[OVERVIEW]
Garchomp is a fearsome offensive threat, with excellently distributed stats including a Speed stat that leaves many metagame staples in the dust, outrunning Palkia, which itself is considered quite fast in the tier, as well as Rayquaza, Dialga, Kyogre, and Groudon. It can use that Speed tier to fire off powerful STAB moves, with Dragon and Ground being a fantastic offensive type combination that very few Pokemon resist. The ones that do resist Dragon- and Ground-type moves can be dealt with through Fire Fang or Aqua Tail depending on which weather is active. Bulkier Pokemon neutral to Garchomp's STAB moves have trouble taking on Outrage and Earthquake off of Garchomp's great Attack and it can notably 2HKO every Pokemon in the game after a Swords Dance with the right coverage. These traits make Garchomp a prime selection for offensive teams as a mid-game sweeper or late-game cleaner, since many teams appreciate its ability to outspeed and KO most other Pokemon in the tier.
However, Garchomp's counters are incredibly hard to deal with, as all of Skarmory, Cresselia, and Lugia can easily switch into and recover in front of it, whereas Bronzong is generally difficult for any Dragon-type to take down even without its own recovery. As such, Garchomp struggles against bulkier teams the most, since they can easily status Garchomp and commonly run its most reliable counters. Limited defensive utility leaves Garchomp with a pronounced vulnerability to status and entry hazards, making its place on a team far more specific. Garchomp also has very limited coverage options, with Aqua Tail, Fire Fang, and Stone Edge all either being relatively weak or inaccurate, which heavily restricts its set diversity.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Outrage
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Dragon Claw
move 4: Sleep Talk
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Sand Veil
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Outrage lets Garchomp reap all of the benefits of being a Dragon-type, only being resisted by Steel-types and having high Base Power to complement Garchomp's fearsome Attack stat. Although it doesn't quite have the same damage output as Groudon and Rayquaza's moves, Garchomp's Outrage 2HKOes many of the tier's best offensive Pokemon, and Choice Scarf makes Outrage's move-locking less severe of a downside. Earthquake pairs with Outrage quite well, as many of the Steel-types that can take on Outrage fail to deal with Garchomp's STAB Earthquake. This STAB combination pressures many teams to attempt to keep both their Ground-immune Pokemon and Dragon-resistant Pokemon around for as long as possible.
Dragon Claw is a weaker yet less committal option compared to Outrage, as the lack of a move lock is appreciated when Garchomp isn't the last Pokemon left on a team, giving it the flexibility to switch out and come back later with the choice to use Outrage. Dragon Claw's lower power level doesn't usually hinder Garchomp's offensive potential, as it can still score an OHKO on Latios, an OHKO on Latias after Stealth Rock damage, and a 2HKO on Giratina-O. Sleep Talk is a great move on Choice Scarf sets, as it allows Garchomp to absorb Dark Void, an otherwise ruinous move for offensive teams to handle. Due to Sleep Talk from Choice Item Pokemon failing on consecutive uses in DPP, Garchomp can either hit the opposing Pokemon for solid damage then switch out the next turn or call Outrage and bypass the need to switch entirely, allowing it to leverage its Speed against Darkrai. Garchomp both has very limited coverage options and has trouble fitting them onto this set, so Sleep Talk doesn't find itself competing for a moveslot.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed are ideal for Garchomp, since its limited defensive profile nullifies any demand for defensive investment. Garchomp's Speed is also incredibly important for letting it be barely faster than Palkia, a Pokemon already lauded for its fantastic Speed tier. Choice Scarf enables Garchomp to threaten large amounts of damage on the many frail Pokemon otherwise faster than it. Among the biggest benefits of Choice Scarf is that it allows Garchomp to outrun a Dragon Dance-boosted Rayquaza, something many offensive teams otherwise struggle to handle.
Usage Tips
========
This set should be used as a late-game cleaner, as Garchomp's lack of immediate breaking power can be compensated by its ability to pick off weakened teams once their Steel-type is damaged or has fainted. Furthermore, Garchomp should remain hidden until opposing Steel-types are taken care of, since the opponent is far more likely to preserve something like a Bronzong or Skarmory if Garchomp is revealed early- or mid-game. The same goes for dealing with sun stall teams relying on Cresselia or Lugia as their primary Garchomp counter: apply pressure to those Pokemon, and use Garchomp to cleave through important defensive staples in Blissey and Giratina. It's best to use Garchomp's Speed to the fullest advantage, as it can stifle attempts from Nasty Plot Darkrai and Dragon Dance Rayquaza to shut down games with its powerful Outrage, often forcing them to switch or be sacrificed. Garchomp is also an important sleep absorber, as the offensive teams this set finds itself on are otherwise harshly impacted by having to sacrifice their momentum to deal with Darkrai, so it should be a team's prime candidate for switching into Dark Void. Using Sleep Talk once then switching out can also align with how Garchomp plays, as that hit-and-run playstyle is ideal for the set. Try to avoid situations where the opponent still has both a Steel-type and Ground-immune Pokemon healthy, since those make you take unpleasant decisions on which move to lock Garchomp into.
