Evolving a Magikarp in Pokémon GO is a unique and challenging endeavor that requires patience, strategy, and a deep understanding of the game’s mechanics. This elusive Pokémon, known for its abysmal combat abilities, must undergo a transformative evolution to reach its full potential and unlock its hidden power. While the journey may seem daunting, with the right approach and dedication, you can guide your Magikarp toward its ultimate evolution: Gyarados.
To initiate the evolution process, you must first acquire 400 Magikarp candies. This can be achieved through various methods, such as catching multiple Magikarps, transferring duplicate Magikarps to Professor Willow, or walking with Magikarp as your buddy. As you progress, remember that patience is paramount, as collecting 400 candies can be a time-consuming task. However, with persistence and a consistent routine, you can steadily accumulate the necessary resources.
Once you have acquired the required candies, the moment of evolution arrives. However, before you initiate the transformation, consider the Magikarp’s CP and IVs. If your Magikarp has high CP and IVs, it will result in a stronger Gyarados. Therefore, it is advisable to invest resources in powering up and evolving a Magikarp with favorable attributes. Additionally, remember that evolving a Magikarp is irreversible, so make sure you are fully committed to the decision before proceeding.
Catching a Magikarp
Magikarp is a Water-type Pokémon that evolves into the powerful Gyarados. It’s a notoriously weak and useless Pokémon, which makes it a popular meme among the Pokémon community. However, catching a Magikarp is still necessary if you want to complete your Pokédex or evolve it into Gyarados.
Magikarp can be found in a variety of water bodies, including lakes, rivers, and ponds. However, they are most commonly found in shallow water near the shore. When looking for Magikarp, it’s important to be patient. They can be elusive, so it may take some time to find one. Once you’ve found a Magikarp, you can try to catch it using a Poké Ball. However, Magikarp is a very weak Pokémon, so it’s important to use a strong Poké Ball, such as an Ultra Ball or a Great Ball.
If you’re having trouble catching a Magikarp, you can try using a Lure Module or a Lucky Egg. Lure Modules attract Pokémon to Poké Stops, while Lucky Eggs increase the amount of experience you earn for catching Pokémon. This can make it easier to level up your Pokémon and increase your chances of catching a Magikarp.
Here are some additional tips for catching a Magikarp:
| Tip | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Use a strong Poké Ball | Magikarp is weak, so using a strong Poké Ball will make it easier to catch |
| Use a Lure Module or a Lucky Egg | This can increase your chances of finding and catching a Magikarp |
| Be patient | Magikarp can be elusive, so it may take some time to find one |
Using Lucky Eggs and Star Pieces
Lucky Eggs and Star Pieces are essential items for maximizing your Magikarp evolution efforts. Lucky Eggs double the experience points you earn for 30 minutes, while Star Pieces double the Stardust you collect for 30 minutes.
Lucky Eggs
Use Lucky Eggs strategically to maximize their effectiveness. Ideal times to activate a Lucky Egg include:
- After catching multiple Magikarp in a row
- While evolving multiple Magikarp at once
- When using a Zen Headbutt Smeargle to clear out local PokéStops
By combining multiple Magikarp catches and evolutions with a Lucky Egg, you can earn thousands of experience points in a short period.
Star Pieces
Star Pieces are useful for collecting the vast amount of Stardust required to evolve Magikarp (400 Stardust per evolution). Consider activating a Star Piece when:
- Catching a large number of Pokémon (any Pokémon will provide Stardust)
- Hatching multiple Eggs
- Using a Stardust-boosting buddy Pokémon
| Stardust-Boosting Buddy Pokémon | Stardust Bonus |
|---|---|
| Alolan Geodude | 25% |
| Geodude | 25% |
| Nosepass | 25% |
| Carbink | 25% |
| Roggenrola | 25% |
By utilizing Lucky Eggs and Star Pieces wisely, you can significantly accelerate your Magikarp evolution progress.
Participating in Raids and Gyms
Participating in raids and gyms is an excellent way to earn rare candy and stardust, which can help you evolve your Magikarp more quickly. Raids are special battles that require you to team up with other players to defeat a powerful Pokémon. After defeating the raid boss, you will receive rewards such as rare candy and stardust.
Earning Rare Candy
Rare candy is a valuable item that can be used to evolve any Pokemon, including Magikarp. You can earn rare candy by participating in raids, defeating gym leaders, and completing research tasks.
Defeating Gym Leaders
Gym leaders are powerful trainers who lead their own gyms. Defeating a gym leader will earn you a gym badge, which will increase the amount of prestige your gym gains when you place a Pokémon in it. You can also earn rare candy by spinning the Photo Disc at a gym that you have defeated the leader of.
| Action | Reward |
|---|---|
| Defeating a raid boss | Rare candy and stardust |
| Defeating a gym leader | Gym badge and rare candy |
| Spinning the Photo Disc at a gym you have defeated the leader of | Rare candy |
Utilizing Berries and Candies
A key aspect of Magikarp’s evolution journey is the strategic use of Berries and Candies. Berries, such as Pinap and Golden Razz Berries, can be used to increase the amount of Candy acquired after catching Magikarp. Candies are essential for powering up Magikarp and eventually triggering its evolution. To maximize Candy rewards, players should focus on catching Magikarp during events that offer increased Candy rewards or using Lucky Eggs to double their Candy earnings.
Powering Up Magikarp with Stardust and Candies
Powering up Magikarp with Stardust and Candies is a crucial step in preparing it for evolution. Stardust is a resource gained through various in-game activities, while Candies are specific to each Pokémon type. By investing Stardust and Candies into Magikarp, players can increase its Combat Power (CP), making it more formidable in battles and closer to reaching the required evolution level.
Understanding the Evolution Requirement
Evolving Magikarp into Gyarados requires a specific evolution requirement of 400 Magikarp Candies. Accumulating this substantial amount of Candies can take time and effort. Players should prioritize catching Magikarp frequently, using Pinap Berries to increase Candy rewards, and participating in events or quests that offer additional Candy rewards. Additionally, trading Magikarp with other players can provide a quick and easy way to acquire additional Candies.
Additional Tips for Efficient Evolution
To further streamline the Magikarp evolution process, players can employ additional strategies. Using a Lucky Egg before an extended Magikarp-catching session can significantly boost Candy earnings. By stacking multiple Lucky Eggs, players can maximize their Candy rewards and expedite the evolution.
| Berry Type | Effect |
|---|---|
| Pinap Berry | Doubles the amount of Candy acquired from catching Magikarp. |
| Golden Razz Berry | Ensures a successful catch attempt, increasing the likelihood of acquiring Magikarp Candies. |
Battling Other Trainers
Battling other trainers in Pokémon GO is a great way to level up your Magikarp quickly. You can earn experience points (XP) for winning battles, and you can also earn stardust, which can be used to power up your Pokémon.
To battle another trainer, simply tap on their avatar on the map. You will then be taken to a battle screen, where you can select your team of six Pokémon. Once you have selected your team, the battle will begin.
During a battle, you can use a variety of moves to attack your opponent’s Pokémon. You can also use items to heal your Pokémon or boost their stats. The battle will continue until one trainer’s team has been defeated.
If you win a battle, you will earn XP and stardust. You will also earn a Battle Rating, which is a measure of your skill as a trainer. Your Battle Rating will increase as you win more battles.
Tips for Battling Other Trainers
* Use a team of Pokémon that are strong against your opponent’s team.
* Use items to heal your Pokémon and boost their stats.
* Focus on attacking your opponent’s weakest Pokémon.
* Don’t be afraid to switch out your Pokémon if they are taking too much damage.
* Use your charged moves wisely. Charged moves are more powerful than regular moves, but they take longer to charge up.
| Move | Type | Power | Energy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Splash | Water | 0 | 0 |
| Tackle | Normal | 5 | 5 |
| Hydro Pump | Water | 130 | 50 |
Hatching Eggs
One of the most straightforward ways to obtain a Magikarp is by hatching 2 km eggs. These eggs are relatively easy to find, and they have a decent chance of containing a Magikarp. To hatch an egg, you need to walk a certain distance with it in your Incubator. The distance required varies depending on the type of egg, but 2 km eggs only need to be walked 2 km.
If you’re specifically looking to hatch a Magikarp, you can use an Incubator that has been upgraded to Super Incubator. Super Incubators reduce the distance required to hatch an egg by half, so you’ll only need to walk 1 km to hatch a Magikarp from a 2 km egg.
Here’s a table summarizing the information on hatching Magikarp from eggs:
| Egg Type | Distance Required | With Super Incubator |
|---|---|---|
| 2 km Egg | 2 km | 1 km |
Walking with Magikarp
To evolve Magikarp into Gyarados, you must walk 400 kilometers with it as your Buddy Pokémon. This means that you need to have Magikarp selected as your Buddy Pokémon and then walk 400 kilometers while the game is open and running on your device. You can track your progress by checking the “Distance walked with Buddy” stat in Magikarp’s profile.
There are a few things you can do to make walking with Magikarp go faster:
- Use a Lucky Egg to double the amount of candy you earn for walking.
- Use a Poffin to reduce the distance you need to walk by half.
- Walk in areas with a lot of PokéStops and Gyms to earn more candy.
- Join a group of friends and walk together to make the time go by faster.
- Listen to music or podcasts while you walk to make the experience more enjoyable.
- Set small goals for yourself to stay motivated, such as walking 10 kilometers each day.
- Take breaks as needed and don’t push yourself too hard. Walking with Magikarp should be a fun experience, so don’t make it into a chore.
Once you have walked 400 kilometers with Magikarp, it will evolve into Gyarados. Gyarados is a powerful Water/Flying-type Pokémon that can be a valuable addition to your team.
Purifying Shadow Magikarp
Shadow Magikarp is a corrupted version of regular Magikarp that has been tainted by the power of Rocket Grunts. While Shadow Magikarp is more powerful than its regular counterpart, it cannot be evolved into Gyarados unless it is first purified.
To purify Shadow Magikarp, you will need to defeat it in battle and then use a Shadow Purifier on it. Shadow Purifiers can be obtained by completing Special Research tasks or by defeating Rocket Grunts.
### Purifying Shadow Magikarp
Once you have obtained a Shadow Purifier, you can purify Shadow Magikarp by following these steps:
1. Tap on the Shadow Magikarp in your Pokemon storage.
2. Tap on the “Purify” button.
3. Confirm that you want to purify the Shadow Magikarp.
4. The Shadow Magikarp will be purified and its CP will be significantly increased.
### Benefits of Purifying Shadow Magikarp
Purifying Shadow Magikarp has several benefits, including:
– Increased CP: Purified Shadow Magikarp have a higher CP than their regular counterparts.
– Reduced Stardust cost: Purified Shadow Magikarp require less Stardust to power up than regular Magikarp.
– Increased evolution strength: Purified Shadow Magikarp evolve into stronger Gyarados than regular Gyarados.
– Removal of Frustration: Purified Shadow Magikarp do not have the Frustration move, which is a weak Charged Attack that cannot be changed.
### Purified Shadow Magikarp Stats
The following table shows the base stats of regular Magikarp, Shadow Magikarp, and Purified Shadow Magikarp:
| Attack | Defense | Stamina | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magikarp | 52 | 80 | 200 |
| Shadow Magikarp | 70 | 80 | 200 |
| Purified Shadow Magikarp | 74 | 80 | 200 |
Trading Magikarp
Trading Magikarp is another way to evolve it quickly, without having to catch 400 of them. However, this method requires you to have a friend who is willing to trade you a Magikarp that has already been evolved into a Gyarados. Once you have found a friend who is willing to trade, simply follow these steps:
- Open the Pokémon GO app and tap on the “Trade” icon.
- Select your friend from the list of available players.
- Tap on the Magikarp that you want to trade.
- Tap on the “Trade” button.
- Confirm the trade by tapping on the “Yes” button.
Once the trade is complete, you will have a Gyarados in your collection!
Using Stardust and TMs
Evolving Magikarp requires a significant investment of stardust, as well as a specific type of charged TM. Here’s a detailed explanation:
Stardust
Evolving Magikarp requires 400 candies and 20,000 stardust. You can acquire stardust by catching Pokémon, hatching eggs, and participating in raids and battles.
Charged TM
To evolve Magikarp into Gyarados, you need a charged TM called Dragon Claw. You can obtain TMs by raiding, battling Team GO Rocket, and completing certain tasks and challenges.
Steps to Evolve Magikarp
1. Collect 400 Magikarp candies. You can do this by catching Magikarp or hatching eggs containing Magikarp.
2. Collect 20,000 stardust. You can do this by completing various activities in the game, such as catching Pokémon, hatching eggs, and participating in raids and battles.
3. Acquire a charged TM called Dragon Claw.
4. Select Magikarp from your Pokémon collection.
5. Tap on the “Evolve” button.
6. If you have enough candies and stardust, and the correct TM, you will see that the Dragon Claw TM is required to evolve Magikarp.
7. Select the Dragon Claw TM from your inventory.
8. Confirm the evolution.
9. Your Magikarp will evolve into a Gyarados.
10. Gyarados has two possible movesets that it can learn: Waterfall/Hydro Pump and Bite/Crunch. To ensure that your Gyarados learns Hydro Pump, you can use a charged TM to change its moveset after it evolves.
| Move | Type |
|---|---|
| Waterfall | Water |
| Hydro Pump | Water |
| Bite | Dark |
| Crunch | Dark |
How To Evolve A Magikarp Pokemon Go
Magikarp is a Water-type Pokémon that can be evolved into Gyarados. To evolve Magikarp, you need to collect 400 Magikarp Candy. You can get Magikarp Candy by catching Magikarp, hatching Magikarp Eggs, or transferring Magikarp to Professor Willow. Once you have collected 400 Magikarp Candy, you can evolve Magikarp into Gyarados by using the Evolve button in the Pokémon menu.
Feed Magikarp Rare Candies
Rare Candies are a special type of candy that can be used to evolve any Pokémon, regardless of how much Candy it normally requires. If you have any Rare Candies, you can use them to evolve Magikarp into Gyarados without having to collect 400 Magikarp Candy.
Trade Magikarp with a Friend
Trading Pokémon can also help you evolve Magikarp. If you trade a Magikarp with a friend and they evolve it into Gyarados, you can then trade the Gyarados back to you. This will allow you to evolve Magikarp without collecting 400 Magikarp Candy.
