Golurk Discussion

erisia

erisia

Innovative new design!
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus
An exciting drop-down to NU has arrived, and it's gained some significant upgrades with the release of BW2, so it's unlikely to stay for long! Transformers, roll out!


623.gif
623.gif
623.gif
623.gif
623.gif
623.gif
623.gif
623.gif


Golurk
Traits: Iron Fist | Klutz | No Guard
89 | 124 | 80 | 55 | 80 | 55​


In a tier devoid of Ghost-types, almost anything would be a welcome addition. Golurk has the potential to really shake up the metagame, not only through its offensive power and coverage, but also through its newfound ability to set up Stealth Rock and destroy Rapid Spinners at the same time. Its Iron Fist ability gives Golurk an effective base 159 Atk stat when using moves such as Focus Punch, Hammer Arm, Shadow Punch, and the elemental punches, giving its coverage moves some extra... punch. Furthermore, with the No Guard ability being recently released, Golurk can confuse anything it can't kill outright with a hard hitting DynamicPunch, making it harder to switch into than most. Its typing is also unique in that it can take on the infamous Rock / Fighting combo with ease. Golurk's potential in this metagame is fairly unexplored, but here's some sets that I think have potential to work.

Sets:

623.png

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Shadow Punch
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: Drain Punch / DynamicPunch
item: Choice Band
ability: Iron Fist / No Guard
nature(s): Adamant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

Switches into attacks with its interesting set of resistances and immunities, and pummels opponents into submission with fantastic power and ludicrous super-effective coverage. The only types that aren't hit super-effectively by the four main attacks are Bug, Water, and Fighting. That's it. Just take that in for a second. With good prediction, Golurk can break through just about anything. Even 252 / 252 Bold Tangela has a chance to be 2HKO'd by Ice Punch with Stealth Rock, due to Iron Fist. Needless to say, Amoonguss is 2HKO'd with ease, dealing around 75% on average. Drain Punch also provides Golurk with some residual recovery against opponents such as Probopass and Bastiodon. If you're prepared to sacrifice the Iron Fist boost, then No Guard DynamicGuard is extremely useful, and screws up almost anything that switches into it thanks to its Confusion effect. If you can switch Golurk in, SOMETHING is going to get hurt badly.

623.png

[SET]
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Shadow Punch
move 4: Ice Punch / DynamicPunch
item: Leftovers / Life Orb
ability: Iron Fist / No Guard
nature(s): Adamant
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe

This is a new set that may well become one of Golurk's best tricks in the tier; a bulky Stealth Rock set. Unlike other Stealth Rock users, it's impossible to use Rapid Spin on Golurk, and not only that, but Armaldo and Torkoal get their asses handed to them 1v1. Stone Edge hits Armaldo slightly harder 1v1 should you want to. By virtue of its typing, Golurk can also force switches from Choiced Attackers easily, giving it plenty of opportunities to set up Stealth Rock in the midgame, letting you use a more offensive lead early on. Unlike many other hazard setters, Golurk also handles Rampardos pretty well, always surviving a CB Adamant Head Smash and OHKOing in return with Earthquake, never even risking the OHKO from Life Orb recoil.

623.png

[SET]
name: SubPunch
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Shadow Punch
move 4: Focus Punch / Drain Punch
item: Leftovers
ability: Iron Fist
nature(s): Adamant
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe

Sets up a Substitute as it forces out stuff like Sawk, and then goes to town with its high-powered attacks and flawless neutral coverage. Iron Fist makes Focus Punch sightly more powerful than Earthquake against neutral targets, but the latter is still used as it doesn't necessitate using Substitute immediately. Shadow Punch has 108 Base Power including STAB, and destroys Psychics and Ghosts such as Musharna and Misdreavus that would stop most Focus Punch users in their tracks, and it comes in handy for other Golurk too. Of course, Ice Punch can be used to hit Amoonguss harder too; it manages to 2HKO with Iron Fist. Meanwhile, Drain Punch provides recovery, which lets Golurk make Substitutes more easily. Likewise, DynamicPunch can allow Golurk to set up and abuse Substitutes more easily.

623.png

[SET]
name: Rock Polish
move 1: Rock Polish
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Shadow Punch
move 4: Ice Punch / DynamicPunch
item: Life Orb
ability: Iron Fist / No Guard
nature(s): Adamant / Jolly
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

Golurk's main disadvantage is its lack of Speed, and Rock Polish manages to fix that while retaining almost all of the power of the Choice Band set. Think of RP Golurk as RP Torterra, but with more power and better coverage. It has the ability to devastate offensive teams that lack a response to it, although the weakness to Sucker Punch and Aqua Jet doesn't really do it any favours. However, you could always just slap Substitute over Ice Punch and keep on going. Golurk can also abuse its boosted Speed with a 100% accurate DynamicPunch, which means it doesn't have to kill a Pokemon to disrupt the opponent.

Other New Options: Fire Punch, Magic Coat, Sleep Talk, ThunderPunch.

