Mr. Steal Your Boosts
Grimmsnarl (M) @ Babiri Berry / Focus Sash
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 68 Atk / 128 Def / 60 SpD
Impish Nature
- Power Swap
- Sucker Punch
- Spirit Break
- Drain Punch / Thunder Wave
Overview: Grimmsnarl is the only Pokemon with access to the combination of Power Swap and Prankster, meaning it can priority steal Attack and Special Attack boosts (through Substitute and Phantom Force even) from non-Dark type Pokemon (since it's Prankster-boosted, Dark-types are immune to the move altogether). This lets Grimmsnarl work as a pretty good emergency check to several sweepers, although ideally your team has another more reliable answer as well since this Grimmsnarl set doesn't negate defensive or speed boosts. There aren't too many setup sweepers nowadays, but this Grimmsnarl set can ruin sweeps of stuff like Kommo-o (Belly Drum and Clangorous), Nasty Plot Hydreigon, Swords Dance Bisharp and Excadrill, and Throat Spray/Shift Gear Toxtricity.
Item(s): Babiri Berry is the item of choice for most teams, since this lets Grimmsnarl have a much better chance of checking Nasty Plot Hydreigon, Aegislash, Bisharp, and Excadrill. Focus Sash is an alternative if you REALLY need to make sure that Grimmsnarl can take away the Attack/Special Attack boosts of a certain threat, but is probably worse in general.
EV spread: The given EVs can be tweaked, but I'll list some of the benchmarks this spread hits. 68 Attack means Sucker Punch OHKOs 252 HP Aegislash in Blade Form, while also OHKOing 0/0 Bisharp with Drain Punch. It also lets Drain Punch into Sucker Punch take out Excadrill. The 60 SpDef means that Timid non-Specs Toxtricity can't OHKO Gainz Goblin with Sludge Wave at base, while also letting Grimmsnarl more comfortably take Flash Cannons from boosted Hydreigon and Kommo-o. The remaining EVs are dumped into Defense to let Grimmsnarl check physical setup sweepers like Excadrill, Bisharp, Tyranitar, and Hawlucha more easily.
Feel free to reallocate EVs to handle certain threats as needed!
Moveset: Power Swap is mandatory, since that's what this set is built around. Sucker Punch is great since Grimmsnarl is slow even with max investment, and even with little Attack investment, a boosted STAB Sucker Punch can really hurt coming from base 120 Attack. Sucker Punch also lets Grimmsnarl get off damage before going down to an opposing setup sweeper, making it easier for whatever you send in next to threaten the opposing Pokemon. Spirit Break is necessary to take on Hydreigon and Kommo-o, which this set can do fairly effectively. The guaranteed Special Attack drop it causes is quite useful too, hindering common switch ins like Clefable and Hatterene and giving an easier switch in for Grimmsnarl's own teammates. The last move slot is pretty flexible. Drain Punch is likely the all-around best option, as it lets Grimmsnarl do something against Dark-types immune to Power Swap and potentially surprise them with the OHKO, while also giving at least some form of recovery. Thunder Wave is to really dumpster setup sweepers even harder-steal their boosts, then paralyze them and likely neuter them for the rest of the game.