Monotype Garchomp (Ground)

Third Time's The Charm


[OVERVIEW]

Ground
========

Garchomp is one of the greatest offensive wallbreakers Ground has access to. Its great Attack stat in tandem with Swords Dance allows it to serve as a very solid wallbreaker and setup threat that can break through many bulky Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur and Celesteela. Garchomp's 108 / 95 / 85 bulk is very respectable for an offensive Pokemon, allowing Garchomp to remain in the game for a long time and take strong attacks such as Choice Scarf Tapu Bulu's Wood Hammer when at full HP. This goes well with Rough Skin, which punishes most physical attackers and deals chip damage. Garchomp also hits a respectable Speed tier in 102 that allows it to outpace relevant offensive threats such as Landorus, Mega Charizard Y, and Manaphy. Its Dragon typing gives it a neutrality to Grass and Water, something Ground appreciates, though it still fears burns from Scald. Upon Mega Evolution, it becomes a powerful mixed wallbreaker that can take care of Pokemon regular Garchomp has more trouble with such as Skarmory. Mega Garchomp's bulk is also quite noteworthy, as its higher defenses allow it to take very strong moves that regular Garchomp cannot, with the most notable one being Azumarill’s Aqua Jet after Belly Drum. Mega Garchomp's Sand Force allows it to be an even more powerful wallbreaker under sand, which is weather that Ground teams already appreciate. By passing up on the need for an Azumarill check, Mega Garchomp enables Ground teams to viably use Gastrodon, which is a very good wall that can counter the likes of Mega Diancie. Garchomp loses 10 base Speed once it Mega Evolves, however, meaning that Manaphy, Landorus, and other such Pokemon will now be able to outspeed it. While Garchomp's Dragon typing introduces a few key resistances and neutralities, it creates a 4x weakness to common Ice moves, which Ground does not appreciate. In addition, Garchomp’s Speed is decent but leaves it easily outsped by common revenge killers such as Latios and Greninja as well as almost any Choice Scarf user. Because of this, it is not hard to force Garchomp out.

========


[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Outrage
move 4: Fire Fang
item: Dragonium Z
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 236 Atk / 16 Def / 252 Spe


[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Swords Dance allows Garchomp to raise its Attack stat, allowing it to blow past many Pokemon that are otherwise problematic for Ground, including Zapdos and Mega Venusaur. Earthquake is a powerful STAB move that is able to hit threats that don't resist it hard. Outrage, while a risky move by itself, is able to hit everything except Steel- and Fairy-types for neutral damage and hits most Flying-, Bug-, and Grass-types for neutral damage, unlike Earthquake. However, Outrage's main purpose is to allow Garchomp to fire off its powerful Devastating Drake, giving it extremely limited switch-ins after one use of Swords Dance and turning it into a deadly wallbreaker that is capable of breaking through the Chansey + Porygon2 core on Normal. Lastly, Fire Fang's main purpose is to allow +2 Garchomp to 2HKO Celesteela, OHKO Tapu Bulu after Stealth Rock damage, and OHKO Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor. Tapu Bulu is an especially noteworthy target, as it is a huge offensive threat to Ground teams. It is also worth mentioning that Fire Fang makes Garchomp hit the entire tier at least neutrally, maximizing its sweeping capabilities.

Set Details
========

The given EV spread maximizes Garchomp's Attack and Speed while also allowing Garchomp to survive Choice Scarf Tapu Bulu's Wood Hammer, letting Garchomp inflict two rounds of chip damage and giving it an opportunity to use Fire Fang. A Jolly nature is required, as it allows Garchomp to outspeed positive-natured base 90 Speed Pokemon and above. Dragonium Z allows Garchomp to fire off a powerful Dragon-type move without many drawbacks and break through many defensive Pokemon, including Suicune. Rough Skin enables Garchomp to deal chip damage when it is damaged by a contact move. This gives Garchomp the ability to wear down Rapid Spin users and attackers such as Tapu Bulu.

Usage Tips
========

Garchomp is best used early-game as a wallbreaker, allowing a teammate to sweep later with more ease. The player has to be wary about when to set up with Swords Dance, however. It is best to set up once all Fairy- and Steel-types have been KOed or worn down, as they can wear Garchomp down and waste its Z-Move. Faster revenge killers that can KO Garchomp such as Greninja and Mega Diancie should also be taken care of. Garchomp should set up against slower, more passive threats such as Staraptor and Armaldo, as its good natural bulk will give it a lot of opportunities to do so. This also goes well with Rough Skin inflicting useful chip damage on some of these Pokemon. Stealth Rock will give Garchomp an easier time with wallbreaking, as Garchomp naturally forces a lot of switches and Stealth Rock damage secures KO opportunities against Pokemon such as Suicune. Another thing to note is that it is important to be very selective when using Devastating Drake, as it is a one-time use move that resistant or immune Pokemon can take advantage of by simply switching in. Also, Garchomp should avoid getting poisoned or burned, as the former can wear it down throughout the game and the latter minimizes its usefulness. It is possible to use Garchomp as a late-game cleaner once all of its faster checks and defensive answers are weakened or fainted.

Team Options
========

Excadrill is a terrific teammate for Garchomp, as Garchomp can break down most defensive Pokemon and provide a switch-in to Fire-types, while Excadrill beats the pesky Fairy- and Ice-types that trouble Garchomp and discourage it from using its Dragon-type attacks. Sand also allows Excadrill to be a huge threat to more offensive teams, clearing the way for Garchomp to wallbreak. Hippowdon is a good Stealth Rock user that benefits Garchomp and the entire team with sand support, dealing chip damage to most Pokemon and giving the previously mentioned Excadrill a Speed boost. It's important to preserve Garchomp before setting up, so Hippowdon's ability to sponge many physical attacks is appreciated. Mamoswine is a good teammate that possesses a legitimate Ice resistance, giving Garchomp a switch-in to some of the Ice-type attacks it is so weak to such as Greninja's Ice Beam. Seismitoad can switch into the Scald users that threaten Garchomp and help beat some of the bulkier Ground- and Fairy-types that Garchomp may have trouble with, such as Hippowdon and Belly Drum Azumarill. Landorus and Garchomp form a deadly wallbreaking core that puts a large amount of pressure on balanced teams due to its combined coverage and sheer wallbreaking power. Dugtrio is a good team option that can effectively trap threats such as Tapu Bulu and other fast Pokemon that prevent Garchomp from setting up. Lastly, Gastrodon offers a useful Water immunity while walling Mega Diancie, which can otherwise outspeed and KO Garchomp. Toxic support from it can also gradually wear down walls that can take on Garchomp.

=========


[SET]
name: Mixed Wallbreaker
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Fire Blast
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Garchompite
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Naive
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe


[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Draco Meteor is Mega Garchomp's main STAB move, allowing Mega Garchomp to dent many Pokemon that don't resist it and outright OHKO frailer Pokemon. Earthquake is the secondary STAB move of choice, as it allows Garchomp to have physically offensive presence using its naturally great Attack and hits very hard even without investment. Fire Blast offers great coverage that primarily hits Skarmory. It also allows Garchomp to threaten Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor, which otherwise wall it. Finally, Stone Edge completes coverage and allows Mega Garchomp to nail Flying-types such as Zapdos and Mega Charizard Y.

Set Details
========

Maximum Special Attack and Speed are used to capitalize on Mega Garchomp's mixed wallbreaking potential. A Naive nature is chosen in order for Mega Garchomp to hit the highest Speed tier possible without lowering its Attack. In addition, being Naive allows Garchomp to always survive an Aqua Jet from +6 Azumarill after Stealth Rock, though it also gives Assault Vest Celesteela a chance to OHKO it with entry hazard support. Garchompite is required for Garchomp to Mega Evolve. Rough Skin is the preferred ability before Mega Evolving, as Garchomp may get some useful chip damage while switching in on attacks. Sand Force boosts the power of Earthquake and Stone Edge in sand, something Garchomp appreciates due to most Ground teams utilizing Hippowdon.

Usage Tips
========

Mega Garchomp is used best as an early-game wallbreaker under sand, as Hippowdon's Sand Stream will allow it to eliminate threats that may impede a faster Pokemon like Excadrill from sweeping late-game. Stealth Rock should be on the field early in the game, as the offensive pressure Mega Garchomp places on teams will also force a lot of switches, helping it rack up Stealth Rock and sand damage. Take advantage of Mega Garchomp's great bulk, as it can switch comfortably into weaker attacks such as Giga Drain from Mega Venusaur. However, while its bulk is great, Mega Garchomp lacks any kind of recovery, so it is not recommended to play recklessly with it. Mega Garchomp can be stalled by many walls due to Draco Meteor lowering Special Attack; because of this, Mega Garchomp can find some difficulty breaking through physical walls. Also, Mega Garchomp should be preserved in certain matchups such as Flying and Grass, as it becomes an important wincon against threats that can otherwise trouble the team. Mega Garchomp should avoid being inflicted with status as much as it can, since a burn can reduce its Attack stat and Toxic poison gradually wears it down. The player should not necessarily Mega Evolve Garchomp instantly, as Garchomp's Speed before Mega Evolving will allow it to outspeed Pokemon like those with base 100 Speed, Hydreigon, and Kyurem-B. However, Mega Evolving does give Garchomp much-improved bulk. Lastly, Mega Garchomp can bait the likes of Ferrothorn and Skarmory by not Mega Evolving immediately and not revealing Fire Blast.


Team Options
========

Excadrill forms a deadly sand core with Mega Garchomp, as Excadrill can easily take care of faster threats and double as a solid physical wallbreaker while Mega Garchomp can break through Skarmory and similar threats. Sand support from Hippowdon is also vital for Mega Garchomp, as it boosts the power of Earthquake and Stone Edge, allowing Mega Garchomp to more easily check Mega Venusaur and other such Pokemon. Dugtrio is a good teammate for Mega Garchomp. Between the two, they can consistently trap and eliminate Tapu Bulu, one of the biggest threats to Ground, thanks to Mega Garchomp’s Fire Blast and Dugtrio’s Sludge Wave. Landorus-T can pressure some of Mega Garchomp's switch-ins such as Mega Venusaur and additionally put pressure on more offensive teams due to its setup options in Swords Dance and Rock Polish. Mamoswine brings an Ice resistance that allows it to take on Greninja and other users of Ice-type moves that threaten Garchomp. Gastrodon is a great teammate that can wear down bulkier Pokemon such as Zapdos and Porygon2 with Toxic as well as offer a legitimate Water immunity, something the entire team appreciates. It is the preferred Water-immune Pokemon, as Seismitoad isn't needed to check Azumarill since Mega Garchomp takes a +6 Aqua Jet from it. Knock Off support is also appreciated in order to negate Leftovers recovery and remove Eviolite from Pokemon such as Porygon2. Landorus is another great teammate that can put a large amount of pressure on balanced teams in combination with Mega Garchomp. Additionally, Landorus can offer Gravity support to help Mega Garchomp with threats like Celesteela and Zapdos. Finally, Gliscor is a solid stallbreaker that can wear down many of Mega Garchomp's checks thanks to utility options such as Taunt and Toxic.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Garchomp can run a Choice Scarf set on some teams. This tends to work only on sandless teams, though, as Ground already has a terrific fast Pokemon in Excadrill, and Garchomp performs best as a wallbreaker. Firium Z is another viable option that can threaten Celesteela, Ferrothorn, and Mega Scizor immediately and also OHKOes Skarmory after Stealth Rock damage and Swords Dance. The general power of Dragonium Z is usually preferred, however. A fully physical Mega Garchomp set with Swords Dance can also work against more defensive teams. However, regular Garchomp's higher Speed and option to run a Z-Move is usually appreciated more. Swords Dance Garchomp can opt to run Sand Veil as its ability, giving it a considerably high chance to dodge attacks, especially innacurate moves like Hydro Pump.


Checks and Counters
===================

**Fairy-types**: Garchomp is often forced out against Fairy-types such as Mega Diancie and Clefable, as it's unable to use its Dragon-type STAB attacks. Most Fairy-type STAB moves will also OHKO Garchomp with ease.

**Ice-types and Ice-type Moves**: Garchomp's 4x weakness to Ice means it's taken down by almost any faster Pokemon with Ice-type coverage, such as Tapu Koko, Keldeo, or Greninja. It's also taken care of by Ice Shard users, most commonly Mamoswine and Weavile.

**Physical Walls**: Physical walls such as Skarmory can take on non-Fire Blast variants of Garchomp. Many of them can also take advantage of Draco Meteor’s Special Attack drop and simply recover.

**Celesteela**: Celesteela is a fantastic check to Garchomp. While Fire Fang does threaten it, it resists Garchomp's STAB combination and can simply use Leech Seed to give Garchomp a much harder time breaking through it. Assault Vest variants usually also carry Hidden Power Ice in order to OHKO Garchomp after some chip damage.

**Faster Pokemon**: Garchomp's Speed, while good, still leaves it outsped by various revenge killers such as Latios, Greninja, and Weavile, which can all reliably check Garchomp.
 
Last edited:

iLlama

Nothing personal, I protect my people
Just reading over this I noticed that many of the details for the sets and the overview consist of information I could find just by looking at Garchomp's dex information. An example would be when you discuss Garchomp's bulk in the overview but don't go into detail to explain why its helpful beyond saying that it's good. There's also quite a few inaccurate examples and in some areas where examples are absolutely needed there aren't any. Please go over this again, shift the info away form dex information and provide solid details. Here's an example you can use as a template for what's to be expected:

http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/mega-altaria-qc-1-3-gp-0-2.3613828/

Put it back into WIP while you work on it and when you're ready to bring it back to QC, tag me and I'll check it.
 

iLlama

Nothing personal, I protect my people
Third Time's The Charm


[OVERVIEW]

Ground
========

* Garchomp is one of the greatest offensive wallbreakers Ground has access to.
* It has an Attack stat of 130, which is above average and allows Garchomp to serve as a very solid wallbreaker in tandem with Swords Dance, allowing it to wallbreak for the rest of the team. turning it into a potent set up threat.
* 108/95/85 bulk is very respectable for an offensive Pokemon, and it allows Garchomp to remain in the game for a long time and live strong attacks such as Tapu Bulu’s Wood Hammer at full HP. This goes well with its ability, which punishes most physical attackers and deals chip damage. Clarify that you're referring to Choice Scarf Tapu Bulu and that Garchomp has a very high chance of surviving at full HP to avoid confusion. Clarify that its ability is Rough Skin as well.
* Garchomp hits a respectable Speed tier in 102 that allows it to outpace relevant offensive threats such as Landorus, Mega Charizard Y, Manaphy, and other base 100 Speed Pokemon and below.
* Garchomp's access to Swords Dance allows it to boost its Attack stat, allowing it to break through many Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur, Celesteela, among others.
* Its Dragon typing allows it to take Water and Grass type moves well, though it still fears burns from Scald. I wouldn't say that it takes these moves well, just say its neutral to them. There's just way too many Pokemon to account for in order for that to be consistent.
* While the Dragon typing introduces a few key resistances and neutralities, it stacks a 4x weakness to common Ice moves which Ground does not appreciate. This also means that it is not very difficult to revenge kill Garchomp by talking advantage of its massive Ice weakness. You imply this sentence in this point already and in the next one.
* 102 Speed, while by no means bad, is easily outsped by common revenge killers such as Latios and Greninja, as well as every Choice Scarf user. Because of this, it is not hard to force Garchomp out. Don't need to restate the speed stat.
* Mega Garchomp becomes a powerful mixed wallbreaker that can take care of troublesome Pokemon regular Garchomp has more trouble with such as Skarmory.
* Mega Garchomp’s bulk is quite noteworthy, as it’s 108/115/95 defenses allows it to live very strong moves, the most notable one being Azumarill’s Aqua Jet after a Belly Drum. Don't need to state the boosted stat spread, just having the example is fine.
* Mega Garchomp's access to Sand Force allow it to be most useful under sandstorm, which Ground teams already appreciate. Change the 'most useful' bit to 'an even more powerful wallbreaker' or something like that.
* It loses 10 Speed once it Mega Evolves, however, and this means that Manaphy, Landorus, and other such Pokemon will now be able to outspeed it.

Discuss the Pros for both SD Chomp and Mega Chomp first, then both sets of cons second.


========


[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Outrage
move 4: Fire Fang
item: Dragonium Z
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe


[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Swords Dance allows Garchomp to raise its Attack stat, allowing it to blow past many Pokemon, including Celesteela and Mega Venusaur, which are otherwise problematic for Ground. Use an example other than Cele, been used quite a bit already.
* Earthquake is a powerful STAB move that is able to hit unresisted threats.
* Outrage, while a risky move by itself, is a very powerful STAB move that is able to hit everything except Steel and Fairy types for neutral damage, and hits most Flying, Bug, and Grass types for neutral damage unlike Earthquake.
* Z-Outrage gives Garchomp access to a 185 BP Devastating Drake, giving it extremely limited switch-ins after one Swords Dance.
* Fire Fang's main purpose is to offer coverage to secure the 2HKO against the previously mentioned Celesteela, plus OHKOing Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor after a Swords Dance. Mentioning that using Fire Fang gives Garchomp neutral coverage against the entire meta game should be in here somewhere.
* Fire Blast could be used alongside a Naive nature in order to 2HKO Skarmory, but Garchomp's low Special Attack and Fire Blast's inability to be boosted by Swords Dance makes Fire Fang more preferred. Fire Blast is awful on SD Chomp.

Set Details
========

* Maximum Attack and Speed EVs allow Garchomp to be as fast and hit as hard as possible.
* Dragonium Z allows Garchomp to fire off a powerful 185 STAB move without much drawbacks and break through defensive Pokemon. The player must be wary of Fairy and Steel types coming in, however. The second sentence is more of a Usage Tip. Examples of defensive Pokemon, such as Suicune.
* Rough Skin enables Garchomp to deal chip damage when it is damaged by a contact move. This also gives Garchomp the ability to block Rapid Spin and help wear down huge opposing threats such as Belly Drum Azu or Tapu Bulu.
* A Jolly nature is preferred as it allows Garchomp to outspeed positive nature base 90 Speed Pokemon and above.

Usage Tips
========

* Garchomp is best used early-game as a wallbreaker, allowing a teammate to sweep later with more ease.
* It is best to use Garchomp and set up once all Fairy types are fainted, since they can waste Garchomp's Z Move. This tip should be more or less, "be weary of when to set up with Swords Dance," then you can mention when Fairy-types or Ice Shard users have been removed.
* Faster revenge killers that can KO Garchomp should also be taken care of, such as Latios and Greninja. New examples, Mega Sharpedo and Mega Diancie work fine.
* Garchomp should set up against slower, more passive threats such as Mega Venusaur and Celesteela, as Garchomp's good natural bulk will give it a lot of opportunities to do so. These examples are tough because of the combination of Leech stall and Sleep Powder, you could say Staraptor or Armaldo instead because they can't do much to Chomp in return besides chip damage and both are annoyed by Rough Skin.
* Stealth Rock being on the field will give Garchomp an easier time with wallbreaking, as it naturally forces a lot of switches. and sets up KOes on opposing threats, like Suicune.
* Phazers such as Skarmory and Hippowdon can stop Garchomp, so they should be fainted or weakened before boosting with Swords Dance.
* Chip damage inflicted by Rough Skin can be used to give Garchomp certain setup opportunities, weakening sweepers. I don't know what this is trying to say. Clarify or remove.
* It is important to be very selective when using Devastating Drake, as it is a one-time use move that resistant or immune Pokemon can take advantage of by simply switching in.
* Something about avoiding status.

Team Options
========

* Excadrill is a terrific teammate for Garchomp, as the two have a lot of synergy. Excadrill in the sand allows it to be a huge threat to more offensive teams, clearing the way for Garchomp to wallbreak. I would also say that Garchomp can break down opposing teams in order for Excadrill to clean late-game. Typing wise they also help each other out since Excadrill can tackle the pesky Fairy-types and Garchomp can mitigate Fire-type damage and punish physical attackers. Hazard control with Rapid Spin.
* Hippowdon is a good Stealth Rock user that benefits not only Garchomp, but rather the entire team with sand support, dealing chip damage to most Pokemon and giving the previously mentioned Excadrill the speed boost.
* Mamoswine is a good teammate that possesses a legitimate Ice resistance, giving Garchomp a switch-in to some of the Ice attacks it is so weak to, such as Greninja’s Ice Beam.
* Seismitoad can switch into the Scalds that threaten Garchomp, as well as help beat some of the bulkier Ground and Fairy types that Garchomp may have trouble with, such as Hippowdon and Azumarill after a Belly Drum.
* Lastly, Landorus and Garchomp form a deadly wallbreaking core that puts a large amount of pressure on balanced teams due to their combined coverage. Landorus may also offer Gravity support allowing Garchomp to more reliably beat Pokemon such as Skarmory and Zapdos. Celesteela is a big one.
* Dugtrio
* Gastrodon - hard walls mega diancie which is huge



=========


[SET]
name: Mixed Wallbreaker
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Fire Blast
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Garchompite
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Naive
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe


[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Draco Meteor is a good 130 BP STAB move that can dent many Pokemon that don’t resist it and outright OHKO frailer Pokemon. It's largely unresisted for the most part, meaning Draco Meteor will usually deal neutral damage to most Pokemon. Remove, you already mentioned it hits neutral targets hard.
* Earthquake is the secondary STAB of choice, as it allows Garchomp to have a physical presence using its naturally great 170 Attack and hits very hard even without investment.
* Fire Blast offers great coverage that primarily hits Skarmory reliably. It also allows Garchomp to threaten Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor, which otherwise wall Garchomp.
* Stone Edge completes the coverage and allows Mega Garchomp to nail Flying types such as Zapdos and Mega Charizard Y.

Set Details
========

* Maximum Special Attack and Speed are used to capitalize on Mega Garchomp’s mixed wallbreaking potential. A Naive nature is appreciated in order for Mega Garchomp to hit the highest Speed tier possible. without lowering its Attack.
* Garchompite is required for Garchomp to mega evolve.
* Rough Skin is the preferred ability before Mega Evolving, as it may get some useful chip damage while switching in on attacks before Mega Evolving.
* Sand Force boosts the power of Earthquake and Stone Edge in the sand, something Garchomp appreciates due to most Ground teams utilizing Hippowdon.

Usage Tips
========

* Mega Garchomp is used best as an early-game wallbreaker under the sand, as the support from Hippowdon’s Sand Stream will allow it to eliminate threats that may impede a faster Pokemon like Excadrill from sweeping late-game.
* Hazard support from the likes of Hippowdon is greatly appreciated, as the offensive pressure Mega Garchomp places on teams will also force a lot of switches, stacking up Stealth Rock and sand damage. This is more of a Team Option.
* Mega Garchomp’s great bulk can be taken advantage of, and it can switch comfortably into weaker attacks such as Giga Drain from Mega Venusaur.
* While its bulk is great, Mega Garchomp lacks any kind of recovery, so it is not recommended to play too recklessly with it.
* Mega Garchomp can be stalled by many walls due to Draco Meteor lowering Special Attack by 2, so this is important to note before sending it out. Has difficulty breaking physical walls without prior chip because of this.
* Mega Garchomp should be preserved certain matchups such as Flying and Grass as it becomes an important wincon against threats that can otherwise trouble the team.
* Avoid Status; cripples, reduces attack, etc.
* When to mega evolve and not to in order to preserve higher speed tier, why is the higher speed tier useful i.e. outpacing base 100s
* It's important to bait in Pokemon such as Skarmory or Ferrothorn by not revealing Fire Blast.


Usage Tips is pretty lacking in information.

Team Options
========

* Excadrill forms a deadly sand core with Mega Garchomp, as Excadrill can easily take care of faster threats and double as a solid physical wallbreaker, while Mega Garchomp can break through Skarmory and similar threats.
* Sand support from Hippowdon is vital for Mega Garchomp, as the support from the sand boosts the power of Earthquake and Stone Edge, allowing Mega Garchomp to more easily check Mega Venusaur and other such Pokemon.
* Dugtrio is a good teammate for Mega Garchomp. Between the two, they can successfully trap and eliminate Tapu Bulu thanks to Mega Garchomp’s Fire Blast and Dugtrio’s Sludge Wave. Tapu Bulu is one of the biggest threats to Ground, so this is very appreciated.
* Landorus-Therian can pressure some of Mega Garchomp’s switch-ins such as Mega Venusaur, and additionally put pressure on offensive teams due to its setup capabilities in Swords Dance and Rock Polish.
* Mamoswine brings the previously mentioned Ice resistance that allows it to take on Greninja and other Ice moves that threaten Garchomp.
* Gastrodon is a decent teammate that can wear down bulkier Pokemon such as Zapdos and Porygon2 with Toxic, as well as offer a legitimate Water immunity, something the entire team appreciates.
* Seismitoad
* Landorus
* Gliscor


[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

* Garchomp can run a Choice Scarf set on some teams. This tends to work on sandless teams, though, as Ground already has terrific speed control in Excadrill, and Garchomp performs best as a wallbreaker.
* A more defensive set with Rocky Helmet can be used in order for Garchomp to take more hits, and goes well with teams featuring Gastrodon. However, this set is simply not as useful as Garchomp's offensive sets. I don't see a reason to use this on Ground.
* Firium Z is a viable option that can threaten Celesteela, Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor immediately and also guarantees the OHKO on Skarmory after a Swords Dance with Stealth Rock on the field. The general power of Dragonium Z Outrage is usually preferred, however.
* A fully physical Mega Garchomp set with Swords Dance can work against more defensive teams. However, regular Garchomp's higher Speed plus the option to run a Z Move is usually appreciated more.
* Sand Veil on SD Chomp


Checks and Counters
===================

(4)**Faster Pokemon**: Garchomp's Speed, while good, is still outsped by various revenge killers such as Latios, Greninja, and Weavile, who can all reliably check Garchomp.

(2)**Ice Moves**: Garchomp's 4x weakness to Ice means it's taken down by almost any faster Pokemon with Ice coverage, such as Tapu Koko, Keldeo, and Greninja. It's also taken care of by Ice Shard users, most commonly Mamoswine and Weavile.

(1)**Fairy Types**: Garchomp is often forced out against Fairy types such as Mega Diancie and Clefable as it's unable to use its Dragon STAB. Most Fairy STAB moves will also OHKO Garchomp with ease.

(3)**Physical Walls**:

Turn **Ice Moves** into **Ice-types and Moves** and reorder 1-4.
It looks like a lot but everything is pretty simple fixes, mostly just clarifying points or mixing up some examples.

Nice work. QC 1/3
oie_rounded_corners (1).gif
 
Overview:
- You can just merge the first two lines together. The same thing goes for the lines pertaining to its Speed stat when discussing about its Mega forme.
- I would discuss more about its coverage moves, specifically mentioning Fire Fang (regular), Stone Edge, and Fire Blast (mega), respectively. They don't leave Garchomp to be completely walled by certain threats.

{Swords Dance}

evs: 252 Atk / 4 HP / 252 Spe | 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe (swap HP and Atk btw. HP should always be in front)

Moves:
- I would add Tapu Bulu to the list that Fire Fang hits since it deals a lot of damage to Bulu which would otherwise wall Outrage and Earthquake. It's just a huge threat to Ground teams that I believe it should be mentioned.

Set Details:
- Move Jolly nature up under the comment where you discuss maximizing its Attack stat for organizing reasons.
- I'm very positive your opponent will still Rapid Spin even when Garchomp is Rough Skin to remove entry hazards for their own sake. It doesn't block Rapid Spin if the user of the move is still able to successfully remove it off their field.

Usage Tips:
- Add that Garchomp can also utilize that set as a late-game cleaner, because there's situations in which threats that check / counter Garchomp are taken out later in the game.

Team Options:
- Add Excadrill being able to check Ice-types as well.
- Add about Hippowdon being a great physical wall to tank physical attacks for Garchomp, especially when there's times you want to preserve Garchomp until the right moment to set up.
- Mention that its Mamoswine's Thick Fat ability that helps it take Ice-type attacks for Garchomp. Also helps in taking on Flying-types.
- You mentioned Dugtrio trapping Tapu Bulu and other threats and then what? How does Dugtrio's trapping ability help Garchomp? (Even though you mentioned it in the set below, it's better go into detail)
- Add that Gastrodon can also utilize Toxic to set threats on a timer for Garchomp to also KO easier.
- Personally, I really don't like Gravity to be mentioned on Landorus because that's mainly used to cteam Steel and beat Zapdos/Skarm or something, when it can even be done by another teammate (even SD Garchomp can beat Zapdos anyway). It's just sacrificing another coverage move for it and it's not needed.


v You kind of forgot to add stuff down here that Llama checked so I'll go a bit into detail with them and add a couple of mine v

{Mixed Wallbreaker}

Usage Tips:
- I would talk about Garchomp having the option to not Mega Evolve right away just as a way to maintain its Speed above base 100s if it needs to get rid of something. Say for example, outspeeding Mega Charizard Y and using Stone Edge on it, beating Choice Band Victini with Earthquake, or Draco Meteor on Choice Specs variants of Hydreigon and maximum Special Attack is able to OHKO Hydreigon with it.
- Should also talk about not revealing your moves early such as Fire Blast so you can utilize Mega Garchomp as a lure to threats such as Ferrothorn and Skarmory and KO them with it.

Team Options:
- Mamoswine providing Knock Off support for Mega Garchomp against annoying threats.
- Add Seismitoad and Landorus.
- Gliscor good for being a status absorber for any incoming Toxic and a good stallbreaker against walls that Mega Garchomp would have trouble against and give an example.

Other Options:
- Look at Llama's check

C&C
- Same to this one

QC 2/3
 
Last edited:
Overview:
- Talk about Mega Garchomp enabling Gastrodon instead of Seismitoad.

Swords Dance:
Set:
- Change spread to 4 HP / 236 Atk / 16 Def / 252 Spe. This spread guarantees the survival of Choice Scarf Tapu Bulu's Wood Hammer, forcing another Rough Skin activation.

Moves:
- Need to mention breaking Normal defensive core with Swords Dance and Devastating Drake. One of the main ways Porygon2 and Chansey can be taken down is through Garchomp.
- Tapu Bulu is OHKOed after Stealth Rock damage +2 Fire Fang. Important calc

Set Details:
- Picky, but saying that Jolly is preferred isn't language that makes it clear that Jolly is the only viable nature.
- Also, explain the spread I mentioned.

