Doubles Gyarados

Metal Sonic

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Overview
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Gyarados is gifted with a great typing, resisting the common Fire-, Fighting-, Water- and Bug-type attacks while being immune to Ground. Additionally, a splendid ability in Intimidate makes it a great choice in Doubles even before it Mega Evolves. Meanwhile, Mega Gyarados's type change gives it a better match-up against certain threats that would normally halt Gyarados in its tracks, such as Rock-type attacks and Rotom-W. Furthermore, its Attack, Defense, and Special Defense are greatly increased when it Mega Evolves, granting it greater bulk and offensive power as well. An interesting ability in Mold Breaker allows Mega Gyarados to nullify the enemy's defensive abilities, particularly Levitate, which allows Mega Gyarados free reign to spam Earthquake. Gyarados is extremely versatile and can perform the role of sweeper and supporter with moves such as Thunder Wave and Taunt with great results. However, when taking an offensive route, it needs a Dragon Dance boost, as otherwise it's too slow to sweep.

Mega Dragon Dance
########
name: Mega Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Waterfall
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Protect / Stone Edge / Ice Fang
ability: Intimidate
item: Gyaradosite
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Adamant / Jolly


Moves
========

Dragon Dance boosts Gyarados's Attack and Speed to make it more threatening. Waterfall is Gyarados's primary STAB move and has a good 20% chance to flinch. Earthquake is the mandatory spread move, easily beating Rotom-W, Gyarados's biggest counter, after Mega Evolution. Protect is a staple move in Doubles to allow Mega Gyarados to survive a turn, stall out field conditions, or make smart plays. Stone Edge helps Gyarados beat Kyurem-B, Thundurus, Zapdos, Abomasnow, and other Gyarados. Ice Fang deserves a mention for beating Garchomp, Shaymin-Sky, Zygarde, Amoonguss, and Breloom.

Set Details
========

An Adamant nature is great for granting Mega Gyarados maximum power. It is more useful than a Jolly nature if two Dragon Dance can be set up. However, Jolly is a safer option, as Adamant Mega Gyarados cannot outspeed some faster threats even after a boost, such as unboosted Shaymin-Sky and Deoxys-A as well as any other base 80 Speed Choice Scarf user with a positive nature. Thus, if Gyarados is using Ice Fang, it should have a Jolly nature to allow it to defeat Shaymin-Sky after a Dragon Dance. Maximum Attack and Speed investment is necessary to get the full effects from Dragon Dance. Intimidate makes it easier to set up Dragon Dance by crippling foes, but Moxie can be useful if you can grab some KOs before Mega Evolving. Mold Breaker is helpful, allowing Mega Gyarados to hit Gastrodon for neutral damage and Rotom-W and Gengar with Earthquake. With Mold Breaker, Stone Edge will be able to completely ignore Multiscale from Dragonite.

Usage Tips
========

Gyarados is a great Intimidate user in Doubles, so it can also be switched in and out of the field early-game to cripple the opponent's physical attackers. Unlike other Mega Evolutions, you may not want to evolve Gyarados immediately due to the different type combinations of the two formes and Gyarados's ability to Intimidate. For example, when facing a Stone Edge, Rock Slide, or even an Electric-type attack, Gyarados may want to Mega Evolve immediately in order to survive the attacks and grab a boost. However, against threats such as Scizor and Conkeldurr, it is recommended to defer the Mega Evolution in fear of future Fighting- or Bug-type attacks. Furthermore, Mega Gyarados should be kept healthy until the late-game so that it can perform its role as a late-game cleaner. Timing is very crucial to success with Gyarados: know when it is safe to sweep and when you still need to continue to scout. The ability to cripple foes with Intimidate is also invaluable. Just remember to use its teammates to back Gyarados up; they can help it set up a Dragon Dance and thus allow it to sweep, or they can soften its checks and counters before it sweeps.

Team Options
========

As Mega Gyarados functions as a late-game cleaner, wallbreakers with high offenses such as Deoxys-A, Genesect and Aegislash should considered as teammates. Kyurem-B is a great team option because it can plow through many of Gyarados's checks and counters, such as physically bulky Water-types with Fusion Bolt and Mega Venusaur with its STAB Ice Beam. Latios is also able to nuke physically bulky Water-types with strong special moves and can defeat Mega Venusaur with Psyshock. Talonflame is also a great teammate with access to priority Brave Bird to defeat problematic Fighting- and Grass-types like Conkeldurr, Keldeo, Mega Venusaur and Shaymin-Sky, respectively. Manectric can provide valuable support with Lightning Rod, deterring opponents from spamming Electric-type attacks.

Mega Gyarados absolutely hates Grass-type foes, so Pokemon that can eliminate them work well as teammates. Fire-type teammates include Heatran and Volcarona, while Bug-type teammates include Volcarona and Genesect, and Ice-types include Mamoswine and Kyurem-B. Volcarona can use Rage Powder to help Gyarados sweep and to redirect Bug-, Fighting-, and Fairy-type attacks aimed at Mega Gyarados. Wide Guard support is quite useful to prevent Gyarados from being hit by Discharge and Rock Slide, both of which are threats to Gyarados. To increase the amount of setup opportunities for Gyarados, you can consider choosing one of the many team support options in Doubles: Fake Out, Follow Me, Rage Powder, Light Screen, Reflect, or a sleep status move. Pokemon that can use these moves include Amoonguss, with access to Rage Powder and Spore and a resistance to Electric-type attacks; Togekiss for its great bulk, resistance to Fighting, and access to Follow Me; Meowstic for its access to Light Screen and Reflect to complement Mega Gyarados's already great bulk and Fake Out to allow setup opportunities; Klefki for its access to Light Screen and Reflect, and its ability to cover Gyarados's Fire- and Ground-type weaknesses.

Utility
########
name: Utility
move 1: Taunt
move 2: Waterfall
move 3: Protect
move 4: Thunder Wave / Icy Wind
ability: Intimidate
item: Sitrus Berry
evs: 252 HP / 208 Def / 48 Spe
nature: Impish


Moves
========

Taunt is a great move to foil the opponent's support Pokemon, preventing them from setting up crippling field effects or using status moves. Waterfall is Gyarados's primary STAB move and has a good 20% chance to flinch. Protect is a staple move in Doubles to allow Gyarados to survive a turn, stall out field conditions, or make smart plays. Thunder Wave is a great move that severely cripples foes and grants extremely potent speed control. Icy Wind is another option for speed control because it can temporarily slow down both foes on the field.

Set Details
========

An Impish nature, 208 EVs in Defense, and 252 HP EVs are used to maximize Gyarados's physical bulk. 48 Speed EVs let Gyarados outspeed the standard 76 Speed Heatran and use Taunt on Cresselia. Sitrus Berry is a great item to allow Gyarados to recover 25% of its health in a pinch, granting it greater longevity to cripple foes further. Intimidate is mandatory to cripple the opponent's physical attackers on the field and is extremely helpful to cushion Gyarados's teammate from physical attacks.

Usage Tips
========

Gyarados is a great Intimidate user in Doubles, so it can also be switched in and out of the field early-game to cripple the opponent's physical attackers. Gyarados functions as a great pivot and can switch into many common attackers in the tier including Scizor, Mamoswine, and Talonflame. It can also function as a great lead against obvious Trick Room teams, Taunting the opposing Trick Room setter before it can set up. Gyarados should focus on speed control so that its teammates can sweep. When faster foes have been slowed by Thunder Wave or Icy Wind, they can fall prey to Gyarados's faster Taunt and have their support moves halted.

