Granbull
Attack
Defense
Stamina
Best Movesets
Analysis
Granbull is a pure Fairy-type Pokemon with a decent ATK stat. It’s outclassed by Gardevoir on offense and isn’t worth considering seriously on defense.
Offense
- Charm is the only fast move that gets STAB, and is superior to the rest.
- Bite and Snarl are close, but Snarl more often comes out on top.
- Play Rough is ideal on Granbull due to STAB and type coverage vs. Dragon, Fighting, and Dark-types.
- Crunch can work, but there are better Dark-type attackers to choose from.
- Close Combat lacks utility without STAB or type synergy with fast moves.
Defense
- Charm benefits from STAB and deals huge damage on defense.
- Snarl is superior to Bite for raw damage and energy gain.
- Play Rough has high power, early damage window, and good neutral coverage.
- Crunch can see use on defense due to low energy cost and offers coverage.
- Close Combat can cover Steel-types, but Granbull’s bulk is poor for 1-bar moves.
Charm + Crunch and Close Combat
The moveset rebalance on July 9, 2019 gave Granbull a much needed buff with the addition of Charm. Taking advantage of STAB, this allows Granbull to deal very solid Fairy-type damage without relying on its charge moves.
Crunch costs the least amount of energy among Granbull's charge moves and also provides some coverage. Close Combat is provides dangerous counter coverage against Steel-types.
Snarl + Crunch or Play Rough and Close Combat
Snarl generates energy very quickly after a more recent update, and gives Granbull an option to rely more on its powerful charged moves, though the low bulk prevents it from doing it very consistently. Play Rough can be viable with this moveset, though it costs the most amount of energy.
As a mono-Fairy Pokemon, Granbull is one of the lucky candidates to obtain Charm to its moveset thanks to the moveset rebalance in July 2019. Unlike other Fairy-types, Granbull distinguishes itself with access to a Dark-type moveset, which gives it interesting niches against Ghost and Psychic-types. Unfortunately the relatively high ATK stat of Granbull provides it relatively poor bulk compared to other picks, and the low energy generation from Charm means it won't be able to utilize its charge moves much. While Snarl lets Granbull use its charge moves much more frequently, Granbull is unlikely able to survive long enough depending on the matchup. Overall an interesting consideration for Great League, but generally speaking some other Fairy-types perform better.
Shadow Granbull is preferred over regular Granbull so that its Charms become extremely oppressive.
