It is the ultimate prank. You walk into the Route 4 Pokemon Center, right before Mt. Moon, and some guy in a lab coat offers you a rare Pokemon for just 500 Pokedollars. It's a Pokemon Leaf Green Magikarp. Most players buy it once, realize it only knows Splash, and feel like they’ve been robbed blind. But honestly? That guy is doing you a favor, even if it doesn't feel like it when you're staring at a floppy fish that literally cannot deal damage.
Magikarp is objectively the worst Pokemon in the game until it isn't. It has a base Attack stat of 10. For context, a Caterpie has 30. You are essentially fighting with a wet paper bag. Yet, this pathetic fish is the gatekeeper to Gyarados, a physical powerhouse that can single-handedly sweep the Elite Four. The struggle is real, but the payoff is legendary.
Where to Find Your Pokemon Leaf Green Magikarp
You don't have to buy the "scam" Magikarp, though it’s the fastest way to get a head start. If you’re patient, you can wait until you get the Old Rod from the Fishing Guru in Vermilion City. Cast that thing into literally any body of water—a pond, the ocean, a fountain—and you will find a Magikarp. It's the most common encounter in the game.
The problem with the Old Rod is that it only catches Magikarp at Level 5. If you buy the one from the salesman early on, it’s also Level 5. Evolution happens at Level 20. That is fifteen levels of pure, unadulterated pain. If you wait until you get the Super Rod (which you won't find until much later near Lavender Town), you can catch them at much higher levels, sometimes up to Level 15 or 25, skipping the grind entirely. But by then, you’ve missed half the game.
The Brutal Reality of Training
Training a Pokemon Leaf Green Magikarp is a lesson in patience. Since it doesn't learn an attacking move until Tackle at Level 15, you have to use the "Switch Training" method. You put Magikarp at the front of your party, start a battle, and immediately swap it out for something that can actually kill things.
It’s tedious. It's slow. You'll probably accidentally let it faint a dozen times because a wild Rattata used Quick Attack.
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But there’s a trick. Use the Exp. Share. You get this item from one of Professor Oak’s aides on Route 15 after catching 50 different species of Pokemon. This lets Magikarp soak up experience points while sitting safely in its Poke Ball. Or, if you're early in the game, just feed it Every. Single. Rare. Candy. you find. Don't save them. The jump from Magikarp to Gyarados is the single biggest power spike in the Kanto region.
The Level 15 Milestone
At Level 15, Magikarp learns Tackle. Finally. You can technically win battles now. Don't get excited, though. Its Attack stat is still garbage. You aren't going to be one-shotting anything. You’re still better off switching or using the Exp. Share until that magical Level 20 hit.
Why Gyarados in Leaf Green is a Weird Beast
Here is where things get technical. In Pokemon Leaf Green, the "Physical/Special Split" hasn't happened yet. This is crucial. In modern games, moves are physical or special based on the move itself. In Leaf Green, it depends entirely on the type of the move.
- Physical Types: Normal, Fighting, Flying, Ground, Rock, Bug, Ghost, Poison, Steel.
- Special Types: Water, Grass, Fire, Ice, Electric, Psychic, Dragon, Dark.
Gyarados has a massive Attack stat and a mediocre Special Attack. But it’s a Water-type. This means every Water move it learns—like Hydro Pump or Surf—uses its weaker Special Attack stat. It’s a tragedy. To make your Pokemon Leaf Green Magikarp (now a Gyarados) actually useful, you have to teach it Physical moves.
Hyper Beam is a classic choice here. Since it's a Normal-type move in Gen 3, it uses Gyarados's terrifying physical strength. Return is another great option if your friendship level is high. Even Strength, an HM you usually dump on a "mule," becomes a viable weapon on Gyarados.
The Secret Weapon: Dragon Dance
If you’re willing to put in the work, Gyarados is a monster because of Dragon Dance (learned at Level 44). One turn of setup increases both Attack and Speed. After one dance, Gyarados can outspeed almost anything in the game and flatten them with a physical move.
Common Mistakes People Make
A lot of people think they should keep Magikarp until Level 30 to learn Flail. Don't do this. Flail deals more damage when your HP is low, but Magikarp is so fragile it will likely die before it can use it effectively. Evolve it at Level 20. Immediately.
Another mistake is ignoring the Move Tutor. In Leaf Green, you can find a tutor who teaches Double-Edge. On a Gyarados, this move is basically a nuclear option. Yes, you take recoil damage, but you’ll likely delete whatever is in front of you first.
Actionable Strategy for Your Playthrough
If you want the most efficient path to turning that pathetic fish into a god of the sea, follow these steps:
- Buy the Magikarp early. That 500 Pokedollars is a bargain for a Level 5 Gyarados-to-be before you even hit the second gym.
- Abuse the switch-out. Keep it at the lead of your party until it evolves. It’s annoying, but you’ll have a Gyarados by the time you reach Misty or Lt. Surge.
- Focus on Physical TMs. Do not rely on Water moves for damage. Give it Secret Power, Return, or even Rock Smash if you have nothing else. Once you get the TM for Earthquake (from Giovanni), consider giving it to Gyarados to cover its massive Electric-type weakness.
- Beware of Sparks. Gyarados is Water/Flying. This means it takes 4x damage from Electric attacks. A single Thundershock from a weak Pikachu will end your day. Switch out immediately if you see a magnet or a yellow rat.
The journey of a Pokemon Leaf Green Magikarp is basically a metaphor for RPGs in general. You start with nothing, you suffer through the grind, and you end up with a dragon that can level cities. Just don't let the Magikarp Salesman see you laughing; he still got your 500 yen.