Ping_Pong_Along
Bitches love underscores
QC: Arikado / atomicllamas / Spirit
GP: The Dutch Plumberjack / P Squared
[OVERVIEW]
Due to how common Fighting- and Dragon-types are in RU, as well as the recent popularity of Sneasel, Granbull has a niche on both defensive and offensive teams thanks to its typing, ability, and raw power. Unlike other Fairy-types in the tier, Granbull boasts an offensive presence thanks to its fantastic base 120 Attack. Intimidate drastically improves Granbull's respectable base 90 HP and 75 Defense and weakens common setup sweepers, such as Scrafty, Tyrantrum, and Swords Dance Virizion. Granbull has a great movepool that allows it to fill many different roles on a team, including Heal Bell and Roar for defensive teams and coverage attacks such as Fire Punch and Close Combat to act as a lure on offensive teams.
Granbull's defensive set faces competition from Aromatisse and Togetic, which offer Wish and Defog support, respectively, and have access to active recovery, though neither of them provides offensive pressure the way Granbull does. While Granbull excels in terms of physical defense, it boasts a lackluster base 60 Special Defense, giving common special attackers such as Meloetta and Delphox an easy time picking it off after a bit of prior damage. Granbull has a disappointing base 45 Speed, which leaves it slower than the majority of the tier. This is particularly crippling for its offensive set, as it's outsped by common walls such as Jellicent and Alomomola.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Play Rough
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Heal Bell
move 4: Roar / Thunder Wave
item: Leftovers
ability: Intimidate
nature: Impish
evs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Play Rough allows Granbull to OHKO most Fighting-types in the tier, with the exception of Hitmontop, Emboar, and Gurdurr; it also OHKOes Sneasel, Tyrantrum after Stealth Rock damage, and nearly all variants of Flygon. Earthquake hits the Fire-, Poison-, and Steel-types that resist Play Rough, such as Delphox, Qwilfish, and Mega Steelix, and gives Granbull nearly perfect neutral coverage with Play Rough, only missing out on Bronzong. Heal Bell lets Granbull provide valuable team support. Roar adds phazing support to your team and helps by racking up entry hazard damage on expected switch-ins, but keep in mind that the brought-in foe won't suffer a penalty to their Attack from Intimidate. On balanced teams, Thunder Wave is a better option for Granbull's last moveslot because it cripples setup sweepers and expected switch-ins. RestTalk can be used as an alternative over Heal Bell and Roar, but Granbull isn't fast or bulky enough to really take advantage of Rest, and Sleep Talk is unreliable.
Set Details
========
Intimidate is one of the big advantages Granbull has over Aromatisse and Togetic, as it artificially improves Granbull's bulk and lowers physical threats' offensive presence. 248 HP and 252 Defense EVs allow Granbull to take as many physical hits as possible, while an Impish nature further boosts Granbull's bulk. The remaining 8 EVs are invested into Attack. Leftovers gives Granbull passive recovery, making it less reliant on Wish support.
Usage Tips
========
Granbull acts best as a pivot into physical attackers, including setup sweepers such as Scrafty, Tyrantrum, and Swords Dance Virizion and wallbreakers such as Hitmonlee and Medicham. Granbull is one of the better switch-ins to Knock Off because it resists Dark-type attacks, drops the foe's Attack with Intimidate, and, unlike Togetic, does not rely on its item for its bulk. This set generally works best on stall and balanced teams. On balanced teams, it's often better to use Aromatisse or Togetic to consolidate your cleric support with Wish passing or Defogging, though Granbull does offer phazing support.
