
Is Gyarados Good in Emerald Playthrough?
Water/Flying with AbilityIntimidate lowering Attack on switch-in. Gyarados is one of the strongest Pokemon in Emerald. Handles Sidney, contributes through the entire E4, and Intimidate softens Wallace's physical attackers. Native catch through Magikarp. Essential team member.
Roxanne's team hits Gyarados's weaknesses hard.
Gyarados has the type edge here and should clean up Brawly's team.
Wattson's team hits Gyarados's weaknesses hard.
Gyarados trades roughly evenly with Flannery's team.
Gyarados has the type edge here and should clean up Norman's team.
Gyarados has the type edge here and should clean up Winona's team.
Gyarados has the type edge here and should clean up Tate & Liza's team.
Gyarados trades roughly evenly with Juan's team.
Gyarados trades roughly evenly with Sidney's team.
Gyarados trades roughly evenly with Phoebe's team.
Gyarados trades roughly evenly with Glacia's team.
Gyarados trades roughly evenly with Drake's team.
Gyarados trades roughly evenly with Wallace's team.
Catchable
Catch Gyarados in Sootopolis City (Super Rod fishing, Lv 5-45, uncommon).
Recommended Moves
- After Norman
- HM03WaterSurfPower 143Accuracy 100%PP 15Given by Wally's father at Wally's house in Petalburg City after you defeat Norman
- TM38FireFire BlastPower 120Accuracy 85%PP 5Lilycove Department Store
- LV 40WaterHydro PumpPower 180Accuracy 80%PP 5
- After Tate & Liza
- HM07WaterWaterfallPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 15Given by Wallace in Sootopolis City
- TUTORNormalDouble-EdgePower 120Accuracy 100%PP 15Sootopolis City
- TM26GroundEarthquakePower 100Accuracy 100%PP 10Seafloor Cavern
- LV 50DragonDragon DancePower —Accuracy 100%PP 20
- LV 55NormalHyper BeamPower 150Accuracy 90%PP 5
- Post-Game
- TUTORNormalBody SlamPower 85Accuracy 100%PP 15Battle Frontier
Catch Magikarp
Catch Magikarp in Sootopolis City (Surf, Lv 5-35, common).
Recommended Moves
- LV 15NormalTacklePower 35Accuracy 95%PP 35
How to Get Gyarados in Emerald
Gyarados hides under the Sootopolis surface, an uncommon Super Rod catch from level 5 to 45. One crater city holds the wild one, so evolving a Magikarp at level 20 is the path most players take.
1 location to catch Gyarados44 locations to catch Magikarp
Encountered via fishing with a Rod
Encountered via fishing with a Rod, Surfing
Catch Magikarp at any of the 44 locations below, then level it up to 20 — it evolves into Gyarados.
Where To Catch Gyarados in E
Magikarp gets you Gyarados sooner: catch it (before Badge 2) and evolve it at Lv 20. Wild Gyarados first appears at Sootopolis City (after Badge 7).
Step 1Catch MagikarpRoute 104Lv.5-10Old RodRate 100%Sootopolis CityLv.5-35Surfing on waterRate 100%Route 104Lv.10-30Good RodRate 100%Sootopolis CityLv.10-30Good RodRate 100%Abandoned Ship - Cabins B1FLv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Abandoned Ship - B2FLv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Dewford TownLv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Ever Grande CityLv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Lilycove CityLv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Meteor Falls - 1F Room 1Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Meteor Falls - 1F Room 2Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Meteor Falls - B1F Room 1Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Meteor Falls - B1F Room 2Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Mossdeep CityLv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Pacifidlog TownLv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Petalburg CityLv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 102Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 103Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 105 - OutsideLv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 106Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 107Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 108Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 109Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 110Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 111 - SouthLv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 114Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 115Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 117Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 118Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 119Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 120Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 121Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 122Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 123Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 124Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 125Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 126Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 127Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 128Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 129Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 130Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 131Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 132Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 133Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Route 134Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Safari Zone - NorthwestLv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Safari Zone: 500 entry fee, 30 Safari BallsSafari Zone - SouthwestLv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Safari Zone: 500 entry fee, 30 Safari BallsSeafloor Cavern - EntranceLv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Seafloor Cavern - Room 6Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Seafloor Cavern - Room 7Lv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Shoal Cave - 1F Room 1, High TideLv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Shoal Cave - 1F Room 2, High TideLv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Slateport CityLv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Sootopolis CityLv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Victory Road - B2FLv.5-10Old RodRate 70%Abandoned Ship - Cabins B1FLv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Abandoned Ship - B2FLv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Dewford TownLv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Ever Grande CityLv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Lilycove CityLv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Meteor Falls - 1F Room 1Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Meteor Falls - 1F Room 2Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Meteor Falls - B1F Room 1Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Meteor Falls - B1F Room 2Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Mossdeep CityLv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Pacifidlog TownLv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Petalburg CityLv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 102Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 103Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 105 - OutsideLv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 106Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 107Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 108Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 109Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 110Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 111 - SouthLv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 114Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 115Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 117Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 118Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 119Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 120Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 121Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 122Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 123Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 124Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 125Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 126Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 127Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 128Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 129Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 130Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 131Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 132Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 133Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 134Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Safari Zone - NorthwestLv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Safari Zone: 500 entry fee, 30 Safari BallsSafari Zone - SouthwestLv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Safari Zone: 500 entry fee, 30 Safari BallsSeafloor Cavern - EntranceLv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Seafloor Cavern - Room 6Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Seafloor Cavern - Room 7Lv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Shoal Cave - 1F Room 1, High TideLv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Shoal Cave - 1F Room 2, High TideLv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Slateport CityLv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Victory Road - B2FLv.10-30Good RodRate 60%Route 104Lv.20-45Super RodRate 100%Sootopolis CityLv.30-35Super RodRate 80%Safari Zone - South ExtensionLv.25-30Old RodRate 70%Safari Zone: 500 entry fee, 30 Safari BallsSafari Zone - South ExtensionLv.25-30Good RodRate 60%Safari Zone: 500 entry fee, 30 Safari Balls
Want the exact numbers? Work out your catch odds in Emerald for Gyarados.
