What is a good moveset for Gyarados?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Gyarados, post an answer below and upvote the best ones. Movesets for any of its pre-evolutions can also be shared on this thread.

Be sure to include full set details in your post, e.g. items, abilities, natures and EVs. Some detail, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Gyarados Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Gyarados is my 2nd favorite Pokémon from Gen 1 (behind Dragonite) and my 2nd favorite Water Pokémon of all time (behind Greninja). I almost always have him on my team for a playthrough of any Pokémon game. Here are some competitive and fun sets I have used that are still viable:

Specially Defensive Physical Sweeper:
Gyarados @ Assault Vest
Ability: Moxie
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 184 HP / 72 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Aqua Tail / Waterfall (Water STAB)
- Avalanche / Ice Fang (Dragon/Flying/Grass coverage)
- Earthquake / Tera Blast (Electric/Poison/Steel coverage)
- Stone Edge / Temper Flare (Bug/Ice coverage)

This set takes advantage of Gyarados' high SpD! Assault Vest makes him a great switch in against special attackers, while Moxie and Adamant Nature ensures that he can still sweep even without Dragon's Dance. EVs are for bulk and speed. Ground is the preferred Tera type for a Gyarados sweeper. Water STAB is your preference. FOR THIS SET ONLY Aqua Tail is better because you are not getting buffed by Dragon's Dance, therefore there are a lot of Pokémon that out speed you, therefore the flinch on Waterfall is a non-factor. Same thing for your Ice move. There's no real downside to running Avalanche, but it's personal preference. When choosing between Earthquake or Tera Blast just be mindful if you're in singles or doubles and if you are running Flying types or Pokémon that have Levitate or Protect. Last move should be whatever your team needs most, you can also do Crunch to hit Ghosts and Psychics for super effective damage.

Bulky Rain Dance Setter:
Gyarados @ Damp Rock
Ability: Intimidate
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 240 HP / 172 Def / 96 SpD
Impish Nature
- Rain Dance
- Rest (Sustain)
- Taunt / Thunder Wave
- Waterfall (STAB)

Bulky Hazard Support:
Gyarados @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
Tera Type: Ground -OR- Water
EVs: 240 HP / 172 Def / 96 SpD
Impish Nature
- Bulldoze / Scary Face (Speed control)
- Dragon Tail / Roar (Phase)
- Rest (Sustain)
- Waterfall (STAB)

Niche support sets for hazard and weather teams! Intimidate is OP and I don't think it needs much explanation. EVs and Impish Nature are for bulk. Rest and Waterfall are a must but everything else is flexible to your teams needs.

Fast Physical Sweeper:
Gyarados @ Loaded Dice
Ability: Moxie
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance (Atk + Spe boost)
- Iron Head (Fairy/Ice coverage)
- Scale Shot (Tera STAB)
- Waterfall (STAB)

Loaded Dice build. Set up with Dragon Dance (attack and speed boost) and then sweep with Moxie (attack boost on KO) and Scale Shot (buffed by Loaded Dice and Tera Dragon AND you get a speed boost after every use!). Earthquake is usually the standard coverage move but since you are Tera Dragon then you need a way to remove Fairy and Ice threats immediately, so that's why Iron Head is with this set. If you have an aversion to using Iron Head for whatever reason then just take Protect.

Answer 2

Gyarados (M) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Waterfall
- Taunt
- Thunder Wave
- Earthquake

I have been using this Gyarados, and I've seen it on Rating Battle quite a lot. I personally use Magnezone and Light Clay Reflect to set up, and then Intimidate and +252 Def really works great. You could also use a Special Wall like Dragalge, Rotom-W, or Hydreigon to switch out into in case of a Special Attack.

Answer 3

Gyarados (M) @ Toxic Orb / Flame Orb / Life Orb
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 96 HP / 252 Atk / 36 Def / 128 Spe or 96 HP / 252 Atk / 36 SpD / 128 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Aqua Tail / Waterfall
- Facade / Ice Fang

• Aqua Tail / Waterfall if you care about Accuracy
• Facade / Ice Fang If you don't like your Pokemon to be Poisoned or Burned

Dragon Dance raises Attack and Speed which is good for Gyarados
Earthquake is best for Electric, Fire, Rock, Poison, Steel types.
Aqua Tail / Waterfall is STAB
Facade is 140 Power with the Pokemon holding Toxic or Flame Orb
Ice Fang is good for taking out the Grass, Flying, Ground, Dragon Types blocking the way.

Overall he is your Clean Sweeper of your Party.

Answer 4

Gyarados (M) @ Gyaradosite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Bounce
- Earthquake
- Dragon Dance / Iron Head

So I use this set because when you mega evolve Gyarados, you'll gain more weaknesses. Bounce gets rid of the fighting, Grass and bug weaknesses when it mega evolves. Waterfall is for effective stab plus the decent flinch chance. Earthquake is simply just earthquake paired with the ability that it gets when it mega evolves (Mold Breaker). D-Dance (if you decide to go with that move) I would set up first as intimidate makes your Gyarados even more bulkier in defense and the special defense is already bulky enough so you would be able to take a hit or go with iron head to take out those pesky fairies :)

Answer 5

Simply put it, Gyarados has meh defenses. The ability Intimidate, though, that is where you can make this set fun!

Gyarados @ Rocky Helmet / Chesto Berry / Leftovers
EVs: 126 HP / 130 Atk / 252 Def
Ability: Intimidate
Impish Nature
- Rest
- Thunder Wave / Toxic
- Taunt
- Waterfall / Ice Fang / Crunch / Bounce

Rest: Recovery.
Thunder Wave/Toxic: These a like the only status moves it gets.
Taunt: People need their taunters, plus it will shut down Will-O-Wisp.
Waterfall: Nice, reliable STAB/Ice fang: For Dragons/Crunch: If you want to run the same set but mega/Bounce?
If you decide Bounce then don't use Thunder Wave.
I know this is a bad set but its just a funny thing I wanted to try.

Answer 6

For Gen 7+

Gyarados @ Power Herb / Flyinium Z
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Naive Naive
- Aqua Tail / Waterfall
- Ice Fang
- Earthquake
- Bounce

Waterfall has a chance to cause flinching, while Aqua Tail has a slightly greater power, so the choice is yours. :D Ice Fang and Earthquake widely covers a lot of types, and finally, after 21 years since Gyarados exists, finally can learn Flying STAB moves! But if you're still impatitent with the execute of Bounce, you can speed up the process with the Power Herb or turn it into Supersonic Skystrike with Flyinium Z.

Answer 7

Hacked Stats Sweeper

Gyarados @ Gyaradosite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 80 SpA / 172 Spe
Brave Nature
- Waterfall
- Brutal Swing / Crunch
- Hurricane / Earthquake
- Dragon Dance

Hurricane/Earthquake (hurricane is coverage against 3 weakness and is its only special move. earthquake takes advantage of mold breaker and is a great deal to Rotom ((rotom wash is extremely used)), but if you go earthquake, use 4HP, 252 ATK, 252 SPD, adamant nature).

Dragon Dance is a must. Makes gyarados able to sweep everything with waterfall and makes it able to flinch too. Waterfall because I know it's slow, but it should still be able to deal a high damage and after a dragon dance, it gets pretty fast, making it more likely to flinch. Brutal Swing for doubles, crunch for singles (I'm using Brutal Swing is singles but just because I like this move) .

Comments

PX i don't exacly know where did you edicted it but i think it got fine. thanks

Answer 8

Gyarados (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 6 Def / 250 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Dragon Dance
- Surf / Stone Edge
- Substitute
__
Substitute will make it so that Gyarados cannot take damage for one turn, and that would be a good time to pull off a Dragon Dance, raising speed and attack, then, the Life Orb would boost attack even more. Keep doing this until the Substitute is down. When you are fighting an Electric type like Raichu, pull off a Substitute and Dragon Dance still. While you are still boosted in speed and attack use earthquake. Surf / Stone Edge is just a backup if Earthquake can't do enough damage. If you faint a Pokémon while you have boosted attack, Moxie will boost your attack even more and with Adamant nature the attack will be even higher and with EVs of attack that high you can sweep the opposing team.

Answer 9

Gyarados @ Normalium Z
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 128 HP / 252 Atk / 128 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Splash
- Earthquake
- Aqua Tail
- Crunch

• Splash: Z-Power, then Z-Splash. Raises Atk by 3.
• Earthquake: Do I need to explain?
• Aqua Tail: STAB
• Crunch: Chance to lower opponent's Def by 1.

(I've seen a lot of DD Moxie movesets, but then I remembered Z-Splash. It may not raise it's Spe, but the point of this guy is simply brute force. The reason I put the stats & nature the way the are, is so Gyarados could take a hit so it can get the Z-Splash in on the first turn in, while still attempting to be fast enough to not get hit and act more as a Fast Physical Sweeper. Feedback is appreciated.)

Comments

This is a nice idea, but it's doing too much at once. Sweepers need to be either fast or extremely sustainable to function; this has a little bit of both, but not enough of either.

Answer 10

gyarados
role: physical attacker

Gyarados @ Gyaradosite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Waterfall
- Bounce
- Iron Tail
- Earthquake

moves:
waterfall- physical attack + STAB
bounce- for grass type and pesky bug type (when mega evolved) + Physical attack
iron tail- for rock type ang fairy type (when mega evolved) + Physical attack
earthquake- covers a lot of type especially electric type and rock type + physical attack

use caution on
1. ferrothorn
2. galvantula
3. zapdos
4. genesect
5. tapu fini- (mega gyarados)

once you changed the moveset above this text, some of the Pokemons listed above might get covered, but if you do that there will be more than 5 Pokemons listed there after so, I recommend
you to use it with a team. I actually use it with charizard and metagross

Answer 11

Gyarados @ Leftovers / Mystic Water
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Ice Fang
- Earthquake

Explaination
Dragon Dance boost its all attack as they are all physical. Waterfall does flinching. Ice Fang and Earthquake Are coverage for All Weakness (Electric , Rock, Grass)

Note : You can use Gyaradosite if you have it in gen 6 or above.
THANK YOU

Comments

Why Mild nature (+Special Attack -Defense) if you have no Special attacks? Mystic water is a mediocre item in competitive, and if trying to sweep you should change the ability to Moxie

---

Leaftover? Well I get that because Gyarados has like no flying type moves but Grass isn't one of it's weaknesses, a MILD NATURE? that's a no-no, change it to Adamant or something!

Answer 12

National Dex OU

Gyarados @ Gyaradosite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Crunch
- Earthquake
- Dragon Dance
- Taunt / Waterfall / Ice Fang / Substitute

Crunch is STAB. Earthquake is coverage that goes well with Crunch and hits electric and steel types super effectively. Dragon Dance is to boost your attack and speed. Taunt is to stop other setup sweepers from setting up, such as Shift Gear + Calm Mind Magearna and Quiver Dance Volcarona. Taunt also stops Pokemon like Toxapex and Blissey from using status moves like Toxic, Haze, Softboiled, Recover, etc. Waterfall can be used for Water STAB and has a 20% flinch chance. Ice Fang can be used to hits grass and dragon types super-effectively. Substitute is another option to scout moves of opposing Pokemon.

Answer 13

This is for gen 1 OU Rage (Gyarados)

                             Moveset

Fire Blast
Hydro Pump
Blizzard
Thunder
The moveset is just the double edged sword of gen 1 I mean ..... The set speaks for itself

Comments

You are missing natures, Evs, Abilities, and items

---

None of those exist in Gen 1, except EVs -- but those can always be maxed out, so they don't need to be specified.

Answer 14

Gen VIII gyarados:

Gyarados @ Shell Bell
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Bounce
- Ice Fang
- Crunch / Earthquake

• Waterfall ( why gyarados can't learn liquidation ???)
• Bounce ( STAB)
• Ice Fang ( Coverage)
• Crunch / Earthquake ( both are strong, coverage )

Comments

I feel there is a better item than Shell Bell for this set...

---

I'd say you should choose leftovers over shell bell. Leftovers will heal your pokemon after every turn unless your opponent uses Heal Block. You have to deal damage to your opponent in order for the shell bell to heal your pokemon. Though all of your moves are attacking moves, you would not be able to heal if you happened to miss or if your pokemon is affected by a status condition that prevented it from attacking. In conclusion, Shell Bell < Leftovers.

Answer 15

Dancer Gyarados
Ability: Intimidate -----------> Mold Breaker (Mega)
EVs: 252 Attack 252 Speed 4 Sp Defense
Item Gyaradosite
Nature: Jolly (+Speed -Sp Attack)

Moveset-
Dragon Dance -For Boost
Waterfall/ Aqua Tail -Stab+Flinch/ Stab
Ice Fang -Coverage to Dragon, Flying, Grass, Ground(Water can also deal Ground)
Earthquake -MOST IMPORTANT! Electric type coverage

You can also us Moxie Gyarados. But I use Intimidate as it reduces opponent's Attack giving it chance to survive Physical attackers. I chose Mega because it has Mold Breaker ability which neutralizes Electric types with Levitate ability like Eelektross and Rotom.

Answer 16

National Dex UU Dragon Dance

Gyarados @ Gyaradosite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Crunch
- Power Whip

A Dragon Dance Mega Gyarados set for Gen 9 NatDex UU. Dragon Dance is used to raise your Attack and Speed, allowing you to become a scary threat even though it already is one appearance wise . Waterfall is used as a powerful Water STAB with a chance to flinch opposing Pokemon. Crunch is used for Dark STAB. Power Whip is used as a technique to defeat Dondozo, as Mega Gyarados' Ability Mold Breaker allows you to ignore Dondozo's Unaware. Water + Dark + Grass coverage is rather scary at a +1 attack and speed boost. Gyarados' Ability is Intimidate prior to Mega Evolving to help you setup Dragon Dance.

Answer 17

Rest Gyarados

Gyarados @ Chesto Berry
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe or 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Dragon Dance
- Rest

Set up Dragon dance then begin the sweep; moxie helps maintain the sweep whilst rest gets rids of status conditions and heals your gyarados.

Answer 18

Gen 9 Monotype Dragon Dance (Flying)

Gyarados @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Substitute / Taunt
- Waterfall
- Earthquake

This is the Dragon Dance set Gyarados uses on Flying teams in Gen 9 Monotype. Dragon Dance boosts Gyarados' Attack and Speed to make it a scary sweeper. Substitute allows Gyarados dodge status moves such as Toxic and Thunder Wave, while Taunt cripples defensive Pokemon such as Clodsire and Toxapex, allowing Gyarados to setup vs them without them crippling its ability to sweep. Waterfall is used as Gyarados' Water STAB that has a chance to flinch opposing Pokemon. Earthquake is useful coverage alongside Waterfall, as Earthquake hits Pokemon such as Toxapex, Clodsire, Iron Hands, Kingambit, and Dragalge super effectively. Initimidate is used as the Ability to grant Gyarados more opportunities to setup Dragon Dance. Leftovers is used to give Gyarados passive HP recovery.

Answer 19

Gen 9 Monotype Choice Scarf (Flying)

Gyarados @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate / Moxie
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Thunder Wave
- Iron Head / Crunch

This is the Choice Scarf set that Gyarados uses on Flying teams in Gen 9 Monotype. Waterfall is used as Gyarados ' Water STAB that has a chance to flinch opposing Pokemon. Earthquake provides coverage against Pokemon such as Toxapex, Gholdengo, Clodsire, Kingambit, and Iron Hands. Thunder Wave is used to slow down opposing Pokemon. Iron Head provides coverage against Chien-Pao and Fairy-types in general. Crunch provides coverage against Ghost- and Psychic-types such as Brambleghast, Hisuian Zoroark, Indeedee, and Slowbro. Intimidate is the usual Ability used on this set to force switches, though Moxie is fine if you prefer to have Gyarados have potential to snowball through opposing teams.

You're probably thinking that I should replace Thunder Wave with another move since this is a Choice Scarf set, but Scarf Thunder Wave is useful and is actually a thing in the current Monotype meta for a couple reasons. 1.) Flying teams as of now aren't as fast as they were in Gen 8 Monotype, so Flying teams appreciate the utility of Thunder Wave slowing down opposing Pokemon. 2.) Thunder Wave slowing down opposing Pokemon allows Gyarados to slow down Choice Scarf users who would otherwise outspeed Choice Scarf Gyarados.

Answer 20

Gen 9 Monotype Defensive (Flying)

Gyarados (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 HP / 180 Def / 60 SpD / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Taunt
- Thunder Wave
- Dragon Tail
- Waterfall

This is the defensive set Gyarados uses on Flying teams in Gen 9 Monotype. This set utilizes Gyarados' Water/Flying typing, utility moves, Ability Intimidate, and 95/79/100 bulk to pull off a defensive set. Taunt allows Gyarados stops defensive Pokemon from using moves such as Toxic, Stealth Rock, Recover, Spikes, as well as stopping slow setup sweepers such as Azumarill from using Belly Drum. Thunder Wave allows Gyarados to spread yellow magic to slow down faster Pokemon, which can be useful for the teammates who aren't that fast. Dragon Tail allows Gyarados to force out opposing Pokemon, which can be useful against setup sweepers that aren't Fairy-types. Waterfall is used for Gyarados' consistent (physical) STAB move that can flinch opposing Pokemon. Leftovers is used for the item to give Gyarados some HP recovery.

252 HP EVs are used for bulk. 16 Speed EVs allow Gyarados to outspeed Azumarill so it can cripple it with Taunt and Thunder Wave. The 60 SpD EVs along with the 252 HP EVs allow Gyarados to avoid a 2HKO from a Choice Specs Protean Ice Beam Greninja. The rest of the EVs are used in defense along with Impish Nature so it can switch into physical attacks more easily.