Golduck [GP 2/2]

sandshrewz said:

I take it that it shall not count as 'taking over'...

Blueduck... Stunfisk is better

[Overview]

<p>Golduck is one of the many Pokemon that never made it to OU. It faces huge competition from other Water-types in RU and is most of the time outclassed most of the time. This duck is much overlooked and classified as having no competitive value, due to its mediocre stats [Optional, but good to mention why it's overlooked?]. However, Golduck has two great abilities that give it its a small niche in RU. Cloud Nine and Swift Swim allows Golduck to find a spot on weather teams, mainly namely rain and hail. With Cloud Nine, it Golduck takes no damage from hail; while Swift Swim gives it an oppurtunity to sweep in rain teams. Golduck is also the second fastest Swift Swimmer in RU—the first being Floatzel. While often outclassed by Simipour, which has Nasty Plot, Golduck can set itself apart with its nifty great support moves, such as Encore. Encore and Cloud Nine allow Golduck to counter StallRein, a rare trait something not many other Pokemon can claim to. Being a Water-type, Golduck has only two weaknesses, which makes it easier for Golduck it to set up as well. With a decent base 95 Special Attack,[Add Comma] and access to Calm Mind and its wide offensive coverage, Golduck has a shot at sweeping with its wide coverage can make a potent sweeper. Although Golduck isn't close to the definition of powerful, it has some hidden potential thanks to its two abilities, which can be realized when used properly. If you can't find something to fit into your hail or rain team in RU, look no further; Golduck is probably what you're searching for.</p>

[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Hydro Pump
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Encore / Hidden Power Grass
item: Life Orb
ability: Cloud Nine
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Why use Calm Mind Golduck when you can use Nasty Plot Simipour? The answer is that Golduck has Cloud Nine, making it a great fit on hail teams. If you were to use Simipour in hail teams, it'll would probably get killed by residual damage from both Life Orb recoil and hail damage [I know it sounds awkward, but having "damage" twice is redundant]. Calm Mind is Golduck's only method of setting up, and capable of boosting Golduck's base 95 Special Attack isn't too bad either to great heights. After a Calm Mind, Golduck can 2HKO a huge portion of RU thanks to its wide coverage. Hydro Pump is Golduck's strongest STAB move, and is bound to hurt anything that doesn't resist it and is not named bar Munchlax. Ice Beam allows Golduck to hit Grass-types for super effectively damage.,[Remove Period / Add Comma] whilst Hidden Power Grass annihilates destroys [HP Grass doesn't really annihilate Slowking, even after a boost] opposing Water-types such as Quagsire and Slowking, which otherwise wallls this set completely [Thats a given]. However, Encore eases set up if you're not duly worried by Water-types.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Cloud Nine allows Golduck to aids hail teams in checking other weather inducers and Swift Swimmers, whilst crushing Swift Swim users such as Omastar. As Snover is the only hail inducer in RU, Golduck is a great asset to hail teams.;[Remove Period / Add Semicolon] Golduck can easily come in on Fire-type attacks aimed at Snover, and start setting up with Calm Mind. It can even check several threats that threaten to hail teams. Therefore, this Golduck is best used on hail teams [Aaaah! It's good on hail teams! I get it!]. If it Golduck is used on hail teams, Blizzard is a good option to use over Ice Beam as it has perfect accuracy in hail. Surf can be used over Hydro Pump if you want the perfect accuracy badly for perfect accuracy, but the difference drop in power is very noticable, especially after a Calm Mind, is extremely huge. Psyshock is an option to consider to use against special walls such as Clefable,[Add Comma] but it provides poorer reduces Golduck's coverage no matter which what move it replaces. Grass-types, including Snover, are good teammates as they resist the two types Golduck is weak to. If Golduck does not have Hidden Power Grass, it risks being walled by opposing Water-types. Hence As such [Preference], Grass-type teammates are all the more important to Golduck. Bouffalant, although not a Grass-type, is a viable teammate thanks to Sap Sipper. As special walls such as Munchlax can stop Golduck with ease, Bouffalant and other strong physical attackers make for great teammates,[Add Comma] as they excel at removing these to remove those walls.</p>

[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Hidden Power Grass
move 4: Focus Blast / Psyshock
item: Life Orb / Choice Specs
ability: Cloud Nine / Swift Swim
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Golduck is blessed with wide coverage, and an all-out attacking this set aims to make to best out of it abuse it. With the listed moves, Golduck can hit every Pokemon for neutral damage,;[Remove Semicolon / Add Comma] it will be making it hard to find an appropriate switch-in to Golduck the duck billed beast [LOL. You don't need that exactly, but Golduck was beggining to sound redundant. Please use something there other than Golduck], lest it gets KOed by one of those moves. Though this Golduck might fail miserably at sweeping, it can drown the opponent's team with some prediction. Ice Beam and Hidden Power Grass are mandatory alongside Hydro Pump, in order to give Golduck the widest coverage possible. The last move is dependent on your preference, and what you want Golduck to hit. Wtih With Focus Blast, Golduck can hit the common special walls of RU, Clefable and Munchlax, for super effective damage. super effectively. Psyshock has better accuracy, and hits Pokemon such as Ludicolo,[Remove Comma] harder than any of Golduck's other moves. Cloud Nine allows Golduck to check some common rain abusers, such as Kabutops and Omastar. As Cloud Nine overides disables Swift Swim, Golduck can outspeed most of them these rain abusers and launch a Hidden Power Grass to KO them. However, do note that Swift Swim Golduck can still outspeed Kabutops and Omastar and do the same; but Cloud Nine removes the rain boost to Water-type attacks, which allows Golduck to come in more easily on those moves with more ease. With Choice Specs, Golduck will hit pretty hard can deal out huge damage, and will wipe out a huge chunk of HP from a special wall, paving way for another special sweeper. Life Orb will allow Golduck to retain its ability to switch moves, and prevent Golduck from being a becoming set up fodder.<p/>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Although Golduck has higher Special Attack, Cross Chop can be used over Focus Blast. Not only does Cross Chop has [Not only does I has grammars] have better accuracy, it allows Golduck to hit some special walls, such as Clefable and Munchlax, much harder. Entry hazard support is helpful to weaken special walls (except Clefable), allowing Golduck to have an easier time dealing with them [Examples of Entry Hazard users?]. Wish support is helpful as Golduck has no method of recovery. The greater longevity provided by Wish will allow Golduck to wreak more havoc and check more threats [Examples of Wish users?]. Grass-types, such as Snover, are great teammates to Golduck as they have good typing synergy. The choice of ability is dependent on what can of type of team Golduck is in. If Golduck is on a hail teams, Cloud Nine is preferred;,[Remove Semicolon / Add Comma] while Swift Swim should be used if it is on a rain teams,[Add Comma] Swift Swim is the way to go. Surf can be used over Hydro Pump, but the latter is the better option when Golduck holds Choice Specs and is on a rain team,[Add Comma] as the power loss from using Surf is too noticeable. Blizzard is an option over Ice Beam if Golduck finds itself on a hail teams, as it can abuse the 100% accuracy that Blizzards gains in with hail. A physical attacker is a good teammate as well, as since Golduck has the tendency to attract special walls. Electivire is one example, as it can switch in on Electric-type attacks aimed at Golduck and receives a Speed boost from Motor Drive.</p>

