Is the 500 Magikarp Worth It? Yes, Here‘s Why:
The infamous Magikarp salesman tries to sell you Magikarp for 500 Pokédollars, far more than it‘s normally worth. While this is no doubt a ripoff for a common weak Pokémon, buying this Magikarp can actually be an incredibly valuable investment due to its eventual evolution into Gyarados.
As a seasoned Pokémon trainer, let me walk you through the reasons why the 500 Magikarp is in fact worth it, especially for players early on in their adventure. I‘ll provide detailed statistics, expert advice, and personal experience to support my verdict. Trust me by the end of this article, you‘ll see exactly why paying for this fish is in your favor!
What is Magikarp? A Weakling…For Now
For those new to the world of Pokémon, here‘s some background. Magikarp is known as the most useless Pokémon in existence. It‘s essentially famous for being worthless! With pathetically low stats across the board and only able to learn the move "Splash," Magikarp can do nothing but flop around. But it‘s what this sad fish evolves into that makes it worth the struggle…
Behold! Gyarados the Dragon Destroyer
Starting at level 20, the weak Magikarp transforms into the mighty Gyarados. This fierce dragon Pokémon boasts high attack and special defense allowing it to annihilate foes. Gyarados leaves Magikarp‘s stats completely in the dust:
| Stat | Magikarp | Gyarados |
|---|---|---|
| HP | 20 | 95 (+375%) |
| Attack | 10 | 125 (+1150%) |
| Defense | 55 | 79 (+44%) |
| Special Attack | 15 | 60 (+300%) |
| Special Defense | 20 | 100 (+400%) |
| Speed | 80 | 81 (+1%) |
According to Pokemon database PokéBase, Gyarados ranks as the #6 water type attacker. Its flying and dragon move coverage make it a versatile threat able to crush elite four champions and gym leaders alike.
Conquering the Evolution Grind
As veteran trainers know, evolving Magikarp into Gyarados is no easy feat. It requires a staggering 400 Magikarp candies, meaning you need to catch 400 of them! Even with Pinap berries, that‘s weeks of grinding.
So the chance to skip the evolution grind and buy a battle-ready Magikarp is an opportunity you can‘t ignore. While yes, 500 Pokédollars is steep, think of it as paying for all those hours you saved not gathering candies.
Powerful Early Game Advantage
Having access to a Gyarados early in your adventure is a huge advantage. The Pokemon Challenges YouTube channel did a Magikarp-only run and explained how Gyarados destroyed the first three gyms easily. Its high attack and tankiness can carry you far while your other Pokémon play catch up.
And if you‘re lucky enough to have a shiny or high IV Magikarp? That amplified power will make the game almost too easy!
How Gyarados Compares to Other Waters
Let‘s see how Gyarados stacks up against other water types accessible early on:
| Pokemon | Max CP | Attack | Defense | Stamina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gyarados | 3581 | 237 | 197 | 216 |
| Squirtle | 1497 | 94 | 122 | 137 |
| Staryu | 1265 | 119 | 85 | 102 |
Gyarados dominates them all by a mile with 3.5x higher max CP. According to PvPoke rankings, Gyarados beats them consistently with proper movesets thanks to its bulk and damage output.
candy/Stardust Investment
To max out a Gyarados from a level 1 Magikarp with 0% IVs takes:
- 400 Magikarp candies to evolve
- 266 Gyarados candies to max level
- 225,000 stardust
That‘s a massive investment equivalent to catching and transferring 666 Magikarp! Buying a level 20 Magikarp saves you all that grinding and resources.
Ideal Movesets and Roles
Gyarados truly shines as an attacker not a defender. Its dual dark and water move coverage make it a strong raid attacker against common types like psychic, ghost, and fire.
Top movesets according to GamePress:
- Bite + Hydro Pump: Overall best attacking combo
- Dragon Breath + Crunch: Excellent against bulkier defenders
Magikarp Beyond Evolution
While you likely know Magikarp as the useless fish, it has value beyond evolving. Shiny Magikarp are highly sought after by collectors and can be traded for high value or kept as trophies.
The gold Magikarp is also extremely rare and exclusive, so having one in your possession can be more beneficial than evolution if your goal is to "catch em all!"
How Rare is Shiny Magikarp?
The shiny Magikarp with red and gold scales is one of the rarest shinies. According to Pokémon GO Hub, shiny Magikarp has a rarity tier of 5, tied with Lapras as the rarest in the game currently. For comparison, standard shinies like Bulbasaur have a rarity of 2.
So finding a shiny Magikarp randomly has incredibly low odds – making buying one from this salesman a lucky opportunity!
IVs – The Genetic Potential
IVs or individual values determine the potential power of a Pokémon. Each stat has an IV ranging from 0-15, with 15 being the best. So a perfect IV Magikarp will have 15 in all stats. The sum of all IVs is called overall IV.
A higher overall IV% means greater potential in combat. Evolving a high IV Magikarp leads to a stronger Gyarados. 80%+ IVs are considered good, so try to avoid this scam man‘s Magikarp if the IV is below that!
CP Expectations from Evolution
The exact CP (combat power) when evolving Magikarp depends on its level and IVs. Here are some examples of CP outcomes:
| Magikarp Level | IV% | Gyarados CP |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 100% | 1587 |
| 25 | 80% | 2289 |
| 30 | 50% | 2663 |
Use the CP calculator on GamePress to determine the outcomes for your particular Magikarp‘s stats. But in general, higher level and IVs lead to a stronger Gyarados after evolution.
How Gyarados Ranks vs. Other Pokémon
With maximum CP of 3581, Gyarados has higher potential than many fan favorites:
- Dragonite: 3582 CP
- Tyranitar: 3670 CP
- Metagross: 3791 CP
It‘s not #1 but still remains relevant even among elite Pokémon, especially if you have the special red or gold variants!
Earning Candy Faster with Walking
To evolve Magikarp quicker, set it as your buddy! Gyarados only takes 1 km of walking to earn 1 candy. I walked over 150 km with my Magikarp during initial Pokémon GO release to evolve it into the beast you see today. The walking time flew by in anticipation of its evolution!
Final Verdict: Yes, Buy It!
After this in-depth analysis, I stand by my verdict – the 500 Magikarp is absolutely worth the investment. The early game advantage and saved evolution grind time make the steep price well justified. Gyarados remains one of the strongest non-legendary water Pokémon even years later.
So next time that shady salesman approaches you with a deal, don‘t hesitate to take the bait. Having this mighty dragon that early will transform your adventure‘s difficulty completely and give you memories that last a lifetime. Just make sure the Magikarp you‘re buying has high IVs if possible!
What do you think – will you say yes to the Magikarp offer after considering all this? Let me know in the comments, and if you found this article helpful make sure to share it with fellow trainers!