Garchomp has been a monster in every Pokemon game it has ever been available in, and Pokemon Unite is no different. The Gen 4 pseudo-Legendary has great typing, a wide movepool, and excellent stats, so it's no wonder people all over the world are maining it in Tencent and Nintendo's latest Pokemon MOBA.
However, just because Garchomp is naturally good doesn't mean everybody uses it correctly. Just like in competitive Pokemon, you need to choose the right moves, items, and strategies if you want to truly shine as a Garchomp trainer.
Related: Pokemon Unite Tips And Tricks Guide
Because of that, we've put together a handy Pokemon Unite Garchomp builds guide in order to help you ensure you're getting the most out of your draconic buddy. If you model your own Garchomp after our suggestions here, you should notice a huge uptick in your performance almost immediately. So, without further ado, here's our guide on the best Garchomp build for Pokemon Unite.
Pokemon Unite Garchomp Build Guide: Best Moves
Just like we mentioned in our Zeraora builds guide, Pokemon Unite uses a different move system to other Pokemon games. When you start a match, you choose one of two abilities, and unlock the one you didn't pick at level three. You get to upgrade each of these moves once each throughout the match and, towards the end of the game, unlock your Unite move, which is essentially this game's version of an Ultimate ability.
Garchomp's standard moves are Sand Attack, Bulldoze, Dig, Dragon Claw, Dragon Rush, and Earthquake, while its Unite move will always be Livid Outrage, a high-damage multi-hit move that resembles Outrage from the mainline series. The first choice is pretty irrelevant, but Bulldoze actually does damage, so it's much easier to get to level four and evolve Gible into Gabite if you choose that move. As for the next techniques, it really depends on whether you want to lean into Garchomp's Ground or Dragon side. I've personally had much more luck opting for Dig and Earthquake than Dragon Claw and Dragon Rush – that was the build I used when I got MVP in the screenshot above. Earthquake in particular is much better than Dragon Rush, so although you can mess around with your own combinations, I'd highly recommend the Ground route.
Pokemon Unite Garchomp Build Guide: Best Items
While there's room to experiment with Garchomp's moves, its ideal held item pool is far shallower. Bear in mind that Garchomp is an All-Rounder, meaning that its got decent attack, defense, and mobility. Still, you kind of play a hybrid tank/destroyer role while rocking Garchomp, so you want sustainability above all else. The Shell Bell, Leftovers, Rocky Helmet, and Score Shield are all great choices for Garchomp. Obviously you can try out some other strategies, but I'd personally run Leftovers, Rocky Helmet, and Score Shield to maximize sustain, damage, and scoring potential all at once.
The battle item here isn't as important – I usually just run a Potion to keep that extra level of survivability on the table. Due to your restricted mobility, an Eject Button could be good too, while an X Attack could help you finish off pesky stragglers in the aftermath of a team fight.
Pokemon Unite Garchomp Build Guide: Best Playstyle
As an All-Rounder, there are multiple ways to play Garchomp, although what you really want to do is pick either the top or bottom lane and stick to it. Make sure you're not on your own – All-Rounders are designed to work in tandem with Support 'mons or Speedsters, while pairing with an Attacker or Defender can set the tone for whether your team pursues offence or defence in a game. Basically, you need to pick one strategy with at least one partner and commit to it – it sounds simple, sure, but sticking to it can be much harder.
Also, you need to hit Gabite as soon as possible. Unlike starter Pokemon, who evolve at level four, you need to reach level six as Gible in order to evolve into Gabite. Garchomp doesn't arrive until level ten, which is generally obtained pretty far into a match. Kill every wild Pokemon you see and, if you push the enemy team back, venture into the edge of the Jungle to get experience from wild 'mons. Don't stay in the Jungle, mind – you're not supposed to be here until Zapdos arrives, at which point you become a key player in taking it down and giving your team the opportunity to score 220 points in the last minute.
Follow all of the advice above and you'll be a Garchomp champion in no time – sort of like Cynthia except in a MOBA, eh?
Next: Every Pokemon In Pokemon Unite
