3rd Gen $500 Magikarp?

The 'Official' game guide says not to buy this expensive Pokemon when they are so easy to catch. I just got the new Nintendo Power #184 (FR/LG on the cover) yesterday and it has a begining walk thru for the game. The magazine says:

Patience Pays Big

A shady-looking man in the Pokemon Center near the Mt. Moon entrance will sell you a Magikarp for $500. If you're patient enough to raise the Magikarp to Level 20, the Gyarados it evolves into will be well worth the investment.

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Is there something special about this Magikarp that warrants paying for it and leveling it up to level 20?

Not really, although it does allow you to get a Gyarados before you get the Old Rod. They had this in RBY, it was kind of a red herring. (Pun definately intended) ;-)

Abusoru said:

Is there something special about this Magikarp that warrants paying for it and leveling it up to level 20?

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No, it just costs 500 and you are getting it earlier than if you waited to get to Vermilion City to get the Old Rod. Its just the first water pokemon (evolves into Gyarados at L20) you will run into unless you picked Squirtle as your starter.

Oh, and no, there is nothing perticularly special about this Magikarp. Plus when it evolves it learns bite which can do some Super Effective damage to Misty's Starmie (Half Psychic). Hope this helps :)

Although Gyarados is a strong pokemon both Lance and Gary have them so you should try to find a pokemon to beat a Gyarados rather than getting one yourself.

just like i did in RBY, i bought it and patient enuf to train it...and besides, dragon pokemon are weak against dragon as well....(currently just got out of mt. moon with magikarp at lvl 13....)

Well gyarados is not as good, the good thing is his attack...but it special attack is not that great.

I started with charmander, my water pkmn is Lapras.Is good enough to pound Lance's dragons with ice beam...

If you want a physical sweeper, or just a filler really, to build up your team, then go for it. Gyarados has some of the highest attack power in the game, and could be of use when you face harder opponents. If you want a Gyarados quickly, then yes - do it. If you don't... then don't bother really. ^_^

Yes, a Gyarados may not be able to get STAB with it's moves, due to no Flying moves and low Special Attack, but with Dragon Dance Gyarados is hard to take down. You may think Roar or Haze will take care of that, but Gyarados can also learn Taunt. If Gyarados can Dragon Dance up at least twice, it's usually a case of ggkthx.

I say go for it to get an early water pok?mon if you don't have Squirtle... hey 500$, it's not THAT MUCH... could've more like 3000$ for example! I say it's kinda a bargain, depending on what your goals are...

Oh well, Gyarados is indeed a strong Pokemon, but i rather not choose him on my team anymore.
The reason for this is because I have found many weaknesses on him. Since it is not a fully Dragon pokemon (because it is Water/Flying) it is quite weak against Ice (super effective, damage X2) and Electricity too (hyper effective, Damage X4). So if you make this pokemon battle against both electric, ice or water pokemon (which may have ice moves) is going to go down even before doing any dragon dance.
Personally I prefer Kabutops, which is not hurt by neither electricity nor ice and has few super effective moves that can be done against him and loads of defence.
But of course this pokemon is not available at that point of da game =P

Well I didn't purchase it. I was just wondering if I should go back and get it, if it had a special attack or something. I've already got 5 Badges and caught Articuno, so I don't need to go back for it.

Thanks for the help.

-Looks around- You know how narrow sighted I must of been? I want a magikarp...I have cash to spare...the Elite Four are just going to rip it outta my hands anyways...
-Starts walking off to Pewter City, digging through her purse.-

well i wish i got it but i dont have fly so i cant get it yet + it takes FOREVER to train but this might be because i hate to train.... :laugh:

I heard about a cheat to get mew once ( On R/B ) , the only one i didnt try ( Blue was my Experimental/Trading version. ) It was buy that Magikarp, Give it to the day care man, then take it out at level 49, train it to 50, and it would evolve to mew.

LOL Obvious fake rumour, but it's always amusing to see what people will try to get away with...

I no, its so much fun to find all these rumors.

Gyarados can't learn fly anyway... it learns no flying attack, and all of Gyarado's natural attack besides dragon dance are useless, but dragon dance is well worth it already. Like what Toothy said, 2 dragon dance from Gyarados = "Oh dear, oh dear, oh DEAR! Aerodactyl, save me!"

Or a Pokemon with quick claw using explosion... that got a 24% chance of saving you too.

Don't buy it even though you already haven't bought it.My friend bought it and i think she released it or something.She's sort of a newbie and she doesn't know that splash was suppose to not do anything.She thought her game was broken but we told her that it's suppose to be that way.By the time we told her she's released it.LOL.

It depends on which starter. If you actually had a brain and picked charmander, buy the gyrados. and ampaharos, gary only has a gyrados if you picked bulbasaur or squirtle! ps. if you don't pick charmander as a starter, you are insane.

evilgeniusguy said:

ps. if you don't pick charmander as a starter, you are insane.

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what he said! charmander rocks!(and bc of metal claw brock's easier now; learns metal claw at lv. 13)