Caelum
qibz official stalker
As shown by X-Act in this thread: http://www.smogon.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1292960&postcount=26 and http://www.smogon.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1292986&postcount=28 Garchomp usage is continually increasing to the point where he may be the single most prominent force in the metagame. Anyone who plays competitively knows the impact of Garchomp and its ability to change a game in the blink of an eye. That said, I ask you
1: Would your teams change dramatically if Garchomp never existed and if so, how?
2: Do you find yourself preparing for Garchomp more than other Pokemon when team building?
3: Do you have more than one way of dealing with Garchomp on your teams or do you have exactly 1 counter or 1 way of dealing with it?
4: Does Garchomp impact the popularity of certain sets or Pokemon?
5: Do you think there is any other Pokemon nearly as threatening or centralizing in the metagame as Garchomp.
1: My team would change substantially. No doubt steel types have great resistances and defenses but I believe I could make a team without a steal type were it not for Garchomp. This isn't to say it's impossible to do without a steal type but it's incredibly difficult to come into a CB Garchomp's Outrage without a steal type and even then it is hard. Additionally I always have multiple checks on how to revenge kill it. I almost always have a Scarfer or Deoxys-S who has Ice Beam/HP Ice to catch it on Outrage, and even YacheChomp gives this strategy some trouble. At one time I used DD-Dragonite but the risk was just too much what with ScarfChomp coming out. Choice Scarf Garchomp limits the ability to use, for me personally at least, DD Dragonite or Salamence. Another thing I have on my team now is Toxic Spikes. Although Toxic Spikes are for other Pokemon such as Deoxys-S and Tyranitar, the primary reason I included them was for Garchomp. Toxic Spikes can wear it down so it doesn't cause to much havoc. I have other changes to my team that I know I'm forgetting but I've covered some of its impact.
2: Yes. Garchomp has enough options between CB, Choice Scarf, YacheChomp that I find I need to be hyper-prepared for Garchomp. For example, I don't have multiple guys just to deal with Infernape. Garchomp's power and access to STAB moves with high base power threaten many Pokemon whereas no other Pokemon (maybe an unfair generalization but I feel this is true) has access to such great coverage and STAB moves combine with his speed and power. I find I have to hyper-prepare for it.
3: I find it isn't reliable to just have 1 way of dealing with Garchomp because each set is incredibly different in its function. Even Garchomp's so called "counters" can be killed in 2 Hits from an SD Outrage so I don't think I can, and I don't, rely on only 1 way to end Garchomp. My currently team has at least 3 ways or taking out Garchomp because I find him that threatening. Plus, with Sand Veil your one hit wonder for Garchomp may miss and be killed in the process.
4: I believe Garchomp does. Cresselia is a good Pokemon in it's own right, but I question whether or not Cresselia would be so popular if it weren't for Garchomp. I believe Garchomp has also lead to a bulky metagame because one can't simply rely on frail guys to take him out because Garchomp is incredibly powerful. Granted it wasn't solely Garchomp that forced a shift to a bulky offensive metagame, but I think he was certainly a driving factor. Deoxys-S with near maximum speed is obviously a response to Choice Scarf Garchomp since it can outrun it and OHKO with Ice Beam. HP Ice is on many Pokemon now and while I understand it is also for Salamence I believe most would say it is for greater Garchomp coverage. Also, Dragonite and even Salamence to some extent are pushed aside by Garchomp for it's greater speed and ability to sweep.
5: I personally do not. No doubt things like Gengar or Salamence are powerful but they seem to be much easier to deal with than Garchomp because even though Garchomp is predictable it is incredibly hard to stop unlike Gengar and Salamence once you know the set they are running. The frailty of many powerful sweepers such as Gengar also makes them much easier to deal with as opposed to the relatively bulky Garchomp.
Probably I didn't cover the answers to my questions entirely so hopefully the rest of you can pick up things I left off.
Please, do not turn this exclusively into a Garchomp is uber discussion because this isn't what I intended it to be about. Although I suspect a lot of people will find need to mention it, which is fine, just don't rant about how Garchomp should be uber and please discuss the questions I posed.
1: Would your teams change dramatically if Garchomp never existed and if so, how?
2: Do you find yourself preparing for Garchomp more than other Pokemon when team building?
3: Do you have more than one way of dealing with Garchomp on your teams or do you have exactly 1 counter or 1 way of dealing with it?
4: Does Garchomp impact the popularity of certain sets or Pokemon?
5: Do you think there is any other Pokemon nearly as threatening or centralizing in the metagame as Garchomp.
1: My team would change substantially. No doubt steel types have great resistances and defenses but I believe I could make a team without a steal type were it not for Garchomp. This isn't to say it's impossible to do without a steal type but it's incredibly difficult to come into a CB Garchomp's Outrage without a steal type and even then it is hard. Additionally I always have multiple checks on how to revenge kill it. I almost always have a Scarfer or Deoxys-S who has Ice Beam/HP Ice to catch it on Outrage, and even YacheChomp gives this strategy some trouble. At one time I used DD-Dragonite but the risk was just too much what with ScarfChomp coming out. Choice Scarf Garchomp limits the ability to use, for me personally at least, DD Dragonite or Salamence. Another thing I have on my team now is Toxic Spikes. Although Toxic Spikes are for other Pokemon such as Deoxys-S and Tyranitar, the primary reason I included them was for Garchomp. Toxic Spikes can wear it down so it doesn't cause to much havoc. I have other changes to my team that I know I'm forgetting but I've covered some of its impact.
2: Yes. Garchomp has enough options between CB, Choice Scarf, YacheChomp that I find I need to be hyper-prepared for Garchomp. For example, I don't have multiple guys just to deal with Infernape. Garchomp's power and access to STAB moves with high base power threaten many Pokemon whereas no other Pokemon (maybe an unfair generalization but I feel this is true) has access to such great coverage and STAB moves combine with his speed and power. I find I have to hyper-prepare for it.
3: I find it isn't reliable to just have 1 way of dealing with Garchomp because each set is incredibly different in its function. Even Garchomp's so called "counters" can be killed in 2 Hits from an SD Outrage so I don't think I can, and I don't, rely on only 1 way to end Garchomp. My currently team has at least 3 ways or taking out Garchomp because I find him that threatening. Plus, with Sand Veil your one hit wonder for Garchomp may miss and be killed in the process.
4: I believe Garchomp does. Cresselia is a good Pokemon in it's own right, but I question whether or not Cresselia would be so popular if it weren't for Garchomp. I believe Garchomp has also lead to a bulky metagame because one can't simply rely on frail guys to take him out because Garchomp is incredibly powerful. Granted it wasn't solely Garchomp that forced a shift to a bulky offensive metagame, but I think he was certainly a driving factor. Deoxys-S with near maximum speed is obviously a response to Choice Scarf Garchomp since it can outrun it and OHKO with Ice Beam. HP Ice is on many Pokemon now and while I understand it is also for Salamence I believe most would say it is for greater Garchomp coverage. Also, Dragonite and even Salamence to some extent are pushed aside by Garchomp for it's greater speed and ability to sweep.
5: I personally do not. No doubt things like Gengar or Salamence are powerful but they seem to be much easier to deal with than Garchomp because even though Garchomp is predictable it is incredibly hard to stop unlike Gengar and Salamence once you know the set they are running. The frailty of many powerful sweepers such as Gengar also makes them much easier to deal with as opposed to the relatively bulky Garchomp.
Probably I didn't cover the answers to my questions entirely so hopefully the rest of you can pick up things I left off.
Please, do not turn this exclusively into a Garchomp is uber discussion because this isn't what I intended it to be about. Although I suspect a lot of people will find need to mention it, which is fine, just don't rant about how Garchomp should be uber and please discuss the questions I posed.