[OVERVIEW]
Grafaiai's naturally high Speed and access to multiple useful abilities lets it solidify its spot as both a powerful Swords Dance Terrain sweeper and utility-offering offensive pivot. On Terrain teams, Grafaiai finds ample opportunities to set up thanks to Grassy Seed boosting its Defense, Grassy Terrain weakening Earthquake, and its high Speed, which allows it to invest heavily into its HP. On the other hand, pivot sets excel at disruption thanks to Grafaiai's Prankster Encore, messing with setup sweepers like Flygon and walls like Bronzong alike, and Poison Touch, spreading status onto many defensive staples like Gastrodon, Incineroar, and Diancie. However, Dark-type walls and setup sweepers such as Alolan Muk, Incineroar, and Tera Dark Drednaw can completely ignore Grafaiai's Prankster Encore. Not only that, but pivot Poison Touch pivot sets struggle to get past poison-immune Pokemon like Copperajah, Overqwil, and Immunity Gligar. Grafaiai also struggles to muscle past Ground-types like Swampert, needing to use Acrobatics if it wishes to deal decent damage, but in doing so, it is either vulnerable to being walled by Bronzong or other Steel-types, depending on the coverage move it drops. Additionally, it's quite frail, which is exacerbated on pivot sets, since it can't safely switch into most attackers that it would like to check otherwise, such as Chandelure and Decidueye.
[SET]
name: Terrain Sweeper
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Gunk Shot
move 3: Knock Off / Acrobatics
move 4: Low Kick / Acrobatics
item: Grassy Seed
ability: Unburden
nature: Adamant
evs: 196 HP / 252 Atk / 60 Spe or 52 HP / 252 Atk / 204 Spe
tera type: Dark / Flying
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Knock Off targets Ghost-types that Gunk Shot fails to hurt like Chandelure and Basculegion-M while hitting both Galarian Slowbro and Bronzong super effectively. Low Kick allows Grafaiai to handle Steel-types like Bastiodon and Copperajah. Acrobatics can be run over either Knock Off or Low Kick for a strong and risk-free coverage move that hits Toxicroak super effectively as well as Ground-types such as Swampert and Flygon more powerfully than any other coverage move at Grafaiai's disposal. The first EV spread ensures Grafaiai outspeeds +1 Speed Cinccino, Scream Tail, Flygon, and Munkidori. Alternatively, the second EV spread lets Grafaiai outpace Agility-boosted Porygon-Z, Unburden Hitmonlee, and Swift Swim Basculegion-M as well as Overqwil. Tera Dark boosts the power of Knock Off and grants Grafaiai an immunity to Psychic-type attacks from Munkidori, Bronzong, and Uxie, giving it a free turn to attack or setup versus them. Similarly, Tera Flying powers up Acrobatics while making Grafaiai immune to Ground-type attacks from Flygon and Gastrodon so that it can setup against or simply attack them.
In order to activate Grafaiai's Grassy Seed it requires Thwackey to set up Grassy Terrain, which also helps Grafaiai with setting up by weakening Earthquake and providing passive recovery. Additionally, Grafaiai benefits heavily from Thwackey, since Thwackey can beat pesky defensive Water- and Ground-types that Grafaiai can have trouble getting past like Vaporeon, Swampert, and Gligar. Due to Ground-types being difficult for Grafaiai to break through by itself, it appreciates teammates that can weaken them, such as Cinccino, Arcanine, and Paldean Tauros-F. What's more, the latter two as well as Oricorio-F and Chandelure can also handle Steel-types like Bronzong and Copperajah for Grafaiai. Torterra is an exceptional teammate for Grafaiai, since it beats bulky Poison-, Steel-, and Ground-types that Grafaiai struggles with KOing, such as Overqwil, Klefki, and Swampert. In return, Grafaiai deals with Grass-types like Decidueye as well as Tsareena, and it deals great damage, if not outright KOes, the Ground-immune Steel-types—Bronzong and Orthworm—with Swords Dance-boosted Knock Off and Low Kick, respectively. Diancie and Oricorio-P can work alongside Grafaiai to overwhelm shared Steel-type checks like Bronzong and Copperajah. On top of that, they complement it very well, since they're great at breaking through bulkier Pokemon and teams whereas Grafaiai excels at cleaning and sweeping more offensive builds. Additionally, Diancie provides Stealth Rock.
