Pokémon Grapploct

[GaryGaryGary]

This thing is one of my favorites. Here is a set I like to run, even though it’s pretty bad:

ONE PUNCHER!:
Ev:252 Hp, 252 Atk, 4 SpD
Item:Black Belt
Ability:Technician

Moves:
Octolock
Power Up Punch
Brutal Swing/Payback
Topsy Turvy

Octolock is an awesome move. Trapping the opponent AND lowering the opponent’s defense and special defense is so cool. Power Up Punch is deadly on Grappoloct. Fighting type stab + Black Belt + Technician boost + Octolocked Defenses + Power Up Punch boosts + 252 attack power....yeah even a resist, you aren’t going to survive that.
Brutal Swing gets a boost and hits ghost types but I think Payback will also hit hard since he SUPER SLOW.
Topsy Turvy stop set ups attackers.

Man I hate how he is so slow. Wish he gotten at least 50-60 speed. Also his only defensive stat is Hp, which Hariyama and Bewear can do that 10x better. But I still love him

 

[GaileOxstain]

This thing is one of my favorites. Here is a set I like to run, even though it’s pretty bad:

ONE PUNCHER!:
Ev:252 Hp, 252 Atk, 4 SpD
Item:Black Belt
Ability:Technician

Moves:
Octolock
Power Up Punch
Brutal Swing/Payback
Topsy Turvy

Octolock is an awesome move. Trapping the opponent AND lowering the opponent’s defense and special defense is so cool. Power Up Punch is deadly on Grappoloct. Fighting type stab + Black Belt + Technician boost + Octolocked Defenses + Power Up Punch boosts + 252 attack power....yeah even a resist, you aren’t going to survive that.
Brutal Swing gets a boost and hits ghost types but I think Payback will also hit hard since he SUPER SLOW.
Topsy Turvy stop set ups attackers.

Man I hate how he is so slow. Wish he gotten at least 50-60 speed. Also his only defensive stat is Hp, which Hariyama and Pangoro can do that 10x better. But I still love him

Topsy-Turvy will invert the defense drops from Octolock into defense boosts for the opponent. I think you'd be better off swapping it with Drain Punch since it would also benefit from the Black Belt boost, is stronger than Power-up Punch for handling bulkier threats, and can heal off damage you have received in the fight. Pain Split is another option to provide recovery while messing with the opponent's HP. Still, I'm glad someone is finally looking into Technician and Power-up Punch on a set. Aside from Topsy-Turvy, this set has great potential at gaining offensive momentum.

 

[Nugget]

Man this thing fucking SUCKS. I didn't know until recently Octolock doesn't even do damage. Absolutely trash tier mon, even Thievul can put in more work than this.

Spot on unfortunately
They really threw a bunch of stuff on this mon that just makes no sense
Octolock's almost good except it's actually so slow and there's basically nothing Grapploct is gonna safely trap anyway
Topsy-turvy is actively bad in concert with Octolock
Technician and literally one good move to use it with
Alleged "defensive" pure fighting type
Can't believe we are still doing pain split bullshit in 2019
4 2 S P E E D
imagine using soak just to hit ghosts because you can't inflict any kind of status

good candidate for worst new mon

 

[GaryGaryGary]

Topsy-Turvy will invert the defense drops from Octolock into defense boosts for the opponent. I think you'd be better off swapping it with Drain Punch since it would also benefit from the Black Belt boost, is stronger than Power-up Punch for handling bulkier threats, and can heal off damage you have received in the fight. Pain Split is another option to provide recovery while messing with the opponent's HP. Still, I'm glad someone is finally looking into Technician and Power-up Punch on a set. Aside from Topsy-Turvy, this set has great potential at gaining offensive momentum.

Wow you called my set great potential :). Yeah I see what you mean. I put on Topsy Turvy because since he is slow, he could easily become set up bait. This comes BEFORE using Octolock. But, that Drain Punch/Pain Split sounds like a good idea so I might put that on Octoboi.

 

[Geodude]

Question: If it goes second in a turn (as it usually will) and uses Payback, does it still get the Technician boost?

 

[GaryGaryGary]

Question: If it goes second in a turn (as it usually will) and uses Payback, does it still get the Technician boost?

Since Payback has fixed damage(being 50 base power) I think it should get a boost from Technician. I don’t know since I use brutal swing but it could.

 

[Geodude]

Since Payback has fixed damage(being 50 base power) I think it should get a boost from Technician. I don’t know since I use brutal swing but it could.

I was wondering how it worked with Payback's doubled power when it goes second though, because that puts it over Technician's 60BP limit.

 

[GaryGaryGary]

I understand now. Well I’m just as curious as you on that

 

[Zentrius]

i still do not get how this thing is nto water fighting

 

[GaileOxstain]

I was wondering how it worked with Payback's doubled power when it goes second though, because that puts it over Technician's 60BP limit.

If faster, Payback goes from 50 -> 75 with Technician, if slower it becomes 100. Brutal Swing with Technician goes from 60 -> 90.

 

[GaryGaryGary]

If faster, Payback goes from 50 -> 75 with Technician, if slower it becomes 100. Brutal Swing with Technician goes from 60 -> 90.

Interesting. Thanks for the info. Might need to swap out Brutal Swing for Payback.

 

[TheOverhaul]

I think this could possibly be good on a trick room team. Kind of gimmicky but this could really have potential in this set. Pair this with a Magic Bounce Hatthrene and Chandalure and it could be a threat.

Grapploct @ Assault Vest
Ability: Technition
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
IVs: 0 Spe
Brave Nature
- Circle Throw
- Drain Punch
- Revenge
- Sucker Punch/Brutal Swing


I think this set works really well cause a technition boosted phase move will cause hell for your opponent since you'll often outspeed it, and constantly having to switch into hazards will only cause more damage. The Magic Bounce Hatterene being the one to possibly set the trick room AND send back opponents hazards. Drain punch for recovery and Brutal swing/sucker punch keeps you from getting walled by ghost types. I personally would go with Brutal swing but i was honestly kinda iffy on the moveset. And then for pokemon like Ferrothorn and Toxapex which will be faster than it in Trick Room. Revenge has a 41.3% chance to OHKO a max SpD Ferro and and 81.3% to do it after spikes. For a max Def its a guarentee 2HKO. This set really struggles with Toxapex though, but that's what Hatterene is for, or you can circle throw it away. Let me know what you guys think, im thinking maybe a Black Belt on instead of Assault Vest.

 

[MrHands]

I think this could possibly be good on a trick room team. Kind of gimmicky but this could really have potential in this set. Pair this with a Magic Bounce Hatthrene and Chandalure and it could be a threat.

Grapploct @ Assault Vest
Ability: Technition
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
IVs: 0 Spe
Brave Nature
- Circle Throw
- Drain Punch
- Revenge
- Sucker Punch/Brutal Swing


I think this set works really well cause a technition boosted phase move will cause hell for your opponent since you'll often outspeed it, and constantly having to switch into hazards will only cause more damage. The Magic Bounce Hatterene being the one to possibly set the trick room AND send back opponents hazards. Drain punch for recovery and Brutal swing/sucker punch keeps you from getting walled by ghost types. I personally would go with Brutal swing but i was honestly kinda iffy on the moveset. And then for pokemon like Ferrothorn and Toxapex which will be faster than it in Trick Room. Revenge has a 41.3% chance to OHKO a max SpD Ferro and and 81.3% to do it after spikes. For a max Def its a guarentee 2HKO. This set really struggles with Toxapex though, but that's what Hatterene is for, or you can circle throw it away. Let me know what you guys think, im thinking maybe a Black Belt on instead of Assault Vest.

Circle Throw, Revenge, and Sucker Punch have altered priority that makes them usually ignore Trick Room. Wasting a turn Trick Rooming and switching for three turns of weak "fast" drain punches is not worth it.

Imo the best this piece of ass can do is Octolock / Substitute / Drain Punch / Brutal Swing or Dig to trap stupid walls. But even that falls on its face if your opponent has half a clue what Octolucha does.

 

[TheOverhaul]

Circle Throw, Revenge, and Sucker Punch have altered priority that makes them usually ignore Trick Room. Wasting a turn Trick Rooming and switching for three turns of weak "fast" drain punches is not worth it.

Imo the best this piece of ass can do is Octolock / Substitute / Drain Punch / Brutal Swing or Dig to trap stupid walls. But even that falls on its face if your opponent has half a clue what Octolucha does.

Damn, i didn't know they had altered priority in Trick Room. In that case, yeah this is ass.

 

[Shmirko]

Grapploct could be great in lower tiers, because of all the bulky pokémon it could trap: Umbreon, Vaporeon, even Hippo in UU. OU too offensive atm, but I'm sure lower tiers will have a bigger focus on balance.

 

[volx757]

Damn, i didn't know they had altered priority in Trick Room. In that case, yeah this is ass.

They have different priority always, it's just trick room doesn't change priority brackets, it inverts speed tiers. A -6 priority move (circle throw) will still always go last.

 

[BoltBurst]

A slightly different take on your set:
Coctolock (Grapploct) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Drain Punch
- Protect
- Revenge/Octazooka/Power-Up Punch/Rock Smash/Circle Throw
- Octolock

This set uses Protect as opposed to Substitute/Pain Split. More reliable, but leaves you open every other turn. That's what Octozooka is for. The opponent can't do much if they're less likely to hit you when you don't have Protect up. If not, Grapploct has a plethora of other moves that hit like a truck thanks to Technician. Drain Punch, along with Leftovers, is for recovery.

 

[UlrickVGCMasters]

Man this thing fucking SUCKS. I didn't know until recently Octolock doesn't even do damage. Absolutely trash tier mon, even Thievul can put in more work than this.

lmao you crack me up this had me dying laughing

 

[UlrickVGCMasters]

Maybe Trick room can give this Guy potential

 

[NuttyRabbit]

Maybe Trick room can give this Guy potential

Honestly I doubt it. There's far better Trick Room physical attackers such as Crawdaunt, Rhyperior, and even niche options like Copperajah, Arctovish, and Arctozolt that have way better coverage or just plain hit harder. Even if you want to specifically use a slow Fighting type TR abuser, I'd much rather use Sirfetch'd. Sure it's faster, which could let it get outslowed by other Pokemon under Trick Room, but it hits much, much harder, and Scrappy means it doesn't have to predict as much.

Honestly if you're looking to use Grapploct, I really think the best possible option is some sort of Octolock stallbreaking/setup set, but even then in a meta that's as Fairy and Ghost filled as this one is, I just don't think it can cut it.