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Analysis written by lost heros.
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Gyarados Mega Gyarados

Overview

Mega Gyarados is one of the most dominating forces in the metagame. Mega Gyarados has access to two abilities in-battle that can be used to overwhelm the opponent. Intimidate lowers physical attackers damage output from Kyurem-B and Mega Charizard X. Mold Breaker ignores defensive abilities like Dragonite's Multiscale and Donphan's Sturdy. Intimidate as well as its high Defense and Special Defense lets it withstand powerful attacks from the majority of the tier, allowing it to set up crucial Dragon Dances. This high bulk allows it from being KOed so it can increase its Speed and Attack to easily KO back. Mega Gyarados has two very beneficial typings: Water / Flying is weak to Electric and Rock, and Water / Dark is weak to Bug, Electric, Fairy, Fighting, Grass. This allows Mega Gyarados to potentially avoid super effective, Bug-, Fairy-, Fighting-, Grass-, and Rock-type moves by choosing when to Mega Evolve. Offensively, its great base 155 Attack stat is one of the highest in the whole game, and its access to many strong STAB and coverage moves let it hit most Pokemon for neutral and super effective damage. Switching coverage moves to interact with the current ladder allows Mega Gyarados to consistently defeat majority of the other team. Finally, the Prankster ability doesn't affect Dark-types, allowing Mega Gyarados to not be affected by Whimsicott's Leech Seed and Sableye's Will-o-Wisp. However, Mega Gyarados desperately wants to run more than four moves to include its coverage moves alongside its STAB moves, and with a relatively low 81 base Speed, Mega Gyarados heavily relies on Dragon Dance to boost it to respectable levels.

Dragon Dance

Set Comments

Moves

Dragon Dance is required to boost Mega Gyarados's Speed to outpace faster Pokemon like Mega Charizard X and Mega Charizard Y and boost damage to break through walls like Deoxys-D. Waterfall hits Rock-, Ground-, and Fire-type Pokemon such as Donphan and Crustle. Outrage hits Dragon-types like Dragonite and Mega Charizard X. Crunch hits Psychic-types like Deoxys-D and Mega Slowbro. Taunt targets stall Pokemon like Deoxys-D, Slowbro, and Mega Venusaur. With so many options, Mega Gyarados can provide support to any team based on the counters they have to watch out for.

Set Details

252 Attack EVs and an Adamant nature maximize Mega Gyarados's damage output, allowing it to KO most Pokemon at +0 or +1. 88 Speed investment allows Mega Gyarados to outspeed base 100s such as Mega Charizard X, Mega Charizard Y, and Choice Band Victini after one Dragon Dance. The bulk lets Mega Gyarados avoid a 2HKO from a Naive Choice Scarf Kyurem-B's Fusion Bolt and a 2HKO from a Mega Charizard X's Outrage. Regular Gyarados can also survive two Solar Beams from a Timid Mega Charizard Y.

Usage Tips

Most of the time, Mega Gyarados should choose to Dragon Dance on turn one. This almost always gives Mega Gyarados the power and speed to KO a target on the subsequent turn. A +1 Mega Gyarados can KO Mega Charizard X, Mega Charizard Y, Kyurem-B, and Dragonite with Outrage; an offensive Donphan and Crustle with Waterfall; and 2HKO a Deoxys-D and Mega Slowbro even after recovery with Crunch. However, it is often best not to Mega Evolve on turn one to avoid potentially super effective Grass-, Fighting-, or Fairy-type attacks. This can come from Mega Charizard Y's Solar Beam, Sawk's Close Combat, or Mimikyu's Twinkle Tackle. When attempting to secure a KO, Gyarados should Mega Evolve to do the necessary damage to its foe. Send in Mega Gyarados on a predicted Mega Charizard X, Mega Charizard Y, Dragonite, Garchomp, or Choice Scarf Kyurem-B, as Outrage makes quick work of these Pokemon. With Waterfall, Mega Gyarados can also handle Golem, Nihilego, and other Rock- and Ground-type Pokemon. With just Taunt, Gyarados can stop Crustle's Shell Smash and respond with a Waterfall or Crunch. If Mega Gyarados is running Taunt and Crunch, you can send it out on stall Pokemon like Deoxys-D and Mega Slowbro. Make sure to avoid Choice Specs Magearna and Electrium Z Tapu Koko, as they are very problematic for Mega Gyarados, being able to OHKO regular and Mega Gyarados.

Team Options

Choice Scarf Genesect can break fast Pokemon and Fairy- and Grass-type Pokemon like Tapu Lele and Mega Venusaur. Genesect appreciates Mega Gyarados's ability to threaten Mega Charizard X and Mega Charizard Y. Specially defensive Pokemon like Aegislash and Deoxys-D can help counter Magearna and Tapu Lele. They can also beat some strong Choice item Pokemon like Kyurem-B. A well-designed set can even win against Choice Scarf Porygon-Z and Greninja. Mega Charizard X and Mega Charizard Y appreciate Mega Gyarados's ability to handle Rock- and Ground-type Pokemon. They can similarly help beat Will-O-Wisp users, Grass-types, and Steel-type Pokemon like Mega Sableye, Kartana, Magearna, and Celesteela. Magearna can also be useful against Dark-types like Umbreon and Fairy-types like Tapu Koko and Tapu Lele. Landorus and other Ground-types can make up for a Mega Gyarados that lacks Earthquake and can easily counter Tapu Koko.

Strategy Comments

Other Options

Earthquake is a strong move to hit Steel-types, especially those that rely on Sturdy, such as Magnezone and Aggron. Substitute blocks status and Charm and can be used instead of Taunt as a way to defeat stall Pokemon that depend on it. Stone Edge can be used to hurt Flying-type Pokemon like defensive Mega Charizard Y. Bounce can be used to hit Fighting and Bug-type Pokemon. A spread of 104 HP / 196 Atk / 100 Def / 8 SpD / 100 Spe with an Adamant nature sacrifices some attacking power for more bulk and the ability to outspeed Garchomp after a Dragon Dance. A spread of 252 Attack and 252 Speed EVs with an Adamant nature makes Mega Gyarados a more dedicated fast attacker that can outspeed base 126 Speed Pokemon after one Dragon Dance.

Checks and Counters

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