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[Pros]
<ul>
<li>A strong base 130 Attack coupled with a solid STAB combination that is only resisted by Skarmory and Bronzong, though Togekiss is immune to both.</li>
<li>Access to Swords Dance, allowing it to sweep many defensively oriented teams that lack Speed.</li>
<li>Base 102 Speed allows it to outpace other Dragons such as Goodra, Zygarde, and Mega Charizard X.</li>
<li>Very respectable bulk, which allows it to deal with prominent threats such as Talonflame, Aegislash, and non-Hidden Power Ice Blaziken.</li>
</ul>
[Cons]
<ul>
<li>Still prone to being checked by faster threats such as Greninja, Starmie, and Noivern.</li>
<li>Mega Garchomp's Speed is a bit lower than regular Garchomp, so it can be outsped by opposing Pokemon that are anything base 95 Speed and higher.</li>
<li>Mega Garchomp is susceptible to status and Ice-type moves as it can only hold Garchompite.</li>
<li>Sand Stream nerf makes it more difficult for Mega Garchomp to get boosts from Sand Force</li>
</ul>
[Set Recommendations]
<p>Garchomp @ Yache Berry / Lum Berry<br />
Ability: Rough Skin <br />
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe <br />
Jolly Nature<br />
- Swords Dance<br />
- Earthquake<br />
- Dragon Claw / Outrage<br />
- Fire Fang / Stone Edge<br /></p>
<ul>
<p>Swords Dance Garchomp plays very similar to Garchomp sets from previous generations. Thanks to its bulk and unique Speed stat, Garchomp has many opportunities to use Swords Dance, then proceed to rip through an opponent's entire team. Earthquake and Dragon Claw are hard-hitting STAB moves, and are the primary sweeping moves after a Swords Dance, and provide handy coverage against the majority of the metagame. Outrage can be considered over Dragon Claw, but is risky to use due to the prominence of Fairy-types such as Togekiss and Florges. To round off Garchomp's coverage, Fire Fang can help against Steel-types such as Ferrothorn, Forretress, and Skarmory. On the other hand, Stone Edge helps Garchomp hit Togekiss for respectable damage.</p>
<p>Yache Berry is used to ensure that faster Pokemon with Ice-type moves such as Starmie and Greninja cannot revenge kill or check Garchomp entirely. Lum Berry is used so that moves such as Will-O-Wisp, Spore, Toxic, or Scald do not interfere with setting up Swords Dance. Additionally, if Garchomp still has Lum Berry while it Outrages, it can recover itself from confusion and sweep for another round. Life Orb can be used for some extra power, but Yache and Lum Berry are generally more useful as they provide Garchomp more security in setting up and sweeping.</p>
<p>Rotom-W can deal with Pokemon such as Mamoswine, Togekiss, Skarmory, and Starmie, while also providing some Volt Switch momentum that can sometimes allow Garchomp to get a free set-up on Pokemon. Scizor also helps by providing U-turn momentum while providing priority to pick off Weavile and Mamoswine; Swords Dance variants can also prove helpful in eliminating Ferrothorn.</p>
</ul>
<p>Garchomp @ Choice Scarf<br />
Ability: Rough Skin <br />
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe <br />
Naive Nature<br />
- Earthquake<br />
- Dragon Claw / Outrage<br />
- Stone Edge<br />
- Fire Blast<br /></p>
<p>Scarf Garchomp is still capable of threatening many sweepers in the game, such as Volcarona, opposing Garchomp, Starmie, Noivern, Mega Charizard X, and Dragonite to name a few. In particular, Scarf Garchomp can switch into a +1 Dragon Dance Mega Charizard X and revenge kill. Garchomp functions well as a revenge killer thanks to its unique 102 Base Speed, and can come in as a way to prevent the opponent from sweeping with a fast Pokemon. Earthquake helps against most common threats that are not immune to Earthquake, while Dragon Claw is useful against opposing Dragon-types. Outrage, while stronger, can be a bit risker to use due to Pokemon like Togekiss, Florges, and Sylveon being able to set-up or OHKO. Stone Edge is useful against Volcarona as well as Togekiss, while Fire Blast is useful for hitting Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Skarmory, both of which are very common.</p>
<p>Because Choice Garchomp can be easily exploited, trappers such as Mega Gengar or Magnezone are nice to have in order to eliminate Steel-types or Fairy-types such as Togekiss, or other Pokemon that would otherwise wall it such as Hippowdon and Gliscor.</p>
<p>Garchomp @ Choice Band<br />
Ability: Rough Skin <br />
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe <br />
Jolly Nature<br />
- Earthquake<br />
- Dragon Claw / Outrage<br />
- Stone Edge<br />
- Fire Fang<br /></p>
<p>This set plays rather differently from Choice Scarf Garchomp, as Band Garchomp trades revenge killing capabilities for brute force. Earthquake and Dragon Claw serve as primary coverage while Stone Edge and Fire Fang cover for Togekiss and opposing Steel-types that Earthquake cannot handle. This set is especially decent for teams looking to punch holes into an opponent's defense, leaving other set-up Pokemon to sweep afterwards.</p>
</p>Gengar makes a great teammate for Garchomp because it can deal with Hippowdon and Gliscor rather well, and also has the option to Mega Evolve and trap other threats with Shadow Tag if need be. This is especially useful against Pokemon such as Skarmory who would otherwise be able to switch in and out of Garchomp rather easily. Rotom-W makes a decent teammate as well as it can Volt Switch after luring in physically weak Pokemon such as Blissey, giving Garchomp an opportunity to attack the opponent. Furthermore, it is capable of handling both Hippowdon and Skarmory, two of Garchomp's most common responses. Lastly, Pokemon that can prevent Hippowdon and Skarmory from setting up such as Taunt + Defog Crobat make decent teammates as your opponent will be unable to fully capitalize on the free turns given from switching Garchomp out. </p>
[Mega Evolution Recommendations and Play]
<p>Garchomp @ Garchompite<br />
Ability: Sand Force<br />
EVs: 44 HP / 252 Atk / 212 Spe <br />
Jolly Nature<br />
- Swords Dance <br />
- Earthquake<br />
- Dragon Claw<br />
- Stone Edge<br />
<br /></p>
<ul>
<p>Mega Garchomp works best on sand teams as a late-game cleanup, thanks to Sand Force. However, it is also more susceptible to status and Ice-type moves as it must hold Garchompite, so it should only be brought in when it is guaranteed to tank a hit or kill effortlessly. Again, Dragon Claw and Earthquake are the main forms of offense: Earthquake in particular hits very hard under Sandstorm, while Dragon Claw is generally preferred over Outrage as Garchomp cannot rely on Lum Berry to cure confusion. Furthermore, a neutral Sand Force-boosted Earthquake also hits about as hard as Outrage. By extension, Stone Edge gets a boost under Sandstorm as well, and can be used to take down Flying-types such as Togekiss who completely walls Garchomp otherwise. </p>
<p>The Speed EVs allow for Garchomp to outspeed maximum investment, neutral nature 100 Base Speed Pokemon such as Salamence and Volcarona, and everything under it including Rotom-W, Adamant Lucario, Gyarados, and Mamoswine. If you choose to use Fire Blast over Swords Dance, you may want to consider going mixed with Draco Meteor over Dragon Claw while running a Naive nature to put more pressure on things on physically bulky Pokemon such as Gliscor and Hippowdon. Lastly, a simple 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd spread can work to outspeed Jolly Base 100 Speed Pokemon, but loses out on a little bulk</p>
<p> Teammates that help set up Sandstorm such as Tyranitar and Hippowdon are necessary to utilize Mega Garchomp to its fullest extent; Assault Vest Tyranitar in particular works great against Togekiss and Starmie, while Smooth Rock Hippowdon can help Garchomp utilize Sand Force more effectively due to the prolonged duration of Sandstorm. Pokemon like Ferrothorn that can take on Starmie and lay out some entry hazards as well is also appreciated.</p>
</ul>
<p>Garchomp @ Garchompite<br />
Ability: Sand Force<br />
EVs: 224 Atk / 32 SpA / 252 Spe <br />
Naughty Nature<br />
- Earthquake<br />
- Draco Meteor<br />
- Fire Blast<br />
- Stone Edge<br /></p>
<ul>
<p>With a notable increase in Special Attack, Mega Garchomp can run a mixed set that can quickly threaten teams without having to use Swords Dance to set up. This set provides instant offense in the form of Earthquake and Draco Meteor, as the Sand Force boost will nearly 2HKO anything that does not resist Earthquake. Draco Meteor helps Garchomp handle otherwise common switch-ins such as Gliscor and Hippowdon, which hits very hard despite the minimal investment in Special Attack. Physically defensive Hippowdon, for example, is 2HKOed by a Sand Force Earthquake + Draco Meteor. Fire Blast and Stone Edge round out Garchomp's coverage, as Fire Blast is used to hit Ferrothorn and Skarmory, while Stone Edge allows Garchomp to hit Togekiss for respectable damage, especially under Sandstorm.</p>
<p>Tyranitar and Smooth Rock Hippowdon are extremely important in order for Mega Garchomp to hit its hardest, as Sand Force is one of Mega Garchomp's main selling points. Ferrothorn works well with laying entry hazards out for Garchomp to sweep, and can switch into Starmie and Greninja that lack Hidden Power Fire. Rotom-W can also help against Pokemon such as Hippowdon and Gliscor, while also resisting Ice Shard from the likes of Mamoswine and Weavile.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Togekiss walls Garchomp unless it is running Stone Edge, as it is immune to both Dragon- and Ground-type attacks. Pokemon such as Skarmory and Ferrothorn can help with Garchomp to an extent, but must always be wary of Fire Fang or Fire Blast -- both of which are extremely common on Garchomp.</p>
<p>Checking Garchomp is a bit easier, as Pokemon such as Greninja, Starmie, Mamoswine, and Weavile can check it to an extent with a fast Ice-type move, whether it be an Ice Beam or a priority move in Ice Shard. Choice Scarf-using threats such as Moxie Salamence can also threaten Garchomp quite a bit.</p>
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