Gyarados weaknesses, resistances & strengths explained in Pokemon

Niladri Sarkar
pokemon scarlet and violet species gyarados

Gyarados is one of the most iconic Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet and having one on your team can be an asset. So, here’s all about its weaknesses, resistances, strengths, and more.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet may have introduced several new species, but one classic Pokemon is still a fan-favorite, the Water/Flying-type Gyarados.

We have you covered as here’s everything you need to know about the weaknesses, strengths, resistances, and best moveset for Gyarados to win plenty of Pokemon battles.

All Gyarados weaknesses explained in Pokemon

Gyarados is only weak to Electric and Rock-type attacks in Pokemon.

That said, it is 4x weak to Electric-type moves. You can Terastallize Gyarados to Ground Tera Type to remove this severe weakness, especially if trying to sweep the battle.

If you’re up against something like Raging Bolt that has the deadly Priority Electric-type move, Thunderclap, and you’ve reserved the Tera spot for another Pokemon, it’s best to switch out Gyarados.

All Gyarados resistances explained in Pokemon

Gyarados resists Bug, Fighting, Fire, Steel, and Water-type moves and is immune to Ground-type moves in Pokemon.

With Ground-type moves being pretty common in battles, Gyarados can be brought onto the battlefield to take zero damage from a Pokemon using a powerful move like Earthquake and use the free turn to boost its Attack and Speed with Dragon Dance.

Also, Gyarados’ STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) attacks can eliminate Ground-type Pokemon and start rampaging, helping you get several wins with ease.

Gyarados strengths explained in Pokemon

Gyarados deals super-effective damage to Bug, Fighting, Fire, Grass, Ground, and Rock-type Pokemon with its STAB moves.

But Gyarados’ true USP is its two abilities, Intimidate and Moxie. Intimidate is a bane for opposing Physical attackers as it reduces their offensive potential, while Moxie gives Gyarados a free Attack boost each time it knocks out a Pokemon.

pokemon scarlet and violet dlc gyarados pokedex image
Gyarados works like a non-Dragon version of Salamence.

Having used Gyarados in countless battles, Intimidate is a better choice, as it can send even the fiercest opponents off-guard, giving this Gen 1 species a perfect opportunity to set up boosting moves and sweep.

Gyarados is also a popular pick against Dragon-types, thanks to Intimidate and not being weak to their attacks.

Best Gyarados moves in Pokemon

The best Gyarados moves in Pokemon are Dragon Dance, Waterfall, Earthquake, and Taunt.

  • Dragon Dance boosts Gyarados’ Attack and Speed by 50%, turning it into a wrecking ball capable of taking out even the biggest threats.
  • Waterfall gains STAB and dishes out a neat 80 damage while also having a 20% chance to make the target flinch.
  • Earthquake is the perfect coverage move for most Pokemon and Gyarados is no different, helping it get rid of its weakness to Electric and Rock-types, as well as the ever-rampant Steel-types.
  • Taunt can halt the sweeping plans of opponents by preventing them from boosting their stats, giving Gyarados a free turn to either attack or use Dragon Dance.

Other good Gyarados moves are Outrage, Crunch, Bounce, and Ice Fang.

That’s all you need to know about using Gyarados like a pro in Pokemon. For more content like this, be sure to check out the following:

Roaring Moon weaknesses, resistances & strengths explained | Kingambit weaknesses, resistances & strengths explained in Pokemon | Baxcalibur weaknesses, resistances & strengths explained in Pokemon | All Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Shiny Sandwich recipes | How to connect Pokemon Scarlet & Violet to Pokemon Home | Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Mystery Gift codes for free items

About The Author

Niladri is a Writer who specializes in Pokemon Go, Scarlet and Violet, and competitive VGC battles. With more than seven years of experience in copywriting and SEO content writing, Niladri has previously written for Pokémon GO Hub and Smogon. He has been covering Pokemon for CharlieIntel since June 2023. Niladri can be contacted at [email protected].