I didn't plan on posting in this thread, but after re-reading it, I want to stop this usless comparing of Gyarados and Garchomp.
1.) Gyarados and Garchomp aren't similar enough to be compared, as they fill very different roles in a team. Gyarados, with it's typing and Intimidate, makes a great switch into physical attackers, and makes for a great defensive addition to teams as well. Not that Garchomp isn't bulky, but it's definitly not used the same way as Gyarados in the majority of cases.
2.) Gyarados gets Dragon Dance, Garchomp gets Swords Dance. So Gyarados boosts speed and attack +1 each turn. Garchomp doubles his attack, but already has that imporant 102 base speed. Garchomp also has a 100, and 120 base power STAB attack, both with 100% accuracy. Gyarados's strongest STAB attack is 90 BP with 90 accuracy.
And with the former I need to be able to handle all combinations of attacks, Waterfall with Stone Edge, EQ, or Ice Fang. Hell some even run Bite now to deal with Slowbro and Starmie
This brings me to my third point. Gyarados doesn't have the same type coverage. Unless I missed some big update, Gyarados isn't going to be using Taunt, Waterfall, Earthquake, Bite, Ice Fang, Stone Edge and Aqua Tail on the same set. So your Starmie is hit with bite? That means that Gyarados is missing Ice Fang, send in Garchomp to take it. You don't need a counter that can handle every possible combination of attacks, because if Gyarados is running one set, that opens it up to be beaten by other pokemon. If it's missing Stone Edge, Zapdos does great. Missing Bite? Starmie is your hero. Ice Fang-less Gyarados is easily beaten by Celebi.
But you're STILL in luck! Guess what, Porygon2 is a 100% counter to Gyarados! The strongest thing Gyarados can muster against Porygon2 is a 3HKO with a Life Orb'd, max attack Aqua Tail. And if you're using that specific set, Porygon2 does 92%-109% with Thunderbolt, so you're shit out of luck. This can't be said for Garchomp, considering even 252 Def / 252 HP Cresselia and Hippowdon can be 2HKO'd by a CB Outrage.
hitit4three said:
Gyara doesn't have the speed to effectively run Choice Band for anything more than a surprise
Gengar - Sleep absorber, anything with a decent attack, Gengar is countered because it has weak defenses, and it is often scarfed and thus locked into one move. Also quite predictable...and...BLISSEY!
TTar - HIPPOWDON! Tar is really really slow, and lots of things can deal with it on predicted attacks, revenge kills, etc...
Lucario - needs Specs or Life Orb to do respectable damage, lots of relatively bulky guys (i.e: Bronzong) can stop him by taking a hit (omg you can even PREDICT and take a resisted ES!!!) and then KOing. Residual damage hurts, and anything faster with the ability to take an ES wins.
Get some experience before posting this shit. You talk like you know what you're saying, but you clearly don't. Gyarados is a very effective Choice Band pokemon, and actually maxes out at a very respectable 287 speed. No, it doesn't have the 2HKO power of CB Garchomp or Heracross, but that doesn't make it not effective, especially considering Gyarados makes a very good switch into threats as I said earlier.
If you think Gengar is predictable, then you must get fucked over quite a bit. While there are obviously popular sets, Gengar is far from predictable, and Blissey is not a 100% counter, with Hypnosis, Substitute, Focus Punch and Focus Blast all attacks in Gengars aresenal.
Hippowdon beats physical Tyranitar sets, but not mixed or special. All it takes is 96 SpA EVs and an Expert Belt for Mixtar to 2HKO Hippowdon with Ice Beam.
There are very few pokemon that aren't OHKO'd by SD Lucario. Bronzong isn't one of them. Gyarados, Salamence, Cresselia, Hippowdon and Gliscor make good counters to SD Lucario (depending on the 4th attack), but they're all utterly destroyed by Specs Lucario.
I don't know what other comments have been made, as I haven't read the whole thread yet, I wanted to respond to these before I forgot about them.