Community POTW #091

[Serebii]

Time for the next Pokémon of the Week and this week we go to Galar

It's Grimmsnarl!

Grimmsnarl #861 - Serebii.net Pokédex

Grimmsnarl Pokémon Serebii.net Pokédex providing all details on moves, stats, abilities, evolution data and locations for Pokémon Sword & Shield

www.serebii.net

 

[Morax]

Coincidence?

 

[XaelOstigian]

GOBLINS

Putting aside the fact that this guy would probably go into murder mode if he ever met Grimmsnarl, this grotesque fairy has found a niche home in the higher tiers of competitive play namely because it is one of the few users of the Prankster ability that can utilize more offensive sets thanks to excellent offensive and defensive typing, base 120 attack, a large movepool, and just enough support options that can take advantage of Prankster. Granted Grimmsnarl is still not quite as terrifying as the goblins from "Goblin Slayer". The agro warrior seen above can easily catch up to him no thanks to low base 60 speed when it is not using a status move, and 95 65 75 defenses aren't so high that Grimmsnarl can take a dagger from Goblin Slayer. Still, face off against Grimmsnarl at your own peril with a plan in mind and fully aware of his capabilities, or well...you already know what will happen:

Sleep Sweeper
Ability: Prankster
Item: Leftovers
Nature: Adamant
EVs: (HP 252) (Attack 252) (Speed 4)

Moves:
Darkest Lariat
Play Rough/Spirit Break
Rest
Sleep Talk

Set Details:
Grimmsnarl's Prankster ability only gives +1 priority to its status moves, but this set extends the privileges to its offensive moves thanks to Sleep Talk technically being a status move, thus giving you priority to your attacks when asleep after using Rest (Which also has priority). Darkest Lariat is useful for bypassing enemy defense boosts or your attack drops, and while Play Rough is the stronger of its two physical Fairy attacks, Spirit Break is 100% accurate and punishes special attackers with a special attack drop each time it hits. Invest in attack and bulk, and slap on Leftovers to increase survivability.

Screen Setter
Ability: Prankster
Item: Light Clay
Nature: Adamant
EVs: (HP 252) (Attack 252) (Speed 4)

Moves:
Reflect
Light Screen
Darkest Lariat/Sucker Punch
Spirit Break/Drain Punch

Set Details:
Priority wall setting is a godsend as any Klefki players can attest, and unlike the key ring, Grimmsnarl can apply offensive pressure. Set up a corresponding wall against a physical or special attacker followed up by the other one, and thanks to Light Clay they will both stick around for a while and allow your teammates to take advantage of them. And of course unload your STABs once your screens are up. This time Sucker Punch is an option as well, allowing you to bypass your low speed without reliance on Prankster provided you can anticipate an opponent's attack, and you can substitute Spirit Break with Drain Punch for improved survivability and wider coverage if you prefer.

Spark and Slug
Ability: Prankster
Item: Leftovers
Nature: Adamant
EVs: (HP 252) (Attack 252) (Speed 4)

Moves:
Thunder Wave
Bulk Up/Drain Punch
Darkest Lariat/Sucker Punch
Play Rough/Spirit Break

Set Details
Since speed is not Grimmsnarl's forte outside of status moves, Thunder Wave rectifies that with priority paralysis that also offers team support. Bulk Up can be used to accumulate offensive boosts, but Drain Punch offers added coverage and HP recovery, and of course you still have your STAB options to take down your opponent.

Other Options:
Nasty Plot: Base 95 special attack means a special attacking set is viable with Grimmsnarl using moves like Dark Pulse, Dazzling Gleam, Focus Blast, and Burning Jealousy, but the base 60 speed without its priority status moves keep it from fully utilizing the set without Thunder Wave.
Swagger/Flatter: Another status option to mess with your opponent, but it is not as reliable and can backfire if luck is not on your side, and the former is banned from competitive play anyways.
Metronome: Speaking of luck, since Metronome is technically a status move it gets priority with Prankster. If you are lucky you will get your hands on a useful offensive move randomly plucked from the attackdex, but if you are unlucky you could draw something useless or even detrimental. Still fun to use though, and hilarious when you can beat your opponent with it (Cue salty competitive players)

So show no mercy out there, let loose your inner villain, and brutalize your opponent, for you are in control of a goblin champion.

 

[Mestorn]

Hailing to goblins and trolls of yore few Fairies have been as blatantly malevolent as Grimmsnarl. Which suits Grimmsnarl just fine as it is another proud user of the Prankster ability -one of the best in fact. Despite Prankster having been nerfed to fail against Dark types, there are few pokémon as anti Dark type as Grimmsnarl with a quad resistance and STAB Fairy moves ensures that any Darks trying to block Prankster will instead find themselves facing their worst nightmare instead. Psychic Terrain, another anti Prankster measure also falls short against Grimmsnarl, as bar Tapu Lele, few Psychic types want to tangle with the Dark Grimmsnarl.

Grimmsnarl has had a successful generation, seeing play in Tournaments and a known threat in VGC. Grimmsnarl's greatest claim to fame has to be when the Mewtwo Raids dropped in Sword and Shield. Amid the anti Psychic Lunala and Marshadow running around, Grimmsnarl was at the forefront, setting up screens and blanking Mewtwo's massive mind melting STAB. Even if Grimmsnarl falls by the wayside in future generations, it can stand proud being one of the best answers to one of Pokémon's toughest challenges.

Beware Trolls Bearing Gifts
Grimmsnarl
Item: Lagging Tail
Ability: Prankster
-Trick
-Fake Out
-Taunt
-Spirit Break
EVs: 252 HP / 252 DEF / 4 SDEF
Nature: Impish (hah!) (+DEF, -SATK)

A Doubles Grimmsnarl. Fake Out is a fantastic move, preventing your opponent from building their own momentum. Spirit Break is so that Grimmsnarl isn't ruined by Taunt and can still do something as your last Pokémon while punishing Dark types as mentioned before. Taunt further prevents setup attempts, stopping Trick Room, Geomancy and Tailwind setups past turn 1. Lagging Tail and Trick are where this set stands out. Tricking Lagging Tail to your opponent, forcing it to move last can have huge implications in a game as fast paced as VGC, where moving last can make the difference between a Pokémon KOing and being KOed. Trick also enables further item disruption. Steal a Choice Scarf? Trick that onto an Amoongus! Steal a Safety Goggles? Rage Powder away! Lagging Tail is easy to hide to as Grimmsnarl is naturally slow to begin with and will still move first thanks to Prankster on any non Spirit Break attack.

Also Worst. Surprise. Party. Ever. Grimmsnarl Fakes you Out by handing a surprise gift, only for you to nearly crush yourself with the Lagging Tail Trick. Grimmsnarl then Taunts and jeers Breaking your Spirit for trusting a troll in the first place.

Other Options
Fake Tears/Scary Face -Grimmsnarl can provide further disruption with stat lowering moves. Using Fake Tears with a powerful special oriented partner like Zapdos, or Calyrex Shadow rider cna help Guarantee KOs while Scary Face is powerful speed control that unlike Thunder Wave, hits Regieleki and Tapu Koko.
Light Screen and Reflect -Most Grimmsnarl you will see have the 3 same moves: Reflect, Light Screen and Spirit Break. Screens are just so strong in doubles, being able to live focus fire attempts without Protecting can enable devastating setups or just simply keep you alive as you trade blows with your opponent.
Sucker Punch -STAB priority attack coming off of a Base 120 offensive stat is always good.
Gigantamax -Grimmsnarl has an amazing Gigantamax. G-Max Snooze has a 50% to cause a Yawn effect to the entire team which can decide games right there if it lands.

 

[joshxart]

Grimmsnarl's ability Prankster definitely gives it an edge as a support mon in Doubles, as well as being an overall pain in the neck to deal with. Personally I like to opt for a Dual Screens set up as well as giving it Taunt to shut down opposing set up moves (Trick Room, Tailwind, etc.). You can team up Grimmsnarl to set up both Light Screen and Reflect to help keep Pokemon such as Landorus Incarnate, Kartana, and Spectrier on the field longer, or you could even team it up with a mon that already has considerable bulk to make it an absolute nuisance/ potential staller (Cresselia, Stakataka, Celesteela). This is just one example but Grimmsnarl is a very good Pokemon with a lot of potential and moveset possibilities, as well as having a great design and lore.

Green Goblin:
Grimmsnarl @ Light Clay
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 92 HP / 252 Atk / 164 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Taunt
- Spirit Break

 

[Starspinner]

MOVESET NAME: SOUL-SLAYER DEMON
FORMAT TYPE: Singles

ABILITY	EXPLANATION
PRANKSTER	Prankster raises the priority of Grimmsnarl’s status moves by one, patching up its mediocre Speed stat.

MOVE NAME	EXPLANATION
SUCKER PUNCH	Sucker Punch is a Dark-type STAB that hits the opponent before it attacks. It also does not require Prankster for boosted priority.
SPIRIT BREAK	Spirit Break is a unique Fairy-type STAB that lowers an opponent’s Special Attack after it is used.
BULK UP	Bulk Up raises both the Attack and Defense stats.
TRICK	Trick switches the items of Grimmsnarl and its opponent.

ITEM	EXPLANATION
LAGGING TAIL	Lagging Tails force their holders to move last in any given priority tier (except in Trick Room). While this item provides some limitations for Grimmsnarl, a simple exchange of items with Trick allows Grimmsnarl to transfer the Lagging Tail’s nasty effect to its opponent. Afterward, Grimmsnarl can use any of its moves against the opponent first, including Spirit Break.

NATURE	EXPLANATION
ADAMANT	An Adamant nature supports Grimmsnarl’s physical moves while simultaneously blighting its unused Special Attack.

EVS	EXPLANATION
252 Attack, 252 HP, 4 Defense	The Attack and HP stats should receive the most EVs to provide maximum power and vitality to Grimmsnarl. Additionally, Additionally, Grimmsnarl’s Defense stat requires some EVs because Bulk Up can boost it without delay. By contrast, Grimmsnarl’s Special Defense stat relies on Spirit Break for fortification, which should be used once Trick removes the Lagging Tail from Grimmsnarl.

SHOULD GRIMMSNARL GIGANTAMAX WITH THIS MOVESET?	EXPLANATION
NO	While Grimmsnarl's G-Max Snooze is an amazIng move that can put opponents to sleep the turn after it's used, Grimmsnarl should not G-Max with this moveset because Grimmsnarl's moves serve purposes that will be lost in Gigantamax.