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Grimmsnarl Froslass

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Froslass puts a damage counter on every Pokémon with an Ability between turns, Munkidori moves 3 counters at a time onto their board, and Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex hits 180 plus 30 to the Bench.

Difficulty: HardPrizes: Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex gives 2; everything else gives 1

Your turn-2 goal

  • Marnie's Impidimp benched on turn 1, then Rare Candy into Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex (Spikemuth Gym finds it).
  • Punk Up attaches up to 5 Darkness Energy to your Marnie's Pokémon: Shadow Bullet the same turn.
  • One Froslass in play.
  • Munkidori with a Darkness Energy (manual attach or Energy Switch) so Adrena-Brain works.

Your attackers

Marnie's Grimmsnarl exShadow Bullet

180 + 30 to a Benched Pokémon

Every turn once built. 360 against Darkness-weak Pokémon like Munkidori.

MunkidoriAdrena-Brain

Move up to 3 counters to them

Each Munkidori, each turn: finish KOs or heal your Grimmsnarl ex.

FroslassFreezing Shroud

1 counter on each Ability Pokémon

Every Pokémon Checkup. Keep one in play: it hits your own Ability Pokémon too.

Marnie's MorgremCorkscrew Punch

60

Early KOs on small Basics while Grimmsnarl ex isn't ready.

YveltalClutch

20; Defending Pokémon can't retreat

Trap a high-retreat Pokémon while Froslass and Munkidori wear it down.

BudewItchy Pollen

10; no Items next turn

Turns 1-2 to slow their setup.

Key decisions

  • One Froslass is usually enough. Each one adds a counter every Checkup to your own Ability Pokémon too, Grimmsnarl ex and Munkidori included.
  • Heal while you attack. Adrena-Brain can move counters off your Grimmsnarl ex onto their Pokémon: damage for them, and you stay out of KO range.
  • Count the Checkups. There is one after every turn, so each Froslass puts 2 counters per round on every Ability Pokémon.
  • Punk Up skips Munkidori. Give Munkidori Energy with your attach or Energy Switch, and spread Punk Up Energy so one KO doesn't strip it all.
  • Play Secret Box early. Discard 3 for Rare Candy, Air Balloon, a Supporter and Spikemuth Gym; Gwynn and Night Stretcher make up the cards.

Common mistakes

  • Letting your own Froslass KO a damaged Munkidori between turns: a free Prize for them.
  • Trying to attack with Munkidori or Froslass: Mind Bend needs [P] and Frost Smash needs [W], and the list only plays Darkness Energy.
  • Benching Budew (30 HP) against Munkidori decks: one Adrena-Brain KOs it.
  • Spending Boss's Orders without a sure KO: it is how you close.

Versions

Standard

4 Munkidori, 3-2-2 Grimmsnarl, 3-3 Froslass, Budew, Yveltal, Secret Box and 9 Darkness Energy.

Psyduck

Damp shuts off Abilities that make a Pokémon KO itself; targets self-KO damage decks. Psyduck takes Froslass counters too.

Maractus / Watchtower

Unfair Stamp instead of Secret Box, plus Maractus, Tatsugiri and Team Rocket's Watchtower, which only switches off their [C] Abilities.

Matchups

Grimmsnarl Froslass vs Dragapult

Uphill. Phantom Dive's 6 counters pick off your small Bench while Budew and Crushing Hammer slow your Turn 2 Grimmsnarl ex. Win by KOing Drakloak and Dreepy before Dragapult ex comes online.

Their plan

  • Phantom Dive: 200 to your Active plus 6 counters on your Bench. A healthy Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex (320) survives one; a second hit, or 200 after 120 damage, KOs it.
  • Bench snipes: Budew (30) falls to 3 counters. Under Risky Ruins your Munkidori enters at 90: Phantom Dive's 6 counters plus their Adrena-Brain's 3 KO it.
  • Budew and 4 Crushing Hammer: Itchy Pollen stops Rare Candy, Poké Pad and Secret Box for a turn; each heads strips Darkness Energy from your attacker.
  • Risky Ruins: Munkidori, Snorunt, Budew, Shaymin and Psyduck enter your Bench with 2 counters. Marnie's Impidimp and Yveltal are Darkness and take none.

Your prize plan

  1. Set up before the lock. Turn 1: 2 Marnie's Impidimp, Snorunt and Munkidori. Use Secret Box and Poké Pad now, since Budew can shut Items off next turn.
  2. Turn 2: Rare Candy into Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex. Punk Up attaches up to 5 Darkness Energy to your Marnie's Pokémon; spread them so one Hammer heads doesn't stop Shadow Bullet.
  3. KO Drakloak first. Boss's Orders + Shadow Bullet KOs it (90). On the Bench, Shadow Bullet's 30 plus 2 Adrena-Brain (60) KOs Drakloak (90) or Dreepy (70).
  4. Turn their spread into ammo. Adrena-Brain moves Phantom Dive's counters off your Pokémon onto theirs. Fezandipiti ex (210) falls to Shadow Bullet + 1 Adrena-Brain: 2 Prizes.

Against an Active Dragapult ex (320 HP)

Shadow Bullet180
Shadow Bullet + 2 Adrena-Brain240
Shadow Bullet + 4 Adrena-Brain300
Shadow Bullet + 4 Adrena-Brain, after a 30 Bench hit last turn330 · KO

Don't

  • Benching Budew or extra small Basics you don't need this turn: each one is a cheap Prize for Phantom Dive's 6 counters.
  • Running more than one Froslass: each adds a counter every Checkup to your own Grimmsnarl ex and Munkidori, pulling Grimmsnarl closer to one-hit range.
  • Loading all of Punk Up's Energy on the Active: one Crushing Hammer heads plus Boss's Orders can leave you with no attacker ready.

Key turn

  • Your turn 2: they have no Rare Candy, so Drakloak sits on the Bench and Dragapult ex arrives next turn. Removing Drakloak now cuts their draw and their first attack.
  • After their first Phantom Dive: Grimmsnarl ex has 120 HP left. Take a Prize that turn and have the next Grimmsnarl ex or Yveltal ready before it falls.

If they play…

Dudunsparce

Dunsparce (60) on the Bench dies to Shadow Bullet's 30 plus one Adrena-Brain before it can draw.

Moltres

Fighting Wings does 110 to an Active Pokémon ex for one Fire Energy: a cheap finisher on a damaged Grimmsnarl ex. Heal it with Adrena-Brain.

Team Rocket's Watchtower

Your core list has no Colorless Pokémon: it only turns off their own Meowth ex and Dudunsparce.

Grimmsnarl Froslass vs Basic Box

An even trade race. Their Grass attackers one-shot Grimmsnarl ex through Weakness, but almost every Pokémon they bench has an Ability, so Froslass and Munkidori soften their whole board.

Their plan

  • Teal Mask Ogerpon ex: Myriad Leaf Shower is 30 + 30 per Energy on both Actives. With 3 on Ogerpon and 2 on Grimmsnarl ex that is 180, doubled to 360: always a KO.
  • Iron Leaves ex: Prism Edge 180, doubled to 360 against Grimmsnarl ex (320). Rapid Vernier lets it come in and take Energy the same turn.
  • Mega Kangaskhan ex: Rapid-Fire Combo 200 + 50 per heads. Two heads (300) plus your own Freezing Shroud counters is enough on Grimmsnarl ex.
  • Bench damage: Torrential Pump (120) KOs Munkidori, Froslass or Morgrem; Cruel Arrow (100) KOs Froslass or Morgrem. Chien-Pao's Snow Sink discards your Spikemuth Gym.

Your prize plan

  1. Get Froslass down early. Kangaskhan, Meowth ex, Latias ex, Clefairy ex, Teal Mask, Iron Leaves and Fezandipiti all have Abilities: each takes 2 counters per round.
  2. KO Teal Mask Ogerpon ex first (210): Shadow Bullet 180 + one Adrena-Brain (30) is exactly 210. It is both their engine and the attacker that beats you.
  3. Boss's Orders the Psychic ex: Latias ex (210) is weak to Darkness, so Shadow Bullet does 360. Losing Latias also costs them free retreat for Kangaskhan.
  4. Kangaskhan ex is 3 Prizes: Shadow Bullet + 120 from counters. Freezing Shroud adds 2 every round it stays in play: take it as your last Prizes.

Against a Benched Teal Mask Ogerpon ex (210 HP) brought up with Boss's Orders

Shadow Bullet180
Shadow Bullet after 1 round of Freezing Shroud (2 counters)200
Shadow Bullet + Adrena-Brain (3 counters)210 · KO
Shadow Bullet with Hero's Cape attached (310 HP), + 2 Adrena-Brain240

Don't

  • Leaving counters on Grimmsnarl ex. Use Adrena-Brain to move them onto their Pokémon before you pass, or two Kangaskhan heads finish it.
  • Benching Munkidori, Froslass and Morgrem without Shaymin: Torrential Pump and Cruel Arrow turn them into free Prizes.
  • Relying only on Spikemuth Gym to find Grimmsnarl ex: Chien-Pao can discard it. Keep a Grimmsnarl ex or Rare Candy in hand.

Key turn

  • The turn after your first Grimmsnarl ex falls: have the second line ready with Punk Up Energy already spread to Morgrem or Impidimp, and answer their Grass attacker immediately.
  • Your turn 1: Budew's Itchy Pollen stops Ultra Ball, Energy Switch and Glass Trumpet when they are building their first attacker.

If they play…

Hero's Cape

+100 HP: Teal Mask goes to 310 and Kangaskhan to 400. Count Freezing Shroud rounds before committing Boss's Orders.

Iron Crown ex

Another 2-Prize ex weak to Darkness: Shadow Bullet does 360 and KOs it (220 HP).

Unfair Stamp

After you KO something, expect a hand of 2. Keep Lillie's Determination or Tatsugiri ready to rebuild.

Grimmsnarl Froslass vs Sharpedo Toxtricity

An uphill matchup. Mega Sharpedo ex one-shots Grimmsnarl ex from turn 2 while it takes two hits to remove, so you must break Toxtricity and Pecharunt ex before the combo runs.

Their plan

  • Hungry Jaws: 120, plus 150 if Mega Sharpedo ex has any damage counters (270). Poisoned with Binding Mochi: 310.
  • Toxtricity's Sinister Surge attaches Energy and puts 2 counters on a Benched Sharpedo; Pecharunt ex's Subjugating Chains brings it up and Poisons it in the same turn.
  • Gravity Mountain drops Grimmsnarl ex to 290 HP: 310 is a clean KO. Without it, any counter from your own Froslass does the job.
  • Your Munkidori is weak to Darkness: Greedy Fang (70) does 140 and Gentle Slap (100) does 200.

Your prize plan

  1. Hit the engine first. Boss's Orders on Toxtricity (140): Shadow Bullet KOs it. Without Sinister Surge they lose both their Energy and their self-damage.
  2. Spread to the Bench: Shadow Bullet's 30 + two Adrena-Brain (60) KOs a Carvanha or Toxel (70) before it becomes a threat.
  3. Pecharunt ex (190) has an Ability: one Freezing Shroud counter + Shadow Bullet is a 2-Prize KO, and it stops the Poison for Binding Mochi.
  4. Mega Sharpedo ex (330, 3 Prizes): plan two Shadow Bullets. Sinister Surge and Poison usually leave it at 300 or less before you hit it.

Against Pecharunt ex (190 HP, has an Ability) in the Active Spot

Shadow Bullet180
Shadow Bullet after 1 Freezing Shroud counter190 · KO
Shadow Bullet + Adrena-Brain (3 counters)210 · KO

Don't

  • Putting stray damage on a clean Mega Sharpedo ex with Shadow Bullet's Bench hit: any counter turns Hungry Jaws from 120 into 270.
  • Ending your turn with counters on Grimmsnarl ex: without Gravity Mountain an undamaged one survives 310 with 10 HP. Clear it with Adrena-Brain.
  • Counting on Yveltal's Clutch: Subjugating Chains switches without retreating, so their Active is never stuck.

Key turn

  • Their turn 2: Toxtricity + Benched Sharpedo + Pecharunt ex + Mochi is the whole combo. Budew's Itchy Pollen on your turn 1 blocks Poffin, Ultra Ball, Poké Pad and Binding Mochi.
  • The turn you can Boss's Orders a Toxtricity: taking it before the second one lands decides how many turns Sharpedo needs to set up.

If they play…

Janine's Secret Art

Poisons their Active without Pecharunt ex: Binding Mochi still adds 40 even after you KO Pecharunt.

Chi-Yu

Whirling Envy does 110 once it has 2 counters (one Sinister Surge). It has no Ability, so Freezing Shroud ignores it.

Grimmsnarl Froslass vs Slowking

Slowking is weak to Darkness, so almost anything you have KOs it. The game turns on their Trifrost against your small Bench Pokémon: keep the Bench thin and take every Slowking they put Active.

Their plan

  • Trifrost (copied from Kyurem): 110 to 3 Pokémon. KOs Munkidori (110), Froslass (90), Marnie's Morgrem (100), Marnie's Impidimp and Snorunt (70) on your Bench.
  • Thunder Raid (copied from Zeraora): 210 to a Benched ex. A Benched Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex already hit by Trifrost (110) goes down: 320 total.
  • Metallic Hammer 150 (180 with Brave Bangle) or Super Psy Bolt 120 on your Active Grimmsnarl ex: two hits to KO it.
  • Slowking and Slowpoke have no Ability: Freezing Shroud never touches them, only their ex support.

Your prize plan

  1. KO the Active Slowking (120) every turn. Shadow Bullet does 360, and even Marnie's Morgrem (120) or Yveltal's Dark Feather (220) KOs it for 1 Prize.
  2. Thin out Slowpoke (80). Shadow Bullet's 30 on the Bench + two Adrena-Brain (60) = 90, KO before it evolves.
  3. Cash in their ex with Boss's Orders. Latias ex (210, weak to Darkness): Shadow Bullet 360, KO. Lillie's Clefairy ex (190): 180 + one Adrena-Brain.
  4. Mega Kangaskhan ex (300, 3 Prizes) takes 2 Freezing Shroud counters each round while it uses Run Errand. Shadow Bullet 180 + 4 Adrena-Brain (120) = 300, KO.

Against an Active Slowking (120 HP, weak to Darkness)

Shadow Bullet360 · KO
Dark Feather (Yveltal)220 · KO
Corkscrew Punch (Marnie's Morgrem)120 · KO
Clutch (Yveltal)40

Don't

  • Three small Pokémon on the Bench without Shaymin. One Trifrost takes 3 Prizes.
  • Leaving damage on a Benched Grimmsnarl ex. Trifrost 110 + Thunder Raid 210 = 320. Move counters off it with Adrena-Brain.
  • A second Froslass. Slowking takes nothing from it, but your own Grimmsnarl ex and Munkidori take double.

Key turn

  • Their first Trifrost turn. Have Shaymin down, or at most one 1-Prize Pokémon with 110 HP or less on the Bench.
  • Once their Slowking are gone, they must attack with ex: be ready with Boss's Orders for the 2-Prize KOs.

If they play…

Annihilape

Ghostly Blow: 100 plus 5 damage counters on your Bench. Finishes Froslass or Munkidori already hurt by Freezing Shroud.

Brave Bangle

Metallic Hammer does 180 to Grimmsnarl ex. Still two hits; heal it with Adrena-Brain between turns.

Munkidori

Their Munkidori (110) is weak to Darkness too: Morgrem's 120 KOs it. Take it before it moves counters.

Grimmsnarl Froslass vs Dragapult Blaziken

Even. Phantom Dive and Smolder-sault both hit for 200, short of a healthy Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex (320). Win by KOing their Drakloak and Blaziken lines while Freezing Shroud chips Blaziken ex.

Their plan

  • Phantom Dive: 200 to the Active plus 6 counters on your Bench. Two attacks, or one after 120 damage, KO Grimmsnarl ex.
  • Blaziken ex Smolder-sault: 200, but it can't attack next turn. Seething Spirit reattaches a Basic Energy from their discard every turn, so they rarely run dry.
  • Chi-Yu: Ground Melter does 120 with a Stadium in play and discards it, taking away your Spikemuth Gym search for Grimmsnarl ex.
  • Budew locks your Items for a turn; Risky Ruins (common) puts 2 counters on your Munkidori, Snorunt and Budew as they hit the Bench.

Your prize plan

  1. Turn 2: Rare Candy into Marnie's Grimmsnarl ex. Punk Up attaches up to 5 Darkness Energy to your Marnie's Pokémon; Energy Switch moves one to Munkidori.
  2. Hit the evolution lines. Shadow Bullet KOs an Active Drakloak (90) or Combusken (100); its 30 plus 2 Adrena-Brain KOs a Benched Dreepy, Torchic (70) or Drakloak.
  3. Freezing Shroud tags Blaziken ex. Seething Spirit is an Ability, so it takes a counter every Checkup. Stack those with Bench hits until Shadow Bullet finishes it for 2 Prizes.
  4. Cash in their support ex. Lillie's Clefairy ex (190): Shadow Bullet + 1 Adrena-Brain = 210 KO. Their Munkidori is weak to Darkness: Shadow Bullet does 360.

Against an Active Blaziken ex (320 HP)

Shadow Bullet180
Shadow Bullet + 2 Freezing Shroud counters200
Shadow Bullet + 3 Adrena-Brain + 2 Freezing Shroud counters290
Same, after a 30 Shadow Bullet Bench hit320 · KO

Don't

  • Leaving Spikemuth Gym as your only way to Grimmsnarl ex when Chi-Yu is in their list: keep a second Gym or Team Rocket's Petrel to replay it.
  • Benching three small Basics at once: Phantom Dive's 6 counters split into easy Prizes, like Budew (30) or a Snorunt that entered under Risky Ruins (50 left).
  • Leaving counters on your Grimmsnarl ex when Munkidori could move them: at 120 HP or less, any 200 attack takes 2 Prizes.

Key turn

  • The turn after Smolder-sault: Blaziken ex can't attack. Use that window to KO it, or Boss's Orders a Drakloak while their Active does nothing.
  • Your turn 2: Grimmsnarl ex before their Drakloaks multiply. Every Drakloak removed early slows both of their Stage 2 lines.

If they play…

Lillie's Clefairy ex

Fairy Zone only hits Dragon Pokémon; your Darkness and Water attackers keep their Weakness. It is 2 easy Prizes with an Ability for Freezing Shroud.

Risky Ruins

Bench Munkidori and Snorunt before it lands, or use those 2 counters as Adrena-Brain ammo against their Drakloak.

Team Rocket's Watchtower

Your core list has no Colorless Pokémon: it only shuts off their own Meowth ex.

Sources