Team Options
========
Garchomp is best for offensive teams in need of a way to consistently close out games against other offensive teams, as its talents are on full display against Pokemon relying on their Speed to make progress rather than their defensive utility. For this reason, Garchomp is a good fit for most fast-paced teams and can complement the likes of Dialga and Kyogre, which appreciate having a teammate that can outrun the many threats faster than them while having the power to match the pace of the team. However, Garchomp has little hope of breaking through Bronzong and Skarmory, so it should be paired with multiple teammates capable of removing those Pokemon. This can include mixed Rayquaza with Overheat, offensive Kyogre with Hydro Pump, and more supportive Pokemon such as Will-O-Wisp Mewtwo. Darkrai can take care of Cresselia and Lugia, two Pokemon capable of countering Garchomp through their immense bulk and neutrality to its moves.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Dragon Claw / Outrage
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Fire Fang / Aqua Tail
item: Life Orb / Haban Berry / Lum Berry
ability: Sand Veil
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Armed with the proper coverage, Garchomp can 2HKO any Pokemon in the tier after using Swords Dance. Dragon Claw, while seemingly weak, is quite threatening to many of the metagame's fiercest Pokemon, able to at least 2HKO every Dragon-type except Dialga and Giratina. Outrage can be used as an alternative to Dragon Claw to deal heavy damage against bulkier teams thanks to its far better Base Power; however, this option is far more committal, as being locked into using Outrage can allow faster revenge killers to cut Garchomp's sweep short. Earthquake is fantastic for slamming many of the Steel-types that resist Dragon-type moves, such as Dialga, Jirachi, and Heatran. This reliable STAB combination allows Garchomp to consistently threaten a wide range of team structures and gives it the flexibility to punish incoming switches.
The choice of coverage move is very important; Fire Fang is crucial for hitting Bronzong and Skarmory, which otherwise wall Garchomp's STAB moves, while Aqua Tail can hit Steel-types hard when rain is set. The deciding factor should be based on the needs of Garchomp's teammates, as either of the two moves work well depending on the context of the team.
Set Details
========
Full investment into Attack and Speed ensures Garchomp leverages its dangerous offensive pressure and amazing Speed tier, which lets it be faster than the markedly quick Palkia. Life Orb enhances every offensive weapon in Garchomp's arsenal, pairing with a Swords Dance boost to let Aqua Tail OHKO Bronzong in rain, Earthquake OHKO Kyogre and 2HKO Groudon, and Outrage OHKO Blissey and 2HKO both Cresselia and Lugia. This also shores up the issue with Dragon Claw's comparatively meager power, allowing it to be more similar to non-Life Orb Outrage. Haban Berry allows Garchomp to either fire off attacks with less risk or absorb a Dragon-type move in order to set up a Swords Dance. It can notably let a healthy Garchomp survive Dragon-type moves from an unboosted Dialga, Giratina-O, Kingdra, and opposing Garchomp. Lum Berry gives Garchomp the flexibility to absorb a stray Will-O-Wisp or Jirachi's Body Slam without the fear of being debilitated by status. This is especially important against defensive Mewtwo without Ice Beam, as Garchomp can use a Swords Dance-boosted Outrage to KO it. Lum Berry also gives Garchomp a great opportunity to hit Darkrai as it uses Dark Void, with an unboosted Outrage OHKOing Darkrai after two rounds of Stealth Rock damage.
Usage Tips
========
Given the dearth of reliable answers to Swords Dance Garchomp, it's wise to apply as much mid-game offensive pressure as possible. Find opportunities to switch Garchomp in against Pokemon it can directly threaten before setting up a Swords Dance; Dialga, Jirachi not locked into Ice Punch, Heatran, and Tyranitar are all examples of Pokemon that it can take advantage of. If the opposing team might have an unrevealed faster check such as Latios, Latias, or Mewtwo, simply firing off an attack is better in that interaction. Haban Berry and Lum Berry variants can also adapt their game plans to make good use of their items in the face of Dragon-type moves or status, respectively, enabling Garchomp to set up against a wider range of Pokemon. This is greatly appreciated, since not having the boost from Life Orb can leave Garchomp wanting for power against bulkier teams. In some cases, Garchomp can also enter the field after the lead interaction has been played, as it can either set up against or threaten Deoxys-S, Tyranitar, Tentacruel, and weakened Kyogre. However, Garchomp should not be switched into if you're at a disadvantage in the lead matchup due to its frailty and reliance on entry hazards from its teammates.
