Stats & Training
Magikarp's spread isn't flashy. Speed leads, Attack trails, 1 stats clear the bar. Easy to catch and worth 1 Speed stat exp, on a slow 1.25M XP grind.
In the distant past, it was somewhat stronger than the horribly weak descendants that exist today.
In the distant past, it was somewhat stronger than the horribly weak descendants that exist today.
Magikarp Weakness
Electric and Grass moves hit Magikarp for super-effective damage. Its Water typing keeps the defensive matchups simple. Magikarp's physical bulk (base 55 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Electric, Grass |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Water, Ice |
- Only 15 types exist — Dark, Steel, and Fairy are absent
- Ghost has no effect on Psychic (a known bug, fixed in Gen II)
- Special stat governs both offense and defense — no Sp.Atk / Sp.Def split
 Pikachu Electric | C | |
 Oddish GrassPoison | D | |
 Bulbasaur GrassPoison | D | |
Obtain MethodPallet Town Gift | ||
 Bellsprout GrassPoison | D | |
 Paras BugGrass | D | |
Pikachu Electric | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magikarp View Pikachu builds →Thunderbolt 2x165-195%KO Thunder Shock 2x81-97% | ||
Oddish GrassPoison | D | |
Bulbasaur GrassPoison | D | |
Obtain MethodPallet Town Gift | ||
Bellsprout GrassPoison | D | |
Paras BugGrass | D | |
Oddish GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magikarp View Oddish builds →Mega Drain 2x107-127%KO Absorb 2x56-66% | ||
Bulbasaur GrassPoison | D | |
Obtain MethodPallet Town Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magikarp View Bulbasaur builds →Razor Leaf 2x134-158%KO Vine Whip 2x107-127%KO Mega Drain 2x98-117%KO | ||
Bellsprout GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magikarp View Bellsprout builds →Vine Whip 2x115-137%KO Mega Drain 2x103-122%KO | ||
Paras BugGrass | D | |
 Voltorb Electric | D | |
Oddish GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magikarp View Oddish builds →Mega Drain 2x108-129%KO Absorb 2x56-67% | ||
Bulbasaur GrassPoison | D | |
Obtain MethodPallet Town Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magikarp View Bulbasaur builds →Razor Leaf 2x129-152%KO Vine Whip 2x108-129%KO Mega Drain 2x97-114%KO | ||
Bellsprout GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magikarp View Bellsprout builds →Vine Whip 2x116-138%KO Mega Drain 2x105-124%KO | ||
Paras BugGrass | D | |
Voltorb Electric | D | |
 Parasect BugGrass | C | |
Oddish GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magikarp View Oddish builds →Petal Dance 2x324-382%KO Mega Drain 2x111-132%KO Absorb 2x58-68% | ||
Bulbasaur GrassPoison | D | |
Obtain MethodPallet Town Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magikarp View Bulbasaur builds →Razor Leaf 2x138-164%KO Vine Whip 2x111-132%KO Mega Drain 2x100-118%KO | ||
Bellsprout GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magikarp View Bellsprout builds →Razor Leaf 2x142-168%KO Vine Whip 2x120-141%KO Mega Drain 2x108-127%KO | ||
Voltorb Electric | D | |
 Tangela Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magikarp View Tangela builds →Solar Beam 2x408-480%KO Mega Drain 2x138-163%KO Absorb 2x70-83% | ||
Parasect BugGrass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magikarp View Parasect builds →Solar Beam 2x271-320%KO Mega Drain 2x93-110%KO | ||
 Weepinbell GrassPoison | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magikarp View Weepinbell builds →Solar Beam 2x359-423%KO Razor Leaf 2x167-197%KO Vine Whip 2x136-160%KO Mega Drain 2x121-143%KO | ||
 Gloom GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magikarp View Gloom builds →Petal Dance 2x359-423%KO Solar Beam 2x359-423%KO Mega Drain 2x121-143%KO Absorb 2x62-73% | ||
 Exeggcute GrassPsychic | D | |
Tangela Grass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magikarp View Tangela builds →Solar Beam 2x429-505%KO Mega Drain 2x144-171%KO Absorb 2x75-88% | ||
Parasect BugGrass | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magikarp View Parasect builds →Solar Beam 2x286-338%KO Mega Drain 2x99-117%KO | ||
Weepinbell GrassPoison | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magikarp View Weepinbell builds →Solar Beam 2x376-442%KO Razor Leaf 2x174-205%KO Vine Whip 2x142-167%KO Mega Drain 2x128-152%KO | ||
Gloom GrassPoison | D | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Magikarp View Gloom builds →Petal Dance 2x376-442%KO Solar Beam 2x376-442%KO Mega Drain 2x128-152%KO Absorb 2x66-79% | ||
Exeggcute GrassPsychic | D | |
In Red & Blue, Electrode can KO Magikarp with Thunderbolt (276-325%).
 Electrode Electric | B | |
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Magikarp View Electrode builds →Explosion92-109%KO Thunderbolt 2x276-325%KO | ||
 Victreebel GrassPoison | C | |
Recommended Build Moves
Damage vs Magikarp View Victreebel builds →Wrap10-13% | ||
Red & Blue Evolution
You'll evolve Magikarp into Gyarados the traditional way. This Water type doesn't breed despite having a chain ahead. The evolved forms gain up to 335 total stats over Magikarp. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Red & Blue Magikarp Best Moveset
Best Build
Gen 1 build content has limited support (no abilities, held items, or natures).
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
Moves
Magikarp's options are limited here. You've got Water STAB for STAB damage, but there isn't much beyond Water hitting power. TMs help fill gaps, though the kit stays tight.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Red & Blue Magikarp Locations
Magikarp's scattered across 68 spots in early-game fishing spots with high spawn rates. Check the list below for the closest location to wherever you are in the game. This one's quick.
Best Locations to Catch Magikarp in Red & Blue
Magikarp appears in 68 fishing and gift locations at Lv. 5-15 across Blue and Red. Not all encounters show up in every version, so check which ones match your game.
Magikarp Guide
Get Magikarp to Gyarados at level 20. At 205 BST, Magikarp is just the starting point.
Level 20 gets you Gyarados. Quick enough that Magikarp barely slows you down.
In Red & Blue, Magikarp does the job early-game if you need a Water type on your team. Evolve it into Gyarados before the later gyms and it holds up fine through the story.
You can find Magikarp in Red & Blue. The Locations section has the full breakdown of routes and encounter details. It also appears in 21 other games across the series.
Game Availability
Magikarp has been part of the series since Red & Blue, appearing in 22 titles across all 10 generations. As a Gen 1 original, it's one of the most consistently available Pokemon in the franchise.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves