[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Waterfall
move 3: Bounce / Ice Fang
move 4: Earthquake / Power Whip
item: Wacan Berry / Life Orb / Mystic Water
ability: Intimidate
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
This Gyarados focuses on sweeping, with Dragon Dance allowing it to outspeed even fast foes such as Dragapult. With Bounce, Gyarados makes an extremely effective user of Dynamax, being able to boost its Speed with Max Airstream and hit Grass-types such as Rillaboom and Ferrothorn hard. Earthquake gives Gyarados a way to hit Toxapex and make itself even bulkier once Dynamaxed thanks to Max Quake's Special Defense boost. Ice Fang can be used as a more reliable way to hit Grass- and Dragon-types while not Dynamaxed, and the hail provided by Max Hailstorm can be useful for getting rid of Focus Sashes from the likes of Dragapult. Power Whip is also an option for hitting Rotom-W and other bulky Water-types fairly hard, at the cost of having no coverage for Toxapex.
Wacan Berry is an excellent item for Gyarados, allowing it to Dynamax and take less than 50% damage from Choice Scarf Rotom-A's Thunderbolt, ensuring they won't stop your sweep. Life Orb is the best choice for giving Gyarados the extra power to sweep, but if it's already in use by another team member, type boosting items such as Mystic Water can still allow Gyarados to sweep late-game. Lum Berry is also an option, guarding Gyarados once from status moves which would otherwise stop a sweep. Intimidate is usually preferred to help Gyarados set up, and it can potentially stop sweeps from powerful physical attackers in a pinch. However, Moxie gives Gyarados new sweeping opportunities, especially when paired with Max Airstream while Dynamaxed, giving Gyarados the same boosts Dragon Dance would without the need to spend a turn setting up.
Even with Power Whip, Choice Scarf Rotom-W is a primary revenge killer of Gyarados, and attackers that use Electric-type attacks in general such as Rotom-H and Duraludon can prevent Gyarados from setting up effectively, so having Ground-types as teammates is highly recommended. Excadrill and Mamoswine are fantastic offensive choices, and Hippowdon is a good defensive choice that can set up Stealth Rock to get rid of Focus Sashes that stop Gyarados's sweep. Grass-types such as Rillaboom and Ferrothorn are also good choices for resisting Rotom-W's Hydro Pump, in case they aren't Choiced or Dynamaxed.
[SET]
name: All-out Attacker
move 1: Waterfall
move 2: Bounce
move 3: Power Whip
move 4: Earthquake / Crunch / Ice Fang
item: Choice Band / Sharp Beak / Life Orb
ability: Moxie
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
This Gyarados set takes full advantage of Dynamax and Moxie to attempt a sweep without using a turn to set up, while also giving it good early-game power. Waterfall is a great move to throw out without Dynamaxing, but Bounce should usually only be used when attempting to sweep with Gyarados after a Dynamax or to stall out opposing Dynamax, since the extra turn it takes to use can otherwise be taken advantage of. Power Whip provides great coverage for bulky Water-types such as Rotom-W and Quagsire, two Pokemon that would otherwise give Gyarados problems. Earthquake is a useful option for Toxapex and Duraludon, Crunch hits Dragapult the hardest, and Ice Fang gives good back up coverage against Rillaboom and Dragapult when not Dynamaxed, in additon to summoning Hail while Dynamaxed to get rid of Focus Sashes. Choice Band is the preferred item, giving Gyarados plenty of power without setting up, which is key for getting a Moxie boost before Dynamaxing. However, if Choice Band is already used up, or your team needs to switch moves after the Dynamax, Life Orb is still a great option that gives Gyarados plenty of power, while Sharp Beak boosts Max Airstream.
This Gyarados in particular needs support against Electric-type attacks, so Ground-types such as Excadrill (notable for using Mold Breaker to OHKO Rotom formes), Mamoswine, and Hippowdon are good choices, especially since all three are capable of setting up Stealth Rock. Grass-types such as Rillaboom and Ferrothorn are also notable for resisitng Rotom-W's Hydro Pump. Paralysis support is also helpful for giving Gyarados more chances to activate Moxie. Ferrothorn and Rotom-H are particularly good choices for this, but a riskier option in Cramorant can also be used as a more disruptive alternative. Grimmsnarl is also a fantastic user of Thunder Wave thanks to access to Prankster, just note that it can't paralyze Dark-types such as Hydreigon.
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Waterfall
move 3: Bounce / Ice Fang
move 4: Earthquake / Power Whip
item: Wacan Berry / Life Orb / Mystic Water
ability: Intimidate
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
This Gyarados focuses on sweeping, with Dragon Dance allowing it to outspeed even fast foes such as Dragapult. With Bounce, Gyarados makes an extremely effective user of Dynamax, being able to boost its Speed with Max Airstream and hit Grass-types such as Rillaboom and Ferrothorn hard. Earthquake gives Gyarados a way to hit Toxapex and make itself even bulkier once Dynamaxed thanks to Max Quake's Special Defense boost. Ice Fang can be used as a more reliable way to hit Grass- and Dragon-types while not Dynamaxed, and the hail provided by Max Hailstorm can be useful for getting rid of Focus Sashes from the likes of Dragapult. Power Whip is also an option for hitting Rotom-W and other bulky Water-types fairly hard, at the cost of having no coverage for Toxapex.
Wacan Berry is an excellent item for Gyarados, allowing it to Dynamax and take less than 50% damage from Choice Scarf Rotom-A's Thunderbolt, ensuring they won't stop your sweep. Life Orb is the best choice for giving Gyarados the extra power to sweep, but if it's already in use by another team member, type boosting items such as Mystic Water can still allow Gyarados to sweep late-game. Lum Berry is also an option, guarding Gyarados once from status moves which would otherwise stop a sweep. Intimidate is usually preferred to help Gyarados set up, and it can potentially stop sweeps from powerful physical attackers in a pinch. However, Moxie gives Gyarados new sweeping opportunities, especially when paired with Max Airstream while Dynamaxed, giving Gyarados the same boosts Dragon Dance would without the need to spend a turn setting up.
Even with Power Whip, Choice Scarf Rotom-W is a primary revenge killer of Gyarados, and attackers that use Electric-type attacks in general such as Rotom-H and Duraludon can prevent Gyarados from setting up effectively, so having Ground-types as teammates is highly recommended. Excadrill and Mamoswine are fantastic offensive choices, and Hippowdon is a good defensive choice that can set up Stealth Rock to get rid of Focus Sashes that stop Gyarados's sweep. Grass-types such as Rillaboom and Ferrothorn are also good choices for resisting Rotom-W's Hydro Pump, in case they aren't Choiced or Dynamaxed.
[SET]
name: All-out Attacker
move 1: Waterfall
move 2: Bounce
move 3: Power Whip
move 4: Earthquake / Crunch / Ice Fang
item: Choice Band / Sharp Beak / Life Orb
ability: Moxie
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
This Gyarados set takes full advantage of Dynamax and Moxie to attempt a sweep without using a turn to set up, while also giving it good early-game power. Waterfall is a great move to throw out without Dynamaxing, but Bounce should usually only be used when attempting to sweep with Gyarados after a Dynamax or to stall out opposing Dynamax, since the extra turn it takes to use can otherwise be taken advantage of. Power Whip provides great coverage for bulky Water-types such as Rotom-W and Quagsire, two Pokemon that would otherwise give Gyarados problems. Earthquake is a useful option for Toxapex and Duraludon, Crunch hits Dragapult the hardest, and Ice Fang gives good back up coverage against Rillaboom and Dragapult when not Dynamaxed, in additon to summoning Hail while Dynamaxed to get rid of Focus Sashes. Choice Band is the preferred item, giving Gyarados plenty of power without setting up, which is key for getting a Moxie boost before Dynamaxing. However, if Choice Band is already used up, or your team needs to switch moves after the Dynamax, Life Orb is still a great option that gives Gyarados plenty of power, while Sharp Beak boosts Max Airstream.
This Gyarados in particular needs support against Electric-type attacks, so Ground-types such as Excadrill (notable for using Mold Breaker to OHKO Rotom formes), Mamoswine, and Hippowdon are good choices, especially since all three are capable of setting up Stealth Rock. Grass-types such as Rillaboom and Ferrothorn are also notable for resisitng Rotom-W's Hydro Pump. Paralysis support is also helpful for giving Gyarados more chances to activate Moxie. Ferrothorn and Rotom-H are particularly good choices for this, but a riskier option in Cramorant can also be used as a more disruptive alternative. Grimmsnarl is also a fantastic user of Thunder Wave thanks to access to Prankster, just note that it can't paralyze Dark-types such as Hydreigon.
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