Pokemon Scarlet and Violet: How to get Magikarp and Gyarados

With its new gain in momentum, players might wonder how to get Magikarp and Gyarados in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. The brand new region of Paldea is a massive open world that's just waiting to be explored. As such, there are both old and new Pokemon to encounter. These include fan favorites like Lucario, Primeape, Salamence, and the highly divisive Magikarp. The borderline-flimsy, poker-faced red carp has been a part of Game Freak's monster-taming series since the start.

This article will provide a guide for players to find and catch Magikarp at the various spawn points across Paldea. Furthermore, it will also take a look at where to find its famed evolution Gyarados, and how to evolve Magikarp into the blue dragon-like beast.

Where to find Magikarp and Gyarados in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet?

Since Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is a seamless open-world game, various monsters can be found scurrying around in their respective habitats. Since Magikarp and Gyarados are both Water-type monsters, they are normally found in water bodies like the sea surrounding the Paldea region.

Stats for Magikarp in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

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Overview:

Type: Water
Ability: Swift Swim (Increases Speed stat in rain by double the amount), Rattled (Hidden) (Increases Speed stat by one stage when Intimidated or hit by moves that are Bug, Ghost, or or Dark-type)

Stats:

HP: 20
Attack: 10
Defense: 55
Special Attack: 15
Special Defense: 20
Speed: 80
Total: 200

Magikarp can be found in lakes, rivers, and oceans in the following locations of Paldea:

North Province (Area Three)
East Province (Area One)
East Province (Area Two)
East Province (Area Three)
West Province (Area One)
West Province (Area Two)
West Province (Area Three)
South Province (Area Four)
South Province (Area Five)
Los Platos
Montenevera
West Paldean Sea
South Paldean Sea)

The easiest way to obtain a Magikarp early on is after heading out from the starting village in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. When reach the Poco Path Lighthouse, take a right instead of heading across the bridge and follow the path down until you reach the beach.

Players can find Magikarp here swimming around in shallow waters. In general, this Pokemon's stats are fairly poor, however, the players usually catch them to evolve into the mighty Gyarados.

Stats for Gyarados in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

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Overview:

Type: Water/Flying
Ability: Intimidate (Lowers opponent's Attack stat by one stage when the Pokemon is out on the field), Moxie (Hidden) (Boosts the user's Attack stat by one stage for every opponent defeated)

Stats:

HP: 95
Attack: 125
Defense: 79
Special Attack: 60
Special Defense: 100
Speed: 81
Total: 540

Magikarp evolves into Gyarados at level 20. Those who do not want to go through the trouble of leveling up a Magikarp may wish to catch a Gyarados directly. They can be found in the mid-deeper sections of the sea surrounding Paldea.

Location:

Check out these locations for potential spawns, but note that players will need to have unlocked the legendary mount to swim across these waters:

North Paldean Sea
East Paldean Sea
West Paldean Sea
South Paldean Sea

Jumping from a paltry 200 total base stats to 540, the difference between the two is night and day. All in all, Gyarados is a powerful Pokemon that is even capable of learning Dragon-type moves. However, its dual Water/Flying type makes it 4x weak to Electric-type moves.

How to evolve Magikarp into Gyarados in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Magikarp benefits from the automatic Exp. Share, which grants it experience even from battles it doesn't participate in. This means it can eventually evolve into Gyarados at level 20. If you're impatient, you can also use Exp. Candies or Rare Candies to speed up the evolution process. By level 15, Magikarp will at least learn Tackle, making it slightly more useful in battle.

FAQs on Magikarp and Gyarados in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Q1) How do I get more Magikarp?

Ans: Magikarps are abundant near beaches and waterways throughout Paldea. Keep exploring the coasts and rivers for maximum chance to encounter Magikarp.

Q2) Why isn't my Magikarp evolving in Pokemon Violet?

Ans: It should evolve at level 20. Double check for any held items like Everstone that block evolution.

Check out our other Pokemon Scarlet and Violet coverage: