Pokemon Focus: #130 - Gyarados

Prologue Note

This analysis and all that follow are all still 4th-generation analyses. The 5th-gen analyses will start once the "main team" 4th-gen analyses are done. In the meantime, notes on 5th-gen usage will be added at the end of each analysis, in the Future Sight section.

Introduction

I've had major problems in the past with using Gyarados. The biggest one was that I could not accept using a Water-type without Water attacks, and Gyarados being very much physically-based instead of specially-based meant Water attacks were out of the question. This has all changed though, with the addition of physical Waterfall. Now, Gyarados is one of the greatest threats of all time, and I don't have to feel guilty about giving up Water attacks on it!




Make no mistake, Gyarados is monstrous. High Attack power, access to Dragon Dance, solid Special Defense, Intimidate to cushion physical blows... about the only bad part about Gyarados is that Electric attacks knock it out easily. But that is hardly a problem, as it can easily team up with Pokemon that are immune to, or better yet, take advantage of Electric attacks; there's a reason partnering it with Electivire was a common move, and partnering it with Jolteon is still common. All in all, let Gyarados set up, and the opponent will fall.



Capture/Training

One thing's for sure; catching a Magikarp is not a problem. It's just the matter of training it to level 20 where it can evolve. And there is definitely no point in delaying its evolution, unless you really want Flail.

Stats

95 HP, 125 Atk, 79 Def, 60 SpA, 100 SpD, 81 Spe

These are some dangerous stats. High attack is obvious; low Special Attack is no longer a concern due to Gyarados getting physical STAB off Water, low Defense is mitigated by Intimidate, and average Speed can be boosted by Dragon Dance. All this makes Gyarados powerful both offensively and defensively.

Abilities

Intimidate is a great ability. It gives Gyarados ease of switching into physical threats and mitigates its otherwise low Defense, and gives it an easier time setting up.

Moves



Waterfall hurts. As a physical Water move, it can be absolutely devastating just from Gyarados's raw power alone, and if the opponent manages to survive, there's still a 20% chance of flinching. Technically, Aqua Tail is even more powerful, but the lower accuracy and lack of additional effects makes it less appealing. Gyarados has minimal options for Flying STAB, but Bounce is fairly valid, as not much will want to switch in on a move with a 30% paralysis chance.



Gyarados is not lacking in secondary options. Stone Edge, despite shaky accuracy, hits hard and gets super-effective hits on many opponents. Earthquake can mess up Electric-types trying to prey on your 4x weakness. Ice Fang is your best bet against many Grass-types and 4x-weak Dragons. Bite and Payback hits Psychics and Ghosts. Finally, if you want neutral coverage, you can't go wrong with Return, which is only resisted by Empoleon and Shedinja in conjunction with your Water attack.

Dragon Dance will be your stat-up move of choice. With it, Gyarados can increase its low Speed while boosting its already-high Attack, allowing you to sweep teams.

Bulkier variants of Gyarados will want to make use of Taunt, forcing opponents, particularly Intimidated ones, to attack and letting Gyarados pull off multiple Dragon Dances.

Gyarados can also be a user of the Rest-Sleep Talk combo.

Effective Movesets

1. The Dance of the Rampaging Red Dragon
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake/Bounce
EVs: Max Attack and Speed, Adamant/Jolly nature preferred
Notes: The Rampaging Red Gyarados, angry and in full attempt to destroy everything in its path. It dances, outspeeds its foes, and tears through all in its path. Jolly trades attack power for the ability to outspeed even more enemies.

2. The Dance of the Wise Blue Dragon
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Taunt
- Stone Edge/Bounce
EVs: More defensively spread out; distribute a fair amount to HP and some to Defense; put rest in Attack and Speed. Adamant nature preferred.
Notes: The Wise Blue Gyarados knows that patience and craftiness is the way to outwit its foes. It taunts its opponents to attack it directly, resists their attacks, and conducts its intricate dances in its face, doing so multiple times so as to overwhelm its foes.

3. The Choice of the Sea Serpent
- Waterfall
- Stone Edge
- Payback
- Earthquake/Ice Fang
EVs: Max Attack, but put some EVs in HP before throwing the rest in Speed.
Item: Choice Band

The Monochrome World

Dream World Gyarados has Moxie, which makes it potentially a snowballing dragon of power, although it can still be outsped. Lack of Intimidate reduces its switch-in opportunities, though.

In the new generation, Gyarados has to compete against many new sweepers that are even more destructive than itself. Here, Gyarados can instead go a defensive route, using its solid defensive stats and Intimidate to go up against threatening Fighting and Ground types, and use the new Dragon Tail attack to switch teams around. Use in conjunction with entry hazards for best effect.