How do i counter defender gyarados without legendaries or jolteon?

So what's actually wrong with using Jolteon? I use it all the time for Gyarados, it can kill most sub-2900 ones before Hydro Pump comes (if you can get a CP over 2200 - probably not if you joined after Raikou, but then, how could you already have Ampharos?)

Only Magneton and Jolteon have a significantly higher attack score than Ampharos which you find "way too weak". But Magneton is already slower and less resistant and only has 1-bar charge moves.

You can try Kyogre with Thunder, but the water moves are not very effective. Absol with Thunder probably dies before you can use it more than once. Arcanine with Wild Charge is weak to water. Gardevoir with Charge Beam does not have much DPS apparently.

But besides electric types, you can now easily grow Golems with double rock moves which are also super effective into Gyarados. Exeggutors with grass movesets also are very good and resist water, but not dark moves.

Yeah, what's the matter with jolteon? Why would it make you look bad? Jolteon was Gyarados' top counter before legendaries. Try to get a high level weather boosted if you don't want to spend dust on one...

Before getting my first good Jolteon I remember using a lv 20~25 Electabuzz against several 30+ defender Gyrados. I have also played around using Lanturn. I think almost everything works as long as you’re good with dodging.

BTW I dont see anything wrong with using Jolteon. In fact, both my Raikou and Zapdos aren't very good and I'm quite short on rare candies and TMs, so I have been using a small Jolteon army (most of them are high level eevees that I caught and evolved right away).

Kabutops with Ancient Power.

Jolteon was awesome in 10 stack gym days for cleaning out gyms with multiple high CP Gyarados. It also was great as a prestiger for building gyms, too. A 1200-1500 CP jolteon was a guaranteed 1000 prestige into a 3000 CP Gyarados, especially before crunch.

Finally, jolteon’s, strength is also demonstrated as it being the only L3 raid of its time not to be soloed (I think).

There are a bunch of new trainers who will never be able to use raikou and Zapdos. I was in a kyogre raid yesterday with other trainers with jolteon. No one thinks less of them.

Besides, who else is watching you tear gyms down? Isn’t most of your gym teardown done solo? If you are **helping** to tear down a gym, do you think the other trainer really cares what you use or are they just happy to have help?

A high CP Dragonite will demolish a Gyarados in no time. It's your best alternative. If you care about health, just put in some dodging. Don't think it will take less damage than Jolteon, percentage wise that is.

I prefer Lanturn with Charge Beam/Thunderbolt

Nothing wrong with Jolteon. Back in the day I used Magneton was my favorite to counter the dragon type moves. When a type is doulbe weak you can use pretty much anything.

I'd recommend Nosepass with Thunder. It won't make you look bad, it will make you look badass, as in, 'I can take down Gyarados with this crappy little pokemon.'

Seriously, Jolteon is fine. Jolteon with Thunderbolt shreds Gyarados. Use it and don't be ashamed. Someday, you'll get something better. Until then, Jolteon is just fine. And if anyone asks, just say you're old school.

I have Raikou and Zapdos and I use my maxed out Jolteon to fry that MFer.

This guy disagrees

You must use Pikachu in a silly hat for making such a silly statement about Jolteon

You answered your own question. In lieu of Raikou/Zapdos, Jolteon is your next best option against Gyarados. Not sure how using a Jolteon makes you look bad (do you typically have an audience watching you fight gyms?).

As to the question of "who would use something like that?" Here's your answer: people who want to use an optimal counter that don't have access to that type's corresponding legendaries. Aka: a Pokemon Master.

Use jolteon vs gyarados. Old school

Anything, Gyarados is a terrible defender. I even use rock types if the autoselect feels like using rock types during that battle.