Golurk looks like it'll be an interesting addition to the tier, so make the most of it before RU inevitably steals it again in October!
 
Holy freaking shit balls are you serious??? This is the best day.

OK having gotten over my initial excitement I can offer a few words: Golurk da bes! All its sets look good to go especially CB, that will be a monster!
 
I'm looking at this thing and I'm thinking “bar tangela and alomomola, what the hell counters all these sets on the switch ?”
 
Yeah, Golurk is really hard to outright counter, but not too tough to play around. It's also cool how it gives offensive teams a nice answer to stuff such as Sawk when they don't want to use Musharna.

You might want to slash Drain Punch over Hammer Arm on some of those sets, especially on Choice Band, since recovery for a typically recovery-less set can be huge. You do lose quite a bit of power, but it's still incredibly powerful with a Choice Band and Iron Fist.
 
Actually, with Stealth Rock on the field, Choice Band Golurk can 2 hit KO Tangela, assuming the Golurk user predicts the switch-in to Tangela.

252 Atk Choice Band Iron Fist Golurk (+Atk) Ice Punch vs 252 HP/252 Def Eviolite Tangela (+Def) : 40.72% - 48.5%

With Cryogonal gone, I don't think any spinners can beat Golurk. Other than perhaps physically defensive Wartortle and Aqua Tail Armaldo. I will definitely be using Choice Band, so strong. I can't wait to use this powerhouse in NU :D
 
Sweet Jesus said:
I'm looking at this thing and I'm thinking “bar tangela and alomomola, what the hell counters all these sets on the switch ?”
Click to expand...
Well if you're asking the Choice Band set...

CB Earthquake vs. Alomomola (Physically Defensive): 40.44 - 47.75%
CB Ice Punch vs. Tangela (Physically Defensive): 40.71 - 48.5%

The only pokemon in the tier that can reliably wall this thing is Weezing. EVERYTHING else gets 2HKO'd by the right move, even without entry hazards.
 
well CB is not that bad to tangela and alomomola. They can both switch out to a resist afterwards and recover with regenerator. Plus alomomola can do without if there's only rocks with leftys and protect.
 
Yes
Yes Yes
Golurk <3

I am super excited for this drop-down btw. Golurk is far and away one of my favourite new 'mons, and I can foresee his usage quickly rising up to the top (if only on my use alone :)). First and foremost I'd like to talk about his role as a spin-blocker, which for me is huge. Golurk seems to be, at least in theory, the spin-blocker of choice on offensive teams. With Cryogonal getting bumped up to RU, Armaldo is imagined to be the spinner of choice amongst the masses, a Pokemon of which Golurk has 0 trouble spin-blocking. To compound of the subject of naturally checking threats, Golurk is the only viable (don't even mention Baltoy) Pokemon that resists the combination of Fighting+Rock, making him arguably the best offensive check to Sawk in the tier, which is huge. On top of this, he can even serve as a pinch answer to BU Gurdurr carrying Rock Slide (though Ice Punch looks like it may full well rise in usage, considering it's coverage really helps with Amoongus and such)! Also, I dunno who else has used Froslass, but a hazard setter and a spin-blocker in one is amazing, essentially freeing up an extra team slot for the player, allowing for a multitude of new choices to play around with. Awesome 'mon, I can't wait to play around with him.
 
Superpower is better than Hammer Arm on the band set, even with the iron fist boost, both have the same base power , and while dropping Golurk's great Attack is bad, it doesn't come with the nasty drawback of making Golurk slower than in some cases can really matter, it also has perfect accuracy and not a nasty 90 accuracy that really sucks when you needed the hit to bring something down.
 
Well they're both worse than Drain Punch, which achieves the same 2HKOs and also provides Golurk with a way to heal passive damage.
 
Ive been using CB golurk along witha CB emboar and a weird spin of pivot bastiodon, and i must say it has worked to perfection. Its walled by the evil alomomola sadly, but thats what other pokes are for. The ability to smash just about everything in the tier is great. Typically, i just find myself spamming EQ and ice punch, but meh.
 
Scubasteve23 said:
I have a feeling once No Guard is released, he will be moving back up to RU.
Click to expand...

I'm sure that Golurk will be leaving NU before then. Remember the tiers changed before Golurk got all of its new toys to play with, so it's usage will spike greatly in NU causing it to leave early.
 
TropiOUs said:
Except for the part where Iron Fist is superior in every single way.
Click to expand...


Not necessarily.

I don't think it's going to go RU, but it isn't necessarily worse.

100% Dynamicpunch is a powerful thing (in the sense of 100% confusion), even unSTABed, and Stone Edge is a nice-ish move.

Granted, you lose a lot of ability to break some Pokemon with Choice Band, but Dynamicpunch is an interesting gimmick in its own right. Outside of Shadow Punch, Hammer Arm, and the punches, there's not too much that not Sub Golurk loses.
 
Other then the boosted punches, Golurk's STAB Earthquake hurts.
 