Team Options
========
Because Granbull lacks instant recovery, Wish support is helpful. Alomomola makes for a strong partner, especially because Granbull can use Heal Bell to cure Alomomola of Toxic, which is often used to wear it down. Granbull often causes the opponent to switch, so entry hazard support helps. Mega Steelix, Rhyperior, and Bronzong are great defensive Stealth Rock users that help deal with opposing Poison- and Steel-types. Cradily is another solid option for its ability to take special hits and recover off the damage it received. Specially defensive Drapion, Roselia, and Cofagrigus can provide Toxic Spikes support, which helps wear down the opposing team. Drapion and Roselia also help by absorbing Toxic Spikes. Cofagrigus is especially helpful in combination with Granbull, as they can cripple most physical attackers with the combination of Intimidate, Will-O-Wisp, Thunder Wave, and Mummy. Granbull's ability to absorb Knock Off makes it a good partner to Psychic-types such as Meloetta, Sigilyph, and Delphox, Ghost-types such as Cofagrigus and Gourgeist-XL, and Eviolite holders such as Roselia and Golbat. Granbull tends to switch in a lot, so hazard removal from Flygon and Hitmontop helps Granbull stick around longer and they take care of the Steel-types Granbull attracts. In return, Flygon benefits from Granbull's immunity to Dragon-type attacks, and Hitmontop forms a "double Intimidate" core with Granbull. Venomoth sets up on Granbull fairly easily, so having an answer to it such as Escavalier, Golbat, Quagsire, or Registeel for stall teams and Fletchinder or Choice Scarf Delphox for balanced teams is recommended.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Play Rough
move 2: Fire Punch
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Close Combat / Thunder Wave
item: Choice Band / Leftovers
ability: Intimidate
nature: Adamant
evs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Play Rough puts a serious dent in nearly every Pokemon that doesn't resist Fairy-type attacks; with Choice Band, Granbull 2HKOes Jellicent, mixed defensive Quagsire, and Aromatisse after Stealth Rock damage. Fire Punch allows Granbull to OHKO or 2HKO common switch-ins, such as Amoonguss, Durant, Escavalier, and Bronzong. Granbull's Choice Band-boosted Earthquake OHKOes Drapion after Stealth Rock damage, as well as Fire-types such as Mega Camerupt and Emboar. Choice Band-boosted Close Combat 2HKOes Mega Steelix, Granbull's most common switch-in, as well as Rhyperior and Piloswine. Thunder Wave is an option if running Leftovers, as it cripples fast foes, helping to clear the way for late-game cleaners such as Durant and Choice Scarf Tyrantrum. Wild Charge with Choice Band can be used to 2HKO several bulky Water- and Flying-types that normally wall Granbull, such as Alomomola, Jellicent, Qwilfish, Golbat, and Togetic, but keep in mind that this is at the cost of one of Granbull's other coverage moves. Wild Charge can also be used with Leftovers, but all of the listed foes except for Qwilfish can heal themselves of more health than Granbull can inflict.
Set Details
========
Full investment in Attack, as well as an Adamant nature, helps Granbull rip through most foes. 44 Speed EVs allow Granbull to outspeed uninvested base 50 Speed Pokemon such as Piloswine, Registeel, and Tangrowth, though most Tangrowth sets invest heavily in Speed. The remaining 212 EVs go into HP to improve Granbull's bulk, giving it more opportunities to switch in and a chance to bluff a defensive set. Choice Band is the preferred item because of the incredible power and ability to net surprise KOs that it provides. Leftovers is a solid alternative option for its flexibility and passive recovery, though it makes Granbull deal far less damage.
Usage Tips
========
Offensive Granbull is far less common than defensive ones, helping it lure in common checks such as Mega Steelix and Bronzong and net surprise KOs. If Granbull runs Choice Band, the loss of passive recovery and lack of Defense investment reduces the number of times Granbull can switch in, so choose carefully when to bring it in. Physically offensive Flygon and many Fighting-types, such as Medicham and Swords Dance Virizion, are generally good foes to switch in on, though many Fighting-types also run Knock Off, such as Hitmonlee, Gurdurr, and Gallade. With Leftovers, Granbull plays similarly to a defensive set but with greater offensive presence and more varied coverage, though it's susceptible to status if lacking Heal Bell.
Team Options
========
Choice Band Granbull punches holes in the opponent's team, so late-game cleaners that struggle against bulky Steel-types, such as Venomoth, Vivillon, Klinklang, and Fletchinder, make for good partners. Knock Off support from Hitmonlee, Scrafty, or Gallade helps Granbull wear down bulky Water- and Flying-types that it struggles against when not running Wild Charge, such as Alomomola, Jellicent, Qwilfish, Golbat, and Togetic. Knock Off also helps against bulky Ghost-types, such as Cofagrigus and Gourgeist-XL. Dedicated checks for bulky Water- and Flying-types also make for good partners. Amoonguss, Tangrowth, and Virizion check Water-types; Rhyperior, Tyrantrum, and Mega Glalie check Flying-types; and Rotom-C, Eelektross, and Jolteon check both. Status absorbers such as Sigilyph and Gurdurr work well with Granbull, especially because Sigilyph counters most Poison-types, such as Qwilfish and Amoonguss, and Gurdurr helps break through bulky Ghost-types. Scald absorbers such as Seismitoad, Lapras, and Poliwrath are helpful as well. Seismitoad and Lapras are also good for taking on Fletchinder. Seismitoad also provides Stealth Rock support, while Lapras helps take out bulky Water-types thanks to Freeze-Dry and benefits from Granbull's ability to check Fighting-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Bulk Up can be used on both sets if Leftovers is held, but Granbull's lack of instant recovery hinders it from fully utilizing this option. Stone Edge can be used over Wild Charge as a more powerful option to take on bulky Flying-types such as Golbat and Togetic, as well as Venomoth, though Wild Charge is generally better despite the recoil damage because of its broader coverage and 100% accuracy; moreover, Venomoth is already OHKOed by offensive Granbull's Fire Punch after Stealth Rock damage. Toxic is an option over Roar or Thunder Wave on the defensive set, though this isn't optimal because Steel- and Poison-types are common switch-ins for Granbull. Thunder Punch can be used as a weaker alternative to Wild Charge to avoid recoil damage. Crunch hits Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Bronzong and Cofagrigus harder, but it's difficult to find room for it and it is generally better to check them with a teammate. Taunt makes Granbull a stallbreaker, but it's too slow to be effective in the role. Super Fang is an option on the defensive set to help wear down physically bulky switch-ins, such as Mega Steelix, Bronzong, and Rhyperior.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Steel-types are particularly threatening to Granbull's defensive set. Durant is faster than Granbull and can OHKO or 2HKO it, depending on the set. Mega Steelix can tank defensive Granbull's Earthquake and can 2HKO it with Heavy Slam after Stealth Rock damage. Bronzong is immune to Earthquake and takes very little from Play Rough, though due to Granbull's low Speed, Gyro Ball deals little damage to it. Magneton is faster and can OHKO both offensive and defensive Granbull, though Earthquake on the switch OHKOes Magneton. Offensive Granbull with Choice Band has an easier time, as, with proper prediction, it OHKOes Durant as well as outspeeds and 2HKOes Mega Steelix and Bronzong.
**Special Attackers**: With a mediocre base 60 Special Defense, common special attackers such as Meloetta, Delphox, Exploud, Mega Camerupt, Tangrowth, and Venomoth can either OHKO or 2HKO Granbull.
**Bulky Water- and Ghost-types**: Granbull's Attack drops significantly when burned by Scald or Will-O-Wisp from bulky Water- or Ghost-types, respectively, such as Alomomola, Qwilfish, Jellicent, Cofagrigus, and Gourgeist-XL. The offensive set is effectively neutered by a burn, while the defensive set allows Granbull to use Heal Bell to cure itself, though it's unable to deal significant damage to these foes.
**Physical Walls**: In addition to bulky Water- and Ghost-types, there are several physical walls that neither the defensive nor offensive set can effectively break through, such as Togetic, Aromatisse, and Golbat, though Wild Charge helps against Togetic and Golbat. Additionally, the defensive set struggles against Amoonguss, Roselia, and Rhyperior.
**Fletchinder**: Granbull's defensive set can't OHKO Fletchinder with Play Rough even with Stealth Rock damage, though Earthquake on a predicted Roost has a chance to OHKO. Fletchinder is also capable of inflicting a burn on Granbull with Will-O-Wisp.
**Braviary**: Be careful when switching Granbull in against an opponent running Braviary, as Defiant gives it an Attack boost from Intimidate. Malamar also gets an Attack boost from Intimidate thanks to Contrary, though Granbull resists both Superpower and Knock Off and Malamar takes considerable damage from Play Rough.
GP: The Dutch Plumberjack / P Squared
[OVERVIEW]
Due to how common Fighting- and Dragon-types are in RU, as well as the recent popularity of Sneasel, Granbull has a niche on both defensive and offensive teams thanks to its typing, ability, and raw power. Unlike other Fairy-types in the tier, Granbull boasts an offensive presence thanks to its fantastic base 120 Attack. Intimidate drastically improves Granbull's respectable base 90 HP and 75 Defense and weakens common setup sweepers, such as Scrafty, Tyrantrum, and Swords Dance Virizion. Granbull has a great movepool that allows it to fill many different roles on a team, including Heal Bell and Roar for defensive teams and coverage attacks such as Fire Punch and Close Combat to act as a lure on offensive teams.
Granbull's defensive set faces competition from Aromatisse and Togetic, which offer Wish and Defog support, respectively, and have access to active recovery, though neither of them provides offensive pressure the way Granbull does. While Granbull excels in terms of physical defense, it boasts a lackluster base 60 Special Defense, giving common special attackers such as Meloetta and Delphox an easy time picking it off after a bit of prior damage. Granbull has a disappointing base 45 Speed, which leaves it slower than the majority of the tier. This is particularly crippling for its offensive set, as it's outsped by common walls such as Jellicent and Alomomola.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Play Rough
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Heal Bell
move 4: Roar / Thunder Wave
item: Leftovers
ability: Intimidate
nature: Impish
evs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Play Rough allows Granbull to OHKO most Fighting-types in the tier, with the exception of Hitmontop, Emboar, and Gurdurr; it also OHKOes Sneasel, Tyrantrum after Stealth Rock damage, and nearly all variants of Flygon. Earthquake hits the Fire-, Poison-, and Steel-types that resist Play Rough, such as Delphox, Qwilfish, and Mega Steelix, and gives Granbull nearly perfect neutral coverage with Play Rough, only missing out on Bronzong. Heal Bell lets Granbull provide valuable team support. Roar adds phazing support to your team and helps by racking up entry hazard damage on expected switch-ins, but keep in mind that the brought-in foe won't suffer a penalty to their Attack from Intimidate. On balanced teams, Thunder Wave is a better option for Granbull's last moveslot because it cripples setup sweepers and expected switch-ins. RestTalk can be used as an alternative over Heal Bell and Roar, but Granbull isn't fast or bulky enough to really take advantage of Rest, and Sleep Talk is unreliable.
Set Details
========
Intimidate is one of the big advantages Granbull has over Aromatisse and Togetic, as it artificially improves Granbull's bulk and lowers physical threats' offensive presence. 248 HP and 252 Defense EVs allow Granbull to take as many physical hits as possible, while an Impish nature further boosts Granbull's bulk. The remaining 8 EVs are invested into Attack. Leftovers gives Granbull passive recovery, making it less reliant on Wish support.
Usage Tips
========
Granbull acts best as a pivot into physical attackers, including setup sweepers such as Scrafty, Tyrantrum, and Swords Dance Virizion and wallbreakers such as Hitmonlee and Medicham. Granbull is one of the better switch-ins to Knock Off because it resists Dark-type attacks, drops the foe's Attack with Intimidate, and, unlike Togetic, does not rely on its item for its bulk. This set generally works best on stall and balanced teams. On balanced teams, it's often better to use Aromatisse or Togetic to consolidate your cleric support with Wish passing or Defogging, though Granbull does offer phazing support.
Team Options
========
Because Granbull lacks instant recovery, Wish support is helpful. Alomomola makes for a strong partner, especially because Granbull can use Heal Bell to cure Alomomola of Toxic, which is often used to wear it down. Granbull often causes the opponent to switch, so entry hazard support helps. Mega Steelix, Rhyperior, and Bronzong are great defensive Stealth Rock users that help deal with opposing Poison- and Steel-types. Cradily is another solid option for its ability to take special hits and recover off the damage it received. Specially defensive Drapion, Roselia, and Cofagrigus can provide Toxic Spikes support, which helps wear down the opposing team. Drapion and Roselia also help by absorbing Toxic Spikes. Cofagrigus is especially helpful in combination with Granbull, as they can cripple most physical attackers with the combination of Intimidate, Will-O-Wisp, Thunder Wave, and Mummy. Granbull's ability to absorb Knock Off makes it a good partner to Psychic-types such as Meloetta, Sigilyph, and Delphox, Ghost-types such as Cofagrigus and Gourgeist-XL, and Eviolite holders such as Roselia and Golbat. Granbull tends to switch in a lot, so hazard removal from Flygon and Hitmontop helps Granbull stick around longer and they take care of the Steel-types Granbull attracts. In return, Flygon benefits from Granbull's immunity to Dragon-type attacks, and Hitmontop forms a "double Intimidate" core with Granbull. Venomoth sets up on Granbull fairly easily, so having an answer to it such as Escavalier, Golbat, Quagsire, or Registeel for stall teams and Fletchinder or Choice Scarf Delphox for balanced teams is recommended.
[SET]
name: Offensive
move 1: Play Rough
move 2: Fire Punch
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Close Combat / Thunder Wave
item: Choice Band / Leftovers
ability: Intimidate
nature: Adamant
evs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Play Rough puts a serious dent in nearly every Pokemon that doesn't resist Fairy-type attacks; with Choice Band, Granbull 2HKOes Jellicent, mixed defensive Quagsire, and Aromatisse after Stealth Rock damage. Fire Punch allows Granbull to OHKO or 2HKO common switch-ins, such as Amoonguss, Durant, Escavalier, and Bronzong. Granbull's Choice Band-boosted Earthquake OHKOes Drapion after Stealth Rock damage, as well as Fire-types such as Mega Camerupt and Emboar. Choice Band-boosted Close Combat 2HKOes Mega Steelix, Granbull's most common switch-in, as well as Rhyperior and Piloswine. Thunder Wave is an option if running Leftovers, as it cripples fast foes, helping to clear the way for late-game cleaners such as Durant and Choice Scarf Tyrantrum. Wild Charge with Choice Band can be used to 2HKO several bulky Water- and Flying-types that normally wall Granbull, such as Alomomola, Jellicent, Qwilfish, Golbat, and Togetic, but keep in mind that this is at the cost of one of Granbull's other coverage moves. Wild Charge can also be used with Leftovers, but all of the listed foes except for Qwilfish can heal themselves of more health than Granbull can inflict.
Set Details
========
Full investment in Attack, as well as an Adamant nature, helps Granbull rip through most foes. 44 Speed EVs allow Granbull to outspeed uninvested base 50 Speed Pokemon such as Piloswine, Registeel, and Tangrowth, though most Tangrowth sets invest heavily in Speed. The remaining 212 EVs go into HP to improve Granbull's bulk, giving it more opportunities to switch in and a chance to bluff a defensive set. Choice Band is the preferred item because of the incredible power and ability to net surprise KOs that it provides. Leftovers is a solid alternative option for its flexibility and passive recovery, though it makes Granbull deal far less damage.
Usage Tips
========
Offensive Granbull is far less common than defensive ones, helping it lure in common checks such as Mega Steelix and Bronzong and net surprise KOs. If Granbull runs Choice Band, the loss of passive recovery and lack of Defense investment reduces the number of times Granbull can switch in, so choose carefully when to bring it in. Physically offensive Flygon and many Fighting-types, such as Medicham and Swords Dance Virizion, are generally good foes to switch in on, though many Fighting-types also run Knock Off, such as Hitmonlee, Gurdurr, and Gallade. With Leftovers, Granbull plays similarly to a defensive set but with greater offensive presence and more varied coverage, though it's susceptible to status if lacking Heal Bell.
Team Options
========
Choice Band Granbull punches holes in the opponent's team, so late-game cleaners that struggle against bulky Steel-types, such as Venomoth, Vivillon, Klinklang, and Fletchinder, make for good partners. Knock Off support from Hitmonlee, Scrafty, or Gallade helps Granbull wear down bulky Water- and Flying-types that it struggles against when not running Wild Charge, such as Alomomola, Jellicent, Qwilfish, Golbat, and Togetic. Knock Off also helps against bulky Ghost-types, such as Cofagrigus and Gourgeist-XL. Dedicated checks for bulky Water- and Flying-types also make for good partners. Amoonguss, Tangrowth, and Virizion check Water-types; Rhyperior, Tyrantrum, and Mega Glalie check Flying-types; and Rotom-C, Eelektross, and Jolteon check both. Status absorbers such as Sigilyph and Gurdurr work well with Granbull, especially because Sigilyph counters most Poison-types, such as Qwilfish and Amoonguss, and Gurdurr helps break through bulky Ghost-types. Scald absorbers such as Seismitoad, Lapras, and Poliwrath are helpful as well. Seismitoad and Lapras are also good for taking on Fletchinder. Seismitoad also provides Stealth Rock support, while Lapras helps take out bulky Water-types thanks to Freeze-Dry and benefits from Granbull's ability to check Fighting-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Bulk Up can be used on both sets if Leftovers is held, but Granbull's lack of instant recovery hinders it from fully utilizing this option. Stone Edge can be used over Wild Charge as a more powerful option to take on bulky Flying-types such as Golbat and Togetic, as well as Venomoth, though Wild Charge is generally better despite the recoil damage because of its broader coverage and 100% accuracy; moreover, Venomoth is already OHKOed by offensive Granbull's Fire Punch after Stealth Rock damage. Toxic is an option over Roar or Thunder Wave on the defensive set, though this isn't optimal because Steel- and Poison-types are common switch-ins for Granbull. Thunder Punch can be used as a weaker alternative to Wild Charge to avoid recoil damage. Crunch hits Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Bronzong and Cofagrigus harder, but it's difficult to find room for it and it is generally better to check them with a teammate. Taunt makes Granbull a stallbreaker, but it's too slow to be effective in the role. Super Fang is an option on the defensive set to help wear down physically bulky switch-ins, such as Mega Steelix, Bronzong, and Rhyperior.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Steel-types are particularly threatening to Granbull's defensive set. Durant is faster than Granbull and can OHKO or 2HKO it, depending on the set. Mega Steelix can tank defensive Granbull's Earthquake and can 2HKO it with Heavy Slam after Stealth Rock damage. Bronzong is immune to Earthquake and takes very little from Play Rough, though due to Granbull's low Speed, Gyro Ball deals little damage to it. Magneton is faster and can OHKO both offensive and defensive Granbull, though Earthquake on the switch OHKOes Magneton. Offensive Granbull with Choice Band has an easier time, as, with proper prediction, it OHKOes Durant as well as outspeeds and 2HKOes Mega Steelix and Bronzong.
**Special Attackers**: With a mediocre base 60 Special Defense, common special attackers such as Meloetta, Delphox, Exploud, Mega Camerupt, Tangrowth, and Venomoth can either OHKO or 2HKO Granbull.
**Bulky Water- and Ghost-types**: Granbull's Attack drops significantly when burned by Scald or Will-O-Wisp from bulky Water- or Ghost-types, respectively, such as Alomomola, Qwilfish, Jellicent, Cofagrigus, and Gourgeist-XL. The offensive set is effectively neutered by a burn, while the defensive set allows Granbull to use Heal Bell to cure itself, though it's unable to deal significant damage to these foes.
**Physical Walls**: In addition to bulky Water- and Ghost-types, there are several physical walls that neither the defensive nor offensive set can effectively break through, such as Togetic, Aromatisse, and Golbat, though Wild Charge helps against Togetic and Golbat. Additionally, the defensive set struggles against Amoonguss, Roselia, and Rhyperior.
**Fletchinder**: Granbull's defensive set can't OHKO Fletchinder with Play Rough even with Stealth Rock damage, though Earthquake on a predicted Roost has a chance to OHKO. Fletchinder is also capable of inflicting a burn on Granbull with Will-O-Wisp.
**Braviary**: Be careful when switching Granbull in against an opponent running Braviary, as Defiant gives it an Attack boost from Intimidate. Malamar also gets an Attack boost from Intimidate thanks to Contrary, though Granbull resists both Superpower and Knock Off and Malamar takes considerable damage from Play Rough.
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