RU Granbull

boltsandbombers

i'm sorry mr. man
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Taken over from Mysteria

QC: Molk, atomicllamas, Spirit
GP: Calm Pokemaster, horyzhnz


woof woof

Overview
########

This generation, Granbull was granted the extremely useful Fairy typing, which grants it an immunity to Dragon-type attacks and resistances to common attacking types such as Dark and Fighting. Granbull also has access to Intimidate; alongside its respectable base 90 HP and 75 Defense stats, this helps it switch in to many powerful physical attackers such as Virizion, Hitmonlee, physical Sharpedo, Meloetta-P, and Druddigon lacking Gunk Shot. One important thing to note is that Granbull has a great base 120 Attack stat, which not many other defensive Pokemon can boast. This keeps Granbull from being setup fodder for sweepers, as it has near-perfect type coverage in Play Rough and Earthquake as well as many other great coverage moves such as the elemental punches to surprise its usual switch-ins. Granbull also has access to Heal Bell, which cures it and its teammates of deadly status conditions, and Roar, which phazes setup sweepers and racks up hazard damage.

However, Granbull lacks any form of reliable recovery, which forces it to use Rest. Also, Granbull has a very low Speed stat, meaning it must always take a hit before attacking back or using a status move. On top of this, Granbull's Special Defense is mediocre, meaning it is susceptible to powerful special attackers such as Meloetta and Moltres. Lastly, Granbull faces some competition from Aromatisse as a defensive Fairy-type.

Defensive
########
name: Defensive
move 1: Play Rough
move 2: Rest / Earthquake
move 3: Sleep Talk / Thunder Wave
move 4: Heal Bell
ability: Intimidate
item: Leftovers
evs: 248 HP / 232 Def / 28 Spe
nature: Impish

Moves
========

Play Rough is Granbull's only physical STAB attack, and it hits fairly hard even without Attack investment, easily OHKOing Fighting- and Dark-types such as Hitmonlee and Sharpedo. Rest provides Granbull with a form of recovery and allows it to continuously sponge hits and be used as a pivot with Intimidate. Sleep Talk works well in tandem with Rest, as it allows Granbull to not be setup fodder while asleep. Earthquake allows Granbull to smack grounded Poison-, Steel-, and Fire-types that resist Play Rough, and Thunder Wave can be used to cripple fast threats such as Hitmonlee and Moltres. Heal Bell is crucial to remove crippling status such as Toxic from Granbull and its teammates. Roar is an alternative to force out setup sweepers such as Doublade.

Set Details
========

Intimidate is Granbull's main niche, softening physical hits by a considerable amount. 28 Speed EVs let Granbull outspeed uninvested Druddigon, but they often use some Speed investment. 248 HP EVs and 232 Defense EVs are used to maximize Granbull's defensive capabilities and to minimize damage from entry hazards by giving it an odd HP number. Leftovers are essential for a defensive Pokemon such as Granbull, providing passive recovery.

Usage Tips
========

Use Granbull to pivot into physical attackers such as Hitmonlee or Virizion, preferably those lacking a move that hits Granbull super effectively. Some attackers must be scouted out before switching Granbull in, such as special or mixed variants of Sharpedo or Druddigon that carry Gunk Shot. Capitalize on the switches that Granbull forces due to Intimidate and its Fairy typing, and use them to cripple an incoming attacker with a status move or use Heal Bell.

Team Options
========

Slowking is a great teammate for Granbull, as it can easily shrug off special attacks that threaten Granbull, while Granbull can take Dark- and Bug-type attacks, in particular Knock Off, which Slowking is susceptible to. If the combination of Rest and Sleep Talk is not used, Granbull greatly appreciates Wish support from the likes of Alomomola and Audino, who also have good defensive synergy with Granbull. Registeel forms a good defensive core with Granbull, but the two are easily overwhelmed by powerful Fire-types if Granbull does not carry Earthquake. Rhyperior also has good defensive synergy with Granbull and can set up Stealth Rock. Doublade greatly appreciates Granbull's ability to consistently switch into Knock Off, as Doublade heavily relies on its Eviolite.

Choice Band
########
name: Choice Band
move 1: Play Rough
move 2: Ice Punch
move 3: Thunder Punch
move 4: Earthquake / Fire Punch
ability: Intimidate
item: Choice Band
evs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe
nature: Adamant

Moves
========

Play Rough is Granbull's only physical STAB attack, and it hits incredibly hard on targets that take neutral or super effective damage from it. Ice Punch provides good coverage, hitting common defensive Pokemon such as Amoonguss, Gligar, and Golbat, easily scoring a 2HKO on all three. Thunder Punch forms pseudo-BoltBeam coverage with Ice Punch, and it hits Water- and Flying-types such as Alomomola, Moltres, and Fletchinder. The last slot is ultimately up to what your team needs to handle. Earthquake is the preferred choice, as it can easily 2HKO Registeel and Doublade on the switch, both of which are very common. However, if your team can handle those threats, Fire Punch is the better option, being able to hit targets such as Mega Abomasnow, Durant, Escavalier, and Bronzong, while still hitting Registeel and Doublade for good damage. Crunch is an option to hit bulky Ghost- and Psychic-types, such as Cresselia and Cofagrigus, while still hitting Bronzong hard.

Set Details
========

44 Speed EVs allows Granbull to outspeed uninvested base 50 Pokemon such as Registeel and Tangrowth. Maximum Attack investment and an Adamant nature lets Granbull hit as hard as possible. The rest of the EVs are put in HP to make good use of Intimidate and Granbull's natural bulk which helps bluff the defensive set, as well as allowing Granbull to act as an offensive pivot.

