[SET]
Name: Offensive Utility
Move 1: Return / Body Slam
Move 2: Focus Punch / Earthquake
Move 3: Shadow Ball
Move 4: Heal Bell / Rest
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 HP / 40 Atk / 216 Def
Granbull has good utility as an offensive wallbreaker with Intimidate to check opposing physical attackers and Heal Bell to act as a cleric, two notable advantages over offensive Kangaskhan. Return chunks any target that doesn't resist it and is generally a safe move to use, but if the additional damage isn't needed, Granbull can instead run Body Slam to spread paralysis for itself and its team, pressuring Kangaskhan into using Rest early and even pressuring switch-ins such as Omastar and Hitmontop. Focus Punch deals massive damage to Kangaskhan to prevent any attempts at Rest stalling it, and it can hit Granbull checks such as Omastar, Cradily, and opposing Granbull trying to switch in. It also punishes them for playing passively when using Spikes, Recover, or Toxic, respectively. Earthquake requires less prediction while hitting some of the same targets and deals more damage to Poison- and Electric-types such as Tentacruel, Nidoqueen, and Ampharos. Shadow Ball is used to give Granbull a reliable way to hit Solrock while also hitting Ghost-types such as Misdreavus and Haunter. Heal Bell allows Granbull to absorb status from Kangaskhan and Solrock and cure its teammates of status, helping its longevity and enabling other offensive and defensive threats. Rest, however, gives Granbull long-term recovery and a reliable way to counteract Spikes damage that would otherwise hinder Granbull's ability to consistently switch in.
40 Attack EVs and an Adamant nature are used to 3HKO 252 HP / 112 Def Kangaskhan with Return, and the rest of the EVs are put into HP and Defense to help Granbull switch into physical attackers reliably. If Granbull is running Body Slam, 96 Attack EVs and an Adamant nature allow it to 3HKO maximum HP Kangaskhan and deal more damage with its coverage options. Speed investment can be used if Granbull can sacrifice its defensive EVs. 44 Speed EVs allow Granbull to outspeed minimum Speed Vileplume, and 84 Speed EVs allow it to outspeed minimum Speed Omastar and Ampharos.
Team Options
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While Granbull is good at switching into physical attackers, it still appreciates help preserving its health to check them over the longer course of a game. Kangaskhan provides an excellent defensive synergy by checking special threats that Granbull doesn't comfortably take hits well from, such as Arcanine, Lapras, Walrein, and Ampharos, while also providing valuable Wish support to keep Granbull healthy. Spikes impede Granbull's ability to switch in, so it appreciates Rapid Spin support from Tentacruel, Blastoise, and Hitmontop, proving especially helpful against teams with Spikes, as Granbull tends to draw in Omastar. Ampharos, Vileplume, Lapras, and Altaria all provide cleric support in case Granbull is using Rest, as it doesn't like the downtime it has while it is burning sleep turns, which can be troublesome against setup sweepers such as Swords Dance Scyther and Gligar. Granbull also appreciates its own Spikes support, as it likes the extra push of damage on bulky targets, and most of its common switch-ins take Spikes damage. Omastar is a good Spikes setter with Granbull, sharing some of the defensive duties by switching into Kangaskhan, Scyther, and Solrock to set Spikes. Qwilfish and Glalie are also Spikes setters that can threaten physical walls like Omastar with Hidden Power Grass and opposing Granbull, Hitmontop, Walrein, Vileplume, and Blastoise with Explosion, reducing the opposing team's ability to take on Granbull significantly. Since Granbull is slow and can't seal a late-game win by itself, it appreciates fast late-game cleaners that appreciate bulky Pokemon being weakened, such as Scyther, Gligar, and Electabuzz.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ellingtonreborn.619555/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/heysup.21929/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bigfatmantis.507497/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
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