QC: AM, TDK, aim / ben gay
GP: P Squared
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Garchomp is a dominant force in the OU metagame thanks to its many positive traits. It has a high base 130 Attack, good bulk, an excellent Ground / Dragon typing, a great movepool, and an awesome Speed tier. Access to Stealth Rock and Swords Dance allows Garchomp to act as a great suicide lead for hyper offensive teams. Additionally, it is able to take on a more defensive role in which it sets up Stealth Rock and phazes with Dragon Tail. This is bolstered by its Rough Skin ability, which, when combined with a Rocky Helmet, punishes physical attackers for 30% of their HP every time they use a contact move. This is especially useful against VoltTurn teams because Garchomp's Rough Skin ability punishes physical attackers while its Ground typing blocks Volt Switch. Despite all of its positive traits, Garchomp does have some flaws. It has a crippling 4x weakness to Ice-type attacks, which are often seen on faster Electric-types such as Mega Manectric and Raikou. Both of its STAB moves can be easily taken advantage of due to the prevalence of Pokemon that resist them, and Garchomp's best coverage move, Fire Blast, comes off its much weaker base 80 Special Attack. Finally, Garchomp has a Mega Evolution that boosts its offensive and defensive stats, turning it into a devastating wallbreaker. However, this comes at the cost of its Speed, which drops from base 102 to 92, leaving it outsped by a majority of the metagame.
Tank Chomp
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name: Tank Chomp
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake / Toxic
move 3: Dragon Tail
move 4: Fire Blast / Toxic
ability: Rough Skin
item: Rocky Helmet
evs: 252 HP / 164 Def / 76 SpD / 16 Spe
nature: Impish
Moves
========
Stealth Rock damages foes every time they switch in. Earthquake is Garchomp's main STAB move because it gets good neutral coverage and hits decently hard. Dragon Tail phazes foes and racks up entry hazard damage. Fire Blast roasts the Steel-types that take little from Earthquake, such as Skarmory, Mega Scizor, and Ferrothorn. Toxic is an option over Earthquake or Fire Blast, as it cripples the common bulky Water-, Grass-, and Ground-types that like to switch into Garchomp. Rest is also an option to increase Garchomp's longevity and make more use of its ability to rack up chip damage with Rough Skin and Rocky Helmet.
Set Details
========
Rocky Helmet in tandem with Rough Skin punishes physical attackers for 30% of their HP every time they use a contact move. The EV spread gives Garchomp the Special Defense needed to survive powerful hits from Pokemon such as Mega Charizard Y, Landorus, Gengar, Keldeo, and Mega Diancie, while still retaining the optimum amount of physical bulk. The Speed EVs enable Garchomp to outspeed neutral-natured base 70 Speed Pokemon such as Bisharp and Breloom, as well as Jolly Tyranitar. However, an alternative EV spread of 252 HP / 164 Def / 92 Spe can be used to outspeed Jolly Bisharp, which is critical against Swords Dance variants, as a +2 Sucker Punch will never OHKO Garchomp, which KOes it back with Earthquake.
Usage Tips
========
Garchomp is an excellent Stealth Rock setter for bulky offensive teams because it has a great matchup against most leads. It also deters most Rapid Spinners and Defoggers from switching in by nature of its typing. Furthermore, Garchomp is a great check to threatening physical attackers such as Talonflame and Bisharp because it has the bulk to tank their hits while simultaneously racking up significant chip damage with the combination of Rocky Helmet and Rough Skin. Garchomp is also a good early-game phazer after it sets up Stealth Rock, so spamming Dragon Tail to rack up entry hazard damage is a good way to wear down the opponent's team, especially when the opponent lacks a Fairy-type. Finally, Garchomp is a great Pokemon to sacrifice late-game. Should it be weakened to the point where it can't do much, sacrificing it to a physical attacker is a great way to get crucial damage off, especially in the case of a Landorus-T using U-turn.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that can take advantage of Garchomp setting up Stealth Rock, such as Swords Dance Talonflame, Mega Gallade, and Bisharp, make for great teammates. Garchomp is great at wearing down Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Mega Metagross, so teammates that can take advantage of this, such as Bisharp, Talonflame, Mega Lopunny, and Dragon Dance Mega Charizard X, pair well with it. Furthermore, Pokemon that appreciate Garchomp's ability to lure in bulky Water-, Grass-, and Ground-types and cripple them with Toxic, such as Mega Gallade, Bisharp, Talonflame, and Mega Lopunny, make for good partners. Fairy-types give Garchomp issues, so Pokemon such as Mega Scizor, Mega Metagross, Mega Venusaur, and Bisharp make for good teammates.
Offensive Stealth Rock
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name: Offensive Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Dragon Claw / Outrage
move 4: Swords Dance / Fire Blast
ability: Rough Skin
item: Lum Berry / Focus Sash
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly / Naive
Moves
========
Stealth Rock is great for wearing down opposing teams by damaging foes every time they switch in. Earthquake is Garchomp's main STAB move that deals good damage to most targets, while Dragon Claw hits everything that resists Earthquake bar Skarmory and Togekiss for neutral damage. Outrage is a viable alternative because it has a significantly higher damage output. However, it has the drawback of locking Garchomp in, which can be easily taken advantage of by a smart opponent. Swords Dance turns Garchomp into a powerful early-game wallbreaker that can immediately pressure the opponent and weaken the opposing team, opening up holes for a teammate to sweep. However, Fire Blast is a viable alternative to roast the Steel-types that take little from Garchomp's Earthquake, such as Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Mega Scizor.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread maximizes Garchomp's Attack and Speed. A Jolly nature should be used in tandem with Swords Dance, while a Naive nature works best with Fire Blast. A Lum Berry enables Garchomp to set up on bulky Water-types without fearing a Scald burn. However, a Focus Sash can be used instead to guarantee that Stealth Rock is set up, and it is also the better option when using Fire Blast. Rough Skin is the ability of choice to punish physical attackers when they use a contact move. A Rocky Helmet can be used to further improve Garchomp's ability to rack up chip damage, but this is best left to the defensive set.
Usage Tips
========
Using Stealth Rock turn one of the match is the optimal move in most cases, but there are instances where using a different move is better. For example, using Swords Dance turn one against popular leads such as Mega Sableye and Rotom-W as they attempt to burn Garchomp with Will-O-Wisp is a great way to severely damage them with a +2 STAB Earthquake or Dragon Claw the next turn. Setting up Stealth Rock as they switch out is also a good move to make if the switch out is obvious. After setting up Stealth Rock, Garchomp should be used to break down walls such as Ferrothorn and Hippowdon so that a teammate can have an easier time sweeping later on in the match.
Team Options
========
Garchomp has great synergy with a multitude of offensive Pokemon. For example, Mega Gyarados, Talonflame, and Mega Gallade all appreciate Garchomp's ability to both set up Stealth Rock and weaken key defensive Pokemon such as Ferrothorn, Slowbro, Mega Sableye, and Celebi. Because Garchomp supports its team by setting up Stealth Rock, it is imperative that it stays up during the match. Gengar and Bisharp make for great partners because they are capable of blocking Rapid Spin and punishing the use of Defog, respectively. Furthermore, both of these Pokemon bring other things to the table such as wallbreaking in Gengar's case and sweeping in Bisharp's.
Substitute + Swords Dance
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name: Substitute + Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Dragon Claw
move 4: Substitute
ability: Rough Skin
item: Salac Berry / Leftovers
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly
Moves
========
Swords Dance doubles Garchomp's Attack, significantly boosting its damage output. Earthquake is Garchomp's main STAB move that deals good damage to most targets, while Dragon Claw hits everything that resists it bar Skarmory and Togekiss for neutral damage. Substitute blocks attempts at inflicting Garchomp with a status move while also buffering against weaker attacks. It is also incredibly useful for blocking Intimidate, especially against Landorus-T, which is a main switch-in to Garchomp. Fire Blast or Fire Fang can be used in place of Substitute to score perfect neutral coverage, but the utility of having a Substitute is often superior to hitting Skarmory super effectively. Stone Edge is also a viable alternative to hit Mandibuzz and Zapdos, but it should only be used if these Pokemon prove to be problematic for your team. If Substitute isn't used, Outrage is a viable alternative over Dragon Claw for a significant increase in power.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed investment in tandem with a Jolly nature enables Garchomp to outpace the overcrowded base 100 Speed tier, while simultaneously maximizing its damage output. The best item for this set is a Salac Berry, which activates and raises Garchomp's Speed by one stage after three uses of Substitute. This enables Garchomp to perform admirably against offensive teams because normal revenge killers such as Choice Scarf Landorus-T, Mega Lopunny, and Latios are now outsped and KOed by a +2 attack. 4 HP EVs are needed to ensure that the Salac Berry activates after the third Substitute. Alternatively, investing EVs into HP and holding Leftovers give Garchomp more staying power and is more beneficial against bulkier teams because they often lack ways of reliably breaking Garchomp's Substitute. Using Garchompite with Fire Blast over Substitute makes Garchomp a much better wallbreaker at the cost of losing effectiveness against offensive teams due to the Speed drop.
Usage Tips
========
This set is best used mid- or late-game when Garchomp's checks and counters have been sufficiently weakened to maximize the potential for a sweep. Bring Garchomp in through aggressive double switches or against passive defensive Pokemon that cannot touch it, such as Heatran and Mew, and set up a Substitute as they switch out or attempt to burn it with a Will-O-Wisp. Slow users of Volt Switch and U-turn, such as Rotom-W, Scizor, and Celebi, are great teammates for Garchomp, as they allow it a safe switch in, especially against offensive Pokemon that Garchomp naturally beats such as Heatran, Excadrill outside of sand, Magnezone, and unboosted Mega Charizard X.
Team options
========
Magnezone is a great partner for Garchomp because it is able to trap and KO Steel-types such as Mega Scizor, Ferrothorn, and Skarmory, Pokemon that would otherwise give Garchomp trouble. Powerful wallbreakers, such as Swords Dance Talonflame, Mega Metagross, and Swords Dance Bisharp, also make for great teammates because they are able to defeat the defensive Fairy-types that Garchomp struggles against. Garchomp appreciates entry hazard support to ensure certain KOs, so users such as Ferrothorn, Klefki, Heatran, and Clefable are excellent partners. Finally, Garchomp appreciates the utility of slow users of Volt Switch and U-turn to get in safely, so Pokemon such as Rotom-W, Scizor, and Baton Pass Celebi make for great teammates.
Life Orb Mixed Attacker
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name: Life Orb Mixed Attacker
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Fire Blast
move 4: Stealth Rock / Stone Edge
ability: Rough Skin
item: Life Orb / Garchompite
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SAtk / 252 Spe
nature: Naive
Moves
========
Draco Meteor is Garchomp's most powerful STAB move and hits its usual switch-ins on their much weaker Special Defense. Earthquake is useful for hitting Steel-, Rock-, and Fire-types super effectively. Fire Blast roasts Steel-types that take little from Garchomp's Earthquake, which includes Mega Scizor, Ferrothorn, and Skarmory. Stealth Rock is a good move for any team because the chip damage it provides enables Garchomp's teammates to break through certain foes much easier. If another Pokemon on the team is running Stealth Rock, Stone Edge is a viable alternative to hit Pokemon such as Togekiss, Mandibuzz, and Zapdos for super effective damage. If using Garchompite, Substitute in the last slot gives Garchomp breathing room against offense while also protecting it from weaker attacks from Pokemon found on bulkier teams.
Set Details
========
A Naive nature in tandem with maximum Special Attack and Speed investment gives Garchomp the power it needs to take advantage of Draco Meteor. This power is further enhanced when Garchomp is equipped with a Life Orb. However, should your Mega slot be open, you can run Garchompite to give Garchomp similar power to what a Life Orb would give it, with the added benefit of much higher bulk and no recoil damage; the only drawback is a drop in Speed. When using Garchompite, an EV spread of 16 Atk / 240 SpA / 252 Spe with a Naughty nature is recommended.
Usage Tips
========
Use this set to lure in and significantly damage Garchomp's normal checks and counters. For example, defensive Landorus-T, a usually safe switch-in to Garchomp, is easily 2HKOed by Draco Meteor, and Choice Scarf variants are simply destroyed. Other defensive answers such as Ferrothorn, defensive Mega Scizor, Skarmory, Slowbro, and Mandibuzz are either significantly damaged or outright beaten by the mixed set.
Team Options
========
Pokemon such as Mega Metagross, Mega Gallade, Swords Dance Talonflame, Bisharp, and Mega Lopunny appreciate Garchomp's ability to lure in and cripple defensive Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Ferrothorn. Additionally, Stealth Rock guarantees certain KOs, so Pokemon such as Heatran, Ferrothorn, Tyranitar, and Terrakion pair well with Garchomp.