Usage Tips
========

It is good to switch in on attacks that Granbull resists or is immune to, such as Hitmonlee's High Jump Kick or Druddigon's Dragon Claw. Choice Band Granbull acts as a strong bluff for defensive sets, which are typically more common. It is important to predict especially well when using this set, as Play Rough won't heavily dent common Fairy-type switch-ins such as Amoonguss and Doublade. Because coverage moves such as Ice Punch and Thunder Punch tend not to be expected from Granbull, aim to surprise foes such as Gligar with Ice Punch or Alomomola with Thunder Punch.

Team Options
========

Doublade forms a great offensive core with Granbull, in that they cover each other's weaknesses fairly well and Doublade greatly appreciates Choice Band Granbull's ability to break down or heavily dent physical walls that trouble Doublade. Rhyperior has good synergy with Granbull and can set up Stealth Rock. This allows Granbull to 2HKO Rhyperior and Aromatisse with Earthquake and Play Rough, respectively. Slowking is another good teammate for Granbull, being able to switch into special attackers such as Delphox and Moltres, while Granbull covers its Bug- and Dark-type weaknesses. Knock Off support from the likes of Shiftry and Hitmonlee is very helpful in breaking down defensive Pokemon such as Alomomola. Physical sweepers such as the previously mentioned Doublade, as well as Drapion, Virizion, Cobalion, and other late-game sweepers, appreciate this set's ability to break down defensive Pokemon.

Other Options
########

Toxic can be used over Thunder Wave on the defensive set, but paralysis pairs well with Granbull's low Speed and great power. Bulk Up is an option for Granbull to possibly sweep, but its terrible Speed makes this challenging to achieve. Close Combat and Focus Punch are alternative coverage moves, but they don't hit much that Granbull's other moves don't. Quick Feet can be used on an offensive set with a status Orb, but even after the Speed boost Granbull is outsped by many common Choice Scarf users, and Granbull has better things to do than attempt a sweep against offensive teams. Rock Slide can be used on the Choice Band set to hit Fletchinder and Moltres harder than Thunder Punch, but it does not have useful coverage otherwise.

Checks & Counters
########

**Weezing**: Weezing can take any attack from either set, and it can cripple Granbull with Will-O-Wisp or hit it on its weaker defensive side with Sludge Bomb.

**Alomomola**: Alomomola takes any hit from Granbull with the exception of Thunder Punch from the Choice Band set, and it can burn Granbull with Scald as well as stall it out with Wish and Toxic.

**Golbat**: Although Golbat can be hit hard with Ice Punch, it can status Granbull with Toxic or prevent it from supporting its team with Taunt and stall it out.

**Bronzong**: Bronzong can easily switch in on most Granbull, as it only fears Fire Punch or Crunch from the Choice Band set.

**Doublade**: Doublade can set up Swords Dance on defensive Granbull or on a Choice-locked Play Rough, Ice Punch, or Thunder Punch.

**Gligar**: Gligar can stall Granbull out, as it takes most physical hits from it very well; however, Gligar should be wary of Ice Punch.

**Fletchinder**: Fletchinder resists Play Rough, and can burn Granbull with Will-O-Wisp, and set up Swords Dance against the defensive set; however, it dislikes Thunder Wave and Toxic from the defensive set and must be wary of Thunder Punch from the Choice Band set.

**Durant**: Durant can 2HKO Granbull with a Hustle-boosted Iron Head despite Intimidate's Attack drop, but it is OHKOed by Fire Punch from the Choice Band set.

**Special Attackers**: Granbull has very bad Special Defense and is easily overwhelmed by powerful special attackers such as Meloetta, Delphox, Clawitzer, and Moltres.
 
Last edited:

boltsandbombers

i'm sorry mr. man
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Going to be away this weekend, so I might not be able to make any major changes, but just getting this skeleton up. Got permission from Mysteria to take this over.
 

Ares

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So umm no T-wave any where, arguably one of the best things about Granbull. Set should probably look like this:
Defensive
########
name: Defensive
move 1: Play Rough
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Heal Bell
move 4: Thunder Wave
ability: Intimidate
item: Leftovers
evs: 252 HP / 232 Def / 24 Spe
nature: Impish
Also I would recommend looking at some of the replies to Mysteria's WIP as it looks like some of them are pretty relevant to the thread. http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/granbull-qc-0-3.3515355/
 
I would mention Taunt in somewhere either in Moves at the Defensive Set, or in OO. It has low speed, yes, but it can stop a Pokémon from setting up hazards or boosting its stats
 

Molk

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Even if not slashed, Roar definitely deserves a mention in moves for its ability to phaze physical set up sweepers out and rack up residual damage, pretty handy imo.

otherwise, looks solid

QC Approved 1/3
 

Pearl

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I did try helping Mysteria a bit when he had this analysis, but I think there are still points you can work better on. I'll just paste the IRC log 'cause I'm too lazy to get it on text format:

19:17 Pearl http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/granbull-qc-2-3-writing.3516359/#post-5729757 i think counters n checks for this is sooo weak
19:18 Pearl special attackers should be first probably, especially those with fairy resist (theres amoonguss and it's not really an attacker but w/e)
19:18 Pearl alomomola and golbat can't do much back to resttalk
19:18 Pearl zong's gyro ball probably doesnt do much although that one is more solid as a counter / w/e you wanna call it
19:19 Pearl roar should possibly be slashed with heal bell
19:19 Pearl since it's a niche over aromatisse
19:19 Pearl i'd like some feedback when some1 reads this tho
19:20 Pearl oh and adamant +16 atk has no mention whatsoever on defensive set, that's probably the superior spread too

EDIT: Only noticed it now, Choice Band coverage could get some work too. I'll quote my post on the old Granbull thread and see if others agree with me:

Pearl. said:
Choice Band
########
name: Choice Band
move 1: Play Rough
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: Rock Slide / Crunch
ability: Intimidate
item: Choice Band
evs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe
nature: Adamant

Crunch calcs and why it deserves a slash:

252+ Atk Choice Band Granbull Crunch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Bronzong: 178-210 (52.6 - 62.1%) -- 98.8% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Choice Band Granbull Crunch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Reuniclus: 236-278 (55.6 - 65.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Choice Band Granbull Crunch vs. 252 HP / 152+ Def Cresselia: 186-220 (41.8 - 49.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery

Not the strongest move, but it's your best option against the Psychic-types that are on the rise. Fire Punch's coverage is redundant with Earthquake and Play Rough, since is pretty much only hits Durant that the other moves don't.
 