Team Options
========
Garchomp's extensive offensive reach allows it to function at its best on fast-paced teams. Kyogre makes for a reliable partner, as it appreciates Garchomp's ability to remove non-Choice Scarf Dialga and Blissey, which would otherwise switch into many of Kyogre's attacks. Kyogre also sets rain to power up Aqua Tail, allowing Life Orb Garchomp to 2HKO Bronzong. Speaking of Bronzong, it greatly helps Garchomp by absorbing Dragon-type moves from faster targets such as Latios, Latias, and Choice Scarf Dialga, and it can use Explosion to help its team generate offensive pressure by letting Garchomp enter safely. Darkrai possesses the powerful ability to induce sleep, making it a great Pokemon for enabling Garchomp to use Swords Dance by creating opportunities to capitalize on the opponent switching their Pokemon out. Additionally, Darkrai can use a Choice Scarf with Trick to give Garchomp even more chances to use Swords Dance. Both Darkrai and Kyogre are appreciated for their ability to more comfortably take on Garchomp's most reliable counters in Skarmory, Cresselia, Lugia, and Bronzong. Other special attackers such as Mewtwo, Latios, and Latias can be used to soften up Groudon so that even support sets don't enjoy the prospect of taking on unboosted Outrage or Earthquake. Entry hazard setters like Deoxys-S are great teammates since Stealth Rock and Spikes help Garchomp pick up some KOss it would otherwise miss out on, such as letting Dragon Claw 2HKO uninvested Kyogre and letting Outrage OHKO Darkrai.
[SET]
name: Substitute + Salac Berry
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Swords Dance
move 3: Dragon Claw / Outrage
move 4: Earthquake
item: Salac Berry
ability: Sand Veil
nature: Jolly
evs: 12 HP / 244 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Substitute gives Garchomp a way to use the opponent's switches to its advantage by protecting itself from incoming damage and eventually activate its Salac Berry. Dragon Claw is a fantastic, consistent offensive tool, as it's only resisted by Steel-types, making Garchomp hard for most Pokemon to check. Outrage is an alternative to Dragon Claw, offering far better power at the expense of move-locking and confusing Garchomp. However, the offensive benefits are plentiful, allowing for a 2HKO on Kyogre after Stealth Rock and a 2HKO on Blissey regardless of entry hazard damage. Earthquake is a nearly perfect pairing for Garchomp's Dragon-type STAB options, since it hits many Steel-types super effectively, although Bronzong and Skarmory are notably resistant to them. Swords Dance helps elevate Garchomp’s already fearsome STAB moves to even greater heights, allowing it to 2HKO anything that doesn't resist its moves after a boost.
Set Details
========
Salac Berry takes Garchomp's already impressive Speed and makes it a nightmare for any Pokemon without its own boosted Speed. While having to use Substitute so many times in order to activate Salac Berry undermines Garchomp's bulk, this is made up for by outrunning many Pokemon that otherwise have a chance at KOing it once boosted. 12 HP EVs ensure Salac Berry is consumed after only three uses of Substitute. This investment also allows Garchomp to keep 25% of its health after using its Salac Berry, letting it take weaker attacks such as Giratina-O's Shadow Sneak. While taking the necessary HP EVs from Speed for this set would still let Garchomp outrun Palkia, using its Attack EVs is often better in order to Speed tie with opposing Garchomp. Since only 8 extra EVs are required for this, the resulting difference in power is trivial.
Usage Tips
========
The most consistent way to safely set up with Garchomp is to threaten the opposing Pokemon offensively, then capitalize on it switching out by either using Substitute or Swords Dance. Generally speaking, Substitute should be the move of choice in this situation, but if it seems that Garchomp either won't need the boost to its Speed or would need to preserve its health for later in the game, Swords Dance is fine to use if a slower Pokemon is expected to switch in. Cresselia, Lugia, and especially Skarmory should be removed before Garchomp is revealed, as those Pokemon are capable of stopping a sweep once they enter the field. Bronzong is surprisingly manageable, since it either needs to use Gyro Ball or Explosion to break Substitute in one hit, although KOing Bronzong beforehand is still helpful for Garchomp. Be careful about using Substitute if Garchomp is poisoned or burned, as that makes it far more likely to either be picked off by priority moves or fall to the residual damage before it can sweep effectively. Using Substitute against faster Dragon-types can actually be an ideal scenario for Garchomp, since if it’s already behind a Substitute by the time those Dragon-types hit the field, all it needs to do is keep creating a Substitute then use Swords Dance once the Salac Berry is used. Otherwise, using Substitute against more passive Pokemon like Blissey and Heatran can also allow Garchomp to threaten more defensive teams.
Team Options
========
It's very important that Garchomp has multiple teammates capable of dealing with Skarmory, as it will easily dispatch any of Garchomp's attempts to set up and sweep. Special attackers, especially non-Dragon-types such as Kyogre, Mewtwo, and Darkrai, are great candidates for this role. Darkrai in particular makes for a fantastic teammate, as it can threaten great amounts of damage against Giratina-O, which could otherwise KO Garchomp after it activates its Salac Berry once Stealth Rock is factored in. The utility Darkrai provides is similarly excellent, as Dark Void can allow Garchomp to use Substitute far more easily, and using Trick to give a Pokemon an unwanted Choice Scarf can also create opportunities for Garchomp to set up. Wobbuffet can use its unique talents to facilitate Garchomp's sweeping potential by either trapping and removing faster threats or using Encore to lock Pokemon into non-damaging moves then using Tickle, so Garchomp can pressure them to switch out. Safeguard can alternatively protect Garchomp from dangerous status conditions.
Similarly, Healing Wish support from Jirachi, Shaymin-S, or Latias can mitigate the impact of entry hazards and repeated uses of Substitute over the course of a game. Tyranitar is useful both for Pursuit trapping Pokemon like Latios, Latias, and Giratina-O as well as setting sand to activate Garchomp's Sand Veil, making it even more difficult to handle once it's behind a Substitute. Steel-types also make for reliable teammates, as they can switch into Dragon-types and wear them down for Garchomp's benefit, potentially setting up entry hazards or spreading status in the process.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Although Stone Edge may seem like a tempting option to hit Pokemon like Ho-Oh super effectively, its inconsistency against many of the best Pokemon leaves Outrage as a far better option for high damage output. Choice Band sets are simply worse versions of Swords Dance sets, since Garchomp already has a fantastic option to boost its Attack and needs the flexibility to make good use of its STAB moves. Swords Dance sets can forgo their coverage move in favor of Substitute with Leftovers as the item. This has the advantage of not making Garchomp repeatedly use Substitute to reap the benefits of its item while benefitting from sand activating its Sand Veil and chipping down other Pokemon. While a lead set with Stealth Rock could be used to offensively threaten many common leads in the tier, there are many Stealth Rock users more suited to utility roles, and keeping Garchomp as an offensive threat for later makes far better use of its innate talents. Garchomp's STAB moves are so good on their own that trying to use other coverage options is only worth it on the Swords Dance set.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Skarmory**: The only Pokemon with a typing resistant to Garchomp's STAB moves, Skarmory easily switches into Choice Scarf sets and can start setting Spikes or spreading Toxic poison. While Substitute can thwart Toxic, and Swords Dance sets are less likely to be completely walled thanks to their coverage options, Skarmory is famed for stopping Garchomp in its tracks.
**Bronzong**: While Bronzong lacks reliable recovery options unlike Skarmory, it is far more common and far more offensively threatening. Explosion will almost always OHKO Garchomp, and Bronzong gets plenty of chances to use Trick Room or Hypnosis. However, Garchomp's Substitute never gets broken by Bronzong's Earthquake, so sets lacking Gyro Ball are generally forced to use Explosion as soon as possible so that Garchomp doesn't get too many boosts from Swords Dance.
**Lugia**: Garchomp only serves to add to the long list of Dragon-types that Lugia counters, thanks to its incredible bulk, access to Roost, and neutrality to Garchomp's STAB moves. Ice Beam rips off most of Garchomp's health, and Whirlwind can prevent sweeps from Swords Dance variants.
**Cresselia**: Thanks to its incredible defensive profile and access to Levitate, Cresselia is a sun stall team's foremost counter to Garchomp. Life Orb-boosted Outrage doesn't 2HKO Cresselia with Stealth Rock, and that damage is easily shrugged off with Moonlight's boosted recovery in sun.
**Mewtwo**: With an expansive movepool, decent bulk, and far better Speed, most Mewtwo threaten Garchomp with Ice Beam, and those not running it often survive one hit then use Will-O-Wisp and Recover to simply withstand incoming attacks. The only exception to this is Garchomp's Substitute + Salac set, which will always OHKO Mewtwo with a boosted Outrage.
**Groudon**: Although Groudon lacks both recovery and a resistance to either of Garchomp's STAB moves, its fantastic physical bulk and access to Dragon Claw allow it to check Garchomp, mitigating the Dragon-type's impact on bulkier teams. Roar and Lava Plume can also stop Swords Dance sets from doing too much damage.
**Latios and Latias**: The only Dragon-types with better Speed than Garchomp, Latios and Latias can outspeed and OHKO it, with the exception of non-Draco Meteor Latias if Garchomp is holding a Haban Berry. Choice Scarf sets can deal with them; however, Dragon Claw is not favored to OHKO a fully healthy Latias.
**Darkrai**: Darkrai will always survive an unboosted attack from full health and can use either Dark Void or Ice Beam in response. However, Ice Beam is usually reserved for Choice Scarf Darkrai sets, so that can be played around if you have that information.
**Swift Swim Sweepers**: Some of the only Pokemon capable of outrunning a Garchomp with boosted Speed, Kabutops and Kingdra both threaten great amounts of damage and will KO Garchomp after the slightest chip damage in rain. Even Qwilfish can either threaten to KO it with Explosion or simply use Waterfall for a 2HKO.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/donbonejones.666776/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/seldanna.471586/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/inspirited.127823/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
Garchomp is a fearsome offensive threat, with excellently distributed stats including a Speed stat that leaves many metagame staples in the dust, outrunning Palkia, which itself is considered quite fast in the tier, as well as Rayquaza, Dialga, Kyogre, and Groudon. It can use that Speed tier to fire off powerful STAB moves, with Dragon and Ground being a fantastic offensive type combination that very few Pokemon resist. The ones that do resist Dragon- and Ground-type moves can be dealt with through Fire Fang or Aqua Tail depending on which weather is active. Bulkier Pokemon neutral to Garchomp's STAB moves have trouble taking on Outrage and Earthquake off of Garchomp's great Attack and it can notably 2HKO every Pokemon in the game after a Swords Dance with the right coverage. These traits make Garchomp a prime selection for offensive teams as a mid-game sweeper or late-game cleaner, since many teams appreciate its ability to outspeed and KO most other Pokemon in the tier.
However, Garchomp's counters are incredibly hard to deal with, as all of Skarmory, Cresselia, and Lugia can easily switch into and recover in front of it, whereas Bronzong is generally difficult for any Dragon-type to take down even without its own recovery. As such, Garchomp struggles against bulkier teams the most, since they can easily status Garchomp and commonly run its most reliable counters. Limited defensive utility leaves Garchomp with a pronounced vulnerability to status and entry hazards, making its place on a team far more specific. Garchomp also has very limited coverage options, with Aqua Tail, Fire Fang, and Stone Edge all either being relatively weak or inaccurate, which heavily restricts its set diversity.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Outrage
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Dragon Claw
move 4: Sleep Talk
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Sand Veil
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Outrage lets Garchomp reap all of the benefits of being a Dragon-type, only being resisted by Steel-types and having high Base Power to complement Garchomp's fearsome Attack stat. Although it doesn't quite have the same damage output as Groudon and Rayquaza's moves, Garchomp's Outrage 2HKOes many of the tier's best offensive Pokemon, and Choice Scarf makes Outrage's move-locking less severe of a downside. Earthquake pairs with Outrage quite well, as many of the Steel-types that can take on Outrage fail to deal with Garchomp's STAB Earthquake. This STAB combination pressures many teams to attempt to keep both their Ground-immune Pokemon and Dragon-resistant Pokemon around for as long as possible.
Dragon Claw is a weaker yet less committal option compared to Outrage, as the lack of a move lock is appreciated when Garchomp isn't the last Pokemon left on a team, giving it the flexibility to switch out and come back later with the choice to use Outrage. Dragon Claw's lower power level doesn't usually hinder Garchomp's offensive potential, as it can still score an OHKO on Latios, an OHKO on Latias after Stealth Rock damage, and a 2HKO on Giratina-O. Sleep Talk is a great move on Choice Scarf sets, as it allows Garchomp to absorb Dark Void, an otherwise ruinous move for offensive teams to handle. Due to Sleep Talk from Choice Item Pokemon failing on consecutive uses in DPP, Garchomp can either hit the opposing Pokemon for solid damage then switch out the next turn or call Outrage and bypass the need to switch entirely, allowing it to leverage its Speed against Darkrai. Garchomp both has very limited coverage options and has trouble fitting them onto this set, so Sleep Talk doesn't find itself competing for a moveslot.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed are ideal for Garchomp, since its limited defensive profile nullifies any demand for defensive investment. Garchomp's Speed is also incredibly important for letting it be barely faster than Palkia, a Pokemon already lauded for its fantastic Speed tier. Choice Scarf enables Garchomp to threaten large amounts of damage on the many frail Pokemon otherwise faster than it. Among the biggest benefits of Choice Scarf is that it allows Garchomp to outrun a Dragon Dance-boosted Rayquaza, something many offensive teams otherwise struggle to handle.
Usage Tips
========
This set should be used as a late-game cleaner, as Garchomp's lack of immediate breaking power can be compensated by its ability to pick off weakened teams once their Steel-type is damaged or has fainted. Furthermore, Garchomp should remain hidden until opposing Steel-types are taken care of, since the opponent is far more likely to preserve something like a Bronzong or Skarmory if Garchomp is revealed early- or mid-game. The same goes for dealing with sun stall teams relying on Cresselia or Lugia as their primary Garchomp counter: apply pressure to those Pokemon, and use Garchomp to cleave through important defensive staples in Blissey and Giratina. It's best to use Garchomp's Speed to the fullest advantage, as it can stifle attempts from Nasty Plot Darkrai and Dragon Dance Rayquaza to shut down games with its powerful Outrage, often forcing them to switch or be sacrificed. Garchomp is also an important sleep absorber, as the offensive teams this set finds itself on are otherwise harshly impacted by having to sacrifice their momentum to deal with Darkrai, so it should be a team's prime candidate for switching into Dark Void. Using Sleep Talk once then switching out can also align with how Garchomp plays, as that hit-and-run playstyle is ideal for the set. Try to avoid situations where the opponent still has both a Steel-type and Ground-immune Pokemon healthy, since those make you take unpleasant decisions on which move to lock Garchomp into.
