[Overview]
<p>With the advent of Eviolite, Golbat has become just as annoying competitively, as it was in the caves of RBY, as Eviolite makes Golbat incredibly bulky. This, coupled with Golbat's excellent Speed, passable Attack, and great movepool; that includes reliable recovery, Taunt, Haze, and Super Fang; make Golbat an excellent wall and and an excellent stallbreaker. Golbat's typing is a double edged sword: it gives Golbat an immunity to Toxic, which plagues most dedicated walls, and some neat 4x resistances to Fighting, Grass, and Bug, but it also gives Golbat a weakness to Stealth Rock, which can severely hamper its ability to switch into threats. Golbat also struggles with Steel- and Psychic-types, the latter of which are highly common in the NU tier. However, a well played Golbat can prove to be extremely tough to take down.</p>
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Brave Bird
move 2: Roost
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Super Fang / Toxic
item: Eviolite
ability: Inner Focus
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 176 Def / 80 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Golbat can function as an efficient stall breaker due to its unusual combination of high Speed and impressive bulk. Golbat has enough Speed outpace a majority of the walls in NU. It can Taunt them to prevent attempted status, phazing attempts or recovery. While Golbat's typing does grant it 4x resistances to Bug-, Grass-, and Fighting-type attacks, it isn't ideal as it also gives it weaknesses to common attacking types, such as Psychic, Electric, Ice and Rock. However, with Golbat's high Speed, it can effectively utilize Roost's secondary effect of temporarily losing its Flying typing. This lets Golbat negate all of its weakness; barring Psychic. For instance, Torterra can threaten Golbat with Stone Edge, but since Golbat is faster, it can use Roost to become temporarily neutral to Rock-type attacks, allowing it to put a full stop to Torterra. Given its high base power, and the STAB boost, even coming off a base 80 Attack, Brave Bird can dispose of many offensively inclined Pokemon that Golbat commonly switches into. Super Fang further enhances Golbat's stallbreaking capabilities; it can be used to deal 50% HP damage to walls that Golbat can't harm otherwise. Toxic also helps with breaking down walls, and can be used in tandem with Roost to gradually wear down the opponent.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread maximizes Golbat's bulk, while 80 EVs in Special Defense will ensure that it cannot be OHKOed by Mesprit's Psychic after taking Stealth Rock damage. One can opt for a greater investment in Speed, but nothing significant sits in Golbat's speed tier. Full investment into Special Defense is also an option, but Golbat's typing is more geared towards taking physical hits. Haze and Whirlwind allow Golbat to neutralize opposing stat boosters, but Taunt, coupled with Golbat's bulk is usually enough to keep stat boosters in check. Golbat's Dream World ability, Infiltrator, is an option on this set, as it enables Golbat to poison foes through Safeguard, or attack through screens. However Infiltrator is very situational, and Inner Focus prevents Golbat from being worn down by random flinches.</p>
<p>Golbat obviously appreciates Rapid Spin support due to its Stealth Rock weakness. Armaldo is a good spinner to consider, as with its dual STABs, it can threaten any Ice- or Psychic-type that Golbat has trouble with. Though Armaldo and Golbat share a weakness to Rock-type attacks, they share good type synergy otherwise. Toxic Spikes support alleviates the need for Golbat to use Toxic, but the only viable users of Toxic Spikes are Garbador and Whirlipede, and stacking Psychic weaknesses is ill-advised. Taking advantage of Golbat's 4x resistances is a good idea. Probopass fears Fighting- and Ground-type attacks, whereas Golbat 4x resists Fighting-types while being immune to Ground-types, and Probopass can sponge Ice- and Psychic-type attacks thanks to its stellar bulk and set of resistances. Golbat also shares excellent synergy with Cacturne; Golbat can deal with Bug-types that threaten Cacturne due to its 4x resistance to Bug, while Cacturne can deal with Psychic-types that threaten Golbat with its STAB Sucker Punch.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Golbat can take a page out of Crobat's book, by investing heavily into Speed and Attack to use a Choice Band set with Brave Bird, U turn, Cross Poison, and Pursuit. But this kind of set is hindered by Golbat's Stealth Rock weakness, and is generally outclassed by other Flying-types, such as Braviary and Swellow. Golbat can also put together a Nasty Plot set, as it has many setup opportunities thanks to its bulk. But Golbat's has a poor Special Attack stat, so it would need multiple boosts before it has a chance of sweeping. Furthermore, Golbat can't boost its Speed, so it can be easily revenge killed. With access to Rain Dance, Sunny Day, Taunt, and U-turn, Golbat can do a decent job at providing temporary weather, but it wouldn't be able to use Heat Rock or Damp rock to extend the weather's duration, as Golbat is quite frail without Eviolite. Hypnosis can be used, but its accuracy is very offputting.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Very few Pokemon in NU can out stall Golbat with the exception of Prankster Taunt users, such as Murkrow. Nothing likes switching into Super Fang, so getting a safe switch-in off a faster (so Golbat can't Roost to negate any weaknesses) Psychic-, Electric-, or Ice-type is probably the best way to take it out. Unfortunately for Golbat, there are quite a few of them that reside in NU. Jynx outspeeds, and KOes Golbat with either of its STAB attacks. Thanks to Magic Guard, Duosion is immune to Toxic, and can KO Golbat with Psychic. Raichu, Ampharos, Cryogonal, and Mesprit all outspeed Golbat, and can KO it with their STAB attacks.</p>