Choice Scarf
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name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Stone Edge / Fire Blast
move 4: Dragon Claw / Fire Blast
ability: Rough Skin
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly / Naive
Moves
========
Earthquake is Garchomp's main STAB move that deals good damage to most targets. Outrage hits everything that resists Earthquake bar Skarmory for neutral damage. However, it has the drawback of locking Garchomp in, so it should not be spammed recklessly. Stone Edge is Garchomp's best coverage move because it forms the EdgeQuake combo with Earthquake, and it hits Flying-types such as Thundurus, Talonflame, and Mandibuzz for super effective damage. Dragon Claw is Garchomp's secondary Dragon-type STAB move for dealing decent damage against most targets without locking Garchomp in like Outrage does. Fire Blast is a viable alternative to roast Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Scizor on the switch, but it is very weak outside of this and easily taken advantage of.
Set Details
========
A Jolly nature in tandem with maximum Attack and Speed investment enables Garchomp to hit 333 Speed, which, when equipped with a Choice Scarf, is enough to outspeed certain Pokemon such as +1 Volcarona, Dragonite, Mega Charizard X, Mega Tyranitar, and Choice Scarf Landorus-T. If you opt for Fire Blast, a Naive nature is recommended to maximize its damage output. An Adamant nature is a viable alternative over Jolly for more power, but Garchomp then risks being outsped by +1 base 90 Speed Pokemon with a speed-boosting nature.
Usage Tips
========
Choice Scarf Garchomp is often unexpected, so it is able to score surprise KOs against normally faster threats such as Thundurus, Raikou, Mega Metagross, and Latios. Furthermore, this set is great at revenge killing Dragon Dance sweepers that have gotten a boost. This set also acts as a good check to Flying-types when running Stone Edge, as Garchomp is able to outspeed and KO them with a super effective hit. Late-game, Garchomp is an excellent cleaner with Outrage due to the move's exceptional damage output.
Team Options
========
Choice Scarf Garchomp struggles against bulkier teams, so it is imperative to pair it up with Pokemon that excel against them. Pokemon such as Life Orb Kyurem-B, Mega Gardevoir, stallbreaker Mew, Substitute + Calm Mind Keldeo, and Magma Storm Heatran take on balanced teams well and therefore are great partners for Garchomp. Garchomp also fits well on teams that require an emergency stop to Dragon Dance users.
Other Options
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Aqua Tail on the lead or Swords Dance set deals a good chunk of damage to Landorus-T, Hippowdon, and Gliscor, all of which Garchomp lures in. Using Endure on the Tank Chomp set gives Garchomp an extra turn to rack up chip damage against physical attackers before it goes down. A Yache Berry allows Garchomp to survive a Hidden Power Ice from an Electric-type such as Raikou and promptly KO back with Earthquake. Similarly, a Roseli Berry gives Garchomp an extra turn against Fairy-types, which it can use to set up Stealth Rock or retaliate with a boosted Earthquake.
Checks & Counters
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**Physically Defensive Pokemon**: Hippowdon, Skarmory, physically defensive Mega Scizor, Slowbro, Rotom-W, Ferrothorn, physically defensive Clefable, Mega Sableye, Mega Slowbro, defensive Landorus-T, Quagsire, Mandibuzz, Zapdos, and Mega Venusaur all have the physical bulk to tank any of Garchomp's hits and either cripple it with status (such as a burn) or outright beat it. However, Swords Dance variants of Garchomp are capable of breaking through many of these Pokemon if they are able to acquire a boost before one of these Pokemon comes in. Additionally, Fire Blast is capable of beating Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Mega Scizor, as it 2HKOes all of them.
**Fairy-types**: Azumarill, Clefable, Sylveon, Mega Altaria, and Mega Diancie are capable of checking or countering Garchomp. However, only Unaware Clefable is capable of beating Swords Dance variants. Togekiss deserves a special mention because it completely walls any variant of Garchomp that lacks a Rock-type move. Azumarill is a decent check, as it is capable of surviving an Earthquake and KOing back with Play Rough.
**Faster Pokemon**: Pokemon that naturally outspeed Garchomp and can deal significant damage to it, such as Latios, Latias, Icy Wind Gengar, Ice Punch Mega Metagross, Keldeo, Mega Diancie, Thundurus, Raikou, Mega Manectric, and Choice Scarf Kyurem-B, make for good checks to Garchomp.