No Guard is only useful for DynamicPunch since Stone Edge is outclassed by Ice Punch. It won't see much use among better players, but will still be extremely annoying.
 
Ahhh I remember in black and white when I learned that golurk could use fly.

Needless to say, I laughed my balls off. I still find it hysterical.

CB iron fist will be a monster. STAB and iron fisted shadow punch will certainly kill shit.
 
Updated the thread with DynamicPunch mentions. I think Iron Fist is better in most situations since Golurk would rather just kill things most of the time, but I've slashed it onto most sets.

What do you guys think of DynamicPunch Golurk? Will this be yet another reason for RU to steal it again in October?
 
I think Dynamicpunch is certnaly something to consider, what machoke lacks is something to hit ghosts. For golurk, 100% Dpunch with stab shadow punch means absolutley nothing can get past a deadly punch and confusion. This should not be underestimated. Once SR are up this thing will become a true demon. Any incoming counter will get confused and might not even get a hit on your switch-in and doulbe switch is risky and stacks up hazrad damage. I think it could be going back to RU, depending on what new toys they have up there.
 
I thought about it and figured Glaceon could be a check for Golurk.

In order for Glaceon to outspeed she needs to run 176 Speed EVs with a Modest nature to outrun Adamant 252 Speed Golurk. A sample set would look like: Glaceon with 80 Hp / 252 SpA / 176 Spd. Loses a lot of the bulk Glaceon has in exchange for checking Golurk.

Specs Ice Beam vs Golurk (CB): 191.87 - 226.87% OHKO
Scarf Ice Beam vs Golurk (CB): 128.12 - 151.87% OHKO

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Golurk (CB) Shadow Punch vs 252/4 Glaceon: 51.49 - 61.07%
vs 80/0 Glaceon: 59.1 - 70.1%
Golurk (CB) Earthquake vs 252/4 Glaceon: 71.25 - 84.43%
vs 80/0 Glaceon: 82.47 - 97.25%
Golurk (CB) Ice Punch vs 252/4 Glaceon: 21.25 - 25.14%
vs 80/0 Glaceon: 24.74 - 29.2%
Golurk (CB) Drain Punch vs 252/4 Glaceon: 85.62 - 101.19%
vs 80/0 Glaceon: 98.96 - 116.83%
Golurk (CB) Stone Edge vs 252/4 Glaceon: 95.2 - 112.57%
vs 80/0 Glaceon: 109.96 - 129.89%

Golurk (SubPunch) Focus Punch vs 252/4 Glaceon: 114.97 - 135.32%
vs 80/0 Glaceon: 131.95 - 156.01%
Golurk (SubPunch) Earthquake vs 252/4 Glaceon: 47.9 - 56.58%
vs 80/0 Glaceon: 54.98 - 65.29%
Golurk (SubPunch) Shadow Punch vs 252/4 Glaceon: 34.43 - 40.71%
vs 80/0 Glaceon: 40.2 - 47.42%

Golurk (LO) Shadow Punch vs 252/4 Glaceon: 44.61 - 52.99%
vs 80/0 Glaceon: 52.23 - 61.51%
Golurk (LO) Ice Punch vs 252/4 Glaceon: 18.56 - 22.15%
vs 80/0 Glaceon: 21.3 - 25.42%
Golurk (LO) Earthquake vs 252/4 Glaceon: 62.27 - 73.65%
vs 80/0 Glaceon: 71.47 - 84.87%
Golurk (LO) Drain Punch vs 252/4 Glaceon: 74.85 - 88.62%
vs 80/0 Glaceon: 85.91 - 101.71%
Golurk (LO) Stone Edge vs 252/4 Glaceon: 83.23 - 98.2%
vs 80/0 Glaceon: 95.53 - 113.4%


Gets OHKO or 2HKO by everything bar Ice Punch, but it can serve as a revenge killer/check for Golurk.

My two-cents
 
a check that gets OHKO'ed by EQ with rocks on field ?

the only thing i can see checking this monster is tangela / tangrowth and even then it risks getting 2hko'ed by banded iron fist ice punch .

Yeah basically just try to revenge kill this thing and hope it's piloted by an average player .
 
The problem with Golurk is that it needs perfect prediction - it will use Earthquake most of the time, which a lot of Pokemon such as Swellow, Rotom-S, Tangela, Eelektross, Braviary and quite a few more can abuse (assuming Choice Band). Tangela is still a formidable switch-in to Golurk: Sure, banded Ice Punch is a 2HKO, but Golurk will need to predict the switch-in perfectly, while Tangela can just switch out to be back at 80% or so the next time it comes in. Alomomola also does well, being able to heal off most of the damage caused by Earthquake through Leftovers + Regenerator (since most people are still using Drain Punch over Thunderpunch).

While Golurk certainly is a very powerful Pokemon, it has the same problems as other Choice Banders such as Braviary and Emboar, but with one significant drawback: Choiced Earthquake is a lot easier to exploit than Flare Blitz/Superpower/Brave Bird/Frustration.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top