Gyarados

[Venser]

[IMG]http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/9/95/Spr_4h_130_m.png[/IMG][IMG]http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/e/ef/Spr_4h_130_m_s.png[/IMG]
#130 Gyarados
Typing: Water/Flying
Ability 1: Intimidate[SIZE=2]: [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=Black]Upon entering battle, the  opponent’s Attack lowers one stage. In a Double Battle, both opponents’  Attack are lowered. Pokémon with the Clear Body, Hyper Cutter, or White Smoke ability are unaffected[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=Black]. In a link battle, if both sides switch on  the same turn, and first player sends out a Pokémon with Intimidate, the  opponent’s Attack will be lowered before the opponent’s Pokémon switches.[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2]
Ability 2: Overconfidence (Dream World): Raises attack when opponent faints.
[/SIZE] 


Level-up Moves:
Start: Thrash
Lv23: Bite  
Lv26: Dragon Rage
Lv26: Leer 
Lv29: Twister
Lv32:  Ice Fang
Lv35: Aqua Tail
Lv38: Rain Dance
Lv41: Hydro Pump
Lv44:  Dragon Dance
Lv47: Hyper Beam

Pre-evo moves: 
Spash
Tackle
Flail

Egg Moves:
None

TM&HMs:
TM05 - Roar
TM06 - Toxic
TM07 - Hail
TM10 - Hidden Power
TM12 - Taunt
TM13 - Ice Beam
TM14 - Blizzard
TM15 - Hyper Beam
TM17 - Protect
TM18 - Rain Dance
TM21 - Frustration
TM24 - Thunderbolt
TM25  - Thunder
TM26 - Earthquake
TM27 - Return
TM32 - Double Team
TM35 -  Flamethower
TM37 - Sandstorm
TM38 - Fire Blast 
TM41 - Torment
TM42 - Facade
TM44 - Rest
TM45 - Attract
TM48 - Troll (Special|Normal|PP: 15|Power:  60|Accuracy: 100|Effect: Raises base power the more Pokemon you have with the attack.)
TM55 - Boiling  Water (   Special|Water|PP: 15|Power:  80|Accuracy: 100|Effect: 30% chance to burn opponent.)
TM59 - Complete Burn (Special|Fire|PP: 15|Power:  30|Accuracy: 100|Effect: Removes the target's berry.)
TM66 - Payback
TM68 - Giga Impact
TM71 -  Stone Edge
TM73 - Thunder Wave
TM78 - Smooth Over (Physical|Ground|Power: 60|Accuracy: 100|PP: 20|Effect: Hits all opponents and lowers their speed]
TM82 - Dragon Tail (Physical|Dragon|Power: 60|PP: 10|Accuracy: 90|Effect: Forces the target to switch.)
TM87 - Swagger
TM90 - Substitute
TM94 - Rock Smash
HM03 - Surf
HM04 - Strength
HM05 - Waterfall
HM06 - Dive

Since Gyarados is one of the few Pokemon to be competitively viable without any need for egg moves or tutor moves, learning its most powerful assets through leveling up (Dragon Dance) and TM/HMs (Waterfall, Earthquake, Stone Edge, Taunt, Roar, Payback) which means that unlike Pokemon such as Salamence, the only real drawback it suffers from gaining a Dream World ability is the loss of Bounce, which was a niche move at best. Gyarados' doesn't gain much with B/W besides the addition of Overconfidence, but I predict it will still remain a potent threat in the new metagame.


Possible sets:

All-out DD:

@

/
Gyarados @ Life Orb
Nature: Adamant/Jolly
Ability: Intimidate/Overconfidence
EVs: 252 Attack/252 Speed/ 4 Defense
-Dragon Dance
-Stone Edge
-Earthquake
-Waterfall

Nothing has really changed since DPPT. Overconfidence means that you lose the ability to say, switch in on a Scizor's Bullet Punch, Intimidate, and DD on the switch, but Overconfidence may grant even more opportunities to DD on the switch. Say you switch into something like a weakened Forretress, and it doesn't get Intimidated. The opponent should realize that if they stay in, they'll be KO'd and Gyarados will get a free attack boost, so they're stuck between +1 Atk, +1 Speed Gyarados or +1 Atk Gyarados that Ko'd something. It really depends on the rest of your team.