[SET]
name: Rain Dance Attacker
move 1: Rain Dance
move 2: Hydro Pump
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Hidden Power Grass
item: Life Orb / Damp Rock
ability: Swift Swim
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Golduck already has perfect coverage in three moves,[Add Comma] and can spare one moveslot to accomodate a support move. This set allows Golduck to support rain teams, summoning the rain itself with Rain Dance. Not only can Golduck set up rain, it can also attempt a sweep by itself once it has. With Swift Swim, few Pokemon can outspeed [Add the "p"] Golduck under the rain. Factoring in a STAB, a rain boost, and Life Orb, Hydro Pump has an effective comes to a massive Base Power of 351 Base Power [You don't need to mention it's an "effective" base power when you stated it was when factoring in those bonuses], making it even stronger than a 2x super effective Ice Beam. Either Life Orb or Damp Rock can be used; the choice of item depends on how reliant the team is on Golduck to set up the rain. If your team does not have enough rain inducers, Damp Rock is the preferred item to provide longer rain, though the power loss without Life Orb is can be off-putting. Though this set's primary aim is to set up the rain, it also allows Golduck to sweep with its wide coverage. Ice Beam freezes Ice- and Flying-types,[Add Comma] while Hidden Power Grass handles opposing Water-types which would otherwise wall Golduck completely.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Psyshock can be used to bypass special walls, and Focus Blast is an option to hit Clefable and Munchlax for super effective damage super effectively. However, changing either of Golduck's move will hamper its wide coverage. Although Surf might seem like a more reliable option over Hydro Pump, the power difference between those two moves, especially when under rain, is very huge. The much higher power Hydro Pump provides somewhat offsets the accuracy issue. Other rain abusers, such as Omastar, are great teammates to fully utilize the rain Golduck sets up. Omastar in particular,[Remove Comma] can work in tandem with Golduck to pressurize and weaken special walls. Thier rain-boosted Hydro Pumps will severely dent any special wall not named Slowking. A physically oriented teammate such as Kabutops is also viable, such as Kabutops, to able to handle the special walls that trouble Golduck. Primeape is another good option to smash through Munchlax and Clefable, as well as checking Lilligant, which takes pittance from Golduck's Ice Beam.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Golduck has a decently wide movepool, and has filled with many viable moves to utilize competitively. Cross Chop allows Golduck to slice through Clefable and Munchlax, boasting better accuracy than Focus Blast. [Why mention Focus Blast in OO like that when it's on the sets?] while Focus Blast is another similar option, but has poorer accuracy. Blizzard is viable on Golduck if it's used on hail teams. Golduck also has a few nifty support options, such as Yawn, Confuse Ray, Disable, Hynosis, and Refresh. Yawn and Hypnosis can put an opponent to sleep. Yawn in particular,[Remove Comma] can be used as a pseudo-phazing move,[Add Comma] as it puts your opponent in a disadvantageous position. As The arrival of BW gave Disable an accuracy boost, Disable is making Disable a viable option to cripple a target. It Golduck even has Encore,[Add Comma] to help Golduck which can be used to lock the opponent into a move before Disabling it. Refresh is an option, as it allows Golduck to act as a pseudo-satus absorber. Not only can Golduck use Rain Dance, it also has access to Hail. Hail allows Golduck to summon the weather and relieves Snover the duty of having to switch in everytime to change the weather back. Damp is an interesting ability to consider if your team does not have a Ghost-type to take the rare Explosion; however, Cloud Nine and Swift Swim have better utility. Golduck can use Choice Scarf to act as a revenge killer as it has by abusing its wide coverage, but its unboosted attacks will not be smashing through anything.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Lilligant takes next to nothing from Golduck's attack, even Ice Beam, and can set up with Quiver Dance. Rotom-A can revenge kill Golduck,[Add Comma] or force it out and use Volt Switch. Special walls, such as Clefable and Munchlax, will easily put a stop to Golduck and end its sweep. Ludicolo can not only abuse the rain, it can wipe Golduck out with a Grass-type attack. Faster Grass-types, such as Sceptile, can revenge kill Golduck,[Add Comma] but they have to be wary of switching into an Ice Beam. Opposing Water-types such as Slowking can easily wall Golduck if it does not have Hidden Power Grass,[Add Comma] but Golduck rarely lacks this move. Ferroseed can easily set up entry hazards if Golduck does not have Focus Blast. Electric-types, such as Magnetric and Electivire can outspeed Golduck if rain is not present, and fry it with their STAB moves, making it a roasted duck.</p>

Click to expand...