[OVERVIEW]
Grimmsnarl is an amazing dual screens setter for hyper offense teams, thanks to its ability Prankster, which gives it priority in setting up dual screens for its teammates. It also provides utility with Taunt to stop opposing entry hazards from being set up or its own dual screens being removed by Defog. Grimmsnarl's defensive typing allows it to pivot into threats such as Salamence, Noivern, and Choice-locked Chandelure to set up dual screens, giving it a niche over Alolan Ninetales due to its better defensive utility. However, Grimmsnarl does not have access to moves such as Explosion or Hypnosis like other leads such as Mew and Alolan Ninetales have to get their teammates in safely respectively which causes Grimmsnarl to make uncomfortable switches and often causes its teammates to take unnecessary damage. Grimmsnarl also is weak to common Pokemon in the metagame like Scizor, Primarina, and Azumarill which can heavily damage Grimmsnarl with their super effective STAB attacks even through dual screens. Other prevalent Pokemon such as Jirachi and Celesteela can wear down Grimmsnarl easily due to their resistance to Spirit Break. Lastly, Grimmsnarl is difficult to lead with due to its vulnerability to Knock Off from faster threats like Thundurus and Krookodile, meaning that its dual screens won't be up for as long.
[SET]
name: Dual Screens
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Spirit Break
item: Light Clay
ability: Prankster
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Prankster Taunt shuts down opposing setup sweepers like Gyarados, Celesteela, and Scizor. It also helps against Pokemon such as lead Mew and Alolan Ninetales, stopping the former from setting up entry hazards and the latter Aurora Veil. It stops Defoggers like Rotom-H and Salamence from removing its dual screens as well. Spirit Break limits Grimmsnarl's passivity and allows it to hit Pokemon like Crawdaunt and Keldeo hard. The Special Attack drop from Spirit Break punishes switch-ins like Nidoqueen and Volcanion, allowing for one of Grimmsnarl's teammates to pivot in and set up on them easily. Prankster gives priority to Reflect and Light Screen, increasing Grimmsnarl's reliability as a dual screens setter. Maximum investment in HP and Special Defense alongside a Careful Nature maximizes Grimmsnarl's bulk, allowing it to switch into special attackers such as choice-locked Aegislash, Salamence, and Moltres, allowing it to set up both Reflect and Light Screen much easier against them.
Grimmsnarl fits on hyper offense teams, therefore it appreciates another lead to give it an easier time setting up dual screens. Lead Krookodile makes for a great partner due to it being able to pressure the Steel- and Poison-types that threaten Grimmsnarl. In return, Krookodile appreciates Grimmsnarl preventing Defoggers like Salamence and Rotom-H from removing Stealth Rock with Taunt. Teammates such as Galarian Moltres, Gyarados, Scizor, Celesteela, and Kommo-o all appreciate dual screens allowing them to take hits better and set up before cleaning through teams. Scizor in particular helps Grimmsnarl's matchup against offensive Fairy- and Poison-types like Hatterene and Nihilego, with a +2 Bullet Punch OHKOing them. Autotomize Celesteela and Thundurus-T are other setup sweepers that appreciate the dual screens support given by Grimmsnarl and help with its matchup against the tier's Steel-types like Jirachi, Scizor, and Celesteela.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Thunder Wave can sometimes be ran over either Taunt or Spirit Break to cripple setup sweepers like Gyarados and Kommo-o. However, dropping Taunt hinders Grimmsnarl's role as a dual screens setter, as it can't prevent Defog and setup attempts, while dropping Spirit Break makes it far too passive and unable to offensively pressure Pokemon such as Keldeo and Salamence. A Bulk Up + RestTalk set with Leftovers can be ran due to Prankster giving priority to Bulk Up and Rest. However, strong special attackers like Nidoqueen and Primarina can pressure Grimmsnarl while it is asleep. It also has to run either only STAB Fairy- or Dark-Type attacks, rendering it difficult to damage Steel-types if running Spirit Break or Dark- and Fairy-types if running Darkest Lariat. Alternatively, a Bulk Up set utilizing Substitute alongside both STAB attacks can be used, as this set doesn't have issues with picking what type to be walled by.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Steel-types**: Steel-types like Scizor, Aegislash, Jirachi, and Celesteela can damage Grimmsnarl with STAB super effective attacks while also resisting Spirit Break. Faster Scizor variants are also able to OHKO Grimmsnarl with Bullet Punch before it can set up dual screens.
**Fairy-types**: Hatterene, Primarina, and Azumarill all can break through Grimmsnarl with their STAB Fairy-type attacks. In Hatterene's case, it can bounce back Taunt with Magic Bounce and set up Calm Mind in front of Grimmsnarl, though it and Primarina do not appreciate the Special Attack drop from Spirit Break.
**Poison-types**: Offensive Poison-types like Nidoqueen and Nihilego hit Grimmsnarl hard with their STAB Poison-type attacks, though they dislike the Special Attack drop from Spirit Break.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Monky25, 515132]]
- Quality checked by: [[Hilomilo, 313384], [Twilight, 344575], [martha, 384270]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]
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