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Nasty Plot + Recover Gholdengo is the best option for preventing entry hazard removal in the tier. Tera Steel bolsters Make It Rain's power, allowing Gholdengo to overwhelm threats such as Koraidon, defensive Great Tusk, Ting-Lu, and bulky Tera Fairy Miraidon after a Nasty Plot boost while removing its Ghost typing. Tera Normal blocks incoming Ghost-type attacks from the likes of Flutter Mane, Choice Scarf Houndstone, and opposing Gholdengo. Air Balloon provides a temporary measure against Ground-type attacks from Pokemon such as Great Tusk and Iron Treads, allowing Gholdengo to sometimes switch into them. Gholdengo best fits on hyper offense and balance teams that aim to preserve their own entry hazards for as long as possible. Frail leads such as Froslass and Masquerain appreciate their entry hazards staying intact against Great Tusk, Iron Treads, Corviknight, and Glimmora. Glimmora and Ting-Lu make for good teammates on balance teams in particular, as they provide similar entry hazard support while having sufficient power and bulk to punish threats. Wallbreakers such as Miraidon, Koraidon, and Chi-Yu appreciate multiple entry hazards to further overwhelm the opposition with their tremendous attacks and power.

Choice Scarf Gholdengo outspeeds the entire unboosted metagame, can use Trick to weaken defensive teams, and also blocks Defog and Rapid Spin to keep pressure on defensive Pokemon with entry hazards. Focus Blast deals more damage to Ting-Lu, Chi-Yu, and Iron Treads, while Nasty Plot and Recover can be used after Gholdengo's Choice Scarf has been removed via Trick to turn it into a setup sweeper or give it longevity, respectively. Tera Fighting powers up Focus Blast, which allows Gholdengo to potentially 2HKO Ting-Lu. Alternatively, Gholdengo can use Tera Steel on sets not using Focus Blast to boost Make It Rain and remove its weaknesses to Flutter Mane's and Chien-Pao's STAB moves. Gholdengo should almost always be switched in if Corviknight is on the field and be used sparingly against Great Tusk and Iron Treads if a Rapid Spin is predicted, but this is risky due to its Earthquake weakness. Spikes setters like Ting-Lu and Clodsire on balance teams as well as Froslass on hyper offense teams appreciate Gholdengo keeping up Spikes and it acting as a revenge killer for their respective archetypes. Pokemon like Calm Mind Miraidon, Calm Mind Flutter Mane, and Swords Dance Chien-Pao also benefit from Gholdengo using Trick on defensive Pokemon, forcing them to either heal or be locked into an unfavorable attack while they set up. Gholdengo can also clean up weakened teams if these Pokemon are used to wallbreak first.

Nasty Plot Gholdengo is an amazing setup sweeper thanks to its excellent defensive typing, Make It Rain, and Good as Gold, which gives it an invaluable immunity to Spore from Amoonguss and Taunt. Gholdengo has good matchups into common Restricted Pokemon such as Calyrex-I and Zamazenta-C. Nasty Plot is used to allow Gholdengo to set up and sweep opposing teams. Leftovers gives Gholdengo more longevity, while Metal Coat is used so it can OHKO Flutter Mane with unboosted Make It Rain. The Special Attack investment allows Gholdengo to always 2HKO Zamazenta-C with +2 Shadow Ball, while the defensive investment allows Gholdengo to survive Origin Pulse from Mystic Water Kyogre and Flare Blitz from Incineroar. The Speed investment allows Gholdengo to outspeed Pelipper. Tera Normal is used to give Gholdengo an immunity to threatening Ghost-type moves such as Astral Barrage from Calyrex-S and Shadow Ball from Flutter Mane, while Tera Water is used because it is a good defensive typing overall while allowing Gholdengo to resist Fire-type attacks. Common checks to Gholdengo consist of Incineroar, Chi-Yu, Assault Vest Raging Bolt, and Calyrex-S. Chi-Yu and Calyrex-S outspeed and threaten to OHKO Gholdengo. Assault Vest Raging Bolt easily shrugs off attacks from Gholdengo, while Incineroar walls it and can hit back with super effective Knock Off and Flare Blitz. Common partners for Gholdengo include Amoonguss, Incineroar, and Ogerpon-C, which help Gholdengo defensively by aiding in its setup with redirection and Pollen Puff healing as well as Fake Out and Intimidate, respectively. Urshifu-R and Pelipper are also great partners, as they can deal with Calyrex-S, Chi-Yu, and Incineroar thanks to Pelipper's combination of Drizzle, Wide Guard, and Weather Ball and Urshifu-R's ability to outspeed and threaten all three of them with Surging Strikes. Calyrex-I and Koraidon are strong Gholdengo partners, since Gholdengo can help deal with threats such as Zamazenta-C and Zacian-C and appreciates how the two threaten Incineroar. Koraidon especially appreciates Gholdengo, as it can take on Calyrex-I + Amoonguss teams incredibly well.

Gholdengo is a strong special attacker that uses its great ability to switch into moves like Amoonguss's Spore and Incineroar's Parting Shot, allowing it to attack without being slowed down. Gholdengo is also used as a check to Pokemon like Zamazenta-C and Zacian-C, since it walls them. Trick is used to cripple support and setup Pokemon like Amoonguss and Terapagos or force Pokemon that set Trick Room such as Calyrex-I to switch out. Nasty Plot gives Gholdengo the option to set up once it has used Trick. Power Gem hits Fire-types that resist Make It Rain such as Incineroar, Chi-Yu, and Ogerpon-H. Alternatively, Dazzling Gleam threatens Pokemon like Miraidon and Koraidon. Choice Specs allows Gholdengo to use its strong Steel- and Ghost-type attacks to immediately threaten Pokemon like Calyrex-I, especially if it uses Tera Steel. The EV spread allows Gholdengo to survive Choice Specs Miraidon's Volt Switch, Incineroar's Flare Blitz, and Kyogre's Mystic Water-boosted Origin Pulse and OHKO bulky Flutter Mane sets with Shadow Ball. The Speed EVs let it outspeed the Ogerpon formes when they are at -1. Tera Steel lets Gholdengo OHKO Landorus and Tera Fairy Assault Vest Raging Bolt, and if Gholdengo is paired with speed control providers such as Tailwind Tornadus and Icy Wind Flutter Mane, it can run it to boost Make It Rain even further. Tera Dragon allows Gholdengo to resist Fire-type attacks such as Koraidon's Flare Blitz and Groudon's Heat Crash as well as Miraidon's Electro Drift and Urshifu-R's Surging Strikes. Tera Water also lets Gholdengo resist Fire- and Water-type attacks like Kyogre's Water Spout and Koraidon's Flare Blitz while not making it weak to Ice- and Fairy-type attacks such as Chien-Pao's Icicle Crash and Flutter Mane's Moonblast. Incineroar resists Gholdengo's STAB combination while threatening it with Flare Blitz and Knock Off. Chi-Yu similarly checks Gholdengo while also outspeeding and threatening an OHKO on it with Dark Pulse or Overheat. Assault Vest Raging Bolt resists Make It Rain and avoids the 2HKO from Shadow Ball. As for teammates, Gholdengo pairs well with Terapagos, since Gholdengo walls Zamazenta-C, while Terapagos matches up well against Calyrex-S and can switch into Ghost-type attacks. Gholdengo also pairs well with Calyrex-I, since it can check Zamazenta-C and Zacian-C, which Calyrex-I struggles with. Gholdengo additionally has great synergy with Pelipper due to rain reducing Gholdengo's weakness to Fire and Pelipper threatening Fire-types that resist Make It Rain such as Incineroar and Chi-Yu. Finally, Chien-Pao and Calyrex-I are both good partners for Gholdengo, since they can threaten Raging Bolt.

Choice Specs Gholdengo uses its high Special Attack stat, decent Speed, and powerful spread move to severely dent the opposing team. Thunderbolt is a good coverage option for Gholdengo to threaten Water-types that resist Make It Rain like Pelipper. Power Gem also allows Gholdengo to threaten Incineroar while still threatening Pelipper. Trick works well with Gholdengo's immunity to Fake Out to allow it to shut down setup strategies or to force Trick Room setters like Porygon2 to switch out. Tera Steel maximizes Gholdengo's damage output with Make It Rain, letting it do as much damage as possible before being knocked out and allowing it to pick up OHKOs on Pokemon such as Ursaluna-B. A Timid nature lets Gholdengo outspeed Modest Glimmora and Basculegion, while a Modest nature guarantees the OHKO against bulky Annihilape with Shadow Ball. Pros: Choice Specs Gholdengo has a very high initial damage output, not requiring the setup turn that plagues the Nasty Plot set. Teams without a bulky Pokemon that resists Make It Rain can quickly be blown away. Cons: Choice Specs Gholdengo's inability to switch moves and lack of setup can cause its Special Attack to quickly plummet if it tries to spam Make It Rain against Pokemon like Incineroar and Kingambit. This causes it to often have to switch out, losing momentum.

Gholdengo leverages its immunities and resistances from its typing and ability to set up with Nasty Plot and sweep with Make It Rain. Leftovers increases Gholdengo's survivability, while Metal Coat and Life Orb allow Gholdengo to start attacking without needing a turn to setup. Metal Coat is preferred on sets that still lean on Nasty Plot, while Life Orb sets play more like a Choice Specs set that has the option to switch moves and punish passive turns with Nasty Plot. Tera Dragon allows Gholdengo to resist Fire- and Water-type attacks like Flare Blitz from Incineroar and Wave Crash from Basculegion, allowing it to set up with Nasty Plot or to start attacking after getting a boost. Tera Steel Gholdengo is typically run with Life Orb to let it pick up OHKOs on Pokemon like Primarina and Amoonguss when paired with Nasty Plot. The Speed investment lets Gholdengo outspeed bulky Volcarona, while the bulk investment lets it survive Wave Crash from Choice Band Basculegion-M and Tera Dark Throat Chop from Sneasler. A Modest nature lets Metal Coat Gholdengo OHKO Ursaluna-B with Make It Rain, while a Timid nature paired with 164 Speed EVs allows it to outspeed all opposing Modest Gholdengo. Pros: Setup Gholdengo can easily run away with the game if its given a turn to set up. Setup Gholdengo can also afford to run more bulk investment, as it can increase its Special Attack. Cons: Requiring a turn to set up can lead to Gholdengo being OHKOed or heavily chipped before it can start doing damage. Teams featuring Nasty Plot Gholdengo often have to include more support Pokemon such as Amoonguss and Electabuzz in order to get the most value out of it, as they ensure Gholdengo will have a safe chance to set up.

Nasty Plot Gholdengo is a bulky setup sweeper for Ghost teams, leveraging its stellar typing and fantastic stats to break down walls such as Articuno, Hisuian Goodra lacking Flamethrower, and Corviknight, which Ghost teams struggle with. Its ability, Good as Gold blocks status moves such as Encore from Sableye and phazing from Empoleon, heavily aiding Gholdengo as a setup sweeper. Make It Rain's extra power makes it a notable option over Flash Cannon, as it OHKOes Ursaluna after minor chip and Articuno at +2 and will always OHKO Flutter Mane. However, it can be stalled out by Pressure, and the Special Attack drop can provide setup opportunities for enemies such as Azumarill and Gliscor. Alternatively, Flash Cannon provides a less strong but more reliable STAB move that is extremely helpful in the Fairy and Ice matchup. 104 Speed EVs let Gholdengo outspeed threats like Adamant Scizor and Jolly Azumarill and most walls, including uninvested Gliscor and Articuno. A Bold nature prevents Alolan Muk from 2HKOing Gholdengo before the Air Balloon breaks, while a Modest nature provides Gholdengo with more favorable damage calculations, namely giving it a chance to OHKO Gliscor and Galarian Moltres with +2 Make It Rain and Scizor with a boosted Shadow Ball and knocking out Alolan Muk over two turns with Make It Rain after a Nasty Plot. An Air Balloon lets Gholdengo provide a unique defensive niche, walling out a lot of Ground-types like Gliscor variants with no attacking moves besides Earthquake, Landorus, and Quagsire as long as it isn't popped, protecting Gholdengo from Poltergeist users such as Brambleghast once the item is popped, and also making it a generally safe switch-in to block Mortal Spin from Earth Power Glimmora. Flutter Mane and Nasty Plot Spectrier appreciate Gholdengo's wallbreaking ability to remove roadblocks like Gliscor, Clodsire, and Articuno. In return, Gholdengo is able to take a hit from Weavile and OHKO it back for its teammates. In return, Flutter Mane and Spectrier both act as cleaners and deal with faster-paced matchups like Fighting and Ghost for Gholdengo. Both are also able to remove Dark-types like Greninja, while Spectrier can lure and incapacitate Dark-types like Roaring Moon if using a Colbur Berry. Flutter Mane can also don a Choice Scarf, to deal with Dragapult and Meowscarada. Gholdengo's vulnerability to Water- and Fire-type coverage is notable, so teammates like Sinistcha to readily deal with Dondozo and Skeledirge to take on Gastrodon and Volcarona benefit Gholdengo. Skeledirge, especially with Earth Power, puts in work in the Steel and Fire matchup, while Sinistcha helps in the Ground matchup, which Gholdengo does not fare well against. Both also have the ability to inflict burn on key walls like Alolan Muk, Clodsire, and Iron Hands, making it easier for Gholdengo to set up. Ceruledge is an exceptional teammate, as it deals with Gholdengo's nemesis, Heatran, and also put in work on matchups like Steel and Fire. Spikes support from Froslass and Brambleghast is also great, as this synergizes with Gholdengo's ability to block Defog; Froslass also is fast enough to deal with Landorus, while Brambleghast's entry hazard removal is rare on Ghost and is appreciated once Gholdengo's Air Balloon gets popped. Dragapult's great Speed tier enables it to fend off Choice Specs Flutter Mane or Choice Scarf Roaring Moon when equipped with a Choice Specs or Choice Scarf of its own, and it can pivot Gholdengo in against walls like Clodsire with U-turn, as well as burn Alolan Muk, Iron Hands, and Ting-Lu for it. Dragapult can also run a Choice Band set, allowing it to 2HKO Alolan Muk as well as take out opposing Ghost-types with Sucker Punch, or even a Dragon Dance set to threaten walls such as Clodsire that bother Gholdengo. Choice Scarf Hisuian Zoroark takes advantage of Gholdengo's Speed tier and typing with Illusion, luring and removing threats like Hisuian Samurott while also being able to eliminate Hoopa-U with U-turn. It is also able to lure in and heavily damage Ghost-types like Flutter Mane, Dragapult, and Spectrier, which use their Ghost-type coverage to defeat Gholdengo. Mimikyu can serve as a check to threats like Hoopa-U and Hydreigon as well as a one-time answer to Darkrai, Greninja, and Roaring Moon using Disguise. In return Gholdengo takes on Corviknight, Iron Defense Iron Treads, and Galarian Weezing.

Nasty Plot Gholdengo serves as a valuable offensive and defensive threat for Steel teams thanks to its Ghost typing enabling it to handle Fighting-types like Sneasler and Iron Valiant for its teammates while offensive options using Shadow Ball to check the likes of Archaludon and Iron Hands. Focus Blast breaks through bulkier Steel- and Normal-types like Heatran, Hisuian Goodra, and Blissey. Finally, Make It Rain can provide a powerful tool to break through bulky foes like Gliscor and Alolan Muk. Alternatively, Thunderbolt can handle Water-types such as Primarina and Alomomola, while Recover enables Gholdengo to easily set up on threats like Archaludon and Toxapex. Air Balloon enables Gholdengo safe entry against Ground-types like Clodsire and Hippowdon, which struggle to touch it otherwise. Skarmory compliments Gholdengo incredibly well thanks to its Ground immunity and immense physical bulk, enabling it to take on threats such as Excadrill, Hisuian Samurott, and Meowscarada. It can set Spikes to wear down checks to Gholdengo such as Flutter Mane and Greninja while appreciating the combination of Gholdengo's Good as Gold to block Defog and Ghost typing to block Rapid Spin, preventing entry hazards from being removed. Heatran completes Steel's immunity core, being a great check to Fire-types like Iron Moth and Volcarona. Choice Scarf Archaludon can use Draco Meteor to check Dragapult and Garchomp along with using Thunderbolt to handle Water-types Gholdengo struggles to check like Urshifu-R and Choice Specs Greninja. Iron Treads provides an Electric immunity so it can handle Raging Bolt and Sandy Shocks, while its Ice Spinner can deal with the Landorus formes and Gliscor for Gholdengo. Hisuian Goodra can take on special attackers that can threaten to overwhelm Gholdengo such as Spectrier, Darkrai, and Terapagos. Bisharp and Scizor can use their priority moves to take down faster threats such as Choice Scarf Hoopa-U, Tornadus-T, and Flutter Mane.

Choice Scarf Gholdengo's ability to revenge kill threats such as Flutter Mane and Dragapult, come into status-spreading Pokemon such as Klefki and Breloom due to Good as Gold, and inconvenience bulkier teams by preventing all forms of entry hazard removal with its ability and typing make it a prime pick for Ghost teams. Make It Rain greatly weakens Dark- and Normal-types such as Hydreigon and Indeedee, and it OHKOes Flutter Mane and Iron Valiant. Shadow Ball lets Gholdengo clean types such as Psychic and Ghost late-game. Trick neutralizes defensive pivots such as Corviknight, Ting-Lu, and Clodsire, which typically switch into it. The last move of choice is dependent on what the Ghost team lacks; Focus Blast gives the team another way to defeat Choice Specs Greninja, Thunderbolt cleans Water- and Flying-teams, or Nasty Plot which turns Gholdengo into a massive threat against bulkier teams especially after their main specially defensive wall has been given a Choice Scarf with Trick. As Gholdengo provides the needed revenge killing capabilities on Ghost teams, teammates such as Flutter Mane and Dragapult are free to run sets like Choice Specs and Dragon Dance, respectively. Both also break down walls such as Clodsire and Gastrodon; in return, Gholdengo deals with opposing Dragapult and Choice Scarf Gallade. Skeledirge walls most physical attackers and Fire-types such as Scovillain and Volcarona. Mimikyu provides a safety net against offensive types like rain Water and Ghost, checking Barraskewda and Choice Scarf Flutter Mane for the team, and it loves Gholdengo shutting down defensive walls such as Toxapex with Trick. Entry hazard setters in Brambleghast and Froslass are is also greatly appreciated, as they can set, remove, or prevent entry hazards for Gholdengo; in return, Gholdengo prevents their entry hazards from getting removed by Glimmora. Brambleghast also switches into Ground-types such as Ting-Lu and Great Tusk and deals with Water-types like Gastrodon and Dondozo, while Froslass can spread paralysis with Thunder Wave and bring down an opposing Pokemon with its Destiny Bond.

Gholdengo is a good Choice Scarf user on Steel teams due to its decent Speed, great Special Attack, and ability to take out Iron Valiant and Flutter Mane. Make It Rain is Gholdengo's strongest STAB move and can take out Mamoswine and Choice Specs Hisuian Zoroark. Shadow Ball threatens Ghost-types like Choice Specs Dragapult and Spectrier, whereas Trick allows it to Choice lock walls like Empoleon, Hisuian Goodra, and Corviknight. Focus Blast helps against Steel-, Dark-, and Normal-types like non-Choice Scarf Iron Treads, Choice Specs Greninja, and Ursaluna. Skarmory is a great wall to pair with Gholdengo, since it can set entry hazards with Spikes and check physical threats like Excadrill, Meowscarada, and Hisuian Samurott with Body Press. Skarmory also provides a useful immunity to Ground-type attacks, which works well with Gholdengo because it attracts many revenge killers that run Ground-type coverage. Skarmory also appreciates Gholdengo's ability to absorb status moves like Taunt and Thunder Wave with Good as Gold. Hisuian Goodra is a great special wall that is able to tank hits from Choice Specs users like Zapdos and Greninja, which Gholdengo appreciates. In return, Gholdengo takes out mixed attacker Iron Valiant for Hisuian Goodra. Heatran is essential for Steel teams due to its Fire immunity and is able to take out threats like Iron Moth and Volcarona with its powerful coverage. Heatran can also provide support with Stealth Rock to break Ceruledge's Focus Sash, which allows Gholdengo to remove it with ease. Iron Treads helps against opposing Steel and Fire teams by dealing with Hisuian Goodra, Ninetales, and Hisuian Arcanine. Iron Treads also provides support with Rapid Spin and removes Landorus with Ice Spinner. Archaludon is a strong wall that can use Thunder Wave to paralyze Pokemon that threaten Gholdengo like the Ogerpon formes, Choice Scarf Roaring Moon, and Dragonite. After using Swords Dance, Scizor takes out Belly Drum Azumarill and Ursaluna with Bullet Punch and Close Combat, respectively. Bisharp also pairs well with Gholdengo, as it can use Swords Dance to take out checks to Gholdengo like Assault Vest Gallade and Hoopa-U. Both Scizor and Bisharp utilize Gholdengo's Trick to set up on Choice-locked Pokemon. All of Gholdengo's teammates appreciate its Fighting immunity and ability to take out the aforementioned Iron Valiant and Mamoswine.

Thunder Wave Gholdengo is an incredibly disruptive support Pokemon thanks to its phenomenal typing, ability, and array of utility moves. Thunder Wave can cripple Pokemon that would otherwise give Steel teams a very hard time, such as Keldeo and Primarina. Hex 2HKOes paralyzed foes like physically defensive Corviknight, Keldeo, and Assault Vest Gallade. Make It Rain allows Gholdengo to apply immediate pressure on targets such as Hatterene, Kyurem, and Garganacl. The given EV spread allows Gholdengo to outspeed Adamant Scizor, 2HKO Assault Vest Tornadus-T, and survive a Choice Scarf Flutter Mane's Shadow Ball. Skarmory is an excellent teammate for Gholdengo, as it can switch into Ground-type attacks from Pokemon such as Mamoswine and Excadrill as well as a myriad of physical attacks from Pokemon such as Roaring Moon and Hisuian Samurott. In return, Gholdengo can make sure that Skarmory's entry hazards stay on the field thanks to its hazard removal immunity. Hisuian Goodra can switch into strong special attacks from Pokemon such as Flutter Mane and Darkrai. In return, Gholdengo can switch into Fighting-type attacks from Pokemon such as Skarmory and Sneasler that would otherwise make quick work of Hisuian Goodra. Air Balloon Heatran is able to switch into Fire- and Ground-type attacks from Pokemon such as Ceruledge, Volcarona, and opposing Heatran. Gholdengo's speed control via Thunder Wave allows Heatran to have an easier time in an offensive role, as it outspeeds Pokemon such as Kyurem and Latios while they are paralyzed. Archaludon can tank physical attacks from foes such as the Ogerpon formes, Meowscarada, and Bisharp. Archaludon can also apply pressure to Dark- and Dragon-types via Body Press and Draco Meteor. Iron Treads can use its solid Speed stat to threaten Fire-types and special walls that Gholdengo cannot break through, such as Clodsire, Alolan Muk, and Hisuian Goodra. Gholdengo can utilize Good as Gold to switch into moves such as Will-O-Wisp and Defog, allowing Iron Treads to have an easier time serving as a wallbreaker. Scizor is a phenomenal wallbreaker that can help Gholdengo deal with some of its best counters in Ting-Lu and Flutter Mane. In return, Gholdengo can switch into strong physical walls that Scizor cannot beat, such as Dondozo.

Nasty Plot allows Gholdengo to become a potent wincon, capable of cleaning up weakened teams with its powerful spread damage. Its good defensive typing and incredible ability in Good as Gold give it plenty of opportunities to set up in front of common Pokemon such as Rillaboom, Tornadus, Whimsicott, and Amoonguss, since it resists all of their STAB moves and is not affected by Fake Out, Taunt, Encore, or Spore. Make It Rain becomes incredibly powerful when boosted by Nasty Plot and can severely damage anything that doesn't resist it. However, it drops Gholdengo's Special Attack after being used and is resisted by several common Pokemon, such as Incineroar and Iron Hands, meaning that it can't be freely used repeatedly, as opponents can play around Make It Rain until Gholdengo runs out of steam. This makes Make It Rain most effective when used against weakened teams that have their switch-in options limited, or in positions where the opponent is unable to protect their neutral targets from it. Shadow Ball gives Gholdengo an option against Steel-resistant Pokemon such as Iron Hands, Raging Bolt, and Ogerpon's Wellspring and Hearthflame Formes, allowing it to preserve its Nasty Plot boost and still maintain offensive pressure. Dazzling Gleam, in combination with Tera Fairy, is able to completely flip the script on Iron Hands and provide a neutral damage option against Incineroar and Swords Dance Kingambit. The given EV spread guarantees Gholdengo will survive a Sucker Punch from full from Adamant Chien-Pao while also allowing it to outspeed Modest Choice Scarf Chi-Yu when in Tailwind. Gholdengo's longevity can be increased with Leftovers, which becomes especially impactful when paired with Rillaboom's Grassy Terrain, doubling the amount of passive recovery received per turn. Alternatively, Metal Coat turns Make It Rain into even more of a nuke, which is useful on teams focused more around immediate offensive power. Tera Dragon grants Gholdengo crucial resistances to Fire and Water while maintaining its resistance to Grass, allowing it to resist all the STAB moves of both Ogerpon-W and Ogerpon-H. However, the gained weaknesses to Dragon, Ice, and Fairy leave it in a precarious spot against strong Dragon-types such as Regidrago and Raging Bolt while also making it vulnerable to foes it can normally beat such as Chien-Pao, Kyurem, and Whimsicott. Alternatively, Tera Fairy provides Gholdengo with a useful resistance to Dark and serves as a generally good defensive typing. Lastly, Tera Steel can be used to further strengthen Make It Rain while also dropping Gholdengo's weakness to Dark. The loss of Gholdengo's Ghost typing should always be kept in mind when considering whether to Terastallize it, as becoming vulnerable to Fake Out can severely hinder it in certain matchups. Incineroar and Kingambit are bulky foes that resist both of Gholdengo's STAB moves and threaten it back with super effective moves, so it appreciates teammates that can deal with these threats such as Landorus and Iron Hands. Speed control is very important for Gholdengo, as it prefers to move first despite its mediocre Speed tier teammates that provide Tailwind support such as Tornadus and Whimsicott make for natural partners. Teammates that provide redirection support, such as Ogerpon-W, Indeedee-F, and Amoonguss are also useful, as they can provide Gholdengo with free turns to set up and increase its longevity by keeping it safe. The same applies to Pokemon that can provide Fake Out support such as Rillaboom and Incineroar.

Choice Specs Gholdengo provides more immediate offense compared to Nasty Plot variants. Choice Specs-boosted Tera Steel Make It Rain can quickly overwhelm the opposing team, leaving the opponent scrambling to bring in their few Steel-resistant Pokemon. Shadow Ball acts as the secondary STAB move, hitting key targets such as Archaludon and opposing Gholdengo. Power Gem and Focus Blast provide answers to some of the common foes that resist Gholdengo's STAB coverage. Both moves hit Incineroar and Chi-Yu super effectively, while Focus Blast specifically lets it threaten Kingambit. Power Gem is usually the preferred option because of its consistency. Trick is able to severely disrupt the opponent's support or setup-oriented Pokemon such as Amoonguss. Trick can also be utilized against Sucker Punch users, causing their attack to fail and locking them down with a Choice item. Tera Steel is the Tera type of choice to push Make It Rain's damage even further. It also provides defensive benefits in removing Gholdengo's weakness to Ghost- and Dark-type attacks, notably opposing Gholdengo's Shadow Ball and the Sucker Punches coming from Chien-Pao and Kingambit. The EV spread maximizes Gholdengo’s Special Attack to focus on heavy damage output. The HP and Defense investment allow it to survive Jolly Chien-Pao's Sucker Punch without the need to Terastallize defensively. The Speed makes Gholdengo faster than Booster Energy Gouging Fire and Modest Choice Scarf Chi-Yu under Tailwind. Good as Gold allows Gholdengo to switch in against status-reliant Pokemon almost completely unthreatened by them. This most notably includes Amoonguss, as its presence in the metagame often demands teams to have Spore-immune answers. Gholdengo's Speed leaves it outpaced by many of the metagame's major threats, such as Landorus and Ogerpon-H; because of this, it is very frequently paired with Tailwind users to support it. Tornadus and Whimsicott both have the Prankster ability that make them particularly ideal in this role. Pokemon that can assist Gholdengo in breaking down the tougher Steel-resistant Pokemon are helpful. For instance, Landorus is particularly effective at taking down the Fire-, Electric-, and Steel-types with its powerful Ground-type STAB moves. Ogerpon-W is another strong partner for Gholdengo, offering Follow Me for redirection support in addition to being able to offensively threaten Landorus and many Fire- and Water-types. Rillaboom is also a fantastic partner, as it's efficient in removing Water-types. In addition, it's effective at luring in the Fire- and Steel-types that resist its Terrain-boosted Grass-type moves, wearing them down for Gholdengo to break through. Further still, Rillaboom is an effective pivot that can help secure Gholdengo's safe entrance onto the field.

100 Speed EVs allows it to outspeed uninvested Gliscor

Maximum HP investment combined with 4 Defence EVs prevents Knock Off from Assault Vest Snorlax from ever breaking a Substitute. 100 Speed EVs allows it to outspeed uninvested Gliscor

Keep in mind that due to how Inheritance works, when using this set any combination of moves you wish to run must be legal on either Chimecho, Latios, or Latias.

Bulky Nasty Plot Gholdengo functions as a great defensive piece thanks to its amazing typing, access to reliable recovery, and its near-complete shutdown of entry hazard removal methods, as well as being a reliable offensive threat. Nasty Plot allows Gholdengo to take advantage of the foes it forces out, like Corviknight, Zamazenta lacking Crunch, and Toxapex, to enable it to break apart bulkier special walls such as Assault Vest Melmetal. Focus Blast nails otherwise-impassable Dark- and Normal-types like Ting-Lu, Hisuian Samurott, Kingambit, and Ursaluna, preventing them from either setting up entry hazards or Pursuit trapping it. It also destroys Steel-types like specially defensive Heatran and Ferrothorn after a boost. Recover allows Gholdengo to stay healthy in the face of weak attacks from foes like Toxapex, Ferrothorn, and Alomomola, letting it get more setup opportunities without fearing being chipped down. It also allows Gholdengo to check threatening Fighting-, Fairy-, and Psychic-types like Zamazenta, Tapu Lele, and Galarian Slowking throughout the game. The given EV spread allows Gholdengo to take a Choice Scarf Landorus-T's Earthquake from full health as well as outspeed defensive Landorus-T and Jolly Kingambit. Ghostium Z and Fightinium Z give Gholdengo one-time options to remove most foes in its path: Ghostium Z blasts specially defensive Toxapex and Assault Vest Tornadus-T, denying them the ability to utilize Regenerator to check Gholdengo's teammates later in the game, while Fightinium Z allows for Gholdengo to beat back its otherwise-solid answers in Ting-Lu and Blissey while ignoring Focus Blast's accuracy woes. Leftovers lets Gholdengo conserve Recover PP against the likes of Toxapex, while Air Balloon lets Gholdengo stuff Gliscor, gain setup opportunities against Landorus-T, and block Rapid Spin from Great Tusk to keep hazards on the field. Gholdengo's great typing, which lets it deal with troublesome Fighting-, Fairy-, and Psychic-types like the aforementioned Zamazenta and Tapu Lele, as well as its amazing offensive power after a boost and its ability to block hazard removal attempts, lets it find a home on balance teams. Gholdengo greatly appreciates teammates like Zamazenta and Iron Valiant, as they are able to ward off the dangerous Dark-types like Kingambit and Hisuian Samurott that take advantage of Gholdengo. In return, Gholdengo threatens the Poison-types like Toxapex that wall them to setup and wreak havoc, as well as checking threatening Psychic- and Fairy-types like Choice Scarf Tapu Lele. Hazard setters like Gliscor and Hisuian Samurott are great partners as well due to Gholdengo's near-complete dominance over most hazard control options. Both also offer unique defensive pairings with Gholdengo; Gliscor deals with Ground-types like Ting-Lu and Landorus-T by putting them on a timer with Toxic, while Hisuian Samurott takes on Fire-types like Heatran. Hazard removal options for Gholdengo like Moltres and Great Tusk allow Gholdengo to check the threats it needs to, like all-out attacking Zamazenta and Choice Specs Iron Valiant, without dealing with Spikes damage. Another good defensive partner for Gholdengo is Heatran, as it is able to put Volcarona and Moltres on a timer with Toxic while setting up Stealth Rock to chip down Gholdengo's checks like Hisuian Samurott over time.

Gholdengo is a premier defensive piece due to its incredible ability and typing, which helps it check threats like Tapu Lele, Mega Medicham, and Zamazenta while also being immune to Great Tusk and Terapagos’s Rapid Spin and Defog from Tornadus-T and Zapdos. Focus Blast allows Gholdengo to hit would-be checks in Kingambit, Mega Tyranitar, and Terapagos without Tera Shell. Thunder Wave allows Gholdengo to slow down Pokemon such as Terapagos, Ogerpon-W, and Heatran. Hex is boosted to new heights because of Thunder Wave, and it severely damages Gliscor. Ghostium Z allows Gholdengo to greatly harm Pokemon that are unable to be paralyzed by Thunder Wave such as Raging Bolt, Zapdos, Great Tusk, and Landorus-T. Leftovers allows Gholdengo to have an easier time switching in against Pokemon like Tapu Lele and Iron Valiant repeatedly. Fightinium Z helps Gholdengo secure OHKOs on Assault Vest Kingambit, Mega Tyranitar, and Terapagos without Tera Shell while also being more reliable to hit with than Focus Blast. Air Balloon allows Gholdengo to be completely immune to Ground-type attacks from the likes of Gliscor and Great Tusk and block Rapid Spin from Great Tusk more effectively. The given EVs allow Gholdengo to outspeed uninvested Landorus-T and Jolly Kingambit while avoiding the OHKO from Choice Scarf Landorus-T. Gholdengo fits on various playstyles where its paralysis support and incredible defensive utility are valued. Teammates that set up entry hazards like Hisuian Samurott and Ting-Lu are perfect partners for Gholdengo because of it being an effective blocker of hazard removal from Terapagos and Great Tusk, especially if it is holding Air Balloon. Wallbreakers such as Mega Medicham and Ogerpon-W benefit from Gholdengo checking revenge killers like Tornadus-T, Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, and Zamazenta while also slowing down these faster threats with Thunder Wave. Gholdengo is unable to consistently break through Pokemon like Ting-Lu and Volcarona and is passive against Zapdos and Raging Bolt if it is unable to use a Z-Move. It is also easily outpaced by threats like Roaring Moon, Mega Lopunny, and Mega Charizard Y, limiting its ability to stay on the field safely. Teammates like Dragonite, Mega Tyranitar, and Zamazenta are great partners to help work around these issues. Iron Valiant is also a great partner for Gholdengo, as it appreciates Gholdengo paralyzing faster revenge killers like Tapu Lele and Tornadus-T, and in return, it takes care of Pokemon like Hisuian Samurott and Kingambit for Gholdengo.

Gholdengo is a good wallbreaker and glue for offense and hyper offense teams thanks to its access to Nasty Plot, its ability, Good as Gold, and its typing, which blocks entry hazard removal from Terapagos and Tornadus-T while also having useful resistances to threats such as Tapu Lele and Iron Valiant. Nasty Plot allows Gholdengo to OHKO Pokemon such as Heatran and Tapu Koko at +2. Make It Rain is a powerful STAB move that can allow a boosted Gholdengo to take down Pokemon that Shadow Ball can't, such as Gliscor, offensive Garchomp, and Landorus-T, OHKOing all of them after a boost. Recover can be slotted over Make It Rain in order to increase Gholdengo’s longevity, allowing it to check threats like Iron Valiant and Tapu Lele for longer. Focus Blast is a move that complements Gholdengo’s Ghost-type STAB moves, punching holes into would-be switch-ins like Kingambit, Ting-Lu, and Heatran. Air Balloon allows Gholdengo to spinblock and threaten Great Tusk, Iron Treads, and Terapagos lacking Flamethrower. Ghostium Z is a powerful option, and when used in tandem with Nasty Plot, it allows Gholdengo to OHKO specially defensive Garchomp, Moltres, and Toxapex while also OHKOing the previously mentioned Heatran without relying on the shaky accuracy of Focus Blast. Fightinium Z is another option that allows Gholdengo to bypass Focus Blast’s limited accuracy, notably OHKOing Ting-Lu and Assault Vest Melmetal after a boost. Gholdengo acts as a valuable asset for most offensive team structures with its ability to deny hazard control while also having incredible wallbreaking potential. Pokemon such as Glimmora, Ting-Lu, and Hisuian Samurott benefit from Gholdengo’s ability to keep hazards up. Additionally, the latter two enjoy Gholdengo’s unique typing, which can help blanket check Fairy- and Fighting-type foes such as Tapu Lele and Mega Medicham. Other Pokemon that enjoy Gholdengo’s wallbreaking capabilities include Raging Bolt and Urshifu-R, as they benefit immensely from Gholdengo removing and overwhelming checks like Ferrothorn and Slowbro. Gholdengo fears Pokemon such as Kingambit and Hisuian Samurott; therefore, Pokemon that can reliably deal with these Dark-types, such as Great Tusk and Zamazenta, are greatly appreciated. Having Pokemon immune to Ground-type attacks is helpful against threats such as Great Tusk and Garchomp, even if Gholdengo is holding an Air Balloon. As such, Pokemon like Landorus-T, Zapdos, and Moltres are outstanding partners. Moltres is an especially great teammate due to its ability to check the fearsome Fire-types in the metagame that Gholdengo struggles against, like Mega Charizard Y and Volcarona.

Gholdengo stands out as one of the best setup attackers, with its already massive Special Attack stat and reasonable bulk bolstered further by Nasty Plot and Recover. Additionally, it provides plenty of support thanks to Good as Gold making both itself and its partner immune to status moves including Amoonguss's Spore and Incineroar's Parting Shot. Make It Rain is Gholdengo's standout move as an exceptionally high-powered spread attack, taking down the likes of Chien-Pao and Glimmora easily as well as Rillaboom at +2. Shadow Ball pressures other Ghost-types such as Sinistcha and opposing Gholdengo effectively while also hitting Steel-resistant foes such as Ogerpon-H well. Gholdengo can choose to run Recover in lieu of Protect if the rest of the team can provide the latter, making it incredibly hard to remove. As Gholdengo wants to sit on the field for as long as possible, Leftovers is the primary recovery item chosen to maximize healing; however, Sitrus Berry is a fine option for more immediate HP recovery. Gholdengo's inability to hit Incineroar for any meaningful damage make partners such as Ogerpon-W and Landorus greatly appreciated. The given bulk EVs allow Gholdengo to survive Landorus-T's Stomping Tantrum, Chien-Pao's Sucker Punch, and Heatran's Flash Fire-boosted Lava Plume. Its Speed allows it to outrun Choice Scarf Landorus-T in Tailwind. Tera Dragon is generally preferred to resist both Ogerpon-H's and Ogerpon-W's STAB moves; however, Tera Water is also fine as a good defensive typing overall. Notable Partners Bulky Support Pokemon: The likes of Incineroar, Amoonguss, and Indeedee-F help make Gholdengo shine, with Intimidate nullifying physical attackers almost entirely and Fake Out, Rage Powder, and Follow Me providing safe opportunities to use Nasty Plot. Other Setup Pokemon: Swords Dance Iron Hands and Cosmic Power Deoxys-D both appreicate Good as Gold granting them an immunity to common disruption such as Will-O-Wisp, Spore, and Taunt. Deoxys-D particularly appreciates Nasty Plot in order to boost its Stored Power damage even further. Pokemon With Immunity Abilities: Pokemon such as Heatran and Latios provide Gholdengo with Flash Fire and Levitate, respectively, making it immediately immune to types it would otherwise be weak to.

Choice Specs turns Gholdengo into a behemoth of a special attacker, with it 2HKOing bulkier Pokemon such as Indeedee-F and Dragonite with its Tera Steel-boosted Make It Rain. Choice Specs also helps turn Shadow Ball into an OHKO against the likes of Latios, Sinistcha, and bulky Gholdengo. Dazzling Gleam is one of the best coverage options for Gholdengo, allowing it to deal significant damage to the plethora of Dragon-types in the metagame such as Raging Bolt and Walking Wake. Thunderbolt and Power Gem are alternative coverage options that improve Gholdengo's chances against Volcanion and Incineroar. Trick is an option that disrupts Trick Room setters such as Porygon2 as well as setup attackers like Iron Hands. Steel is Choice Specs Gholdengo's best Tera type, as it further boosts its strongest attack while also retaining its Dragon and Fairy resistances. Choice Specs is particularly good in Partners in Crime, as it allows Gholdengo to lock into its partner's move then later break the Choice lock by having its partner switch. Notable Partners Tailwind Users: Whimsicott and Tornadus are Choice Specs Gholdengo's best friends, with Tailwind allowing it to deal massive damage immediately and its Good as Gold providing Whimsicott and Tornadus with a Taunt immunity. Whimsicott also offers Fake Tears to further boost Gholdengo's damage. Setup Pokemon: Pokemon that require setup to be as threatening as possible such as Swords Dance Rillaboom appreciate the immediate bursts of damage that Gholdengo can provide. Strong Special Attackers: Given that Gholdengo can break its Choice lock at any time by having its partner switch, a strong special attacker such as Volcanion and Landorus makes for a great partner. These also happen to pass it invaluable coverage for Fire- and Steel-types, letting it stand up to Incineroar and Heatran more easily.

Choice item Gholdengo acts a strong wallbreaker and speed control option, boasting a spammable STAB move and nuke in Shadow Ball and Make It Rain, respectively. Recover should exclusively be used on Choice Scarf sets to allow Gholdengo to take advantage of its good natural typing and above-average bulk, allowing it to consistently switch into offensive threats like Scream Tail, Iron Boulder, and Assault Vest Iron Crown, outspeed them, and force them out while offsetting any damage it may have taken in the process. Dazzling Gleam threatens Dark-types like Roaring Moon while still being a solid middle-ground option against Chien-Pao and Kingambit, and it is Gholdengo's strongest attack against Iron Hands. Thunderbolt is a strong coverage option that lets Gholdengo hit RegenVest Manaphy while being the best move against Kingambit. Lastly, Trick is a good option on Choice Scarf sets that allows Gholdengo to cripple would-be checks like Iron Treads, RegenVest Manaphy, and Swampert, debilitating them while opening itself and other special attacking teammates up later in the game. Adaptability is preferred on sets that only use Gholdengo's STAB moves as damaging moves, as it allows Gholdengo to feint other abilities, but Hadron Engine is preferred on sets with Dazzling Gleam or Thunderbolt to increase their damage output. Choice Specs and a Modest nature turn Gholdengo into a ferocious wallbreaker, allowing it to OHKO RegenVest Manaphy and Roaring Moon with Hadron Engine-boosted Thunderbolt and Dazzling Gleam while almost always OHKOing or 2HKOing every Pokemon in the tier that lacks a Steel-resistance or excellent special bulk. Choice Scarf instead allows it to act as a great speed control option and revenge killer, allowing it to outspeed notable threats like Zamazenta, Chien-Pao, and non-Choice Scarf Roaring Moon. Gholdengo best fits on balance and bulky offense teams, where its capabilities of acting as either a potent wallbreaker or speed control option are much appreciated. Gholdengo struggles to break past special walls like Blissey, RegenVest Swampert, and Bulletproof Iron Treads, making physical wallbreakers that can put a dent in them like Zamazenta, Roaring Moon, and Chien-Pao good teammates; these physical wallbreakers may struggle with their inability to break past physical walls as well as their Fairy-type checks, all of which Gholdengo helps to cover, bolstering the effectiveness of using them together. Gholdengo struggles against wallbreakers that either outspeed it or survive a hit and threaten it back in return, notably Choice Scarf Roaring Moon, Kingambit, and Deoxys-S, making defensive partners like Corviknight, RegenVest Manaphy, and Roaring Moon good teammates.

Physically defensive Gholdengo serves as an excellent spinblocker and physical wall, leveraging its great typing and useful movepool to either spread paralysis with Thunder Wave or set up with Nasty Plot and break holes in the opposing team. Dazzling Gleam dispatches Dark-types like Roaring Moon and Chien-Pao while dealing decent damage to Kingambit, while Hex is an option when used with Thunder Wave that also deals good damage to Bulletproof Iron Treads. Nasty Plot turns Gholdengo into a potent bulky wallbreaker, allowing it to potentially OHKO RegenVest Roaring Moon with Dazzling Gleam after a boost. Thunder Wave allows Gholdengo to power up Hex while slowing down threats for its offensive teammates like the Ogerpon formes, Iron Moth, and Kingambit, which appreciate their offensive checks like Roaring Moon and Zamazenta being slowed down and having the opportunity to be broken past. The given EV spread allows Gholdengo to outspeed Great Tusk without Speed investment. Levitate turns Ground-types like Great Tusk, Iron Treads, and the Landorus formes into setup fodder or an opportunity to spread paralysis on an incoming switch-in while also allowing Gholdengo to almost always deny Rapid Spin attempts from the aforementioned Great Tusk and Iron Treads. Fluffy turns Gholdengo into a hard-to-KO threat that can set up with ease or spread paralysis while watching most physical moves bounce off it. Well-Baked Body allows Gholdengo to check Fire-types like Moltres, Ogerpon-H, and Cinderace and turns them into setup or paralysis fodder. Colbur Berry allows Gholdengo to lure in Dark-types like Roaring Moon and Chien-Pao, OHKOing them with a boosted Dazzling Gleam or Make It Rain, while Leftovers provides Gholdengo with passive recovery that grants it with good longevity. Heavy-Duty Boots is an option on non-Levitate sets that allows them to offset entry hazard chip damage, allowing them to switch in more frequently while opening up Earth Eater as a potential ability option that punishes Ground-type moves even further. Gholdengo fits best on bulky offense teams, where its spinblocking capabilities and general utility is much appreciated. Furthermore, bulky offense teams that can stack numerous entry hazards are where Gholdengo can truly shine as a spinblocker that can last throughout the course of a game. Thus, hazard setters like Ting-Lu, Skarmory, and Great Tusk pair well with it. Gholdengo's limit of one ability leaves it prone to Ground-types, Fire-types, or even both depending on its ability, thus, Pokemon that can switch into Ground-types frequently like Corviknight, Zapdos, and the Landorus formes make for good teammates, while Pokemon that can switch into Fire-types like Primordial Sea Zapdos as well as physically defensive Manaphy pair well with it. Gholdengo's mediocre Special Defense leaves it prone to strong special attackers like Zapdos, Thundurus-T, and opposing Gholdengo, making special walls like RegenVest Roaring Moon, Swampert, and Manaphy good partners.

Having a typing with a lot of relevant resistances, an immunity to status moves thanks to Good as Gold, and great longevity by virtue of having Recover, Gholdengo is a potent stallbreaker for Ghost teams. Shadow Ball hits most foes for neutral damage, with Never-Ending Nightmare at +2 OHKOing foes such as Mega Sableye, Galarian Slowking, and Corviknight. Make It Rain lets Gholdengo hit foes such as Alolan Muk, Mandibuzz, and Kommo-o, as well as OHKO Ice- and Fairy-type foes such as Mamoswine, Alolan Ninetales, and Iron Valiant, and at +2, this move OHKOes Gliscor, Hippowdon, and Ursaluna. The given EV spread allows Gholdengo to outspeed Adamant Mamoswine and avoid a 2HKO from Mega Scizor's Knock Off, Ogerpon-C's Knock Off after Stealth Rock, and Choice Specs Tapu Lele's Thunderbolt. Mega Sableye forms a good defensive core with Gholdengo, as Mega Sableye mitigates its vulnerability to Dark- and Ghost-type foes such as Meowscarada, Greninja, and Hisuian Zoroark, while Gholdengo handles Fairy-types including Tapu Lele and Iron Valiant. Sinistcha can switch into Ground-types such as Garchomp, Mega Swampert, and Great Tusk that Gholdengo is vulnerable to. Fire-types such as Ceruledge and Skeledirge are solid partners that can check other Fire-types that force out Gholdengo such as Cinderace, Victini, and Volcarona.

This is the sample set before we work on new analyses. This will be updated as the metagame continues to develop. Stay tuned!

Boasting a Fighting immunity, the ability to deny status moves, reliable recovery, and the potential to spike the cortisol levels of any opponent, Gholdengo is a versatile and powerful Pokemon that serves as the backbone of nearly all Steel teams. With Ghostium Z and heavy investment into physical bulk, Gholdengo becomes a sturdy set up sweeper and defensive piece that has both incredible longevity and strong immediate offensive presence. Nasty Plot and Recover allow Gholdengo to find setup opportunities multiple times throughout a match, as it can setup safely in front of the many Pokemon—like Swords Dance Iron Valiant, Mega Scizor, and Sneasler—that cannot 2HKO it. Make It Rain heavily dents most Ghost-resistant and immune Pokemon, such as Roaring Moon and Porygon2. Hex and Thunder Wave can be run over Shadow Ball and Make It Rain, which allows Gholdengo to spread paralysis to the aforementioned Pokemon it checks while also crippling switch-ins like Volcarona at the cost of not being able to damage Normal-type Pokemon. When powered up by Ghostium Z, both Hex and Shadow Ball deal massive damage, nearly always OHKOing offensive Great Tusk unboosted and being similarly favored to OHKO Hisuian Samurott and most Toxapex sets after a Nasty Plot boost. Gholdengo's EVs maximize its bulk, notably allowing it to survive Mega Lopunny's Close Combat from full HP while outpacing Jolly Ursaluna and Azumarill. Spikes Skarmory and Stealth Rock Heatran are fantastic teammates for Gholdengo, as they form an entry hazard-stacking immunity core that covers Gholdengo defensively while wearing down those of its checks that must switch in multiple times such as Hisuian Goodra, Ting-Lu, and Clodsire. Skarmory handles Ground-type foes and the few Fighting-types Gholdengo cannot, such as Mega Lopunny and Great Tusk, while Heatran absorbs Fire-type moves from Volcarona and Victini. In return, Gholdengo ensures hazards stay on the field and helps Skarmory and Heatran not get overwhelmed by Fighting-types and other dangerous foes such as Superpower Ogerpon-C. Another good choice to help Gholdengo defensively is Hisuian Goodra, which shrugs off strong moves from special attackers like Choice Specs Greninja and Hydreigon. Hisuian Goodra can also use Knock Off to remove Heavy-Duty Boots from foes, and its Dragon Tail racks up chip damage from the hazards Gholdengo stops foes from removing. Iron Treads removes hazards, threatens to OHKO foes like Landorus and Heatran that outspeed and OHKO Gholdengo, and uses Knock Off to further the efficacy of hazard-stacking cores.

While Gholdengo's defensive stats aren't remarkable, it's fantastic typing and immunity to status moves like Taunt make it a great defensive Pokemon, and a horrifically effective spreader of paralysis! Hex versus Shadow Ball: Hex gives this Gholdengo a good offensive kick against paralyzed foes, but Shadow Ball is worth considering for its consistency. Make It Rain versus Focus Blast: Make It Rain is Gholdengo's most consistent way of dealing damage to Garganacl, but this set's defensive nature makes it difficult to win the one-on-one. Focus Blast isn't nearly as reliable, but it's Gholdengo's best shot at making it past Kingambit. Items Rocky Helmet: Rocky Helmet takes advantage of Gholdengo's excellent typing against physical moves, making it a good way to punish contact moves such as Outrage from Dragonite. Covert Cloak: This is Gholdengo's best shot of outstalling Garganacl, since it grants an immunity to Salt Cure's effect. Leftovers: Leftovers is at its best with specially defensive Gholdengo, letting it withstand Ursaluna-B's Earth Power followed by Vacuum Wave without requiring Terastallization. Weakness Policy: While this might seem strange on a defensive Pokemon, Weakness Policy lets Gholdengo beat opposing Gholdengo as long as they lack Choice Specs. EV Spreads 252 HP / 220 Def / 20 Spe with Bold: The given EV spread will outspeed up to paralyzed Dragapult and paralyzed +1 Speed Jolly Dragonite. 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe with Calm: This offers Gholdengo the best shot of surviving Ursaluna-B's Earth Power followed by Vacuum Wave after Leftovers recovery. 252 HP / 84 Def / 172 Spe with Bold: The Speed investment allows Gholdengo to outspeed Choice Scarf Hydreigon and Speed-boosted Volcarona with the magic of paralysis. Tera Types Tera Dependency - Medium: Despite Gholdengo's fantastic typing, foes like Garchomp and Hydreigon are easily able to break through any Gholdengo that doesn't Terastallize. Flying: Avoiding Earthquake against foes like Garchomp makes Tera Flying extremely useful for Gholdengo; this also gives it protection against Fissure from the likes of Dondozo and Garganacl. Water: Tera Water is the best Fire-type resistant Tera type for Gholdengo, letting it potentially survive an assault from Volcarona and Choice Specs Primarina, though its coverage moves can still seriously damage Gholdengo. Fighting: Tera Fighting flips the tables on Kingambit, who otherwise only fears full paralysis, while turning Tera Blast into reliable Fighting-type coverage. It's also useful against Meowscarada, though its coverage moves can still deal serious damage to Gholdengo.

Nasty Plot makes Gholdengo a terror against slower teams, especially with its good bulk, unpredictable coverage, and diverse Tera Types. Substitute: Substitute lets Gholdengo avoid residual damage from Garganacl's Salt Cure and eases prediction in general. Focus Blast: Despite its reliability issues, Focus Blast OHKOes Kingambit, who otherwise is a great check against Gholdengo, in addition to ripping through Ursaluna-B switch-ins. Other Options Psyshock: Psyshock lets Gholdengo break through Clodsire more easily as well as OHKOing Sneasler without a boost. It often isn't particularly useful outside of stall match-ups though. Items Covert Cloak: Covert Cloak prevents Salt Cure from chipping down Gholdengo, making it far easier for it to run Recover against Garganacl. Leftovers: This is the most reliable option for keeping Gholdengo healthy and pairs especially well with Substitute. Air Balloon: Air Balloon prevents Dragonite and Ursaluna-B from hitting Gholdengo particularly hard until its popped. It also ruins Breloom's chances of winning the lead war against Gholdengo and makes Hippowdon easy set-up bait. EV Spreads 156 HP / 124 SpA / 228 Spe with Modest: This spread outspeeds Adamant Dragonite, while having the same Special Attack stat as a fully invested Timid Gholdengo to disguise itself as the Choice Scarf set. 84 HP / 252 SpA / 172 Spe with Timid: This outspeeds up to Modest Archaludon and Jolly Dragonite, two foes that otherwise can revenge kill Gholdengo. 212 HP / 236 Def / 52 SpA / 4 SpD / 4 Spe with Modest: This physically bulky spread survives Dragonite's boosted Earthquake, which can be particularly helpful from stopping a Choice Band Dragonite revenge kill. 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe with Timid: Maximizing Speed is useful on more offensive sets to at least speedtie with opposing Gholdengo, and outspeeding several threats close to this Speed tier, such as Dragonite. 244 HP / 4 Def / 12 SpA / 244 SpD / 4 Spe with Modest: Focusing on special bulk allows Tera Flying Gholdengo to survive Tera Normal Ursaluna's Blood Moon followed by Focus Blast. Tera Types Tera Dependency - Medium: Gholdengo may have a great typing, but common Pokemon such as Garchomp, Hydreigon, and Meowscarada will usually revenge kill it without Terastallization. Flying: Flying Gholdengo gets the jump on dangerous offensive Ground-types like Ursaluna-B and Garchomp, as well as Pokemon that use Ground-type coverage like Dragonite. Water: With this Tera type and Tera Blast, Gholdengo can severely punish Volcarona, who otherwise is very dangerous to this set. Fighting: Tera Fighting is a good stop to Dark-types such as Kingambit, as well as making Tera Blast into a far more reliable alternative to Focus Blast. Fairy: Tera Fairy stops defensive Archaludon from being able to phaze Gholdengo at all, in addition to saving it from Dark-type attacks. This comes at the cost of losing the mirror match up though, as well as being easily revenge killed by offensive Archaludon. Normal: While it's a much worse defensive typing, Tera Normal does let Gholdengo surprise faster Ghost-types like Mimikyu and opposing Gholdengo, at the cost of being revenge killed by Annihilepe and faster Gallade.

With Trick and an immunity to status moves, Gholdengo is a dangerous Choice item attacker for offensive and stall teams alike! Nasty Plot: This can be used to give Gholdengo more bite against defensive, slower teams after using Trick. Thunderbolt: Thunderbolt OHKOes Pelipper and matches Make It Rain for damage against Primarina. It also stops Tera Water Garganacl from walling Gholdengo. It does make Gholdengo very vulnerable to Ground-types like Ursaluna-B and Garchomp though. Focus Blast: Focus Blast slices through Kingambit, who otherwise walls Gholdengo, but the accuracy can be a big issue in close matches. Other Options Power Gem: Power Gem severly punishes Volcarona switch-ins, who otherwise can be very difficult to deal with. Otherwise, most Pokemon weak to Rock-type attacks will take more damage from Make It Rain. Dazzling Gleam: Dazzling Gleam can be paired with Tera Fairy to crush Hydreigon, though Make It Rain deals more damage to most other Dragon-type targets like Dragonite and Garchomp. Items Choice Scarf: With this, Gholdengo outspeeds key threats such as Garchomp, Dragapult, and Hydreigon. It also outspeeds Meowscarada, but beware of Sucker Punch. Choice Specs: Choice Specs make Gholdengo much more difficult to wall, with Assault Vest Ursaluna-B in particular being much easier to break through. EV Spreads 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe with Timid or Modest: Gholdengo mirror matches are common enough that maximizing Speed is usually a wise idea. Choice Scarf Gholdengo particularly needs Timid to outspeed Dragapult. If using Choice Specs, Modest becomes easier to justify for cracking through Ursaluna-B more reliably. 172 HP / 252 SpA / 84 Spe with Modest: This spread focuses on outspeeding Timid Ursaluna-B, Jolly Ursaluna, and Jolly Kingambit, all of whom are uncommon but very deadly to Gholdengo. 212 HP / 236 Def / 52 SpA / 4 SpD / 4 Spe with Modest: This bulky Choice Specs spread survives Dragonite's +1 Earthquake, while outspeeding maximum Speed Modest Ursaluna-B. 244 HP / 4 Def / 12 SpA / 244 SpD / 4 Spe with Modest: This extremely bulky spread allows Tera Flying Choice Speccs Gholdengo to survive Tera Normal Ursaluna-B's Blood Moon followed by Vacuum Wave. Tera Types Tera Dependency - Medium: While Choice Gholdengo is perfectly functional without Terastallizing, it's particularly vulnerable to common Pokemon that Terastallization can solve such as Hydreigon, Garchomp, and Ursaluna-B. Flying: With a Flying Tera type, Gholdengo gains an extremely useful immunity to Ground, which is especially useful on Choice Specs sets against Ursaluna-B and Garchomp. Water: This Tera type gives Gholdengo a valuable resistance to Fire and Water, massively improving the matchup against Primarina and Volcarona. Steel: Make It Rain becomes very powerful with a Tera boost, giving Choice Specs the chance to OHKO several Ursaluna-B variants in particular. Fighting: Tera Fighting saves Gholdengo from Kingambit's Sucker Punch, and can be paired with Tera Blast for a far more reliable Fighting-type attack than Focus Blast. Normal: A Normal Tera type gives Gholdengo the edge against opposing Ghost-types, potentially flipping the table against hard to check sets like Trick Mimikyu. Minor Optimizations Neutral Nature and Nature Mints: Use a neutral nature Gholdengo that has a Timid or Modest Mint used on it. This way, Gholdengo can eat any Berry without being confused after Trick.