Poll: Magikarp

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ChillzMaster

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Mar 23, 2011
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I've been playing Pokemon for quite some time now, developed a good strategy for building teams, and while I'm not as deep into the game competitively as other players, I do have a few traits I usually follow when making teams. When I grew a brain at age 12 I booted up Pearl and actually put together a team instead of just random Pocket Monsters, I started making one of the traits all of my following games would have.

It was 2006 and I was ready to experiment with this new generation of Pokemon, even if that meant using some Poke's from G's 1-3 untouched by The ChillzMaster. One of these Pokemon I decided to experiment with was the utterly useless Magikarp. I knew it evolved into the mighty Gyarados, but I had no idea what the move list of this mighty water Pokemon was. I lost my starter Chimchar in a complicated state of affairs, and then got my favorite Pokemon evolutionary line of all time, Charmander, in an even more complicated state of affairs. I figured, with Charizard, anything was possible.

So I began. It was hard, I had to do the "First in, Switch out, KO, cash-in" tactic for QUITE a long time. It was long, it was arduous. After level 15 and no Gyarados in sight, I considered just getting rid of the experiment. Magikarp has the most XP required to level for any Pokemon (I'm pretty sure, if not it's really high) but I was determined! I HAD to get that Gyarados! Eventually, I hit level 20 (I had no idea what level it would evolve at, decided to keep it a secret for myself) and I got Gyarados. Sure, it started out with just Tackle, Bite, and Splash, but the devastating moves it later learned, combined with the wide range of powerful TMs you can outfit it with (Hyper Beam, Fire Blast, Hydro Pump, THUNDERBOLT, Earthquake) made my experience with the Pokemon a blast.

Ever since then, I've always used a Gyarados in my team. It's such a powerhouse, and I've even taken to putting it up against Electric-type Trainers and Leaders for the extra challenge. It's about 50-50 with the success rate. 8^D

It was even in my recent local championship-winning tournament team (Charizard, Gyarados, Alakazam, Gengar, Flygon, Pidgeot)

So, can anyone else relate to a story such as this? Has anyone else used the mighty power of the Gyarados to their advantage, despite the huge 4x multiplier from Electric-types?
 

King of the Sandbox

& His Royal +4 Bucket of Doom
Jan 22, 2010
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inb4 Garyados, Dragonite, Charizard comics, Magikarp "I'll kill you all" t-shirts, etc.

Also, I love magikarp. Karp karp, magikarp!
 

Fiz_The_Toaster

books, Books, BOOKS
Legacy
Jan 19, 2011
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Once I got over the whole, 'this Pokemon is bloody useless' and saw how awesome it will be, I quickly told myself to shut up and get Gyarados. Ever since then I use him when I get the chance, yeah he's a pain in the ass to level up and evolve, but it's soooo worth it.
 

AzureRaven

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Jul 21, 2011
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Magikarp itself can be used competitively with Flail and some baton-passing.

As for Gyarados, it's an incredible force that's actually very commonly used. I love it personally. Dragon Dance with EVs in pure attack, some speed, and a little HP for bulk. With Intimidate and high Sp. Def, it's VERY tough to OHKO without electricity, and once it's fast enough it can typically counter with EQ. Then there's the trusty Waterfall, it's STAB move of choice. It's all around a great choice for a team. Ever since the switch to physical/special being separated from types, Gyarados has become a pure monster.

/end pokerant
 

Phantomess

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Sep 19, 2009
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Can't say that I'm particularly fond of either. I did have a powerhouse Typhlosion, but insofar as water-types go, I'm more fond of Blastoise and Empoleon.
 

Phlakes

Elite Member
Mar 25, 2010
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He just wants to be loved. [http://phlakes.deviantart.com/#/d42018m]

I've never had the patience to evolve a Magikarp since the first time I wen through Red, and that was a LOOOOOOONG time ago. Maybe next time.
 

Rabish Bini

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Jun 11, 2011
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Good rod. Magikarp caught at lvl 20. Train one level and BAM! you're unstoppable.

Honestly, the 2nd gen were far too easy because of how simple it is to get a gyarados fairly early on.
 

SammiYin

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Mar 15, 2010
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I fucking love Magikarp, he's the ultimate underdog Pokemon, at Pokeschool he would be bullied by all the other Pokemon because he's so useless, but he'd sit there and bide his time.

Then one day...When Diglett is being a particular dick to him, BANG! Magikarp snaps and out comes Gyarados, and the whole world explodes from awesome.

Then they made a Magikarp clone in 4th gen, which was also a useless fish that evolves into uber dragon. :(
 

FaceFaceFace

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Nov 18, 2009
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Gyarados's 4x weakness to Electricity has just always put me off. I'm too good at defeating them when they inevitably appear in Champion's parties to consider using them myself. Plus, my Water slot is almost always filled by Slowbro or Slowking. Gotta love the Slow family.