Garchomp (Revamp) [QC 3/3] [GP 2/2]

[Mazz]

Skelly

[Overview]

• Remains relatively unchanged since being unbanned in early BW2.
• Rough Skin is no godsend ability, but it allows Garchomp to beat physical attackers with increased ease.
• Garchomp is still a threat that teams must still be prepared for, as it is capable of ripping teams apart with its two powerful STABs and base 130 Attack.
• Has very well distributed stats, which is very rarely seen from a sweeper of Garchomp's calibre.
• Sits at a rather weird speed tier, outpacing a vast number of threats, but falling short of many of the pokemon that check it, specifically Keldeo and Latios.
• Unique typing offers a key resistance to Fire-, Rock-, and Electric-type attacks in return for a crippling 4x weakness to Ice-type attacks, as well as a weakness to opposing Dragon-types.

[SET]
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Outrage / Dragon Claw
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Fire Blast / Swords Dance
item: Rocky Helmet / Focus Sash
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

• Thanks to its natural bulk and Speed, Garchomp can funtion as an efficient lead, as it is able to deploy Stealth Rock quickly and then begin tearing the opposition up.
• Claimed to be the best move in the game, Stealth Rock breaks opposing Focus Sashes and Sturdy abilities, easing the sweeps of Garchomp and its teammates.
• Outrage, Garchomp's strongest physical STAB attack, enables Garchomp to out-right destroy most of OU, as it is only resisted by Steel-types and physically bulky Pokemon like Landorus-T and Gliscor.
• Earthquake is Garchomp's other STAB attack and is useful for beating opposing Fire-, Steel-, and Rock-type Pokemon such as Ninetales, Jirachi, and Terrakion, respectively.
• Fire Blast is used here to help Garchomp bypass the Steel-types that aren't bothered too much by Earthquake, specifically Skarmory, Scizor, and Ferrothorn, which gives Garchomp more room to pepper the opponent with continuous Outrages.
• However, if Steel-types aren't of too much a concern for Garchomp, Swords Dance is a perfectly usable option over Fire Blast, as it cranks up Garchomp's attack stat, allowing to to severely bruise or OHKO the opposition.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

• If desired, a bulky spread of 252 HP / 196 Def / 60 Spe with a Jolly nature may be used, as it allows Garchomp to stomach hits from the likes of Choice Band Scizor and Tyranitar, both of which can only 3HKO with Bullet Punch and Crunch respectively, while still being able to outspeed Adamant Lucario, max Speed Heatran, and 136 Spe Ninetales. Leftovers then becomes a viable item selection if you opt for this bulky spread, as it allows Garchomp some HP recovery.
• In regards to the item you choose for Garchomp, each of them has their specific purpose. Rocky Helmet allows Garchomp to compound residual damage against Physical attackers, such as Scizor or Terrakion, dealing 7/24 of their total HP every time they make contact with Garchomp. Focus Sash gives Garchomp insurance against Mamoswine leads or against leads that carry Ice- or Dragon-type coverage moves, guaranteeing that Garchomp is at the very least able to get Stealth Rock up.
• Do note that if a different item is chosen, such as a Lum Berry to cure a Lava Plume burn from Heatran or a Life Orb to crank up Garchomp's power and allow it to swiftly 2HKO opposing Gliscor, Hippowdon, and Landorus-T, that they are to be used only if you are not using Garchomp as a lead, as it will always prefer to have a Focus Sash if played as a lead.
• Aqua Tail is always an option over Fire Blast and Swords Dance if Garchomp is found on a Rain team, as the boost from Politoed's Drizzle augments its power
• Like most other Dragon-types, Garchomp appreciates having Magnezone or Dugtrio to trap and remove Steel-types before beginning its rampage, allowing it to freely spam Outrage with very few consequences. If Swords Dance is chosen over Fire Blast, this is a mandatory teammate selection, as Garchomp will find itself hard-pressed to get past opposing Steel-types that can shrug off an Earthquake or two.
• Because this variant of Garchomp isn't necessarily designed to stick around the entire match, a spinlocker in the form of Jellicent or Gengar is appreciated, as they maintain they stay of Stealth Rock, preventing Rapid Spin users from removing it. Jellicent also makes for an excellent partner for Garchomp, as it resists Ice-type attacks thrown towards Garchomp, while Garchomp is immune to the Electric-type attacks aimed at Jellicent.

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Outrage / Dragon Claw
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Aqua Tail / Fire Fang
item: Yache Berry / Life Orb
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

• Garchomp's three key resistances gives it multiple opportunities to come in and set up a Swords Dance before wrecking the opposing team.
• After a Swords Dance boost, Garchomp encompasses the term of a terrifying sweeper, as its Attack stat hits a sky-high 718, which allows Garchomp the ability to 2HKO the entirety of OU. Fun fact, after a second boost everything in the tier is OHKOed (includes Stealth Rock damage).
• Outrage obliterates anything that isn't a Steel-type after a Swords Dance boost, and allows Garchomp to easily bypass bulkier Pokemon, such as Hippowdon and Amoonguss. However, Dragon Claw may be used instead if the locking of Outrage is unfavourable to you. Be warned though, Garchomp will miss out on many OHKOs
• Earthquake crushes many of the Steel-types, namely Jirachi, Heatran, and Metagross that resist Outrage. It's also handy for devastating opposing Rock-types, see Terrakion and Tyranitar, without having to be locked into Outrage.
• Aqua Tail provides Garchomp with excellent neutral coverage, being able to destroy Landorus-T and Gliscor after a Swords Dance boost. Due to the popularity of Rain teams, Garchomp doesn't necessarily need to find itself on a Rain team to get the added boost to Aqua Tail. Fire Fang is an option over Aqua Tail to hit trouble Steel-types like Skarmory, Forretress, and Scizor harder, but Aqua Tail still does more damage to these three with Rain support, which they are typically found with.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

• The Choice in item is mainly preference, as a Life Orb allows Garchomp to hit stupidly hard, even KOing 200 HP / 244 Def Landorus-T with a +1 Outrage after Stealth Rock, KOing 252 HP / 252+ Def Hippowdon after prior damage with a +2 Outrage, and KOing 248 / 244+ Gliscor after Stealth Rock. However, a Yache Berry will allow Garchomp to survive an Ice Shard from opposing Mamoswine or an Ice Beam from offensive Starmie and attack back before being knocked out.
• A Haban Berry is another valid consideration for Garchomp's item, reducing the damage caused by Dragon-type attacks from opposing Dragonite or Latias. However, more powerful attacks, specifically Draco Meteor and Outrage from Choice Specs Latios and Choice Band Dragonite, respectively, will still OHKO Garchomp, limiting its overall use.
• Fire Blast also deserves a mention over Aqua Tail and Fire Fang, as it matches Fire Fang's damage output and targets the weaker Special Defense stat that many Steel-types are plagued with. If choosing Fire Blast however, a Naive nature should be used to keep Fire Blast as strong as possible.
• A combination of Substitute, Swords Dance, and a Salac Berry may be used, as it allows Garchomp to safely set up against opposing switch-ins for one turn and potentially give it the opportunity to tie opposing Choice Scarf Garchomp while having the freedom to switch moves.
  
• Swords Dance Garchomp doesn't need much for team support, as its nearly a one-man army on its own. However, there still are problem Pokemon for it, specifically Mamoswine and the majority of the Pokemon that outspeed it. Skarmory can be problematic too, as its 2HKOed by Fire Fang. Because of these threats, partners such as Magnezone, Scizor, and Starmie are great choices, as Magnezone traps and KOs Skarmory, Scizor is able to bypass everything faster than Garchomp, bar Infernape, thanks to Bullet Punch and U-turn, and Starmie handles the loose ends and Infernape.

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Outrage
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Fire Blast / Stone Edge
move 4: Dual Chop / Dragon Claw
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Jolly / Naive
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

• When equipped with a Choice Scarf, Garchomp becomes one of the most effective revenge killers in the tier thanks to its base 102 Speed stat and 130 Attack stat.
• Outrage is Garchomp's strongest physical attack, nuking nearly everything it touches, and serves as its main STAB attack. However, it's a move best not to just spam off the get-go, and better reserved once Steel-types are either severely weakened or removed.
• Earthquake crushes many of the Steel-types that resist Outrage, namely Jirachi, Magnezone, and Heatran. Unlike Outrage, Earthquake is a more spammable STAB move, as Garchomp doesn't need to fear being locked into attacking when an Ice Shard user or opposing Steel-type is still lurking about.
• Fire Blast permits Garchomp the ability to smelt through common Steel-type switch-ins &mdash Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Forretress, and open up room for Outrage to wreck havoc. Alternatively, Stone Edge can be used to nail opposing Thundurus-T, Volcarona, and Gyarados, but has lesser accuracy and utility than Fire Blast.
• Dual Chop provides Garchomp with an alternate Dragon-type STAB attack to chose from, thus not having to lock itself into Outrage. Dual Chop carries the added benefit of hitting twice, potentially breaking opposing Substitutes and Focus Sashes and allowing Garchomp to deal extra damage. Alternatively, Dragon Claw may be used over Dual Chop as it deals the same amount of damage, just all at once, and has 100% accuracy.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

• Aqua Tail may be used over both Stone Edge or Fire Blast if Garchomp is being used on a Rain Team, as it deals commendable damage to neutral targets and opposing Hippowdon. However, Aqua Tail has very little utility outside of Rain, as many targets that would be hit super effectively by it are also hit super effectively by Earthquake.
• Sleep Talk can also be used in the fourth moveslot, as it allows Garchomp to easily and safely switch into Breloom's or Amoonguss' Spore and still be able to attack.
• Because Choice Scarf Garchomp is not exceptionally powerful, entry hazards in the forms of Stealth Rock and Spikes are greatly appreciated. Common lead Pokemon like Custap Skarmory or Forretress are capable of supplying both hazards and are usually capable of laying more than one layer of Spikes.
• Strong teammates capable of weakening a team enough for Garchomp to finish off or vice-versa are also appreciated. Other Dragon-types, such as Dragonite, Latios, or Kyruem-B make effective partners for Choice Scarf Garchomp, as their beefier attacking stats are able to capitalize on the holes punched by Garchomp or provide holes for Garchomp to exploit.
• Even though Garchomp has access to both Earthquake and Fire Blast, its inability to switch moves still finds Garchomp wanting team support in removing opposing Steel-types. This makes Magnezone and Dugtrio excellent teammate considerations, as Magnezone is capable of trapping most Steel-types and has become rather adept at dispatching them, while Dugtrio traps and eliminates grounded Steel-types, specifically Heatran and Jirachi.
• Despite having a base 102 Speed stat, Garchomp is still outsped and threatened by nearly the rest of the Choice Scarf users in the tier, and appreciates having either bulkier teammates, like Celebi and Latias, to sponge their attacks or powerful priority users, such as Lucario, Scizor, and Breloom, to bypass their increased Speed stats and remove them.

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Outrage
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Fire Fang / Aqua Tail
move 4: Dual Chop / Dragon Claw
item: Choice Band
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

• Once given a Choice Band, Garchomp becomes a very potent wallbreaker and becomes difficult to switch into, as its Outrages and Earthquakes deal terrifying damage to whatever doesn't resist them.
• Garchomp's higher base Speed stat sets it apart from other Dragon-type Choice Band users, as it outspeeds the majority of OU.
• Outrage is Garchomp's Dragon-type STAB and decimates anything that isn't a Steel-type or a dedicated physical wall.
• Earthquake is also STAB, and it allows Garchomp to crush most Steel-types that fearlessly switch-in expecting an Outrage. Earthquake is also handy for sinking opposing Fire- and Rock-types, such as Infernape and Tyranitar, further making switching into Choice Band Garchomp even harder.
• Fire Fang completes Garchomp's coverage, nailing the likes of Skarmory, Scizor, Forretress, and Ferrothorn for super effective damage, making switching in on Choice Band Garchomp a very risky thing to do. However, Aqua Tail does quite a number to common Garchomp switch-ins, such as Gliscor, Landorus-T, or Donphan, potentially opening up room for Garchomp or a teammate to begin a sweep. Alongside the popularity of Rain teams, or if Garchomp is used with Rain support, Aqua Tail's damage output is increased, also allowing Garchomp to deal severe damage to most of Fire Fang's targets.
• Dual Chop is used to give Garchomp a Dragon-type STAB without locking itself into Outrage. Dual Chop holds a lot of utility, being able to bypass opposing Focus Sash users and break Sustitutes, and is also capable of OHKOing Substitute Breloom, but requires an Adamant nature to do so. Dragon Claw offers the same base power as Dual Chop, but at a perfect accuracy and all at once. However, be warned, as both attacks are significantly weaker than Outrage.