Usage Tips:
- Mega Sharpedo without Ice Fang can't KO Garchomp, so I'd probably use Greninja as a better example.
- Interesting thing about phazers is that Garchomp can fire off a huge hit as they Whirlwind it out. It's not that reliable of a way to check Garchomp.
- Discuss Outrage usage briefly. That's another use for Devastating Drake, as a powerful attack that doesn't lock Garchomp in.

Mega Garchomp:
Set Details:
- Also note that Naive is used over Hasty because +6 Azumarill's Aqua Jet does not OHKO Mega Garchomp even with Stealth Rock support. However, it should be noted that Naive does give Assault Vest Celesteela a chance to OHKO with Hidden Power Ice with entry hazarrd support.

Usage Tips:
- When you do talk about losing Speed on Mega Evolution, you should contrast this with the much improved bulk.

Team Options:
- Seismitoad is pretty bad. Half the point of using Mega Garchomp is to enable the use of the much better Gastrodon.

Checks and Counters:
- Give Celesteela its own section here. It's just such a good check to Garchomp.

QC 3/3
 

Lumari

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is a Site Content Manageris a Top Social Media Contributoris a Member of Senior Staffis a Community Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Top Smogon Media Contributoris an Administrator Alumnus
TFP Leader


remove
add / fix (comments); (AC=add comma; RC=remove comma; SC=semicolon)
GP 1/2
[OVERVIEW]

Ground
========

Garchomp is one of the greatest offensive wallbreakers Ground has access to. It has an a great base (or above average but great seems more accurate) Attack stat of 130, which is above average and allows Garchomp to serve as a very solid wallbreaker and setup threat in tandem with Swords Dance, allowing it to become a potent setup threat that can break through many Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur and Celesteela. Garchomp's 108 / 95 / 85 (spacing) bulk is very respectable for an offensive Pokemon, and it allows it to remain in the game for a long time and live take strong attacks such as Choice Scarf Tapu Bulu’s Bulu's Wood Hammer at full HP. This goes well with Rough Skin, which punishes most physical attackers and deals chip damage. Garchomp also hits a respectable Speed tier in base 102 that allows it to outpace relevant offensive threats such as Landorus, Mega Charizard Y, Manaphy, and other base 100 Speed Pokemon and below. Garchomp's access to Swords Dance allows it to boost its Attack stat, allowing it to break through many Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur, Celesteela, among others. Its Dragon typing gives it a neutrality to Grass and Water, something Ground appreciates, though it still fears burns from Scald. Mega Garchomp, on the other hand, becomes a powerful mixed wallbreaker that can take care of troublesome Pokemon regular Garchomp has more trouble with such as Skarmory. Mega Garchomp’s Garchomp's bulk is quite noteworthy, as its boosted defenses allow it to live take very strong moves that regular Garchomp cannot, with the most notable one being Azumarill’s Azumarill's Aqua Jet after a Belly Drum. Mega Garchomp's access to Sand Force allow allows it to be an even more powerful wallbreaker under the sandstorm, sand, which Ground teams already appreciate. Mega Garchomp also enables Ground teams to viably use Gastrodon, which is a very good wall that can counter the likes of Mega Diancie. It loses 10 Speed once it Mega Evolves, however, and this means that Manaphy, Landorus, and other such Pokemon will now be able to outspeed it. While the Dragon typing introduces a few key resistances and neutralities, it stacks a 4x weakness to common Ice moves, (AC) which Ground does not appreciate. In addition, Garchomp’s Speed, while by no means bad, is leaves it easily outsped by common revenge killers such as Latios and Greninja, as well as every Choice Scarf user. Because of this, it is not hard to force Garchomp out.

========


[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Outrage
move 4: Fire Fang
item: Dragonium Z
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 236 Atk / 16 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Swords Dance allows Garchomp to raise its Attack stat, allowing it to blow past many Pokemon, including Zapdos and Mega Venusaur, which are otherwise problematic for Ground. Earthquake is a powerful STAB move that is able to hit unresisted threats that don't resist it. Outrage, while a risky move by itself, is a very powerful STAB move that is able to hit everything except Steel- and Fairy-types (AH) for neutral damage (RC) and hits most Flying-, Bug-, and Grass-types b(AH) for neutral damage unlike Earthquake. However, Outrage's main purpose is to allow Garchomp to fire off its powerful Z Move. Z-Outrage Dragonium Z gives Garchomp access to a 185-BP (AH) Devastating Drake, giving it extremely limited switch-ins after one Swords Dance and turns turning Garchomp into a deadly wallbreaker capable of breaking through the Eviolite core on Normal after a Swords Dance. Lastly, Fire Fang's main purpose is to offer coverage to secure the 2HKO against the previously mentioned Celesteela, plus OHKOing Tapu Bulu, Ferrothorn, and Mega Scizor after a Swords Dance, the former after damage from Stealth Rock. Additionally, it hits Tapu Bulu fairly hard, which otherwise walls Garchomp. (already mentioned in the previous sentence, some redundancy here fix please) It is also worth mentioning that Fire Fang makes Garchomp hit the entire tier at least neutrally, maximizing its sweeping capabilities.

Set Details
========

The given EV spread maximizes Garchomp's Attack and Speed while also allowing it to live survive Choice Scarf Tapu Bulu's Wood Hammer, giving it letting Garchomp inflict two rounds of chip damage as well as giving Garchomp it an opportunity to Fire Fang. A Jolly nature is required, (AC) as it allows Garchomp to outspeed positive-natured (AH) base 90 Speed Pokemon and above. Dragonium Z allows Garchomp to fire off a powerful 185-BP STAB move without much drawbacks and break through many defensive Pokemon, such as Suicune. Rough Skin enables Garchomp to deal chip damage when it is damaged by a contact move. This also gives Garchomp the ability to wear down Rapid Spin users and wear down attackers such as Tapu Bulu.

Usage Tips
========

Garchomp is best used early-game as a wallbreaker, allowing a teammate to sweep later with more ease. The player has to be wary about when to set up with Swords Dance, however. It is best to set up once all Fairy- and Steel-types (AH) have been fainted KOed or worn down, as they can wear Garchomp down and waste its Z-Move. (AH) Faster revenge killers that can KO Garchomp should also be taken care of, such as Greninja and Mega Diancie. Furthermore, Garchomp should set up against slower, more passive threats such as Staraptor and Armaldo, as Garchomp's its good natural bulk will give it a lot of opportunities to do so. This also goes well with Rough Skin inflicting useful chip damage on some of these Pokemon. Stealth Rock being on the field will give Garchomp an easier time with wallbreaking, as it naturally forces a lot of switches, and sets up secures KO opportunities on Pokemon such as Suicune. Phazers such as Skarmory and Hippowdon can also force Garchomp out, so they should be fainted KOed or weakened before boosting with Swords Dance. Another thing to note is that it is important to be very selective when using Devastating Drake, as it is a one-time use move that resistant or immune Pokemon can take advantage of by simply switching in. Also, Garchomp should avoid status from Toxic as well as burns, as the former can wear it down throughout the game and the latter drastically minimizes its usefulness. Additionally, it is possible to use Garchomp as a late-game (AH) cleaner once all of its faster checks or defensive answers are weakened or fainted.