Team Options
========
Garchomp is best for offensive teams in need of a way to consistently close out games against other offensive teams, as its talents are on full display against Pokemon relying on their Speed to make progress rather than their defensive utility. For this reason, Garchomp is a good fit for most fast-paced teams and can complement the likes of Dialga and Kyogre, which appreciate having a teammate that can outrun the many threats faster than them while having the power to match the pace of the team. However, Garchomp has little hope of breaking through Bronzong and Skarmory, so it should be paired with multiple teammates capable of removing those Pokemon. This can include mixed Rayquaza with Overheat, offensive Kyogre with Hydro Pump, and more supportive Pokemon such as Will-O-Wisp Mewtwo. Darkrai can take care of Cresselia and Lugia, two Pokemon capable of countering Garchomp through their immense bulk and neutrality to its moves.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Dragon Claw / Outrage
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Fire Fang / Aqua Tail
item: Life Orb / Haban Berry / Lum Berry
ability: Sand Veil
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Armed with the proper coverage, Garchomp can 2HKO any Pokemon in the tier after using Swords Dance. Dragon Claw, while seemingly weak, is quite threatening to many of the metagame's fiercest Pokemon, able to at least 2HKO every Dragon-type except Dialga and Giratina. Outrage can be used as an alternative to Dragon Claw to deal heavy damage against bulkier teams thanks to its far better Base Power; however, this option is far more committal, as being locked into using Outrage can allow faster revenge killers to cut Garchomp's sweep short. Earthquake is fantastic for slamming many of the Steel-types that resist Dragon-type moves, such as Dialga, Jirachi, and Heatran. This reliable STAB combination allows Garchomp to consistently threaten a wide range of team structures and gives it the flexibility to punish incoming switches.
The choice of coverage move is very important; Fire Fang is crucial for hitting Bronzong and Skarmory, which otherwise wall Garchomp's STAB moves, while Aqua Tail can hit Steel-types hard when rain is set. The deciding factor should be based on the needs of Garchomp's teammates, as either of the two moves work well depending on the context of the team.
Set Details
========
Full investment into Attack and Speed ensures Garchomp leverages its dangerous offensive pressure and amazing Speed tier, which lets it be faster than the markedly quick Palkia. Life Orb enhances every offensive weapon in Garchomp's arsenal, pairing with a Swords Dance boost to let Aqua Tail OHKO Bronzong in rain, Earthquake OHKO Kyogre and 2HKO Groudon, and Outrage OHKO Blissey and 2HKO both Cresselia and Lugia. This also shores up the issue with Dragon Claw's comparatively meager power, allowing it to be more similar to non-Life Orb Outrage. Haban Berry allows Garchomp to either fire off attacks with less risk or absorb a Dragon-type move in order to set up a Swords Dance. It can notably let a healthy Garchomp survive Dragon-type moves from an unboosted Dialga, Giratina-O, Kingdra, and opposing Garchomp. Lum Berry gives Garchomp the flexibility to absorb a stray Will-O-Wisp or Jirachi's Body Slam without the fear of being debilitated by status. This is especially important against defensive Mewtwo without Ice Beam, as Garchomp can use a Swords Dance-boosted Outrage to KO it. Lum Berry also gives Garchomp a great opportunity to hit Darkrai as it uses Dark Void, with an unboosted Outrage OHKOing Darkrai after two rounds of Stealth Rock damage.
Usage Tips
========
Given the dearth of reliable answers to Swords Dance Garchomp, it's wise to apply as much mid-game offensive pressure as possible. Find opportunities to switch Garchomp in against Pokemon it can directly threaten before setting up a Swords Dance; Dialga, Jirachi not locked into Ice Punch, Heatran, and Tyranitar are all examples of Pokemon that it can take advantage of. If the opposing team might have an unrevealed faster check such as Latios, Latias, or Mewtwo, simply firing off an attack is better in that interaction. Haban Berry and Lum Berry variants can also adapt their game plans to make good use of their items in the face of Dragon-type moves or status, respectively, enabling Garchomp to set up against a wider range of Pokemon. This is greatly appreciated, since not having the boost from Life Orb can leave Garchomp wanting for power against bulkier teams. In some cases, Garchomp can also enter the field after the lead interaction has been played, as it can either set up against or threaten Deoxys-S, Tyranitar, Tentacruel, and weakened Kyogre. However, Garchomp should not be switched into if you're at a disadvantage in the lead matchup due to its frailty and reliance on entry hazards from its teammates.