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changelog (for my reference)
GP: P Squared
Overview########
Garchomp is a dominant force in the OU metagame thanks to its many positive traits. It has a high base 130 Attack, good bulk, an excellent Ground / Dragon typing, a great movepool, and an awesome Speed tier. Access to Stealth Rock and Swords Dance allows Garchomp to act as a great suicide lead for hyper offensive teams. Additionally, it is able to take on a more defensive role in which it sets up Stealth Rock and phazes with Dragon Tail. This is bolstered by its Rough Skin ability, which, when combined with a Rocky Helmet, punishes physical attackers for 30% of their HP every time they use a contact move. This is especially useful against VoltTurn teams because Garchomp's Rough Skin ability punishes physical attackers while its Ground typing blocks Volt Switch. Despite all of its positive traits, Garchomp does have some flaws. It has a crippling 4x weakness to Ice-type attacks, which are often seen on faster Electric-types such as Mega Manectric and Raikou. Both of its STAB moves can be easily taken advantage of due to the prevalence of Pokemon that resist them, and Garchomp's best coverage move, Fire Blast, comes off its much weaker base 80 Special Attack. Finally, Garchomp has a Mega Evolution that boosts its offensive and defensive stats, turning it into a devastating wallbreaker. However, this comes at the cost of its Speed, which drops from base 102 to 92, leaving it outsped by a majority of the metagame.
Tank Chomp
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name: Tank Chomp
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake / Toxic
move 3: Dragon Tail
move 4: Fire Blast / Toxic
ability: Rough Skin
item: Rocky Helmet
evs: 252 HP / 164 Def / 76 SpD / 16 Spe
nature: Impish
Moves
========
Stealth Rock damages foes every time they switch in. Earthquake is Garchomp's main STAB move because it gets good neutral coverage and hits decently hard. Dragon Tail phazes foes and racks up entry hazard damage. Fire Blast roasts the Steel-types that take little from Earthquake, such as Skarmory, Mega Scizor, and Ferrothorn. Toxic is an option over Earthquake or Fire Blast, as it cripples the common bulky Water-, Grass-, and Ground-types that like to switch into Garchomp. Rest is also an option to increase Garchomp's longevity and make more use of its ability to rack up chip damage with Rough Skin and Rocky Helmet.
Set Details
========
Rocky Helmet in tandem with Rough Skin punishes physical attackers for 30% of their HP every time they use a contact move. The EV spread gives Garchomp the Special Defense needed to survive powerful hits from Pokemon such as Mega Charizard Y, Landorus, Gengar, Keldeo, and Mega Diancie, while still retaining the optimum amount of physical bulk. The Speed EVs enable Garchomp to outspeed neutral-natured base 70 Speed Pokemon such as Bisharp and Breloom, as well as Jolly Tyranitar. However, an alternative EV spread of 252 HP / 164 Def / 92 Spe can be used to outspeed Jolly Bisharp, which is critical against Swords Dance variants, as a +2 Sucker Punch will never OHKO Garchomp, which KOes it back with Earthquake.
Usage Tips
========
Garchomp is an excellent Stealth Rock setter for bulky offensive teams because it has a great matchup against most leads. It also deters most Rapid Spinners and Defoggers from switching in by nature of its typing. Furthermore, Garchomp is a great check to threatening physical attackers such as Talonflame and Bisharp because it has the bulk to tank their hits while simultaneously racking up significant chip damage with the combination of Rocky Helmet and Rough Skin. Garchomp is also a good early-game phazer after it sets up Stealth Rock, so spamming Dragon Tail to rack up entry hazard damage is a good way to wear down the opponent's team, especially when the opponent lacks a Fairy-type. Finally, Garchomp is a great Pokemon to sacrifice late-game. Should it be weakened to the point where it can't do much, sacrificing it to a physical attacker is a great way to get crucial damage off, especially in the case of a Landorus-T using U-turn.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that can take advantage of Garchomp setting up Stealth Rock, such as Swords Dance Talonflame, Mega Gallade, and Bisharp, make for great teammates. Garchomp is great at wearing down Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Mega Metagross, so teammates that can take advantage of this, such as Bisharp, Talonflame, Mega Lopunny, and Dragon Dance Mega Charizard X, pair well with it. Furthermore, Pokemon that appreciate Garchomp's ability to lure in bulky Water-, Grass-, and Ground-types and cripple them with Toxic, such as Mega Gallade, Bisharp, Talonflame, and Mega Lopunny, make for good partners. Fairy-types give Garchomp issues, so Pokemon such as Mega Scizor, Mega Metagross, Mega Venusaur, and Bisharp make for good teammates.
Offensive Stealth Rock
########
name: Offensive Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Dragon Claw / Outrage
move 4: Swords Dance / Fire Blast
ability: Rough Skin
item: Lum Berry / Focus Sash
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly / Naive
Moves
========
Stealth Rock is great for wearing down opposing teams by damaging foes every time they switch in. Earthquake is Garchomp's main STAB move that deals good damage to most targets, while Dragon Claw hits everything that resists Earthquake bar Skarmory and Togekiss for neutral damage. Outrage is a viable alternative because it has a significantly higher damage output. However, it has the drawback of locking Garchomp in, which can be easily taken advantage of by a smart opponent. Swords Dance turns Garchomp into a powerful early-game wallbreaker that can immediately pressure the opponent and weaken the opposing team, opening up holes for a teammate to sweep. However, Fire Blast is a viable alternative to roast the Steel-types that take little from Garchomp's Earthquake, such as Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Mega Scizor.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread maximizes Garchomp's Attack and Speed. A Jolly nature should be used in tandem with Swords Dance, while a Naive nature works best with Fire Blast. A Lum Berry enables Garchomp to set up on bulky Water-types without fearing a Scald burn. However, a Focus Sash can be used instead to guarantee that Stealth Rock is set up, and it is also the better option when using Fire Blast. Rough Skin is the ability of choice to punish physical attackers when they use a contact move. A Rocky Helmet can be used to further improve Garchomp's ability to rack up chip damage, but this is best left to the defensive set.
Usage Tips
========
Using Stealth Rock turn one of the match is the optimal move in most cases, but there are instances where using a different move is better. For example, using Swords Dance turn one against popular leads such as Mega Sableye and Rotom-W as they attempt to burn Garchomp with Will-O-Wisp is a great way to severely damage them with a +2 STAB Earthquake or Dragon Claw the next turn. Setting up Stealth Rock as they switch out is also a good move to make if the switch out is obvious. After setting up Stealth Rock, Garchomp should be used to break down walls such as Ferrothorn and Hippowdon so that a teammate can have an easier time sweeping later on in the match.
Team Options
========
Garchomp has great synergy with a multitude of offensive Pokemon. For example, Mega Gyarados, Talonflame, and Mega Gallade all appreciate Garchomp's ability to both set up Stealth Rock and weaken key defensive Pokemon such as Ferrothorn, Slowbro, Mega Sableye, and Celebi. Because Garchomp supports its team by setting up Stealth Rock, it is imperative that it stays up during the match. Gengar and Bisharp make for great partners because they are capable of blocking Rapid Spin and punishing the use of Defog, respectively. Furthermore, both of these Pokemon bring other things to the table such as wallbreaking in Gengar's case and sweeping in Bisharp's.
Substitute + Swords Dance
########
name: Substitute + Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Dragon Claw
move 4: Substitute
ability: Rough Skin
item: Salac Berry / Leftovers
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly
Moves
========
Swords Dance doubles Garchomp's Attack, significantly boosting its damage output. Earthquake is Garchomp's main STAB move that deals good damage to most targets, while Dragon Claw hits everything that resists it bar Skarmory and Togekiss for neutral damage. Substitute blocks attempts at inflicting Garchomp with a status move while also buffering against weaker attacks. It is also incredibly useful for blocking Intimidate, especially against Landorus-T, which is a main switch-in to Garchomp. Fire Blast or Fire Fang can be used in place of Substitute to score perfect neutral coverage, but the utility of having a Substitute is often superior to hitting Skarmory super effectively. Stone Edge is also a viable alternative to hit Mandibuzz and Zapdos, but it should only be used if these Pokemon prove to be problematic for your team. If Substitute isn't used, Outrage is a viable alternative over Dragon Claw for a significant increase in power.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed investment in tandem with a Jolly nature enables Garchomp to outpace the overcrowded base 100 Speed tier, while simultaneously maximizing its damage output. The best item for this set is a Salac Berry, which activates and raises Garchomp's Speed by one stage after three uses of Substitute. This enables Garchomp to perform admirably against offensive teams because normal revenge killers such as Choice Scarf Landorus-T, Mega Lopunny, and Latios are now outsped and KOed by a +2 attack. 4 HP EVs are needed to ensure that the Salac Berry activates after the third Substitute. Alternatively, investing EVs into HP and holding Leftovers give Garchomp more staying power and is more beneficial against bulkier teams because they often lack ways of reliably breaking Garchomp's Substitute. Using Garchompite with Fire Blast over Substitute makes Garchomp a much better wallbreaker at the cost of losing effectiveness against offensive teams due to the Speed drop.
Usage Tips
========
This set is best used mid- or late-game when Garchomp's checks and counters have been sufficiently weakened to maximize the potential for a sweep. Bring Garchomp in through aggressive double switches or against passive defensive Pokemon that cannot touch it, such as Heatran and Mew, and set up a Substitute as they switch out or attempt to burn it with a Will-O-Wisp. Slow users of Volt Switch and U-turn, such as Rotom-W, Scizor, and Celebi, are great teammates for Garchomp, as they allow it a safe switch in, especially against offensive Pokemon that Garchomp naturally beats such as Heatran, Excadrill outside of sand, Magnezone, and unboosted Mega Charizard X.
Team options
========
Magnezone is a great partner for Garchomp because it is able to trap and KO Steel-types such as Mega Scizor, Ferrothorn, and Skarmory, Pokemon that would otherwise give Garchomp trouble. Powerful wallbreakers, such as Swords Dance Talonflame, Mega Metagross, and Swords Dance Bisharp, also make for great teammates because they are able to defeat the defensive Fairy-types that Garchomp struggles against. Garchomp appreciates entry hazard support to ensure certain KOs, so users such as Ferrothorn, Klefki, Heatran, and Clefable are excellent partners. Finally, Garchomp appreciates the utility of slow users of Volt Switch and U-turn to get in safely, so Pokemon such as Rotom-W, Scizor, and Baton Pass Celebi make for great teammates.
Life Orb Mixed Attacker
########
name: Life Orb Mixed Attacker
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Fire Blast
move 4: Stealth Rock / Stone Edge
ability: Rough Skin
item: Life Orb / Garchompite
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SAtk / 252 Spe
nature: Naive
Moves
========
Draco Meteor is Garchomp's most powerful STAB move and hits its usual switch-ins on their much weaker Special Defense. Earthquake is useful for hitting Steel-, Rock-, and Fire-types super effectively. Fire Blast roasts Steel-types that take little from Garchomp's Earthquake, which includes Mega Scizor, Ferrothorn, and Skarmory. Stealth Rock is a good move for any team because the chip damage it provides enables Garchomp's teammates to break through certain foes much easier. If another Pokemon on the team is running Stealth Rock, Stone Edge is a viable alternative to hit Pokemon such as Togekiss, Mandibuzz, and Zapdos for super effective damage. If using Garchompite, Substitute in the last slot gives Garchomp breathing room against offense while also protecting it from weaker attacks from Pokemon found on bulkier teams.
Set Details
========
A Naive nature in tandem with maximum Special Attack and Speed investment gives Garchomp the power it needs to take advantage of Draco Meteor. This power is further enhanced when Garchomp is equipped with a Life Orb. However, should your Mega slot be open, you can run Garchompite to give Garchomp similar power to what a Life Orb would give it, with the added benefit of much higher bulk and no recoil damage; the only drawback is a drop in Speed. When using Garchompite, an EV spread of 16 Atk / 240 SpA / 252 Spe with a Naughty nature is recommended.
Usage Tips
========
Use this set to lure in and significantly damage Garchomp's normal checks and counters. For example, defensive Landorus-T, a usually safe switch-in to Garchomp, is easily 2HKOed by Draco Meteor, and Choice Scarf variants are simply destroyed. Other defensive answers such as Ferrothorn, defensive Mega Scizor, Skarmory, Slowbro, and Mandibuzz are either significantly damaged or outright beaten by the mixed set.
Team Options
========
Pokemon such as Mega Metagross, Mega Gallade, Swords Dance Talonflame, Bisharp, and Mega Lopunny appreciate Garchomp's ability to lure in and cripple defensive Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Ferrothorn. Additionally, Stealth Rock guarantees certain KOs, so Pokemon such as Heatran, Ferrothorn, Tyranitar, and Terrakion pair well with Garchomp.
Choice Scarf
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name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Stone Edge / Fire Blast
move 4: Dragon Claw / Fire Blast
ability: Rough Skin
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly / Naive
Moves
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Earthquake is Garchomp's main STAB move that deals good damage to most targets. Outrage hits everything that resists Earthquake bar Skarmory for neutral damage. However, it has the drawback of locking Garchomp in, so it should not be spammed recklessly. Stone Edge is Garchomp's best coverage move because it forms the EdgeQuake combo with Earthquake, and it hits Flying-types such as Thundurus, Talonflame, and Mandibuzz for super effective damage. Dragon Claw is Garchomp's secondary Dragon-type STAB move for dealing decent damage against most targets without locking Garchomp in like Outrage does. Fire Blast is a viable alternative to roast Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Scizor on the switch, but it is very weak outside of this and easily taken advantage of.
Set Details
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A Jolly nature in tandem with maximum Attack and Speed investment enables Garchomp to hit 333 Speed, which, when equipped with a Choice Scarf, is enough to outspeed certain Pokemon such as +1 Volcarona, Dragonite, Mega Charizard X, Mega Tyranitar, and Choice Scarf Landorus-T. If you opt for Fire Blast, a Naive nature is recommended to maximize its damage output. An Adamant nature is a viable alternative over Jolly for more power, but Garchomp then risks being outsped by +1 base 90 Speed Pokemon with a speed-boosting nature.
Usage Tips
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Choice Scarf Garchomp is often unexpected, so it is able to score surprise KOs against normally faster threats such as Thundurus, Raikou, Mega Metagross, and Latios. Furthermore, this set is great at revenge killing Dragon Dance sweepers that have gotten a boost. This set also acts as a good check to Flying-types when running Stone Edge, as Garchomp is able to outspeed and KO them with a super effective hit. Late-game, Garchomp is an excellent cleaner with Outrage due to the move's exceptional damage output.
Team Options
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Choice Scarf Garchomp struggles against bulkier teams, so it is imperative to pair it up with Pokemon that excel against them. Pokemon such as Life Orb Kyurem-B, Mega Gardevoir, stallbreaker Mew, Substitute + Calm Mind Keldeo, and Magma Storm Heatran take on balanced teams well and therefore are great partners for Garchomp. Garchomp also fits well on teams that require an emergency stop to Dragon Dance users.
Other Options
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Aqua Tail on the lead or Swords Dance set deals a good chunk of damage to Landorus-T, Hippowdon, and Gliscor, all of which Garchomp lures in. Using Endure on the Tank Chomp set gives Garchomp an extra turn to rack up chip damage against physical attackers before it goes down. A Yache Berry allows Garchomp to survive a Hidden Power Ice from an Electric-type such as Raikou and promptly KO back with Earthquake. Similarly, a Roseli Berry gives Garchomp an extra turn against Fairy-types, which it can use to set up Stealth Rock or retaliate with a boosted Earthquake.
Checks & Counters
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**Physically Defensive Pokemon**: Hippowdon, Skarmory, physically defensive Mega Scizor, Slowbro, Rotom-W, Ferrothorn, physically defensive Clefable, Mega Sableye, Mega Slowbro, defensive Landorus-T, Quagsire, Mandibuzz, Zapdos, and Mega Venusaur all have the physical bulk to tank any of Garchomp's hits and either cripple it with status (such as a burn) or outright beat it. However, Swords Dance variants of Garchomp are capable of breaking through many of these Pokemon if they are able to acquire a boost before one of these Pokemon comes in. Additionally, Fire Blast is capable of beating Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Mega Scizor, as it 2HKOes all of them.
**Fairy-types**: Azumarill, Clefable, Sylveon, Mega Altaria, and Mega Diancie are capable of checking or countering Garchomp. However, only Unaware Clefable is capable of beating Swords Dance variants. Togekiss deserves a special mention because it completely walls any variant of Garchomp that lacks a Rock-type move. Azumarill is a decent check, as it is capable of surviving an Earthquake and KOing back with Play Rough.
**Faster Pokemon**: Pokemon that naturally outspeed Garchomp and can deal significant damage to it, such as Latios, Latias, Icy Wind Gengar, Ice Punch Mega Metagross, Keldeo, Mega Diancie, Thundurus, Raikou, Mega Manectric, and Choice Scarf Kyurem-B, make for good checks to Garchomp.
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changelog (for my reference)
added tankchomp
moved scarf and mixed mega to OO
added Chainchomp to OO
updated lead set
update overview
moved tank chomp up
readded scarf
updated SD to subsalac
updated scarf
added C&Cs
moved scarf and mixed mega to OO
added Chainchomp to OO
updated lead set
update overview
moved tank chomp up
readded scarf
updated SD to subsalac
updated scarf
added C&Cs
Last edited:
