QC: Eien / terrors / Vid
GP: x
Flying
========
* Gyarados's access to Dragon Dance allows it to be a potent setup sweeper, especially with its high Attack stat.
* Gyarados's Water typing is helpful versus Rock and Ice matchups that are usually problematic for Flying.
* A great ability in Moxie boosts Gyarados's sweeping potential by boosting its Attack every time it gets a KO.
* Gyarados also has solid bulk, allowing it to set up more easily.
* While Bounce is a decent STAB move, its charging turn prompts Gyarados to use a Flyinium Z to break past bulky Grass-types such as Mega Venusaur.
* While Gyarados's Water typing can be useful in some situations, it also stacks an even bigger Electric weakness to Flying teams.
* A mediocre Speed stat means Gyarados cannot outspeed some Pokemon even after a boost, such as Mega Alakazam. Gyarados can also lose to many common Choice Scarf users such as Nihilego and Xurkitree.
* However, base 81 Speed puts it at a unique Speed tier, allowing it to barely outspeed base 80 Speed Pokemon such as Dragonite.
* Gyarados can be outclassed in some situations by other Z-Move users such as Salamence and Landorus-T.
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance Flyinium Z (Flying)
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Waterfall
move 3: Bounce
move 4: Subsitute / Taunt
item: Flyinium Z
ability: Moxie
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Dragon Dance boosts both Gyarados's Attack and Speed, powering up its physical attacks while letting it outspeed quite a few Pokemon including Mega Beedrill and Choice Scarf Chandelure.
* Waterfall is Gyarados's primary STAB move and can be used to hit Rock-type Pokemon that Flying struggles against.
* Bounce is Gyarados's Flying-type STAB move, but it has a charge turn that can be exploited by opponents who can then switch out into a Pokemon that resists it. Bounce also has a nifty 30% chance to paralyze the foe.
* When Bounce is used with a Flyinium Z, it turns into a powerful 160-Base Power Supersonic Skystrike, which can be used to KO a bulky foe like Toxapex. However, it is a one-time move, so it should be used only when needed.
* Substitute can be used against bulky Pokemon that cannot break Gyarados's substitute easily, such as Toxapex, and it also shields Gyarados from status such as Toxic or burns from Scald, allowing Gyarados to set up easily.
* Taunt can be used to shut down support and bulky Pokemon such as Celesteela, giving Gyarados ample opportunities to set up with Dragon Dance. It can also be used to prevent status from moves such as Thunder Wave and Will-O-Wisp, which Gyarados greatly dislikes.
Set Details
========
* Maximum Attack and Speed investment maximize Gyarados's sweeping potential.
* A Jolly nature ensures that Gyarados outspeeds Tapu Koko, Choice Scarf Togekiss, and Mega Beedrill after a Dragon Dance.
* Flyinium Z turns Bounce into a powerful Supersonic Skystrike that can be used to KO Gyarados's would-be checks after a Dragon Dance.
* Moxie boosts Gyarados's Attack every time it gets a KO, effectively snowballing into a sweep once Gyarados can set up.
Usage Tips
========
* Use Dragon Dance to set up against Ground-, Fighting-, Bug-, and Fire-type Pokemon that Gyarados threatens, such as Gliscor, Keldeo, and Volcarona. This can give Gyarados free opportunities to set up as they switch out.
* Avoid switching Gyarados into attacks, as it can wear down Gyarados and make it unable to set up properly.
* Similarly, attempt to remove Stealth Rock before Gyarados enters the battlefield.
* After a Dragon Dance or two, use Supersonic Skystrike to KO Pokemon that would otherwise wall Gyarados, such as Toxapex.
* Avoid letting Gyarados get statused, as burns and paralysis halve Gyarados's offensive stats, while Toxic poison can rack up, making Gyarados much easier to revenge kill.
* Don't waste Supersonic Skystrike unnecessarily, especially if it is needed to break past a certain Pokemon like Porygon2.
* However, Supersonic Skystrike can also be used as the first move to semi-guarantee a Moxie boost.
* Against support Pokemon or walls such as Celesteela and Jirachi, use Substitute to block incoming status moves and start setting up with Dragon Dance.
* If running Taunt, use it to shut down bulkier and support Pokemon such as Clefable, giving Gyarados free opportunities to set up, either by forcing them to switch out or by taking little damage from their attacks.
* It is helpful to eliminate Gyarados's checks, including bulky Water-types, Electric-types, and Protect users such as Toxapex, Magnezone, and Ferrothorn before bringing it in, as they can usually stop a sweep and force Gyarados out. It is better to set up with Gyarados late-game, especially as it usually only has one chance to sweep because of Flyinium Z's one-time use.
* Sometimes, use Dragon Dance at least two times to avoid being revenge killed by fast Choice Scarf users such as Nihilego.
* It is usually better to set up with Gyarados late-game after its checks have been worn down, especially as it usually only has one chance to sweep because of Supersonic Skystrike.
Team Options
========
* Gyarados is useful on Flying teams due to its ability to check Rock and Ice teams, which Flying teams generally appreciate.
* As a result, Pokemon such as Mega Charizard Y and Dragonite can be used more effectively due to Gyarados dealing with their checks such as Diancie and Weavile.
* Additionally, Mega Charizard Y is a powerful special attacker that can deal with physical walls that Gyarados struggles with, such as Rotom-W and Skarmory.
* Defoggers such as Mantine and Skarmory remove entry hazards, which Gyarados dislikes, especially as it takes 25% each time it switches in, although Mantine shares its typing with Gyarados, which makes for a defensive redundancy. Skarmory can also set up Stealth Rock, aiding Gyarados's sweeping potential.
* Zapdos can easily take most Electric-type attacks for Gyarados, can Defog away entry hazards, and can bring Gyarados in safely with Volt Switch.
* Landorus provides an Electric immunity for Gyarados and can deal large damage to most Electric-type Pokemon along with Toxapex. It is also a special wallbreaker that is able to deal with most physical walls that give Gyarados trouble, and it can set up Stealth Rock on top of that.
* Landorus-T provides another Electric immunity, takes care of Electric-type Pokemon, can set up Stealth Rock, and has Intimidate,(AC) which can help Gyarados set up against physical threats. It can also bring Gyarados in safely with U-turn.
* Gliscor can work as an effective stallbreaker, wearing down Pokemon to ease Gyarados's sweep. It also provides another Electric immunity while being able to spread Toxic to aid Gyarados's setup. Gliscor's utility set can also set up Stealth Rock, making it easier for Gyarados to sweep.
* Aerodactyl can set up Stealth Rock instead of Landorus or Skarmory, allowing them to run either a different attack in Landorus's case or Spikes in Skarmory's case.
* Defensive Pokemon such as Celesteela can sponge hits for Gyarados while wearing down foes with their support moves.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Flying
--------
* Earthquake can hit pesky Electric-, Poison-, and Steel-type Pokemon such as Alolan Raichu, Toxapex, and Magearna, the second of which can otherwise wall Gyarados. However, the utility of Taunt and Substitute is generally more useful.
* An Adamant nature can be used for more damage, but it sacrifices essential Speed that allows Gyarados to be outsped by Tapu Koko, Choice Scarf Buzzwole, and Choice Scarf Togekiss.
* Intimidate is an alternative to Moxie that allows Gyarados to more easily set up against physical attackers like Landorus-T and Mimikyu, but it limits Gyarados's sweeping capabilities by replacing Moxie.
Checks and Counters
===================
Flying
--------
**Rotom-W**: Rotom-W resists all of Gyarados's attacks and is immune to Earthquake should Gyarados decide to use it, and it can hit Gyarados with a 4x super effective Volt Switch.
**Electric-types**: Gyarados sports a 4x weakness to Electric-type attacks, and it almost always OHKOed by them. Electric-type Pokemon also often have high Speed and good offensive stats, meaning Gyarados is usually outsped by common threats such as Alolan Raichu under Electric Terrain even after a Dragon Dance or two. They also resist Supersonic Skystrike, and Gyarados often lacks the power to KO these Pokemon as a result.
**Fast Choice Scarf users**: Pokemon such as Nihilego and Xurkitree can outspeed Gyarados after one Dragon Dance if holding a Choice Scarf and can OHKO Gyarados with their super effective STAB moves.
**Status**: Gyarados greatly dislikes status, as most status conditions can easily cripple it. Toxic wears Gyarados down extremely fast, making it more liable to a revenge kill, while paralysis and burn cripple Gyarados's offensive stats.
**Physical Walls**: Gyarados has a hard time breaking through physical walls such as Toxapex and Skarmory, especially as they both can eliminate Gyarados's stat boosts. However, Gyarados can shut them down with Taunt, disallowing them to phaze it out while it sets up.
**Stealth Rock**: Gyarados takes a hefty 25% of its health each time it switches into Stealth Rock, making it much easier to KO, especially as Gyarados lacks reliable recovery.
**Protect Users**: Protect users like Ferrothorn and Baneful Bunker Toxapex can easily wall Gyarados after it has used up Supersonic Skystrike, as they take little damage from Waterfall and will never take damage from Bounce. Gyarados should also be careful when using Supersonic Skystrike on these Pokemon because Protect can weaken it severely.
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