Team Options
========

Excadrill is a terrific teammate for Garchomp, as the two have a lot of synergy. Garchomp can break down most defensive Pokemon and provide a Fire switch-in, while Excadrill beats the pesky Fairy- and Ice-types (AH) that trouble Garchomp and discourage it from using its Dragon STAB attacks. Excadrill in the Sand also allows it Excadrill to be a huge threat to more offensive teams, clearing the way for Garchomp to wallbreak. Hippowdon is a good Stealth Rock user that benefits not only Garchomp (RC) but rather the entire team with sand support, dealing chip damage to most Pokemon and giving the previously mentioned Excadrill the Speed boost. It's important to preserve Garchomp before setting up, so Hippowdon's ability to sponge many physical attacks is appreciated. Mamoswine is another good teammate that possesses a legitimate Ice resistance, giving Garchomp a switch-in to some of the Ice attacks it is so weak to, such as Greninja’s Greninja's Ice Beam. Seismitoad can switch into the Scalds that threaten Garchomp, as well as help beat some of the bulkier Ground- and Fairy-types (AH) that Garchomp may have trouble with, such as Hippowdon and Azumarill after a Belly Drum Azumarill. Landorus and Garchomp form a deadly wallbreaking core that puts a large amount of pressure on balanced teams due to their combined coverage and sheer wallbreaking power. Dugtrio is a good team option that can effectively trap threats such as Tapu Bulu and other fast Pokemon that prevent Garchomp from setting up, making it a good teammate. It can also eliminate Pokemon with certainty (RC) and pick apart the Pokemon that can threaten Garchomp. Lastly, Gastrodon is also a good teammate as it can offer offers a useful Water immunity while walling Mega Diancie, which can otherwise outspeed and KO Garchomp. Toxic support from it can also gradually wear down walls that can take on Garchomp.

=========


[SET]
name: Mixed Wallbreaker
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Fire Blast
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Garchompite
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Naive
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe


[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Draco Meteor is Mega Garchomp's main STAB move, sporting a great 130 BP Base Power, allowing it to dent many Pokemon that don’t don't resist it and outright OHKO frailer Pokemon. Earthquake is the secondary STAB of choice attack, as it allows Garchomp to have a physical presence using its naturally great base 170 Attack and hits very hard even without investment. Fire Blast offers great coverage that primarily hits Skarmory reliably. It also allows Garchomp to threaten Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor, which otherwise wall Garchomp it. Finally, Stone Edge completes the coverage and allows Mega Garchomp to nail Flying-types (AH) such as Zapdos and Mega Charizard Y.

Set Details
========

Maximum Special Attack and Speed are used to capitalize on Mega Garchomp’s Garchomp's mixed wallbreaking potential. A Naive nature is appreciated in order for Mega Garchomp to hit the highest Speed tier possible while not without lowering its Attack. In addition, Naive will allow Garchomp to always live survive an Aqua Jet from +6 Azumarill at +6 after Stealth Rock, though it also gives Assault Vest Celesteela a chance to OHKO it with entry hazard support. Garchompite is required for Garchomp to Mega Evolve. Rough Skin is the preferred ability before Mega Evolving, as it Garchomp may get some useful chip damage while switching in on attacks before Mega Evolving. Sand Force boosts the power of Earthquake and Stone Edge in the sand, something Garchomp appreciates due to most Ground teams utilizing Hippowdon.

Usage Tips
========

Mega Garchomp is used best as an early-game wallbreaker under the sand, as the support from Hippowdon's (fix apostrophe) Sand Stream will allow it to eliminate threats that may impede a faster Pokemon like Excadrill from sweeping late-game. Stealth Rock should be on the field early in the game, as the offensive pressure Mega Garchomp places on teams will also force a lot of switches, helping it stack rack up Stealth Rock and sand damage. In addition, take advantage of Mega Garchomp’s Garchomp's great bulk can be taken advantage of, and as it can switch comfortably into weaker attacks such as Giga Drain from Mega Venusaur. However, while its bulk is great, Mega Garchomp lacks any kind of recovery, so it is not recommended to play recklessly with it. Mega Garchomp can be stalled by many walls due to Draco Meteor lowering Special Attack; (SC) by 2, so this is important to note before sending it out. because of this, Mega Garchomp can find some difficulty breaking through physical walls. Also, Mega Garchomp should be preserved in certain matchups such as Flying and Grass, (AC) as it becomes an important wincon against threats that can otherwise trouble the team. Mega Garchomp should also avoid being inflicted with status as much as it can, since a burn can cripple reduce its Attack stat and Toxic gradually wears it down. The player should not necessarily Mega Evolve instantly, as its Garchomp's Speed before Mega Evolving will allow it to outspeed Pokemon like base 100s, Hydreigon, and Kyurem-Black. However, Mega Evolving does give Garchomp much-improved (AH) bulk. Lastly, Mega Garchomp can bait the likes of Ferrothorn and Skarmory by not Mega Evolving immediately (RC) and not revealing Fire Blast.


Team Options
========

Excadrill forms a deadly sand core with Mega Garchomp, as Excadrill can easily take care of faster threats and double as a solid physical wallbreaker (RC) while Mega Garchomp can break through Skarmory and similar threats. Sand support from Hippowdon is also vital for Mega Garchomp, as the support from the sand it boosts the power of Earthquake and Stone Edge, allowing Mega Garchomp to more easily check Mega Venusaur and other such Pokemon. Dugtrio is a good teammate for Mega Garchomp. Between the two, they can successfully trap and eliminate Tapu Bulu, one of the biggest threats to Ground, thanks to Mega Garchomp’s Garchomp's Fire Blast and Dugtrio’s Dugtrio's Sludge Wave. Tapu Bulu is one of the biggest threats to Ground, so this is very appreciated. Landorus-Therian can pressure some of Mega Garchomp’s Garchomp's switch-ins such as Mega Venusaur (RC) and additionally put pressure on more offensive teams due to its setup capabilities options in Swords Dance and Rock Polish. Mamoswine brings the previously mentioned an Ice resistance that allows it to take on Greninja and other Ice moves move users that threaten Garchomp. Gastrodon is a great teammate that can wear down bulkier Pokemon such as Zapdos and Porygon2 with Toxic (RC) as well as offer a legitimate Water immunity, something the entire team appreciates. Knock Off support is also appreciated in order to negate Leftovers recovery and eliminate Eviolite from Pokemon such as Porygon2. Landorus is another great teammate that can put a large amount of pressure on balanced teams in combination with Mega Garchomp. Additionally, Landorus can offer Gravity support to help Mega Garchomp with threats like Celesteela and Zapdos. Finally, Gliscor is a solid stallbreaker that can wear down many of Mega Garchomp's checks thanks to utility options such as Taunt and Toxic.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Garchomp can run a Choice Scarf set on some teams. This tends to work on sandless teams, though, as Ground already has terrific speed control fast Pokemon in Excadrill, and Garchomp performs best as a wallbreaker. Firium Z is another viable option that can threaten Celesteela, Ferrothorn, (AC) and Mega Scizor immediately and also guarantees the OHKO on Skarmory after a Swords Dance with Stealth Rock on the field. The general power of Dragonium Z Outrage is usually preferred, however. A fully physical Mega Garchomp set with Swords Dance can also work against more defensive teams. However, regular Garchomp's higher Speed plus the option to run a Z-Move (AH) is usually appreciated more. Swords Dance Garchomp can opt to run Sand Veil as its ability, giving it a considerably high chance to dodge attacks (RC) and an ever higher chance to dodge imperfect accuracy inaccurate moves like Hydro Pump.


Checks and Counters
===================

**Fairy-types**: (AH) Garchomp is often forced out against Fairy-types (AH) such as Mega Diancie and Clefable, (AC) as it's unable to use its Dragon STAB attacks. Most Fairy STAB moves will also OHKO Garchomp with ease.

**Ice-types and Ice-type Moves**: Garchomp's 4x weakness to Ice means it's taken down by almost any faster Pokemon with Ice coverage, such as Tapu Koko, Keldeo, and or Greninja. It's also taken care of by Ice Shard users, most commonly Mamoswine and Weavile.