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

• Stone Edge is a viable option over Dragon Claw or Dual Chop, as it increases upon Garchomp's super effective coverage, nuking opposing Volcarona, Gyarados, and Thundurus-T. However, that's all it has to offer, and it has shaky accuracy.
• Because Steel-types will really hinder the use of Outrage, and Fire Fang only manages to 3HKO Skarmory, Magnezone, Dugtrio, and Magneton make for excellent partners for Garchomp, as they can trap and eliminate opposing Steel-types and give Garchomp more room to blast off those powerful Outrages.
• Priority users like Scizor and Mamoswine make for excellent teammates for Garchomp, as they can pick off many of the Pokemon that threaten Garchomp by outspeeding it. Scizor also has the added utility of carrying U-turn, bringing Garchomp in for free. Mamoswine also has Stealth Rock, which makes Garchomp's life easier by pre-weakening the opponent.
• Steel-type teammates like Ferrothorn, Heatran, and Jirachi are also appreciated, as they can sponge Garchomp's weakness to Dragon- and Ice-type attacks, while Garchomp easily stomachs the Fire-type attacks aimed at Ferrothorn and Jirachi.

[Other Options]

• A Classic ChainChomp set utilizing Draco Meteor and Fire Blast is still viable, as it destroys most of Garchomp's common checks, namely Gliscor, Hippowdon, and Ferrothorn, but is significantly weaker than physical variants that rely on Outrage and Fire Fang, as Garchomp lacks any way outside of Choice Specs and Life Orb to boost its Special Attack.
• A bulky set utilizing an EV spread of 252 HP / 196 Def / 60 Spe that capitalizes on the concept of passive damage via Stealth Rock, Toxic, Protect, and Dragon Tail has potential on a Sand team, as it will slowly wear the opponent out. However, Steel-types completely shut this set down, and would require removal in order for this set to be successful.
• Garchomp has weaker utility moves, namely Dragon Tail and Bulldoze, which could be used in order to either phaze opponents or slow up non-Levitating Choice Scarf users and give Garchomp room to beat them down. Outside of those however, Garchomp's offensive movepool is outclassed by either STAB Outrage or Earthquake, leaving very little to no merit for moves like Crunch or Iron Head.

[Checks and Counters]

• Skarmory and Bronzong, albeit the latter is seen very rarely, easily sponge Garchomp's STAB moves and are only 2HKOed by Garchomp's Fire-type attacks. In Skarmory's case, it is capable of phazing Garchomp, whereas Bronzong may carry Hidden Power Ice to directly threaten Garchomp.
• Other Dragon-types, specifically Latios and Latias, are huge threats to Garchomp, as they outspeed Garchomp and can target its weaker Special Defense stat via Dragon Pulse or Draco Meteor. If Garchomp lacks a Choice Scarf, +1 Dragonite, and Choice Scarf Salamence and Kyurem-B then become huge issues for Garchomp, as they all outspeed it and slam Garchomp hard with opposing Outrages.
• Opposing Choice Scarf users that have a higher base Speed than Garchomp, such as Keldeo, Terrakion, and Starmie, all have powerful STAB and coverage attacks that can threaten weakened Garchomp.
• Beefier Pokemon such as Ferrothorn, Forretress, Gliscor, and Landorus-T are all capable of tanking an Outrage or two, and have semi-powerful attacks or status to get back at Garchomp. both Gliscor and Landorus-T have the added advantage of having an Eartquake immunity. However, both Forretress and Ferrothorn must watch out for any Fire-type coverage that Garchomp may have, whereas Gliscor and Landorus-T must watch out for boosted Outrages and Aqua Tails, as each incident ends up as an OHKO after Stealth Rock.
• Powerful Ice-type Pokemon, namely Mamoswine, Cloyster, and the odd Weavile, also present huge issues for non-Yache Berry Garchomp, as its compound weakness to Ice-types prevents it from tanking even weaker hits. Mamoswine and Cloyster's access to Icicle Spear allow them to bypass the effects of Yache Berry and proceed to OHKO Garchomp. In the case of Weavile, Ice Punch does so much damage that a Yache Berry won't help Garchomp in the slightest.
• Priority users can tend to be a thorn in Garchomp's side as well, as its uninvested defences may be high, but they aren't enough to take powerful neutral hits. Pokemon like Lucario, Scizor, and Breloom all cause issues for weakened Garchomp, and are even capable of picking off Salac Berry variants.

[Overview]

<p>Since being unbanned, Garchomp has remained unchanged. Hence, Garchomp is still a threat that teams must be prepared for, as it is capable of ripping teams apart with its two powerful STABs and high-powered moves coming off its base 130 Attack. Besides its unique dual typing, Garchomp has very well distributed stats, which is rarely seen from a sweeper of its caliber. Despite its impressive attacking prowess and natural bulk, Garchomp sits at a rather strange Speed tier, outpacing a vast number of threats but falling short of many of the pokemon that check it, specifically Keldeo and Latios. Rough Skin is no godsend ability either, but it allows Garchomp to wear down physical attackers with increased ease. Despite its common weaknesses and strange Speed tier, Garchomp is a valuable Pokemon on many types of teams, and should always be considered when building one.</p>

[SET]
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Outrage / Dragon Claw
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Fire Blast / Swords Dance
item: Rocky Helmet / Focus Sash
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Naive / Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Thanks to its good natural bulk and Speed, Garchomp can function as an efficient lead, able to deploy Stealth Rock quickly and then begin tearing up the opposition. Arguably the best move in the game, Stealth Rock breaks opposing Focus Sashes and Sturdy. Unlike many other Stealth Rock users, Garchomp has the advantage of being able to stand up against sun teams and beat many common spinners. Outrage, Garchomp's strongest physical STAB attack, enables Garchomp to destroy most of OU, as it is only resisted by Steel-types and tanked by only the physically bulky Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Gliscor. However, due to its predictability and drawbacks, Outrage is better left until Steel-types have been either removed or severely weakened. Earthquake is Garchomp's other STAB attack and is useful for beating opposing Fire-, Steel-, and Rock-type Pokemon such as Ninetales, Jirachi, and Terrakion. Fire Blast is used here to help Garchomp bypass the Steel-types that aren't bothered too much by Earthquake, specifically Skarmory, Scizor, and Ferrothorn, which gives Garchomp more room to pepper the opponent with continuous Outrages. However, if Steel-types aren't of too much a concern for Garchomp, Swords Dance is a perfectly usable option over Fire Blast, as it cranks up Garchomp's Attack stat, improving its ability to sweep through the opposition.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>If desired, a bulky spread of 252 HP / 196 Def / 60 Spe with a Jolly nature may be used, as it allows Garchomp to stomach hits from the likes of Choice Band Scizor and Tyranitar, both of which can only 3HKO with Bullet Punch and Crunch respectively, while still being able to outspeed Adamant Lucario, maximum Speed Heatran, and 136 Speed Ninetales. Leftovers then becomes a viable item selection if you opt for this bulky spread, as it allows Garchomp some passive recovery. When using the bulky spread, Toxic is worth considering, as it cripples Hippowdon, Landorus-T, Cresselia, Gyarados, and Rotom-W, all of which Garchomp has trouble dealing with. In regards to the item you choose for Garchomp, each of them has their own specific purpose. Rocky Helmet allows Garchomp to compound residual damage against physical attackers, such as Scizor or Terrakion, dealing 29% damage to them every time they make contact with Garchomp. Focus Sash gives Garchomp insurance against Mamoswine leads or leads that carry Ice- or Dragon-type moves, guaranteeing that Garchomp is, at the very least, able to get Stealth Rock up. Do note that if a different item is chosen; such as a Lum Berry to cure a Lava Plume burn from Heatran or a Life Orb to crank up Garchomp's power and allow it to swiftly 2HKO opposing Gliscor, Hippowdon, and Landorus-T; that they are to be used only if you are not using Garchomp as a lead, as it will always prefer to have a Focus Sash then. Aqua Tail is always an option over Fire Blast and Swords Dance for coverage against these bulky Ground-types, especially if Garchomp is being used on a rain team.</p>

<p>Like most other Dragon-types, Garchomp appreciates having Magnezone to trap and remove Steel-types before beginning its rampage, allowing it to freely spam Outrage with little consequence. However, because this set often runs Fire Blast, it can already bypass Skarmory and Bronzong, the only Steel-types that trouble Garchomp, making this support unnecessary. If Swords Dance is chosen over Fire Blast though, this is a mandatory teammate selection, as Garchomp will find itself hard-pressed to get past opposing Steel-types that can shrug off an Earthquake or two otherwise. Because this variant of Garchomp isn't necessarily designed to stick around the entire match, a spinblocker in the form of Jellicent or Gengar is appreciated, as they maintain Stealth Rock, by preventing Rapid Spin users from removing it. Jellicent in particular makes for an excellent partner for Garchomp, as it resists Ice-type attacks thrown towards Garchomp, while Garchomp is immune to the Electric-type attacks aimed at Jellicent.</p>

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Outrage / Dragon Claw
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Aqua Tail / Fire Fang
item: Yache Berry / Life Orb
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Garchomp's three key resistances give it multiple opportunities to come in and set up a Swords Dance before wrecking the opposing team. After a Swords Dance boost, Garchomp becomes the definition of a terrifying sweeper, as its Attack stat hits a sky-high 718, enough to 2HKO the entirety of OU. After a second boost (god forbid), everything in the tier is OHKOed (factoring in Stealth Rock damage). Outrage obliterates anything that isn't a Steel-type after a Swords Dance boost and allows Garchomp to easily bypass bulkier Pokemon, such as Hippowdon and Landorus-T. However, Dragon Claw may be used instead if the locking of Outrage is unfavorable to you. Be warned though, Garchomp will miss out on many OHKOs. STAB Earthquake crushes many of the Steel-types, namely Jirachi, Heatran, and Metagross, that resist Outrage. It's also handy for devastating opposing Rock-types, such as Terrakion and Tyranitar, without having to be locked into Outrage. Aqua Tail provides Garchomp with excellent neutral coverage, being able to destroy Landorus-T and Gliscor after a Swords Dance boost. Due to the popularity of rain teams, Garchomp doesn't necessarily need to find itself on one to get the added boost to Aqua Tail. Fire Fang is an option over Aqua Tail to hit troublesome Steel-types such as Skarmory, Forretress, and Scizor harder, but Aqua Tail still does more damage to these three with rain support, which they are typically found on.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The choice of item comes down to preference, as a Life Orb allows Garchomp to hit stupidly hard, even OHKOing 200 HP / 244 Def Landorus-T at +1 after Stealth Rock, OHKOing 252 HP / 252+ Def Hippowdon after prior damage with a +2 Outrage, and even 248 / 244+ Gliscor after Stealth Rock. However, a Yache Berry will allow Garchomp to survive an Ice Shard from opposing Mamoswine or an Ice Beam from offensive Starmie and attack back before being knocked out. A Haban Berry is another valid consideration for Garchomp's item, reducing the damage caused by Dragon-type attacks from opposing Dragonite or Latias. However, more powerful attacks, specifically Draco Meteor and Outrage from Choice Specs Latios and Choice Band Dragonite, respectively, will still OHKO Garchomp, limiting its overall use. Fire Blast also deserves a mention over Aqua Tail and Fire Fang, as it matches Fire Fang's damage output and targets the weaker Special Defense stat that many Steel-types are plagued with. If choosing Fire Blast, a Naive nature should be used to keep Fire Blast as strong as possible. A combination of Substitute, Swords Dance, and a Salac Berry might be used, as it allows Garchomp to safely set up against opposing switch-ins for one turn and potentially giving it the opportunity to tie with opposing Choice Scarf Garchomp while having the freedom to switch moves. While Swords Dance Garchomp doesn't need much team support, there still are problem Pokemon for it, specifically Mamoswine and the majority of the Pokemon that outspeed it. Skarmory can be problematic too, as it is only 2HKOed by a +2 Fire Fang. Because of these threats, partners such as Magnezone, Scizor, and Starmie are great choices; Magnezone traps and KOs Skarmory; Scizor is able to bypass everything faster than Garchomp, bar Infernape, thanks to Bullet Punch and U-turn; and Starmie handles the loose ends and Infernape.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Outrage
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Fire Blast / Stone Edge
move 4: Dual Chop / Dragon Claw
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Jolly / Naive
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>When equipped with a Choice Scarf, Garchomp becomes one of the most effective revenge killers in the tier thanks to its excellent Speed and Attack. Outrage is Garchomp's strongest physical attack, effectively destroying many weakened opponents, and serves as its main STAB attack. However, it's a move best not to just spam off the get-go, and better reserved for once Steel-types are either severely weakened or removed. Earthquake crushes many of the Steel-types that resist Outrage, namely Jirachi, Magnezone, and Heatran. Unlike Outrage, Earthquake is a more spammable STAB move, as Garchomp doesn't need to fear being locked into attacking when an Ice Shard user or opposing Steel-type is still lurking about. Fire Blast gives Garchomp the ability to smelt through common Steel-type switch-ins such as Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Forretress, and opens up room for Outrage to wreak havoc. Alternatively, Stone Edge can be used to nail opposing Thundurus-T, Volcarona, and Gyarados, but has less accuracy and utility than Fire Blast. Dual Chop provides Garchomp with an alternate Dragon-type STAB attack to chose from, thus not having to lock itself into Outrage. Dual Chop carries the added benefit of hitting twice, potentially breaking opposing Substitutes and Focus Sashes and allowing Garchomp to deal extra damage. Alternatively, Dragon Claw may be used over Dual Chop as it deals the same amount of damage, just all at once, and has 100% accuracy.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Aqua Tail may be used over Stone Edge or Fire Blast if Garchomp is being used on a rain team as it deals commendable damage to neutral targets and opposing Hippowdon. However, Aqua Tail has very little utility outside of rain, as many targets that would be hit super effectively by it are also hit super effectively by Earthquake. Sleep Talk can also be used in the fourth moveslot, as it allows Garchomp to easily and safely switch into Breloom's or Amoonguss's Spore and still be able to attack. Because Choice Scarf Garchomp is not exceptionally powerful, entry hazards in the forms of Stealth Rock and Spikes are greatly appreciated. Common lead Pokemon such as Custap Skarmory or Forretress are capable of supplying both hazards and are usually capable of laying more than one layer of Spikes. Strong teammates capable of weakening a team enough for Garchomp to finish off or vice versa are also appreciated. Other Dragon-types, such as Dragonite, Latios, or Kyurem-B make for effective partners for Choice Scarf Garchomp, as their superior attacking stats are able to capitalize on the holes punched by Garchomp or provide holes for Garchomp to exploit. Even though Garchomp has access to both Earthquake and Fire Blast, its inability to switch moves still finds Garchomp wanting team support in removing opposing Steel-types. This makes Magnezone and Dugtrio excellent teammate considerations, as Magnezone is capable of trapping and KOing most Steel-types, while Dugtrio traps and eliminates grounded Steel-types, specifically Heatran and Jirachi. Despite having a base 102 Speed stat, Garchomp is still outsped and threatened by many popular Choice Scarf users in the tier, such as Keldeo and Latios, and appreciates having either bulkier teammates, such as Celebi and Latias, to sponge their attacks or powerful priority users, such as Lucario, Scizor, and Breloom, to bypass their increased Speed stats and remove them.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Outrage
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Fire Fang / Aqua Tail
move 4: Dual Chop / Dragon Claw
item: Choice Band
ability: Rough Skin
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Once given a Choice Band, Garchomp becomes a very potent wallbreaker as its Outrages and Earthquakes deal terrifying damage to whatever doesn't resist them. Garchomp's higher base Speed stat sets it apart from other Dragon-type Choice Band users, as it outspeeds the majority of OU. Outrage is Garchomp's Dragon-type STAB and decimates anything that isn't a Steel-type or a dedicated physical wall. Earthquake is also STAB, and it allows Garchomp to crush most Steel-types that fearlessly switch in expecting an Outrage. Earthquake is also handy for sinking opposing Fire- and Rock-types, such as Infernape and Tyranitar, further making switching into Choice Band Garchomp even harder. Fire Fang completes Garchomp's coverage, nailing the likes of Skarmory, Scizor, Forretress, and Ferrothorn for super effective damage. However, Aqua Tail does quite a number to common Garchomp switch-ins, such as Gliscor, Landorus-T, and Donphan, potentially opening up room for Garchomp or a teammate to begin a sweep. Alongside the popularity of rain teams, or if Garchomp is used with rain support, Aqua Tail's damage output is increased, also allowing Garchomp to deal severe damage to most of Fire Fang's targets. Dual Chop is used to give Garchomp a Dragon-type STAB without locking itself into Outrage. Dual Chop holds a lot of utility, being able to bypass opposing Focus Sash users and break Sustitutes, and is also capable of OHKOing Substitute Breloom, but requires an Adamant nature to do so. Dragon Claw offers the same base power as Dual Chop, but at a perfect accuracy and all at once. However, be warned, as both attacks are significantly weaker than Outrage.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Stone Edge is a viable option over Dragon Claw or Dual Chop, as it increases Garchomp's super effective coverage, nuking opposing Volcarona, Gyarados, and Thundurus-T. However, that's all it has to offer, and it has shaky accuracy. Because Steel-types will really hinder the use of Outrage, and Fire Fang only manages to 3HKO. Skarmory, Magnezone, Dugtrio, and Magneton make for excellent partners for Garchomp, as they can trap and eliminate opposing Steel-types and give Garchomp more room to blast off those powerful Outrages. Priority users such as Scizor and Mamoswine make for excellent teammates for Garchomp, as they can pick off many of the Pokemon that threaten Garchomp by outspeeding it. Scizor also has the added utility of carrying U-turn, bringing Garchomp in for free. Mamoswine also has Stealth Rock, which makes Garchomp's life easier by weakening the opponent. Steel-type teammates such as Ferrothorn, Heatran, and Jirachi are also appreciated, as they can sponge Garchomp's weakness to Dragon- and Ice-type attacks, while Garchomp easily stomachs the Fire-type attacks aimed at Ferrothorn and Jirachi.</p>
[Other Options]

