How to Catch Dratini in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen

Reviewed by Ishrak

Last Updated: August 20, 2024 Fact Checked

Dratini is a rare, Dragon-type Pokémon that, if raised right, can be a great addition to your team. You can find this elusive Pokémon in the Safari Zone, or you can cough up a pocketful of credits at the Rocket Game Center. See Step 1 below to find out how to add Dratini to your Pokedex without breaking a sweat.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Catching Dratini in the Safari Zone

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You will need the best rod in the game in order to catch Dratini. You can get the Super Rod on Route 12 in the house with a Fisherman inside. Talk to him and you will receive the Super Rod.^{[1]
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Dratini can only be caught in the Safari Zone. You don't need to worry about which Pokémon you will use to fight, as there are no battles in the Safari Zone. You can get to the Safari Zone from Fuchsia City.^{[2]
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3
Start fishing. Dratini can be caught in any of the four areas of the Safari Zone. Throw your line out into any body of water you see to start fishing. There is a 15% chance that the Pokémon you catch will be a Dratini.
- When you hook a Pokémon, you will need to press the A button to set the hook, otherwise the Pokémon will get away.
- There is a 1% chance that you will catch a Dragonair, Dratini's evolution.
4
Throw a Rock. You have four options when you start a Safari Zone battle: you can throw Bait, a Rock, or a Safari Ball, or you can Run. Throwing Bait will make it less likely to run away but decreases the catch chance. Throwing a Rock will make it easier to capture, but increases the chance it will run away.^{[3]
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- Throwing Bait followed by a Rock will cancel the effects of each. If you want to improve the catch chance, either throw one Rock, or a Bait followed by two rocks.
If the ball doesn't capture the Dratini, it will have a chance to run away. If it runs, you will need to fish again to catch another one. If it stays, you can try another Safari Ball on your next turn.^{[4]
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Once you've caught your Dratini, you can start training it to eventually evolve it into a Dragonite. Dratini can be used in a variety of party builds, thanks to its speed and Dragon-type attacks. To get the most out of your training, make sure to check out this guide on managing EVs, which can greatly affect the way your Dratini plays.^{[5]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Buying Dratini in Celadon City

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You can win a Dratini from here any time after you reach Celadon City for the first time.^{[6]
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Research source} Dratini costs 2,800 Credits.
You can use the slots machines to earn the credits you need, or if you don't have the time and have plenty of cash, you can buy the credits. If you want to gamble for them, one of the machines has better odds than the others, but it changes every time you enter the room.

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What level will it be when I buy it?

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In FireRed, it will be level 18. In LeafGreen, it will be level 24.

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On which level with it evolve?

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Level 30 to Dragonair and Level 55 to Dragonite, a semi legendary.

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Where is the coin case in Fire Red?

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Go to the house under the Celadon Center in a bar type interior. Go north, west of the building, and a man will give you the case.

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Tips

Dratini evolves at Level 30 to Dragonair and Level 55 to Dragonite.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Dratini will usually be higher level and less pricey if you catch it rather than paying coins for it.
The best moves for this are thunder fire and ice punch with dragon tail.
Don't evolve the Dratini until level 75 to get the best move.

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