Grimmsnarl
Attack
Defense
Stamina
Best Movesets
Analysis
Ah, Grimmsnarl; the hair-covered goblin of Galar. Grimmsnarl is a mixed bag in terms of popularity, but it's fortunately NOT a mixed bag in terms of Pokemon Go performance! ....it's bad. Yeah, it's bad.
To be fair, it's not the WORST Pokemon in the game, but it just has nothing to allow it to stand out. Sure, its Dark/Fairy typing is a unique advantage and can be useful defensively, but it doesn't really have the means to use that typing. It has a mediocre Attack stat and a lack of a Fairy Type Fast Move to act on that side of the spectrum, leaving it only able to function as a Dark Type. And oh boy, that isn't a meta it can compete in! If you want to be good as a Dark Type, you need a great Attack stat, access to a broken move like Brutal Swing, or preferably both if you want to excel. At the end of the day, Grimmsnarl just isn't really worth it.
Offense
- Sucker Punch is a little bit better than Bite, and Foul Play is better than Dark Pulse.
- Play Rough is on a par with Foul Play in a vacuum, possibly even superior in some situations, but Fairy and Dark don't have the best coverage together.
- Low Kick and Power-Up can work if you're absolutely desperate, but you're probably better off running a better attacker with neutral damage.
Defense
- Bite is generally the move of choice in terms of raw stats, but Low Kick is close behind and has useful coverage.
- Power-Up Punch is the Charged Move of choice in general due to how frequently it comes out, though Play Rough and Foul Play are also worthwhile for their great neutral coverage and high power post-STAB. Just try to avoid using Fast and Charged Moves of the same type, as it makes it a bit harder to outright wall Grimmsnarl with a single Pokemon.
- Bite and Dark Pulse fall behind.
Sucker Punch is undeniably the best Fast Move option for Grimmsnarl, as it offers the highest base stats all-around. Generally speaking, Foul Play and Play Rough offer high power, reasonable energy cost, and solid neutral coverage together. However, Power-Up Punch is also worth considering here due to its self-buffing capabilities and shield baiting capabilities.
Despite its unique typing, the Great League just isn't very kind to Grimmsnarl, and the CP restriction hurts its potential quite a bit.
