In commemoration of Nintendo’s 135ᵗʰ anniversary, September 20 to 30 is NIWA Cross-Wiki Week. Click here for event details and the possibility to win a $20/€20 Nintendo eShop gift card. Please remember to follow the manual of style and code of conduct at all times. Check the Bulbagarden home page for up-to-date Pokémon news and discuss it on the forums or in the Bulbagarden Discord server.
Garchomp are dark blue, with a red underbelly that covers from the middle of its abdomen, to its jaws, and then to the undersides of its arms. Underneath the red is a gold diamond shape as well a gold cross on its snout. Garchomp have appendages that resemble jets, planes and hammerhead sharks; its four fins, one on each arm, one dorsal fin and another on its tail that resembles a sharktailfin; horns that resemble jet/plane engines rest on its head, resembling a hammerhead. It has spikes on its hind limbs and arms as well as sharper claws than its previous evolution. Its eyes have black scleras and gold-colored irises. Its pupils have shrunk.
Gender differences
A male has a cut on his dorsal fin, while the female does not.
Special abilities
Though Garchomp is not able to learn the move Fly and cannot possess the AbilityLevitate, it can still fly at an incredible speed—helped by the fine scales on its body that reduce drag—to catch its prey. This is evident in both the anime and Pokédex entries, as well as its species name.
Garchomp "flying"
Behavior
Judging from its pre-evolution and Pokédex entries, they are territorial creatures and ferocious predators that will not hesitate to lash out at intruders nor will they allow its prey to escape.
Habitat
Garchomp are cave-dwellers, and are seldom seen in the wild.
Cynthia's signature Pokémon, like in the games, is a Garchomp. It first appeared by her side in VS. Roserade, when she came across Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum training for the Gym match with Gardenia. It later reappeared when she met the trio again in VS. Psyduck, where it raced with its Trainer to Route 210, where a herd of Psyduck was blocking the way to Celestic Town. After Cynthia left to return a Psyduck that was separated from its owner by Team Galactic, Garchomp was left behind so that it may protect her grandmother and the three children. When Cyrus invades the Celestic Ruins, it was instructed well enough to fight even without its Trainer, but was easily exploited by the megalomaniac.
Garchomp has the highest base stat total of all non-legendary Ground-type Pokémon, and is tied with Dragonite, Hydreigon, and Salamence for the highest base stat total of all non-legendary Dragon-type Pokémon.
Garchomp has the highest HP base stat and Speed base stat of all non-legendary Dragon-type Pokémon.
Origin
Appearance-wise, Garchomp seems like a cross between a European dragon, various species of sharks (including the hammerhead), and possibly a dromaeosaurid or other therapod dinosaur. It may have the genuine appearance of a land shark. Its design also strongly resembles a jet aircraft.
Name origin
Garchomp may be a combination of a corruption of gore (a type of road formation) or gore (a projecting point) and chomp. Gar may also derive from garpike (a species of fish somewhat similar in appearance) or be a corruption of Carcharodon (the scientific name for sharks) or Carcharias (a genus of sand shark). Gar may also be a corruption of guard or derived from gargoyle, as they are often known to resemble European dragons, which relate to Garchomp's Dragon type.
Gaburias may be a combination of がぶがぶ gabugabu (onomatopoeia for gulping) or がぶりと gaburito (bite or chew) and アース āsu (earth) or Carcharias.
In other languages
Language
Title
Meaning
Japanese
ガブリアス Gaburias
From がぶがぶ gabugabu (onomatopoeia for gulping) or がぶりと gaburito (bite or chew) and アース āsu (earth) or Carcharias
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.