Graveler (UU Analysis)

Plasmanta

Banned deucer.
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http://www.smogon.com/dex/rb/pokemon/graveler

[Overview]

-Great Rock / Ground typing, allowing it to switch in on Electabuzz and Magneton or other Electric-type attackers
-Strongest Explosion in the tier
-Has 5 less attack than Sandslash, but has higher defense
-Has a fairly shallow movepool outside of STABs and Normal-type attacks

[SET]

name: Explosion
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: Explosion
move 4: Body Slam / Substitute

[SET COMMENTS]
-Earthquake is your primary STAB, and it puts pressure on the Electrics you should be switching on and usually forces them to switch
-Rock Slide is your secondary STAB, and can hit Pokemon such as Tangela
-Explosion is when you predict your opponent is sending in something you want gone, and you feel Graveler is of no use to you at the time
-Body Slam is to hit incoming Water / Grass Pokemon on the switch and hope to paralyze them
-Substitute allows you to damage something you usually wouldn't be able to, such as a water type. Just be sure your foe's sleeper is either fainted or has slept something else, or it can put you to bed and make you waste 25% of your health

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
-Use this thing as a switch into an Electric-type and then force them out, Body Slam, and hope for a paralysis.
-If you want to get rid of a really annoying Pokemon in the foe's team, make sure something on your team is asleep, (because of Sleep Clause) and send in this thing and Explode.
-If you ever want Graveler to see the light of day, be sure to keep it away from the likes of Tangela, Golduck, and Poliwrath.
-Fire Blast could be a worthy 4th move, as it nets a 3HKO on Tangela
-Sandslash does take around 5% less on the switch in from Electabuzz's psychic
-Sandslash arguably has a worse moveset, as it won't be able to pull of Swords Dance as often as you'll be able to pull of an Explosion
 
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Graveler takes 30-35% from Electabuzz Psychic, Sandslash only 24-28%. The fact that Graveler is potentially 3HKOed by Psychic means it's needs more help in dealing with Electabuzz, the most common Electric.

I'd imagine Fire Blast is actually worth mentioning for the 3HKO on Tangela. Tangela doesn't seem to mind paralysis all that much, so being able to kill it (without Exploding on it) may prove more useful at times than merely paralyzing with Body Slam.

Substitute might be a worthwhile 4th as well.

Isa you know this tier a lot more than I do, suggest other things.
 
Sandslash has higher physical bulk than Graveler, but it hardly matters since Graveler is either weak to or resisting every single physical physical attack whereas Sandslash isn't weak to/resisting squat (bar Rock Slide, really) physically.

Rock Slide is more important for Charizard (and Fearow) than Tangela.

I wouldn't run Fire Blast (or Substitute) because Body Slam paralysis is what you have vs. Kingler switches, and if a team lacks Tangela, Kingler will be their go-to in many many cases.
Graveler Earthquake vs. Kingler: 95-112 (30.3 - 35.7%) -- 37.2% chance to 3HKO
Graveler Explosion vs. Kingler: 214-252 (68.3 - 80.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Not too impressive. Cutting your ability to soak Psychic is also not too bright.

I also don't get the obsession with Sleep. If your opponent hasn't slept anything and you feel like booming, that means that you're massively ahead already! Just boom and simplify, take their sleeper down and essentially be up a Pokémon!


Analysis could also do with a more indepth comparison between Sandslash and Graveler.
 
That's just kind of my playstyle, being very careful around sleep

also, I like the sandsalsh /graveler compare / contrast section, edited a few facts about that in
 
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