Can you catch Shiny Gyarados in Pokemon GO?

Catching Shiny variants in Pokemon GO is a hobby for many hardcore fans, given the rarity associated with their spawn. Upon the announcement of any official event, players always keep an eye out for the species that have a chance of spawning their Shiny variant during it. The upcoming Mega Gyarados Raid Day is no different.

The most distinct difference between a normal Pokemon and its Shiny variant is in its coloration and its usual sparkling symbol over its CP in-game. Other than that, there is no extra added boost or stat difference from its regular variant. But then, who doesn't want a black Charizard to boast of?

Unlike the mainline titles, Pokemon GO does not feature every Shiny species for its players to get a hold of. So, will Shiny Gyarados be available during the upcoming Mega Gyarados Raid Day for Pokemon GO players to catch?

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Shiny Gyarados will appear during the upcoming Mega Gyarados Raid Day in Pokemon GO

The Mega Gyarados Raid Day is scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 8 from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm local time. During this period, Mega Gyarados will appear with an increased rate in Raids. Furthermore, players will have a better than usual chance of encountering Shiny Gyarados at the event.

While Pokemon in the wild can spawn their Shiny variants on rare occasions, events such as Raid Days, Spotlight Hours, and Community Days mark the perfect occasion for players to encounter and catch the Shiny species. The upcoming event is one such iteration.

To have the opportunity to encounter Shiny Gyarados, Pokemon GO players will have to band together and take down the Mega-evolved version of the creature when the Raid is active at a particular gym. This is not a particularly easy endeavor as Mega-evolved Pokemon are significantly more powerful than their normal variants.

The Mega-evolved Gyarados is a Dark and Water-type Pokemon and is weak to Electric, Grass, Fighting, Bug, and Fairy types. The best thing for trainers to do is to focus on Electric Pokemon for the Raid, especially Xurkitree, Zekrom, and the likes. Lucario is also a great choice for this fight, too.

Pokemon GO players can also Mega evolve caught Venusaur, Manectric or Ampharos to take down Mega Gyarados. It is advisable to have at least five trainers with potent counters to make this an easier fight. Once defeated, players will have the chance to catch the Raid Boss in its regular form.

If trainers are lucky, they will encounter a Shiny variant of Gyarados. The Shiny Pokemon will sport a bright red color instead of its usual blue. According to Bulbapedia, the red Gyarados' existence is canon as it is encountered as part of an event in the Generation II games, unlike most Shiny Pokemon.

Magikarp and Gyarados were the first pocket monsters whose Shiny variants were made available in Pokemon GO back in March 2017. Players will be excited to have another opportunity to encounter these magnificent beasts through the Mega Raid Day.

To learn more about the creature's weaknesses, counters and how to best prepare for the event, check here.