[OVERVIEW]
Gyarados is a fearsome sweeper in OU thanks to its access to Dragon Dance, solid offensive and defensive stats, good typing, and two amazing abilities in Moxie and Intimidate, which allow it to snowball and soften physical hits, respectively. Its defensive typing and decent bulk let it find setup opportunities against common Pokemon such as Heatran, defensive Landorus-T, and Gliscor. However, Gyarados is held back by its subpar Speed tier, with Pokemon like Kyurem-B outspeeding it before a boost, and it is outpaced by Mega Alakazam and most Choice Scarf users after a boost. Even at +1, Gyarados lacks the power to OHKO relevant walls without committing to using its Z-Move. Gyarados's vulnerability to Stealth Rock is also annoying because it needs to keep as much HP as possible to set up and sweep. Regular and Mega Gyarados struggle against common offensive types such as Electric, Grass, Rock, Fighting, and Fairy without the necessary moves. As a result, Gyarados requires plenty of support, especially entry hazard removal, to bring out its full potential.
[SET]
name: Mega Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Substitute / Taunt
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Earthquake / Waterfall
item: Gyaradosite
ability: Intimidate
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========
Dragon Dance lets Mega Gyarados break through defensive teams for another partner or to clean up late-game. Substitute shields Mega Gyarados against Leech Seed and status from the likes of Celesteela and Toxapex. Taunt stops status, recovery, phazing, Haze, and Leech Seed from the likes of Chansey, Slowbro, Skarmory, Toxapex, and Celesteela. With Mold Breaker, it also bypasses Magic Bounce to shut down Mega Sableye. Crunch threatens bulky Psychic-types like Slowbro, Mew, Mega Latias, and Cresselia. Earthquake tears through Magearna, Toxapex, Mega Mawile, and Tapu Koko, and it hits Levitate users like Rotom-W and Hydreigon thanks to Mold Breaker. Finally, Waterfall threatens Gliscor and Landorus-T. With Mold Breaker, it also ignores the Water immunity from Gastrodon, Volcanion, and Seismitoad. The odds to flinch are useful to break physical walls such as Skarmory more easily. Mega Gyarados's attacks also ignore Unaware from Pokemon like Quagsire and Clefable after a boost and Sturdy from Skarmory.
Set Details
========
A Jolly nature is mandatory to outspeed Tapu Koko and Mega Lopunny after a Dragon Dance. Intimidate is Gyarados's preferred ability before Mega Evolution to soften physical hits from Pokemon like Weavile in a pinch and allow more setup opportunities. Without the Z-Move, it is difficult to justify fitting Moxie, as it is hard to constantly activate as regular Gyarados.
Usage Tips
========
Mega Gyarados functions best as a wallbreaker and a late-game cleaner. However, it should not try to sweep if checks such as Tapu Fini and Tapu Bulu are still active. Instead, these checks should be eliminated or weakened before going for the sweep. For example, Choice Scarf Victini can snipe Tapu Fini with Final Gambit or Bolt Strike, potentially removing it from the game for Mega Gyarados. Depending on the matchup, determine if Mega Gyarados should be used to sweep or to wallbreak in order to enable another teammate to clean up and act according to the turn decided. Mega Gyarados should also be careful with its HP, as taking chip damage will reduce its setup opportunities later in the game. When Gyarados should Mega Evolve depends on the current situation; holding off on Mega Evolving can have benefits such as keeping Intimidate to ease setup and its Flying-type to set up on Ground-types. However, keep in mind that Mega Evolving removes its weakness to Stealth Rock and improves Gyarados's bulk. Mega Evolving also reduces its Electric weakness and grants a Prankster immunity, a valuable Psychic immunity, and a Dark resistance, allowing Mega Gyarados to take on Psychic-types like Cresselia and Reuniclus and resist Ash-Greninja's STAB moves, at the cost of gaining a Fairy and Grass weakness, losing its Ground immunity, and turning its Fighting and Bug resistances into weaknesses.
