I feel that Garchomp is too strong for OU. Not all of its sets are broken, in my opinion, but it is those few that put it just above the bar for OU.
ScarfChomp
If Garchomp became OU, this would be, in my opinion, the most metagame changing set. It can fit into almost any team with huge ease, utilising it's great bulk, amazing typing and amazing STAB moves and critical speed to check almost every OU sweeper in the game. It has been stated often that Garchomp's speed is only really important when comparing it to Salamence, as this is all that the SD sweeper can outspeed that Salamence could not. However, I fell that on the scarfer this speed becomes much more important, as it allows for the outspeeding of Scarf Jirachi, Scarf Salamence and Scarf Flygon. It also outspeeds +1 Naive Salamence. Other scarfers do this also reach this kind of speed, but look how frail they all are. Gengar and Latias get pursuited easily, Infernape can't switch in on pretty much any decent attack more than once. Garchomp is taking hits that no other scarfer of his speed is, apart from Latias on the SpD side. Garchomp can also switch in without the chance of ever getting cut down to size by Thunderwave and if given sand stream support ( I know it is conditional but it deserves a mention ) There is no guarentee it will be hit with anything on the switch at all. It also has that resistance to rock that means it is switching into to Stealth Rock easier than its rival scarfers. Basically Garchomp is a scarfer that can just keep switching in, with few consequences. It also has the attack that Flygon wants so much for bringing down virtually every other Ou Sweeper. Assuming the Stone Edge, Outrage, Dragon Claw, Earthquake set and Stealth Rock, the most likely scenario, it kills Lucario, taking 65%-76% from a +2 LO adamant extremespeed, Gyarados, Tyranitar, Salamence, Infernape, Agiligross(OHKOing 252 / 252 versions and 2HKOing bulky versions why they 2HKO back without Ice Punch), Jirachi, Kingdra, Togekiss, Zapdos, Jolteon, Latias, Dragonite, Heatran, Electrivire, Empoleon, Magnezone, Rotom (Outrage 2HKO standard bold version), Gengar, Offensive, Starmie, Tentacruel.
This list is just insane, and when you consider that Garchomp's bulk and high attack means he is gonna keep coming in and finishing off weakened pokemon not on the list aswell, I think he is broken.
SD Resist-Berry Chomp
( note, this section assumes Latias will become OU so my point about the Haban berry / Yache Berry issue will not be valid unless Latias is made OU, although if Latias is not made OU, I feel that Yache-Chomp will bring it's over-centralization straight back to OU anyway with few alterations, other than guarantee of a fire move to kill scizor while it only does roughly 50% to Garchomp with BP, or else ChompZone will become hugely popular, still over-centralizing the metagame in my opinion )
This is the famous set, so I don't think too much explanation needs to be made here. However, the main point is this. Latias's presence in OU will prompt Garchomp to commonly carry Haban Berry, and this will raise the usage of Ice moves, prompting a rise in the use of Yache Berry too. This uncertainness between the berries means that team will be forced to carry a pokemon with one move of each, just to make sure they get Garchomp, if they want him checked properly, or will be forced to carry one of these moves and then a Scizor to finish Garchomp off should that move fail. I think this is over-centralization at its height, the idea of potentially sacrificing a pokemon in order to hopefully be packing the right move to kill Garchomp is scary. Also, I could definitely see Bulky SD Garchomp becoming popular, as with just 30 more def points, Garchomp has almost no chance of being 2HKOed by CB Scizor after Stealth Rock. I think this SD Garchomp would produce the exact same issue it did last time, it just becomes the whole focus of the metagame.
Substitute Salac SD Set.
This set's main issue is suffering from the dreaded 4 Moveslot Syndrome. However, I feel in the OU environment, this will not be a big issue for it at all. After it has finishes subbing down, the only things that outspeed Garchomp are the other 100+ scarfers I mentioned previously, and priority attacks. If Garchomp came to OU, I would feel forced to pack two counters to this set, Scizor and a Scarfer or Bronzong / Skarmory, as this set will undoubtly be flanked always by Magnezone support, blocking Lucario and Scizor from using their priority. I feel that, unlike DD salamence today, I would not have to weary of a possible Magnezone on their team, better switch more often, I would have to be thinking about how to stop it trapping Scizor before Garchomp came out. Bulky Gyarados can provide a bulky intimidate to try and weaken this set and it has so SE weaknesses to this set, but it is highly by Stealth Rock and, you guessed it, that darn Magnezone. Once again, I feel that this set would overcentralize the metagame about it and although it is not as worrying as the SD set, it still seems too strong to be fair and viable to me.
Well, there is my soon-to-be-flamed 2 cents. Note, I am not looking for a huge shouting match over what I have posted, I will discuss my points but please be civil. This comes from an OU player who feels that putting Garchomp back in OU would cause exactly the same problems it did last time.
Because people are talking about this at the moment:
Points why I feel Garchomp is Uber and Salamence in OU.
Garchomp resists Stealth Rock and Sandstorm, Salamence is weak to Stealth Rock and does not resist sandstorm.
Garchomp has the bulky stats that Salamence wishes it has, to take priority and neutral attacks and Garchomp has just 2 weaknesses to common attacks, whereas Salamence has three and the extra Rock weak makes it much more sweepable by other Dragon Dancers.
Both have amazing abilites, but Garchomp's gives it better sweeping potential, whereas Salamence's is more defensive, which does not contribute to its main purpose, sweeping.
Garchomp cannot be thunderwaved, one of the most common and dangerous status in the game, Salamence can.
+1 Salamence can be checked by Scarf Flygon and Scarf Jirachi, whereas +1 Garchomp can't.
Garchomp has the best mix of STABS, speed, bulk and weaknesses for a revenge killer and will frankly dominate the metagame from that point. Salamence has the Stealth Rock weakness, three weaknesses and the lack of Stab Earthquake holding him back.
Standard Salamence is forced to DD again or use Outrage when confronted with an intimidator such as Salamence or Gyarados, indeed these two pokemon really help keep DD in check. Garchomp will still be + 1 and can always just Stoned Edge if it carries that, negating these two.
Salamence is immune to both Toxic Spikes and Spikes. Although these rare, this is significant against spike stacking and stall teams. However, the abundance of Stealth Rock means Salamence still has the short end of the stick here.
Salamence has the advantage over Garchomp in two fields.
Better SpA to run Draco Meteor and Fire Blast, although Garchomp can also run Fire Blast to good effect, especially against Scizor.
Salamence has the nice ground and fighting immunites, but I think that Garchomp's great immunities and better defenses are just as good in their own way, and make it easier to fit onto a team.
