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Grookey, the Grass Pokemon starter in the Galar Region, has very different stats than the other two starters and, therefore, needs different natures.
While the other two starters in Pokemon Sword and Shield are speedsters, Grookey is relatively slow. It makes up for the lack of speed, however, with excellent bulk. It’s final evolution, Rillaboom, has 100 base HP and 90 base Defense. These stats allow Rillaboom to take a lot of hits, and it can dish out some big hits in return with a 125 base attack. Rillaboom also recently got buffed in the Isle of Armor DLC when it received Grassy Glide. This move is a priority if the user is in Grassy Terrain. As it happens, Rillaboom’s hidden ability is Grassy Surge, so it can make great use of Grassy Glide.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the opinion of the writer.
The best moveset for Grookey in Pokemon Sword and Shield
While a more defensive variant of Grookey can work, its best nature is Adamant, which raises Attack and lowers Special Attack. With this nature, Grookey’s attacks deal considerably more damage. Of course, with slower Pokemon, it won’t be moving first very often. If Grookey has Grassy Surge, though, a player can teach it Grassy Glide and then guarantee the first attack in terrain. Since it doesn’t need the speed for that strategy, it makes sense to double-down on attacking prowess.
While the Pokemon is so much better with Grassy Surge, a Grookey, without its hidden ability, can still certainly be effective with an Adamant nature. With an 85 base speed stat, it isn’t terribly fast, but it still can outspeed many Pokemon. Some Pokemon have a middling speed stat, but have good defenses that can give Grookey issues. An Adamant Grookey that’s evolved into Rillaboom, however, can deliver strong Knock Offs and Superpowers to Pokemon like Corviknight, Metagross and Lucario. This Pokemon doesn’t outspeed everything, but it’s fast enough to blaze through defensive Pokemon.
Adamant isn’t the only option for Grookey, even though it is highly preferred. An Impish Grookey can be very effective as well. Impish raises Defense and lowers Special Attack. With a high Defense stat, Grookey can run a more bulky set when it becomes Rillaboom. It does have access to Bulk Up, so it can raise its stats to become more durable and strong. It can also simply run Swords Dance and set up since it likely lives any physical attack.
Yet another option that could work for Grookey is Jolly. This nature raises Speed while lowering Special Attack, and it allows Grookey to outspeed certain Pokemon. Surprisingly, Rillaboom has a higher speed than several Pokemon like Mamoswine, Togekiss and Gyarados. This is only true, however, if Rillaboom has maximum speed. Therefore, having a faster Rillaboom could make a difference in terms of outspeeding some problematic Pokemon. Rillaboom’s attack is so high that, while it appreciates any boost, it’s still pretty high without the Adamant nature.