How to Get Shiny Gyarados in Emerald
Gyarados rises to the Super Rod in the waters ringing Sootopolis City; cast and study each catch, or evolve a shiny Magikarp you reeled in elsewhere, both the same long full-odds grind. Compare Shiny Gyarados odds across every game
Emerald Shiny Gyarados Calculator
2 MethodsBoth methods here share the same odds, about 1 in 8,192 on each try. Pick whichever fits how you play.
Full Odds: Walk through grass, surf, or fish. Every encounter is its own independent shiny roll.
Breeding: Hatch eggs of this line; each egg rolls at the base shiny rate (no Masuda before Gen IV).
How many you have done, or plan to do.
| Chance | Encounters | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 10%lucky few | 864-- | -- |
| 25%one in four | 2,357-- | -- |
| 50%coin flip | 5,678-- | -- |
| 90%very likely | 18,862-- | -- |
Time assumes -- at your pace and does not change your shiny odds.
How is this calculated?
Every encounter has the same shiny chance, the Shiny Odds Per Try shown above. Each one is a separate roll that does not care how many you have already done, so the more you hunt, the higher your overall chance of at least one shiny. The formula below turns your odds and your number of tries into that combined chance.
chance after N tries = 1 − (1 − p)^N, where p = 1 / odds per try
Example at 1 in 8,192 (classic full odds): about 864 encounters for a 10 percent chance, 5,678 for 50 percent, and 18,862 for 90 percent.
The table above flips that around: it shows how many encounters it takes to reach a 10, 25, 50, and 90 percent chance at your current odds. Turning on boosts like the Shiny Charm, sandwiches, or chains improves your odds, so the encounter numbers drop.
These are estimates, not promises. Most games have no pity counter, meaning no guaranteed shiny no matter how many you hunt, so even Very Likely is not guaranteed: some hunters find one early, others go well past that point.
Curious how fast a hunt could go? Work out your Emerald shiny odds for Gyarados.
Gyarados Weakness
Type-wise, Gyarados takes extra damage from Electric and Rock. Watch out for Electric attacks, those deal 4x damage. Ground moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity. 5 resistances help offset the weaknesses. With 95 HP and balanced defenses, Gyarados can afford to eat a neutral hit or two.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Electric |
| 2x (Weak) | Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Water, Fighting, Bug, Steel |
| 0x (Immune) | Ground |
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
What is Gyarados Weak Against
ExcellentBest Pokemon Against Gyarados
Ampharos Electric | C | |
Magneton ElectricSteel | A | |
Manectric Electric | C | |
Electrode Electric | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gyarados View Electrode builds →Thunderbolt 4x107-126%KO Rollout 2x11-13% | ||
Raichu Electric | C | |
Plusle Electric | C | |
Minun Electric | C | |
Solrock RockPsychic | C | |
Obtain MethodMeteor Falls Surfing | ||
Regirock Rock | B | |
Obtain MethodRoute 111 Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gyarados View Regirock builds →Thunderbolt 4x52-61% Ancient Power 2x50-59% | ||
Armaldo RockBug | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Anorith (Rustboro City Gift) | ||
Aggron SteelRock | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gyarados View Aggron builds →Thunderbolt 4x58-69% Rock Tomb 2x45-54% | ||
Cradily RockGrass | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Lileep (Rustboro City Gift) | ||
Rhydon GroundRock | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Gyarados View Rhydon builds →Rock Tomb 2x52-61% Thunderbolt 4x47-56% | ||
Graveler RockGround | C | |
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 hatch fast. Attack grew the most through evolution (+115 over Magikarp), and Gyarados peaks at 540 total stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
E Gyarados Best Moveset
Gyarados transforms from a defensive switch-in into a sweep threat within one turn, using MoveDragon Dance to boost Attack and Speed on a frame backed by AbilityIntimidate. The moveset forces opponents to choose between switching into the Intimidate or staying in against a potential Dance. Water TermStab runs off the weaker special stat, so physical coverage from MoveEarthquake and MoveRock Slide carries the offense.
Best Build
Gyarados best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Stallbreaker Moveset
- Earthquake
- Dragon Dance
- Hidden Power Flying
- Taunt
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
TMs carry this one. Gyarados learns Hydro Pump and Surf naturally for STAB, but the offensive range comes almost entirely from technical machines. Normal and Dark 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
All 30 TMs are obtainable before the Elite Four
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Reminder Moves
Base Stats
It is an extremely vicious and violent POKéMON. When humans begin to fight, it will appear and burn everything to the ground with intensely hot flames.
Gyarados Emerald Guide
Mega Evolution isn't available in Emerald, but Gyarados does have a Mega form in Gen 6-7 games (X/Y, ORAS, Sun/Moon). Mega Gyarados hits 640 BST.
In Emerald, Gyarados plays as a wallbreaker. Speed is middling, so pick your spots carefully.
In Emerald, Adamant is the go-to nature for Gyarados. That's +Attack / -Sp. Atk. Pair it with 68 HP / 252 Atk / 188 Spe EVs. Fits the wallbreaker role.
Game Availability
Since debuting in Red & Blue, Gyarados has appeared in 22 titles over 9 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 7Let's Go

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
Explore
Where to go next after Gyarados.
