Gyarados (Mega) is weak to the following types: x1 Electric, x1 Grass, x1 Fighting, x1 Bug, x1 Fairy.
Generally speaking, the best counters for it are:Zekrom, Conkeldurr and Lucario.
Gyarados (Mega) can be beaten by 3 players in optimal weather, with max friendship and perfect level 40 counters or by 5 unfriended players using level 20 counters from this guide. When caught, Gyarados (Mega) will be between 1855 and 1937 cp without a weather boost. In Rainy weather, Gyarados (Mega) will be between 2319 and 2422 when caught.
Raid Meta – Waterfall / Hydro Pump
Raid Meta – Dragon Breath / Outrage
Raid Meta – Bite / Crunch
There are a couple classes of unique pokemon that are more difficult to use than others, they have been filtered out here to not clog up the counters too much. These pokemon are much more resource expensive than other options.
• Shadow Machamp– Great in General simulations.
• Shadow Raikou– Best in General simulations.
• Shadow Hariyama– Great in General simulations.
• Mega Venusaur– Great in General simulations.
• Shadow Zapdos– Great in General simulations.
• Shadow Magnezone– Great in General simulations. Less relavant Shadow and Mega Pokemon:Shadow Tangrowth, Shadow Electivire, Shadow Torterra, Shadow Venusaur, Shadow Gardevoir, Shadow Exeggutor, Shadow Victreebel, Shadow Manectric, Mega Lopunny, Shadow Shiftry, Mega Ampharos, Mega Beedrill, Shadow Granbull, Shadow Tangela, Shadow Pinsir, Shadow Scizor, Shadow Vileplume, Shadow Arcanine, Shadow Poliwrath, Shadow Gallade, Shadow Ursaring, Shadow Manectric
Sorted Hardest to Easiest.Tackle and Zen Headbutt both have about average DPS and EPS for the boss, But Zen Headbutt is super effective against Poison Type counters, while Steel resists both.
Twister:
• Fairy-Types are hit for 🛡️🛡️ Resistance
Crunch:
Hydro Pump:
• Grass-Types are hit for 🛡️ Resistance
Outrage:
• Fairy-Types are hit for 🛡️🛡️ Resistance
For more high density information, here is a heatmap of how counters perform against Mega Gyarados on average, as their levels increase. As well as the suggested level of your pokemon to beat the boss with a number of players.
If you want to duo Mega Gyarados, you will need weather boost on your side, as well as friendship bonus and shadow pokemon.
Here is a list of Pokemon that can perform similar or better than the typical #1 option with weather bonuses:
Riolu is an egg exclusive pokemon sadly, one of the absolute rarest and highly desired ones in fact. It was added October 2018th. It isn’t easy to power up and has a walking distance of 10k. There are increased chances of finding one in a 7k Alolan egg instead of normal 10ks. You also have better chances if you get difficult Adventure Sync eggs. if you collect your weekly adventure sync reward and have earned the 50k distance, AND have an available egg slot, you will get an egg with a skewed hatch pool. With Level 35 Lucario you need 4 players.
Best Estimator VS: Waterfall / Hydro Pump
Best Ranking VS: Waterfall / Outrage
Type Interactions: • 1× Resists:
Dragon,
Dark
Breloom evolves from the very common Shroomish and has higher pure DPS than Machamp or Makuhita. It is quite frail though. With Level 35 Breloom you need 4 players.
Alternative Charge Moves: Seed Bomb, Dynamic Punch
Best Estimator VS: Waterfall / Outrage
Best Ranking VS: Waterfall / Hydro Pump
Type Interactions: • 1× Resists:
Water,
Dark
Raikou was available during its Raid Day, so its actually very likely you are holding onto one right now. That said, it is a legendary pokemon, which are expensive to get candy for. its a top tier Electric-Type, and a decent Ghost-Type! With Level 35 Raikou you need 4 players.
Alternative Fast Moves: Volt Switch
Alternative Charge Moves: Thunderbolt
Best Estimator VS: Waterfall / Outrage
Best Ranking VS: Waterfall / Hydro Pump
Type Interactions:
Machamp stands as the pokemon with the longest cumulative duration it has spent as a raid boss, being one of the very first AND most frequently returning. If you’ve been playing long enough to participate in Tier 3 raids its likely you have a Machamp or a dozen. They also have been an incredibly useful Fighting Type since the game’s inception.
It is likely soon going to be outclassed as a Fighting-Type by many Gen 5 Pokemon (assuming they get good moves). With Level 35 Machamp you need 4 players.
Alternative Fast Moves: Karate Chop
Best Estimator VS: Dragon Breath / Outrage
Best Ranking VS: Dragon Breath / Hydro Pump
Type Interactions: • 1× Resists:
Dark
Magnezone evolves from the Magnemite family, which is a nesting species that has been in raids in the past. It requires Magneton evolving into Magnezone underneath a Magnetic Lure Modules however- which can be purchased from the shop for 200 coins. These Lure Modules also have a chance to spawn Magnemite if you can’t find any around. With Level 35 Magnezone you need 4 players.
Alternative Fast Moves: Charge Beam
Best Estimator VS: Waterfall / Hydro Pump
Best Ranking VS: Waterfall / Outrage
Type Interactions: • 1× Resists:
Dragon
Roserade evolves from Roselia, a very accessible pokemon in the most common biomes. Roserade requires a Sinnoh Stone to evolve, which can be acquired (at random) after your first Trainer Battle each day. Roselia candy shouldn’t be too tough to get and they can often be found weather boosted during the common Sunny and Cloudy weathers. With Level 35 Roserade you need 4 players.
Alternative Charge Moves: Solar Beam, Leaf Storm
Best Estimator VS: Dragon Breath / Crunch
Best Ranking VS: Waterfall / Hydro Pump
Type Interactions: • 1× Resists:
Water
Sceptile’s community day was in March (2019). With Level 35 Sceptile you need 4 players.
Alternative Fast Moves: Bullet Seed
Alternative Charge Moves: Leaf Blade
Best Estimator VS: Dragon Breath / Crunch
Best Ranking VS: Waterfall / Hydro Pump
Type Interactions: • 1× Resists:
Water
Togekiss is the absolute bane of Fighting-Types, with stunning tankiness to boot. They compete with Gardevoir atop the Fairy Pokemon chart since receiving Charm as a Fast Attack! While Togekiss is excellent as a Raid Attacker and (even more so) a Gym Defender, its extremely expensive. Togetics are a white whale spawn, and Togepi are a random baby hatch from eggs. Then, even if you amass the 123 candy you need to evolve it- you must have a Sinnoh Stone. Which can only be acquired at Random from either Trainer Battles or Field Research Breakthroughs.
Togekiss is an ordeal to obtain for sure. But its formidable defensive utility is no joke. With Level 35 Togekiss you need 4 players.
Best Estimator VS: Dragon Breath / Hydro Pump
Best Ranking VS: Dragon Breath / Outrage
Type Interactions: • 2× Resists:
Dragon • 1× Resists:
Dark
Ralts nest, and were featured in Aug-2019’s community day. They are a decently accessible spawn in cloudy weather and also hatch from 10k eggs. In addition Kirlia is no stranger to 2 star raids.They do not however nest. With Level 35 Gardevoir you need 4 players.
Alternative Fast Moves: Charge Beam
Best Estimator VS: Waterfall / Hydro Pump
Best Ranking VS: Waterfall / Outrage
Type Interactions: • 2× Resists:
Dragon
Electabuzz is available from “Use a Super Effective Charged attack in 7 Gym battles” quests, and does nest, but hasn’t been featured much in events. You also need a Sinnoh Stone to evolve, which can be acquired at random from trainer battles. With Level 35 Electivire you need 4 players.
Alternative Fast Moves: Low Kick
Best Estimator VS: Waterfall / Hydro Pump
Best Ranking VS: Dragon Breath / Hydro Pump
Type Interactions:
Zapdos is a legendary Pokemon so not that easy to acquire, but has been featured as a 7 Day Field Research reward, and has gotten a Legendary Raid Day as well. Thunder Shock however is legacy, from July 2018. With Level 35 Zapdos you need 4 players.
Alternative Fast Moves: Charge Beam
Best Estimator VS: Dragon Breath / Outrage
Best Ranking VS: Bite / Crunch
Type Interactions:
Alternative Fast Moves: Infestation
Alternative Charge Moves: Solar Beam
Best Estimator VS: Waterfall / Outrage
Best Ranking VS: Waterfall / Hydro Pump
Type Interactions: • 1× Resists:
Water
Turtwig community day was September 2019. You can’t get Frenzy Plant Torterra outside of that event. Turtwigs are decently common Pokemon, and you can also acquire one from the “Jump Start” Special Research, Part 4/6. With Level 35 Torterra you need 4 players.
Alternative Charge Moves: Solar Beam
Best Estimator VS: Waterfall / Outrage
Best Ranking VS: Waterfall / Hydro Pump
Type Interactions:
Hariyama is cheaper to evolve up than Machamp, requiring less candy and a more common pokemon (with nearly identical practical performance) With Level 35 Hariyama you need 4 players.
Alternative Charge Moves: Super Power
Best Estimator VS: Bite / Outrage
Best Ranking VS: Waterfall / Crunch
Type Interactions: • 1× Resists:
Dark
Luxray evolves from Shinx, which is a raid exclusive Pokemon; and always acquired at level 20 (or 25 if caught during rain). This makes it quite the pain to evolve. Even if you pinap every Shinx, it will still take 17 raids just to get enough base candy to Evolve it. Shinx raids have become a staple however and are pretty reliably around, and are Tier 1 raids that anyone can do. Shinx as a Buddy finds a candy every 5km, which is better than legendary Pokemon but still not great. With Level 35 Luxray you need 4 players.
Alternative Fast Moves: Hidden Power Electric
Best Estimator VS: Waterfall / Outrage
Best Ranking VS: Bite / Hydro Pump
Type Interactions:
Heracross is a Regional Exclusive pokemon limited to Central and South America. its arguably the most useful Regional, having been among the best Fighting Types (and soon to be obliterated down the rankings once the incredible gen 5 Fighting-Type pokemon get released). You can get them in 5K eggs acquired within its spawn region as well. With Level 35 Heracross you need 4 players.
Alternative Charge Moves: Close Combat
Best Estimator VS: Waterfall / Hydro Pump
Best Ranking VS: Waterfall / Crunch
Type Interactions: • 1× Resists:
Dark
Venusaur’s community day was back in March (…2018), which is quite awhile ago at this point. It also returned in December 2018 for the end of the year community day event. With Level 35 Venusaur you need 4 players.
Alternative Fast Moves: Razor Leaf
Best Estimator VS: Bite / Hydro Pump
Best Ranking VS: Waterfall / Hydro Pump
Type Interactions: • 1× Resists:
Water
Genesect was first only available from a paid special research event. It was briefly in EX Raids, and has had only brief availability in raids. Genesect has Scizor’s fantastic typing, leaving it only weak to Fire-but doubly weak. With Level 35 Genesect you need 4 players.
Best Estimator VS: Waterfall / Hydro Pump
Best Ranking VS: Waterfall / Outrage
Type Interactions: • 1× Resists:
Dragon
Leafeon evolves from Eevee, which is a nesting species, who has also been featured in community day, AND in many many events. Eevee is also just a decently common Pokemon in general, with even increased spawns in Partly Cloudy weather which is fairly common. If all else fails, you can acquire a shiny Eevee from the “Jump Start” Special Research quest part 4/6. Eevee is also a quest reward for the “Evolve a Pokemon” Field Research quests. “A Ripple in Time” Special Research also rewards a normal Eevee in both part 3 and part 4. After acquiring enough Eevee candy, Leafeon can be acquired in one of two ways: Either, you get a Mossy Lure Module and evolve Eevee while within its boundaries, or you use a ONE TIME USE naming trick, naming your Eevee “Linnea” prior to evolving. Leafeon do not spawn in the wild ever. With Level 35 Leafeon you need 4 players.
Alternative Charge Moves: Solar Beam
Best Estimator VS: Bite / Outrage
Best Ranking VS: Waterfall / Hydro Pump
Type Interactions: • 1× Resists:
Water
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