Alolan Golem Movesets & Competitive Sets

With a Choice Scarf, Alolan Golem can outspeed almost every viable Steel-type in PU. This allows Alolan Golem to easily come in and revenge kill them with Earthquake or Fire Punch. After all opposing Steel-types are gone, however, Alolan Golem is just an extremely slow Choice Scarf user without any real niche. Furthermore, Probopass is the better option for a Magnet Pull user due to its ability to effectively utilize moves such as Stealth Rock and Volt Switch, which Alolan Golem cannot do due to its poor special bulk.

Moves Fire Punch is Alolan Golem's most effective move for taking out Bronzor and also serves to hit Torterra, which would otherwise wall this set. Earthquake is a more powerful coverage option that hits many Steel-types harder than Fire Punch does, including Mawile and Probopass. Earthquake also wards off physically defensive Pokemon such as Golem, which may aim to switch into a predicted Stone Edge or Volt Switch. Finally, Volt Switch allows Alolan Golem to pivot out of unfavorable matchups, catching the likes of Silvally-Fighting and Machoke as they switch in and bringing teammates in against faster targets without forcing them to take any unnecessary damage. Set Details Choice Band gives Alolan Golem the power necessary to 2HKO defensive behemoths like Avalugg and Pyukumuku with Stone Edge. Magnet Pull is vital for Alolan Golem to perform its main role of removing Steel-types like Bronzor. Usage Tips Alolan Golem's primary role is to remove defensive Steel-types, so you should look for opportunities to bring it in safely. While Alolan Golem can sometimes be switched directly into status moves such as Stealth Rock and Thunder Wave, you can also make use of double switches or U-turn or Volt Switch users to bring in Alolan Golem. In addition to trapping Steel-types, Alolan Golem can also take advantage of passive Pokemon such as Altaria and Choice-locked Pokemon like Wild Charge Electivire and Double-Edge Silvally to find opportunities to fire off a powerful Stone Edge. In these situations, if the opponent has a physically bulky Pokemon such as Poliwrath or Machoke, Volt Switch can be used instead to maintain momentum and safely bring in teammates that can further threaten the opponent's team. When expecting a Ground-type to switch in, you should look to maintain momentum by performing a double switch or, if possible, catching said Ground-type with a super effective coverage move. Notable examples of this include using Fire Punch to hit Torterra and Earthquake to hit Golem. Be careful of locking into moves that can be taken advantage of by setup sweepers like Rock Polish Torterra and Swords Dance Combusken, however. Team Options Alolan Golem works best when paired with Pokemon that appreciate defensive Steel-types being removed. For example, Psychic-types like Beheeyem and Grass-types such as Servine and Torterra greatly appreciate Alolan Golem's ability to remove Probopass and Bronzor, respectively. Alolan Golem can be paired with pivots like Rotom-Fan, Silvally-Fighting, and Silvally-Dragon to create a deadly VoltTurn core; Rotom-Fan is able to act as a check to Water- and Grass-types like Swanna, Poliwrath, and Torterra that force Alolan Golem out, while Silvally-Fighting checks Golem and can lure in defensive Pokemon such as Bronzor and Gourgeist-XL before punishing them with U-turn or Toxic. Finally, Silvally-Dragon is able to compensate for Alolan Golem's weakness to Grass-type attacks by checking Grass-type Pokemon like Servine and Leafeon. All of these Pokemon are able to clear entry hazards for Alolan Golem and greatly appreciate its ability to eliminate Steel-types such as Metang and Bronzor, allowing them to use Defog more reliably. In addition to Grass-types, Alolan Golem's defensive typing also leaves it vulnerable to Ground- and Water-types. Exeggutor and Mareanie are examples of Pokemon that can help offset these weaknesses, with Exeggutor reliably checking Ground-types like Sandslash and Torterra, and Mareanie handling fast Water-types like Floatzel and Simipour.

Moves Fire Punch is important coverage for Steel-types, allowing Alolan Golem to beat Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor. Wild Charge is its strongest Electric-type STAB move, which lets it beat Steel-types that are weak to Electric like Skarmory, Celesteela, and Empoleon. Earthquake is another important coverage option, letting it beat Steel-types like Stakataka and Excadrill. Stone Edge is its most powerful STAB move, allowing it to do significant damage to defensive Pokemon like Mega Sableye and Chansey. Set Details Maximum investment in Attack is used to make Alolan Golem as strong as possible. 236 EVs in Speed with a Jolly nature are used to always outspeed non-Choice Scarf Excadrill after Sticky Web, as well as bulky Mega Scizor outside of Sticky Web. The remaining EVs are placed into HP to increase its bulk. A Choice Band allows Alolan Golem to always OHKO Celesteela with Wild Charge and bulky Mega Scizor after Stealth Rock damage with Fire Punch. Magnet Pull is essential to Alolan Golem's role as a Steel check, letting it prevent Steel-types from switching out. Usage Tips Against weaker Steel-types like defensive Celesteela and Skarmory, Alolan Golem's decent physical bulk can be used to let it directly switch into these Pokemon. However, against offensive Steel-types like Mega Scizor and Excadrill, it's best to bring it in after another Pokemon has fainted, since these Pokemon carry super effective attacks like Superpower and Earthquake. It's also only capable of beating Choice Scarf Excadrill if it isn't locked into Earthquake. Be careful what move Alolan Golem locks itself into, since it could risk giving momentum to Steel-types like Heatran and Excadrill, which are immune to Fire Punch and Wild Charge, respectively. Be wary of Steel-types that can outspeed and pivot out of Alolan Golem in spite of Magnet Pull when Sticky Web isn't set, such as Jirachi and Magnezone. With its great Attack stat, solid coverage, and Sticky Web support, Alolan Golem can sometimes serve as an effective wallbreaker against Poison and Normal teams. In matchups where Alolan Golem has to take a Steel-type attack such as Celesteela's Heavy Slam or +2 Mega Scizor's Bullet Punch, it's a good idea to preserve its health throughout the match. Team Options Shuckle can set up Sticky Web for Alolan Golem, allowing it to outspeed offensive Mega Scizor and non-Choice Scarf Excadrill outside of sand, and Stealth Rock to guarantee an OHKO against defensive Mega Scizor. Mega Diancie can check Fighting-types like Terrakion and Keldeo that threaten to OHKO Alolan Golem and appreciates Alolan Golem's ability to trap Cobalion so that it has an easier time against Fighting teams. Terrakion has a safer opportunity to beat Steel teams with Alolan Golem's ability to trap bulky Steel-types like Mega Scizor, Skarmory, and Celesteela, all of which are able to check Terrakion. Tyranitar can use Pursuit to trap and remove special attackers that threaten Alolan Golem such as Latios and Gengar. In return, Alolan Golem is able to beat offensive Steel-types like Mega Scizor and Excadrill not locked into Earthquake. Cradily can switch into Water- and Ground-type attacks for Alolan Golem and check defensive Pokemon such as Hippowdon, Gastrodon, and Swampert. Nihilego can beat Electric-immune Water-types like Mega Swampert and Gastrodon with Grass Knot and appreciates Alolan Golem's ability to trap Ferrothorn, enabling Nihilego to easily burn through Grass teams with Sludge Wave. Omastar appreciates Alolan Golem's ability to trap and remove Choice Band Excadrill before it's able to remove entry hazards with Rapid Spin. This allows Omastar to beat Dugtrio, which prevents it from outright sweeping Ground teams.

Moves Stealth Rock is useful in problematic matchups, namely Dragon, and since Alolan Golem is the best Stealth Rock setter on Electric, this move is mandatory on such a set. It also lets Alolan Golem be useful outside of trapping threats. Earthquake allows Alolan Golem to OHKO Excadrill most of the time, a potent threat that can outspeed and OHKO many Electric-type Pokemon. Fire Punch serves as Alolan Golem's secondary coverage move and deals great damage to another common threat to Electric in Ferrothorn. Stone Edge is the preferred STAB move, as it allows Alolan Golem to hit common threats like Volcarona and Kyurem-B while also pressuring or KOing opposing Defoggers and spinners, such as Latios and Armaldo, that try to get rid of its Stealth Rock. Set Details Magnet Pull is what makes this set work, as it allows Alolan Golem to trap threatening Steel-types, namely Excadrill and Ferrothorn. Air Balloon, along with Magnet Pull, enables Alolan Golem to beat all Excadrill variants as long as it doesn't flinch from Iron Head. It also provides the Electric team with a Ground immunity. Maximum investment in Attack and Speed coupled with an Adamant nature makes Alolan Golem as strong as possible and lets it OHKO Excadrill while outspeeding uninvested Mantine, Klefki, and Mega Scizor. Usage Tips Since this set's main purpose is to trap and KO dangerous Steel-types, Alolan Golem should be brought on the field after a teammate has fainted or via a slow Volt Switch or U-turn to prevent it from taking too much damage or having its Air Balloon popped. Preserve Alolan Golem's Air Balloon when facing an Excadrill team, as it absolutely needs its item in order to reliably KO Excadrill. Therefore, against Steel teams, Alolan Golem should trap Excadrill before attempting to trap another Steel-type like Ferrothorn. In order to trap Excadrill in the Ground matchup, play aggressively against it, even if it means sacrificing a Pokemon, in order to get Alolan Golem on the field for free and trap it. In fact, Alolan Golem puts a great amount of pressure on Ground teams, since Excadrill cannot possibly KO a Pokemon without being trapped in return. Another notable Steel-type Alolan Golem can trap, besides Excadrill and Ferrothorn, is Klefki in the Fairy matchup, as Alolan Golem can stall screen turns and slowly wear Klefki down before KOing it when one of the screens has a single turn remaining. If the opposing team doesn't carry any Steel-type Pokemon, Alolan Golem can then be used to switch into resisted hits, weak damaging moves, or predicted switches to set up Stealth Rock and damage the opposing team as much as possible before it's KOed. Once Alolan Golem fulfills its purposes of trapping Steel-types and setting up Stealth Rock or if it becomes deadweight, namely against Water teams, it can be sacrificed to a strong opposing hit so that a teammate can safely come onto the field and revenge kill the opposing threat. Avoid burns as much as possible, as they halve Alolan Golem's damage output, and at that point, it won't be able to effectively trap Ferrothorn or beat Zapdos anymore. Team Options All of Alolan Golem's teammates appreciate its ability to trap and KO problematic threats like Excadrill and Ferrothorn. Zeraora greatly eases the would-be painful Normal matchup with Choice Band-boosted Close Combat and heavily pressures Steel teams when used in combination with Alolan Golem. Zapdos can beat Grass-types like Breloom and Tapu Bulu with Heat Wave, while Rotom-Wash deals with Ground-types that trouble Alolan Golem, such as Mamoswine and Gliscor. Both Zapdos and Rotom-Wash can remove entry hazards away with Defog and provide another Ground immunity to the team. Tapu Koko can give Alolan Golem the chance to be safely brought on the field with Volt Switch or U-turn so that it can trap Steel-types unharmed. With Taunt, Tapu Koko can also prevent Defoggers like Zapdos from clearing Alolan Golem's Stealth Rock away after it's been KOed. Alolan Raichu can sweep late-game with the continuous chip damage from Alolan Golem's Stealth Rock. Examples of guaranteed OHKOs after Stealth Rock damage include those against Kyurem-B and, after a Nasty Plot Boost, Assault Vest Alolan Muk. With Alolan Golem taking out Excadrill, Alolan Raichu might even be able to drop Focus Blast for Grass Knot to let it swiftly beat Ground teams. Thundurus is a secondary physical attacker that nicely helps Alolan Golem by dealing with Mega Venusaur and Normal teams.

