Here comes the Chomp
[OVERVIEW]
* A superb stat spread, fantastic movepool, and great typing make Garchomp into one of the most powerful and versatile Pokemon in the tier.
* Its above average durability makes Garchomp a pain to take down without powerful super effective moves. It's resistant to to Stealth Rock and difficult to pick off with priority as well.
* Its typing affords it many opportunities to switch in, including on Volt Switch, which is extremely valuable.
* Rough Skin is essentially free chip damage, damaging opposing Pokemon that come into contact with it.
* Z-Moves allow it to power through walls, most notably allowing it to defeat its old counter Skarmory.
* It has an exploitable weakness to Ice.
* Non-boosting sets are somewhat easy to check.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Rock Slide / Stone Edge
move 4: Fire Blast / Dragon Claw
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Naive / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Unboosted STAB Earthquake is still powerful without a boost and it's really useful for picking off threats that are vulnerable to it.
* Outrage is super powerful but also super exploitable. It should be used to take out powerful threats that need immediate removal or to sweep in the late-game.
* Rock Slide offers valuable coverage against certain Rock-weak Pokemon such as Volcarona and Pinsir, but it's extremely weak otherwise and should only be used when absolutely necessary.
* Stone Edge on the other hand is quite a bit more powerful, capable of OHKOing several Rock-weak Pokemon such as Tornadus, Thundurus, and Mega Aerodactyl without Stealth Rock support. It's also more effective against Pokemon such as Zapdos and Mantine (both of which risk a 2HKO from Stone Edge after Stealth Rock). The drop in accuracy is very noticeable, however, and can especially dangerous in situations where you need to KO a Rock-weak threat.
* Fire Blast can be used to deal good damage to Steel-types that would check Garchomp otherwise, such as Skarmory, Scizor, and Ferrothorn, but it's extremely exploitable.
* Dragon Claw provides Garchomp with a reliable Dragon-type STAB move and, although weak, is generally effective against Ground immune Pokemon.
* Poison Jab can be used as an option to obliterate Tapu Bulu, a Pokemon that is otherwise a premier counter to Choice Scarf Garchomp. Poison Jab is extremely easy for your opponents to exploit, however.
* Fire Fang can be used over Fire Blast for a bit more consistency and general power, but it's weaker against Mega Scizor and forces Garchomp to take take damage when targeting Ferrothorn.
* Stealth Rock can be used in the last slot in compress roles, though it completely halts Garchomp's momentum and is effectively useless against teams that carry reliable Defog users.
Set Details
========
* Jolly is the preferred nature because it guarantees that Garchomp can outrun several relevant threats, such as +1 Mega Charizard X, Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, and Choice Scarf Landorus-T.
* Naive is used on sets with Fire Blast in order to avoid lowering its damage, though you can still use Fire Blast with a Jolly nature if you don't want to compromise Garchomp's defenses (keep in mind that doing so means that Ferrothorn can avoid the 2HKO if it has Protect).
* Rough Skin is the preferred ability due to the fact that it provides free damage on physical attackers.
Usage Tips
========
* Choice Scarf Garchomp is a premier revenge killer, capable of taking out a huge portion of the metagame. Use it to answer threats that are normally faster than Garchomp, such as Pheromosa, Latios, Mega Metagross, Tapu Koko, and Mega Pinsir.
* It's dangerous to attack when your opponent has multiple answers to Garchomp's moveset, since it carries a lot of exploitable moves. If you can force a switch, it might be best to double switch in response. That said, it's usually best to play it safe and attack a Pokemon you absolutely can't afford to lose momentum against (namely, Shift Gear Magearna).
* Noting the opponent's team composition at the very beginning of a match is key to succeeding with this set. If you notice that your opponent's team is vulnerable to a sweep by Garchomp after their checks have been weakened or removed, keeping Garchomp alive for the late-game becomes a top priority.
* Outrage should only be used against dangerous Pokemon that absolutely need to be OHKOed, since Garchomp is locked in after use and it's easy for the opponent to either OHKO it or set up on it via Steel-types.
* Choice Scarf Garchomp is weaker than other variants of Garchomp; don't carelessly waste it by attacking a full-health Mega Metagross and potentially fainting to Ice Punch. Instead, wait until sturdier threats have taken a bit of prior damage before trying to take them on.
* Fire Blast should rarely be used, but if you can nail a Mega Scizor or Ferrothorn on the switch in, you can make it significantly easier to beat them down the line.
Team Options
========
* Choice Scarf Garchomp really appreciates having Stealth Rock on the field in order to make its job easier. Ferrothorn is a good choice, since it can threaten Tapu Fini in addition to handling Fairy-types in general. Jirachi works as well, and it can switch Garchomp into battle via U-turn or recover its health if it has been weakened with Healing Wish.
* This set has an extremely poor matchup against defensive teams, so wallbreakers are extremely handy. Choice Specs Tapu Lele, Hoopa-U, Kyurem-B, Magma Storm Heatran, and Thundurus are just some examples of wallbreakers that pair off nicely with Choice Scarf Garchomp.
* Pokemon that are effective switch-ins against Steel- and Fairy-types are good partners, as they'll be the biggest obstacle to this set's success.
* Heatran, Celesteela, and Magnezone are some examples. Magnezone in particular can directly trap and remove Steel-types, potentially giving Garchomp a path to victory.
* Hazard control is nice, since Choice Scarf Garchomp tends to invite several entry hazard users. Defog users like Tapu Fini and Mega Scizor work, though in Tapu Fini's case keep in mind that damage from Dragon-type moves is halved (though an immunity to status and Outrage confusion is nice).
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Dragon Claw / Outrage
move 4: Fire Fang
item: Firium Z / Life Orb
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Swords Dance gives Garchomp a tremendous power boost, granting it the upper hand against defensive teams.
* Earthquake is a reliable STAB move that hits ridiculously hard after a boost.
* Dragon Claw is the secondary STAB move, and although the damage is somewhat unimpressive, it's needed to target Pokemon that resist Ground.
* Outrage can be used if you want significantly more power, but it's a risky move option and it makes Garchomp more one-dimensional.
* Fire Fang is arguably the most important coverage move on this set, as after a boost from Firium Z it allows Garchomp to blow through Steel-types after a boost.
Set Details
========
* Garchomp still gets mileage out of its legendary Speed tier, which makes Jolly the preferred nature in order to get the jump over Pokemon such as Charizard, Zygarde, Jirachi, and Kyurem, and at worst tie with opposing Garchomp.
* Firium Z is directly used for nuking Steel- and Grass-types, allowing Garchomp to break through common Steel-type walls such as Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Celesteela.
* Life Orb gives its entire moveset more punch, allowing Garchomp to consistently put pressure against walls (at the cost of staying power).
* Groundium Z lets Garchomp OHKO standard checks like Ferrothorn and Tapu Fini at +2. It's also highly effective against neutral targets even without a boost, capable of OHKOing offensive Pokemon such as Keldeo, Mega Metagross, and Tapu Lele and defensive Pokemon such as Toxapex.
* Dragonium Z is more limited in scope, but it's highly effective when used against physically defensive Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Hippowdon. Using it with Outrage essentially gives Garchomp access to a 190-Base Power Dragon-type that move that lacks drawbacks.
* Rough Skin provides excellent chip damage, giving Garchomp and its teammates an easier time knocking out opposing Pokemon.
* Sand Veil, on the other hand, can be used with Sandstorm support for a chance to avoid an opponent's attacks. You can't really take advantage of it unless you have Smooth Rock support, however.
Usage Tips
========
* This set more than any other set absolutely depends on playing as patiently and as carefully as possible.
* Swords Dance Garchomp is extremely good at breaking walls due to its Z-move, but you only have one shot at using it. If your opponent is expecting the Z-move, it might be best to hold off on using it immediately.
* If your opponent has a powerful defensive core, don't just immediately switch into battle and start setting up; wary opponents will instantly be aware of your attempts to wallbreak and attempt to stop you (for example, by staying in on Garchomp and using Toxic). Instead, it's worth playing around until you can set up on something that can barely harm Garchomp, like Amoonguss after it has used Spore, or on a Pokemon your opponent can't afford to lose, such as a weakened Chansey.
* Against offensive teams, setting up is less ideal due to how much easier it is for your opponent to revenge kill Garchomp. Instead, using it as a traditional attacker or even bluffing a Choice Scarf can work. You may want to set up Swords Dance in order to take out some of the sturdier Pokemon, however, such as Tapu Bulu.
* Against balance, you can set up by forcing a switch against a Pokemon Garchomp threatens.
* This set works both in the early- and mid-game due to its ability to wallbreak and in the late-game due to its ability to cleanly sweep once its checks have been weakened. It entirely depends on your opponents team composition in addition to your own.
Team Options
========
* Entry hazards are borderline mandatory, since they make it so much easier for Garchomp to take out threats (especially late in the game where switching happens constantly). One of the most prominent wallbreaking, targets, Skarmory, can only be OHKOed after Stealth Rock.
* As this set is primarily a wallbreaker, Pokemon that appreciate having walls weakened or KOed are good partners. Pheromosa, Mega Scizor, Mega Metagross, Excadrill, and offensive Landorus-T are just some of the Pokemon that love having foes like defensive Landorus-T, Ferrothorn, Tapu Fini, Tapu Bulu, and Skarmory severely weakened or flat out removed from the game.
* VoltTurn support from Pokemon such as Mega Scizor, Landorus-T, and Rotom-W is nice due to its ability to safely switch Garchomp into battle.
* Pokemon that can block Ice Shard and fast Ice-type moves are recommended. Mega Scizor, Rotom-W, and Magearna all work here.
[SET]
name: Offensive Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Outrage / Dragon Claw
move 4: Swords Dance / Fire Blast
item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Jolly / Naive
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Stealth Rock offers free chip damage, significantly hinders Stealth Rock-weak Pokemon, and breaks Focus Sash, Sturdy, and Multiscale, among other uses.
* Even when Focus Sash is used, STAB Earthquake hits fairly hard.
* Outrage is overwhelmingly powerful, especially at +2, though it obviously locks Garchomp in.
* Dragon Claw is considerably weaker than Outrage, but it has the obvious advantage of preventing Garchomp from being locked into battle, giving it more flexibility. Dragon Claw should only be used alongside Swords Dance, as it's far too weak otherwise.
* Swords Dance might seem like an odd choice on a Pokemon designed around setting up hazards, but it lets Garchomp power through the defensive Pokemon and Defog users that tend to switch into it.
* Fire Blast, on the other hand, lets Garchomp do quite a bit of damage to Steel-types such as Ferrothorn, though it practically necessitates the use of Life Orb.
Set Details
========
* A Jolly nature and maximized Attack and Speed EVs are used because Garchomp has very little reason not to. Jolly works best when Swords Dance is used and Naive is predictably used when Fire Blast is in play.
* Focus Sash is extremely important due to its ability to at least guarantee Stealth Rock, not to mention it comes in handy against dangerous threats that can OHKO Garchomp.
* Life Orb is an option if you like to play it fast and loose—No more guaranteed safety net, but Garchomp is much more powerful as a result. For instance, it can 2HKO Mega Sableye with Earthquake.
* Groundium Z can be used to outright OHKO Tapu Fini at +2, and it's generally an extremely strong move.
* Rough Skin offers chip damage, and it can even help Garchomp score OHKOs on Pokemon that directly attack it. Garchomp has a chance of OHKOing Metagross with Earthquake after it gets hit by it, for instance.
Usage Tips
========
* This set works extremely well on offensive teams in the lead position, since there are very few Pokemon that can stop Garchomp from setting up Stealth Rock.
* Scanning your opponent's team to see if you need Garchomp is important, as you'll often be setting up Stealth Rock even at the detriment of Garchomp. Setting up Stealth Rock from turn one maximizes the amount of damage Stealth Rock causes, so you usually want to play fast and loose with this variant of Garchomp.
* This set immediately draws out Defoggers and bulky Pokemon. If you can force a switch and set up a Swords Dance, Garchomp can actually break through or at least significantly weaken Defog users like Tapu Fini and Mandibuzz.
* There are times where forgoing setting Stealth Rock and simply attacking is more useful, especially when Garchomp is matched up against a Pokemon that threatens your team.
* This set works best on offensive teams, where the team is designed around pressuring Rapid Spin and Defog users in order to prevent Stealth Rock from being removed.
Team Options
========
* Garchomp pairs off well with pretty much any offensive Pokemon, including Mega Metagross, Pheromosa, Greninja, Zygarde, and Tapu Bulu.
* Pokemon that can prevent opponents from removing hazards work well. Taunt users like Mega Alakazam and Tapu Koko can prevent hazards from being removed by Defog.
* Powerful attackers like Hoopa-U, Protean Greninja, Thundurus-T, and Choice Specs Magearna can be used to directly switch into Defoggers and threaten them with their powerful attacks.
* Ghost-types can block Rapid Spin, and although the most prominent of Rapid Spin users (Excadrill) hits incredibly hard, it's still worth blocking hazards even at the detriment of your own Pokemon in order to keep the momentum up. If you want a consistent spinblocker, Cofagrigus can switch and check Excadrill somewhat consistently.
* Electric-types like Tapu Koko, Xurkitree, and Thundurus are good choices, since Defog users tend to be vulnerable to Electric-type attacks; Tapu Koko can even use Taunt.
* While they can't prevent Defog, Pokemon with Defiant such as Bisharp and Thundurus can severely punish opponents who opt to use Defog.
* Standard Garchomp partners apply; Pokemon that can take Ice-type moves such as bulky Water- and Steel-types are always good partners.
[SET]
name: Tank Chomp
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Dragon Tail
move 4: Fire Blast / Toxic
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Impish
evs: 240 HP / 176 Def / 92 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Stealth Rock is used for free damage against Pokemon switching in, capable of racking up a ton of free damage over the course of a match if it isn't removed.
* Earthquake, while not particularly strong without investment, still gets the job done as far as coverage and damage on offensive Pokemon are concerned.
* Dragon Tail gives Garchomp phazing utility and forces foes to eat even more entry hazard damage as they switch in.
* Fire Blast is good for damaging Steel-types that shrug off Earthquake, such as Ferrothorn, physically defensive Skarmory, and most notably, Mega Scizor.
* Toxic is incredibly useful for crippling common switch-ins to Garchomp and particularly Defog users (though Tapu Fini is effectively immune to it).
Set Details
========
* While the lack of Leftovers on a defensive Pokemon might seem counterproductive, Rocky Helmet is extremely effective against physical attackers. Physical attackers take a massive 30% from striking Garchomp, which can be absolutely devastating. Physical attackers without recovery effectively KO themselves trying to take out Garchomp.
* The given EV spread notably lets Garchomp outrun positive-natured base 70 Speed Pokemon, such as Bisharp, Tapu Bulu, and Volcanion, as well as neutral-natured base 80 Speed Pokemon, such as Gyarados and Dragonite.
* Rough Skin stacks with Rocky Helmet to cripple physical attackers.
Usage Tips
========
* Due to its naturally high Speed and great durability, this set functions as a solid Stealth Rock setter, capable of setting up on most unboosted physical attackers with ease.
* Use its typing to switch into predicted Rock-type moves such as Stone Edge from Choice Band Tyranitar or Electric-type moves.
* The Rough Skin + Rocky Helmet combo makes it great at punishing physical attackers. Mega Metagross, in particular, is crippled after trying to break through it. If it lacks Ice Punch, it straight up loses to Garchomp.
* Switch it into Pokemon that regularly spam U-turn as a way of punishing them. It's highly effective against Pheromosa, Tapu Koko, and Mega Scizor.
* Garchomp is particularly great spreading Toxic since most of its checks are bulky attackers. Don't hesitate to use it if your opponent has standard Garchomp checks such as Landorus-T and Tapu Bulu.
* Once Garchomp has been worn down to a point where it can't check foes anymore, feel free to sacrifice it against a physical attacker in order to shave off 30% off their HP.
Team Options
========
* Tank Garchomp pairs off well with a variety of offensive Pokemon that appreciate Stealth Rock.
* Its lack of recovery and low Speed make this set more suited to bulky offense than balance or offense teams.
* Tank Garchomp is highly effective at wearing down Pokemon such as Mega Metagross, Mega Scizor, and Choice Scarf users with physical moves (such as Pheromosa), so Pokemon that tend to be checked by those Pokemon such as Tapu Bulu, Kyurem-B, and Tapu Lulu appreciate having Garchomp as a partner.
* Physical walls such as Hippowdon, Landorus-T, and Slowbro are lured out by this set and crippled by Toxic, making it a good partner to physical attackers such as Mega Metagross, Zygarde, and Mega Charizard X.
* Fairy-types are somewhat troublesome for set, with Tapu Fini standing out the most due to its relatively high bulk, pseudo-immunity to Toxic, and immunity to Dragon Tail. Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur, Kartana, Tapu Koko, and Serperior are good partners due to their ability to check Tapu Fini. Steel-types such as Mega Metagross, Mega Scizor, Jirachi, and Magearna can be relied on to handle most Fairy-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Mega Garchomp with Swords Dance can be used on sand teams for extreme power, but the immediate drop in Speed is awful and it's somewhat outdone by Z-Moves in terms of sheer power.
* A Substitute + Swords Dance set could be used as a potential late-game sweeper, but with the addition of several prominent Fairy-types (one of which outright walls Garchomp) and a somewhat common fast Choice Scarf user (Pheromosa), it's less effective than before.
* Garchomp can try its hand at mixed attacking, though sadly, the metagame is too sturdy for it to be effective.
* Aqua Tail + Waterium Z can bust through Pokemon such as Hippowdon and defensive Landorus-T on the Swords Dance set.
* Yache and Roseli Berry allow Garchomp to survive most Ice- and Fairy-type moves in the metagame, giving it a chance to snag some surprise KOs.
* Sandstorm with Rockium Z gives Garchomp access to a pseudo-Speed boosting move. It works particularly well with Sand Veil too, though keep in mind the limited number of turns keeps it from setting up a Swords Dance and sweeping.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Skarmory and Celesteela**: These Pokemon generally have an easy time switching into Garchomp due to their resistances to both of its STAB moves. From there, they can set up on Garchomp and force it to retreat. However, the Swords Dance set with Firum Z is capable of completely OHKOing them at +2. These Pokemon should also watch out for Fire Blast as well, since it does quite a bit of damage.
**Physically Defensive Pokemon**: Hippowdon, Landorus-T, Mega Scizor, Rotom-W, Buzzwole, Slowbro, and Tangrowth with physical investment can all act as good immediate switch-ins to Garchomp. The Swords Dance set can break through many of these Pokemon, though they can all wear it down, use status moves, or heavily damage it in the process.
**Fairy-types**: Clefable, Azumarill, Mimikyu, Togekiss, Tapu Lele, Tapu Fini, and Tapu Bulu can freely switch into a Dragon-type moves and threaten Garchomp with their Fairy-STAB, though most of them risk taking significant damage from Earthquake. Tapu Bulu in particular deserves special mention for being able to switch into either of Garchomp's STAB moves, though it should be wary of Fire-type moves. Bulky Tapu Fini is a consistently strong check and is particularly effective against the offensive Stealth Rock set, but it can be worn down and potentially taken out by the Swords Dance set.
**Faster Attackers**: Faster Pokemon with super effective coverage such as Latios, Mega Metagross, Tapu Koko, Thundurus, Pheromosa, Greninja, and Weavile are all excellent checks to Garchomp. Mamoswine can cleanly pick off Garchomp with Ice Shard with some prior damage.
[OVERVIEW]
* A superb stat spread, fantastic movepool, and great typing make Garchomp into one of the most powerful and versatile Pokemon in the tier.
* Its above average durability makes Garchomp a pain to take down without powerful super effective moves. It's resistant to to Stealth Rock and difficult to pick off with priority as well.
* Its typing affords it many opportunities to switch in, including on Volt Switch, which is extremely valuable.
* Rough Skin is essentially free chip damage, damaging opposing Pokemon that come into contact with it.
* Z-Moves allow it to power through walls, most notably allowing it to defeat its old counter Skarmory.
* It has an exploitable weakness to Ice.
* Non-boosting sets are somewhat easy to check.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Outrage
move 3: Rock Slide / Stone Edge
move 4: Fire Blast / Dragon Claw
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Naive / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Unboosted STAB Earthquake is still powerful without a boost and it's really useful for picking off threats that are vulnerable to it.
* Outrage is super powerful but also super exploitable. It should be used to take out powerful threats that need immediate removal or to sweep in the late-game.
* Rock Slide offers valuable coverage against certain Rock-weak Pokemon such as Volcarona and Pinsir, but it's extremely weak otherwise and should only be used when absolutely necessary.
* Stone Edge on the other hand is quite a bit more powerful, capable of OHKOing several Rock-weak Pokemon such as Tornadus, Thundurus, and Mega Aerodactyl without Stealth Rock support. It's also more effective against Pokemon such as Zapdos and Mantine (both of which risk a 2HKO from Stone Edge after Stealth Rock). The drop in accuracy is very noticeable, however, and can especially dangerous in situations where you need to KO a Rock-weak threat.
* Fire Blast can be used to deal good damage to Steel-types that would check Garchomp otherwise, such as Skarmory, Scizor, and Ferrothorn, but it's extremely exploitable.
* Dragon Claw provides Garchomp with a reliable Dragon-type STAB move and, although weak, is generally effective against Ground immune Pokemon.
* Poison Jab can be used as an option to obliterate Tapu Bulu, a Pokemon that is otherwise a premier counter to Choice Scarf Garchomp. Poison Jab is extremely easy for your opponents to exploit, however.
* Fire Fang can be used over Fire Blast for a bit more consistency and general power, but it's weaker against Mega Scizor and forces Garchomp to take take damage when targeting Ferrothorn.
* Stealth Rock can be used in the last slot in compress roles, though it completely halts Garchomp's momentum and is effectively useless against teams that carry reliable Defog users.
Set Details
========
* Jolly is the preferred nature because it guarantees that Garchomp can outrun several relevant threats, such as +1 Mega Charizard X, Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, and Choice Scarf Landorus-T.
* Naive is used on sets with Fire Blast in order to avoid lowering its damage, though you can still use Fire Blast with a Jolly nature if you don't want to compromise Garchomp's defenses (keep in mind that doing so means that Ferrothorn can avoid the 2HKO if it has Protect).
* Rough Skin is the preferred ability due to the fact that it provides free damage on physical attackers.
Usage Tips
========
* Choice Scarf Garchomp is a premier revenge killer, capable of taking out a huge portion of the metagame. Use it to answer threats that are normally faster than Garchomp, such as Pheromosa, Latios, Mega Metagross, Tapu Koko, and Mega Pinsir.
* It's dangerous to attack when your opponent has multiple answers to Garchomp's moveset, since it carries a lot of exploitable moves. If you can force a switch, it might be best to double switch in response. That said, it's usually best to play it safe and attack a Pokemon you absolutely can't afford to lose momentum against (namely, Shift Gear Magearna).
* Noting the opponent's team composition at the very beginning of a match is key to succeeding with this set. If you notice that your opponent's team is vulnerable to a sweep by Garchomp after their checks have been weakened or removed, keeping Garchomp alive for the late-game becomes a top priority.
* Outrage should only be used against dangerous Pokemon that absolutely need to be OHKOed, since Garchomp is locked in after use and it's easy for the opponent to either OHKO it or set up on it via Steel-types.
* Choice Scarf Garchomp is weaker than other variants of Garchomp; don't carelessly waste it by attacking a full-health Mega Metagross and potentially fainting to Ice Punch. Instead, wait until sturdier threats have taken a bit of prior damage before trying to take them on.
* Fire Blast should rarely be used, but if you can nail a Mega Scizor or Ferrothorn on the switch in, you can make it significantly easier to beat them down the line.
Team Options
========
* Choice Scarf Garchomp really appreciates having Stealth Rock on the field in order to make its job easier. Ferrothorn is a good choice, since it can threaten Tapu Fini in addition to handling Fairy-types in general. Jirachi works as well, and it can switch Garchomp into battle via U-turn or recover its health if it has been weakened with Healing Wish.
* This set has an extremely poor matchup against defensive teams, so wallbreakers are extremely handy. Choice Specs Tapu Lele, Hoopa-U, Kyurem-B, Magma Storm Heatran, and Thundurus are just some examples of wallbreakers that pair off nicely with Choice Scarf Garchomp.
* Pokemon that are effective switch-ins against Steel- and Fairy-types are good partners, as they'll be the biggest obstacle to this set's success.
* Heatran, Celesteela, and Magnezone are some examples. Magnezone in particular can directly trap and remove Steel-types, potentially giving Garchomp a path to victory.
* Hazard control is nice, since Choice Scarf Garchomp tends to invite several entry hazard users. Defog users like Tapu Fini and Mega Scizor work, though in Tapu Fini's case keep in mind that damage from Dragon-type moves is halved (though an immunity to status and Outrage confusion is nice).
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Dragon Claw / Outrage
move 4: Fire Fang
item: Firium Z / Life Orb
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Swords Dance gives Garchomp a tremendous power boost, granting it the upper hand against defensive teams.
* Earthquake is a reliable STAB move that hits ridiculously hard after a boost.
* Dragon Claw is the secondary STAB move, and although the damage is somewhat unimpressive, it's needed to target Pokemon that resist Ground.
* Outrage can be used if you want significantly more power, but it's a risky move option and it makes Garchomp more one-dimensional.
* Fire Fang is arguably the most important coverage move on this set, as after a boost from Firium Z it allows Garchomp to blow through Steel-types after a boost.
Set Details
========
* Garchomp still gets mileage out of its legendary Speed tier, which makes Jolly the preferred nature in order to get the jump over Pokemon such as Charizard, Zygarde, Jirachi, and Kyurem, and at worst tie with opposing Garchomp.
* Firium Z is directly used for nuking Steel- and Grass-types, allowing Garchomp to break through common Steel-type walls such as Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Celesteela.
* Life Orb gives its entire moveset more punch, allowing Garchomp to consistently put pressure against walls (at the cost of staying power).
* Groundium Z lets Garchomp OHKO standard checks like Ferrothorn and Tapu Fini at +2. It's also highly effective against neutral targets even without a boost, capable of OHKOing offensive Pokemon such as Keldeo, Mega Metagross, and Tapu Lele and defensive Pokemon such as Toxapex.
* Dragonium Z is more limited in scope, but it's highly effective when used against physically defensive Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Hippowdon. Using it with Outrage essentially gives Garchomp access to a 190-Base Power Dragon-type that move that lacks drawbacks.
* Rough Skin provides excellent chip damage, giving Garchomp and its teammates an easier time knocking out opposing Pokemon.
* Sand Veil, on the other hand, can be used with Sandstorm support for a chance to avoid an opponent's attacks. You can't really take advantage of it unless you have Smooth Rock support, however.
Usage Tips
========
* This set more than any other set absolutely depends on playing as patiently and as carefully as possible.
* Swords Dance Garchomp is extremely good at breaking walls due to its Z-move, but you only have one shot at using it. If your opponent is expecting the Z-move, it might be best to hold off on using it immediately.
* If your opponent has a powerful defensive core, don't just immediately switch into battle and start setting up; wary opponents will instantly be aware of your attempts to wallbreak and attempt to stop you (for example, by staying in on Garchomp and using Toxic). Instead, it's worth playing around until you can set up on something that can barely harm Garchomp, like Amoonguss after it has used Spore, or on a Pokemon your opponent can't afford to lose, such as a weakened Chansey.
* Against offensive teams, setting up is less ideal due to how much easier it is for your opponent to revenge kill Garchomp. Instead, using it as a traditional attacker or even bluffing a Choice Scarf can work. You may want to set up Swords Dance in order to take out some of the sturdier Pokemon, however, such as Tapu Bulu.
* Against balance, you can set up by forcing a switch against a Pokemon Garchomp threatens.
* This set works both in the early- and mid-game due to its ability to wallbreak and in the late-game due to its ability to cleanly sweep once its checks have been weakened. It entirely depends on your opponents team composition in addition to your own.
Team Options
========
* Entry hazards are borderline mandatory, since they make it so much easier for Garchomp to take out threats (especially late in the game where switching happens constantly). One of the most prominent wallbreaking, targets, Skarmory, can only be OHKOed after Stealth Rock.
* As this set is primarily a wallbreaker, Pokemon that appreciate having walls weakened or KOed are good partners. Pheromosa, Mega Scizor, Mega Metagross, Excadrill, and offensive Landorus-T are just some of the Pokemon that love having foes like defensive Landorus-T, Ferrothorn, Tapu Fini, Tapu Bulu, and Skarmory severely weakened or flat out removed from the game.
* VoltTurn support from Pokemon such as Mega Scizor, Landorus-T, and Rotom-W is nice due to its ability to safely switch Garchomp into battle.
* Pokemon that can block Ice Shard and fast Ice-type moves are recommended. Mega Scizor, Rotom-W, and Magearna all work here.
[SET]
name: Offensive Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Outrage / Dragon Claw
move 4: Swords Dance / Fire Blast
item: Focus Sash / Life Orb
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Jolly / Naive
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Stealth Rock offers free chip damage, significantly hinders Stealth Rock-weak Pokemon, and breaks Focus Sash, Sturdy, and Multiscale, among other uses.
* Even when Focus Sash is used, STAB Earthquake hits fairly hard.
* Outrage is overwhelmingly powerful, especially at +2, though it obviously locks Garchomp in.
* Dragon Claw is considerably weaker than Outrage, but it has the obvious advantage of preventing Garchomp from being locked into battle, giving it more flexibility. Dragon Claw should only be used alongside Swords Dance, as it's far too weak otherwise.
* Swords Dance might seem like an odd choice on a Pokemon designed around setting up hazards, but it lets Garchomp power through the defensive Pokemon and Defog users that tend to switch into it.
* Fire Blast, on the other hand, lets Garchomp do quite a bit of damage to Steel-types such as Ferrothorn, though it practically necessitates the use of Life Orb.
Set Details
========
* A Jolly nature and maximized Attack and Speed EVs are used because Garchomp has very little reason not to. Jolly works best when Swords Dance is used and Naive is predictably used when Fire Blast is in play.
* Focus Sash is extremely important due to its ability to at least guarantee Stealth Rock, not to mention it comes in handy against dangerous threats that can OHKO Garchomp.
* Life Orb is an option if you like to play it fast and loose—No more guaranteed safety net, but Garchomp is much more powerful as a result. For instance, it can 2HKO Mega Sableye with Earthquake.
* Groundium Z can be used to outright OHKO Tapu Fini at +2, and it's generally an extremely strong move.
* Rough Skin offers chip damage, and it can even help Garchomp score OHKOs on Pokemon that directly attack it. Garchomp has a chance of OHKOing Metagross with Earthquake after it gets hit by it, for instance.
Usage Tips
========
* This set works extremely well on offensive teams in the lead position, since there are very few Pokemon that can stop Garchomp from setting up Stealth Rock.
* Scanning your opponent's team to see if you need Garchomp is important, as you'll often be setting up Stealth Rock even at the detriment of Garchomp. Setting up Stealth Rock from turn one maximizes the amount of damage Stealth Rock causes, so you usually want to play fast and loose with this variant of Garchomp.
* This set immediately draws out Defoggers and bulky Pokemon. If you can force a switch and set up a Swords Dance, Garchomp can actually break through or at least significantly weaken Defog users like Tapu Fini and Mandibuzz.
* There are times where forgoing setting Stealth Rock and simply attacking is more useful, especially when Garchomp is matched up against a Pokemon that threatens your team.
* This set works best on offensive teams, where the team is designed around pressuring Rapid Spin and Defog users in order to prevent Stealth Rock from being removed.
Team Options
========
* Garchomp pairs off well with pretty much any offensive Pokemon, including Mega Metagross, Pheromosa, Greninja, Zygarde, and Tapu Bulu.
* Pokemon that can prevent opponents from removing hazards work well. Taunt users like Mega Alakazam and Tapu Koko can prevent hazards from being removed by Defog.
* Powerful attackers like Hoopa-U, Protean Greninja, Thundurus-T, and Choice Specs Magearna can be used to directly switch into Defoggers and threaten them with their powerful attacks.
* Ghost-types can block Rapid Spin, and although the most prominent of Rapid Spin users (Excadrill) hits incredibly hard, it's still worth blocking hazards even at the detriment of your own Pokemon in order to keep the momentum up. If you want a consistent spinblocker, Cofagrigus can switch and check Excadrill somewhat consistently.
* Electric-types like Tapu Koko, Xurkitree, and Thundurus are good choices, since Defog users tend to be vulnerable to Electric-type attacks; Tapu Koko can even use Taunt.
* While they can't prevent Defog, Pokemon with Defiant such as Bisharp and Thundurus can severely punish opponents who opt to use Defog.
* Standard Garchomp partners apply; Pokemon that can take Ice-type moves such as bulky Water- and Steel-types are always good partners.
[SET]
name: Tank Chomp
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Dragon Tail
move 4: Fire Blast / Toxic
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Impish
evs: 240 HP / 176 Def / 92 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Stealth Rock is used for free damage against Pokemon switching in, capable of racking up a ton of free damage over the course of a match if it isn't removed.
* Earthquake, while not particularly strong without investment, still gets the job done as far as coverage and damage on offensive Pokemon are concerned.
* Dragon Tail gives Garchomp phazing utility and forces foes to eat even more entry hazard damage as they switch in.
* Fire Blast is good for damaging Steel-types that shrug off Earthquake, such as Ferrothorn, physically defensive Skarmory, and most notably, Mega Scizor.
* Toxic is incredibly useful for crippling common switch-ins to Garchomp and particularly Defog users (though Tapu Fini is effectively immune to it).
Set Details
========
* While the lack of Leftovers on a defensive Pokemon might seem counterproductive, Rocky Helmet is extremely effective against physical attackers. Physical attackers take a massive 30% from striking Garchomp, which can be absolutely devastating. Physical attackers without recovery effectively KO themselves trying to take out Garchomp.
* The given EV spread notably lets Garchomp outrun positive-natured base 70 Speed Pokemon, such as Bisharp, Tapu Bulu, and Volcanion, as well as neutral-natured base 80 Speed Pokemon, such as Gyarados and Dragonite.
* Rough Skin stacks with Rocky Helmet to cripple physical attackers.
Usage Tips
========
* Due to its naturally high Speed and great durability, this set functions as a solid Stealth Rock setter, capable of setting up on most unboosted physical attackers with ease.
* Use its typing to switch into predicted Rock-type moves such as Stone Edge from Choice Band Tyranitar or Electric-type moves.
* The Rough Skin + Rocky Helmet combo makes it great at punishing physical attackers. Mega Metagross, in particular, is crippled after trying to break through it. If it lacks Ice Punch, it straight up loses to Garchomp.
* Switch it into Pokemon that regularly spam U-turn as a way of punishing them. It's highly effective against Pheromosa, Tapu Koko, and Mega Scizor.
* Garchomp is particularly great spreading Toxic since most of its checks are bulky attackers. Don't hesitate to use it if your opponent has standard Garchomp checks such as Landorus-T and Tapu Bulu.
* Once Garchomp has been worn down to a point where it can't check foes anymore, feel free to sacrifice it against a physical attacker in order to shave off 30% off their HP.
Team Options
========
* Tank Garchomp pairs off well with a variety of offensive Pokemon that appreciate Stealth Rock.
* Its lack of recovery and low Speed make this set more suited to bulky offense than balance or offense teams.
* Tank Garchomp is highly effective at wearing down Pokemon such as Mega Metagross, Mega Scizor, and Choice Scarf users with physical moves (such as Pheromosa), so Pokemon that tend to be checked by those Pokemon such as Tapu Bulu, Kyurem-B, and Tapu Lulu appreciate having Garchomp as a partner.
* Physical walls such as Hippowdon, Landorus-T, and Slowbro are lured out by this set and crippled by Toxic, making it a good partner to physical attackers such as Mega Metagross, Zygarde, and Mega Charizard X.
* Fairy-types are somewhat troublesome for set, with Tapu Fini standing out the most due to its relatively high bulk, pseudo-immunity to Toxic, and immunity to Dragon Tail. Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur, Kartana, Tapu Koko, and Serperior are good partners due to their ability to check Tapu Fini. Steel-types such as Mega Metagross, Mega Scizor, Jirachi, and Magearna can be relied on to handle most Fairy-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Mega Garchomp with Swords Dance can be used on sand teams for extreme power, but the immediate drop in Speed is awful and it's somewhat outdone by Z-Moves in terms of sheer power.
* A Substitute + Swords Dance set could be used as a potential late-game sweeper, but with the addition of several prominent Fairy-types (one of which outright walls Garchomp) and a somewhat common fast Choice Scarf user (Pheromosa), it's less effective than before.
* Garchomp can try its hand at mixed attacking, though sadly, the metagame is too sturdy for it to be effective.
* Aqua Tail + Waterium Z can bust through Pokemon such as Hippowdon and defensive Landorus-T on the Swords Dance set.
* Yache and Roseli Berry allow Garchomp to survive most Ice- and Fairy-type moves in the metagame, giving it a chance to snag some surprise KOs.
* Sandstorm with Rockium Z gives Garchomp access to a pseudo-Speed boosting move. It works particularly well with Sand Veil too, though keep in mind the limited number of turns keeps it from setting up a Swords Dance and sweeping.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Skarmory and Celesteela**: These Pokemon generally have an easy time switching into Garchomp due to their resistances to both of its STAB moves. From there, they can set up on Garchomp and force it to retreat. However, the Swords Dance set with Firum Z is capable of completely OHKOing them at +2. These Pokemon should also watch out for Fire Blast as well, since it does quite a bit of damage.
**Physically Defensive Pokemon**: Hippowdon, Landorus-T, Mega Scizor, Rotom-W, Buzzwole, Slowbro, and Tangrowth with physical investment can all act as good immediate switch-ins to Garchomp. The Swords Dance set can break through many of these Pokemon, though they can all wear it down, use status moves, or heavily damage it in the process.
**Fairy-types**: Clefable, Azumarill, Mimikyu, Togekiss, Tapu Lele, Tapu Fini, and Tapu Bulu can freely switch into a Dragon-type moves and threaten Garchomp with their Fairy-STAB, though most of them risk taking significant damage from Earthquake. Tapu Bulu in particular deserves special mention for being able to switch into either of Garchomp's STAB moves, though it should be wary of Fire-type moves. Bulky Tapu Fini is a consistently strong check and is particularly effective against the offensive Stealth Rock set, but it can be worn down and potentially taken out by the Swords Dance set.
**Faster Attackers**: Faster Pokemon with super effective coverage such as Latios, Mega Metagross, Tapu Koko, Thundurus, Pheromosa, Greninja, and Weavile are all excellent checks to Garchomp. Mamoswine can cleanly pick off Garchomp with Ice Shard with some prior damage.
Last edited:
