Pokemon Go Mega Gyarados Raid guide: Weaknesses, counters & how to beat

Daniel Megarry
Mega Gyarados Pokemon Go

Mega Gyarados is returning to Pokemon Go Mega Raid battles, and we’ve got the best counters to take advantage of its weaknesses and defeat it in no time at all.

The powerful Mega Gyarados made its long-awaited debut as part of the annual Lunar New Year celebrations in February 2021, and now this dual Dark/Water-type creature is making its return to Mega Raids.

Mega Gyarados will return in Pokemon Go Raids from August 4-16, 2023 alongside Cresselia. For those who want to add a powerful Mega, Gyarados is a strong option.

If you’re struggling to take Mega Gyarados down, or just want tips on how to get it defeated as quickly as possible, we’ve put together a list of the best counters you can use below.

Mega Gyarados Pokemon Go
Mega Gyarados is finally coming to Pokemon Go.

Mega Gyarados weaknesses in Pokemon Go

Fortunately, Mega Gyarados is weak to a number of types thanks to its Water/Dark-typing. Trainers should bring Electric, Grass, Fighting, Bug, or Fairy-types into battle to have the best chance of winning.

Gyarados is an iconic Gen 1 creature that first appeared in Pokemon Red and Green on the Game Boy in 1996. It’s always been one of the strongest Pokemon that trainers can have on their team, but its Mega evolution makes it ridiculously powerful.

Players looking to take down Mega Gyarados in Mega Raids will have a difficult battle ahead of them.

Raikou Pokemon Go
Raikou is a great counter for taking down Mega Gyarados.

Best counters for Mega Gyarados

Here’s a look at some of the best counters for Mega Gyarados, thanks to Pokebattler:

Pokemon Fast Move Charged Move
Kartana Razor Leaf Leaf Blade
Keldeo Low Kick Sacred Sword
Terrakion Double Kick Sacred Sword
Lucario Counter Aura Sphere
Conkeldurr Counter Dynamic Punch
Zarude Vine Whip Power Whip
Machamp/Shadow Machamp Counter Dynamic Punch
Shadow Magnezone Spark Wild Charge
Shadow Raikou Thunder Shock Wild Charge
Shadow Zapdos Thunder Shock Thunderbolt

Since Mega Gyarados has a lot of weaknesses. there are a lot of options to choose from.

It’s important to remember that Mega Evolutions can’t be caught, but completing the Mega Raids will help players save up enough Mega Energy to temporarily Mega Evolve their own Gyarados, which will be a powerful asset going forwards.

Mega Gyarados moveset

Mega Gyarados is capable of performing four fast moves and seven charged moves, ranging from Water-type to Dark-type and Dragon-type. These are listed below:

Fast Moves

  • Bite (Dark)
  • Waterfall (Water)
  • Dragon Breath (Dragon)
  • Dragon Tail (Dragon)

Charged Moves

  • Hydro Pump (Water)
  • Outrage (Dragon)
  • Crunch (Dark)
  • Twister (Dragon)
  • Dragon Pulse (Dragon)
  • Aqua Tail (Water)
  • Return (Normal)

Can Mega Gyarados be Shiny?

Yes, Mega Gyarados can be a gorgeous red Shiny in Pokemon Go.

As you can’t catch Mega Pokemon, you’ll need to be lucky enough to find a Shiny Gyarados and then earn enough Mega Energy to Mega Evolve it.


So, there you have it, everything you need to know about taking down Mega Gyarados in Pokemon Go. If you’re looking to become and even stronger trainer, check out these useful guides:

Best attackers and defenders | Pokemon Go type chart | Arlo counters guide | Cliff counters guide | Giovanni counters guide | Sierra counters guide | How to catch Ditto | Field research rewards and tasks | How to get Pinap Berries | How to evolve Galarian Slowpoke into Slowbro & Slowking

About The Author

Daniel graduated from university with a degree in Journalism and English Language, before spending five years at GAY TIMES covering LGBTQ+ news and entertainment. He then made the switch to video game journalism where he produces news, features, and guides for Pokemon, Fortnite, Nintendo, and PlayStation games. Daniel also has a passion for any games with queer representation.