Released in the Pokemon Sword and Shield games, Duraludon is a steel/dragon type Pokemon. Typical of many dragon types, Duraludon looks like a dinosaur. This Pokemon is covered in steel and looks like a mini, steel-covered Godzilla. What is most impressive about Duraludon is perhaps its Gigantamax form, where it seems to transform into a tall skyscraper-like building. As it is one of the newer Pokemon, it has not had many appearances in media quite yet. This guide will showcase Duraludon’s capabilities in battle, its appearances in the anime, as well as other general facts about Duraludon.
About Duraludon
Duragludon was introduced in generation eight with the Sword and Shield games. It is a dual-type steel and dragon, making it particularly resilient against many types. Its first appearance in the anime was in Pokemon Journeys: Toughing It Out! Where it was the main Pokemon for Leon to fight against trainer Raihan. This battle was an impressive showcase of Gigantamaxing Pokemon as both Duraludon and Charizard had unique forms to their Giganta-maxed forms rather than just a larger scale Pokemon. A Pokemon of the Galar region, it is known to be faster than one might expect given its light metal body.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon Journeys: Toughing It Out! |
| First appearance in game | Pokemon Sword and Shield |
| Region | Galar |
| Evolution | Not known to evolve into or from any Pokemon |
| 1st Evo level | N/A |
| 2nd Evo level | N/A |
| Pokedex Entry | The special metal that composes its body is very light, so this Pokémon has considerable agility. It lives in caves because it dislikes the rain. |
Duraludon Base Stats
| HP | 70 |
| ATTACK | 95 |
| DEFENCE | 115 |
| SP. ATTACK | 120 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 50 |
| SPEED | 85 |
| TOTAL | 535 |
Appearance of Duraludon
A moderately sized Pokemon at 5 feet and 11 inches, or 1.8 meters, Duraludon is a bipedal Pokemon with two large feet. It has a dinosaur-like appearance with its design seemingly similar to a Sauropod or Brontosaurus. Duraludon has a long neck, which ends at its head, and while its base does not quite resemble these dinosaurs, its body and tail read like one of these long-necked dinosaurs. As it is bipedal, it has thick arms. These arms appear to be similar to their feet as they end in jagged stubs. Most of its body is silver-white and it has yellow eyes, with a zigzagging pattern seen around its neck and arms.
Behavior of Duraludon
A dragon that lives in mountains, it is surprisingly quick for its size and steel body. Despite being made of metal, it is only 88 pounds. The Pokedex states that it lives in caves because it hates the rain. Even though it is quite tough with its metal body, it is prone to rust and likely dislikes the rain because of this. While the Pokedex also states that it is resilient to earthquakes, it is actually weak to ground-type moves. Duraludon is known to have a territorial rivalry with Tyranitar and can be seen battling each other in the mountainous regions.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Being made of metal, Duraludon has high physical defense stats, but not necessarily the health pool to back it up. It has a very good special attack stat, but its special defense stat is lacking. This is likely to keep up with the lore surrounding Duraludon as it is prone to rust. Despite Duraludon’s appearance, it is decently quick and it can be used as a bulky offensive Pokemon. In order to defeat Duraludon, you will want to use ground or fighting type moves to get through this steel/dragon Pokemon.
Shiny Duraludon
Shiny Duraludon is not much different from regular Duraludon. Its body is still almost entirely white, but the ends of its arms, the bottom of its body, and the spikes in its feet become a lighter blue. A Shiny Duraludon may not have much difference in appearance from a regular Duraludon, but the difference is clear in its Gigantamax form. A Shiny Duraludon in gigantamax has red windows on its body, as opposed to the blue, and it is easier to tell the difference.
Gmax Duraludon
Gmax Duraludon has one of the most impressive gigantamax forms available in the games. When you use Gmax Duraludon, it becomes a skyscraper with its own clouds that can be seen around it. Gmax Duraludon is over 141 feet, or 43 meters, tall. Unfortunately, many gigantamax forms are banned from competitive play, save for some unique brackets where anything goes. Gmax Duraludon also fits within this margin, but like many gigantamax Pokemon, it is very powerful.
Best Moveset
Duraludon’s statline is not particularly effective against a wide range of Pokemon in competitive brackets. It is PUBL (Partially Used Banned List) as it is too good for PU, but not necessarily strong enough to be placed in the bracket above it, NU (Never Used) in Smogon brackets. It still maintains its place as a powerful Pokemon, especially as a Gigantamax form as it is only legal in AG (Anything Goes). To have the best success with Duraludon in competitive play, you will want Draco Meteor, Flash Cannon, Thunder Wave, and Thunderbolt/Stealth Rock. This is to make use of the choice of scarf held item. Draco Meteor benefits from STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus), Flash Cannon also benefits from STAB, Thunder Wave as a status inflicting move, and Thunderbolt to cover types while Stealth Rock helps cover swapping strategies.
| Draco Meteor | Flash Cannon |
| Thunder Wave | Thunderbolt/Stealth Rock |
How to Catch Duraludon in Pokemon Go
Duraludon is not currently available for capture in Pokemon Go. As a recent update introduced X and Y Pokemon, it is likely the next Pokemon that are introduced will be Sun and Moon exclusives. However, after Sun and Moon Pokemon are introduced, it is likely that Duraludon will follow as it has gained popularity thanks to its gigantamax form. If you want a Duraludon in Pokemon Go, the only thing that can be done is to be patient and wait for news from Niantic.
Video Guide
Trivia
- Gigantamax Duraludon is likely based on The Shard, a building in the United Kingdom. This building is made from duralumin, making it a clear connection.
- Surprisingly, Gigantamax Duraludon is not the tallest Pokemon in the game, that title goes to Gigatnamax Centiskorch.
- Duraludon is a portmanteau of the words duralumin, and -don the suffix from Greek language meaning tooth.
FAQs
Q. What’s super effective against Duraludon?
As a dual steel/dragon type, fighting and ground type moves are 2x effective against Duraludon. It does have high defense stats, so try using special moves to deal the most damage against Duraludon. Its special defense stat is its lowest stat and its health is relatively low as well. Using a high-power special move that is fighting or ground will likely take out a Duraludon.
Q. Is Duraludon a Rare Pokemon?
Duraludon is a rare spawn, with only 1% chance to spawn in the world. In Pokemon Sword and Shield, you can find Duraludon in Route 10, Giant’s Seat, Lake of Outrage, Stony Wilderness, and as a Max Raid Battle in Dusty Bowl. If you are not in the mood to hunt for a 1% spawn, you can trade a Frosmoth in Wyndon town for a Duraludon on the eastern street.
Q. What does Duraludon Evolve into?
Duraludon is not known to evolve from or into any Pokemon. It is a standalone Pokemon that has a special Gigantamax form. You do not level any Pokemon to eventually evolve into Duraludon, nor are there any special conditions to evolve Duraludon into anything. You can simply gigantamax Duraludon in generation eight.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything about this rather unique Pokemon. The biggest takeaway from Duraludon’s design is likely its gigantamax form, where it transforms into a living skyscraper. It is hard to believe that Duraludon could outspeed anything considering it is made of steel, but it still has a respectable speed stat. If you use Duraludon in battle, you will likely be pleasantly surprised by its battle capabilities. Catch a Duraludon for yourself to command a building in battle!