Molk

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The checks and counters section can stay as it is, just specify when a check or counter is exclusive to the CB set, the defensive set, or is universal, as pearl is correct in saying some sets beat one varient while either having a neutral matchup against or outright losing to the other.
 

Molk

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Alright, I'll specify that. Should I mention the alternate spread of adamant with 16 attack evs?
i'm not totally sure what that EV spread is supposed to accomplish tbh x.x

EDIT: Doublade should also probably get a mention in checks and counters imo, it might be weak to some of Granbull's coverage moves, but it still goes up very well against the defensive set, and being locked into Play Rough with a Doublade on the field can be painful
 

Molk

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Ya me neither, Pearl mentioned it but if you dont see a reason for it I wont include it.
Sorry to bother again, but what are your thoughts on the suggested changes to the CB set in the above comment by Pearl?
Crunch is probably worth a mention in moves for now, not sure if it deserves a slash or not, if QC decides its worth a slash later its one scms fix away =).
 

tehy

Banned deucer.
Amcheck


Comments:

The sleep talk parts make much more sense when combined, no reason to mention it later.

Outspeeding standard drudd is speed creep;outspeeding uninvested is fine.

No reason not to condense first set slowking stuff, it was kinda long

Worth noting that fire punch is still pretty strong vs. Dou and regi; since zong already gets its bell rung by fire punch, it's more of a secondary reason to use crunch instead.

Gran is immune to dragon, you're not weak to fire but it gives you problems, and granbull's strength is part of why paralysis is good on it.

You never mention rock slide on cb in the first place.

On that note, cut stone edge from oo unless the extra power vs. Golbat is worth it. Cut focus punch too tbh, either defensive or choice focus punch sound horrible. Mention that Close Combat hits steels but fails vs poisons and fires.

So yea gligar is sorta immune to tpunch. Rearranged fletch stuff.

For your checks+counters, stuff like gligar and golbat can roost off punches, so mention that. Durant won't get intimidated if he comes in on you and he often has lum and hone claws. Mention if you can take an unboosted iron head. If it lacks lum it hates twave, even with lum para it as it comes in and you can para again on the hone claws.

Mention which special attackers switch in easily and what they dislike.

You have a lot of extra spaces like "dark- type" in between the dash and type, my app didnt catch these so just do it yourself.

Overview
########

This generation, Granbull was granted the extremely useful Fairy- typing, which grants it an immunity to Dragon- type attacks and resistances to common attacking types such as Dark and Fighting. Granbull also has the ability Intimidate, which decreases the Attack stat of the various physical attackers in the tier than Granbull can switch into due to its Fairy- type. Granbull's respectable base 90 HP stat and 75 Defense stats alongside Intimidate helps it switch in to many powerful physical attackers such as Virizion, Hitmonlee, Physical Sharpedo, Meloetta-P, and Druddigon lacking Gunk Shot. One important thing to note is that Granbull has a great a120 Attack stat of 120 fo, which not many other a defensive pPokemon, which not many others can boast. This keeps Granbull from being setup fodder for sweepers, as it has a near-perfect type coverage in Play Rough and Earthquake, as well as many other great coverage moves like Ice Punch, Thunder Punch, and Fire Punch to surprise its usual switch ins. Granbull also has access to Heal Bell, which cures itself and its teammates ofrom deadly status conditions, as well asnd Roar to, which phazese out setup sweepers and rack up hazard damage.

However, Granbull has a few flaws that hinder it. Granbull lacks any form of reliable recovery, which is important for defensive Pokemon, allowing them to stay healthy throughout the match. Also, Granbull has a very low Speed stat, meaning it must always take a hit before attacking back or using a status move. AlsoOn top of this, Granbull's special defense is mediocre, meaning it is susceptible to powerful special attackers such as Meloetta and Moltres. Lastly, Granbull faces some competition from Aromatisse as a defensive Fairy- type.

Defensive
########
name: Defensive
move 1: Play Rough
move 2: Rest / Earthquake
move 3: Sleep Talk / Thunder Wave
move 4: Heal Bell
ability: Intimidate
item: Leftovers
evs: 248 HP / 232 Def / 28 Spe
nature: Impish

Moves
========

Play Rough is Granbull's only STAB attack, and hits fairy hard even with uninvested aAttack, as well as easily OHKOing Fighting- and Dark- types such as Hitmonlee and Sharpedo. Rest provides Granbull with a form of recovery, and allows it to continuously sponge hits and be used as a pivot with Intimidate. Sleep Talk works well in tandem with Rest, as it allows Granbull not to be setup fodder while asleep. Earthquake is another viable option in the second slo, though Sleep Talk must be used with Rest, as it has no use otherwise. Earthquake allows Granbull to smack grounded Poison-, Steel-, and Fire- types that resist Play Rough., and Thunder Wave can be used to cripple fast threats such as Hitmonlee and Moltres. Heal Bell is crucial to remove crippling status such as tToxic from Granbull and it's teammates. It must be noted that Sleep Talk must be used with Rest, as it has no use otherwise. Roar is another alternative to force out setup sweepers like Doublade.


Set Details
========

Intimidate is Granbull's main niche, softening the hits from physical attackers by a considerable amount. 28 Speed EVs are tolet Granbull outspeed uninvested Druddigon, but they often use some sSpeed investment. Using enough Speed to outpace standard Druddigon is an option, but it greatly detracts from Granbull's bulk. 248 HP EVs and 232 Defense EVs are used to maximize Granbull's defensive capabilities as well asnd let it take less damage from entry hazards by giving it an odd HP number.

Usage Tips
========

Use Granbull as a pivot into physical attackers such as Hitmonlee or Virizion, preferably those lacking a move tohat hits Granbull with super effectively. Some attackers must be scouted out before switching Granbull in, such as special or mixed variants of Sharpedo, or Druddigon that carry Gunk Shot. Capitalize on the switches that Granbull forces due to Intimidate and its Fairy-type, and use them to cripple an incoming attacker with a status or use Heal Bell.

Team Options
========

Slowking is a great teammate for Granbull, as it can easily shrug off special attacks that threaten Granbull. Slowking is very susceptible to, and Granbull can take Dark- and Bug- type attacks, in particular Knock Off, which will greatly hinderSlowking its defensive presence. Granbull can easiarticularly take the aforementioned attacks with ease, and retaliatsusceptible with an attack or rest off the damage. If the combination of Rest and Sleep Talk is not used, Granbull greatly appreciates wWish support from the likes of Alomomola or Audino, who also have good defensive type synergy with Granbull. Registeel can form a good defensive core alongsidewith Granbull, but the two are easily overwhelmed by powerful Fire- types if Granbull does not carry Earthquake. Rhyperior also has good defensive synergy with Granbull and it can set up Stealth Rock. Doublade greatly appreciates Granbull's ability to consistently switch into Knock Off, as Doublade heavily relies on its Eviolite.


Choice Band
########
name: Choice Band
move 1: Play Rough
move 2: Ice Punch
move 3: Thunder Punch
move 4: Earthquake / Fire Punch
ability: Intimidate
item: Choice Band
evs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe
nature: Adamant

Moves
========

Play Rough is Granbull's only physical STAB attack, and hits incredibly hard on targets that take neuetral or super effective damage from it. Ice Punch provides good coverage, hitting common defensive Pokemon such as Amoonguss, Gligar, and Golbat, easily scoring a 2HKO on all three. Thunder Punch forms a pseudo b-Bolt-bBeam coverage with Ice Punch, and it hits Water- and Flying- types such as Alomomola, Moltres, and Fletchinder. The last slot is ultimately up to what your team needs to handle. Earthquake is the preferred choice as it can easily 2HKO Registeel and Doublade on the switch, both of which are very common. However, if your team can handle those threats, then Fire Punch is the better option, being able to hit targets such as Mega Abomasnow, Durant, Escavalier, and Bronzong, and still hit Registeel and Doublade for good damage. Crunch is an option to hit bulky Ghost- and Psychic- types, such as Cresselia, Bronzong, and Cofagrigus and Cofagrigus, while still hitting Bronzong hard.

Set Details
========

44 Speed EVs allows Granbull to outspeed uninvested base 50 Pokemon like Registeel and Tangrowth. Maximum Attack investment and an Adamant nature is for Granbull to hit as hard as possible. Intimidate is the chosen ability on this set, as it helps act as a bluff for the defensive set, as well as allowing Granbull to act as an offensive pivot.

Usage Tips
========

Similar to the defensive set, it is good to switch in on attacks that Granbull resists or is immune to, such as Hitmonlee's High Jump Kick or Druddigon's Dragon Claw. Choice Band Granbull acts as a strong bluff for the defensive set, which is typically more common. It is important to be smart with prediction from this set, as even a resisted Play Rough won't heavily dent common Fairy- type switch ins such as Amoonguss and Doublade. Since coverage moves like Ice Punch and Thunder Punch tend not to be expected from Granbull, aim to surprise foes like Gligar with Ice Punch or Alomomola with Thunder Punch.

Team Options
========

Doublade forms a great offensive core with Granbull, in that they cover each other's weaknesses fairly well and Doublade greatly appreciates Choice Band Granbull's ability to break down or heavily dent physical walls that trouble Doublade. Rhyperior covers Granbull's Fire- and Poison- type weaknesproblems and provides Stealth Rock support. This is important, as Granbull can 2HKO Rhyperior and Aromatisse after Stealth Rock damage, with Earthquake and Play Rough, respectively. Slowking is another good teammate for Granbull, being able to switch into special attackers like Delphox and Moltres, while Granbull covers its Bug- and Dark- type weaknesses. Knock Off support from the likes of Shiftry and Hitmonlee is very helpful in breaking down defensive Pokemon. For example, if Alomomola gets its Leftovers knocked off, then Granbull can 2HKO it with Thunder Punch after Stealth Rock damage. Physical sweepers such as the previously mentioned Doublade, as well as Drapion, Virizion, Cobalion, and other late game sweepers appreciate this set's ability to break down defensive Pokemon.

Other Options
########

Toxic can be used over Thunder Wave on the defensive set, but paralysis support works well in tandem with Granbull's low sSpeed and great power. Bulk Up is an option for Granbull to possibly sweep, but its terrible speed makes this challenging to achieve. Close Combat or Focus Punch are alternative coverage moves, but they dont hit that much whichthat its other moves don't. Quick Feet can be used on an offensive set with a status orb, but even after the speed boost it is outsped by many common Choice Scarf users and Granbull has better things to do than attempt a sweep against offensive teams. Stone Edge can be used over Rock Slide on the Choice Band set, but Rock Slide is always a guaranteed OHKO on Moltres and Fletchinder.

