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Draft Alolan Golem

Deranged_Lime

Deranged_Lime

is a Pre-Contributor
[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 8
**Price Range**: 1-2 points

**Overview**: Alolan Golem is a cheap pick that brings a surprising amount of utility to the table. With Sturdy, it can act as a powerful dedicated lead thanks to access to both Stealth Rock and Explosion, allowing it to start games off with a bang! Alternatively, it can trap and KO many Steel-types with Magnet Pull. Sadly, it is held back by its exploitable typing that lets down its great Defense stat, a terrible Speed stat that usually mandates a Choice Scarf to outspeed the Pokemon it wishes to trap, and poor special bulk leaving it vulnerable to any kind of special attack. Additionally, its typing and lack of coverage leave it completely helpless against opposing Ground-types.

[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Dedicated Lead**: Thanks to Sturdy, Alolan Golem can survive almost any attack and reliably set up Stealth Rock for its team to benefit from. Once its job is complete, Explosion can also be used to safely get in a teammate block entry hazard removal attempts by outspeeding foes with the combination of Sturdy and a Custap Berry.

**Magnet Pull Trapper**: Magnet Pull turns Alolan Golem into a deadly enemy of almost every Steel-type. Choice Scarf ensures that it can outspeed most of its targets, or it can use a Choice Band to better ensure it achieves OHKOs against foes that it can attempt to outspeed, such as a Corviknight with no Speed investment. Finally, Iron Defense + Body Press can allow it to KO physical Steel-types that lack sufficient coverage to beat it.

**Revenge Killer**: Sturdy goes beyond just the lead slot and can allow Alolan Golem to become a fierce anti-offense Pokemon and revenge killer. Heavy-Duty Boots or entry hazard removal can allow Sturdy to remain intact and ensure that it can reliably revenge kill opposing setup sweepers.

Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Stone Edge, Rock Slide, Rock Blast, Thunder Punch, Supercell Slam

**Setup Moves**: Rock Polish, Curse, Iron Defense

**Utility Moves**: Stealth Rock, Thunder Wave, Roar, Brick Break, Volt Switch, Endure

**Coverage**: Body Press, Earthquake, Fire Punch, Heavy Slam, High Horsepower, Iron Head, Explosion

Niche Moves
========
**Counter**: Counter is used as an anti-offense tool that pairs perfectly with Sturdy and ideally Heavy-Duty Boots, allowing Alolan Golem to survive any physical attack and strike back with a potential OHKO.

**Double-Edge / Body Slam**: If Alolan Golem is being used offensively with Galvanize, Double-Edge becomes its strongest STAB move outside of Explosion. Body Slam can alternatively be used to avoid recoil damage and potentially inflict paralysis.

**Flail**: Since Alolan Golem may find itself activating Sturdy from time to time, Flail can become a devastatingly strong move when it is at 1 HP.

Common Items
========
**Custap Berry**: With access to Sturdy, Alolan Golem can reliably activate Custap Berry, allowing a one-time priority attack to either spread more damage against the opposing team, provide support through moves such as Volt Switch and Thunder Wave, or simply click Explosion, allowing safe entry for teammates and denying entry hazard removing attempts. Endure can also be used if Sturdy ends up being broken to ensure the Berry is activated.

**Choice Scarf / Band**: Choice items are used in conjunction with Magnet Pull, allowing Alolan Golem to either outspeed its target with Choice Scarf or reliably achieve an OHKO if it can confidently survive a hit or outspeed its target with Choice Band.

**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Since Alolan Golem is vulnerable to all entry hazards, Heavy-Duty Boots can be used to keep Sturdy intact when it is used outside the lead slot, giving it powerful anti-offense potential against foes that are unable to bypass it.

Niche Items
========
**Red Card**: Red Card combined with Sturdy gives Alolan Golem an alternative to Roar by forcing the foe out while allowing it to potentially fire off an attack against the incoming Pokemon if it was already on the field.

**Mental Herb**: An alternative to Custap Berry on dedicated leads, Mental Herb can allow Alolan Golem to bypass Pokemon with Taunt, ensuring it can use Stealth Rock no matter what.

Tera
========
Since it is used to support other Pokemon and open up opportunities for its team, Alolan Golem is a poor choice for being made a Tera Captain. Should you decide to do so anyway, it appreciates shedding its quite awful typing for something more manageable. Notably, Tera Ground, Fire, and Fighting allow it to more effectively target the Steel-types it traps and take advantage of their weaknesses.

Draft Strategy
========
Alolan Golem is drafted cheaply at the end of a draft for the purpose of supporting its team. It has very few but powerful traits that can create win conditions for its teammates to capitalize on. As such, it is best to draft it on hyper offense drafts comprised of Pokemon that benefit from these tactics.

**Strong Offensive Pokemon**: Given its ease of setting up Stealth Rock, Alolan Golem pairs well with stronger and more powerful teammates that can capitalize on the passive damage throughout a game and the momentum it can provide thanks to Explosion.

**Steel-weak Pokemon**: Pokemon that benefit greatly from their Steel-type counters and checks being removed by Alolan Golem, such as Ogerpon and Baxcalibur, make for excellent partners that it can enable.

Checks and Counters
========
**Ground-types**: Ground-types are lethal against Alolan Golem, since they wall both of its STAB types, take its coverage moves with ease, and strike back with 4x super effective STAB attacks in return. Pokemon such as Hippowdon, Garchomp, and both Landorus formes can easily switch into it and greatly threaten it.

**Special Attackers**: With appalling Special Defense, Alolan Golem is mortally threatened by almost every powerful special attack in the game. Strong special attackers such as Darkrai, Iron Bundle, and Hydreigon often don't even need super effective damage to wipe it off the map.

**Pokemon that bypass Sturdy**: Alolan Golem relies on Sturdy a lot due to its defensively poor typing and low Special Defense. As such, Pokemon that can get around Sturdy pose a serious problem for it. Pokemon with multi-hit moves such as Urshifu-R and Iron Crown as well as Pokemon with Mold Breaker like Excadrill can knock it out before it can even do anything.

**Anti-Trapping Strategies**: Shed Shell allows Steel-types to simply escape Alolan Golem entirely, while strategies such as Occa Berry on Scizor and Wacan Berry on Empoleon can prevent an OHKO and allow them to retaliate.

**Taunt**: One of the main reasons to use Alolan Golem is to set Stealth Rock, meaning Taunt users can easily shut it down if it's not running Mental Herb and prevent them from going up. Taunt users such as Gliscor and Krookodile can easily shut it down and prevent it from supporting its team.

[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/deranged_lime.272077/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/addison0727.514695/
Grammar checked by:
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Last edited by a moderator:
All ready for QC!

I fully expect Ability Shield and options that pair with Galvanize to be removed since this is such a niche Pokemon as is, but may as well include them just in case. You never know!
 
qc 1/2 - mainly removed a lot of filler sentences
Add Remove Comments
[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 7 onwards

**Price Range**: 1-2 points

**Overview**: Alolan Golem is a cheap pick that brings a surprising amount of utility to the table. With Sturdy, it can act as a powerful dedicated lead thanks to access to both Stealth Rock and Explosion, allowing it to start games off with a bang! However its true claim to fame comes with access to the rare Magnet Pull ability. Steel types are practically mandatory in the format, and With Magnet Pull, Alolan Golem can also trap many of them Steel-types, such as Corviknight, Scizor and Heatran, where it can then take them out with its STAB moves or its coverage moves using its high Attack stat. These roles alone can provide great support for its teammates to capitalize on. Though sadly, it is held back by its exploitable typing with many weaknesses that lets down its awesome Defense stat, a terrible Speed stat that usually mandates a Choice Scarf to outspeed the Pokemon it wishes to trap, and poor special bulk leaving it vulnerable to any kind of Special Attack. Mention that its completely walled by basically any ground type


[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Dedicated Lead**: Thanks to Sturdy, Alolan Golem can survive almost any attack and reliably set up Stealth Rock for its team. It can use its high Attack stat to prevent itself from being passive as it does so, potentially spreading damage as well. Explosion can also be used to safely get in a teammate once its job is complete and also block hazard removal attempts should Alolan Golem be faster than the opponent, which can reliably be done thanks to the combination of Sturdy and a Custap Berry.

**Magnet Pull Trapper**: Magnet Pull turns Alolan Golem into a deadly enemy of almost every Steel type, preventing them from switching and allowing it to take them out. Depending on its targets, Alolan Golem can outfit its offensive moves with whatever it likes, such as Earthquake for Tinkaton or Wild Charge for Empoleon. Choice Scarf is the recommended item on this set to ensure Alolan Golem outspeeds all its targets barring faster Choice Scarf users or Pokemon already with boosted Speed, or it can use a Choice Band to better ensure it achieves OHKOs against opponents it can attempt to outspeed, such as a Corviknight with no Speed investment.

**Revenge Killer**: Sturdy goes beyond just the lead slot and can allow Alolan Golem to become a fierce anti-offense Pokemon and revenge killer. Heavy-Duty Boots or hazard removal can allow Sturdy to remain intact and ensures Alolan Golem can reliably revenge kill opposing Pokemon such as a setup sweeper, protecting its team using an otherwise low costing teamslot.

Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Stone Edge, Rock Slide, Rock Blast, Wild Charge, Thunder Punch, Supercell Slam

**Setup Moves**: Rock Polish, Curse, Iron Defense

**Utility Moves**: Stealth Rock, Thunder Wave, Roar, Brick Break, Bulldoze, Electroweb, Rock Tomb, Electric Terrain, All too niche, it's never gonna be using speed lowering moves & electric terrain is far too niche Explosion, move to coverage Volt Switch

**Coverage**: Body Press, Earthquake, Fire Punch, Gyro Ball, Heavy Slam, High Horsepower, Iron Head

Niche Moves
========
**Counter**: An anti-offense tool that pairs perfectly with Sturdy and ideally Heavy-Duty Boots which allow Golem to survive any physical attack, even ones strong enough to overpower its high Defense stat, and strike back with a potential OHKO.

**Double-Edge / Body Slam**: If Alolan Golem is being used offensively with the ability Galvanize, Double-Edge becomes its strongest STAB move outside of Explosion. This deals massive damage thanks to the 20% boost in power, though one most be careful of its severe recoil inducing effect. Body Slam can alternatively be used to avoid recoil damage and potentially inflict paralysis. Combined these two

**Body Slam**: Another move that can be boosted by Galvanize, Body Slam sacrifices power for no recoil and a nasty 30% chance to inflict paralysis on its targets.

**Flail**: Since Alolan Golem may find itself activating Sturdy from time to time, Flail can become a devastatingly strong move with 200 base power when Alolan Golem is at 1HP.

Common Items
========
**Custap Berry**: With access to Sturdy, Alolan Golem can reliably activate Custap Berry, allowing a one time speed boost to either spread more damage against the opposing team, provide support through moves such as Volt Switch and Thunder Wave, or simply click Explosion, allowing safe entry for teammates and denying hazard removing attempts.

**Choice Scarf/Band**: These items are used in conjunction with Magnet Pull, allowing Alolan Golem to either outspeed its target and prevent them from attacking back or potentially escaping with a move such as U-turn, or more reliably achieve an OHKO if it can confidently survive a hit or outspeed its target naturally.

**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Since Alolan Golem is vulnerable to all entry hazards, Heavy-Duty Boots can be used to keep Sturdy intact when used outside the lead slot, giving it powerful anti-offense potential against foes unable to bypass it.

Niche Items
========
**Red Card**: Red Card will only activate if the holder survives an attack, which can be compensated for thanks to Sturdy, giving combined with Sturdy gives Alolan Golem an alternative to Roar for forcing out the opponent without attacking, while allowing it to potentially fire off an attack against whatever comes in if Alolan Golem was already on the field.

**Weakness Policy**: Combined with Rock Polish, Weakness Policy can turn Alolan Golem into a potential sweeper with boosts equivalent to Shell Smash. This works thanks to its many exploitable weaknesses and the Sturdy ability allowing it to survive said attacks. However, it requires hazard removal support to preserve Sturdy, being hit by said moves in the first place, the scouting of potential Choice Scarf Pokemon since Alolan Golem is still outsped by some even after a boost, and the scouting of priority attacks. too niche, still gets revenge killed by faster mons / priority and loses to ground types

**Mental Herb**: An alternative to Custap Berry on dedicated leads, Mental Herb can allow Alolan Golem to bypass Pokemon with Taunt, ensuring it can use Stealth Rock no matter what.

**Ability Shield**: Strategies that ignore abilities such as Mold Breaker can bypass Sturdy and prevent Alolan Golem from revenge killing certain targets. Ability Shield rectifies this problem, allowing Sturdy to activate against said targets. i like the idea but too niche

Tera
========
Since it is used to support other Pokemon and open up opportunities for its team, Alolan Golem is a poor choice for being made a Tera Captain. Should you decide to do so anyway, it appreciates shedding its quite awful typing for something more manageable. Notably, turning into types such as Ground, Fire or Fighting types allow it to more specifically target the Steel types it traps and their weaknesses. Additionally, it can turn into a potent defensive type such as Water or Fairy in an attempt to utilize its great Defense stat.

Draft Strategy
========
Alolan Golem is drafted cheaply at the end of a draft for the purpose of supporting its team. It has very few but powerful traits that can create win conditions for its teammates to capitalize on. As such, it is best to pair Alolan Golem with Pokemon that benefit from these tactics.

**Alternate Hazard Stackers**: Alolan Golem's Stealth Rock setting capabilites can be accentuated by teammates who can lay other hazards alongside it. Spikes setters such as Greninja and Hisuian Samurott or Toxic Spikes setters such as Glimmora can create powerful hazard stacks to pressure the opposing team.

**Anti-Removal Pokemon**: As a dedicated Stealth Rock setter, Alolan Golem invites in hazard removers attempting to get rid of them. However, it rarely finds opportunities to set them back up outside the lead slot if it has already taken damage, so teammates that can either prevent Rapid Spin such as Gholdengo or punish Defog attempts like Galarian Zapdos with its Defiant ability make for great partners.

**Pokemon vulnerable to Steel types**: Alolan Golem removes Steel types from the game not to benefit itself, but rather open the door for teammates that otherwise struggle to take them out. As such, Pokemon that have a poor matchup against most Steel types such as Ogerpon, Baxcalibur and Latios appreciate the support Alolan Golem can provide them.

**Rapid Spin users**: Alolan Golem does not always want to use Heavy-Duty Boots on its Sturdy sets, and thus appreciates teammates that can use Rapid Spin to keep the field clear of hazards. Pokemon such as Great Tusk and Terapagos make for fantastic users of Rapid Spin that can reliably keep hazards off the field.

**Pokemon vulnerable to Setup Sweepers**: Alolan Golem's anti-offensive sets make for a great answer against setup sweepers. Because of this, Pokemon that may find themselves taken advantage of by the opponent for a setup opportunity such as users of Draco Meteor like Latios or various users of Choice items such as Choice Scarf Meowscarada appreciate the safety net Alolan Golem provides. Its a 1-2 pt mon that's usually thrown on the end of the team. You can just add a sentence or two to the initial paragraph but anything else is kinda overkill (see other 1 pt mon analyses for examples)

Checks and Counters
========
**Ground types**: Ground types are lethal against Alolan Golem, walling both of its STABs, not fearing any of its coverage moves and striking back with x4 Super Effective STAB attacks in return. Pokemon such as Hippowdon, Garchomp and both Landorus forms can easily switch into Alolan Golem greatly threaten it.

**Special Attackers**: With appauling special bulk, Alolan Golem is mortally threatened by almost every powerful Special Attack in the game. Strong special attackers such as Darkrai, Iron Bundle and Hydreigon often don't even need Super Effective damage to wipe Alolan Golem off the map.

**Pokemon that can bypass Sturdy**: Alolan Golem relies on Sturdy a lot due to its defensively poor typing and low special bulk. As such, Pokemon that can get around Sturdy pose a serious problem for it. Pokemon with multi-hit moves such as Urshifu-Rapid and Iron Crown as well as Pokemon with Mold Breaker like Excadrill can knock out Alolan Golem before it can even do anything.

**Anti-Trapping Strategies**: Due to the counter-teaming nature of the format, opponents can prepare themselves for Alolan Golem and outfit their Steel types with ways to prevent it from taking them out or even trapping them in the first place. Shed Shell allows Steel types to simply escape Alolan Golem entirely, while strategies such as Occa Berry on Scizor or Wacan Berry on Empoleon can prevent an OHKO and allow them to retaliate.

[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/deranged_lime.272077/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user2.200000
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.300000
Grammar checked by:
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Thanks for the feedback, all of which has been implemented

The Draft Strategy section has been cut down a lot, though if more needs to be readded, please let me know

Onward to QC 2
 
about time you get a qc2 <3

add remove comment
[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 7 onwards

**Price Range**: 1-2 points

**Overview**: Alolan Golem is a cheap pick that brings a surprising amount of utility to the table. With Sturdy, it can act as a powerful dedicated lead thanks to access to both Stealth Rock and Explosion, allowing it to start games off with a bang! With Magnet Pull, Alolan Golem can also trap many Steel-types, such as Corviknight, Scizor and Heatran. Though sadly, it is held back by its exploitable typing with many weaknesses that lets down its awesome Defense stat, a terrible Speed stat that usually mandates a Choice Scarf to outspeed the Pokemon it wishes to trap, and poor special bulk leaving it vulnerable to any kind of Special Attack. Additionally, it's typing and lack of coverage leave it completely helpless against opposing Ground types.

"bang!" made me laugh really hard so thank you for that.

[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Dedicated Lead**: Thanks to Sturdy, Alolan Golem can survive almost any attack and reliably set up Stealth Rock for its team. Explosion can also be used to safely get in a teammate once its job is complete and also block hazard removal attempts should Alolan Golem be faster than the opponent, which can reliably be done thanks to the combination of Sturdy and a Custap Berry.

**Magnet Pull Trapper**: Magnet Pull turns Alolan Golem into a deadly enemy of almost every Steel type. Choice Scarf is the recommended item on this set to ensure Alolan Golem outspeeds all its targets barring faster Choice Scarf users or Pokemon already with boosted Speed, or it can use a Choice Band to better ensure it achieves OHKOs against opponents it can attempt to outspeed, such as a Corviknight with no Speed investment. Perhaps mention Body press too as a 1v1 option.

**Revenge Killer**: Sturdy goes beyond just the lead slot and can allow Alolan Golem to become a fierce anti-offense Pokemon and revenge killer. Heavy-Duty Boots or hazard removal can allow Sturdy to remain intact and ensures Alolan Golem can reliably revenge kill opposing Pokemon such as a setup sweeper, protecting its team using an otherwise low costing teamslot.

Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Stone Edge, Rock Slide, Rock Blast, Wild Charge, Thunder Punch, Supercell Slam

**Setup Moves**: Rock Polish, Curse, Iron Defense

**Utility Moves**: Stealth Rock, Thunder Wave, Roar, Brick Break, Volt Switch, Endure

**Coverage**: Body Press, Earthquake, Fire Punch, Gyro Ball, Heavy Slam, High Horsepower, Iron Head, Explosion Dont have any in red but i feel like its probably not slow enough for non-stab gyro ball??

Niche Moves
========
**Counter**: An anti-offense tool that pairs perfectly with Sturdy and ideally Heavy-Duty Boots which allow Golem to survive any physical attack, even ones strong enough to overpower its high Defense stat, and strike back with a potential OHKO.

**Double-Edge / Body Slam**: If Alolan Golem is being used offensively with the ability Galvanize, Double-Edge becomes its strongest STAB move outside of Explosion. Body Slam can alternatively be used to avoid recoil damage and potentially inflict paralysis.

**Flail**: Since Alolan Golem may find itself activating Sturdy from time to time, Flail can become a devastatingly strong move with 200 base power when Alolan Golem is at 1HP.

Common Items
========
**Custap Berry**: With access to Sturdy, Alolan Golem can reliably activate Custap Berry, allowing a one time speed boost to either spread more damage against the opposing team, provide support through moves such as Volt Switch and Thunder Wave, or simply click Explosion, allowing safe entry for teammates and denying hazard removing attempts. Mention that Endure might also enable Custap more reliably in late-game situations.

**Choice Scarf/Band**: These items are used in conjunction with Magnet Pull, allowing Alolan Golem to either outspeed its target and prevent them from attacking back or potentially escaping with a move such as U-turn, or more reliably achieve an OHKO if it can confidently survive a hit or outspeed its target naturally.

**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Since Alolan Golem is vulnerable to all entry hazards, Heavy-Duty Boots can be used to keep Sturdy intact when used outside the lead slot, giving it powerful anti-offense potential against foes unable to bypass it.

Niche Items
========
**Red Card**: Red Card combined with Sturdy gives Alolan Golem an alternative to Roar for forcing out the opponent without attacking, while allowing it to potentially fire off an attack against whatever comes in if Alolan Golem was already on the field.

**Mental Herb**: An alternative to Custap Berry on dedicated leads, Mental Herb can allow Alolan Golem to bypass Pokemon with Taunt, ensuring it can use Stealth Rock no matter what.

Tera
========
Since it is used to support other Pokemon and open up opportunities for its team, Alolan Golem is a poor choice for being made a Tera Captain. Should you decide to do so anyway, it appreciates shedding its quite awful typing for something more manageable. Notably, turning into types such as Ground, Fire or Fighting types allow it to more specifically target the Steel types it traps and their weaknesses.

Draft Strategy
========
Alolan Golem is drafted cheaply at the end of a draft for the purpose of supporting its team. It has very few but powerful traits that can create win conditions for its teammates to capitalize on. As such, it is best to pair Alolan Golem on Hyper Offensive drafts comprised of with Pokemon that benefit from these tactics.

**Strong Offensive Pokemon**: Given its ease of setting up Stealth Rock, Alolan Golem pairs well with stronger and more powerful teammates that can capitalize on the passive damage throughout a game and the momentum it can provide thanks to Explosion.

**Pokemon Vulnerable to Steel types**: Pokemon that benefit greatly from their Steel type counters and checks being removed by Alolan Golem, such as Ogerpon and Baxcalibur, make for excellent partners that Alolan Golem can enable.

Checks and Counters
========
**Ground types**: Ground types are lethal against Alolan Golem, walling both of its STABs, not fearing any of its coverage moves and striking back with x4 Super Effective STAB attacks in return. Pokemon such as Hippowdon, Garchomp and both Landorus forms can easily switch into Alolan Golem greatly threaten it.

**Special Attackers**: With appauling special bulk, Alolan Golem is mortally threatened by almost every powerful Special Attack in the game. Strong special attackers such as Darkrai, Iron Bundle and Hydreigon often don't even need Super Effective damage to wipe Alolan Golem off the map.

**Pokemon that can bypass Sturdy**: Alolan Golem relies on Sturdy a lot due to its defensively poor typing and low special bulk. As such, Pokemon that can get around Sturdy pose a serious problem for it. Pokemon with multi-hit moves such as Urshifu-Rapid and Iron Crown as well as Pokemon with Mold Breaker like Excadrill can knock out Alolan Golem before it can even do anything.

**Anti-Trapping Strategies**: Shed Shell allows Steel types to simply escape Alolan Golem entirely, while strategies such as Occa Berry on Scizor or Wacan Berry on Empoleon can prevent an OHKO and allow them to retaliate.

**Taunt**: no rocks 4 u

[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/deranged_lime.272077/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.300000
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.400000
 
1/1 GP Team done
add remove comment
[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 8
**Price Range**: 1-2 points

**Overview**: Alolan Golem is a cheap pick that brings a surprising amount of utility to the table. With Sturdy, it can act as a powerful dedicated lead thanks to access to both Stealth Rock and Explosion, allowing it to start games off with a bang! With Magnet Pull Alternatively, Alolan Golem it can also trap and KO many Steel-types (RC) such as Corviknight, Scizor and Heatran with Magnet Pull.Though Sadly, it is held back by its exploitable typing with many weaknesses that lets down its awesome great Defense stat, a terrible Speed stat that usually mandates a Choice Scarf to outspeed the Pokemon it wishes to trap, and poor special bulk leaving it vulnerable to any kind of special attack. Additionally, it's its typing and lack of coverage leave it completely helpless against opposing Ground types Ground-types.

[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Dedicated Lead**: Thanks to Sturdy, Alolan Golem can survive almost any attack and reliably set up Stealth Rock for its team to benefit from. Once its job is complete, (AC) Explosion can also be used to safely get in a teammate once its job is complete and also block block entry hazard removal attempts should Alolan Golem be faster than by outspeeding foes with the opponent, which can reliably be done thanks to the combination of Sturdy and a Custap Berry.

**Magnet Pull Trapper**: Magnet Pull turns Alolan Golem into a deadly enemy of almost every Steel type Steel-type. Choice Scarf is the recommended item on this set to ensure Alolan Golem outspeeds all ensures that it can outspeed most of its targets barring faster Choice Scarf users or Pokemon already with boosted Speed, or it can use a Choice Band to better ensure it achieves OHKOs against opponents foes that it can attempt to outspeed, such as a Corviknight with no Speed investment. Finally, Body Press combined with Iron Defense Iron Defense + Body Press can allow it to 1v1 KO physical Steel-types that lack sufficient coverage to beat it.

**Revenge Killer**: Sturdy goes beyond just the lead slot and can allow Alolan Golem to become a fierce anti-offense Pokemon and revenge killer. Heavy-Duty Boots or entry hazard removal can allow Sturdy to remain intact and ensures Alolan Golem ensure that it can reliably revenge kill opposing Pokemon such as a setup sweeper, protecting its team using an otherwise low costing teamslot sweepers.

Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Stone Edge, Rock Slide, Rock Blast, Thunder Punch, Supercell Slam

**Setup Moves**: Rock Polish, Curse, Iron Defense

**Utility Moves**: Stealth Rock, Thunder Wave, Roar, Brick Break, Volt Switch, Endure

**Coverage**: Body Press, Earthquake, Fire Punch, Heavy Slam, High Horsepower, Iron Head, Explosion

Niche Moves
========
**Counter**: An Counter is used as an anti-offense tool that pairs perfectly with Sturdy and ideally Heavy-Duty Boots, (AC) allowing Alolan which allow Golem to survive any physical attack (RC) even ones strong enough to overpower its high Defense stat (RC) and strike back with a potential OHKO.

**Double-Edge / Body Slam**: If Alolan Golem is being used offensively with the ability Galvanize, Double-Edge becomes its strongest STAB move outside of Explosion. Body Slam can alternatively be used to avoid recoil damage and potentially inflict paralysis.

**Flail**: Since Alolan Golem may find itself activating Sturdy from time to time, Flail can become a devastatingly strong move with 200 base power when Alolan Golem it is at 1HP 1 HP.

Common Items
========
**Custap Berry**: With access to Sturdy, Alolan Golem can reliably activate Custap Berry, allowing a one time speed boost one-time priority attack to either spread more damage against the opposing team, provide support through moves such as Volt Switch and Thunder Wave, or simply click Explosion, allowing safe entry for teammates and denying entry hazard removing attempts. Endure can also be used if Sturdy ends up being broken to ensure the Berry is activated.

**Choice Scarf / Band**: These Choice items are used in conjunction with Magnet Pull, allowing Alolan Golem to either outspeed its target and prevent them from attacking back or potentially escaping with a move such as U-turn (RC) Choice Scarf or more reliably achieve an OHKO if it can confidently survive a hit or outspeed its target naturally with Choice Band.

**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Since Alolan Golem is vulnerable to all entry hazards, Heavy-Duty Boots can be used to keep Sturdy intact when it is used outside the lead slot, giving it powerful anti-offense potential against foes that are unable to bypass it.

Niche Items
========
**Red Card**: Red Card combined with Sturdy gives Alolan Golem an alternative to Roar for by forcing out the opponent without attacking (RC) foe out while allowing it to potentially fire off an attack against whatever comes in the incoming Pokemon if Alolan Golem it was already on the field.

**Mental Herb**: An alternative to Custap Berry on dedicated leads, Mental Herb can allow Alolan Golem to bypass Pokemon with Taunt, ensuring it can use Stealth Rock no matter what.

Tera
========
Since it is used to support other Pokemon and open up opportunities for its team, Alolan Golem is a poor choice for being made a Tera Captain. Should you decide to do so anyway, it appreciates shedding its quite awful typing for something more manageable. Notably, turning into types such as Tera Ground, Fire, (AC) and or Fighting types allow it to more specifically effectively target the Steel types Steel-types it traps and take advantage of their weaknesses.

Draft Strategy
========
Alolan Golem is drafted cheaply at the end of a draft for the purpose of supporting its team. It has very few but powerful traits that can create win conditions for its teammates to capitalize on. As such, it is best to pair Alolan Golem draft it on hyper Offensive offense drafts comprised of Pokemon that benefit from these tactics.

**Strong Offensive Pokemon**: Given its ease of setting up Stealth Rock, Alolan Golem pairs well with stronger and more powerful teammates that can capitalize on the passive damage throughout a game and the momentum it can provide thanks to Explosion.

**Steel-weak Pokemon Vulnerable to Steel types**: Pokemon that benefit greatly from their Steel type Steel-type counters and checks being removed by Alolan Golem, such as Ogerpon and Baxcalibur, make for excellent partners that Alolan Golem it can enable.

Checks and Counters
========
**Ground typesGround-types**: Ground types Ground-types are lethal against Alolan Golem, walling since they wall both of its STABs STAB types, not fearing any of take its coverage moves with ease, (AC) and striking strike back with x4 4x super effective STAB attacks in return. Pokemon such as Hippowdon, Garchomp, (AC) and both Landorus forms formes can easily switch into Alolan Golem it and greatly threaten it.

**Special Attackers**: With appauling appalling Special bulk Defense, Alolan Golem is mortally threatened by almost every powerful special attack in the game. Strong special attackers such as Darkrai, Iron Bundle, (AC) and Hydreigon often don't even need super effective damage to wipe Alolan Golem it off the map.

**Pokemon that can bypass Sturdy**: Alolan Golem relies on Sturdy a lot due to its defensively poor typing and low Special bulk Defense. As such, Pokemon that can get around Sturdy pose a serious problem for it. Pokemon with multi-hit moves such as Urshifu-Rapid Urshifu-R and Iron Crown as well as Pokemon with Mold Breaker like Excadrill can knock it out Alolan Golem before it can even do anything.

**Anti-Trapping Strategies**: Shed Shell allows Steel types Steel-types to simply escape Alolan Golem entirely, while strategies such as Occa Berry on Scizor or and Wacan Berry on Empoleon can prevent an OHKO and allow them to retaliate.

**Taunt**: One of the main reasons to use Alolan Golem is to use set Stealth Rock, meaning Taunt users can easily shut it down if its it's not running Mental Herb and prevent the rocks them from going up. Taunt users such as Gliscor and Krookodile can easily shut Alolan Golem it down and prevent it from supporting its team.

[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/deranged_lime.272077/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/addison0727.514695/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
 
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