Scale Shot is a Dragon-type physical move that hits the target 2–5 times in rapid succession. After all hits land, the user’s Defense drops by one stage and Speed rises by one stage.
The damage per hit is relatively low (25 base power per hit), but with 2–5 hits, the total output is variable. The real value is the Speed boost at the end.
The Garchomp formula
GarchompGarchomppokemonThe premier spread attacker under Tailwind. Earthquake hits both opponents, Scale Shot chains Speed boosts, and Dragon Claw threatens opposing dragons.Click to read more → is the premier Scale Shot user in Reg M-A. Garchomp already has very high Speed — fast enough to threaten most of the meta. With a +1 Speed boost from Scale Shot, it outruns anything it couldn’t before.
The typical pattern: Garchomp uses Scale Shot on turn 1, dealing reasonable damage across multiple hits and gaining +1 Speed. From turn 2 onwards, it either:
- Repeats Scale Shot to stack Speed further (+2, +3…)
- Switches to Earthquake (spread move) for massive damage from a now-even-faster Pokémon
Under TailwindTailwindmoveDoubles the Speed of every Pokémon on your side for 4 turns. Often paired with Prankster for instant priority setup.Click to read more →, Garchomp with even a single Scale Shot Speed boost can outrun anything in the game.
The Defense cost
Scale Shot lowers Defense by one stage after every use. This matters — Garchomp becomes noticeably more fragile after using it. Opponents who know this can target Garchomp with physical moves once the drop has stacked.
Teams that run Scale Shot Garchomp plan accordingly: they want Garchomp to sweep fast enough that the Defense drop doesn’t become a problem, or they have redirection support to absorb incoming hits.