Checks & Counters
########

**Weezing** Weezing can take any attack from either set, and can cripple it with Will-O-Wisp or hit it on Granbull's weaker defensive side with Sludge Bomb.

**Alomomola** Alomomola takes any hit from Granbull, and can burn it with Scald as well as stall it out with wWish and tToxic.

**Golbat** Although Golbat can be hit hard with Ice Punch, it can status Granbull with Toxic or prevent it from supporting with Taunt and stall it out.

**Bronzong** Bronzong can easily switch in on Granbull, as it only fears Choice Banded Fire Punch.

**Doublade** Doublade can set up Swords Dances on defensive Granbull or a cChoice -locked Granbull into Play Rough, Ice Punch, or Thunder Punch.

**Gligar** Gligar can stall Granbull out as it takes most physical hits from it very well, but should be wary of Ice Punch and Thunder Punch.

**Fletchinder** Fletchinder resists Play Rough and can burn Granbull with Will-O-Wisp, and set up Swords Dance against the defensive set, but dislikes being paralyzed by Thunder Wave. However, itThunder Wave and Toxic from the defensive set, and must be wary of switching into Rock Slide from Choice Band Granbull or Toxic from the defensive set.

**Durant** Durant can 2HKO Granbull with Hustle-boosted Iron Head despite the Intimidate drop, but is OHKOed by Fire Punch from the Choice Band set if predicted correctly.

**Special Attackers** Granbull has very bad special defense and is easily overwhelmed by powerful special attackers like Meloetta, Delphox, Clawitzer, and Moltres.
 
Last edited:

Lumari

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Taken over from Mysteria


woof woof

Overview
########

This generation, Granbull was granted the extremely useful Fairy typing (remove hyphen), which grants it an immunity to Dragon-type (remove space) attacks and resistances to common attacking types such as Dark and Fighting. Granbull also has access to the ability Intimidate (redundant); (RC, add semicolon) which decreases the Attack stat of the various physical attackers in the tier than Granbull can switch into due to its Fairy- type. Granbull's alongside its respectable base 90 HP and 75 Defense stats alongside Intimidate, (AC) this helps it switch in to on many powerful physical attackers such as Virizion, Hitmonlee, Physical Sharpedo, Meloetta-P, and Druddigon lacking Gunk Shot. (my axe apologizes; it's safe to assume everybody knows what Intimidate does, and many things were repeated between these two sentences, so I condensed them into one) One important thing to note is that Granbull has a great base 120 Attack stat, which not many other defensive Pokemon can boast. This keeps Granbull from being setup fodder for sweepers, as it has a near-perfect type coverage in Play Rough and Earthquake as well as many other great coverage moves like such as Ice Punch, Thunder Punch, and Fire Punch the elemental punches to surprise its usual switch-ins (add hyphen). Granbull also has access to Heal Bell, which cures it and its teammates of deadly status conditions, and Roar, which phases phazes out (contamination, it's 'to phaze' or 'to force out') setup sweepers and racks up hazard damage.

However, Granbull lacks any form of reliable recovery, which is important for defensive Pokemon, allowing them to stay healthy throughout the match (fluff) which forces it to run Rest. Also, Granbull has a very low Speed stat, meaning it must always take a hit before attacking back or using a status move. On top of this, Granbull's Special Defense is mediocre, meaning it is susceptible to powerful special attackers such as Meloetta and Moltres. Lastly, Granbull faces some competition from Aromatisse as a defensive Fairy-type (remove space).

Defensive
########
name: Defensive
move 1: Play Rough
move 2: Rest / Earthquake
move 3: Sleep Talk / Thunder Wave
move 4: Heal Bell
ability: Intimidate
item: Leftovers
evs: 248 HP / 232 Def / 28 Spe
nature: Impish

Moves
========

Play Rough is Granbull's only physical STAB attack, and it hits fairly (best typo ever) hard even with uninvested without Attack investment, easily OHKOing Fighting- and Dark-types (remove space) such as Hitmonlee and Sharpedo. Rest provides Granbull with a form of recovery, (RC) and allows it to continuously sponge hits and be used as a pivot with Intimidate. Sleep Talk works well in tandem with Rest, as it allows Granbull not to be setup fodder while asleep, thought Sleep Talk must be used with rest, as it has no use otherwise (you can expect the reader to know this). Earthquake allows Granbull to smack grounded Poison-, Steel-, and Fire-types (remove space) that resist Play Rough, and Thunder Wave can be used to cripple fast threats such as Hitmonlee and Moltres. Heal Bell is crucial to remove crippling status such as Toxic from Granbull and it's its teammates. Roar is another alternative to force out setup sweepers like such as Doublade.

Set Details
========

Intimidate is Granbull's main niche, softening the physical hits from physical attackers by a considerable amount. 28 Speed EVs let Granbull outspeed uninvested Druddigon, but they often use some Speed investment. 248 HP EVs and 232 Defense EVs are used to maximize Granbull's defensive capabilities and let it take less to minimize damage from entry hazards by giving it an odd HP number. mention Leftovers

Usage Tips
========

Use Granbull as a to pivot into physical attackers such as Hitmonlee or Virizion, preferably those lacking a move that hits Granbull super effectively. Some attackers must be scouted out before switching Granbull in, such as special or mixed variants of Sharpedo, (RC) or Druddigon that carry Gunk Shot. Capitalize on the switches that Granbull forces due to Intimidate and its Fairy (remove hyphen) type typing, and use them to cripple an incoming attacker with a status move or use Heal Bell.