Team Options
========
Mega Gyarados is a solid fit on hyper offense teams thanks to Mold Breaker, which provides it with the ability to handle stall teams and other bulkier builds. It enjoys partnering with a dedicated lead such as Excadrill, Imprison Landorus-T, or Taunt Mew, which are able to prevent entry hazards on the opening turn and can get their own hazards up. Tapu Koko is an interesting partner, being able to set up dual screens to further boost the already high bulk Mega Gyarados has or utilizing a Taunt + Nature's Madness set to chip down Pokemon such as Ferrothorn and Ground-types if Mega Gyarados isn't running Waterfall. Fighting-type partners like Hawlucha and Kommo-o have synergy with Mega Gyarados, as they can overwhelm shared checks like Clefable for the other to clean up. Magearna acts as a buffer to Psychic-types like Mega Alakazam, while Gyarados can safely switch into Ground- and Fire-type moves aimed at Magearna. Tapu Lele is a fearsome wallbreaker that helps soften the opposing team to enable Mega Gyarados's cleaning ability, and it protects Mega Gyarados from priority moves from the likes of Mega Medicham and Mega Lopunny. Protean Greninja sets up Spikes to wear down checks and can lure in and KO Tapu Fini and Ferrothorn with Gunk Shot and Hidden Power Fire. Pivots such as Landorus-T, Victini, and the aforementioned Magearna provide Mega Gyarados a safe switch-in with U-turn and Volt Switch. Serperior provides hazard removal with Defog, Taunt to further deny hazards, and paralysis support with Glare. Paralysis support is especially helpful if Mega Gyarados runs Substitute, as the chance of full paralysis provides it with extra opportunities to set up with Dragon Dance.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Moxie Gyarados can run other Z-Crystals like Waterium Z and Groundium Z to hit neutral targets like Celesteela and threaten Toxapex without a boost. However, it must give up the one-turn effect of Bounce powered up by Flyinium Z to do so, and this makes Gyarados less threatening against Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Kartana.
As for Mega Gyarados, it can run coverage moves like Stone Edge to hit Zapdos, Iron Head to smash Fairy-types like Clefable, Tapu Lele, and Tapu Bulu, and Ice Fang to hit Garchomp and Dragonite, as well as hitting Gliscor and Landorus-T much harder. Keep in mind that giving up Substitute or Taunt to run three attacks will make it more vulnerable to status and phazing. Running a bulkier spread with an Adamant nature has the benefit of taking more hits to set up an extra Dragon Dance and dish out more damage. However, this leaves it more liable to being outpaced and revenge killed after a boost.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-type Pokemon and coverage moves**: Electric-types like Zapdos and Rotom-W can survive Gyarados's STAB moves from both the Supersonic Skystrike and Mega variants and can threaten it back with their super effective STAB moves. Zapdos is especially notable because it also threatens to paralyze Gyarados with Static. However, Rotom-W despises taking Earthquake from Mega Gyarados thanks to Mold Breaker ignoring Levitate, especially since Mega Gyarados has a favorable roll to OHKO Bold variants at +1 if Stealth Rock is on the field. Tapu Koko sometimes runs a Choice Scarf or a Shuca Berry to outspeed Gyarados after a Dragon Dance or to survive Earthquake in a pinch to retaliate back with its super effective STAB moves. Gyarados must also be wary of unexpected Electric-type coverage such as Thunder from Clefable and Thunder Punch from Kommo-o.
**Grass-types**: Grass-types like Serperior, Kartana, Tapu Bulu, Ferrothorn, and Mega Venusaur survive Gyarados's STAB moves and retaliate back with their STAB moves or wear it down with Leech Seed. Tapu Bulu can also use its Grassy Terrain to weaken Earthquake. Choice Scarf Kartana can outspeed Gyarados at +1 and threaten it with Leaf Blade. These Grass-types must be wary of the Supersonic Skystrike set, however.
**Water-types**: Water-types like Toxapex, Seismitoad, and Gastrodon can take Gyarados's STAB moves and threaten to burn it with Scald. The latter two are also immune to Waterfall from regular Gyarados. Tapu Fini has enough bulk to survive a boosted Earthquake and threatens Mega Gyarados with Moonblast; however, it does not like facing regular Gyarados before it uses Supersonic Skystrike. Toxapex can get rid of Gyarados's Dragon Dance boosts with Haze if Gyarados lacks Taunt; however, it does not like taking Earthquake or Crunch very much. Toxapex is also a flimsy check versus regular and Mega Gyarados without the advantageous position or predictions. Mega Slowbro deserves a mention because it has enough bulk to survive Crunch at +1 and threatens a burn with Scald, paralysis from Thunder Wave, or a KO from Counter.
**Faster Revenge Killers and Priority**: Mega Alakazam and Choice Scarf users like Kartana, Tapu Lele, Landorus-T, and Victini outspeed Gyarados even after a Dragon Dance boost and threaten it back with heavy damage. Landorus-T also reduces Gyarados's Attack stat thanks to Intimidate and can threaten both forms with either Stone Edge or U-turn. Mega Medicham and Mega Lopunny can come in multiple times and use Fake Out to wear down Gyarados throughout the game.
**Physical walls**: Skarmory has enough bulk to survive Gyarados's STAB moves and retaliate back with Counter and heal with Roost. Skarmory can also phaze Gyarados with Whirlwind if it lacks Taunt. However, Skarmory loses to Mega Gyarados and even regular Gyarados if they have Taunt, since they can stall out the Counter PP. Mega Scizor can check Mega Gyarados, but it is setup fodder for the Supersonic Skystrike set.
**Fairy-types**: Bulky Fairy-types like Clefable, Tapu Bulu, Mega Altaria, and Magearna survive Mega Gyarados's STAB moves and will retaliate back with their STAB moves. However, the former three do not appreciate taking Supersonic Skystrike, while the latter despises Earthquake. Magearna sometimes runs a Shuca Berry to survive a one-time Earthquake or a Custap Berry to outspeed Gyarados in a pinch and fire back with Fleur Cannon or Electric-type coverage moves.
**Fighting-types**: Kommo-o can deal with Mega Gyarados easily, but is helpless against the Supersonic Skystrike variant, especially if it lacks Thunder Punch or Rock Slide to handle regular Gyarados. Defensive Kommo-o can also threaten to cripple Gyarados with Toxic or phaze it with Roar if Gyarados lacks Taunt. Hawlucha deserves a mention because it threatens Mega Gyarados with High Jump Kick and can either bait regular Gyarados into wasting its Z-Move via Substitute or threaten it with a 2HKO from Acrobatics.
**Rock-types and Rock-type coverage**: If Gyarados lacks Waterfall, Tyranitar can wall it and threaten it with Stone Edge. Regular Gyarados must also watch out for Pokemon that carry Rock-type coverage such as Stone Edge Landorus-T and Garchomp and the rare Continental Crush Sand Rush Excadrill.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/favmon-garchomp.653095/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/diyusi.519886/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/cm-reuniclus.620979/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adorluigi.528364/
Gyarados is a fearsome sweeper in OU thanks to its access to Dragon Dance, solid offensive and defensive stats, good typing, and two amazing abilities in Moxie and Intimidate, which allow it to snowball and soften physical hits, respectively. Its defensive typing and decent bulk let it find setup opportunities against common Pokemon such as Heatran, defensive Landorus-T, and Gliscor. However, Gyarados is held back by its subpar Speed tier, with Pokemon like Kyurem-B outspeeding it before a boost, and it is outpaced by Mega Alakazam and most Choice Scarf users after a boost. Even at +1, Gyarados lacks the power to OHKO relevant walls without committing to using its Z-Move. Gyarados's vulnerability to Stealth Rock is also annoying because it needs to keep as much HP as possible to set up and sweep. Regular and Mega Gyarados struggle against common offensive types such as Electric, Grass, Rock, Fighting, and Fairy without the necessary moves. As a result, Gyarados requires plenty of support, especially entry hazard removal, to bring out its full potential.
[SET]
name: Mega Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Substitute / Taunt
move 3: Crunch
move 4: Earthquake / Waterfall
item: Gyaradosite
ability: Intimidate
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=========
Dragon Dance lets Mega Gyarados break through defensive teams for another partner or to clean up late-game. Substitute shields Mega Gyarados against Leech Seed and status from the likes of Celesteela and Toxapex. Taunt stops status, recovery, phazing, Haze, and Leech Seed from the likes of Chansey, Slowbro, Skarmory, Toxapex, and Celesteela. With Mold Breaker, it also bypasses Magic Bounce to shut down Mega Sableye. Crunch threatens bulky Psychic-types like Slowbro, Mew, Mega Latias, and Cresselia. Earthquake tears through Magearna, Toxapex, Mega Mawile, and Tapu Koko, and it hits Levitate users like Rotom-W and Hydreigon thanks to Mold Breaker. Finally, Waterfall threatens Gliscor and Landorus-T. With Mold Breaker, it also ignores the Water immunity from Gastrodon, Volcanion, and Seismitoad. The odds to flinch are useful to break physical walls such as Skarmory more easily. Mega Gyarados's attacks also ignore Unaware from Pokemon like Quagsire and Clefable after a boost and Sturdy from Skarmory.