<p>A Classic ChainChomp set utilizing Draco Meteor and Fire Blast is still viable, as it destroys most of Garchomp's common checks, namely Gliscor, Hippowdon, and Ferrothorn, but is significantly weaker than physical variants that rely on Outrage and Fire Fang, as Garchomp lacks any way outside of Choice Specs and Life Orb to boost its Special Attack. A bulky set utilizing an EV spread of 252 HP / 196 Def / 60 Spe that capitalizes on the concept of passive damage via Stealth Rock, Toxic, Protect, and Dragon Tail has potential on a sand team, as it will slowly wear the opponent out. However, Steel-types completely shut this set down, and would require removal in order for this set to be successful. Garchomp has weaker utility moves, namely Dragon Tail and Bulldoze, which could be used in order to either phaze opponents or slow non-Levitating Choice Scarf users and give Garchomp room to beat them down. Outside of those however, Garchomp's offensive movepool is outclassed by either STAB Outrage or Earthquake, leaving very little to no merit for moves such as Crunch or Iron Head.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Garchomp itself is very hard to switch into due to its raw power, and beating it usually requires coming on the revenge kill. However, Skarmory and Bronzong easily sponge Garchomp's STAB moves and are only 2HKOed by Garchomp's Fire-type attacks. In Skarmory's case, it is capable of phazing Garchomp, whereas Bronzong may carry Hidden Power Ice to directly threaten Garchomp. Other Dragon-types, specifically Latios and Latias, are huge threats to Garchomp, as they outspeed Garchomp and can target its weaker Special Defense stat via Dragon Pulse or Draco Meteor. If Garchomp lacks a Choice Scarf, +1 Dragonite and Choice Scarf Salamence and Kyurem-B then become huge issues for Garchomp, as they all outspeed it and slam Garchomp hard with opposing Outrages. Beefier Pokemon such as Ferrothorn, Forretress, Gliscor, and Landorus-T are all capable of tanking an Outrage or two, and have semi-powerful attacks or status to get back at Garchomp. Both Gliscor and Landorus-T have the added advantage of having an Earthquake immunity. However, both Forretress and Ferrothorn must watch out for any Fire-type coverage that Garchomp may have, whereas Gliscor and Landorus-T must watch out for boosted Outrages and Aqua Tails, as each incident ends up as an OHKO after Stealth Rock. Powerful Ice-type Pokemon, namely Mamoswine, Cloyster, and the odd Weavile, also present huge issues for non-Yache Berry Garchomp, as its compound weakness to Ice-types prevents it from tanking even weaker hits. Mamoswine and Cloyster's access to Icicle Spear allows them to bypass the effects of Yache Berry and proceed to OHKO Garchomp. In the case of Weavile, Ice Punch does so much damage that a Yache Berry won't help Garchomp in the slightest. Priority users can tend to be a thorn in Garchomp's side as well, as its uninvested defenses may be high, but they aren't enough to take powerful neutral hits.</p>

 

[Halcyon.]

Sub Salac definitely needs to be mentioned here somewhere. I don't know if it deserves its own set or if it should just have Substitute slashed with Fire Fang and Salac Berry with Yache. Honestly, though, I think SubSalac is much better than Yache with Fire Fang. I'd ask QC about it, but I know it needs to be mentioned somewhere.

 

[Jirachee]

I'm not qc or anything, but I think Stealth Rock should be the first set. It's the set you'll see the most in matches of higher level of play and it's easily Garchomp's best set. Rocky Helmet should be the first item slashed on it, as it's probably the one I've seen the most throughout wcop for example. It's very useful at wearing down Rapid Spinners for example, which is something Garchomp has to set itself apart from other offensive SRers, like Terrakion.

Even with a Jolly nature Fire Blast does more damage to pdef Skarm than +2 Fire Fang, so it should probably be at least mentioned. I think it's the superior option but w/e. Also I think Life Orb deserves a slash more than Leftovers considering it allows Garchomp to hit stupidly hard and actually OHKO stuff like 200/244 Landorus-T after Stealth Rock at +1 with Outrage. Leftovers is heh honestly

also aqua tail should get a mention on sd, it's very very good in rain

 

[Mazz]

Sub Salac definitely needs to be mentioned here somewhere. I don't know if it deserves its own set or if it should just have Substitute slashed with Fire Fang and Salac Berry with Yache. Honestly, though, I think SubSalac is much better than Yache with Fire Fang. I'd ask QC about it, but I know it needs to be mentioned somewhere.

It's briefly mentioned on the Swords Dance set. If QC deems its worthy of a set, it'll get one. If not, I'll be sure to mention it in OO as well.

I'm not qc or anything, but I think Stealth Rock should be the first set. It's the set you'll see the most in matches of higher level of play and it's easily Garchomp's best set. Rocky Helmet should be the first item slashed on it, as it's probably the one I've seen the most throughout wcop for example. It's very useful at wearing down Rapid Spinners for example, which is something Garchomp has to set itself apart from other offensive SRers, like Terrakion.

Even with a Jolly nature Fire Blast does more damage to pdef Skarm than +2 Fire Fang, so it should probably be at least mentioned. I think it's the superior option but w/e. Also I think Life Orb deserves a slash more than Leftovers considering it allows Garchomp to hit stupidly hard and actually OHKO stuff like 200/244 Landorus-T after Stealth Rock at +1 with Outrage. Leftovers is heh honestly

also aqua tail should get a mention on sd, it's very very good in rain

Stealth Rock being the first set makes sense, I'll just have QC weigh in on that to be sure. I'll be sure to mention Aqua Tail and Life Orb as well. However, in regards to Fire Blast:

0- SpA Garchomp Fire Blast vs. 224 HP / 32 SpD Skarmory: 166-196 (50.76 - 59.93%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
+2 252 Atk Garchomp Fire Fang vs. 224 HP / 252+ Def Skarmory: 162-192 (49.54 - 58.71%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock

It's a 1.22% difference. You sure that Fire Blast is worth the mention? It's accuracy is worse and it has less PP. Had it been running like Naive (which nothing says it can't), I'd think it would make more sense. I just don't think that a move getting a mention because of a 1.22% difference is entirely justified, since they're doing basically the exact same damage. I'll let some others weigh in on this too.

 

[Shurtugal]

Scarf Garchomp: Fire Blast should get primary on third slot, and Sleep Talk should at least be AC, if not a slash on the fourth move slot.

Swords Dance Garchomp: Substitute over Fire Fang; make Fire Fang AC, and Salac Berry needs primary slash to Yache Berry, although Lum Berry is an AC mentionable item for Outrage or stray WoW.

Stealth Rock: Yache Berry, Lum Berry, Rocky Helmet, Salac Berry, Haban Berry, and Custap Berry could all go into AC imo since each has merit since Chomp rarely needs Sash.

Not sure about CB that much; has anyone else used it before to much succes? My experiences with CB Chomp is limited (aka zero).

 

[Jirachee]

sometimes you won't be at +2, and it allows you to still be threatening to skarmory, which is your #1 counter. it also allows you to catch it on the switch so it can't phaze you for more spikes damage

 

[BurningMan]

On the SD set i think Lum Berry should get a slash it is very useful to set-up against bulky waters and switching into scalds in general. I also think you should mention Fire Blast in AC if used in conjunction with Life Orb and a Naive nature it allows to threaten Forretress/Skarmory/Ferrothorn/Scizor even without an SD and these Pokemon are the main reason to use a fire type move at all.
About Aqua Tail just mention in AC that it works if you use Garchomp in the Rain and is great early in the game against Landorus-T,Baloon Heatran and Gliscor as you hit them for SE damage and don't have to lock yourself into Outrage.

 

[Trinitrotoluene]

Aqua Tail + LO deserve a mention in the AC of the Swords Dance set at the very minimum; however, I think that both are worth a slash on the Swords Dance set. It turns Garchomp into a devastating wallbreaker that can 2HKO most of the things that normally wall it, while synergizing well with rain offense due to its ability to demolish opposing weather inducers. It's also not a bad idea if you're just looking to reliably 2HKO Landorus-T (even after Intimidate!) without locking yourself into Outrage and suffering confusion that could spell doom for it once Outrage ends.

 

[Mazz]

Any changes mentioned were made, and this is now written up. QC, have at. I just put Choice Band in OO. If it's seen that it should get a set, I'll give it one.

 

[shrang]

• Equipping Garchomp with a Choice Band allows it to function as a threatening wallbreaker is always an option. However, despite being immediately powerful, Swords Dance Garchomp still outclasses it, as its stronger and has the ability to switch moves.

Uh what? SD and CB Garchomp play completely differently. Personally, I think Choice Band is Garchomp's best set. It's Stealth Rock resistant, has impeccable coverage. Unless you have Skarmory or Bronzong, it is incredibly difficult to switch into CB Garchomp. Put it back up please. I got a lot more things to address, but I'm really busy until at least tomorrow, so I'll leave that for then.

 

[Mazz]

Uh what? SD and CB Garchomp play completely differently. Personally, I think Choice Band is Garchomp's best set. It's Stealth Rock resistant, has impeccable coverage. Unless you have Skarmory or Bronzong, it is incredibly difficult to switch into CB Garchomp. Put it back up please. I got a lot more things to address, but I'm really busy until at least tomorrow, so I'll leave that for then.

Alrighty. Might as well take this time to bounce around some set order. Something like this?

• Stealth Rock
• Choice Band
• Swords Dance
• Choice Scarf

 

[Shurtugal]

SD / Scarf sets before CB imo

 

[ginganinja]

Why the fuck is LO like, the only option on the SR lead set???

SHould be something like: Rocky Helmet + Sash, and MAYBE LO being a third item slot. Custap / Yache / Haban and leftovers is/are all AC material (tho I can see the argument for Leftovers being slashed on main). IIRC this was what we agreed on irc

Get Substitute the fuck out of the SD set. Like ok MAYBE its really cool for a set or something, but its most threatening / destructive set is SD + EQ + Outrage + Aqua Tail, which with Rain support is such a bitch to switch into. You have been told this by others so please make this change. You can slash Fire Fang or Substitute or whatever after Aqua Tail but IMO Aqua Tail needs to be the main option. Id prolly slash LO up there as well.

Slash Aqua Tail BEFORE Fire Fang IMO on CB. Like ok, Fire Fang is really cool for Ferrothorn, Scizor, Forre and Skarm, the last 2 being the big ones IMO. Aqua Tail tho, chunks Landorus-T pretty darn hard, as well as Hippowdon etc, and gets much better neutral coverage. In addition, Rain is fairly common, so even if you don't run Rain support with Garchomp, in a good amount of battles you will get the beneficial weather for Aqua Tail up anyway. Furthermore, some of those steel types are run with Rain support anyway, so a CB Earthquake hits pretty much all of them fairly hard. This is potentially the most controversial opinion iv put in this post, so check with another QC member I guess, just to be sure im not stepping on anyones toes.

Set order should be something like

SR
SD
Scarf
CB

This isn't to call CB shit or anything, its just that those sets are the most common + best sets for Garchomp (factored together) in this meta ATM, so yea thats my opinion.

DONE

EDIT

Oh yea, don't forget to mention bulkier Garchomp EV spreads for the SR Lead set. Like I guess 4 / 252 / 252 is ok, but I know that I used 252 HP 252 Def (little more extreme but w/e) and I know other people use a spread thats a variation of the two. Please mention alternate spreads.

 

[Mazz]

Why the fuck is LO like, the only option on the SR lead set???

SHould be something like: Rocky Helmet + Sash, and MAYBE LO being a third item slot. Custap / Yache / Haban and leftovers is/are all AC material (tho I can see the argument for Leftovers being slashed on main). IIRC this was what we agreed on irc

Get Substitute the fuck out of the SD set. Like ok MAYBE its really cool for a set or something, but its most threatening / destructive set is SD + EQ + Outrage + Aqua Tail, which with Rain support is such a bitch to switch into. You have been told this by others so please make this change. You can slash Fire Fang or Substitute or whatever after Aqua Tail but IMO Aqua Tail needs to be the main option. Id prolly slash LO up there as well.

Slash Aqua Tail BEFORE Fire Fang IMO on CB. Like ok, Fire Fang is really cool for Ferrothorn, Scizor, Forre and Skarm, the last 2 being the big ones IMO. Aqua Tail tho, chunks Landorus-T pretty darn hard, as well as Hippowdon etc, and gets much better neutral coverage. In addition, Rain is fairly common, so even if you don't run Rain support with Garchomp, in a good amount of battles you will get the beneficial weather for Aqua Tail up anyway. Furthermore, some of those steel types are run with Rain support anyway, so a CB Earthquake hits pretty much all of them fairly hard. This is potentially the most controversial opinion iv put in this post, so check with another QC member I guess, just to be sure im not stepping on anyones toes.

Set order should be something like

SR
SD
Scarf
CB

This isn't to call CB shit or anything, its just that those sets are the most common + best sets for Garchomp (factored together) in this meta ATM, so yea thats my opinion.

DONE

EDIT

Oh yea, don't forget to mention bulkier Garchomp EV spreads for the SR Lead set. Like I guess 4 / 252 / 252 is ok, but I know that I used 252 HP 252 Def (little more extreme but w/e) and I know other people use a spread thats a variation of the two. Please mention alternate spreads.

Implemented these changes.

In regards to Aqua Tail on the CB set, since you yourself said this was a 'controversial' change, I expanded on its description and made mention that under the effects of Rain, will be out-damaging a super effective Fire Fang. I'll wait for the input of other QC members as to whether or not Aqua Tail should get the main slash or not.

 

[Jukain]

lo / haban / yache on sd please, haban is extremely good, yache is merely okay, and lo gives quite a bit more power

Not a subsalac fan -- Terrakion is mostly better in that role. Keep it in OO.

SD is better than cb, put it second and scarf third like ginga said.

drop lo to ac on sr chomp, you want an item with more utility than plain power usually.

 

[Mazz]

lo / haban / yache on sd please, haban is extremely good, yache is merely okay, and lo gives quite a bit more power

Not a subsalac fan -- Terrakion is mostly better in that role. Keep it in OO.

SD is better than cb, put it second and scarf third like ginga said.

drop lo to ac on sr chomp, you want an item with more utility than plain power usually.

Changes implemented.

 

[Jirachee]

lo / haban / yache on sd please, haban is extremely good, yache is merely okay, and lo gives quite a bit more power

I'd say yache is better than haban. haban (while still good) is pretty much exclusively for latios and latias as they are the most common ou dragons that outspeed garchomp. yache, on the other hand, means that scarf rachi, scarf keldeo outside of rain, starmie, hp ice alakazam, etc. can't revenge kill you easily and actually lets you get rid of them. getting rid of scarfers is very very big against offensive teams and means that your ddnite/gyara whatever is probably gonna sweep if it gets a boost.

 

[Adamant Zoroark]

Not only that, but Specs Latios still OHKOes Haban Berry Garchomp with Draco Meteor (hell even LO Latios is guaranteed to do so with just one round of SR.) LO Latias doesn't need much prior damage to OHKO with Draco Meteor. Haban is pretty much only good against Scarf Latios/Unboosted CM Latias/ScarfMence (please don't bring up Scarf Latias that shit isn't common enough to be worth mentioning.) Since Yache Berry helps you against so many more Pokemon (as Jirachi mentioned,) it should be slashed before Haban Berry for sure.

In fact, now that I think about it a bit more, Haban Berry in AC, in my opinion. While it can be a big deal against the Pokemon that it does help against, the fact that Lati@s can run sets that can break through it with little prior damage (or no prior damage in Specs Latios's case) makes it a bit situational/risky, and I think a bit too much so to be slash-worthy.

 

[Shurtugal]

Ill repeat: scarf needs sleep talk AC'ed!

 

[alexwolf]

Haban definitely in AC, for reasons already mentioned. Put Sleep Talk in the AC of Scarf Chomp too, as it doesn't have a lot of use for its 4th slot anyway.

Remove Custap Berry from the AC of the SR set, and move it to OO at best. Getting to 25% or less without Sturdy is rarely gonna happen, and if you are walled it doesn't matter anyway. There is a reason that we have Custap Berry mentioned only on Pokemon with Sturdy that have dual hazards and thus can really make the extra turn granted by Custap Berry matter.

Mention that Yache and Haban Berry on SR Chomp are mostly useful for situations where Garchomp doesn't want to lead, as if Garchomp is used mostly as a lead then Focus Sash is better.

Finally, i am expecting that in the write-up you will become more specific in a lot of the things you mention. For example, for almost any item you mention in the AC of each set, you just give an explanation of what the item does, which we all already know. If you plan on mentioning examples and situations of each item's usefulness on the write-up then fine, but if you need help with that say it now.

 

[Shurtugal]

Oh yeah and Stone Edge on Scarf Garchomp is a decent answer to Volcarona if you have issues with Rona. Deserves AC.

I'll address concerns with write-up later GL!

 

[PK Gaming]

Can you put less of an emphasis on Stealth Rock Garchomp being used as a lead? I mean it's a good lead, but it can also be used as a regular Pokemon (in fact, i've often seen it used outside of the lead position)

On the Choice Band set, specifically mention that Dual Chop is useful for OHKOing sash Breloom, but only when an Adamant nature is used. SubSD should also be moved from OO to AC.

 

[Mazz]

Sorry about not having worked on this since Sunday, I've been busy getting acclimatized to my university schedule. Almost all of the changes were made, but I have some things I'd like to discuss below.

SubSD should also be moved from OO to AC.

This set went from having its own set, to AC, to OO, and now it's headed back to AC. PK, you and I are on relatively good terms, and I'm not doubting your judgement, but I want a solid answer from the QC team as to where the hell I'm putting this thing. It's rather annoying bouncing it around and rewording it so it fits in either OO or AC, so a final answer would be much appreciated. And I'm assuming by AC, you're referring to that of the Swords Dance set?

Finally, i am expecting that in the write-up you will become more specific in a lot of the things you mention. For example, for almost any item you mention in the AC of each set, you just give an explanation of what the item does, which we all already know. If you plan on mentioning examples and situations of each item's usefulness on the write-up then fine, but if you need help with that say it now.

I've got some issues with this. In the other three tiers I've written for, such specificity is never required, as explaining what the item does, which I have done, is usually enough to give the player enough of an idea of when this item would be useful. Nixhex wrote up a thread in IS here not that long a go that highlighted our need to clean up analyses and "trim the fat". From my point of view, what you're asking me to do is unnecessarily expand upon the item descriptions for no specific reason. You're just expecting it. I'm greatly curious as to why. even in my Abomasnow analysis for OU, I never had to go that in-depth.

Bottom line is, a player should be able to figure out what each item is used for and when based on what the item itself does. Nothing against your decision there, I just honestly feel that adding those descriptions isn't adding anything to the analysis itself, but rather just fluffing it up. However, doing something regarding calculations with a Life Orb as opposed to not, makes sense to me, and I'd be willing to go that route if you're okay with it.

 

[alexwolf]

You got it mixed. Explaining what each item does is the fluff, as everyone knows each item's abilities. But explaining how do those items actually help in battles is what the readers want to learn. We don't mention alternative items in the AC so that players are supposed to guess their usefulness in practice. And i am not saying to mention a ton of irrelevant calculations or anything like that, just a mention a few examples (1-3) of each item's practical use and you are good to go.

 

[Jukain]

I want dual chop slashed before dragon claw on choice band -- the two-hit mechanic of it is extremely useful, much moreso than dragon claw, which simply offers a lower power alternative without a lock-in. dual chop's utility makes it the clear choice for the first slash, imo.

@Pokemazter, the following is sufficient for item descriptions:

Let's say we've got a Haban Berry.

'A Haban Berry is useful to take the odd Dragon-type attack from foes such as Latias and Dragonite; however, more powerful attacks like Choice Specs Latios's Draco Meteor will still OHKO, limiting its practical application.'

Now let's take a Life Orb.

'A Life Orb provides a sizable boost in power, allowing Garchomp to secure KOs on [x], [x], and [x].'

That is what I'd assume you're accustomed to doing, as it is the standard throughout C&C from my experience.

Finally, on SubSD Garchomp -- we as a QC team discussed it and decided it should go in AC. Sorry for the confusion.

I think we're getting close to the point where we can start approving this, so we'll discuss this a little more and go forward.