@

Ability: Overconfidence/Intimidate
Nature: Adamant/Jolly
EVs:72 HP / 252 Atk / 184 Spe
-Waterfall
-Ice Fang/EQ
-Stone Edge
-Payback

Again, not much has changed. Ice Fang is the primary option since Garchomp and Salamence are going to be running around initially, and EQ doesn't really offer too much in this metagame.

If you use Gyarados on a stall team, could Dragon Tail see play over Roar to cause damage as well as force a switch? Something like this:

@ Leftovers
EVs: 248 HP|252 Defense|8 Speed
Nature: Impish
Ability: Intimidate
-Dragon Tail
-Rest
-Sleep Talk
-Waterfall

Dragon and water do have brilliant neutral coverage as well.

What're your thoughts on Gyarados in the new metagame? It seems decent, and it will probably be in the same position as it was in DPPT.

 

[latinoheat]

I could see swimming goggles getting some use on a DD set, with the speed boost you could run Adament, but still be able to hit the speed levels of a Jolly version, you also get a slight power boost in your water stab being able to use Aqua Tail.

 

[Manaphy]

I think Swimming Goggles should be an option on the DD Set, - it boosts his speed even further and makes Stone Edge more accurate, and making Aqua Tail viable.

Overall, with Overconfidence, DD, and less common Stealth Rocks flying around, he is gonna be better than ever. The addition of Powerful walls Such as Mamanbou and Deathkan limit his sweeping possibilities a bit.

 

[Arc Tech]

The description of aiming mark ignoring type immunitites is wrong. I had a thread on it, but them some users tested it and found it didn't do what we expected. So don't expect a field clear of stealth rock.

 

[Epic Cherubi]

Overconfidence probably won't help Gyarados as much as intimidate. Swimming Goggles is a massive gift for Gyarados whom likes his bulky setup. Depending on how much your speed is boosted by he can rune an insanely bulky setup without many speed EVs at all.

 

[PK Gaming]

Defog still clears the field of hazards.

 

[Venser]

Defog still clears the field of hazards.

On both sides, right? So it could see use on an offensive team that doesn't rely on SR/Spikes.

 

[Wanderer]

Defog only clears the opponent's side, i.e. entry hazards that you set up or screens that they set up. The thread about that was made by a person who didn't understand how they worked, so...

 

[Venser]

Oh. I thought that was one of the gen 5 changes. Could someone link me?

BTW, added a set with Dragon Tail over Roar on the rest-talk set.

 

[CWW]

Gyarados may not be such a dominating force anymore thanks to Boiling Water.

It usually could switch into bulky Waters with impunity and set up, but now I'm not so sure. 10% would have been negligible, but 30% is frankly A LOT. Like more than 1/2 a chance to burn when attacking twice. Gyarados might have to resort to Lum Berry.

The worst part is that it can't be stopped by Taunt.

 

[Pagz]

I'm not sure I would use Overconfidence over Intimate though (with DD gyara anyway). By the time Gyarados has set-up he doesn't really need more Att boosts, getting him in is half the battle most of the time.

Boiling water is defiantly something Gyara has to worry about though, however I think this applies to most physical attackers.

 

[Garaluo]

Intimidate still seems like a better option since it doesn't require a ko to activate. Swimming goggles is simply brilliant though. Anyone else think it is kind of overpowered? (like a scarf but w/no lock and an acc. boost)

 

[The Shadow Knight]

Intimidate still seems like a better option since it doesn't require a ko to activate. Swimming goggles is simply brilliant though. Anyone else think it is kind of overpowered? (like a scarf but w/no lock and an acc. boost)

It has been established that Swimming Goggles were a hoax. They weren't found in the games coding.