Team Options
========

Slowking is a great teammate for Granbull, as it can easily shrug off special attacks that threaten Granbull, and while Granbull will can take Dark- and Bug-type (remove space) attacks, in particular Knock Off, which Slowking is particularly susceptible to. If the combination of Rest and Sleep Talk is not used, Granbull greatly appreciates Wish support from the likes of Alomomola or and Audino, who which also have good defensive type synergy with Granbull. Registeel can forms a good defensive core with Granbull, but the two are easily overwhelmed by powerful Fire-types (remove space) if Granbull does not carry Earthquake. Rhyperior also has good defensive synergy with Granbull and can set up Stealth Rock. Doublade greatly appreciates Granbull's ability to consistently switch into Knock Off, as Doublade it heavily relies on its Eviolite.

Choice Band
########
name: Choice Band
move 1: Play Rough
move 2: Ice Punch
move 3: Thunder Punch
move 4: Earthquake / Fire Punch
ability: Intimidate
item: Choice Band
evs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe
nature: Adamant

Moves
========

Play Rough is Granbull's only physical STAB attack, and it hits incredibly hard on targets that take neutral or super effective damage from it. Ice Punch provides good coverage, hitting common defensive Pokemon such as Amoonguss, Gligar, and Golbat, easily scoring a 2HKO on all three. Thunder Punch forms a pseudo-BoltBeam (remove space) coverage with Ice Punch, and it hits Water- and Flying-types (remove space) such as Alomomola, Moltres, and Fletchinder. The last slot is ultimately up to what your team needs to handle. Earthquake is the preferred choice, (AC) as it can easily 2HKO Registeel and Doublade on the switch, both of which are very common. However, if your team can handle those threats, then (this kind of coordinating is rather colloquial, it's redundant in written text) Fire Punch is the better option, being able to hit targets such as Mega Abomasnow, Durant, Escavalier, and Bronzong, and still hit while still hitting Registeel and Doublade for good damage. Crunch is an option to hit bulky Ghost- and Psychic-types (remove space), such as Cresselia and Cofagrigus, while still hitting Bronzong hard.

Set Details
========

44 Speed EVs allows Granbull to outspeed uninvested base 50 Pokemon like such as Registeel and Tangrowth. Maximum Attack investment and an Adamant nature is for allows Granbull to hit as hard as possible. (mention the HP EVs) Intimidate is the chosen ability on this set, as it helps act as a bluff for the defensive set, as well as allowing Granbull to act as an offensive pivot.

Usage Tips
========

Similar to the defensive set, (no cross-set referencing) It is good to switch in on attacks that Granbull resists or is immune to, such as Hitmonlee's High Jump Kick or Druddigon's Dragon Claw. Choice Band Granbull acts as a strong bluff for the defensive sets, which is are typically more common (now that it's indefinite I don't think it qualifies as cross-set referencing anymore :> ). It is important to be smart with prediction from predict especially well when using this set, as Play Rough won't heavily dent common Fairy-type (remove space) switch-ins (add hyphen) such as Amoonguss and Doublade. Since Because (causal 'since' is unexpectedly tricky to use correctly, so it's better to just avoid it) coverage moves like such as Ice Punch and Thunder Punch tend not to be expected from Granbull, aim to surprise foes like such as Gligar with Ice Punch or Alomomola with Thunder Punch.

Team Options
========

Doublade forms a great offensive core with Granbull, in that they cover each other's (add apostrophe) weaknesses fairly well and Doublade greatly appreciates Choice Band Granbull's ability to break down or heavily dent physical walls that trouble Doublade. Rhyperior covers Granbull's Fire- and Poison-type (remove space) problems (actually, the 'problems' part reads really awkward so imo this would look better as 'Rhyperior easily defeats the Fire- and Poison-types that resists Granbull's STAB move. Also, I fail to see what those problems are if Earthquake is a main slash.) and provides Stealth Rock support. This is important, as allows Granbull can to 2HKO Rhyperior and Aromatisse after Stealth Rock damage, with Earthquake and Play Rough, respectively. Slowking is another good teammate for Granbull, being able to switch into special attackers like such as Delphox and Moltres, while Granbull covers its Bug- and Dark-type (remove space) weaknesses. Knock Off support from the likes of Shiftry and Hitmonlee is very helpful in breaking down defensive Pokemon such as Alomomola. For example, if Alomomola gets its Leftovers knocked off, then Granbull can 2HKO it with Thunder Punch after Stealth Rock damage. Physical sweepers such as the previously mentioned Doublade, as well as Drapion, Virizion, Cobalion, and other late-game (add hyphen) sweepers, (AC) appreciate this set's (add apostrophe) ability to break down defensive Pokemon.

Other Options
########

Toxic can be used over Thunder Wave on the defensive set, but paralysis support (it's not support if you're abusing it yourself) works pairs well in tandem with Granbull's low Speed and great power. Bulk Up is an option for Granbull to possibly sweep, but its terrible Speed makes this challenging to achieve. Close Combat or Focus Punch are alternative coverage moves, but they don't (add apostrophe) hit much that its other moves don't. Quick Feet can be used on an offensive set with a status Orb, but even after the Speed boost it Granbull is outsped by many common Choice Scarf users, (AC) and Granbull it has better things to do than to attempt a sweep against offensive teams. Stone Edge can be used over Rock Slide on the Choice Band set, but Rock Slide is always already a guaranteed OHKO on Moltres and Fletchinder, which are its only relevant targets (I guess; I'm not too knowledgeable about this metagame. In any case, you need some sort of explanation here, as it makes little sense otherwise - I mean, if Rock Slide hits those, Stone Edge does as well, and more. 'Already' pairs better with the sentence I added if I was correct in doing that, and 'always' was redundant with 'guaranteed' anyway. Also, Rock Slide isn't mentioned anywhere on this set, so imo you should rephrase this).