**Physical Walls**: Physical walls such as Skarmory can take on Garchomp on non-Fire Blast variants of Garchomp. Many of them can also take advantage of Draco Meteor’s Special Attack drop (RC) and simply recover.

**Celesteela**: Celesteela is a fantastic check for Garchomp. While Fire Fang does threaten it, it resists Garchomp's STAB combination and can simply use Leech Seed and to give Garchomp a much harder time breaking it, while resisting its STAB combination. Assault Vest variants can also carry Hidden Power Ice in order to OHKO it Garchomp after some chip damage.

**Faster Pokemon**: Garchomp's Speed, while good, is still leaves it outsped by various revenge killers such as Latios, Greninja, and Weavile, who which can all reliably check Garchomp.
 
Last edited:
Haakunite could you please implement this check by the end of the weekend? Thanks!

One comment for Mega team options is definitely explain why Gastrodon is good here and better than seis (because mega takes a +6 aqua jet from azu)
 

GP 2/2
remove add comments

[OVERVIEW]

Ground
========

Garchomp is one of the greatest offensive wallbreakers Ground has access to. Its has a great base Attack stat of 130, which in tandem with Swords Dance allows Garchomp it to serve as a very solid wallbreaker and setup threat in tandem with Swords Dance that can break through many bulky Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur and Celesteela. Garchomp's 108 / 95 / 85 bulk is very respectable for an offensive Pokemon, and it allows it allowing Garchomp to remain in the game for a long time and take strong attacks such as Choice Scarf Tapu Bulu's Wood Hammer when at full HP. This goes well with Rough Skin, which punishes most physical attackers and deals chip damage. Garchomp also hits a respectable Speed tier in 102 that allows it to outpace relevant offensive threats such as Landorus, Mega Charizard Y, and Manaphy, and other base 100 Speed Pokemon and below. (should be obvious enough) Its Dragon typing gives it a neutrality to Grass and Water, something Ground appreciates, though it still fears burns from Scald. Mega Garchomp, on the other hand, Upon Mega Evolution, it becomes a powerful mixed wallbreaker that can take care of troublesome Pokemon regular Garchomp has more trouble with such as Skarmory. Mega Garchomp's bulk is also quite noteworthy, as its boosted higher defenses allow it to take very strong moves that regular Garchomp cannot, with the most notable one being Azumarill’s Aqua Jet after a Belly Drum. Mega Garchomp's access to Sand Force allows it to be an even more powerful wallbreaker under sand, which is weather that Ground teams already appreciate. Mega Garchomp also enables Ground teams to viably use Gastrodon, (how?) which is a very good wall that can counter the likes of Mega Diancie. It Garchomp loses 10 base Speed once it Mega Evolves, however, and this means meaning that Manaphy, Landorus, and other such Pokemon will now be able to outspeed it. While the Garchomp's Dragon typing introduces a few key resistances and neutralities, it stacks creates a 4x weakness to common Ice moves, which Ground does not appreciate. In addition, Garchomp’s Speed, (comma) while by no means bad, is decent but leaves it easily outsped by common revenge killers such as Latios and Greninja, (comma) as well as every Choice Scarf user. Because of this, it is not hard to force Garchomp out.

========


[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Outrage
move 4: Fire Fang
item: Dragonium Z
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 236 Atk / 16 Def / 252 Spe


[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Swords Dance allows Garchomp to raise its Attack stat, allowing it to blow past many Pokemon that are otherwise problematic for Ground, including Zapdos and Mega Venusaur, which are otherwise problematic for Ground. Earthquake is a powerful STAB move that is able to hit threats that don't resist it hard. Outrage, while a risky move by itself, is able to hit everything except Steel- and Fairy-types for neutral damage and hits most Flying-, Bug-, and Grass-types for neutral damage, (comma) unlike Earthquake. However, Outrage's main purpose is to allow Garchomp to fire off its powerful Z Move. Dragonium Z gives Garchomp access to a 185-BP Devastating Drake, giving it extremely limited switch-ins after one use of Swords Dance and turning Garchomp it into a deadly wallbreaker that is capable of breaking through the Eviolite Chansey + Porygon2 core on Normal. Lastly, Fire Fang's main purpose is to allow +2 Garchomp to 2HKO Celesteela, OHKO Tapu Bulu after Stealth Rock damage, and OHKO Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor offer coverage to secure the 2HKO against the previously mentioned Celesteela, plus OHKOing Tapu Bulu, Ferrothorn, and Mega Scizor after a Swords Dance, the former after damage from Stealth Rock. Tapu Bulu is an especially noteworthy target, (comma) as it is a huge offensive threat to Ground teams. It is also worth mentioning that Fire Fang makes Garchomp hit the entire tier at least neutrally, maximizing its sweeping capabilities.

Set Details
========

The given EV spread maximizes Garchomp's Attack and Speed while also allowing it Garchomp to survive Choice Scarf Tapu Bulu's Wood Hammer, letting Garchomp inflict two rounds of chip damage as well as and giving it an opportunity to use Fire Fang. A Jolly nature is required, as it allows Garchomp to outspeed positive-natured base 90 Speed Pokemon and above. Dragonium Z allows Garchomp to fire off a powerful 185-STAB Dragon-type move without much many drawbacks and break through many defensive Pokemon, such as including Suicune. Rough Skin enables Garchomp to deal chip damage when it is damaged by a contact move. This also gives Garchomp the ability to wear down Rapid Spin users and wear down attackers such as Tapu Bulu.

Usage Tips
========

Garchomp is best used early-game as a wallbreaker, allowing a teammate to sweep later with more ease. The player has to be wary about when to set up with Swords Dance, however. It is best to set up once all Fairy- and Steel-types have been KOed or worn down, as they can wear Garchomp down and waste its Z-Move. Faster revenge killers that can KO Garchomp such as Greninja and Mega Diancie should also be taken care of, such as Greninja and Mega Diancie. Furthermore, Garchomp should set up against slower, more passive threats such as Staraptor and Armaldo, as its good natural bulk will give it a lot of opportunities to do so. This also goes well with Rough Skin inflicting useful chip damage on some of these Pokemon. Stealth Rock will give Garchomp an easier time with wallbreaking, as it Garchomp naturally forces a lot of switches, (comma) and Stealth Rock damage secures KO opportunities on against Pokemon such as Suicune. Phazers such as Skarmory and Hippowdon can also force Garchomp out, so they should be KOed or weakened before boosting with Swords Dance. (move this to the other "remove these" sentences) Another thing to note is that it is important to be very selective when using Devastating Drake, as it is a one-time use move that resistant or immune Pokemon can take advantage of by simply switching in. Also, Garchomp should avoid status from Toxic as well as burns getting poisoned or burned, as the former can wear it down throughout the game and the latter drastically minimizes its usefulness. Additionally, It is possible to use Garchomp as a late-game cleaner once all of its faster checks or and defensive answers are weakened or fainted.
(I feel like the above paragraph is quite disorganized overall; adjacent sentences don't relate to each other much. Think you could try rearranging?)
Team Options
========

Excadrill is a terrific teammate for Garchomp, as Garchomp can break down most defensive Pokemon and provide a Fire switch-in to Fire-types, while Excadrill beats the pesky Fairy- and Ice-types that trouble Garchomp and discourage it from using its Dragon-type STAB attacks. Sand also allows Excadrill to be a huge threat to more offensive teams, clearing the way for Garchomp to wallbreak. Hippowdon is a good Stealth Rock user that benefits not only Garchomp but rather and the entire team with sand support, dealing chip damage to most Pokemon and giving the previously mentioned Excadrill the a Speed boost. It's important to preserve Garchomp before setting up, so Hippowdon's ability to sponge many physical attacks is appreciated. Mamoswine is another good teammate that possesses a legitimate Ice resistance, giving Garchomp a switch-in to some of the Ice-type attacks it is so weak to, (comma) such as Greninja's Ice Beam. Seismitoad can switch into the Scalds users that threaten Garchomp, (comma) as well as and help beat some of the bulkier Ground- and Fairy-types that Garchomp may have trouble with, such as Hippowdon and Belly Drum Azumarill. Landorus and Garchomp form a deadly wallbreaking core that puts a large amount of pressure on balanced teams due to their its (singular core) combined coverage and sheer wallbreaking power. Dugtrio is a good team option that can effectively trap threats such as Tapu Bulu and other fast Pokemon that prevent Garchomp from setting up. It can also eliminate Pokemon with certainty and pick apart the Pokemon that can threaten Garchomp. (redundant) Lastly, Gastrodon offers a useful Water immunity while walling Mega Diancie, which can otherwise outspeed and KO Garchomp. Toxic support from it can also gradually wear down walls that can take on Garchomp.

=========


[SET]
name: Mixed Wallbreaker
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Fire Blast
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Garchompite
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Naive
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe


[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Draco Meteor is Mega Garchomp's main STAB move, sporting a great 130 Base Power, allowing it Mega Garchomp to dent many Pokemon that don't resist it and outright OHKO frailer Pokemon. Earthquake is the secondary STAB move of choice, as it allows Garchomp to have a physically offensive presence using its naturally great base 170 Attack and hits very hard even without investment. Fire Blast offers great coverage that primarily hits Skarmory reliably. It also allows Garchomp to threaten Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor, which otherwise wall it. Finally, Stone Edge completes the coverage and allows Mega Garchomp to nail Flying-types such as Zapdos and Mega Charizard Y.

Set Details
========

Maximum Special Attack and Speed are used to capitalize on Mega Garchomp's mixed wallbreaking potential. A Naive nature is appreciated chosen in order for Mega Garchomp to hit the highest Speed tier possible without lowering its Attack. In addition, being Naive will allows Garchomp to always survive an Aqua Jet from +6 Azumarill after Stealth Rock, though it also gives Assault Vest Celesteela a chance to OHKO it with entry hazard support. Garchompite is required for Garchomp to Mega Evolve. Rough Skin is the preferred ability before Mega Evolving, as Garchomp may get some useful chip damage while switching in on attacks. Sand Force boosts the power of Earthquake and Stone Edge in the sand, something Garchomp appreciates due to most Ground teams utilizing Hippowdon.

Usage Tips
========

Mega Garchomp is used best as an early-game wallbreaker under the sand, as Hippowdon's Sand Stream will allow it to eliminate threats that may impede a faster Pokemon like Excadrill from sweeping late-game. Stealth Rock should be on the field early in the game, as the offensive pressure Mega Garchomp places on teams will also force a lot of switches, helping it rack up Stealth Rock and sand damage. In addition, Take advantage of Mega Garchomp's great bulk, as it can switch comfortably into weaker attacks such as Giga Drain from Mega Venusaur. However, while its bulk is great, Mega Garchomp lacks any kind of recovery, so it is not recommended to play recklessly with it. Mega Garchomp can be stalled by many walls due to Draco Meteor lowering Special Attack; because of this, Mega Garchomp can find some difficulty breaking through physical walls. Also, Mega Garchomp should be preserved in certain matchups such as Flying and Grass, as it becomes an important wincon against threats that can otherwise trouble the team. Mega Garchomp should also avoid being inflicted with status as much as it can, since a burn can reduce its Attack stat and Toxic poison gradually wears it down. The player should not necessarily Mega Evolve Garchomp instantly, as Garchomp's Speed before Mega Evolving will allow it to outspeed Pokemon like those with base 100s Speed, Hydreigon, and Kyurem-B. However, Mega Evolving does give Garchomp much-improved bulk. Lastly, Mega Garchomp can bait the likes of Ferrothorn and Skarmory by not Mega Evolving immediately and not revealing Fire Blast.


Team Options
========

Excadrill forms a deadly sand core with Mega Garchomp, as Excadrill can easily take care of faster threats and double as a solid physical wallbreaker while Mega Garchomp can break through Skarmory and similar threats. Sand support from Hippowdon is also vital for Mega Garchomp, as it boosts the power of Earthquake and Stone Edge, allowing Mega Garchomp to more easily check Mega Venusaur and other such Pokemon. Dugtrio is a good teammate for Mega Garchomp. Between the two, they can successfully consistently trap and eliminate Tapu Bulu, one of the biggest threats to Ground, thanks to Mega Garchomp’s Fire Blast and Dugtrio’s Sludge Wave. Landorus-T can pressure some of Mega Garchomp's switch-ins such as Mega Venusaur and additionally put pressure on more offensive teams due to its setup options in Swords Dance and Rock Polish. Mamoswine brings an Ice resistance that allows it to take on Greninja and other Ice move users of Ice-type moves that threaten Garchomp. Gastrodon is a great teammate that can wear down bulkier Pokemon such as Zapdos and Porygon2 with Toxic as well as offer a legitimate Water immunity, something the entire team appreciates. It is the preferred Water-immune Pokemon immunity, as Seismitoad isn't needed to check Azumarill since Mega Garchomp lives takes a +6 Aqua Jet from it. Knock Off support is also appreciated in order to negate Leftovers recovery and eliminate remove Eviolite from Pokemon such as Porygon2. Landorus is another great teammate that can put a large amount of pressure on balanced teams in combination with Mega Garchomp. Additionally, Landorus can offer Gravity support to help Mega Garchomp with threats like Celesteela and Zapdos. Finally, Gliscor is a solid stallbreaker that can wear down many of Mega Garchomp's checks thanks to utility options such as Taunt and Toxic.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Garchomp can run a Choice Scarf set on some teams. This tends to work only on sandless teams, though, as Ground already has a terrific fast Pokemon in Excadrill, and Garchomp performs best as a wallbreaker. Firium Z is another viable option that can threaten Celesteela, Ferrothorn, and Mega Scizor immediately and also guarantees the OHKO on Skarmory after a Swords Dance with Stealth Rock on the field OHKOes Skarmory after Stealth Rock damage and Swords Dance. The general power of Dragonium Z Outrage is usually preferred, however. A fully physical Mega Garchomp set with Swords Dance can also work against more defensive teams. However, regular Garchomp's higher Speed plus the and option to run a Z-Move is usually appreciated more. Swords Dance Garchomp can opt to run Sand Veil as its ability, giving it a considerably high chance to dodge attacks, (comma) especially and an ever higher chance to dodge innacurate moves like Hydro Pump.


Checks and Counters
===================

**Fairy-types**: Garchomp is often forced out against Fairy-(hyphen)types such as Mega Diancie and Clefable, (comma) as it's unable to use its Dragon-type STAB attacks. Most Fairy-type STAB moves will also OHKO Garchomp with ease.

**Ice-types and Ice-type Moves**: Garchomp's 4x weakness to Ice means it's taken down by almost any faster Pokemon with Ice-type coverage, such as Tapu Koko, Keldeo, or Greninja. It's also taken care of by Ice Shard users, most commonly Mamoswine and Weavile.

**Physical Walls**: Physical walls such as Skarmory can take on non-Fire Blast variants of Garchomp. Many of them can also take advantage of Draco Meteor’s Special Attack drop and simply recover.

**Celesteela**: Celesteela is a fantastic check for to Garchomp. While Fire Fang does threaten it, it resists Garchomp's STAB combination and can simply use Leech Seed to give Garchomp a much harder time breaking through it. Assault Vest variants usually also carry Hidden Power Ice in order to OHKO Garchomp after some chip damage.

**Faster Pokemon**: Garchomp's Speed, while good, still leaves it outsped by various revenge killers such as Latios, Greninja, and Weavile, which can all reliably check Garchomp.
 
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