 

[Luisv96]

I think running DD/DT/Taunt/Aqua Tail would be awesome.

 

[MegaKick]

Swimiing goggles arent real. No such item exists.

Also, no bulky dancer set? I know this generation hits harder, but one of the main reason to use gyrados over mence is his nice defensive typing that lets him setup against water types in particular. Taunt means he sets up on nattorie (grass/steel) esier since it probably wont carry explosion.

Of course, with many waters carrying boiling water now, it's tough for gyrados, since his number one setup bait can cripple him. A huge pain in the butt.

 

[McNUTTY]

I think running DD/DT/Taunt/Aqua Tail would be awesome.

Well i really don't see the point in that as Dragon Tail has negative priority, DD would only boost Aqua Tail really, and besides you're better off with Waterfall compared to Aqua Tail.
Leave Dragon Tail to the Defensive Sets.

 

[Colonel Darren]

Gyrados seems to be about the same between generations to me, save perhaps the more offensive Gyra users going for Overconfidence perhaps. Might give Gyrados more late-game sweeping potential.

However.....I find that Gyrados will have it's work cut out for him, simply from Boiling Water. That move alone seems to me like the biggest threat to him now, as it removes Gyrados from using bulky waters from setting up, if we assume the majority will drop Surf for Boiling Water.

 

[Meru]

At the same time, if they stay in and keep using Boiling Water while you're carrying a Lum Berry, you accrue extra DD's. 30% proc doesn't mean Gyarados is totally screwed just because Boiling Water touches him

 

[Gabe]

Swimming Goggles don't exist.

 

[Colonel Darren]

At the same time, if they stay in and keep using Boiling Water while you're carrying a Lum Berry, you accrue extra DD's. 30% proc doesn't mean Gyarados is totally screwed just because Boiling Water touches him

True, but it means Gyrados needs the extra DD to make up for the lack of Life Orb if it runs Lum. Also, Life Orb Gyra means it NEEDS to be careful.

 

[Johnny_Darko]

True, but it means Gyrados needs the extra DD to make up for the lack of Life Orb if it runs Lum. Also, Life Orb Gyra means it NEEDS to be careful.

Honestly, this gen is more offensive than last gen and runs a couple more glass cannons. Even in Gen 4, Bulky DD Gyara with Leftovers and 72 or so attack EVs functions well after one DD.

The problem with Gyara this gen is how easy it is to revenge kill.

 

[JSND]

did someone realize that gyara is one of the few set up sweeper that can fully works well without any tweaks with one of his standard competitive set that can beat ditto ?
i mean set using DD/Taunt or EQ/Bounce/Waterfall isnt only deadly and common. it actually beat ditto(although when gyara isnt weakened a lot and we know how often gyara isnt weakened before sweep) !!!!!

 

[cosmicexplorer]

How can Gyarados beat Ditto with those moves? And Gyarados can't learn Bounce with Overconfidence.

 

[Murkglow]

How can Gyarados beat Ditto with those moves?

I think he's probably thinking a slower Bounce is better (they bounce/you bounce, they come down and miss/you come down and hit) but that's assuming the Ditto uses Bounce as its first move.
I suppose if you could survive Ditto's Waterfall you might win with a Bounce.

And Gyarados can't learn Bounce with Overconfidence.

That's fine with me, I'd rather have Intimidate.

 

[JSND]

hmm gyara use intimidate after all
and OC gyara isnt that god actualy after i test it.
Also since DW can be bred did somebody forget that bounce is actualy learnt by magikarp ? so its breedable right ?
back to the topic. had ditto meet gyara his with those moveset the scenario would be:

Waterfall- not very effective and deal pitiful damage
Bounce- a bit risky but had a bounce war happen gyara win since hes slower
Taunt and EQ- need no explanation
Even Stone Edge- CAN miss

*this theory isnt a joke. Its found when im taking a bath so it works(just kidding)