Moves Stealth Rock is used to pressure Flying-, Bug-, and Fire-types such as Mantine, Armaldo, and Mega Charizard Y. Return is Alolan Golem's reliable Electric-type attack, which allows it to hit Water- and Flying-types such as Tapu Fini and Skarmory. Stone Edge allows Alolan Golem to hit Fire-, Flying-, and Bug-types such as Alolan Marowak, Zapdos, and Volcarona. Explosion is a powerful Electric-type move that deals massive damage and enables Alolan Golem to keep Stealth Rock up against slow Rapid Spin and Defog users. Earthquake can be used over Explosion to hit Electric-types such as Lanturn and Magnezone. Set Details Maximum Attack investment along with a Adamant nature allows Alolan Golem to hit as hard as possible. Maximum Speed investment is used to outspeed threats such as Clefable, Armaldo, and Alomomola. Galvanize turns Alolan Golem's Normal-type attacks into Electric-type attacks and slightly boosts their power. Focus Sash allows Alolan Golem to take any hit at full health, meaning it can almost always set up Stealth Rock safely. Usage Tips Use Alolan Golem as a lead because it can always safely set up Stealth Rock thanks to Focus Sash. After setting up Stealth Rock, it's usually best to use Explosion, as it grants one of Alolan Golem's teammates a free switch and causes entry hazard-removing moves from slower Pokemon to fail, but be careful not to use it on Ground-types. Remove hazards before switching Alolan Golem in, as it is extremely difficult to set up Stealth Rock without Focus Sash. Use Volt Switch and U-turn from Pokemon such as Magnezone and Tapu Koko to bring Alolan Golem in safely. Avoid status, especially burn, as burn halves Alolan Golem's Attack stat while also breaking its Focus Sash. Don't switch Alolan Golem in on any unnecessary hits because it needs its Focus Sash to reliably set up Stealth Rock. Team Options Zapdos can remove hazards with Defog and beat Grass-types such as Ferrothorn and Tapu Bulu with Heat Wave. Zapdos is also immune to Ground-type attacks. Rotom-Wash can deal with Ground-types that counter Alolan Golem such as Hippowdon and Mamoswine. Tapu Koko can set up Electric Terrain, boosting the power of Alolan Golem's Electric-type attacks and allowing it to break through Chansey and Porygon2. It also has U-turn and Volt Switch so that Alolan Golem can be brought in safely. Alolan Golem in return sets up Stealth Rock, which Tapu Koko can take advantage of because it forces many switches. Alolan Raichu appreciates Stealth Rock from Alolan Golem helping it KO Pokemon such as Dragonite and Salamence, allowing it to sweep late-game. Similarly, Xurkitree appreciates Stealth Rock because it helps it KO certain threats such as Scizor. Magnezone can trap and KO certain Steel-types that give Alolan Golem trouble such as Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor.