[SET]
name: Terrain Sweeper
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Acrobatics
move 3: Low Kick / Knock Off
move 4: Encore / Gunk Shot
item: Grassy Seed / Psychic Seed
ability: Unburden
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe OR 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe
tera type: Flying / Dark
[SET COMMENTS]
Grafaiai is a fearsome Terrain sweeper, with Unburden, Swords Dance, and its decent coverage options all making up for its mediocre base Attack. Resisting Florges's Moonblast, as well as being immune to moves like Shadow Ball and Toxic, is incredibly valuable and gives Grafaiai more chances to set up than its poor bulk immediately suggests. Low Kick targets Rock- and Steel-types like Rhydon and Alolan Sandslash, which otherwise wall Grafaiai. Knock Off can be used instead to help Grafaiai more easily push past bulky Psychic- and Ghost-types like Galarian Slowbro, Uxie, and Palossand and weaken walls like Mudsdale for its teammates. A well-timed Encore can grant Grafaiai an opportunity to boost against defensive Pokemon and opposing setup sweepers like Bellibolt and Dudunsparce, and it also helps Grafaiai play around Sucker Punch from foes like Skuntank and Bombirdier. On the other hand, +2 Gunk Shot deals heavier damage to the likes of Milotic, Bellibolt, and Alolan Persian and OHKOes Rotom-H, but the move's low accuracy makes it risky to rely on. Running Speed investment lets Grafaiai outspeed Choice Scarf Alolan Persian and helps against opposing Terrain teams, but investing in bulk makes it easier for Grafaiai to tank moves such as Arcanine's Extreme Speed and set up. Tera Flying lets Grafaiai avoid Ground-type moves and allows +2 Acrobatics to cleave through Pokemon like Galarian Articuno and Wo-Chien. With Tera Flying, though, Grafaiai loses out on the recovery and immunity to priority offered by Grassy Terrain and Psychic Terrain, respectively. Tera Dark is another option that protects Grafaiai from Psychic-types like Espeon and Bruxish, powers up Knock Off, and denies Prankster users like Grimmsnarl.
Either Thwackey or Indeedee-F should always be paired with Grafaiai, since they both automatically set Terrain for it upon switch-in. They also help it switch in more easily with options like U-turn, dual screens, and Healing Wish. Hitmonlee and Sceptile each form a strong Unburden spam core with Grafaiai, which only becomes deadlier when both are used alongside it. Both Pokemon deal with many of Grafaiai's switch-ins well; Hitmonlee breaks through Rotom-H and Steel-types like Magneton, Sceptile beats Water- and Ground-types like Milotic and Mudsdale, and both trounce Rhydon in addition to wearing down shared switch-ins like Bellibolt. Espeon and Taunt Oricorio formes are incredibly useful teammates, capitalizing on phazers such as Milotic, Mudsdale, and Houndstone that have little trouble shutting Grafaiai down. Grafaiai aids these special sweepers by keeping nuisances like Frosmoth at bay and chipping away at other tanks like Goodra and Rhydon. Psychic Terrain teams need at least one Pokemon that can reliably threaten bulky Psychic-types like Galarian Slowbro, which only become harder for Grafaiai to deal with while Psychic Terrain is up. Hoopa and Delphox are good candidates for this role, and they both benefit from Grafaiai forcing walls like Wo-Chien to Terastallize early on.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/asa.400292/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bella.567483/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
Last edited:
