View source for Gyarados archetype (TCG)

{{outdated}}
{{ArchetypeInfobox
|title=Gyarados
|image=GyaradosStormfront19.jpg
|image2=SableyeStormfront48.jpg
|caption={{TCG ID|Stormfront|Gyarados|19}} and {{TCG ID|Stormfront|Sableye|48}}
|cards={{TCG ID|Stormfront|Gyarados|19}}, {{TCG ID|Stormfront|Sableye|48}}, and {{TCG ID|Legends Awakened|Regice|36}}
|types={{e|Water}} {{e|Darkness}} {{e|Psychic}}
|era=2008-2010
}}
The '''Gyarados archetype''' was a popular deck in the [[Pokémon Trading Card Game]].  After appearing sometime shortly after the release of {{TCG|Stormfront}}, the deck gained recognition and was played heavily during the 2009-2010 [[Play! Pokémon|Pokémon Organized Play]] season.  It placed well in numerous tournaments but saw a decline in use as {{TCG|LuxChomp}} grew in popularity.  Although its merits were frequently discussed, many players moved away from Gyarados as a competitive archetype in favor of decks requiring more finesse, such as {{TCG|Sablelock}} and the aforementioned LuxChomp.  However, after the release of the {{TCG|Triumphant}} expansion late in 2010, Gyarados was seen as more viable than ever due to the inclusion of {{TCG|Junk Arm}} and {{TCG|Rescue Energy}} in the new set.

==Strategy==
[[File:RegiceLegendsAwakened36.jpg|thumb|left|200px|{{TCG ID|Legends Awakened|Regice|36}}]]
Although versions including certain tech cards will be more complex, Gyarados has one of the most straightforward strategies of any archetype today.  {{TCG ID|Stormfront|Sableye|48}} is the deck's ideal starter, as its ''Impersonate'' attack can be used to give the player an additional {{TCG|Supporter card}} play on the first turn.  When used to utilize the effect of {{TCG|Pokémon Collector}}, {{TCG|Cyrus's Conspiracy}}, or any other of the deck's numerous searching or drawing Supporter cards, Sableye's ''Impersonate'' can give Gyarados a remarkably fast setup.  After two or three turns, the deck aims to have one {{TCG ID|Stormfront|Gyarados|19}} on the field with three {{TCG ID|Stormfront|Magikarp|65}} in the discard pile.  This allows Gyarados to do maximum damage with its ''Tail Revenge'' attack, which does 30 damage for each Magikarp in the player's discard.

To get multiple Magikarp in the discard pile, the deck employs {{TCG ID|Legends Awakened|Regice|36}}, {{TCG|Junk Arm}}, and {{TCG|Volkner's Philosophy}}.  Regice's ''Regi Move'' {{TCG|Poké-Power}} forces the opponent to switch out their active {{TCG|Basic Pokémon}} with a Benched Pokémon, and makes the Gyarados player discard two cards from their hand.

Once the Gyarados player has one Gyarados on the field along with as many Magikarp as possible in the discard pile, the deck's strategy is simply to keep Gyarados alive while taking as many prizes as possible.  With {{TCG|Expert Belt}}, Gyarados's ''Tail Revenge'' can do 110 damage, enough to knock out many Pokémon and enough to severely damage all others.  Since ''Tail Revenge'' has no {{TCG|Energy card|Energy cost}}, the deck can afford much more room to situation Trainer and Supporter cards such as {{TCG|Warp Point}}, {{TCG|Seeker}}, and {{TCG|Pokémon Rescue}}.  The deck can afford to use multiple {{TCG|Luxury Ball}}, since Junk Arm's ability to retrieve it allows it to be used again once discarded.  Combinations such as Warp Point and Seeker, which effectively allows the player to return a damaged Gyarados to their hand, along with Pokémon Rescue and {{TCG|Rescue Energy}} make sure that the Gyarados player can almost always maintain an attacking Pokémon with several Magikarp in the discard pile, allowing for a continuous high damage output.

==Key Cards==
[[File:RescueEnergyTriumphant90.jpg|thumb|right|200px|{{TCG|Rescue Energy}}]]
* '''{{TCG ID|Stormfront|Gyarados|19}}''' - Gyarados is the deck's main attacker.  Since many builds do not run {{e|Water}} energy, Gyarados attacks only with ''Tail Revenge''.  ''Tail Revenge''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s damage output is completely dependent on how many {{TCG ID|Stormfront|Magikarp|65}} are in the player's discard pile.  With three Magikarp discarded, ''Tail Revenge'' does 90 damage for no energy cost.  With Gyarados's 130HP, which is far above average for a Stage 1 evolved Pokémon, along with {{TCG|Expert Belt}}, Gyarados can prove to be a strong, bulky attacker.
* '''{{TCG ID|Stormfront|Sableye|48}}''' - Sableye is Gyarados's ideal start.  With ''Impersonate'', Sableye can use any {{TCG|Supporter card}} from the player's deck, allowing Gyarados to set up much faster.  ''Impersonate'' is often used to grab {{TCG|Pokémon Collector}}, giving the player access to {{TCG ID|Legends Awakened|Regice|36}}, {{TCG ID|Stormfront|Magikarp|65}}, {{TCG ID|Legends Awakened|Uxie|43}}, and a variety of other Basic Pokémon on their second turn.
* '''{{TCG ID|Legends Awakened|Regice|36}}''' - Regice's {{TCG|Poké-Power}}, ''Regi Move'', allows the Gyarados player to discard two cards from their hand to force the opponent to switch out their active Basic Pokémon.  In addition to allowing easy discard of multiple {{TCG ID|Stormfront|Magikarp|65}}, ''Regi Move'' can disrupt decks based around {{TCG|Pokémon SP}}, as well as those using a {{TCG ID|Arceus|Spiritomb|32}} {{TCG|Trainer card|Trainer}} lock.
* '''{{TCG ID|Legends Awakened|Uxie|43}}''' - Uxie is in the deck for simple drawpower.  Its ''Set Up'' Poké-Power allows the player to draw until they have seven cards in their hand.
* '''{{TCG|Pokémon Collector}}''' - Pokémon Collector is used to search whatever Basic Pokémon the decks needs at a given time out of the deck.  It can be used with Sableye's ''Impersonate,'' making it a fairly easy card to access.  Early in the game, Pokémon Collector can search for one Regice and two Magikarp, allowing for their immediate discard with ''Regi Move''.  It is a very versatile card that is absolutely crucial in modern Gyarados builds.
* '''{{TCG|Junk Arm}}''' - Although many may not consider Junk Arm a key card, as Gyarados thrived even before its release in the {{TCG|Triumphant}} expansion, it certainly helps the deck.  Junk Arm allows the player to discard two Magikarp from their hand in order to retrieve a Trainer card from the discard pile. Since Junk Arm is a Trainer card it ''cannot'' be {{TCG|Team Galactic's Invention G-103 Power Spray|'Power Sprayed'}} (unlike Regice's Poké-Power).
* '''{{TCG|Pokémon Rescue}}''', '''{{TCG|Rescue Energy}}''', and '''{{TCG ID|Stormfront|Combee|57}} ''' - Pokémon Rescue, Rescue Energy, and Combee all serve the same purpose.  All three are used to easily recover Magikarp and Gyarados when they are knocked out.  Since the deck does not rely on energy cards to attack, a knocked out Gyarados with Rescue Energy attached can be returned to the hand and played down again immediately, if {{TCG|Broken Time-Space}} is in play, ready to attack. Combee is very useful if the player is Trainer-locked with {{TCG ID|Undaunted|Vileplume|24}} or Spiritomb. Since Combee's ''Honey'' effect is ''not'' a Poké-Power, a Power Spray ''cannot'' be used against it.

==Typical decklist==
{{DeckArchetype}}
{{decklist/header}}
{{decklist/entry|4|{{TCG ID|Stormfront|Gyarados|19}}|Water||Rare}}
{{decklist/entry|4|{{TCG ID|Stormfront|Magikarp|65}}|Water||Common}}
{{decklist/entry|4|{{TCG ID|Stormfront|Sableye|48}}|Darkness||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|1|{{TCG ID|Stormfront|Combee|57}}|Grass||Common}}
{{decklist/entry|1|{{TCG ID|Legends Awakened|Regice|36}}|Water||Rare}}
{{decklist/entry|1|{{TCG ID|Legends Awakened|Uxie LV.X|146}}|Psychic||Rare Holo LV.X}}
{{decklist/entry|2|{{TCG ID|Legends Awakened|Uxie|43}}|Psychic||Rare}}
{{decklist/entry|1|{{TCG ID|Legends Awakened|Azelf|19}}|Psychic||Rare}}
{{decklist/entry|2|{{TCG ID|Platinum|Crobat G|47}}|Psychic||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|2|{{TCG ID|Majestic Dawn|Unown Q|49}}|Psychic||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|2|{{TCG|Bebe's Search}}|Supporter||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|3|{{TCG|Pokémon Collector}}|Supporter||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|2|{{TCG|Professor Oak's New Theory}}|Supporter||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|2|{{TCG|Volkner's Philosophy}}|Supporter||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|2|{{TCG|Seeker}}|Supporter||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|1|{{TCG|Twins}}|Supporter||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|3|{{TCG|Team Galactic's Invention G-105 Poké Turn|Poké Turn}}|Trainer||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|4|{{TCG|Junk Arm}}|Trainer||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|2|{{TCG|Pokémon Communication}}|Trainer||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|2|{{TCG|Expert Belt}}|Trainer||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|2|{{TCG|Luxury Ball}}|Trainer||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|3|{{TCG|Pokémon Rescue}}|Trainer||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|1|{{TCG|Warp Point}}|Trainer||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|3|{{TCG|Broken Time-Space}}|Stadium||Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|3|{{TCG|Rescue Energy}}|Energy|Colorless|Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|1|{{TCG|Cyclone Energy}}|Energy|Colorless|Uncommon}}
{{decklist/entry|2|{{TCG|Warp Energy}}|Energy|Colorless|Uncommon}}
{{decklist/footer}}

==Possible Tech Cards==
[[File:DialgaGLVXPlatinum122.jpg|thumb|left|200px|{{TCG ID|Platinum|Dialga G LV.X|122}}]]
* '''{{TCG ID|Platinum|Dialga G LV.X|122}}''' - Dialga G LV.X is a fairly common tech in Gyarados.  When on the Bench, it nullifies all {{TCG|Poké-Body|Poké-Bodies}} in play.  Since Gyarados does not rely on Poké-Bodies, Dialga G LV.X can be a powerful deck against metagame decks that do, such as {{TCG|VileGar}}.
* '''{{TCG|Poké Blower +}}''' - Poké Blower + is used in some Gyarados decks as a means to knock out the opponent's support Pokémon by forcing them up from the Bench and attacking them with {{TCG ID|Stormfront|Gyarados|19}}.  {{TCG|Pokémon Reversal}} is used in some builds as a more luck-based method of doing this. Some players may wish to use {{TCG ID|Rising Rivals|Luxray GL LV.X|109}}; its ''Bright Look'' Poké-Power has the same effect as playing 2 Poké Blower +.  
* '''{{TCG|Poké Healer +}}''' - Since Gyarados reaches a massive 150 HP with {{TCG|Expert Belt}} attached, it can generally take multiple hits .  Play two Poké Healer + at the same time heals eight damage counters off Gyarados, allowing it to tank even longer against the opponent.
* '''{{TCG|Majestic Dawn|Chatot|55}}''' - Although it is not a common tech, some builds run Chatot for hand refreshment and as a free retreater that can be brought up and immediately retreated for no cost in the event of a knocked out Gyarados.
* '''{{TCG|Water Energy}}''' - Water Energy was a much more common tech when decks such as {{TCG|CurseGar}} ran {{TCG ID|Mysterious Treasures|Mr. Mime|30}} as a means of stalling low energy decks such as Gyarados.  After Mr. Mime's rotation, the need to run Water Energy lessened, as most players believe there is no reason to attack with anything other than ''Tail Revenge''.
* '''{{TCG|Call Energy}}''' - Call Energy is occasionally used in Gyarados as a simple alternative to {{TCG|Pokémon Collector}} for getting Basic Pokémon into play early in the game.
* '''[[Darkness Energy (Special)|Special Darkness Energy]]''' - For decks wishing to have a chance at donking the opponent with Sableye, Darkness Energy provides the {{e|Darkness}} cost of its ''Overconfident'' attack.

[[Category:Deck archetypes]]