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[OVERVIEW]
With its pure Fairy typing, Granbull is one of the best answers to Fighting-, Dark-, and Dragon-types in the tier, checking some of the most prominent Pokemon in the metagame like Emboar, Sneasel, and Virizion. Unlike other Fairy-types, Granbull possesses a great Attack stat, giving it good offensive presence to supplement its defenses. Intimidate improves its physical bulk and differentiates it from other defensive Fairy-types like Aromatisse and Togetic. Granbull's movepool offers offensive options with good coverage in Play Rough, Earthquake, and Stone Edge and utility options in Heal Bell, Thunder Wave, and Roar.
However, Granbull lacks reliable recovery, making it reliant on Z-Heal Bell or Leftovers to stay healthy throughout the game. Granbull's mediocre base 60 Special Defense makes it an easy target for Pokemon like Sceptile and Rotom-C. It’s also very slow, making it vulnerable to slow defensive Pokemon like Vileplume and Seismitoad and slow wallbreakers like Emboar and Vikavolt. Granbull faces competition from Aromatisse and Togetic, which offer Wish and Defog support, respectively, and reliable recovery, though neither of them provides offensive pressure the way Granbull does.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Play Rough
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Heal Bell
move 4: Thunder Wave
item: Normalium Z / Leftovers
ability: Intimidate
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Play Rough is a STAB move that hits quite hard and is fairly accurate. Earthquake gives Granbull coverage for Poison-, Fire-, and Steel-types like Garbodor, Emboar, and Steelix. Heal Bell lets Granbull cure itself and its team of any status ailments. Thunder Wave is used to cripple setup sweepers and expected switch-ins like Golbat and Steelix.
Set Details
========
Maximum investment in HP and Defense combined with an Impish nature maximizes Granbull's physical bulk. Normalium Z turns Heal Bell into a one-time recovery option, restoring Granbull's HP and healing a possible status ailment. Leftovers gives Granbull passive recovery each turn. Intimidate improves its physical bulk.
Usage Tips
========
Because of its superb physical bulk, Granbull can switch into many physical attackers, like Hitmonlee, Emboar, Virizion, Tauros, Sneasel, and Scrafty, and threaten them out with Play Rough or Thunder Wave. Granbull is a good Knock Off absorber thanks to its typing and ability. Avoid switching into special attackers since Granbull doesn't have the special bulk to take hits from them well. Use Z-Heal Bell when Granbull is at low health to give it as much longevity as possible.
Team Options
========
Granbull is used best on defense-oriented playstyles like stall and bulky balance.
Steelix and Rhydon make good partners, covering Granbull’s Poison- and Steel-type weaknesses while also setting up Stealth Rock to further support Granbull. Granbull appreciates entry hazard setters that help wear down the opposing team like Garbodor and Qwilfish. These Pokemon also form a good physically defensive core with Granbull and absorb Toxic Spikes for it. Granbull can get worn down quickly, so it appreciates hazard removers. Hitmontop can clear hazards with Rapid Spin while also forming a double Intimidate core with Granbull. Granbull's ability to absorb Knock Off makes it a good partner to Psychic-types such as Delphox, Sigilyph, and Slowbro, Ghost-types such as Mismagius and Jellicent, and Eviolite holders such as Rhydon, Piloswine, and Golbat. Slow wallbreakers like Vikavolt and Emboar work well with Granbull since it can use Thunder Wave to slow down faster Pokemon, making it easier for them to wallbreak. Because Granbull is easily worn down, Wish support is appreciated to keep it healthy and make it not too reliant on Z-Heal Bell. Some good options for Wish users are Vaporeon and Audino, which can take the special hits that threaten Granbull. Sneasel can Pursuit trap the likes of Mismagius and Sigilyph, which take advantage of Granbull with their special moves.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Granbull can run an offensive Choice Band set with Play Rough, Earthquake, Stone Edge and Fire Punch, a spread of 252 Atk / 208 HP / 48 Spe, and an Adamant nature to outspeed the likes of Drampa and Guzzlord. The loss of passive recovery and lack of Defense investment reduces the number of times Granbull can switch in. Moreover, Granbull's low Speed and checks being very common make the Choice Band set difficult to use. Bulk Up can be used on either an offensive or a defensive set if Leftovers is held, but Granbull's lack of instant recovery hinders it from fully utilizing this option. Toxic is an option over Thunder Wave on the defensive set, though this isn't optimal because Steel- and Poison-types are common switch-ins to Granbull. Super Fang is an option on the defensive set to help wear down physically bulky switch-ins such as Steelix, Rhydon, and Uxie. Roar is a fine option to phaze opposing Pokemon out, especially those that try to use Granbull as hazard fodder like Garbodor and Qwilfish.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Poison-types**: Granbull struggles a lot with Poison-types. It can't deal enough damage to neutralize Pokemon like Vileplume, Weezing, and Golbat, while Toxicroak and Garbodor outspeed Granbull and threaten it with Gunk Shot. Garbodor and Weezing can use Granbull as Spikes and Toxic Spikes fodder.
**Physical Walls**: Granbull has difficulty taking down physically defensive Pokemon like Steelix, Rhydon, and Slowbro. Steelix and Rhydon both take minimal damage from Earthquake and wear down Granbull with repeated attacks or use it to freely set up Stealth Rock. Slowbro uses it as setup fodder.
**Braviary**: Be careful when switching Granbull in against an opponent running Braviary, as Defiant gives it an Attack boost from Intimidate. Moreover, Substitute + Bulk Up Braviary can simply set up a Substitute on a predicted Thunder Wave and is bulky enough after a couple boosts to the point that Granbull can no longer break its Substitute.
**Special Attackers**: Because of Granbull's mediocre base 60 Special Defense, common special attackers such as Vikavolt, Sceptile, and Vivillon can either OHKO or 2HKO Granbull. These special attackers must be wary of a possible Play Rough or Thunder Wave if they switch in on Granbull.
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