Is Gyarados Good in Legends: Z-A Playthrough?
Once Magikarp evolves, Gyarados becomes one of the best Pokemon you can field. Mega Gyarados shifts the typing to Water and Dark and brings one of the highest Attack stats in Z-A. The Mega form handles endgame bosses like Team Flare Nouveau Grisham without trouble. Also available wild in Wild Zone 11 if you don't want the Magikarp grind.
How to Get Gyarados in Legends: Z-A
2 encounter spots for Gyarados at moderate rates starting from late-game routes. Best and Earliest sort options below help narrow down your approach based on odds vs. Accessibility.
Where To Catch Gyarados in LZA
To get Gyarados, start by catching Magikarp through walking encounters at Lv. 5-65. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.
Step 1Catch MagikarpWild Zone 2Lv.5-7OverworldLegends: Z-AWild Zone 6Lv.17-20OverworldLegends: Z-AWild Zone 2Lv.30-32OverworldLegends: Z-A
Step 2Gyarados ✓Wild Zone 11Lv.31-32OverworldLegends: Z-AWild Zone 20Lv.64-65OverworldLegends: Z-Aor evolve from Magikarp (Step 1)
Gyarados Weakness
Type-wise, Gyarados takes extra damage from Electric, Grass, Fighting, Bug, and Fairy. Psychic moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity. With 6 resistances, the defensive profile is strong. Gyarados's overall bulk (95/109/130) lets it take a hit or two from most weaknesses before going down.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Electric, Grass, Fighting, Bug, Fairy |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Water, Ice, Ghost, Dark, Steel |
| 0x (Immune) | Psychic |
What is Gyarados Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Gyarados
 Beedrill BugPoison | C | |
 Vivillon Bug | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gyarados View Vivillon builds →U-turn 2x30-35% Draining Kiss 2x18-22% | ||
 Flaaffy Electric | D | |
 Pichu Electric | D | |
 Pangoro FightingDark | C | |
 Ampharos Electric | C | |
 Gogoat Grass | C | |
 Ariados BugPoison | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gyarados View Ariados builds →X-Scissor 2x47-56% Absorb 2x6-7% | ||
Vivillon Bug | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gyarados View Vivillon builds →Bug Buzz 2x45-53% Draining Kiss 2x17-21% | ||
Pangoro FightingDark | C | |
Gogoat Grass | C | |
Ampharos Electric | C | |
Ariados BugPoison | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gyarados View Ariados builds →Megahorn 2x67-79% Absorb 2x6-8% | ||
 Victreebel GrassPoison | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gyarados View Victreebel builds →Power Whip 2x76-90% Lunge 2x34-40% | ||
 Heracross BugFighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gyarados View Heracross builds →Close Combat 2x88-104%KO Megahorn 2x88-104%KO | ||
 Pinsir Bug | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gyarados View Pinsir builds →Close Combat 2x59-69% X-Scissor 2x59-70% | ||
Gogoat Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gyarados View Gogoat builds →Leaf Blade 2x55-65% Megahorn 2x49-58% | ||
Pangoro FightingDark | C | |
Ampharos Electric | C | |
Heracross BugFighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gyarados View Heracross builds →Close Combat 2x89-105%KO Megahorn 2x89-105%KO | ||
Pinsir Bug | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gyarados View Pinsir builds →Close Combat 2x59-70% X-Scissor 2x60-71% | ||
Gogoat Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gyarados View Gogoat builds →Leaf Blade 2x57-67% Megahorn 2x49-58% | ||
Pangoro FightingDark | C | |
Ampharos Electric | C | |
 Chesnaught GrassFighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gyarados View Chesnaught builds →Wood Hammer 2x77-91% Close Combat 2x77-91% Pin Missile 2x11-14% | ||
Heracross BugFighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gyarados View Heracross builds →Close Combat 2x89-105%KO Megahorn 2x89-105%KO | ||
 Falinks Fighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gyarados View Falinks builds →Close Combat 2x73-86% Megahorn 2x48-57% | ||
Pinsir Bug | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gyarados View Pinsir builds →Close Combat 2x59-70% X-Scissor 2x59-70% | ||
Pangoro FightingDark | C | |
Chesnaught GrassFighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gyarados View Chesnaught builds →Wood Hammer 2x79-94% Close Combat 2x79-94% Pin Missile 2x11-14% | ||
 Gallade PsychicFighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gyarados View Gallade builds →Close Combat 2x90-106%KO Leaf Blade 2x45-53% Draining Kiss 2x13-16% | ||
Heracross BugFighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gyarados View Heracross builds →Close Combat 2x90-106%KO Megahorn 2x90-106%KO | ||
Pangoro FightingDark | C | |
Available Move Moves
Damage vs Gyarados View Pangoro builds →Close Combat 2x90-106%KO | ||
 Emboar FireFighting | C | |
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityFlashfire ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves View Heatran builds →
| ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySand Stream ItemRocky Helmet NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Gyarados View Hippowdon builds →Earthquake22-26% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityMold Breaker ItemAir Balloon NatureJolly Moves View Tinkaton builds →
| ||
Gyarados Evolutions
Evolved from Magikarp. Gyarados is the final form in this two-stage line. A decent partner pool for breeding via two egg groups. Eggs are hatches fast. Attack grew the most through evolution (+145 over Magikarp), and Gyarados peaks at 640 total stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
LZA Gyarados Best Moveset
Held ItemGyaradosite shifts typing to Water/Dark and pushes Attack to 155 with AbilityMold Breaker ignoring defensive passive effects. 81 Speed keeps cooldowns moderate, and 95/79/100 bulk survives return fire. The moveset is a physical powerhouse that breaks through anything relying on defensive gimmicks.
Best Build
Gyarados best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Waterfall
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Ice Fang
Moves List
TMs carry this one. Gyarados learns Hydro Pump and Muddy Water naturally for STAB, but the offensive range comes almost entirely from technical machines. Normal and Dragon and beyond give it real matchup play.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- Egg
- Inherited via breeding.
- Tutor
- NPC tutor (cost: items, BP, money).
- Reminder
- An NPC reteaches any move this Pokemon could have learned by leveling up.
- Transfer
- Carried over from an older game using Pokemon HOME.
- Event
- Given out through Mystery Gift events.
Visual Signals
CAT (Category)
How the move deals damage and which stats it uses.
A small dot on the icon's corner marks the move as contact. That triggers abilities like Static, Flame Body, Rough Skin, or Iron Barbs, plus items like Rocky Helmet and Sticky Barb.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM, Egg, and Tutor sort by tier by default (best first). On Level-Up, click the Tier header to do the same.
PWR (Power)
Base damage. Numbers shown in a type color include STAB (base × 1.5). Hover any colored number to see the math.
— means no power (status moves) or variable power.
Sorting & Filter
Click any column header to sort. Level-Up opens with Lv 1 at the top. TM, Egg, and Tutor open with the highest-tier moves at the top.
Search filters by move name or type. The Filter button limits the list to STAB, Physical, Special, or Status moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
In ancient literature, there is a record of a Gyarados that razed a village when violence flared.
Gyarados Legends: Z-A Guide
In Legends: Z-A, Mold Breaker changes the entire equation for Gyarados. The 640 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked B-Tier as a wallbreaker. Waterfall with Leftovers is the standard set.
Mega Evolution isn't available in Legends: Z-A, but Gyarados does have a Mega form in Gen 6-7 games (X/Y, ORAS, Sun/Moon). Mega Gyarados hits 740 BST.
In Legends: Z-A, Gyarados's biggest threats include Jolteon (Electric), Exeggutor (Grass), and Machamp (Fighting), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Bug and Fairy-type attackers are also a problem. With 5 weakness types, most competitive teams carry at least one counter. Gyarados has enough bulk to absorb a hit, but don't push the matchup. Pivot to a teammate that resists.
Mold Breaker is what you want on Gyarados. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. On wall sets, Mold Breaker pairs with Gyarados's base 109 Defense to absorb physical hits on the switch.
Base 81 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. On offense, Gyarados is a physical attacker with base 155 Attack. Defensively? Tanky enough to absorb a few hits. Best used as a wallbreaker.
Game Availability
Since debuting in Red & Blue, Gyarados has appeared in 22 titles over 10 generations. Along the way, it received a Mega form in Generation 6, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORASMega
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves