Gyarados, known as the 'Atrocious Pokémon', which feels a little rude to me, has been a mainstay in my Kanto-based teams since day one. It's strong, it's reliable, has some great moves, and a mega form to make use of. Plus, it also has a fantastic shiny version in deep red tones.
In our mind, Gyarados is one of the best water Pokémon to ever appear in the Pokédex, even if it means we have to put up with Magikarp flopping around for a bit.
Here's everything in our Gyarados guide:
Here's the key information you need to know about Gyarados:
| National Pokédex # | 0,130 |
| Type | Water / Flying Mega Gyarados: Water / Dark |
| Abilities | Intimidate Mega Gyarados: Mold Breaker |
| Hidden ability | Moxie |
| Gender ratio | Male - 50% Female - 50% |
| Catch rate | 11.9% |
| Egg groups | Water 2 and Dragon |
| EV yield | Two Atk |
Gyarados's evolution
Magikarp evolves into Gyarados at level 20 or above. You don't need any special conditions.
To further evolve it into Mega Gyarados, you need a Gyaradosite. Here's where you can find a Gyaradosite in each game:
| X / Y | Couriway Town |
| Omega Ruby / Alpha Sapphire | Route 123 |
| Sun / Moon and Ultra Sun / Ultra Moon | Buy from Battle Tree for 64 BP |
| Let's Go! Eevee / Pikachu | 30k Pokédollars in the Indigo Plateau |
| Legends: Z-A | Buy from Quasartico Inc. for 240 mega shards |
Gyarados's locations
Here are all the locations you can find Gyarados in each Pokémon game:
Gen 1 locations
| Red / Blue | Evolve a Magikarp |
| Yellow | Fuschia City |
Gen 2 locations
| Gold / Silver | Fuchsia City and Lake of Rage |
| Crystal | Fuchsia City and Lake of Rage |
Gen 3 locations
| Ruby / Sapphire | Sootopolis City |
| Emerald | Sootopolis City |
| FireRed / LeafGreen | Routes 4, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25, Berry Forest, Bond Bridge, Cape Brink, Cerulean Cave, Cerulean City, Cinnabar Island, Five Island, Five Isle Meadow, Four Island, Fuchsia City, Green Path, Icefall Cave, Kindle Road, Memorial Pillar, One Island, Outcast Island, Pallet Town, Resort Gorgeous, Ruin Valley, Seafoam Islands, Tanoby Ruins, Trainer Tower, Treasure Beach, Vermilion City, Viridian City, Water Labyrinth, Water Path |
| Colosseum | Trade |
| XD | Trade |
Gen 4 locations
| Diamond / Pearl | Routes 203, 204, 205, 208, 209, 210, 212, 213, 214, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, and 230, Canalave City, Celestic Town, Eterna City, Fuego Ironworks, Iron Island, Lake Acuity, Lake Valor, Lake Verity, Mt. Coronet, Oreburgh Gate, Pastoria City, Pokémon League, Ravaged Path, Resort Area, Sendoff Spring, Sunyshore City, Twinleaf Town, Valley Windworks, Victory Road |
| Platinum | Routes 203, 204, 205, 208, 209, 210, 212, 213, 214, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, and 230, Canalave City, Celestic Town, Eterna City, Fuego Ironworks, Iron Island, Lake Acuity, Lake Valor, Lake Verity, Mt. Coronet, Oreburgh Gate, Pastoria City, Pokémon League, Ravaged Path, Resort Area, Sendoff Spring, Sunyshore City, Twinleaf Town, Valley Windworks, Victory Road |
| HeartGold / SoulSilver | Cerulean Cave, Fuchsia City, Lake of Rage, Mt. Silver Cave 1F, Safari Zone, Seafoam Islands B4F |
Gen 5 locations
| Black / White | Evolve a Magikarp |
| Black 2 / White 2 | Nature Preserve |
Gen 6 locations
| X / Y | Routes 3 and 22, Parfum Palace |
| Omega Ruby / Alpha Sapphire | Sootopolis City |
Gen 7 locations
| Sun / Moon | Routes 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, and 15, Akala Outskirts, Brooklet Hill, Kala'e Bay, Malie Garden, Melemele Sea, Paniola Town, Poni Breaker Coast, Poni Gauntlet, Poni Meadow, Poni Wilds, Seafolk Village, Seaward Cave, Secluded Shore, Vast Poni Canyon |
| Ultra Sun / Ultra Moon | Routes 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, and 15, Akala Outskirts, Brooklet Hill, Kala'e Bay, Malie Garden, Melemele Sea, Paniola Town, Poni Breaker Coast, Poni Gauntlet, Poni Meadow, Seafolk Village, Seaward Cave, Vast Poni Canyon |
| Let's Go Pikachu / Let's Go Eevee | Route 20 |
Gen 8 locations
| Sword / Shield | Route 2, Axew's Eye, Bridge Field, Dusty Bowl, East Lake Axewell, East Lake Axewell, Giant's Cap, Giant's Mirror, Giant's Seat, Lake of Outrage, North Lake Miloch, South Lake Miloch, West Lake Axewell |
| Expansion Pass | Ballimere Lake, Challenge Beach, Frigid Sea, Giant's Bed, Giant's Foot, Honeycalm Island, Honeycalm Sea, Insular Sea, Loop Lagoon, Snowslide Slope, Stepping-Stone Sea, Workout Sea |
| Brilliant Diamond / Shining Pearl | Routes 203, 204, 205, 208, 209, 210, 212, 213, 214, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, and 230, Canalave City, Celestic Town, Eterna City, Fuego Ironworks, Great Marsh, Iron Island, Lake Acuity, Lake Valor, Lake Verity, Mt. Coronet, Oreburgh Gate, Pastoria City, Pokémon League, Ravaged Path, Resort Area Sendoff Spring, Sunyshore City, Twinleaf Town, Valley Windworks, Victory Road |
| Legends: Arceus | Cobalt Coastlands: Sand's Reach Coronet Highlands: Primeval Grotto Obsidian Fieldlands: Obsidian Falls and Lake Verity |
Gen 9 locations
| Scarlet / Violet | East Province: East Paldean Sea North Province: North Paldean Sea North Province: Casseroya Lake South Province: South Paldean Sea West Province: West Paldean Sea |
| The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero | Chilling Waterhead, Fellhorn Gorge, Kitakami Wilds, and Oni Mountain |
| Legends: Z-A | Centrico Plaza: Wild Zone 20 Jaune District: Wild Zone 11 |
| Mega Dimension | Hyperspace Lumiose |
How do I get Gyarados in Pokémon Pokopia?
Gyarados appears in Pokopia, but you don't have to make a Pokopia habitat for it to appear, as you first come across it in the story as you work around the Skylands.
If you do want to make it a tailored home, you need to make an Illuminated Waterfall habitat, using two torches and three stepping stones near a waterfall and pond.
Gyarados's base stats
Gyarados's base stats are as follows:
| Gyarados | Mega Gyarados | |
| HP | 95 | 95 |
| Attack | 125 | 155 |
| Defense | 79 | 109 |
| Sp. Atk | 60 | 70 |
| Sp. Def | 100 | 130 |
| Speed | 81 | 81 |
Gyarados's type strengths and weaknesses
Gyarados is a very fearsome Pokémon, but it does still have some weaknesses to make a note of. However, it's immune to ground- and psychic-type moves, depending on whether you have the regular or Mega evolution.
| Gyarados | Mega Gyarados | |
| Normal damage | Dark, Dragon, Fairy, Flying, Ghost, Grass, Ice, Poison, Psychic, Normal | Dragon, Flying, Ground, Normal, Poison, Rock |
| Weak | Electric, Rock | Bug, Electric, Fairy, Fighting, Grass |
| Resistant | Bug, Fighting, Fire, Steel, Water | Dark, Fire, Ghost, Ice, Steel, Water |
| Immune | Ground | Psychic |
Gyarados's moveset
In the latest generation of Pokémon games, Gyarados can learn the following moves:
Level up moves in Scarlet and Violet
| Level | Move | Type |
| One | Flail | Normal |
| One | Splash | Normal |
| One | Tackle | Normal |
| One | Leer | Normal |
| One | Twister | Dragon |
| Evo. | Bite | Dark |
| Four | Whirlpool | Water |
| Eight | Ice Fang | Ice |
| 12 | Brine | Water |
| 16 | Scary Face | Normal |
| 21 | Waterfall | Water |
| 24 | Crunch | Dark |
| 28 | Rain Dance | Water |
| 32 | Aqua Tail | Water |
| 36 | Dragon Dance | Dragon |
| 40 | Hydro Pump | Water |
| 44 | Hurricane | Flying |
| 48 | Thrash | Normal |
| 52 | Hyper Beam | Normal |
Level up moves in Legends: Z-A
| Level | Move | Type |
| Evo. | Bite | Dark |
| One | Tackle | Normal |
| One | Leer | Normal |
| One | Splash | Normal |
| One | Twister | Dragon |
| 24 | Waterfall | Water |
| 30 | Crunch | Dark |
| 33 | Iron Head | Steel |
| 40 | Bounce | Flying |
| 44 | Hurricane | Flying |
| 45 | Dragon Rush | Dragon |
| 50 | Hydro Pump | Water |
| 55 | Hyper Beam | Normal |
Learnable TMs in Scarlet and Violet
| Move | Type |
| Avalanche | Ice |
| Blizzard | Ice |
| Body Slam | Normal |
| Bulldoze | Ground |
| Chilling Water | Water |
| Crunch | Dark |
| Dark Pulse | Dark |
| Double-Edge | Normal |
| Dragon Cheer | Dragon |
| Dragon Dance | Dragon |
| Dragon Pulse | Dragon |
| Dragon Tail | Dragon |
| Earthquake | Ground |
| Endeavor | Normal |
| Endure | Normal |
| Facade | Normal |
| Fire Blast | Fire |
| Flamethrower | Fire |
| Giga Impact | Normal |
| Helping Hand | Normal |
| Hurricane | Flying |
| Hydro Pump | Water |
| Hyper Beam | Normal |
| Ice Beam | Ice |
| Ice Fang | Ice |
| Icy Wind | Ice |
| Iron Head | Steel |
| Lash Out | Dark |
| Muddy | Water |
| Outrage | Dragon |
| Protect | Normal |
| Rain Dance | Water |
| Rest | Psychic |
| Roar | Normal |
| Sandstorm | Rock |
| Scald | Water |
| Scale Shot | Dragon |
| Scary Face | Normal |
| Sleep Talk | Normal |
| Spite | Ghost |
| Stone Edge | Rock |
| Substitute | Normal |
| Sunny Day | Fire |
| Surf | Water |
| Take Down | Normal |
| Taunt | Dark |
| Temper Flare | Fire |
| Tera Blast | Normal |
| Thunder | Electric |
| Thunder Wave | Electric |
| Thunderbolt | Electric |
| Water Pulse | Water |
| Waterfall | Water |
| Whirlpool | Water |
Learnable TMs in Legends: Z-A
| Move | Type |
| Blizzard | Ice |
| Body Slam | Normal |
| Bulldoze | Ground |
| Chilling Water | Water |
| Crunch | Dark |
| Dark Pulse | Dark |
| Double-Edge | Normal |
| Dragon Pulse | Dragon |
| Earthquake | Ground |
| Endure | Normal |
| Facade | Normal |
| Fire Blast | Fire |
| Flamethrower | Fire |
| Giga Impact | Normal |
| Hurricane | Flying |
| Hydro Pump | Water |
| Hyper Beam | Normal |
| Ice Beam | Ice |
| Ice Fang | Ice |
| Icy Wind | Ice |
| Iron Head | Steel |
| Iron Tail | Steel |
| Muddy Water | Water |
| Outrage | Dragon |
| Protect | Normal |
| Roar | Normal |
| Scald | Water |
| Scale Shot | Dragon |
| Skull Bash | Normal |
| Stone Edge | Rock |
| Substitute | Normal |
| Surf | Water |
| Swagger | Normal |
| Taunt | Dark |
| Thunder | Electric |
| Thunder Wave | Electric |
| Thunderbolt | Electric |
| Water Pulse | Water |
| Waterfall | Water |
| Whirlpool | Water |
There you are - how to find and level up the Pokémon Gyarados.