[OVERVIEW]
* Mega Gyarados differentiates itself from other setup sweepers like Mega Salamence and Rayquaza with its access to Mold Breaker and Taunt, which lets it easily break through stall teams.
* Apart from being a formidable threat to stall teams, Mega Gyarados is capable of checking a number of dangerous threats. Intimidate and a Flying typing prior to Mega Evolution allow Gyarados to check Primal Groudon, Necrozma-DM, and Mega Lucario. A Dark typing gives Mega Gyarados an upper hand against Ghost-types, and forces mind games against Ultra Necrozma and Marshadow. These useful defensive utilities can justify a spot for Mega Gyarados on both offensive and balanced teams.
* While those niches are notable, Stealth Rock tends to undermine Mega Gyarados's usefulness. Mega Gyarados also lacks initial pressure due to its rather weak STAB moves and mediocre Speed, which tends to limit its ability to shut down the likes of support Arceus formes, as it is slower than them before Dragon Dance. These drawbacks mean that Mega Gyarados is somewhat reliant on its teammates to effectively function and successfully set up without taking excessive damage from attacks and status.
* A general lack of damage output leaves Mega Gyarados competing with Mega Salamence and Zygarde-C, both of which are far more powerful and threatening setup sweepers that also have valuable defensive capabilities.
* Gyarados is checked by common threats in the tier, such as Zygarde-C, Mega Salamence, and, after Mega Evolution, Primal Groudon. Fairy-types like Xerneas and Arceus-Fairy are problematic for Mega Gyarados as well.
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Taunt
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Waterfall / Earthquake
item: Gyaradosite
ability: Intimidate
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Dragon Dance and Taunt make Mega Gyarados a threatening sweeper against defensive teams, as it can accumulate multiple boosts by taking advantage of passive foes by preventing status moves and phazing with Taunt.
* STAB Crunch hits a number of important foes like Mega Gengar, Lugia, and both formes of Giratina super effectively.
* Waterfall hits Ho-Oh and Arceus-Ground and deals neutral damage to Fairy-types like Xerneas, Arceus-Fairy, and Magearna.
* An alternative Water-type STAB move, Aqua Tail provides Mega Gyarados with significantly better chances to OHKO Ho-Oh, Arceus-Ground, and Marshadow after a Dragon Dance at the cost of lower accuracy and the occasional flinch.
* Earthquake allows Mega Gyarados to improve its matchup against a number of its checks by letting it OHKO Magearna at +1 after minimal prior damage and hit other foes like Primal Groudon super effectively. Bear in mind that forgoing Waterfall significantly worsens Mega Gyarados's matchup against foes like Yveltal, Ho-Oh, and Arceus-Ground.
Set Details
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* The given EV spread maximizes Mega Gyarados's damage output while allowing it to outspeed as many foes as possible.
* A Jolly nature is generally preferred to let Mega Gyarados outspeed base 130 Speed foes and below after a Dragon Dance, preventing it from getting revenge killed by foes like Mega Gengar and Ultra Necrozma. An Adamant nature is an alternative option to provide Mega Gyarados with extra power to achieve a few benchmarks; with Stealth Rock support or Aqua Tail, Adamant Mega Gyarados can achieve OHKOs on Marshadow, Giratina-O, and Lugia at +1.
Usage Tips
========
* To fully take advantage of Mega Gyarados's defensive capabilities, keep the field clean of entry hazards and prevent it from taking other unnecessary damage from weak attacks or status moves.
* Do not recklessly Mega Evolve Gyarados, as Intimidate and its Flying typing allow it to check foes like Primal Groudon and Mega Lucario, which it cannot do after Mega Evolution. Mega Gyarados also somewhat lacks physical bulk without Intimidate, so do not overestimate its durability.
* Gyarados can support its team by softening physical attackers with Intimidate and preventing the likes of Primal Groudon and Necrozma-DM from netting excessive damage on its team. Many teams employ checks like Xerneas and Mega Salamence that comfortably take on Mega Gyarados, so setting up early-game is not the best move unless the damage Mega Gyarados can deal to such foes is needed for other teammates.
* Gyarados uses common Pokemon found on stall teams like Arceus-Ground, Mega Sableye, Chansey, Giratina, and Lugia as setup fodder. While some of them are completely shut down by Taunt, other foes like Mega Sableye can still inflict considerable amount of damage to Mega Gyarados, and the likes of defensvie Zygarde-C, Giratina, and Lugia can prevent Mega Gyarados from setting up on them if carrying Dragon Tail. To facilitate the sweep, keep Gyarados in pristine condition until its checks have been weakened or eliminated, keep it away from status moves by any means necessary, and set up on a passive and slow foe; the latter is especially important, as Mega Gyarados is slower than Arceus formes and other foes that can inflict status on Mega Gyarados before they are afflicted by Taunt. If Dragon Tail users are problematic and cannot be dealt with properly, Gyarados can remain as the last Pokemon so it can't be phazed.
Team Options
========
* Entry hazard support is essential for Mega Gyarados to sweep successfully and achieve some crucial KOs at +1. Primal Groudon and Necrozma-DM are reliable Stealth Rock users that are also some of the better checks to Fairy-types. Primal Groudon can also run Hidden Power Ice to weaken or eliminate Zygarde-C for Mega Gyarados. Ferrothorn sets Spikes to wear down Mega Gyarados's checks faster and checks Fairy-types. All of these Pokemon can also use Toxic to lure certain foes and put them on a timer and further facilitate Mega Gyarados's sweep. Hazard setters like Cloyster and Dialga are appropriate partners on more offensive teams.
* Xerneas is one of the best partners to Mega Gyarados for various reasons. Geomancy variants appreciate Mega Gyarados pressuring Steel-types and threatening special walls, while Xerneas can clean up weakened foes late-game. Choice Scarf variants are better checks to Yveltal and Zygarde-C, the latter of which is capable of setting up on Mega Gyarados on a forced switch. Cleric support from Aromatherapy and hazard removal with Defog are other fantastic support options that Xerneas has to offer.
* Other hazard removers like Arceus-Ground and Giratina-O help Gyarados to remain in pristine condition and serve as good checks to Primal Groudon.
* Powerful wallbreakers like Ultra Necrozma and Deoxys-A can pressure many defensive foes, and they appreciate Mega Gyarados threatening Ghost-types.
* Gyarados may struggle to set up against offensive teams due to offensive pressure. Many Pokemon that excel against offensive teams, such as mixed Rock Polish Primal Groudon, Yveltal, and Marshadow have good synergy with Gyarados, and they appreciate Gyarados threatening defensive teams.
* Deoxys-A and Tapu Lele have good offensive synergy with Mega Gyarados. Both of them can work to break through Arceus formes and physically defensive foes, while Mega Gyarados can check Necrozma-DM and Ghost-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Ice Fang OHKOes offensive variants of untransformed Zygarde and Rayquaza at +1. It also OHKOes offensive Mega Salamence after Stealth Rock damage.
* Iron Tail hits Fairy-types and provides Mega Gyarados with a decent chance to OHKO Geomancy Xerneas after a Dragon Dance and Stealth Rock damage, but it is generally hard to fit.
* Running a set with Dragon Dance and three attacks lets Mega Gyarados retain coverage from its STAB combination while having a coverage move to overcome some of its checks, but there are other offensive Dragon Dance users that outclass Mega Gyarados lacking Taunt.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fairy-types**: Depending on the variant, Xerneas can either OHKO Mega Gyarados with Moonblast, take advantage of a forced switch to set up Geomancy, or utilize one of its support options. Arceus-Fairy is more problematic due to its higher bulk and access to recovery. Magearna can revenge kill Mega Gyarados as long as it has not taken excessive prior damage, but it fails to properly handle Earthquake variants.
**Zygarde-C**: Zygarde-C takes pathetic damage from even boosted attacks from Mega Gyarados, and even Ice Fang fails to significantly threaten it. To make this worse, Mega Gyarados cannot shut down Zygarde-C with Taunt due to Dragon Tail phazing it regardless. Offensive variants can also phaze Mega Gyarados with Dragon Tail or potentially set up on it.
**Mega Salamence**: Mega Salamence's high physical bulk and Intimidate prior to Mega Evolution makes it one of the better checks to Mega Gyarados. Without Ice Fang, Mega Gyarados can only 2HKO Mega Salamence with +1 Crunch, while Adamant Mega Salamence can set up on Mega Gyarados or simply OHKO back with Double-Edge after Stealth Rock and some prior damage.
**Primal Groudon**: While Primal Groudon dislikes taking on Gyarados due to its immunity to Ground and resistance to Fire, it can take a boosted attack from Mega Gyarados and retaliate with Precipice Blades. Even boosted Earthquake fails to KO offensive Primal Groudon after Stealth Rock damage. The fact that Primal Groudon is the most relevant Stealth Rock user is bad news for Gyarados as well.
**Yveltal**: Yveltal easily checks Mega Gyarados lacking Waterfall, and can 2HKO it with Life Orb-boosted Oblivion Wing. Defensive Yveltal also 2HKOes +1 Mega Gyarados with Dark Aura-boosted Foul Play.
**Ferrothorn**: Ferrothorn can take boosted Crunch and retaliate with Power Whip, which KOes Mega Gyarados after Iron Barbs and some prior damage. However, Ferrothorn lacking Power Whip is set up on by Mega Gyarados.
**Zekrom**: Zekrom can take any hit from Mega Gyarados apart from +1 Earthquake and OHKO back with Bolt Strike.
**Revenge Killers**: Choice Scarf users like Xerneas and Yveltal can revenge kill Mega Gyarados. Priority move users like Rayquaza and Extreme Killer Arceus can pick off weakened Mega Gyarados.
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