Best Palworld Grass-Type for Raids? Violet vs. Palumba Meta Battle Analysis
This guide will explore the current raid meta in Palworld: Tides of Terraria, specifically focusing on two powerful grass-type contenders—Violet and Palumba—as they go head-to-head in one of the most punishing raid scenarios: the Xeno Ultra Raid. We'll cover stats, hitbox behavior, build optimization, raid performance, and AI behavior, all while weaving in pro insights to help you dominate your next raid.
Introduction: The Grass-Type Conundrum in Palworld Raids
Grass-type Pals have often been overlooked in Palworld’s endgame raid content due to one critical issue: their underwhelming DPS scaling compared to elemental powerhouses like Fire, Electric, and Dragon types. However, with the right builds, strategic deployment, and a deep understanding of AI tendencies, two grass Pals are finally breaking into the meta spotlight—Violet and Palumba.
This guide presents an exhaustive, side-by-side breakdown of these two raid contenders, detailing why Violet outperforms expectations and how Palumba, despite its raw power, struggles due to inherent AI limitations.
Core Metrics for Raid Tier Evaluation
Before diving into individual builds, let’s define the core benchmarks used to measure raid efficiency in this analysis:
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Hitbox Behavior: A Pal’s ability to avoid AoE and targeted attacks.
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Clump Tendency: How closely a group of the same Pal type cluster together.
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Skill Rotation & Range: How efficiently skills are used while maintaining safe distance.
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Resilience & Survivability: Ability to sustain through boss AoEs and status effects.
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DPS Output in Real Conditions: Not just theoretical max damage, but practical, sustained DPS under raid pressure.
Now, let’s take a closer look at the unexpected MVP: Violet.
Violet: The Unlikely Hero of Grass Raids
Statline and Build Design
Despite a relatively modest HP pool, Violet brings a surprisingly resilient kit to the raid environment. When paired with Muscle Head and Serenity, and supported by Hamburger-tier food to accommodate its low hunger rating, Violet becomes a formidable combatant.
Recommended Violet Build:
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Traits: Muscle Head, Serenity
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Active Skills: Curtain Splash, Seed Mine
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Food Support: Hamburger (to reduce downtime due to hunger)
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Role: Ranged AoE Striker with Low Clump Potential
Hitbox Advantage: The Real Game Changer
Perhaps the most overlooked advantage Violet brings is its exceptionally small hitbox. In raid environments—particularly during boss mechanics like Beam Slicer, Fireball, and Cosmic Meteor—this allows Violet to consistently evade lethal AoE attacks, reducing the need for constant healing or resurrecting.
During the Xeno Ultra encounter, Beam Slicer only managed to connect with Violet twice despite being cast in the middle of a clump. This kind of evasive natural behavior is invaluable in long-form raid content.
Clump Behavior: Low-Profile, High-Impact
Unlike many other grass-types (looking at you, Natilius), Violet avoids unnecessary clustering. It maintains a balanced approach to distance, frequently backpedaling before casting skills like Seed Mine. This prevents raid-wide one-shots when massive AoEs or ads arrive.
In-Raid Performance Highlights
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Total Time to Kill (TTK): Approx. 3 minutes and 11 seconds
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Casualties: Only two Violets lost
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Damage Sustained: Minimal due to range and AI positioning
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Skill Uptime: Extremely high due to short cooldown skills
Expert Insight:
“Violet’s behavior is eerily efficient—it almost feels designed for raid environments. Minimal grouping, strong AoE spacing, and high survivability combine to give it top-tier performance.”
Palumba: Powerful but Flawed
Stat Profile and Adjusted Build
On paper, Palumba boasts a higher base stat total than Violet, making it seem like the obvious winner. However, when deployed in actual raid content, a number of critical flaws emerge—especially around hitbox size and AI clump behavior.
To compensate for these tendencies, Palumba’s skill loadout must be adjusted significantly.
Recommended Palumba Build:
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Traits: Attack-Boosting Traits (flexible)
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Active Skills: Wind Edge, Air Blade
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Food Support: Mozzarella Cheeseburger
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Role: Melee-Oriented Grass DPS with AoE Focus
Note: Though Palumba can learn Wind Edge naturally—a powerful boon—it’s essential to avoid skills like Seed Mine and Curtain Splash. These are more effective on ranged AIs like Violet.
Clump Behavior: The Fatal Flaw
Palumba's greatest weakness is its tendency to bunch up, especially mid-rotation. This behavior puts it directly in harm’s way during multi-target mechanics, and when combined with a larger physical hitbox, it results in frequent multi-unit wipeouts.
Even with skill adjustments designed to favor melee damage (Wind Edge and Air Blade), Palumba often charges into melee range, where Fireballs, Beam Slicers, and Cosmic Meteors can take out half a squad in seconds.
In-Raid Performance Summary
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Total Time to Kill (TTK): Approx. 3 minutes and 45 seconds
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Casualties: Up to 5 Palumbas lost, depending on RNG and positioning
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Damage Sustained: High due to reckless AI clustering
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Skill Uptime: Slightly reduced due to recovery delays
Expert Insight:
“There’s real potential in Palumba. Its base damage output is excellent, and Wind Edge offers one of the strongest grass-type burst tools. But its suicidal AI pathing means it's more liability than asset unless micromanaged heavily.”
