[OVERVIEW]
Graveler’s high physical bulk and Rock typing make it a near-perfect counter to Fearow, PU's most dangerous offensive threat that is on nearly every team. A healthy Graveler can effortlessly switch into all of Fearow’s attacks, taking a maximum of 17.2% from Double-Edge and only taking up to 25.8% from its normally devastating Hyper Beam. These traits also make Graveler a decent check to Pinsir, Rapidash, and Arcanine. Graveler’s role in the tier isn’t strictly defensive, though. STAB Earthquake and Rock Slide give Graveler perfect coverage, and thanks to Graveler’s high Attack, they are able to 2HKO many foes. Graveler also has Body Slam to fish for paralysis as well as a powerful Explosion.
However, Graveler is extremely slow, only outspeeding the rare Slowpoke and speed tying Omanyte. It is notably outsped and walled by Porygon, which can switch into Graveler and threaten it with Blizzard. Although Graveler is physically bulky, its special bulk is terrible; this combined with poor speed makes it very difficult for Graveler to handle special attackers. Graveler is OHKOed even by non-STAB Surf from Nidoqueen and Dragonair, and 2HKOed by Abra and Drowzee’s Psychics, but Drowzee's has a poor chance without a Special drop. This special frailty is exacerbated by Graveler’s fear of burn—it struggles to switch into Fire Blast from Rapidash and Arcanine. Graveler also faces competition from Omanyte, which trades some physical bulk and power for a 4x Fire resistance. Omanyte also doesn't mind burn as much, since it’s primarily a special attacker. One big advantage Graveler has over Omanyte is access to Explosion, which can severely dent a bulky opponent, such as Porygon or Machamp. Overall, Graveler makes an excellent check to the ubiquitous Fearow, but its flaws make it difficult to fit on most teams.
[SET]
name: Tank
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: Body Slam
move 4: Explosion
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Earthquake is Graveler’s strongest move. It easily 2HKOes every Pokemon weak to Ground, such as the bulky Arcanine and Nidoqueen, as well as physically-frail Pokemon, such as Staryu and Drowzee. Rock Slide hits Fearow and Pinsir, 2HKOing the former and having an 87.6% chance to 2HKO the latter. Body Slam allows Graveler to fish for paralysis on switch-ins like Seaking, and Explosion deals monstrous damage to any foe that isn’t resistant or immune to Normal. Notably, it has a chance to OHKO Porygon, which otherwise walls Graveler. However, Explosion must be used with caution, as once Graveler explodes, its team will have more trouble checking Fearow. When using Graveler, it is important for its teammates to handle opposing Water-types, preferably with paralysis, since Graveler’s Earthquake 2HKOes Staryu and 3HKOes Seaking.
Graveler’s best teammates are Pokemon that appreciate its ability to switch into offensive threats that force them out. Pinsir and Abra are great teammates, since they are both threatened by Fearow, which Graveler can effortlessly switch into. Paralysis spreaders, such as Porygon, Dragonair, Staryu, Drowzee, and the aforementioned Abra, are good teammates to help alleviate Graveler’s low Speed. A healthy Staryu is able to switch into any of Seaking's attacks, giving Graveler an option to fall back on if Seaking forces it out. Porygon is also able to switch into opposing Seaking and Staryu and threaten paralysis. Graveler is also able to bait in opposing Porygon and use Explosion on it, so teammates that exploit teams without Porygon, such as Seaking, are valuable.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Other options on Graveler are generally not recommended. Substitute can be used as an opposing Fearow switches out to ease prediction, but it’s hard to find a move to replace it with, and Graveler can just directly attack what switches in anyway. If Graveler comes in after Fearow KOs a Pokemon with a Normal-type attack, Graveler can use Counter as it switches out, dealing double the damage to the switch-in. This means Graveler is able to KO one of its switch-ins, such as Porygon, and continue to wall Fearow, something it is unable to do with Explosion. However this strategy requires sacrificing a Pokemon instead of just directly switching Graveler into Fearow. Additionally, once revealed, it is hard to pull off. Counter is also a good option against Pinsir, which exclusively runs Normal- and Fighting-type attacks.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water-type Attacks:** Seaking and Staryu both outspeed Graveler and are able to easily OHKO it with Surf. Seaking is 3HKOed by Earthquake, and while Staryu is 2HKOed, it is able to use Recover to heal off the damage from Graveler's Earthquake. Although Slowpoke is slower than Graveler, it is also able to OHKO it with Surf. Additonally, Nidoqueen and Dragonair can run Surf to land a surprise OKHO on Graveler.
**Porygon:** Graveler is one of the few Pokemon Porygon outspeeds, and Graveler is unable to threaten an unparalyzed Porygon at all without using Explosion. Porygon can use Recover to heal off the damage from Graveler's attacks, and it 2HKOes Graveler with Blizzard. Graveler's terrible critical hit rate makes breaking through Porygon with critical hits extremely unlikely.
**Earthquake Users:** Earthquake users, such as Machamp and Sandslash, 2HKO Graveler with Earthquake while taking little damage in return. Even with an Earthquake weakness of its own, Nidoqueen beats Graveler one-on-one since it's faster.
**Special Attackers:** Although they cannot switch in, special attackers such as Dragonair and Drowzee deal heavy damage to Graveler due to its low special bulk, often forcing it out.
**Burn:** Graveler hates being burned, so it has to watch out from Fire Blast from Pokemon it would normally beat, such as Rapidash and Arcanine. Graveler struggles to switch into Fire-types as a result, but it is good at revenge killing them, especially once they're paralyzed.
**Grass-types:** Although rare, Vileplume and Weepinbell can switch into Graveler and easily KO it. Weepinbell is frail but is able to OHKOes Graveler with Razor Leaf, whereas Vileplume is bulkier, but Mega Drain only 2HKOes.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gastlies.540559/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gangsta-spongebob.535530/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Graveler’s high physical bulk and Rock typing make it a near-perfect counter to Fearow, PU's most dangerous offensive threat that is on nearly every team. A healthy Graveler can effortlessly switch into all of Fearow’s attacks, taking a maximum of 17.2% from Double-Edge and only taking up to 25.8% from its normally devastating Hyper Beam. These traits also make Graveler a decent check to Pinsir, Rapidash, and Arcanine. Graveler’s role in the tier isn’t strictly defensive, though. STAB Earthquake and Rock Slide give Graveler perfect coverage, and thanks to Graveler’s high Attack, they are able to 2HKO many foes. Graveler also has Body Slam to fish for paralysis as well as a powerful Explosion.
However, Graveler is extremely slow, only outspeeding the rare Slowpoke and speed tying Omanyte. It is notably outsped and walled by Porygon, which can switch into Graveler and threaten it with Blizzard. Although Graveler is physically bulky, its special bulk is terrible; this combined with poor speed makes it very difficult for Graveler to handle special attackers. Graveler is OHKOed even by non-STAB Surf from Nidoqueen and Dragonair, and 2HKOed by Abra and Drowzee’s Psychics, but Drowzee's has a poor chance without a Special drop. This special frailty is exacerbated by Graveler’s fear of burn—it struggles to switch into Fire Blast from Rapidash and Arcanine. Graveler also faces competition from Omanyte, which trades some physical bulk and power for a 4x Fire resistance. Omanyte also doesn't mind burn as much, since it’s primarily a special attacker. One big advantage Graveler has over Omanyte is access to Explosion, which can severely dent a bulky opponent, such as Porygon or Machamp. Overall, Graveler makes an excellent check to the ubiquitous Fearow, but its flaws make it difficult to fit on most teams.
[SET]
name: Tank
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: Body Slam
move 4: Explosion
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Earthquake is Graveler’s strongest move. It easily 2HKOes every Pokemon weak to Ground, such as the bulky Arcanine and Nidoqueen, as well as physically-frail Pokemon, such as Staryu and Drowzee. Rock Slide hits Fearow and Pinsir, 2HKOing the former and having an 87.6% chance to 2HKO the latter. Body Slam allows Graveler to fish for paralysis on switch-ins like Seaking, and Explosion deals monstrous damage to any foe that isn’t resistant or immune to Normal. Notably, it has a chance to OHKO Porygon, which otherwise walls Graveler. However, Explosion must be used with caution, as once Graveler explodes, its team will have more trouble checking Fearow. When using Graveler, it is important for its teammates to handle opposing Water-types, preferably with paralysis, since Graveler’s Earthquake 2HKOes Staryu and 3HKOes Seaking.
Graveler’s best teammates are Pokemon that appreciate its ability to switch into offensive threats that force them out. Pinsir and Abra are great teammates, since they are both threatened by Fearow, which Graveler can effortlessly switch into. Paralysis spreaders, such as Porygon, Dragonair, Staryu, Drowzee, and the aforementioned Abra, are good teammates to help alleviate Graveler’s low Speed. A healthy Staryu is able to switch into any of Seaking's attacks, giving Graveler an option to fall back on if Seaking forces it out. Porygon is also able to switch into opposing Seaking and Staryu and threaten paralysis. Graveler is also able to bait in opposing Porygon and use Explosion on it, so teammates that exploit teams without Porygon, such as Seaking, are valuable.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Other options on Graveler are generally not recommended. Substitute can be used as an opposing Fearow switches out to ease prediction, but it’s hard to find a move to replace it with, and Graveler can just directly attack what switches in anyway. If Graveler comes in after Fearow KOs a Pokemon with a Normal-type attack, Graveler can use Counter as it switches out, dealing double the damage to the switch-in. This means Graveler is able to KO one of its switch-ins, such as Porygon, and continue to wall Fearow, something it is unable to do with Explosion. However this strategy requires sacrificing a Pokemon instead of just directly switching Graveler into Fearow. Additionally, once revealed, it is hard to pull off. Counter is also a good option against Pinsir, which exclusively runs Normal- and Fighting-type attacks.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water-type Attacks:** Seaking and Staryu both outspeed Graveler and are able to easily OHKO it with Surf. Seaking is 3HKOed by Earthquake, and while Staryu is 2HKOed, it is able to use Recover to heal off the damage from Graveler's Earthquake. Although Slowpoke is slower than Graveler, it is also able to OHKO it with Surf. Additonally, Nidoqueen and Dragonair can run Surf to land a surprise OKHO on Graveler.
**Porygon:** Graveler is one of the few Pokemon Porygon outspeeds, and Graveler is unable to threaten an unparalyzed Porygon at all without using Explosion. Porygon can use Recover to heal off the damage from Graveler's attacks, and it 2HKOes Graveler with Blizzard. Graveler's terrible critical hit rate makes breaking through Porygon with critical hits extremely unlikely.
**Earthquake Users:** Earthquake users, such as Machamp and Sandslash, 2HKO Graveler with Earthquake while taking little damage in return. Even with an Earthquake weakness of its own, Nidoqueen beats Graveler one-on-one since it's faster.
**Special Attackers:** Although they cannot switch in, special attackers such as Dragonair and Drowzee deal heavy damage to Graveler due to its low special bulk, often forcing it out.
**Burn:** Graveler hates being burned, so it has to watch out from Fire Blast from Pokemon it would normally beat, such as Rapidash and Arcanine. Graveler struggles to switch into Fire-types as a result, but it is good at revenge killing them, especially once they're paralyzed.
**Grass-types:** Although rare, Vileplume and Weepinbell can switch into Graveler and easily KO it. Weepinbell is frail but is able to OHKOes Graveler with Razor Leaf, whereas Vileplume is bulkier, but Mega Drain only 2HKOes.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gastlies.540559/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gangsta-spongebob.535530/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Last edited: