Gholdengo Movesets and Best Builds

This is a guide to movesets and best builds for using Gholdengo in competitive play for the games Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV). Read on for tips on the best Nature, EV spreads, Movesets, Tera Type, and Held Items to use with Gholdengo, as well as its strengths and weakness.

Gholdengo - Related Guides
Evolution and Learnset	Moveset for Ranked Battle	Tera Raid Build

Gholdengo Base Stats, Type, Abilities and Weaknesses

Paldea #392		Type
Gholdengo
		Abilities
		Good as Gold
Weak to:
	(2x)
Damaged Normally By:	(1x)
Resists:	(0.5x)
	(0.25x)
Immune to:	(0x)

What is Type Effectiveness?

Base Stats

Best Nature for Gholdengo

What are Natures?

Singles Movesets for Gholdengo

Choice Scarf Goldengo Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EV Spread	4 HP / 252 Sp. Atk / 252 Spe
Final Stat Values	163 HP / 115 Def / 185 Sp. Atk / 111 Sp. Def / 149 Spe (223 with Choice Scarf)
Ability	Good as Gold
Tera Type
Held Item	Choice Scarf
Moveset	・ Make It Rain ・ Shadow Ball ・ Trick ・ Thunderbolt

Gholdengo is a good option for running Choice Scarf because of its offensive potential, and access to Trick.

Trick is excellent for locking down your opponent's options, either locking them into a move or forcing them to switch. This allows more mobility for your team, and opportunities to plan future turns.

Make It Rain and Shadow Ball provide great neutral coverage with dual STAB alone, while Thunderbolt rounds off its coverage and allows it to check common Water-types in the meta.

Other Viable Moves

Key Damage Calculations

Damage Dealt by Gholdengo
87 HP｜91 Sp. Def Defensive EV Investment: 4 HP Tera Type: Item: Life Orb	Make it Rain 57 ~ 67 (34.9 ~ 41.1%) Guaranteed 3-Hit KO
87 HP｜91 Sp. Def Defensive EV Investment: 4 HP Item: Life Orb	Shadow Ball 152 ~ 180 (93.2 ~ 110.4%) 56.3% Chance to OHKO
87 HP｜91 Sp. Def Defensive EV Investment: 4 HP Tera Type: Item: Life Orb	Shadow Ball 76 ~ 90 (46.6 ~ 55.2%) 66.8% Chance to 2-Hit KO
92 HP｜90 Sp. Def Defensive EV Investment: 4 HP Item: Life Orb	Make it Rain 114 ~ 135 (68.2 ~ 80.8%) Guaranteed 2-Hit KO
Damage Received by Gholdengo
125 Sp. Atk Offensive EV Investment: 252 Sp. Atk[/align]Item: Life Orb	Dark Pulse 190 ~ 226 (116.5 ~ 138.6%) Guaranteed OHKO
125 Sp. Atk Offensive EV Investment: 252 Sp. Atk Item: Life Orb	Tera Type: Dark Pulse 95 ~ 113 (58.2 ~ 69.3%) Guaranteed 2-Hit KO
125 Sp. Atk Offensive EV Investment: 252 Atk Item: Clear Amulet	Earthquake 180 ~ 212 (110.4 ~ 130%) Guaranteed OHKO

Tank Gholdengo Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Bold (+Def, -Atk)
EV Spread	244 HP / 244 Def / 20 Spe
Final Stat Values	193 HP / 160 Def / 153 Sp. Atk / 111 Sp. Def / 107 Spe
Ability	Good as Gold
Tera Type
Held Item	Leftovers
Moveset	・ Make It Rain ・ Hex ・ Thunder Wave ・ Recover

Gholdengo boasts a whopping 9 resistances allowing it to be a solid tank. It can spread paralysis with Thunder Wave and dish out boosted damage with Hex.
Recover gives Gholdengo extra staying power.

Its Good as Gold Ability protects Gholdengo from status conditions, making it a good option against Pokemon who would want to spread status, such as Breloom.

This build can use two Tera Types with Stellar being the offensive option to boost the damage of whatever move it uses and Water to fully lean into a defensive build.

Other Viable Moves

Key Damage Calculations

Damage Dealt by Gholdengo
87 HP｜91 Sp. Def Defensive EV Investment: 4 HP Item: Life Orb	Shadow Ball 126 ~ 150 (77.3 ~ 92%) Guaranteed 2-Hit KO
Damage Received by Gholdengo
125 Sp. Atk Offensive EV Investment: 252 Atk Item: Clear Amulet	Earthquake 132 ~ 156 (68.3 ~ 80.8%) Guaranteed 2-Hit KO

Air Balloon Gholdengo Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EV Spread	4 HP / 252 Sp. Atk / 252 Spe
Final Stat Values	163 HP / 115 Def / 185 Sp. Atk / 111 Sp. Def / 149 Spe
Ability	Good as Gold
Tera Type
Held Item	Air Balloon
Moveset	・ Make It Rain ・ Shadow Ball ・ Nasty Plot ・ Trick

Gholdengo's respectable defenses allow it to be an effective user of Air Balloon, which forces the opponent to attack into Gholdengo before attacking with a super-effective Ground-type Attack.

Make it Rain, Shadow Ball and Nasty Plot are standard moves for Gholdengo, while Trick is good for taking away an opponent's useful items, like Life Orb or their Choice Items.

Other Viable Moves

Covert Cloak Gholdengo Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EV Spread	4 HP / 252 Sp. Atk / 252 Spe
Final Stat Values	163 HP / 115 Def / 185 Sp. Atk / 111 Sp. Def / 149 Spe
Ability	Good as Gold
Tera Type
Held Item	Covert Cloak
Moveset	・ Make It Rain ・ Shadow Ball ・ Thunderbolt ・ Nasty Plot

Make it Rain and Shadow Ball are moves that Gholdengo always wants to have. Thunderbolt gives Gholdengo coverage against bulky Water-types who resist Make it Rain. Nasty Plot allows Gholdengo the chance to boost its Special Attack on turns when expecting a switch from the opponent.

This set runs Covert Cloak, which is especially useful for protecting Gholdengo from moves' secondary effects. This includes paralysis from Discharge and more importantly, Snarl debuffs.

We also make use of Steel Tera to further boost Gholdengo's Make it Rain damage, as well as remove its weakness to opposing Ghost and Dark Type Shadow Balls and Knock Offs.

Other Viable Moves

Choice Specs Gholdengo Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EV Spread	4 HP / 252 Sp. Atk / 252 Spe
Final Stat Values	163 HP / 115 Def / 185 Sp. Atk / 111 Sp. Def / 149 Spe
Ability	Good as Gold
Tera Type
Held Item	Choice Specs
Moveset	・ Make It Rain ・ Shadow Ball ・ Thunderbolt ・ Dazzling Gleam

Make it Rain and Shadow Ball are moves that Gholdengo always wants to have. Thunderbolt gives Gholdengo coverage against bulky Water-types who resist Make it Rain. Dazzling Gleam is best used on Pokemon like Iron Hands who resist Make it Rain and Thunderbolt.

We also make use of Steel Tera to further boost Gholdengo's Make it Rain damage, as well as remove its weakness to opposing Ghost and Dark Type Shadow Balls and Knock Offs.

Other Viable Moves

Doubles Movesets for Gholdengo

Specially Offensive Gholdengo Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EV Spread	4 HP / 252 Sp. Atk / 252 Spe
Final Stat Values	163 HP / 115 Def / 153 Sp. Atk / 111 Sp. Def / 149 Spe
Ability	Good as Gold
Tera Type
Held Item	Metal Coat
Moveset	・ Make It Rain ・ Shadow Ball ・ Nasty Plot ・ Protect

Make it Rain is Gholdengo's best Move, which is made even better by Nasty Plot. This set aims to use Make it Rain repeatedly and knock out as many of your opponent's Pokemon as possible.

Other Viable Moves

Key Damage Calculations

Damage Dealt by Gholdengo
87 HP｜91 Sp. Def Defensive EV Investment: 4 HP Tera Type: Item: Life Orb	Make it Rain 42 ~ 50 (25.7 ~ 30.6%) Guaranteed 4-Hit KO
87 HP｜91 Sp. Def Defensive EV Investment: 4 HP Item: Life Orb	Shadow Ball 152 ~ 180 (93.2 ~ 110.4%) 56.3% Chance to OHKO
87 HP｜91 Sp. Def Defensive EV Investment: 4 HP Tera Type: Item: Life Orb	Shadow Ball 76 ~ 90 (46.6 ~ 66.8%) 66.8% Chance to 2-Hit KO
92 HP｜90 Sp. Def Defensive EV Investment: 4 HP Item: Life Orb	Make it Rain 84 ~ 100 (50.2 ~ 59.8%) Guaranteed 2-Hit KO
Damage Received by Gholdengo
125 Sp. Atk Offensive EV Investment: 252 Sp. Atk[/align]Item: Life Orb	Dark Pulse 190 ~ 226 (116.5 ~ 138.6%) Guaranteed OHKO
125 Sp. Atk Offensive EV Investment: 252 Sp. Atk Item: Life Orb	Tera Type: Dark Pulse 95 ~ 113 (58.2 ~ 69.3%) Guaranteed 2-Hit KO
125 Sp. Atk Offensive EV Investment: 252 Atk Item: Clear Amulet	Earthquake 134 ~ 158 (82.2 ~ 96.9%) Guaranteed 2-Hit KO

How to Use Gholdengo Effectively

Good As Gold is an Amazing Ability

Being able to protect itself from status conditions is a valuable asset for any Pokemon to have, even moreso a Pokemon that can function as a tank.

Gholdengo Is A Tough Wall to Break

Besides its excellent Ability, its great typing make it difficult to take out with neutral hits. Opponents will need to position their counters effectively, or risk Gholdengo steamrolling over their unprepared teams.

How to Build a Team with Gholdengo

Gholdengo would want to be in a team where its weaknesses can be covered. Gholdengo's Trick can also create openings for its teammates to use Nasty Plot or Dragon Dance, and position to sweep.

Sample Singles Build

Tank	Defensive Pivot	Physical Sweeper
Gholdengo	Wash Rotom	Gyarados

Gholdengo can catch unprepared teams off guard with its Choice Scarf build. Teammates who can switch into a resisted hit are great for Gholdengo to have, as it can allow Gholdengo to come in again at a later time and go on the offensive.

Sample Doubles Build

Support	Physical Attacker
Murkrow	Gholdengo
Special Attacker	Physical Attacker
Hydreigon	Garchomp

Murkrow is an excellent partner for Gholdengo, because it can reset Gholdengo's Special Attack drops (From Make it Rain) with Haze. It can also set Tailwind for its teammates.

Garchomp is great against Fire-types who may threaten Gholdengo, while Hydreigon is good against Ghost-types.

Gholdengo naturally synergizes with its two Dragon teammates by taking care of Fairy-types.

Counters for Gholdengo

Deal More Damage Than Gholdengo Can Tank

While Gholdengo can be a decent Tank, it cannot tank everything. Fire-types and Ground-types that are quicker and more powerful will give Gholdengo a run for its money!

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Garchomp	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Naturally outspeeds Gholdengo. ・Can easily knock Gholdengo out with a super-effective Ground-type Attack. ▶️Garchomp Best Movesets
Skeledirge	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Has plenty of ways to hit Gholdengo for super-effective. ・Does not mind being Choice locked into Torch Song ▶️Skeledirge Best Movesets
Armarouge	Ranking: ★★★★ ・Can hit Gholdengo with a super-effective Armor Cannon ・Does not mind being Choice locked into Armor Cannon. ▶️Armarouge Best Movesets

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