Checks & Counters (please fix your formatting: add colons throughout)
########

**Weezing** Weezing can take any attack from either set, and it can cripple it Granbull with Will-O-Wisp or hit it on Granbull's its weaker defensive side with Sludge Bomb.

**Alomomola** Alomomola takes any hit from Granbull with the exception of a Choice Banded Thunder Punch from the Choice Band set, and it can burn it Granbull with Scald as well as stall it out with Wish and Toxic.

**Golbat** Although Golbat can be hit hard with Ice Punch, it can status Granbull with Toxic or prevent it from supporting its team with Taunt and stall it out.

**Bronzong** Bronzong can easily switch in on most Granbull, (AC) as it only fears Choice Banded Fire Punch from the Choice Band set.

**Doublade** Doublade can set up Swords Dance on defensive Granbull or on a Choice-locked (remove spaces) Play Rough, Ice Punch, or Thunder Punch.

**Gligar** Gligar can stall Granbull out, (AC) as it takes most physical hits from it very well; (RC, add semicolon) but however, it should be wary of Ice Punch.

**Fletchinder** Fletchinder resists Play Rough and can burn Granbull with Will-O-Wisp, and it can set up Swords Dance against the defensive set; (RC, add semicolon) but however, it (too much parataxis so I split it with the necessary small rephrasing) dislikes Thunder Wave and Toxic from the defensive set, (RC) and must be wary of Thunder Punch from the Choice Band Granbull set (wording consistency).

**Durant** Durant can 2HKO Granbull with a Hustle-boosted Iron Head despite the Intimidate's Attack drop, but it is OHKOed by Fire Punch from the Choice Band set if predicted correctly.

**Special Attackers** Granbull has a very bad Special Defense and is easily overwhelmed by powerful special attackers like such as Meloetta, Delphox, Clawitzer, and Moltres.
 
Last edited:

horyzhnz

[10:02:17 AM] flcl: its hory xD
is a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus
Overview
########

This generation, Granbull was granted the extremely useful Fairy typing, which grants it an immunity to Dragon-type attacks and resistances to common attacking types such as Dark and Fighting. Granbull also has access to Intimidate; alongside its respectable base 90 HP and 75 Defense stats, this helps it switch in to many powerful physical attackers such as Virizion, Hitmonlee, physical Sharpedo, Meloetta-P, and Druddigon lacking Gunk Shot. One important thing to note is that Granbull has a great base 120 Attack stat, which not many other defensive Pokemon can boast. This keeps Granbull from being setup fodder for sweepers, as it has near-perfect type coverage in Play Rough and Earthquake as well as many other great coverage moves such as the elemental punches to surprise its usual switch-ins. Granbull also has access to Heal Bell, which cures it and its teammates of deadly status conditions, and Roar, which phazes setup sweepers and racks up hazard damage.

However, Granbull lacks any form of reliable recovery, which forces it to use Rest. Also, Granbull has a very low Speed stat, meaning it must always take a hit before attacking back or using a status move. On top of this, Granbull's Special Defense is mediocre, meaning it is susceptible to powerful special attackers such as Meloetta and Moltres. Lastly, Granbull faces some competition from Aromatisse as a defensive Fairy-type.

Defensive
########
name: Defensive
move 1: Play Rough
move 2: Rest / Earthquake
move 3: Sleep Talk / Thunder Wave
move 4: Heal Bell
ability: Intimidate
item: Leftovers
evs: 248 HP / 232 Def / 28 Spe
nature: Impish

Moves
========

Play Rough is Granbull's only physical STAB attack, and it hits fairly hard even without Attack investment, easily OHKOing Fighting- and Dark-types such as Hitmonlee and Sharpedo. Rest provides Granbull with a form of recovery and allows it to continuously sponge hits and be used as a pivot with Intimidate. Sleep Talk works well in tandem with Rest, as it allows Granbull not to not be setup fodder while asleep. Earthquake allows Granbull to smack grounded Poison-, Steel-, and Fire-types that resist Play Rough, and Thunder Wave can be used to cripple fast threats such as Hitmonlee and Moltres. Heal Bell is crucial to remove crippling status such as Toxic from Granbull and its teammates. Roar is an alternative to force out setup sweepers such as Doublade.

Set Details
========

Intimidate is Granbull's main niche, softening physical hits from by a considerable amount. 28 Speed EVs let Granbull outspeed uninvested Druddigon, but they often use some Speed investment. 248 HP EVs and 232 Defense EVs are used to maximize Granbull's defensive capabilities and to minimize damage from entry hazards by giving it an odd HP number. Leftovers are essential for a defensive Pokemon such as Granbull, providing passive recovery.

Usage Tips
========

Use Granbull to pivot into physical attackers such as Hitmonlee or Virizion, preferably those lacking a move that hits Granbull super effectively. Some attackers must be scouted out before switching Granbull in, such as special or mixed variants of Sharpedo or Druddigon that carry Gunk Shot. Capitalize on the switches that Granbull forces due to Intimidate and its Fairy typing, and use them to cripple an incoming attacker with a status move or use Heal Bell.

