.jpg?q=50&fit=contain&w=1140&h=570&dpr=1.5)
The Grass-type is an interesting one in Pokemon's competitive space. While it's not great on paper thanks to its many weaknesses, it's an important type to have, as it's one of the few offensive checks to Water-types and a very reliable defensive answer to Ground-type attacks.
For what it's worth, it also packs an interesting roster of Pokemon, many of whom have a lot of quirks that give it unique competitive niches. These Grass-types stand out in one way or another, and can provide a little extra something for your competitive Singles team.
Updated April 4, 2023 by Kyle Laurel: Scarlet and Violet drastically shook up the Grass-type roster, not only with the new Paldea-native Pokemon, but with several other Pokemon going in and out of availability. As such, here are the Pokemon that have made it work so far with the new meta.
15 Lurantis
The Contrary plus Leaf Storm combo is a deadly one, as the Ability reverses the move's effects of lowering the user's Special Attack by two stages and raises it by two instead. Although the de facto poster child of that strategy, Serperior, has yet to make an appearance since Gen Seven, Lurantis has been a fine alternative for that role.
It only has 80 Special Attack, though, so it'll take one or two Leaf Storms for the strategy to fully live up to its potential. Fortunately, Lurantis can do other things on a battlefield decently well; it has access to Defog for hazard removal, and Terastalization allows it to deal a suitably powerful Tera Blast.
14 Appletun
Phasing (i.e. forcing a switch for your opponent) is a lost art in competitive battling. Funnily enough, one of the rare Pokemon that plays into phasing as a main role is a relatively new one: Gen Eight's Appletun. The Grass/Dragon-type is most commonly seen with Dragon Tail, which makes sense considering it has such low Speed that the negative priority the move has is completely moot.
Aside from phasing, Appletun mainly goes defensive, playing into its good bulk (only 80 in defensive stats but 110 HP) and having access to Recover to increase that longevity further. It can deal straightforward offense too, with a solid signature move in Apple Acid that also lowers the target's Special Defense.
13 Abomasnow
Hail from previous generations has been replaced by a similar weather in snow. Most of its benefits remain the same, though it's become much more viable thanks to not harming non-Ice-types and raising the Defense of all Ice-types by 50 percent.
That, in turn, has made Pokemon like Abomasnow significantly more viable and popular. Abomasnow has Snow Warning, making it a viable snow-setter, and could really use that defensive boost (75 Defense and 85 Special Defense); now having access to Aurora Veil also really helps matters in that regard. Although its Special Attack stat isn't great (92), it's a great candidate to teach Blizzard with the boosted power and accuracy bypass in snow.
12 Arboliva
The first Paldea-native on this list is a straightforward special tank, with its great 125 Special Attack and good defensive stats contrasted by its awful Speed. Its movepool allows it to play into that role mighty well, with STAB moves like Giga Drain, Leaf Storm, and Hyper Voice available alongside coverage moves such as Dazzling Gleam and Earth Power, and health-sapping moves like Leech Seed and Strength Sap.
Additionally, it adds an extra layer to its game with either of its Abilities: Harvest, which gives it extra longevity if you give it a Sitrus Berry, or the brand-new signature Seed Sower, which sets up Grassy Terrain when it gets hit with an attack.
11 Rotom-Mow
In a meta where new Pokemon have stolen the spotlight and a few older Pokemon have added stuff to their repertoires, the Rotom appliances haven't changed nor budged. Like that old lawnmower at the back of your shed when your yard's overrun with weeds, there's always a time and place for those Electric-type orbs in competitive battling.
The Grass-type of the bunch has always been a distinct number three to the more popular Rotom-Heat and Rotom-Wash, but its reputation as an above-average special wallbreaker remains. It has true all-around sensibilities with evenly distributed stats (sans the 86 Speed), and moveset versatility thanks to its access to fantastic STAB attacks and status moves like Nasty Plot and Will-O-Wisp.
10 Brute Bonnet
Like its current-day counterpart Amoonguss, Brute Bonnet has fantastic bulk (111 HP, 99 in both defenses). Rather than play bulky support, though, the Grass/Dark-type plays physical tank, with its 127 Attack stat coming into play most often.
Unfortunately, it lacks high-powered physical STAB moves to capitalize, its most viable attacking options being the 80 base power Seed Bomb and Crunch, and 70 base power Sucker Punch; it does have Close Combat as a great coverage move, though. Spore for sleep-inflicting never hurts either, and with the Protosynthesis ability boosting its Attack in the sun, it can reach further ungodly levels with Growth, a set-up move that raises both attacking stats by two stages in the sun.
9 Tsareena
Although the Grass queen of Alola has a similar statistical makeup to Brute Bonnet, it improves upon it with a deeper bag of tricks. Tsareena's best competitive role is also an attacker with tank-like sensibilities (120 Attack, 98 in both defensive stats), but it differentiates itself with the extra utility it can provide.
Its main mode of attack is physical Grass STAB, usually via the inaccurate but explosive Power Whip. Available alongside are excellent utility moves such as U-Turn, Synthesis, Taunt, and Rapid Spin for both hazard removal and much-needed Speed boosting (72 Speed). Should the utility not be needed, it has a decent few coverage moves also available, like Play Rough, High Jump Kick, and Zen Headbutt.
8 Toedscruel
Despite a questionable ability in Mycelium Might that partly hampers its ability to play support, Toedscruel has nonetheless managed to make do as a very good utility Pokemon. It has access to Spore and Leech Seed, and though they get negative priority, their effects apply regardless of the target's Ability.
It also has access to some faux-status moves that deal massive secondary effects alongside damage, such as Rapid Spin and Acid Spray. Alongside that, it has the same statistical makeup as its counterpart Tentacruel, making it both defensively potent and offensively speedy. There are certainly some hoops to run through, but if you play your cards right, Toadscruel still has great potential as an effective role player.
7 Brambleghast
Brambleghast deals pretty good damage on paper with its 115 Attack stat, but its underwhelming Speed (90) and relatively narrow movepool doesn't allow for it to fully play to that potential. It also has below average defensive stats (70 each) and terrible HP (55), so raw defensive potential isn't there either.
Still, the Grass/Ghost-type finds a way to be effective as a unique utility Pokemon. It pesters opponents via setting up hazards with Spikes and crippling physical attackers with Strength Sap. Its Ghost-typing makes it a viable spinblocker, and it has its own access to Rapid Spin for hazard-removing shenanigans. Finally, Brambleghast's one viable physical attack in Power Whip allows it to keep opposing Pokemon honest.
6 Decidueye
Another Grass/Ghost-type, Decidueye more straightforwardly plays into its offense-oriented stats. The Alolan starter has the movepool to play either physical or special, with STAB moves like Leaf Blade, Giga Drain, Shadow Ball, and Shadow Sneak remaining staples, its signature Spirit Shackle a solid niche option, and the new Trailblaze fitting nicely as a way to circumvent its low Speed.
Its wide movepool makes it very moveset-versatile, with multiple options for third and fourth moves. It has access to Swords Dance for set-up, U-Turn for pivoting, and even Defog for utility. It works well in conjunction with several held items (Choice Band, Choice Specs, Spell Tag), and its Long Reach hidden ability helps it should it go physical.
5 Iron Leaves
While its release-mate Walking Wake has been considerably more successful in the current meta, Iron Leaves has been viable in its own right. Virizion's Paradox counterpart has been one of the most offensively potent Grass-types in recent memory. Thanks to the Quark Drive Ability, it becomes a monstrous attacker in Electric Terrain, getting a boost to its already great 130 Attack stat.
With that comes a wide learnset, including moves like Leaf Blade, Trailblaze, Close Combat, Wild Charge, and the signature Psyblade, a move that also boosts its power in Electric Terrain. Its 107 Speed stat, while good, puts it below other truly elite offensive speedsters, but its solid defensive stats make up for that somewhat.
4 Wo-Chien
The Legendary Wo-Chien is the rare Pokemon to overcome its sorry defensive typing (Grass/Dark) and become a highly effective defensive Pokemon. Besides, Terastalization allows it to enhance its defensive identity further by switching to a better defensive type. Either way, the Tablets of Ruin Ability certainly helps matters, cutting any other Pokemon's Attack stat to 75 percent while Wo-Chien is in battle.
It's a great defensive irritant, with moves like Leech Seed and STAB Knock Off being key moves in its arsenal, and it's also commonly seen using Protect to scout potential offensive threats. Offensively, it's not spectacular by any means, but Giga Drain, Foul Play, and the signature Ruination allow it to be effective in spurts.
3 Breloom
Breloom has long had a competitive reputation as one of the most unique offensive Pokemon around. A very good offensive typing, a movepool and Ability tailor-made for each other, and moveset versatility have kept that reputation in Scarlet and Violet's meta after its absence from Sword and Shield.
While it's more notorious for its Sub-Seed (Substitute and Leech Seed) tactics from previous generations, it's more effective today thanks to its access to Spore. That's a key avenue of support to have on an otherwise offensively minded build, with moves like Giga Drain, Close Combat, Swords Dance, Bullet Seed, and Mach Punch working to its favor, the latter two benefiting greatly from the Technician ability.
2 Amoonguss
Amoonguss stands out as the best from the Pokemon roster's surplus of Grass/Poison-types, thanks to its impressive potential defensively. Its humongous HP, Regenerator ability, and unique support make it an excellent team member. That defensive potential even improved somewhat in Generation Nine; like with Wo-Chien, Terastalization allows it to switch to a better defensive type.
While its learnset isn't that wide, it's another one of the few 'mons with access to Spore, a move that pairs excellently with its defensive makeup. It also has access to moves like Giga Drain, Grass Knot, Sludge Bomb, and Foul Play to deal solid offense in a pinch. It's best paired with offensive teammates that could really use the Spore support.
1 Meowscarada
Gen Nine continues the trend of having the region's Grass-type starter in the upper echelon of competitive play. With Galar's Rillaboom being top-tier in Sword and Shield's meta, Paldea's Meowscarada has been nearly as dominant in Scarlet and Violet's meta, fulfilling a similar role of dangerous, unorthodox offensive threat.
While it doesn't have Rillaboom's raw Attack stat (110 to Rillaboom's 125) and Grassy Surge/Grassy Glide pet play, Meowscarada has a better raw Speed stat (123) and all the benefits of the fabled (albeit nerfed) Protean Ability. It also has fantastic coverage and support in its movepool to go alongside its signature attack, Flower Trick. As such, it can play either all-out offense or utility quite reliably.