You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here
Magikarp and Gyarados are high-recognizable Pokemon and are some of the best physical attackers in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Because of this, Gyarados often pairs well with special attackers that can blast through a Pokemon’s special defense. This guide will highlight suitable Natures for Magikarp and, more importantly, its evolved form Gyarados to make the most out of its stats.
Best nature for Magikarp and Gyarados
Magikarp’s Nature does not directly matter since it’s rather likely that it will be swap-trained or be given an EXP Share to evolve into Gyarados. However, Pokemon retain their Nature through evolutions, so it is important to search for a good Nature on a Magikarp, especially if you plan on breeding for one. With Gyarados being a physical sweeper, it’s important to focus on the Natures that bolster this role the best, mainly those that boost Attack and Speed, or Defensives if one wishes to consider pursuing a tank Gyarados. That also leads to its Special Attack being somewhat irrelevant, making it the obvious minus. With that in consideration, the best natures for Magikarp/Gyarados would be Adamant, Impish, or Jolly.
| Nature | Increased stat | Decreased stat | Liked favour | Disliked favour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adamant | Attack | Special Attack | Spicy | Dry |
| Jolly | Speed | Special Attack | Sweet | Dry |
| Impish | Defense | Special Attack | Sour | Dry |
Physical Sweeper – Adamant or Jolly nature
These two Natures will decrease Special Attack, a moot stat on physical sweepers, while bolstering Attack and Speed, respectively. An Adamant Nature will boost Attack, making an already hard-hitting physical attacker hit even harder. Jolly will increase Gyarados’ mediocre Speed, allowing for Gyarados to catch up to and potentially beat out its competition. These stats can be very impactful, depending on your preference for powerful attacks or a playstyle oriented toward outspeeding your competition.
Defensive Tank – Impish nature
With Gyarados having Intimidate, one of the most useful abilities in Pokemon, Gyarados can even take on a tanking role. With a good spread of tankiness and speed, it can take Impish as its Nature, allowing it to reach very reasonable bulk, especially against physical attackers with the aid of Intimidate. While it does lack sustain, this can be potentially mitigated with the usage of Rest or healers in your party.
Base stats for Magikarp and Gyarados
| IV Stat | Magikarp | Gyarados |
|---|---|---|
| HP | 20 | 95 |
| Atk | 10 | 125 |
| Def | 55 | 79 |
| Sp.Atk | 15 | 60 |
| Sp.Def | 20 | 100 |
| Speed | 80 | 81 |
Gyarados can be a potent pick in competitive battles with its respectable Attack stat and access to Dragon Dance and Moxie. Picking the Adamant nature and Jolly nature can easily allow Gyarados to become a challenging obstacle for the opponent as it clears the other team. However, a defensively-focused Gyarados is also a viable option, taking advantage of Gyarados’ Intimidate to put up a formidable wall that opponents will struggle to get over.
If your Gyarados is strong enough, it can help you defeat the Elite Four in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. And if you want your Gyarados to be powerful, consider learning how to get vitamins in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. You can also increase your friendship to get special bonuses during battle.
About the Author
