Table of Contents

The Curious Case of Magikarp’s 400 Candy Evolution

Magikarp. The name itself evokes images of a weak, flopping fish, seemingly useless in the grand scheme of Pokémon battles. Yet, in Pokémon GO, this underpowered creature requires a whopping 400 Candies to evolve into the mighty Gyarados. Why such a steep price for such a seemingly insignificant Pokémon? The answer lies in the dramatic transformation and the sheer power jump between the two. Magikarp’s evolution represents one of the most significant power spikes in the game, going from a CP ceiling that barely tickles the grass to a formidable Dragon/Water-type attacker capable of tearing through raids and gyms. This exceptional metamorphosis warrants the increased Candy requirement to maintain a sense of balance within the game, reflecting the rarity and value of such a drastic change.

Unpacking the Magikarp Conundrum: Power and Rarity

The Dramatic CP Leap

As noted in the initial answer, the most glaring reason for the 400 Candy requirement is the massive increase in Combat Power (CP) during the evolution. A Magikarp with a CP of around 150 can evolve into a Gyarados with a CP of over 1600, sometimes even exceeding 2000 depending on the individual Pokémon’s IVs and the player’s level. This jump is unparalleled by almost any other evolution in the game, making Gyarados an immediately viable and powerful Pokémon after evolution.

Gyarados: A Desirable Pokémon

Beyond the raw CP, Gyarados is a highly sought-after Pokémon in Pokémon GO. Its dual typing (Water/Flying or Water/Dark depending on the move set), combined with its high attack stat, makes it effective against a wide range of opponents. It excels in both offensive and defensive roles, making it a valuable asset for raids, gyms, and even PvP battles. The high Candy cost helps ensure that Gyarados remains a relatively rare and prestigious catch, rewarding players for their dedication and persistence.

Gameplay Balance and Resource Management

Pokémon GO’s core gameplay revolves around collecting and evolving Pokémon. By setting a high Candy requirement for Magikarp, Niantic forces players to actively engage with the game, catching numerous Magikarp, utilizing Pinap Berries for increased Candy gains, and potentially walking with Magikarp as their Buddy Pokémon. This encourages exploration, social interaction (through trading), and strategic resource management. The 400 Candy cost acts as a significant hurdle, preventing players from easily obtaining a powerful Gyarados, and preserving the overall balance of the game.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Magikarp and its Evolution

Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the intricacies of Magikarp, Gyarados, and the Candy system:

1. Besides Magikarp, what other Pokémon require 400 Candies to evolve?

Aside from Magikarp, other Pokémon requiring 400 Candies to evolve include Swablu (into Altaria), Wailmer (into Wailord), Meltan (into Melmetal), Larvesta (into Volcarona), Noibat (into Noivern), Stufful (into Bewear), and Wimpod (into Golisopod).

2. What’s the fastest way to get 400 Magikarp Candies?

The most efficient strategies include:

Catching every Magikarp you encounter: Use Pinap Berries to double the Candy received per catch.
Making Magikarp your Buddy Pokémon: Walk a certain distance to earn Candy. Magikarp only requires 1km per candy.
Completing Field Research tasks: Some tasks reward Magikarp encounters or Candy.
Hatching Eggs: Magikarp can hatch from eggs, awarding a significant amount of Candy.
Trading Magikarp: Trading can provide extra candies, and can allow the evolved form of certain pokemon to evolve with zero candies.
Using Rare Candies: These can be earned as raid rewards and converted into Magikarp Candy.
Participate in Spotlight Hours: If Magikarp is featured in a Spotlight Hour, catching becomes extremely efficient.

3. Is a 100% IV Magikarp worth evolving?

Yes, a 100% IV (or “hundo”) Magikarp is highly valuable. Evolving it into a 100% IV Gyarados results in a powerful and rare Pokémon, perfect for raids and battling Team GO Rocket.

4. Is it better to trade or use Candies to evolve certain Pokémon?

Certain Pokémon have what is called a “trade evolution“. If you trade for the pokemon before evolving, the evolution Candy cost is reduced to zero, which makes it a great option for Pokemon like Pumpkaboo and Phantump which require a lot of Candy to evolve without trading. You can evolve Haunter into Gengar. You can evolve Gurdurr into Conkeldurr.

5. How rare is a Shiny Magikarp?

Shiny Magikarp is quite rare, with odds typically around 1 in 450 in the wild during regular encounters. Community Day events often increase these odds significantly.

6. What is the benefit of having a Gyarados?

Gyarados is a powerful attacker with access to both Water and Dark-type moves (and even Dragon-type moves through events), making it versatile for various raid bosses and gym battles.

7. How do IVs affect the evolution of Magikarp into Gyarados?

Individual Values (IVs) determine the potential stats of a Pokémon. A Magikarp with high IVs will evolve into a Gyarados with higher base stats, making it stronger. A 100% IV Magikarp results in the strongest possible Gyarados at any given level.

8. Can you get XL Candy from evolving Magikarp?

Yes, evolving Magikarp can give you XL Candy, but catching wild evolved forms of Pokemon will guarantee XL Candy. Basic Pokemon are able to provide XL Candy when caught, but it is not assured.

9. What is the buddy candy limit?

The buddy candy limit is 40km per day.

10. Is Gold Magikarp rare in the main series games?

The Gold Magikarp is the rarest type of Magikarp you can fish in Magikarp Jump. This is probably a reference to how “Shiny” Pokemon are rarer than normal Pokemon, and Gold Magikarp is the “Shiny” version of normal Magikarp.

11. What happens if I use Rare Candies to level up my Pokémon instead of battling?

Pokémon who evolve at a certain Level will do so normally if a Rare Candy was used to reach that Level. Rare Candies provide no Stat Exp; Pokémon who are raised using this item will therefore tend to be weaker than those who are trained in battle. If you’ve used Rare Candies on some of your Pokémon, don’t worry.

12. What Pokémon can never evolve?

Examples of Pokémon that cannot evolve include: Unown, Mew, Celebi, Jirachi, Deoxys, Phione, and Manaphy.

13. Is a 0 IV Pokémon rare?

Yes, 0% pokemon are even rarer than 100% pokemon, since the former can never come from raids, eggs, research tasks or trades.

14. Should I keep 0-star Pokémon?

Cons of 0-star Pokemon: they can clog up the Pokemon Storage fairly quickly. Because it will take most players a long time before they can max out Pokemon Storage, it’s best to just release the 0-stars and keep the 1/2/3/4-stars. Storage Expansions can be bought for 200 Coins at the Shop.

15. Is a hundo or shiny rarer?

A hundo (100% IV Pokemon) is much more rare than a shiny as far as legendary raids. Shiny rate is somewhere around 1/25. But the odds for a perfect are much worse.

In conclusion, the 400 Candy evolution cost for Magikarp is a deliberate design choice reflecting the dramatic transformation into Gyarados, the latter’s high value in the game, and the need to promote active engagement and strategic resource management. Embrace the challenge, catch those Magikarp, and revel in the satisfaction of finally unleashing your own powerful Gyarados upon the world! The design principles inherent in Pokémon Go can be seen to have applications for educational games and simulations, topics that are explored by the Games Learning Society, which you can visit at GamesLearningSociety.org.

Why is Magikarp 400 candies?