Decimating the Land Shark – Expert Counters to Beat Garchomp

ByJames Dorn Last Update on

Garchomp‘s Fatal Flaw – That 4x Ice Weakness

Hailed as one of the most dominating threats in the OU battlefield, Garchomp‘s combination of sky-high Attack, nearly unparalleled Speed, and formidable bulk makes it a terrifying win condition to face. However, the Mach Pokémon‘s dual Dragon/Ground typing gifts it a massive 4x weakness to Ice that more than anything else shapes how it is played and checked. Trainers must exploit this crippling vulnerability by packing specially designated Garchomp counters. I will break down the best options to squash the land shark!

Weavile stands as arguably the premier Garchomp check, boasting blistering Speed coupled with STAB super effective Ice Shard/Ice Punch to shred the dragon. With a Jolly nature and full Speed investment, Weavile reaches 339 Speed – enough to outpace even maximum Speed Garchomp! From there it can cleanly OHKO with Ice Punch after Stealth Rock chip:

252+ Atk Weavile Ice Punch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Garchomp: 432-510 (121.3 – 143.1%) — guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock

Focus Sash guarantees Weavile survives at least one attack to deal the decisive blow. Watch out for potential Fire Blast coverage on special attacking sets however!

Whereas Weavile focuses purely on offense, Mamoswine takes a more balanced approach with considerable bulk. Thanks to its Ice/Ground typing, Mamoswine only takes neutral damage from Garchomp‘s STAB Earthquakes while retaliating with a blistering 130 Base Power STAB Icicle Crash – enough to 2HKO after rocks:

252+ Atk Mamoswine Icicle Crash vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Garchomp: 340-402 (95.4 – 112.8%) — 75% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock

Thick Fat is preferred as the ability here to buffer Fire Blasts.

A third deadly Ice counter is Cloyster, who actually resists Garchomp‘s STAB moves thanks to its Water/Ice type combination. Sturdy ability lets it set up Rocks with impunity for extra passive damage. After a Shell Smash, its Icicle Spear (boosted by Skill Link to maximum 5 strikes) destroys full health Chomp:

+2 252+ Atk Skill Link Cloyster Icicle Spear (5 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Garchomp: 125-150 (35 – 42.1%) x 5 Hits = 625-750 (175 – 210.5%) — guaranteed OHKO

Wary of Stone Edge wrecking Cloyster after a boost however!

Exploiting Garchomp‘s Own Kind – Dragon Checks

In addition to Ice, Dragon moves receive a 2x boost against Garchomp. Powerful Dragon favorites can switch in and unleash their wrath!

Latios is a prime pick, able to tank any of Garchomp‘s moves comfortably such as:

252 Atk Garchomp Outrage vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Latios: 168-198 (55.6 – 65.5%) — guaranteed 2HKO

In return, STAB Draco Meteor smashes Garchomp even without investment:

0 SpA Latios Draco Meteor vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Garchomp: 282-334 (79.1 – 93.7%) — guaranteed 2HKO

With Choice Specs and maximum Special Attack investment, Latios secures the OHKO:

252+ SpA Choice Specs Latios Draco Meteor vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Garchomp: 510-600 (143.1 – 168.3%) — guaranteed OHKO

Its faster levitating sister Latias also performs well in a similar vein:

252+ SpA Latias Draco Meteor vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Garchomp: 422-498 (118.5 – 139.7%) — guaranteed OHKO

Ghost/Dragon Dragapult drains half of max HP Garchomp‘s health with its STAB Shadow Ball and finishes off with Thunderbolt coverage:

252 SpA Dragapult Shadow Ball vs. 248 HP / 8 SpD Garchomp: 201-238 (50.4 – 59.7%) — guaranteed 2HKO

252 SpA Dragapult Thunderbolt vs. 248 HP / 8 SpD Garchomp: 204-242 (51.1 – 60.7%) — guaranteed 2HKO

tanky Fairies Enduring Hits and Biting Back

The Fairy typing may seem to have less direct power against Garchomp compared to Ice/Dragon. However, Fairies comfortably take Garchomp‘s attacks and retaliate fiercely in return.

Clefable is a prime example, solidly enduring two Earthquakes from max Attack Chomp while blasting back with STAB Moonblast:

252+ Atk Garchomp Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 160+ Def Clefable: 128-152 (32.5 – 38.6%) — 3.5% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery

252+ SpA Clefable Moonblast vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Garchomp in Sand: 282-332 (79.1 – 93.2%) — 75% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock

Magic Guard ignores troublesome Sand Veil boost and residual sand chip damage.

Togekiss can similarly take any attack from Garchomp with ease and batter it relentlessly thanks to STAB Air Slash:

252+ Atk Garchomp Earthquake vs. 248 HP / 168+ Def Togekiss: 138-164 (29.8 – 35.5%) — 3.3% chance to 3HKO

252+ SpA Togekiss Air Slash vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Garchomp: 340-402 (95.4 – 112.8%) — 68.8% chance to OHKO

Serene Grace Air Slash also has an extremely high chance to flinch Garchomp, effectively neutralizing its offense.

Offensive Calm Mind sweeper Gardevoir forces Garchomp out while threatening massive damage after a boost:

252+ Atk Garchomp Outrage vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Gardevoir: 177-209 (63.5 – 75%) — guaranteed 2HKO

+1 252 SpA Gardevoir Hyper Voice vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Garchomp: 408-480 (114.5 – 134.7%) — guaranteed OHKO

Team Options to Support Garchomp Checks

The counters outlined above provide solid switch-in checks directly against Garchomp. However, proper team support enables them to fully leverage their strengths. Entry hazard setters like Ferrothorn, suicide lead Froslass, and Forretress enable critical passive damage. Pivot move users like Rotom-W and Landorus-T facilitate free switch-ins. Cleric status healers, Screens, etc also assist defensive longevity.

When team building, make sure to have multiple checks spread across your squad to tag in and out against Garchomp. Layered resistances and immunities also help weaken its typically spammable attacks. Exercising fundamental positioning, prediction of moves, and intelligent switching remains vital as well to maintain counter advantage.

By carrying at least three of the Garchomp checks above supported by teammates enhancing matchup synergy, you put yourself in excellent shape to systematically wipe out the formidable land shark! Let me know if you found this guide helpful for your competitive squad building.

James K. Dorn, a passionate gamer deeply immersed in the world of video gaming. My journey in gaming is not just about playing; it's about exploring every facet of the games I love. I am particularly fascinated by the intricate worlds of role-playing games like "The Witcher" series and "Elder Scrolls: Skyrim," where every decision shapes the story.

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