The Build Theory: Skill Selection Matters More Than Ever
Why Curtain Splash + Seed Mine for Violet Works So Well
Both of these skills allow Violet to keep its distance while unleashing area-wide damage. Curtain Splash has high uptime and coverage, while Seed Mine—though rarely seen as a top-tier ability—excels in dynamic boss fights due to how often bosses shift position.
Why Wind Edge + Air Blade Is Mandatory for Palumba
Given Palumba’s proximity tendencies, the key is to lean into the chaos. Wind Edge offers rapid high-damage strikes, and Air Blade gives it a sweeping follow-up that synergizes well with its melee AI. Using Seed Mine would be wasted, as Palumba doesn't maintain optimal range.
Behavioral AI: The Meta Meta
Violet AI Behavior
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Maintains range
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Minimizes clump
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Uses AoE intelligently
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Avoids damage zones with high frequency
Palumba AI Behavior
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Aggressively charges into melee
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Frequently bunches up with other units
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Prone to getting hit by AoE chains
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Requires constant healing intervention
Raid Environment Factors That Influence Pal Performance
Boss AoE Patterns
In Xeno Ultra, frequent mechanics such as:
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Beam Slicer
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Cosmic Meteor
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Holy Burst
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Charge Cannon
...make large-hitbox Pals extremely vulnerable. This favors compact Pals like Violet, especially those that don’t force positional overlap with one another.
Adds and Multi-Target Phases
Palumba often underperforms during add spawn phases because its AI keeps it too close to the main boss, making it vulnerable to AoE chains from boss and adds alike. Violet, by contrast, naturally disengages during chaotic moments.
Final Verdict: Who Reigns Supreme?
Why Violet Wins the Tier Battle
It’s not about base stats or theoretical DPS potential. Violet dominates because of its:
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Smaller hitbox
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Smarter AI behavior
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Better spacing
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Higher uptime on AoE skills
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Lower dependency on healing
Even though Palumba can output high DPS, its suicidal proximity tendencies drag it down.
Tier Placement:
Violet: S-Tier Grass Raid Pal
Palumba: A-Tier (Borderline B due to survivability issues)
Looking Ahead: Could AI Behavior Updates Flip the Meta?
If Palworld devs patch Palumba's AI to reduce clumping or improve spacing, it could leapfrog Violet instantly. Its raw numbers are that strong. Until then, Palumba remains a "potential waiting to be unlocked," while Violet continues to quietly crush raid timers across the board.
Conclusion: Grass-Type Raids Will Never Be the Same
Once laughed off as the least viable raid typing, Grass Pals are now finally staking their claim in the meta—with Violet leading the charge. Whether you’re pushing for world-record raid clears or simply trying to survive a brutal Xeno Ultra, Violet deserves a permanent slot in your squad.
And while Palumba shows promise, it may remain a second-string star until further behavior rebalancing is introduced.
Pro Tip: Want even faster clears? Pair Violet with Electric support Pals and time your meteors post-add phase. The synergy boost is insane.
FAQ: Palworld Grass Raid Tier Breakdown – Violet vs. Palumba
Q: Which Pal is better for grass-type raids in Palworld: Violet or Palumba?
A: Violet takes the crown due to its compact hitbox, better spacing, and smarter AI behavior. It survives longer and deals consistent AoE damage with less healing required.
Q: What makes Violet superior in raid content?
A: Violet maintains distance, doesn't clump, and uses short-cooldown AoE skills like Seed Mine and Curtain Splash efficiently—making it ideal for boss mechanics with wide-area attacks.
Q: Why does Palumba struggle in high-end raids?
A: Palumba tends to clump with other units, has a larger hitbox, and often charges directly into AoE danger zones. It requires heavy micromanagement to stay alive.
Q: Can Palumba outperform Violet under certain conditions?
A: Yes, if AI clumping behavior is patched in future updates, Palumba's higher base stats and raw DPS potential could allow it to surpass Violet.
Q: What skills should be used for Violet in raid scenarios?
A: Curtain Splash and Seed Mine are the go-to options due to their high uptime, area coverage, and synergy with Violet's movement patterns.
Q: What build works best for Palumba in raids?
A: Wind Edge and Air Blade are optimal. These melee-focused skills capitalize on Palumba’s natural tendency to close in on enemies, offering high burst potential.
Q: Is there a true “best” grass Pal for all raids?
A: Not universally. Violet currently performs best in most raid environments, but team composition, boss mechanics, and future patches could change the hierarchy.
Q: What food is recommended for supporting raid Pals?
A: For Violet, Hamburger is ideal due to its low hunger meter. Palumba benefits from Mozzarella Cheeseburger for extra sustain between rotations.
Q: How long does a typical Violet-led raid last?
A: Approximately 3 to 3.5 minutes in Xeno Ultra Raid scenarios, with minimal casualties if the AI behaves optimally.
Q: Should I invest in both Violet and Palumba?
A: Yes, especially if future AI behavior patches address Palumba’s clumping issue. Until then, prioritize Violet for consistency and survivability.
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