Team Options
========

It is more important to pick teammates that benefit from the support Gyarados provides instead of teammates that can support Gyarados. Gyarados fits well with many Pokemon because it provides many support options, such as Taunt, Intimidate, and speed control, whilst needing little support itself. Taunt Gyarados can be a savior to fast, offensive teams to stop Trick Room. Particularly good teammates are strong sweepers such as Mega Kangaskhan, Mega Heracross, and Mega Charizard Y. They are strong beneficiaries of Intimidate, which complement their already decent bulk, and Taunt helps prevents speed control from the opposing team. Ground-types, such as Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Excadrill, serve as good defensive team options for Gyarados, as they cover Gyarados's Rock- and Electric-type weaknesses well.

Other Options
########

A non-Mega Dragon Dance Gyarados can be used, but it forgoes the perks of Mega Gyarados's greater offenses and defenses. A bulky Dragon Dance Set with Sitrus Berry and Taunt is a great option, as it is able to provide reliable Intimidate support and still sweep. Substitute can also be used on other offensive sets. Choice Band and Choice Scarf sets can function as splendid late-game cleaners, but the restriction of moves and poor STAB coverage makes them difficult sets to pull off. Return and Double-Edge can be used as strong neutral coverage with Waterfall and are Gyarados's hardest hitting attacks against Water-types. However, Double-Edge is more appropriate on Choice sets due to its unappealing recoil on a Dragon Dance set. Moxie can be used over Intimidate because Gyarados can get a boost or two before Mega Evolving, becoming a menacing juggernaut. However, this is usually difficult to pull off, and Intimidate has more utility in the Doubles metagame. A Dragon Dance set with Lum Berry could work to set up on passive status users like Amoonguss. Wacan Berry or Charti Berry can be used to halve the damage dealt by super effective Electric- and Rock-type moves, respectively, possibly opening up strategic gameplays.

Checks & Counters
########

**Intimidate and Burns**: Being a physical attacker, Gyarados is hampered by opposing Intimidate and burns, which reduce its overall damage output. Some Intimidate users include Hitmontop, Landorus-T, and opposing Gyarados, while Will-O-Wisp users include Trevenant and Rotom-W. Care must be taken for Gyarados to avoid such scenarios. Gastrodon is also a notable counter to the utility set, as it is immune to all Gyarados's moves and can burn it with Scald.

**Offensive Typing Advantage**: Gyarados is walled and is damaged super effectively by bulky Grass-types such as Amoonguss, Abomasnow, and Shaymin-Sky due to its Water / Ground type coverage. Ice Fang is an option to relieve this problem, but its low damage output may still leave complications. Electric-types such as Rotom-W, Mega Manectric, and Thundurus can pose major problems for the non-Mega Gyarados set and must be avoided. Azumarill is also problematic for Mega Gyarados, as it resists Gyarados's Water-type STAB moves. Pokemon that can outspeed the Mega Gyarados set may be threatening as well. Breloom and Conkeldurr can revenge even a boosted Mega Gyarados with Mach Punch, while Breloom also resists Gyarados's primary coverage moves.

**Speed Control**: Although Mega Gyarados is bulky enough to take multiple neutral hits, it hates being paralyzed or slowed by Trick Room during its sweep, so these threats should be weakened or eliminated before using Dragon Dance. Thundurus, in particular, is a nuisance due to its priority Thunder Wave.
 
Last edited:

Audiosurfer

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  • "Mega Gyarados has an exclusive type combination which removes its weakness to Rock, allowing it to setup on users that rely on Rock Slide or Stone Edge to defeat Gyarados." <--- doubly misleading since you can't easily set up on strong rock moves since they hit neutrally (you could in a technical sense but then you might as well list anything that hits you neutrally, the things you list as good setup opportunities are things that you resist/are immune to). the 2nd part comes from it not being an exclusive combo as pwnemon said (greninja gets it too)
  • "Dragon Dance boosts Gyarados's Attack and Speed to make it a terrifying and unstoppable menace." <--- this is exaggerated greatly, just say something like to make it more threatening or something
  • Why the mention of Bite? If you don't have any calcs to show its usefulness (I'd just use Waterfall on all listed threats) then just list Protect in its place
  • "Clefable and Quagsire, two Pokemon with Unaware, still take full damage from Gyarados." not used in doubles <--- remove these mentions, they're nowhere to be found in the metagame
  • "As Mega Gyarados functions as a late-game cleaner, wallbreakers with heavy offenses should considered as teammates." <--- give examples please
  • Choice sets should still be using Intimidate, so remove Moxie mention in that line. Also remove or downplay it in the Overview.
  • In fact just give Moxie its own OO mention and explain how Intimidate is usually better
  • Bounce shouldn't be mentioned, no one is using it
  • "and usage of Substitute or Taunt with Bounce" <--- remove this part from bulky dd section of OO
  • A bulkier nonmega set should be made (and the first one listed) similar to the one used in gen 5.
  • CB is probably still worthy of a set as the 3rd one listed (ill test it out tho so if this isn't the case i'll let you know) so you should add it too
  • No mention of Politoed for Drizzle support?
  • "resisting the common Bug-, " <--- bug isn't common, so remove the bolded.
  • Either slash Substitute behind Dragon Dance and rename the set or put it in OO since it really isn't needed w/ DD. Replace its position in the 3rd slot w/ Ice Fang.
  • Give actual examples in the Attack Control section
  • Remove Keldeo from bulky water mention in Checks and Counters
some things at a glance
 

Arhops

Professor Layton's Little Brother
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I dont know if I'm crazy but lately i've been running a "special" Gyarados set:


Gyarados @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 SDef / 252 HP / 4 Atk
Careful Nature
- Substitute
- Dragon Tail
- Thunder Wave
- Taunt

I've been running this set to control the speed on the field, it works pretty effectively since most people attack the bigger threat on the other side of the field while Gyarados can get up a sub, then proceed to spam thunder waves. When nobody can get thunder waved then use dragon tail to bring in somebody new. Then if you manage to paralyze the entire team you can start taunting stuff with the probably little hp you have.

This set is pretty much useless against ground types though. It also still dies to alot of electric but it can survive a Manetric's volt switch and get at least 1 para in. Or if you pair it with a manetric with lightning rod you can get free switches and a special attack boost. Also fairies ruin dragon tails.
 

Electrolyte

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Just a few things on the set, as I've been toying with DD Mega Gyara a bunch lately:

Overview:
~Mold Breaker covers multiple targets. Stress it more! Gyarados's main counter, Rotom-W, is easily defeated after a Mega Evolution, making Gyarados really hard to wall once it gets going.
~I disagree that Moxie is worth a mention here, Intimidate is enough by itself to give Gyara leverage and anyway Moxie is really unreliable so yeah
~You should mention that Gyarados is really versatile so it's not restricted to Mega Evolving, giving it a lot of fluidity and at times a surprise factor
~The bulk after Mega Evolution is extremely noticable! Mega Gyara can easily sponge multitudes of super effective attacks, such as Rotom-W's / Thundurus-I's Volt Switch/Thunderbolt, Mega K's PuP, and Giga Drain from all the Grass-types in the tier
~Mention that Dark typing makes it weak to Fighting-type priority (ugh ikr)

Set:
~Protect >>>> Bite. Bite almost has no use; Gengar and Aegislash are hit harder by EQ, and Reuniclus / Cress aren't OHKOd at +1 anyway so you might as well just rely on Waterfall for those threats. Protect is actually really necessary for Mega Gyara because it tends to draw in attacks and needs to have some way of escaping things like AV Conk Mach Punch or Mega K Fake Out when necessary. I actually don't even know of Stone Edge / Substitute are worth a slash in with Protect simply because Protect is so necessary. Stone Edge seems like it hits nothing; other Gyarados can't really touch you, Thundy / Zapdos are hit hard enough by Waterfall, and Abomasnow is way too rare. Substitute also lacks a lot of use in comparison with Protect, since you lack recovery and really aren't actually that bulky in the first place, so it's not as if you'll be able to get them up reliably. If I were you, I'd just put in Protect with the last slot, but if you want to keep the other two, slash them afterwards.

~I would slash Jolly along with Adamant since Jolly lets you beat Scarf Lando and regular Lando before a boost, which is extremely useful. Aside from that, however, Adamant is more useful in almost every situation (though I remember needing Jolly once... idr when that was)

Set Details:
~Stress that Mold Breaker spread EQ is really powerful since a lot of Pokemon rely on Levitate (Cress, Gengar, Rotom-W, Lati@s) and you can nail them for a bunch



Will put more later
 

Metal Sonic

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implemented Audio's changes

Electrolyte's changes are extremely similar to Audio's so I just added in some parts.

I'm not sure that Mold Breaker hits multiple targets. Doesn't it only target 1 opponent? Needs confirmation.
 
Taunt nonmega Gyarados is pretty legit and it probably needs its own set so the reader knows it's not choose mega or choose nothing.
 

Electrolyte

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Continued from last time:

Team Options:
~Fire-types- Heatran, Volcarona, Charizard, Talonflame
~Bug-types- Volcarona, Scizor, Mega Pinsir
~Flying-types- Talonflame, Charizard
~Ice-types- Mamoswine, Abomasnow, Kyurem-B

^All of those are necessary to toast Grass-types, Gyara's main enemy.

Highlight Heatran + Mega Charizard as partners since they are great with Gyarados. They remove Grass-types easily and bait in Ground / Rock-types for Gyarados to beat. Mega Char also has Solarbeam, but will weaken Gyara's Waterfall. Heatran can draw in attacks with Sub.

~Wide Guard- Discharge and Rock Slide are two major threats to Gyarados, as is Earthquake once it has mega evolved. Wide Guard helps keep those things away.
~Obviously Fake Out / Follow me / Rage Powder / Screens / Sleep support so it can set up.


Checks & Counters:
Be sure to differentiate defensive and offensive type advantage. There's a difference between the things that wall Gyarados and the things that kill Gyarados.
OFFENSIVE type advantage refers to Grass-, Fairy-, Electric-, and Fighting-types after it's evolved that can hit it hard.
DEFENSIVE type advantage refers to Grass- and Water-types after it's evolved that it cannot hit hard.



Everything else looks pretty good. It seems that Lolk wants a nonmega Gyara set too, so you might want to start writing up a skeleton. I'm thinking of

Waterfall
Taunt
Protect
Support (TWave, Icy Wind, DDance?, coverage)
-with Intimidate as the ability

to act as bulky intimidate support. Opinions?
 

Metal Sonic

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u forgot that gyarados is mega set lol

mega pinsir, charizard, etc are out of the question lmao !

implemented your suggestions though.

didnt the skellie rush say something about only having 1 set
 
nah its taking chaos longer to get up new smogon than we thought, so i think you have time to do another
 

Arhops

Professor Layton's Little Brother
is a Smogon Discord Contributor
i need help for team options for taunt set
You could say something like Manetric which can absorb electric attacks and then mega and hit hard with +1 thunderbolts. Though it is probably very predictable but the electric user probably cant touch Manetric anyway unless its Stunfisk.
 
Overview:
  • You get really specific about Gyarados's typing in the overview. Be a little more general; you can put the specifics about playing around with Mega Gyarados's typing in Usage Tips.
  • Take out the Moxie mention. Intimidate is 100% better in Doubles.
  • Mention Gyarados's versatility. It can sweep or support well.
Moves:
  • Repeat the mention that Earthquake is great coverage because of Mold Breaker + spread damage.
  • Ice Fang hits Amoonguss and Breloom as well, who are dicks.
Set Details:
  • I would say that if Gyarados is using Ice Fang, it should have a Jolly Nature. Outspeeding Skymin after a Dragon Dance is important af and it is one of the main reasons to use Ice Fang. I guess that means slash Jolly too.
Team Options:
  • Manectric can support with Lightningrod :>
Set 2:
  • Name it Utility Monster until I can think of something better.
  • at least give it enough speed evs to outspeed 76 Heatran.
Set Details:
  • Mention Sitrus Berry and Leftovers as options.
  • No SpDef mention
Usage Tips:
  • You basically just rewrote the Moves tab. Erase any repeats and put more stuff in about being a great pivot and what it can switch in on.
  • Great lead vs obvious Trick Room teams.
  • Should focus on Paralyzing everything that it can so its teammates can sweep.
  • Sylveon isnt a support pokemon in Doubles
Team Options:
  • everything appreciates Intimidate support.
  • Really fast, offensive teams need a good Taunt user to stop Trick Room.
  • Partners that can abuse Paralyzed opponents are strong sweepers such as Mega Kangaskhan, Mega Heracross, and Mega Charizard Y.
  • Ground types such as Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Excadrill cover Gyarados's Rock- and Electric-type weaknesses well.
Other Options:
  • Electric and Rock resist berries.
  • Lum Dragon Dance could work to set up on stuff like Amoonguss.
Checks and Counters:
  • Breloom and Conkeldurr can revenge Mega Gyarados after multiple Dragon Dances with Mach Punch. Breloom also resists Gyarados's primary coverage moves.
  • ELECTRIC-TYPES LIKE ROTOM-W, MEGA MANECTRIC, AND THUNDURUS COME ON MAN.
  • Take out defensive typing advantages. Bulky water types are annoying but they cant do anything to Gyarados either and they hate Thunder Wave.
 
Take Thunder Wave out of OO. Mega Gyarados also struggles with Electric-types that outspeed it; you said it just threatens the support set.

QC 1/3
 

Metal Sonic

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This month



Okay fine I'll finish all my analyses writeups by the end of next two weeks all 5 of them

But could you check my landorus t analysis pleaseplease
 
not QC or GP, so feel free to ignore me.

  • Kyurem-B is great option as it can plow through many of Gyarados's checks and counters with Fusion Bolt and STAB Ice Beam.
Fusion Bolt on Kyurem-B? Is that even a thing that I dont know about? If it is, could you please explain to me why would you use it over any move on the regular Kyurem-B? (Earth Power, Ice Beam, Sub, Protect)
 

BLOOD TOTEM

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not QC or GP, so feel free to ignore me.

  • Kyurem-B is great option as it can plow through many of Gyarados's checks and counters with Fusion Bolt and STAB Ice Beam.
Fusion Bolt on Kyurem-B? Is that even a thing that I dont know about? If it is, could you please explain to me why would you use it over any move on the regular Kyurem-B? (Earth Power, Ice Beam, Sub, Protect)
http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/kyurem-black-qc-3-3-gp-0-2.3498879/
It's on the second listed set which is arguably better than subcube.
 

Darkmalice

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Will edit later with more changes:

Overview
-Remove "as a result" in the last sentence. It implies that Mold Breaker makes Gyarados a great supporter
-Mention support moves somewhere when discussing support
-"Meanwhile, Mega Gyarados has an nice type combination which removes its weakness to Rock, allowing it to take on users that rely on Rock Slide or Stone Edge to defeat Gyarados."
I feel this is better summarised by stating that the type change gives Mega Gyarados a better match-up against certain threats that would normally hault Gyarados in tracks, such as Rock-type attacks and Rotom-W. To sum up the type change as simply taking on Rock-types is superficial.

-No cons mentioned, need to mention some. For example when taking an offensive route, it needs a Dragon Dance boost as otherwise it's too slow to sweep.


Change *Attack Control* in checks and counters to *Intimidate and Burns*
 

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