Best Garchomp build in Pokemon Unite – Moves, Battle & Held Items

Brent Koepp
Pokemon Unite Garchomp Best Build

The Sinnoh Dragon-type is one of the most dangerous All-Rounder tanks in Pokemon Unite with the right Held Items and Moves. Here is Garchomp’s best build in the Nintendo Switch MOBA.

In Pokemon Unite, the All-Rounder class gives teams a set of balanced characters who can fill many roles. Diamond & Pearl’s Garchomp has quickly risen to the top as one of the most ferocious tanks in the game.

With the right combination of Held Items, the popular Dragon ‘mon becomes nearly unstoppable in 1 vs 1 encounters. Here is the Gen IV Pokemon’s best build that will have you beating down opponents into submission.

Garchomp Pokemon Unite profile stats
The Sinnoh favorite destroys in Pokemon Unite.

Best Garchomp moves in Pokemon Unite

Unlike most characters, Garchomp starts out really slow. In the first half of the match, Trainers should be aggressively grinding for XP as the Sinnoh ‘mon needs to be fed before it can really shine. At the start of the battle, players should use Sand Attack to slow down fleeing enemies, while Bulldozer is good for finishing off groups of neutral wild enemies to secure extra XP.

At level 6, players should choose Dragon Rush for their next ability. While Dig is a decent stun move, Dragon Rush allows you to travel at a further distance to catch opponents trying to run away. This is pivotal for the late-game strategy. The move also allows players to knock opponents backward, which is perfect for interrupting enemies trying to score goals. Lastly, the attack has the added bonus of being an incredible escape mechanism.

Once you finally reach level 8, choose Dragon Claw. The main strategy moving forward should be popping Dragon Rush to stun an opponent and then triggering Dragon Claw to unleash a ferocious combo. After the move hits, Garchomp’s attack speed will go up, so wail on opponents with your basic attack to finish them off. If an enemy manages to escape, you can use Dragon Rush a second time to stop them in their tracks.

Attack Icon Unlocked Upgrade level 
Dragon Rush Dragon Rush Level 6 Level 12: Also decreases the movement speed of opposing Pokemon for a short time when they are shoved by this move the maximum distance.
Dragon Claw Dragon Claw Level 8 Level 14: Increases damage dealt by this move.

Best Garchomp Held Items in Pokemon Unite

Garchomp’s unique Rough Skin ability means that any damage it receives is deflected back on enemies. Because of this, the Dragon Pokemon will be used as a tank that relies heavily on its Basic Attack. This is why we recommend equipping the Muscle Band Held Item as it greatly increases both your Attack Damage and Speed.

Since players will spend most of the match slashing away at enemies, the second item Trainers should bring into battle is Scope Lens. The item massively boosts the ‘mon critical hit rate, as well as the damage when a critical finally lands, making it the perfect combination with Muscle Band.

Finally, players should choose Float Stone for the final item. Not only does it increase your Attack stat yet again, but it also gives Garchomp much-needed mobility when not in battle. The heavy tank can now move more swiftly while roaming the map looking for XP in the early half of the game.

Held Item Icon Description  Max Stat Boosts
Muscle Band Muscle Band When basic attacks hit, the damage is increased by 3% of the opposing Pokemon’s remaining HP. Attack + 15
Basic Attack Speed +7.5%
Scope Lens Scope Lens Increases the damage of basic attack critical hits. The higher the Pokemon’s Attack, the more the damage increases. Critical Hit Rate +6%
Critical-Hit Damage +12%
Float Stone Float Stone Increases movement speed by 20% when the Pokemon is not in combat. Attack + 24
Movement Speed + 120

Best Garchomp Battle Item in Pokemon Unite

Since players will mainly be spamming Garchomp’s Basic Attack as well as its Dragon Claw combo, Trainers wanting to play aggressively should bring X Attack into battle. The Battle Item should be triggered right before wailing on high-level neutral enemies in the late game, as well as before launching into Dragon Rush against opponents.

Trainers who feel like they are struggling with getting flanked by Speedster Pokemon can also try the Eject Button. When paired with Dragon Rush, the items give Garchomp a pretty insane set of options for escaping from battle when things get tense.

Battle Item Icon Effect / Cooldown Unlocked
X Attack X Attack Raises your Pokemon’s Attack and Sp. Atk for a short time. Trainer level 7

Because of its Rough Skin ability and high HP, Garchomp is also great at attacking neutral map bosses such as Drednaw and Rotom. The Sinnoh favorite can actually solo these bosses under most circumstances.

The popular Gen 4 Dragon is perhaps the strongest tank in the MOBA due to its ability to deflect damage back onto enemies. The biggest hurdle for users is getting Gible and Gabite fed early on in the match.


For more tips and tricks on becoming the ultimate Pokemon Unite player, check out our guides below:

How to play All-Rounders | How to play Attackers | How to play Defenders | How to play Supporters | How to play Speedsters | How to unlock Zeraora | All Held Items & what they do | All Legendary Pokemon in Unite | All maps & battle arenas

About The Author

Brent is a former writer at Dexerto based in the United States, who covered topics such as Pokemon, Gaming, and online Entertainment.