: Z-A is no exception. This sleek Dragon-type is notoriously rare, incredibly skittish, and has one of the lowest catch rates in the game. But here’s the good news: you can catch Dratini relatively early in your playthrough if you know exactly where to look.

Unlike most Pokémon you’ll encounter, Dratini doesn’t spawn in any Wild Zones. Instead, you’ll need to scour specific rooftop locations throughout Lumiose City. Let me show you exactly where to find this elusive Dragon-type, how to actually catch it without it fleeing, and what it takes to evolve it all the way to the mighty Dragonite.

Table of Contents

Why Dratini Is Worth the Effort

Before we dive into locations, let’s talk about why you should prioritize catching Dratini despite its difficulty:

What makes Dratini special:

Evolves into Dragonite, one of the strongest Pokémon in the game
Mega Dragonite makes its debut in Pokémon Legends: Z-A
Dragon-type Pokémon are rare and powerful throughout the game
High stats make it worth the XP investment
Excellent addition to any balanced team

If you’re building a competitive team, Dragonite absolutely deserves a slot. It’s versatile, hits hard, and its Mega Evolution form is particularly devastating. Plus, there’s something satisfying about raising a Dratini from its early levels all the way to a fully-powered Dragonite.

Primary Dratini Location: Restaurant Le Nah

The most reliable spot to find Dratini is on the rooftop of Restaurant Le Nah, a café located in the southeastern section of Lumiose City.

Exact Location Details

Where Restaurant Le Nah is located:

Southeastern edge of Lumiose City
South of Wild Zone 6
East of Wild Zone 2

This location is accessible fairly early in the game, which is great news if you want to add Dratini to your team before tackling tougher missions.

How to Reach the Restaurant Le Nah Rooftop

Getting to Dratini requires some platforming and rooftop navigation:

Step-by-step:

Step 1: Navigate to Restaurant Le Nah in southeastern Lumiose City.

Step 2: Look for the tall building directly next door to the restaurant.

Step 3: Find and climb the ladder on this adjacent building.

Step 4: Once you’re on top of the tall building, position yourself near the edge facing Restaurant Le Nah.

Step 5: Use your dodge roll ability to leap across the gap and land on the restaurant’s rooftop.

Step 6: On the rooftop, you’ll find a pair of Fletchlings. Dratini spawns just behind them.

If you’re new to rooftop navigation in Lumiose City, check out our guide on web bridges and cocoon mechanics for additional traversal tips. Getting comfortable with the verticality of the city makes finding rare Pokémon like Dratini much easier.

Secondary Dratini Location: Cafe Soleil Area

Restaurant Le Nah isn’t your only option. Dratini can also be found on rooftops near Cafe Soleil, located on the opposite side of the city.

Cafe Soleil location:

Southwestern edge of Lumiose City
Below Wild Zone 10
Access rooftops by climbing scaffolding along building sides

This alternative location gives you more flexibility if the Restaurant Le Nah spawn isn’t cooperating or if you’re hunting for multiple Dratini for trading or team-building purposes.

The nice thing about having multiple spawn locations is that if you scare off a Dratini at one spot, you can immediately head to the other location rather than waiting for a respawn.

How to Actually Catch Dratini (Tips and Tricks)

Here’s where things get tricky. Dratini isn’t just rare—it’s also extremely difficult to catch and will flee at the slightest provocation. You need a solid strategy to successfully add one to your team.

Understanding Dratini’s Behavior

Dratini’s catch difficulty:

Very low catch rate (comparable to Legendary Pokémon in some games)
Highly timid and flees immediately when startled
Despawns shortly after breaking out of a Poké Ball
Even Great Balls and Ultra Balls struggle with this catch

This combination of low catch rate and flight response means you often only get one or two attempts before Dratini disappears.

Best Catching Strategy

How to maximize your catch rate:

1. Use your best Poké Balls: Don’t waste regular Poké Balls on Dratini. Use Great Balls at minimum, but Ultra Balls are highly recommended.

2. Approach from behind: Sneak up on Dratini and throw your Poké Ball from behind for an increased capture chance. Back strikes significantly boost catch rates across all Pokémon in the game.

3. Crouch and move slowly: Use stealth to get close without alerting it. If Dratini notices you before you throw, it might flee before you even get a chance.

4. Save before attempting: If you’re really struggling, consider saving your game before approaching Dratini so you can reset if it flees.

5. Stock up on balls: Bring at least 10-15 Great or Ultra Balls so you have multiple attempts if the first few fail.

If you’re looking to optimize your catching strategy further, having Pokémon with status conditions like sleep or paralysis can help, though getting close enough to battle Dratini without it fleeing is challenging.

What to Do If Dratini Flees

Don’t panic if Dratini breaks out and despawns—you can force it to respawn:

Respawn method:

Use fast travel to leave the area
Fast travel back to Restaurant Le Nah (or Cafe Soleil)
Climb back up to the rooftop
Dratini should respawn in the same location

This respawn trick works consistently, so even if you fail multiple times, you can keep trying until you successfully catch it.

How to Evolve Dratini into Dragonair and Dragonite

Once you’ve finally caught Dratini, the next step is evolving it into its more powerful forms. The good news here is that Dratini’s evolution line is straightforward—no special items or conditions required.

Evolution Levels

Dratini evolution timeline:

Dratini → Dragonair: Level 30
Dragonair → Dragonite: Level 55

These are fairly late evolutions compared to most Pokémon in the game. For comparison, many early-game Pokémon evolve by level 16-20, so you’ll need patience with Dratini.

XP Farming Tips

Since Dratini’s evolution levels are quite high, you might need to do some serious grinding to catch it up to the rest of your team:

Efficient XP farming methods:

Battle trainers repeatedly in various city sectors
Complete side missions that reward experience
Battle wild Pokémon in Wild Zones
Use Dratini in every battle to maximize XP gains
Consider keeping Dratini at the front of your party for shared XP

The grind is real, but reaching Dragonite is absolutely worth it. This Pokémon becomes a powerhouse capable of handling late-game and post-game content with ease.

For other Pokémon with tricky evolutions, check out our guides on special evolutions, Inkay to Malamar, and Budew evolution.

Mega Dragonite: The Ultimate Form

Here’s something exciting: Mega Dragonite makes its debut in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. This is the first time Dragonite has received a Mega Evolution form, making it an even more valuable addition to your team.

Getting the Dragonite Mega Stone

While the article doesn’t specify exactly how to obtain Dragonite’s Mega Stone, based on the game’s patterns, you’ll likely need to:

Progress through the main story
Potentially purchase it from the Stone Emporium post-game
Complete specific missions or challenges

For reference on how Mega Evolution stones work, check out our guide on starter Mega Evolutions, which details the Mega Stone acquisition process. The system for getting Dragonite’s Mega Stone likely follows similar patterns.

You’ll also want to review our Mega Evolution tier list to see how Mega Dragonite stacks up against other Mega forms in the game.

Building Your Team Around Dragonite

Dragonite’s Dragon/Flying typing makes it incredibly versatile, but it also comes with specific weaknesses you need to account for:

Dragonite’s type matchups:

Weak to: Ice (4x weakness), Dragon, Fairy, Rock
Resistant to: Fighting, Bug, Fire, Water, Grass, Ground

That 4x Ice weakness is brutal, so you’ll want teammates who can handle Ice-type opponents. Consider adding Fire or Fighting-types to your team for coverage.

Team building suggestions:

Pair with Fire-types to counter Ice threats
Include a Fairy-type for additional Dragon coverage
Consider Steel-types for defensive balance
Use Dragonite as your primary physical attacker

If you’re curious about other powerful Pokémon to round out your team, browse our rankings of the strongest Pokémon and Pokémon to avoid.

Other Rare Pokémon Worth Hunting

If you enjoy hunting for rare Pokémon like Dratini, you might also want to track down:

Larvitar – Another pseudo-legendary with incredible stats
Goomy – Dragon-type with unique defensive capabilities
Abra – Psychic-type that’s notoriously difficult to catch
Ralts – Psychic/Fairy-type with multiple evolution paths
Hawlucha – Fighting/Flying-type with Mega Evolution

Each of these brings something unique to your team and provides similar “hunt and grind” satisfaction.

Additional Resources

For more help with Pokémon Legends: Z-A, check out:

Official Pokémon Legends website: https://legends.pokemon.com/
Nintendo Store page: https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/pokemon-legends-z-a-nintendo-switch-2-edition-switch-2/

Need more help navigating Lumiose City’s rooftops? Check out guides on Wild Zone 8, Wild Zone 9, and our comprehensive all Wild Zones guide.

Final Thoughts

Catching Dratini in Pokémon Legends: Z-A is challenging, but absolutely worth the effort. Between its powerful evolution line, the debut of Mega Dragonite, and its overall versatility in battle, this Dragon-type deserves a spot on your team. Yes, you’ll need patience to track it down on rooftops, more patience to actually catch it, and even more patience to grind it up to level 55 for Dragonite.

But once you’ve got a fully-evolved, Mega-capable Dragonite on your roster? You’ll have one of the most formidable Pokémon in the entire game. Stock up on Ultra Balls, head to Restaurant Le Nah, and get ready for one of the most satisfying catches in Pokémon Legends: Z-A.

Happy hunting, trainer!

Complete Guide to Finding, Catching, and Evolving Dratini in Pokémon Legends Z-A

Why Dratini Is Worth the Effort