Garchomp

Garchomp in the games: Sinnoh's pseudo-legendary dragon

Garchomp is the third and final stage of the Gible line: Gible evolves into Gabite at level 24, and Gabite becomes Garchomp at level 48. The Mach Pokémon stands 1.9 meters tall and weighs 95 kilograms. Its standard ability, Sand Veil, raises its evasion in a sandstorm, and its hidden ability, Rough Skin, damages attackers that make contact with it.

Garchomp has two Mega Evolutions: Mega Garchomp, which keeps the Dragon and Ground typing, and Mega Garchomp Z, which drops the Ground half and becomes a pure Dragon type.

Cynthia's ace, in the games and the anime

Garchomp is the main Pokémon of Cynthia, the Sinnoh Champion introduced in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, and it is on her team in every game where she can be battled.

The anime built the same reputation. Cynthia's Garchomp debuted in the Diamond & Pearl episode "Top-Down Training!", knocking out four of Paul's Pokémon in a full battle until he forfeited. It went unbeaten on screen for years afterward, Mega Evolved against Iris's Haxorus in the Masters Eight Tournament of Pokémon Journeys, and was finally beaten by Ash's Mega Lucario in the next round, its first on-screen defeat.

Garchomp on cards: LV.X and Tag Team GX to Cynthia's Garchomp ex

Garchomp's first card was a Mysterious Treasures holo (2007) drawn by Kazuyuki Kano, followed by a Garchomp LV.X in Majestic Dawn (2008) illustrated by Ryo Ueda. Platinum-era Supreme Victors (2009) introduced the Champion's Pokémon cards, and Garchomp C and Garchomp C LV.X were among them, marked as Cynthia's; Shizurow's LV.X art was reprinted in the 2021 Celebrations Classic Collection. Black & White's Plasma Freeze (2013) printed a secret rare Garchomp by Ayaka Yoshida, and XY brought Garchomp-EX and M Garchomp-EX as promos.

Sun & Moon paired it with Giratina as Garchomp & Giratina GX in Unified Minds (2019), topped by an aky CG Works secret rare, and Hidden Fates gave it a shiny card in the Shiny Vault. Sword & Shield's Astral Radiance printed Garchomp V, including a Trainer Gallery version. In Scarlet & Violet, Paradox Rift (2023) issued a Tera Garchomp ex with a special illustration rare by Oswaldo KATO, and Destined Rivals (2025) brought back the Cynthia link as Cynthia's Garchomp ex, whose special illustration rare is by HICO KIM. 5ban Graphics has the most Garchomp credits in our catalog (8), ahead of Shizurow and Ryo Ueda (3 each).

Why collectors chase Garchomp

A Garchomp run follows the card game's mechanics era by era: LV.X, the Platinum-era Champion cards, EX and Mega EX, Tag Team GX, V and ex. The Cynthia connection gives it a second audience, since the Garchomp C cards of 2009 and the Cynthia's Garchomp ex cards of 2025 sit naturally beside her Supporter cards in a Champion collection.

Cards to know

• Garchomp LV.X (Majestic Dawn #97)

  Garchomp's first LV.X card, a 2008 holo illustrated by Ryo Ueda.

• Garchomp C LV.X (Supreme Victors #145)

  Cynthia's Champion version of Garchomp, drawn by Shizurow and later reprinted in Celebrations.

• Garchomp & Giratina GX (Unified Minds #247)

  The secret rare version of Garchomp's Tag Team GX, illustrated by aky CG Works.

• Garchomp (Hidden Fates Shiny Vault #SV40)

  Garchomp in its shiny coloring, from the Hidden Fates Shiny Vault subset.

• Garchomp ex (Paradox Rift #245)

  A special illustration rare by Oswaldo KATO, from the 2023 Paradox Rift set.

• Cynthia's Garchomp ex (Destined Rivals #232)

  A special illustration rare that names Cynthia directly, illustrated by HICO KIM.