Set Details
========
A Jolly nature is mandatory to outspeed Tapu Koko and Mega Lopunny after a Dragon Dance. Intimidate is Gyarados's preferred ability before Mega Evolution to soften physical hits from Pokemon like Weavile in a pinch and allow more setup opportunities. Without the Z-Move, it is difficult to justify fitting Moxie, as it is hard to constantly activate as regular Gyarados.
Usage Tips
========
Mega Gyarados functions best as a wallbreaker and a late-game cleaner. However, it should not try to sweep if checks such as Tapu Fini and Tapu Bulu are still active. Instead, these checks should be eliminated or weakened before going for the sweep. For example, Choice Scarf Victini can snipe Tapu Fini with Final Gambit or Bolt Strike, potentially removing it from the game for Mega Gyarados. Depending on the matchup, determine if Mega Gyarados should be used to sweep or to wallbreak in order to enable another teammate to clean up and act according to the turn decided. Mega Gyarados should also be careful with its HP, as taking chip damage will reduce its setup opportunities later in the game. When Gyarados should Mega Evolve depends on the current situation; holding off on Mega Evolving can have benefits such as keeping Intimidate to ease setup and its Flying-type to set up on Ground-types. However, keep in mind that Mega Evolving removes its weakness to Stealth Rock and improves Gyarados's bulk. Mega Evolving also reduces its Electric weakness and grants a Prankster immunity, a valuable Psychic immunity, and a Dark resistance, allowing Mega Gyarados to take on Psychic-types like Cresselia and Reuniclus and resist Ash-Greninja's STAB moves, at the cost of gaining a Fairy and Grass weakness, losing its Ground immunity, and turning its Fighting and Bug resistances into weaknesses.
Team Options
========
Mega Gyarados is a solid fit on hyper offense teams thanks to Mold Breaker, which provides it with the ability to handle stall teams and other bulkier builds. It enjoys partnering with a dedicated lead such as Excadrill, Imprison Landorus-T, or Taunt Mew, which are able to prevent entry hazards on the opening turn and can get their own hazards up. Tapu Koko is an interesting partner, being able to set up dual screens to further boost the already high bulk Mega Gyarados has or utilizing a Taunt + Nature's Madness set to chip down Pokemon such as Ferrothorn and Ground-types if Mega Gyarados isn't running Waterfall. Fighting-type partners like Hawlucha and Kommo-o have synergy with Mega Gyarados, as they can overwhelm shared checks like Clefable for the other to clean up. Magearna acts as a buffer to Psychic-types like Mega Alakazam, while Gyarados can safely switch into Ground- and Fire-type moves aimed at Magearna. Tapu Lele is a fearsome wallbreaker that helps soften the opposing team to enable Mega Gyarados's cleaning ability, and it protects Mega Gyarados from priority moves from the likes of Mega Medicham and Mega Lopunny. Protean Greninja sets up Spikes to wear down checks and can lure in and KO Tapu Fini and Ferrothorn with Gunk Shot and Hidden Power Fire. Pivots such as Landorus-T, Victini, and the aforementioned Magearna provide Mega Gyarados a safe switch-in with U-turn and Volt Switch. Serperior provides hazard removal with Defog, Taunt to further deny hazards, and paralysis support with Glare. Paralysis support is especially helpful if Mega Gyarados runs Substitute, as the chance of full paralysis provides it with extra opportunities to set up with Dragon Dance.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Moxie Gyarados can run other Z-Crystals like Waterium Z and Groundium Z to hit neutral targets like Celesteela and threaten Toxapex without a boost. However, it must give up the one-turn effect of Bounce powered up by Flyinium Z to do so, and this makes Gyarados less threatening against Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Kartana.
As for Mega Gyarados, it can run coverage moves like Stone Edge to hit Zapdos, Iron Head to smash Fairy-types like Clefable, Tapu Lele, and Tapu Bulu, and Ice Fang to hit Garchomp and Dragonite, as well as hitting Gliscor and Landorus-T much harder. Keep in mind that giving up Substitute or Taunt to run three attacks will make it more vulnerable to status and phazing. Running a bulkier spread with an Adamant nature has the benefit of taking more hits to set up an extra Dragon Dance and dish out more damage. However, this leaves it more liable to being outpaced and revenge killed after a boost.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-type Pokemon and coverage moves**: Electric-types like Zapdos and Rotom-W can survive Gyarados's STAB moves from both the Supersonic Skystrike and Mega variants and can threaten it back with their super effective STAB moves. Zapdos is especially notable because it also threatens to paralyze Gyarados with Static. However, Rotom-W despises taking Earthquake from Mega Gyarados thanks to Mold Breaker ignoring Levitate, especially since Mega Gyarados has a favorable roll to OHKO Bold variants at +1 if Stealth Rock is on the field. Tapu Koko sometimes runs a Choice Scarf or a Shuca Berry to outspeed Gyarados after a Dragon Dance or to survive Earthquake in a pinch to retaliate back with its super effective STAB moves. Gyarados must also be wary of unexpected Electric-type coverage such as Thunder from Clefable and Thunder Punch from Kommo-o.
**Grass-types**: Grass-types like Serperior, Kartana, Tapu Bulu, Ferrothorn, and Mega Venusaur survive Gyarados's STAB moves and retaliate back with their STAB moves or wear it down with Leech Seed. Tapu Bulu can also use its Grassy Terrain to weaken Earthquake. Choice Scarf Kartana can outspeed Gyarados at +1 and threaten it with Leaf Blade. These Grass-types must be wary of the Supersonic Skystrike set, however.
**Water-types**: Water-types like Toxapex, Seismitoad, and Gastrodon can take Gyarados's STAB moves and threaten to burn it with Scald. The latter two are also immune to Waterfall from regular Gyarados. Tapu Fini has enough bulk to survive a boosted Earthquake and threatens Mega Gyarados with Moonblast; however, it does not like facing regular Gyarados before it uses Supersonic Skystrike. Toxapex can get rid of Gyarados's Dragon Dance boosts with Haze if Gyarados lacks Taunt; however, it does not like taking Earthquake or Crunch very much. Toxapex is also a flimsy check versus regular and Mega Gyarados without the advantageous position or predictions. Mega Slowbro deserves a mention because it has enough bulk to survive Crunch at +1 and threatens a burn with Scald, paralysis from Thunder Wave, or a KO from Counter.
**Faster Revenge Killers and Priority**: Mega Alakazam and Choice Scarf users like Kartana, Tapu Lele, Landorus-T, and Victini outspeed Gyarados even after a Dragon Dance boost and threaten it back with heavy damage. Landorus-T also reduces Gyarados's Attack stat thanks to Intimidate and can threaten both forms with either Stone Edge or U-turn. Mega Medicham and Mega Lopunny can come in multiple times and use Fake Out to wear down Gyarados throughout the game.
**Physical walls**: Skarmory has enough bulk to survive Gyarados's STAB moves and retaliate back with Counter and heal with Roost. Skarmory can also phaze Gyarados with Whirlwind if it lacks Taunt. However, Skarmory loses to Mega Gyarados and even regular Gyarados if they have Taunt, since they can stall out the Counter PP. Mega Scizor can check Mega Gyarados, but it is setup fodder for the Supersonic Skystrike set.
**Fairy-types**: Bulky Fairy-types like Clefable, Tapu Bulu, Mega Altaria, and Magearna survive Mega Gyarados's STAB moves and will retaliate back with their STAB moves. However, the former three do not appreciate taking Supersonic Skystrike, while the latter despises Earthquake. Magearna sometimes runs a Shuca Berry to survive a one-time Earthquake or a Custap Berry to outspeed Gyarados in a pinch and fire back with Fleur Cannon or Electric-type coverage moves.
**Fighting-types**: Kommo-o can deal with Mega Gyarados easily, but is helpless against the Supersonic Skystrike variant, especially if it lacks Thunder Punch or Rock Slide to handle regular Gyarados. Defensive Kommo-o can also threaten to cripple Gyarados with Toxic or phaze it with Roar if Gyarados lacks Taunt. Hawlucha deserves a mention because it threatens Mega Gyarados with High Jump Kick and can either bait regular Gyarados into wasting its Z-Move via Substitute or threaten it with a 2HKO from Acrobatics.
**Rock-types and Rock-type coverage**: If Gyarados lacks Waterfall, Tyranitar can wall it and threaten it with Stone Edge. Regular Gyarados must also watch out for Pokemon that carry Rock-type coverage such as Stone Edge Landorus-T and Garchomp and the rare Continental Crush Sand Rush Excadrill.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/favmon-garchomp.653095/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/diyusi.519886/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/cm-reuniclus.620979/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adorluigi.528364/
Last edited:
