Hey guys, Dragoon here with a guide on Golem, which I'd hopefully like to get posted onto Smogon. I've put a decent amount of thought into this, and hope you'll give this oddball set a try. At first glance it may seem gimmicky, and better pulled off by other Pokemon, however, Golem has some notable strengths and I will attempt to maximize them here.
This set will attempt to set up Golem as an all-in late game sweeper. This is not a set i recommend for beginners, the only way to be successful with this set is to have anyone that can one shot golem (mainly special ice, grass, and water types) off of the table.
Golem @ Wide Lens / Adamant, 252 Atk, 252 Spd, 4 Sp Def.
Abilities: Sturdy / Rock Head / Sand Veil
-Rock Polish
-Rollout/Rock Slide/Rock Blast
-Earthquake
-Explosion/Substitute/Double-Edge
Passive ability comes down to personal preference. Sturdy guarantees you will get a Rock Polish off and can make the call to use explosion or a different attacking move. You will, at a minimum, successfully get one big attack off per absence of priority moves on your opponent. There is no reason to run double edge without Rock Head. Use Sand Veil if rules permit, and if you have sandstorm available.
The purpose of Wide Lens is to negate the possibility of your choice of a Rock STAB missing. Life Orb could also work, if you manage to get Substitute and Rock Polish off with a decent percentage of health left. Sustain items are obsolete on this Pokemon, since keeping Golem alive can prove to be a turn by turn challenge.
I recommend Rock Slide for consistency and for INITIAL damage, I recommend Rollout for advanced players who can determine if they will survive past Rollout's meager initial hits. Rock blast can also be used to break substitutes, but the damage has the potential to be even less than Rock Slide. Remember, every turn counts.
With poor special defensive stats on top of a double 4x weakness, it is easy to see why Golem isn't a hot commodity. The purpose of this set is to exploit unsuspecting opponents that have had their Golem counters exiled.
Other Options -
Sturdy + Stealth Rock is a guaranteed setup, but it is pulled off significantly easier by Seismitoad, who in general, is feared more than our Rock Ball. Weakness Policy can give you a lifeline against the abundance of super effective attacks that your opponents team can hit golem with, and lastly, there is one more set that can be used to try to take the most balanced approach with Golem that is possible - one where a Poke with dual 4x weaknesses can attempt to have equal footing.
Golem @ Sturdy, Careful Nature, 252 SpD, 252 HP, 4 Def
Item: Assault Vest
OR,
@ Adamant Nature, 252 Atk, 252 Def, 4 HP
Item: Muscle Band / Expert Belt
-Stone Edge/Rock Slide
-Heavy Slam/Curse
-Earthquake/Bulldoze
-Sucker Punch / Thunderpunch
This set aims to do battle with whichever counter your opponent switches into Golem. If you are at high percentage health, there is a decent chance you will get a minimum of two decent sized attacks off on your opponent. Keep in mind - Golems special defense stat is still pitiful. You may find the investment in special defense is obsolete. Again, this set is not intended to be "The Set," it's to attempt to balance something as unbalanced as the US economy. The adamant nature would likely seem well more worthwhile to folks who see Golems 120 Atk stat as lackluster. An all out attacker in my opinion would be best served alongside speed coverage - Meaning trick room, paralysis spam with your allied poke's, or another way to significantly improve Golem's speed. I would not run life orb with this set because you'll probably end up taking yourself out without leaving much of a dent in the process. Golem is NOT a candidate for choice band, lacking access to U-turn.
Hope I don't get too many raw laughs at this, good luck with it, and have fun losing to the true God's of NU - Muk and Miltank.
This set will attempt to set up Golem as an all-in late game sweeper. This is not a set i recommend for beginners, the only way to be successful with this set is to have anyone that can one shot golem (mainly special ice, grass, and water types) off of the table.
Golem @ Wide Lens / Adamant, 252 Atk, 252 Spd, 4 Sp Def.
Abilities: Sturdy / Rock Head / Sand Veil
-Rock Polish
-Rollout/Rock Slide/Rock Blast
-Earthquake
-Explosion/Substitute/Double-Edge
Passive ability comes down to personal preference. Sturdy guarantees you will get a Rock Polish off and can make the call to use explosion or a different attacking move. You will, at a minimum, successfully get one big attack off per absence of priority moves on your opponent. There is no reason to run double edge without Rock Head. Use Sand Veil if rules permit, and if you have sandstorm available.
The purpose of Wide Lens is to negate the possibility of your choice of a Rock STAB missing. Life Orb could also work, if you manage to get Substitute and Rock Polish off with a decent percentage of health left. Sustain items are obsolete on this Pokemon, since keeping Golem alive can prove to be a turn by turn challenge.
I recommend Rock Slide for consistency and for INITIAL damage, I recommend Rollout for advanced players who can determine if they will survive past Rollout's meager initial hits. Rock blast can also be used to break substitutes, but the damage has the potential to be even less than Rock Slide. Remember, every turn counts.
With poor special defensive stats on top of a double 4x weakness, it is easy to see why Golem isn't a hot commodity. The purpose of this set is to exploit unsuspecting opponents that have had their Golem counters exiled.
Other Options -
Sturdy + Stealth Rock is a guaranteed setup, but it is pulled off significantly easier by Seismitoad, who in general, is feared more than our Rock Ball. Weakness Policy can give you a lifeline against the abundance of super effective attacks that your opponents team can hit golem with, and lastly, there is one more set that can be used to try to take the most balanced approach with Golem that is possible - one where a Poke with dual 4x weaknesses can attempt to have equal footing.
Golem @ Sturdy, Careful Nature, 252 SpD, 252 HP, 4 Def
Item: Assault Vest
OR,
@ Adamant Nature, 252 Atk, 252 Def, 4 HP
Item: Muscle Band / Expert Belt
-Stone Edge/Rock Slide
-Heavy Slam/Curse
-Earthquake/Bulldoze
-Sucker Punch / Thunderpunch
This set aims to do battle with whichever counter your opponent switches into Golem. If you are at high percentage health, there is a decent chance you will get a minimum of two decent sized attacks off on your opponent. Keep in mind - Golems special defense stat is still pitiful. You may find the investment in special defense is obsolete. Again, this set is not intended to be "The Set," it's to attempt to balance something as unbalanced as the US economy. The adamant nature would likely seem well more worthwhile to folks who see Golems 120 Atk stat as lackluster. An all out attacker in my opinion would be best served alongside speed coverage - Meaning trick room, paralysis spam with your allied poke's, or another way to significantly improve Golem's speed. I would not run life orb with this set because you'll probably end up taking yourself out without leaving much of a dent in the process. Golem is NOT a candidate for choice band, lacking access to U-turn.
Hope I don't get too many raw laughs at this, good luck with it, and have fun losing to the true God's of NU - Muk and Miltank.
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