Team Options
========
Garchomp's extensive offensive reach allows it to function at its best on fast-paced teams. Kyogre makes for a reliable partner, as it appreciates Garchomp's ability to remove non-Choice Scarf Dialga and Blissey, which would otherwise switch into many of Kyogre's attacks. Kyogre also sets rain to power up Aqua Tail, allowing Life Orb Garchomp to 2HKO Bronzong. Speaking of Bronzong, it greatly helps Garchomp by absorbing Dragon-type moves from faster targets such as Latios, Latias, and Choice Scarf Dialga, and it can use Explosion to help its team generate offensive pressure by letting Garchomp enter safely. Darkrai possesses the powerful ability to induce sleep, making it a great Pokemon for enabling Garchomp to use Swords Dance by creating opportunities to capitalize on the opponent switching their Pokemon out. Additionally, Darkrai can use a Choice Scarf with Trick to give Garchomp even more chances to use Swords Dance. Both Darkrai and Kyogre are appreciated for their ability to more comfortably take on Garchomp's most reliable counters in Skarmory, Cresselia, Lugia, and Bronzong. Other special attackers such as Mewtwo, Latios, and Latias can be used to soften up Groudon so that even support sets don't enjoy the prospect of taking on unboosted Outrage or Earthquake. Entry hazard setters like Deoxys-S are great teammates since Stealth Rock and Spikes help Garchomp pick up some KOss it would otherwise miss out on, such as letting Dragon Claw 2HKO uninvested Kyogre and letting Outrage OHKO Darkrai.
[SET]
name: Substitute + Salac Berry
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Swords Dance
move 3: Dragon Claw / Outrage
move 4: Earthquake
item: Salac Berry
ability: Sand Veil
nature: Jolly
evs: 12 HP / 244 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Substitute gives Garchomp a way to use the opponent's switches to its advantage by protecting itself from incoming damage and eventually activate its Salac Berry. Dragon Claw is a fantastic, consistent offensive tool, as it's only resisted by Steel-types, making Garchomp hard for most Pokemon to check. Outrage is an alternative to Dragon Claw, offering far better power at the expense of move-locking and confusing Garchomp. However, the offensive benefits are plentiful, allowing for a 2HKO on Kyogre after Stealth Rock and a 2HKO on Blissey regardless of entry hazard damage. Earthquake is a nearly perfect pairing for Garchomp's Dragon-type STAB options, since it hits many Steel-types super effectively, although Bronzong and Skarmory are notably resistant to them. Swords Dance helps elevate Garchomp’s already fearsome STAB moves to even greater heights, allowing it to 2HKO anything that doesn't resist its moves after a boost.
Set Details
========
Salac Berry takes Garchomp's already impressive Speed and makes it a nightmare for any Pokemon without its own boosted Speed. While having to use Substitute so many times in order to activate Salac Berry undermines Garchomp's bulk, this is made up for by outrunning many Pokemon that otherwise have a chance at KOing it once boosted. 12 HP EVs ensure Salac Berry is consumed after only three uses of Substitute. This investment also allows Garchomp to keep 25% of its health after using its Salac Berry, letting it take weaker attacks such as Giratina-O's Shadow Sneak. While taking the necessary HP EVs from Speed for this set would still let Garchomp outrun Palkia, using its Attack EVs is often better in order to Speed tie with opposing Garchomp. Since only 8 extra EVs are required for this, the resulting difference in power is trivial.
Usage Tips
========
The most consistent way to safely set up with Garchomp is to threaten the opposing Pokemon offensively, then capitalize on it switching out by either using Substitute or Swords Dance. Generally speaking, Substitute should be the move of choice in this situation, but if it seems that Garchomp either won't need the boost to its Speed or would need to preserve its health for later in the game, Swords Dance is fine to use if a slower Pokemon is expected to switch in. Cresselia, Lugia, and especially Skarmory should be removed before Garchomp is revealed, as those Pokemon are capable of stopping a sweep once they enter the field. Bronzong is surprisingly manageable, since it either needs to use Gyro Ball or Explosion to break Substitute in one hit, although KOing Bronzong beforehand is still helpful for Garchomp. Be careful about using Substitute if Garchomp is poisoned or burned, as that makes it far more likely to either be picked off by priority moves or fall to the residual damage before it can sweep effectively. Using Substitute against faster Dragon-types can actually be an ideal scenario for Garchomp, since if it’s already behind a Substitute by the time those Dragon-types hit the field, all it needs to do is keep creating a Substitute then use Swords Dance once the Salac Berry is used. Otherwise, using Substitute against more passive Pokemon like Blissey and Heatran can also allow Garchomp to threaten more defensive teams.
Team Options
========
It's very important that Garchomp has multiple teammates capable of dealing with Skarmory, as it will easily dispatch any of Garchomp's attempts to set up and sweep. Special attackers, especially non-Dragon-types such as Kyogre, Mewtwo, and Darkrai, are great candidates for this role. Darkrai in particular makes for a fantastic teammate, as it can threaten great amounts of damage against Giratina-O, which could otherwise KO Garchomp after it activates its Salac Berry once Stealth Rock is factored in. The utility Darkrai provides is similarly excellent, as Dark Void can allow Garchomp to use Substitute far more easily, and using Trick to give a Pokemon an unwanted Choice Scarf can also create opportunities for Garchomp to set up. Wobbuffet can use its unique talents to facilitate Garchomp's sweeping potential by either trapping and removing faster threats or using Encore to lock Pokemon into non-damaging moves then using Tickle, so Garchomp can pressure them to switch out. Safeguard can alternatively protect Garchomp from dangerous status conditions.
Similarly, Healing Wish support from Jirachi, Shaymin-S, or Latias can mitigate the impact of entry hazards and repeated uses of Substitute over the course of a game. Tyranitar is useful both for Pursuit trapping Pokemon like Latios, Latias, and Giratina-O as well as setting sand to activate Garchomp's Sand Veil, making it even more difficult to handle once it's behind a Substitute. Steel-types also make for reliable teammates, as they can switch into Dragon-types and wear them down for Garchomp's benefit, potentially setting up entry hazards or spreading status in the process.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Although Stone Edge may seem like a tempting option to hit Pokemon like Ho-Oh super effectively, its inconsistency against many of the best Pokemon leaves Outrage as a far better option for high damage output. Choice Band sets are simply worse versions of Swords Dance sets, since Garchomp already has a fantastic option to boost its Attack and needs the flexibility to make good use of its STAB moves. Swords Dance sets can forgo their coverage move in favor of Substitute with Leftovers as the item. This has the advantage of not making Garchomp repeatedly use Substitute to reap the benefits of its item while benefitting from sand activating its Sand Veil and chipping down other Pokemon. While a lead set with Stealth Rock could be used to offensively threaten many common leads in the tier, there are many Stealth Rock users more suited to utility roles, and keeping Garchomp as an offensive threat for later makes far better use of its innate talents. Garchomp's STAB moves are so good on their own that trying to use other coverage options is only worth it on the Swords Dance set.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Skarmory**: The only Pokemon with a typing resistant to Garchomp's STAB moves, Skarmory easily switches into Choice Scarf sets and can start setting Spikes or spreading Toxic poison. While Substitute can thwart Toxic, and Swords Dance sets are less likely to be completely walled thanks to their coverage options, Skarmory is famed for stopping Garchomp in its tracks.
**Bronzong**: While Bronzong lacks reliable recovery options unlike Skarmory, it is far more common and far more offensively threatening. Explosion will almost always OHKO Garchomp, and Bronzong gets plenty of chances to use Trick Room or Hypnosis. However, Garchomp's Substitute never gets broken by Bronzong's Earthquake, so sets lacking Gyro Ball are generally forced to use Explosion as soon as possible so that Garchomp doesn't get too many boosts from Swords Dance.
**Lugia**: Garchomp only serves to add to the long list of Dragon-types that Lugia counters, thanks to its incredible bulk, access to Roost, and neutrality to Garchomp's STAB moves. Ice Beam rips off most of Garchomp's health, and Whirlwind can prevent sweeps from Swords Dance variants.
**Cresselia**: Thanks to its incredible defensive profile and access to Levitate, Cresselia is a sun stall team's foremost counter to Garchomp. Life Orb-boosted Outrage doesn't 2HKO Cresselia with Stealth Rock, and that damage is easily shrugged off with Moonlight's boosted recovery in sun.
**Mewtwo**: With an expansive movepool, decent bulk, and far better Speed, most Mewtwo threaten Garchomp with Ice Beam, and those not running it often survive one hit then use Will-O-Wisp and Recover to simply withstand incoming attacks. The only exception to this is Garchomp's Substitute + Salac set, which will always OHKO Mewtwo with a boosted Outrage.
**Groudon**: Although Groudon lacks both recovery and a resistance to either of Garchomp's STAB moves, its fantastic physical bulk and access to Dragon Claw allow it to check Garchomp, mitigating the Dragon-type's impact on bulkier teams. Roar and Lava Plume can also stop Swords Dance sets from doing too much damage.
**Latios and Latias**: The only Dragon-types with better Speed than Garchomp, Latios and Latias can outspeed and OHKO it, with the exception of non-Draco Meteor Latias if Garchomp is holding a Haban Berry. Choice Scarf sets can deal with them; however, Dragon Claw is not favored to OHKO a fully healthy Latias.
**Darkrai**: Darkrai will always survive an unboosted attack from full health and can use either Dark Void or Ice Beam in response. However, Ice Beam is usually reserved for Choice Scarf Darkrai sets, so that can be played around if you have that information.
**Swift Swim Sweepers**: Some of the only Pokemon capable of outrunning a Garchomp with boosted Speed, Kabutops and Kingdra both threaten great amounts of damage and will KO Garchomp after the slightest chip damage in rain. Even Qwilfish can either threaten to KO it with Explosion or simply use Waterfall for a 2HKO.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/donbonejones.666776/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/seldanna.471586/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/inspirited.127823/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
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