Splash, Tackle, Flail, Bounce, Hydro Pump, and if you're looking at moves it could get but no longer can, Bubble, Reversal, and Dragon Rage.
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Pokémon Gyarados
- Thread starter azureleaf17
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The problem with Bite is that it's too weak to deal with Pokemon that resist Waterffall and Earthquake. For example, +1 Crunch OHKOes both Salamence and Dragonite, and has a chance to OHKO Kyurem-B too, all after SR. It can also OHKO 252 HP / 100 Def Jirachi while Bite can't. Bite just doesn't have the power to make Mega Gyarados very difficult to stop.
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Mega Gyarados really wants Crunch, but Bite does have merit. Rather than be a powerful STAB move, it'll just have to serve as a "coverage for your usual counters/checks" sort of move instead. If it doesn't get Crunch, the standard setup for an offensive DD set might be Waterfall and Earthquake, with either Stone Edge or Bite in the last slot. If you want to beat Salamence, Dragonite, and Kyurem-B more easily, you go with Stone Edge. If you want to have a weapon for Celebi, Slowbro, and Jellicent, you run Bite. You'll have to choose your counters, but it's not like Mega Gyarados is the only sweeper with that problem.
The real perk of Mega Gyarados, as Yamborksi mentioned, is the fact that it can change up its typing (and as a result, some of its checks) and send its bulk through the roof. 95/109/130 defenses with Intimidate on the first switch-in is just...wow. Just to put this into perspective, here's Scarf Thundurus-T's Thunderbolt against an offensive Mega Gyarados.
252 SpA Thundurus-T Thunderbolt vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Gyarados: 270-318 (81.57 - 96.07%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
If it can avoid Stealth Rock, it has enough bulk to always survive a STAB Thunderbolt from the most powerful Electric-type in the game with no defensive investment whatsoever. Of course, Mega Gyarados has a few other perks. Destroying Rotom-W and Gastrodon with Earthquake and Waterfall, respectively, is a nice little tool, and it maintains a little over 90% of the power of a Life Orb Gyarados without the recoil. However, the bulk increase and typing change is the most interesting part of this Mega form. It'll probably need Crunch to be great, but even without it, Mega Gyarados might turn out to be a pretty cool sweeper.
The real perk of Mega Gyarados, as Yamborksi mentioned, is the fact that it can change up its typing (and as a result, some of its checks) and send its bulk through the roof. 95/109/130 defenses with Intimidate on the first switch-in is just...wow. Just to put this into perspective, here's Scarf Thundurus-T's Thunderbolt against an offensive Mega Gyarados.
252 SpA Thundurus-T Thunderbolt vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Gyarados: 270-318 (81.57 - 96.07%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
If it can avoid Stealth Rock, it has enough bulk to always survive a STAB Thunderbolt from the most powerful Electric-type in the game with no defensive investment whatsoever. Of course, Mega Gyarados has a few other perks. Destroying Rotom-W and Gastrodon with Earthquake and Waterfall, respectively, is a nice little tool, and it maintains a little over 90% of the power of a Life Orb Gyarados without the recoil. However, the bulk increase and typing change is the most interesting part of this Mega form. It'll probably need Crunch to be great, but even without it, Mega Gyarados might turn out to be a pretty cool sweeper.
I don't see how it's possible that Gyarados can't even learn Crunch. I guess they're expecting us to use Payback with the increased bulk. They probably didn't even fix Payback either. Ugh.
Well, to be fair, you rarely see Gyarados with its mouth closed... maybe a Bite is all it can manage xD
Even if it did, it would not be the first time an NPC had impossible movesets....*cough*Lance*cough*
Mega Gyarados has merit, merely because of the extra bulk it provides with Intimidate and much better special defense. Mold breaker is an okay ability in that it lets you spam Waterfall and Earthquake. The extra bulk is what lets it guarantee Dragon dancing, but sacrificing an item means no passive healing (unless you go for rest), and the dark type is a liability in that it is a major lightning rod for fighting attacks, especially as revenge.
I think what I really like is how good he is going to be at destroying the Battle Mansion in combination with Entertainment Durant. Mold Breaker lets him sweep easily those very annoying sturdy pokemon, as well as water absorbers etc. Earthquake + Waterfall is all you need. I don't there there is a priority move that can OHKO him with the new bulk. Can anyone calculate Iron Fist Mach punch from Conkeldurr and crit? Probably against 252 HP/Attack Mega Gyrados.
Is mega gyara the most viable set? Sure it's attack skyrockets and it gets much bulkier, but (like a lot of people in this thread have stated) in exchange it gains a less optimal typing (bite is best stab, loses ground immunity + fighting resist), loses its leftovers, and loses what makes it a huge lategame threat, moxie.
Mega Gyardos is far from its most viable set, but it definitely has its uses (even besides fooling the opponent into thinking it will mega evolve). Mega Gyardos can come in with an Intimidate, and mega evolve to get better bulk for guaranteed dragon dances.
Actually mega gyarados is a huge boost to gyara's taunt+DD set. Water+dark is pretty even with water+flying when it comes to coverage but crunch is far superior to bounce. It still retains the intimidate boost on its first switch-in and gains an immense amount of bulk.
Mold breaker is pretty useless though and lack of lefties hurt.
Mold breaker is pretty useless though and lack of lefties hurt.
Too bad it doesn't get Crunch. Man Nubbins, first Greninja's speed and now this?!
i think you guys are missing the whole point of an optional mega evolution
if gyarados runs DD, it has a really good chance of getting a DD off safely
if you predict an electric attack, mega and DD on the same turn
if you predict a fighting attack, DD but don't mega
you can either keep flying type or switch to fighting based on what they have out.
if gyarados runs DD, it has a really good chance of getting a DD off safely
if you predict an electric attack, mega and DD on the same turn
if you predict a fighting attack, DD but don't mega
you can either keep flying type or switch to fighting based on what they have out.
How can you get bounce onto gyarados?
It was a Move Tutor move for Magikarp and Gyarados in Generation IV and V. As of now, though... >.<
So no way in gen 6 yet?
Dark isn't weak to Dragon...
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