Team Options
========

Slowking is a great teammate for Granbull, as it can easily shrug off special attacks that threaten Granbull, while Granbull can take Dark- and Bug-type attacks, in particular Knock Off, which Slowking is susceptible to. If the combination of Rest and Sleep Talk is not used, Granbull greatly appreciates Wish support from the likes of Alomomola and Audino, who also have good defensive synergy with Granbull. Registeel forms a good defensive core with Granbull, but the two are easily overwhelmed by powerful Fire-types if Granbull does not carry Earthquake. Rhyperior also has good defensive synergy with Granbull and can set up Stealth Rock. Doublade greatly appreciates Granbull's ability to consistently switch into Knock Off, as it Doublade heavily relies on its Eviolite.

Choice Band
########
name: Choice Band
move 1: Play Rough
move 2: Ice Punch
move 3: Thunder Punch
move 4: Earthquake / Fire Punch
ability: Intimidate
item: Choice Band
evs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe
nature: Adamant

Moves
========

Play Rough is Granbull's only physical STAB attack, and it hits incredibly hard on targets that take neutral or super effective damage from it. Ice Punch provides good coverage, hitting common defensive Pokemon such as Amoonguss, Gligar, and Golbat, easily scoring a 2HKO on all three. Thunder Punch forms pseudo-BoltBeam coverage with Ice Punch, and it hits Water- and Flying-types such as Alomomola, Moltres, and Fletchinder. The last slot is ultimately up to what your team needs to handle. Earthquake is the preferred choice, as it can easily 2HKO Registeel and Doublade on the switch, both of which are very common. However, if your team can handle those threats, Fire Punch is the better option, being able to hit targets such as Mega Abomasnow, Durant, Escavalier, and Bronzong, while still hitting Registeel and Doublade for good damage. Crunch is an option to hit bulky Ghost- and Psychic-types, such as Cresselia and Cofagrigus, while still hitting Bronzong hard.

Set Details
========

44 Speed EVs allows Granbull to outspeed uninvested base 50 Pokemon such as Registeel and Tangrowth. Maximum Attack investment and an Adamant nature is for lets Granbull to hit as hard as possible. The rest of the EVs are put into HP to make good use of Intimidate and Granbull's natural bulk which helps bluff the defensive set, as well as allowing Granbull to act as an offensive pivot.

Usage Tips
========

It is good to switch in on attacks that Granbull resists or is immune to, such as Hitmonlee's High Jump Kick or Druddigon's Dragon Claw. Choice Band Granbull acts as a strong bluff for defensive sets, which are typically more common. It is important to (space) predict especially well when using this set, as Play Rough won't heavily dent common Fairy-type switch-ins such as Amoonguss and Doublade. Because coverage moves such as Ice Punch and Thunder Punch tend not to be expected from Granbull, aim to surprise foes such as Gligar with Ice Punch or Alomomola with Thunder Punch.

Team Options
========

Doublade forms a great offensive core with Granbull, in that they cover each other's weaknesses fairly well and Doublade greatly appreciates Choice Band Granbull's ability to break down or heavily dent physical walls that trouble Doublade. Rhyperior has good synergy with Granbull and can set up Stealth Rock. This allows Granbull to 2HKO Rhyperior and Aromatisse with Earthquake and Play Rough, respectively. Slowking is another good teammate for Granbull, being able to switch into special attackers such as Delphox and Moltres, while Granbull covers its Bug- and Dark-type weaknesses. Knock Off support from the likes of Shiftry and Hitmonlee is very helpful in breaking down defensive Pokemon such as Alomomola. Physical sweepers such as the previously mentioned Doublade, as well as Drapion, Virizion, Cobalion, and other late-game sweepers, appreciate this set's ability to break down defensive Pokemon.

Other Options
########

Toxic can be used over Thunder Wave on the defensive set, but paralysis pairs well with Granbull's low Speed and great power. Bulk Up is an option for Granbull to possibly sweep, but its terrible Speed makes this challenging to achieve. Close Combat or and Focus Punch are alternative coverage moves, but they don't hit much that its Granbull's other moves don't. Quick Feet can be used on an offensive set with a status Orb, but even after the Speed boost Granbull is outsped by many common Choice Scarf users, and Granbull has better things to do than attempt a sweep against offensive teams. Rock Slide can be used on the Choice Band set to hit Fletchinder and Moltres harder than Thunder Punch, but it does not have useful coverage otherwise.

Checks & Counters
########

**Weezing**: Weezing can take any attack from either set, and it can cripple Granbull with Will-O-Wisp or hit it on its weaker defensive side with Sludge Bomb.

**Alomomola**: Alomomola takes any hit from Granbull with the exception of Thunder Punch from the Choice Band set, and it can burn Granbull with Scald as well as stall it out with Wish and Toxic.

**Golbat**: Although Golbat can be hit hard with Ice Punch, it can status Granbull with Toxic or prevent it from supporting its team with Taunt and stall it out.

**Bronzong**: Bronzong can easily switch in on most Granbull, as it only fears Fire Punch or Crunch from the Choice Band set.

**Doublade**: Doublade can set up Swords Dance on defensive Granbull or on a Choice-locked Play Rough, Ice Punch, or Thunder Punch.

**Gligar**: Gligar can stall Granbull out, as it takes most physical hits from it very well; however, Gligar should be wary of Ice Punch.

**Fletchinder**: Fletchinder resists Play Rough,(AC) and can burn Granbull with Will-O-Wisp, and it can set up Swords Dance against the defensive set; however, it dislikes Thunder Wave and Toxic from the defensive set and must be wary of Thunder Punch from the Choice Band Granbull set.

**Durant**: Durant can 2HKO Granbull with a Hustle-boosted Iron Head despite Intimidate's Attack drop, but it is OHKOed by Fire Punch from the Choice Band set if predicted correctly.

**Special Attackers**: Granbull has very bad Special Defense and is easily overwhelmed by powerful special attackers such as Meloetta, Delphox, Clawitzer, and Moltres.

GP 2/2
 

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