[SET]
name: Offensive Pivot
move 1: Gunk Shot
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Parting Shot / U-turn
move 4: Encore / Switcheroo
item: Heavy-Duty Boots / Choice Scarf
ability: Prankster / Poison Touch
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
tera type: Dark
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Knock Off smacks Ghost-types attempting to switch into Gunk Shot such as Basculegion-M and Chandelure. Additionally, it hits Bronzong super effectively while removing important items like Amoonguss's Rocky Helmet, Milotic's Leftovers, and Gligar's Eviolite. Parting Shot and Encore are best used alongside Prankster so that Grafaiai can disrupt both setup sweepers and walls alike, though Encore can be run on Poison Touch sets that plan to capitalize on and punish walls as well as slower setup sweepers by poisoning them. Poison Touch complements U-turn quite well, spreading poison as Grafaiai switches out. Switcheroo is run solely with Choice Scarf, letting Grafaiai cripple walls and setup sweepers by locking them into status moves. Tera Dark gives Grafaiai STAB-boosted Knock Off and an immunity to Psychic-type attacks.
Grafaiai often finds itself drawing in and walled by poison-immune Pokemon like Alolan Muk, Copperajah, and Immunity Gligar. Because of this, wallbreakers that can capitalize on these walls like Flygon, Chandelure, and Paldean Tauros-W are recommended. When these poison-immune Pokemon are cleared, Grafaiai can easily spread poison to walls like Diancie, Avalugg, Gastrodon, and Milotic. This can open up powerful Pokemon that are usually held back by these defensive staples like Incineroar, Flygon, Kilowattrel, and Inteleon. Walls like Vaporeon, Incineroar, and Bronzong enjoy Grafaiai's access to Prankster Encore, since it can lock setup sweepers such as Toxicroak and Trick Room Diancie as well as Substitute Basculegion-M into status moves, mitigating how effectively they can take advantage of these walls. Fast Psychic- and Ground-types like Munkidori, Booster Energy Scream Tail, and Choice Scarf Flygon easily force out Grafaiai, so partners like Bronzong, Copperajah, and Gligar are appreciated.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
On Terrain sweeper sets, Grafaiai can run Tera Blast Grass to clear sturdy Ground- and Water-types for teammates like Diancie, Hitmonlee, and Oricorio-F. However, Tera Blast being a wasted moveslot if Grafaiai doesn't Terastallize makes it unappealing overall, and it requires Grafaiai to drop other important coverage. On Prankster pivot sets, Toxic can be run to cripple walls and setup sweepers, though Grafaiai can simply run Poison Touch and spread poison with its attacks, not needing need to waste a moveslot. Taunt could also be used to stop those same Pokemon from healing or setting up, but Encore and Switcheroo often find more use through the course of a game. Additionally, Copycat is usable due to it letting Grafaiai attack frail but fast foes with priority Gunk Shot and Knock Off, but it's difficult to fit with Encore, Parting Shot, and U-turn being more generally useful.
Checks and Counters
====
**Ground-types**: Swampert, Gastrodon, Gligar, and Flygon all resist Grafaiai's Gunk Shot and can use it to set up entry hazards. Additionally, Flygon can potentially use it as setup fodder, though it needs to be cautious of Encore and Choice Scarf Switcheroo. Grafaiai's best tool to whittle down walls is poison, which works just fine into Swampert and non-Covert Cloak Sticky Hold Gastrodon, but Gligar's Immunity completely renders that moot. However, it's vulnerable to Knock Off and Switcheroo, removing its Eviolite, as well as constant chip from Grafaiai's U-turn.
**Steel-types**: Bronzong, Duraludon, and Copperajah all are immune to Grafaiai's Gunk Shot as well as any attempt to poison them, and they can take advantage of it to set up entry hazards. On top of that, the first can possibly survive Swords Dance-boosted Knock Off, retaliating with Earthquake or Psychic Noise whereas Duraludon takes on Swords Dance sets with ease due to Low Kick being weakened by its Light Metal and its ability to fire off a powerful Draco Meteor. Copperajah can use Whirlwind to phaze Grafaiai. However, it's futile, since—by the time the move goes off—Grafaiai has either switched out, dealt great damage, or completely KOed Copperajah.
**Poison-types**: Toxicroak, Amoonguss, Galarian Slowbro, and Alolan Muk are quite problematic for Grafaiai, since they take its Gunk Shot quite well and are immune to poison. However, Acrobatics hits the former two super effectively whereas Knock Off nails Galarian Slowbro. Additionally, while Alolan Muk resists Knock Off in addition to Gunk Shot and is immune to Prankster Encore, its low Defense means it can be overwhelmed by Swords Dance Grafaiai sets, and it despises being Choice-locked by Grafaiai's Switcheroo.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/powerofmemes.583607/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/hammer798.641404/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user6.105/
Grafaiai's naturally high Speed and access to multiple useful abilities lets it solidify its spot as both a powerful Swords Dance Terrain sweeper and utility-offering offensive pivot. On Terrain teams, Grafaiai finds ample opportunities to set up thanks to Grassy Seed boosting its Defense, Grassy Terrain weakening Earthquake, and its high Speed, which allows it to invest heavily into its HP. On the other hand, pivot sets excel at disruption thanks to Grafaiai's Prankster Encore, messing with setup sweepers like Flygon and walls like Bronzong alike, and Poison Touch, spreading status onto many defensive staples like Gastrodon, Incineroar, and Diancie. However, Dark-type walls and setup sweepers such as Alolan Muk, Incineroar, and Tera Dark Drednaw can completely ignore Grafaiai's Prankster Encore. Not only that, but pivot Poison Touch pivot sets struggle to get past poison-immune Pokemon like Copperajah, Overqwil, and Immunity Gligar. Grafaiai also struggles to muscle past Ground-types like Swampert, needing to use Acrobatics if it wishes to deal decent damage, but in doing so, it is either vulnerable to being walled by Bronzong or other Steel-types, depending on the coverage move it drops. Additionally, it's quite frail, which is exacerbated on pivot sets, since it can't safely switch into most attackers that it would like to check otherwise, such as Chandelure and Decidueye.
[SET]
name: Terrain Sweeper
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Gunk Shot
move 3: Knock Off / Acrobatics
move 4: Low Kick / Acrobatics
item: Grassy Seed
ability: Unburden
nature: Adamant
evs: 196 HP / 252 Atk / 60 Spe or 52 HP / 252 Atk / 204 Spe
tera type: Dark / Flying
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Knock Off targets Ghost-types that Gunk Shot fails to hurt like Chandelure and Basculegion-M while hitting both Galarian Slowbro and Bronzong super effectively. Low Kick allows Grafaiai to handle Steel-types like Bastiodon and Copperajah. Acrobatics can be run over either Knock Off or Low Kick for a strong and risk-free coverage move that hits Toxicroak super effectively as well as Ground-types such as Swampert and Flygon more powerfully than any other coverage move at Grafaiai's disposal. The first EV spread ensures Grafaiai outspeeds +1 Speed Cinccino, Scream Tail, Flygon, and Munkidori. Alternatively, the second EV spread lets Grafaiai outpace Agility-boosted Porygon-Z, Unburden Hitmonlee, and Swift Swim Basculegion-M as well as Overqwil. Tera Dark boosts the power of Knock Off and grants Grafaiai an immunity to Psychic-type attacks from Munkidori, Bronzong, and Uxie, giving it a free turn to attack or setup versus them. Similarly, Tera Flying powers up Acrobatics while making Grafaiai immune to Ground-type attacks from Flygon and Gastrodon so that it can setup against or simply attack them.
In order to activate Grafaiai's Grassy Seed it requires Thwackey to set up Grassy Terrain, which also helps Grafaiai with setting up by weakening Earthquake and providing passive recovery. Additionally, Grafaiai benefits heavily from Thwackey, since Thwackey can beat pesky defensive Water- and Ground-types that Grafaiai can have trouble getting past like Vaporeon, Swampert, and Gligar. Due to Ground-types being difficult for Grafaiai to break through by itself, it appreciates teammates that can weaken them, such as Cinccino, Arcanine, and Paldean Tauros-F. What's more, the latter two as well as Oricorio-F and Chandelure can also handle Steel-types like Bronzong and Copperajah for Grafaiai. Torterra is an exceptional teammate for Grafaiai, since it beats bulky Poison-, Steel-, and Ground-types that Grafaiai struggles with KOing, such as Overqwil, Klefki, and Swampert. In return, Grafaiai deals with Grass-types like Decidueye as well as Tsareena, and it deals great damage, if not outright KOes, the Ground-immune Steel-types—Bronzong and Orthworm—with Swords Dance-boosted Knock Off and Low Kick, respectively. Diancie and Oricorio-P can work alongside Grafaiai to overwhelm shared Steel-type checks like Bronzong and Copperajah. On top of that, they complement it very well, since they're great at breaking through bulkier Pokemon and teams whereas Grafaiai excels at cleaning and sweeping more offensive builds. Additionally, Diancie provides Stealth Rock.
[SET]
name: Offensive Pivot
move 1: Gunk Shot
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Parting Shot / U-turn
move 4: Encore / Switcheroo
item: Heavy-Duty Boots / Choice Scarf
ability: Prankster / Poison Touch
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
tera type: Dark
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Knock Off smacks Ghost-types attempting to switch into Gunk Shot such as Basculegion-M and Chandelure. Additionally, it hits Bronzong super effectively while removing important items like Amoonguss's Rocky Helmet, Milotic's Leftovers, and Gligar's Eviolite. Parting Shot and Encore are best used alongside Prankster so that Grafaiai can disrupt both setup sweepers and walls alike, though Encore can be run on Poison Touch sets that plan to capitalize on and punish walls as well as slower setup sweepers by poisoning them. Poison Touch complements U-turn quite well, spreading poison as Grafaiai switches out. Switcheroo is run solely with Choice Scarf, letting Grafaiai cripple walls and setup sweepers by locking them into status moves. Tera Dark gives Grafaiai STAB-boosted Knock Off and an immunity to Psychic-type attacks.
Grafaiai often finds itself drawing in and walled by poison-immune Pokemon like Alolan Muk, Copperajah, and Immunity Gligar. Because of this, wallbreakers that can capitalize on these walls like Flygon, Chandelure, and Paldean Tauros-W are recommended. When these poison-immune Pokemon are cleared, Grafaiai can easily spread poison to walls like Diancie, Avalugg, Gastrodon, and Milotic. This can open up powerful Pokemon that are usually held back by these defensive staples like Incineroar, Flygon, Kilowattrel, and Inteleon. Walls like Vaporeon, Incineroar, and Bronzong enjoy Grafaiai's access to Prankster Encore, since it can lock setup sweepers such as Toxicroak and Trick Room Diancie as well as Substitute Basculegion-M into status moves, mitigating how effectively they can take advantage of these walls. Fast Psychic- and Ground-types like Munkidori, Booster Energy Scream Tail, and Choice Scarf Flygon easily force out Grafaiai, so partners like Bronzong, Copperajah, and Gligar are appreciated.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
On Terrain sweeper sets, Grafaiai can run Tera Blast Grass to clear sturdy Ground- and Water-types for teammates like Diancie, Hitmonlee, and Oricorio-F. However, Tera Blast being a wasted moveslot if Grafaiai doesn't Terastallize makes it unappealing overall, and it requires Grafaiai to drop other important coverage. On Prankster pivot sets, Toxic can be run to cripple walls and setup sweepers, though Grafaiai can simply run Poison Touch and spread poison with its attacks, not needing need to waste a moveslot. Taunt could also be used to stop those same Pokemon from healing or setting up, but Encore and Switcheroo often find more use through the course of a game. Additionally, Copycat is usable due to it letting Grafaiai attack frail but fast foes with priority Gunk Shot and Knock Off, but it's difficult to fit with Encore, Parting Shot, and U-turn being more generally useful.
Checks and Counters
====
**Ground-types**: Swampert, Gastrodon, Gligar, and Flygon all resist Grafaiai's Gunk Shot and can use it to set up entry hazards. Additionally, Flygon can potentially use it as setup fodder, though it needs to be cautious of Encore and Choice Scarf Switcheroo. Grafaiai's best tool to whittle down walls is poison, which works just fine into Swampert and non-Covert Cloak Sticky Hold Gastrodon, but Gligar's Immunity completely renders that moot. However, it's vulnerable to Knock Off and Switcheroo, removing its Eviolite, as well as constant chip from Grafaiai's U-turn.
**Steel-types**: Bronzong, Duraludon, and Copperajah all are immune to Grafaiai's Gunk Shot as well as any attempt to poison them, and they can take advantage of it to set up entry hazards. On top of that, the first can possibly survive Swords Dance-boosted Knock Off, retaliating with Earthquake or Psychic Noise whereas Duraludon takes on Swords Dance sets with ease due to Low Kick being weakened by its Light Metal and its ability to fire off a powerful Draco Meteor. Copperajah can use Whirlwind to phaze Grafaiai. However, it's futile, since—by the time the move goes off—Grafaiai has either switched out, dealt great damage, or completely KOed Copperajah.
**Poison-types**: Toxicroak, Amoonguss, Galarian Slowbro, and Alolan Muk are quite problematic for Grafaiai, since they take its Gunk Shot quite well and are immune to poison. However, Acrobatics hits the former two super effectively whereas Knock Off nails Galarian Slowbro. Additionally, while Alolan Muk resists Knock Off in addition to Gunk Shot and is immune to Prankster Encore, its low Defense means it can be overwhelmed by Swords Dance Grafaiai sets, and it despises being Choice-locked by Grafaiai's Switcheroo.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/powerofmemes.583607/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/hammer798.641404/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user6.105/
Last edited:
