The original analysis was good but featured lots of info on old mons that didn't bear out like Dash, Dnair, etc. + Poliwhirl mentions. Decided to do a revamp instead of a partial rewrite because the picture of the metagame is very old, focusing on toxspin, Fire spam, etc. so I'm gonna take the opportunity to modernize. Also it was technically a mini so.... time for a full.
[OVERVIEW]
Tumbling down from its peak as an OU staple, Golem finds a solid role in NU as one of the bulkiest and hardest-hitting attackers. QuakeSlide coming off an incredible base 110 Attack threatens the entire tier, deters omnipresent threats like Charizard, Mr. Mime, and Venomoth, and makes Golem painful to switch into, even for bulky checks like Blastoise. In fact, Golem outright OHKOes both Charizard and Moltres, a feat no other Pokemon can manage without a critical hit. Explosion makes it a persistent threat, as even checks like Blastoise and Clefable barely survive it. Perhaps even more notable is its defensive profile—Electric immunity grants it opportunities to switch in against Mr. Mime, Clefable, and Electrode, while its Rock typing allows it to catch careless foes using Hyper Beam and retaliate for massive damage. Its absurd base 130 Defense lets it shrug off Charizard's Earthquake before rocking its world in return; even a +4 Earthquake fails to OHKO Golem, letting it stonewall even the most unstoppable sweep. Even better is the Electrode matchup—Golem fully invalidates it.
Golem's 4x Water weakness erodes its formidable defenses, though, as every single Water-type in the tier outspeeds and OHKOes it. Its poor Speed makes it difficult to use against most unparalyzed foes—if it takes a critical hit on entry from Mr. Mime or Charizard, it is almost certainly doomed. Coverage moves from Clefable, Raticate, and Nidoking 2HKO it, limiting its chances to switch in. One would think Golem could at least switch into Fire-types safely, but a burn reduces Rock Slide to an avalanche of pebbles; worse yet, Swords Dance reapplies the Attack drop, granting Charizard free setup. This rocky matchup spread limits Golem to mostly switching into Thunderbolt and Thunder Wave.
[SET]
name: Bulky Attacker
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: Explosion
move 4: Substitute / Body Slam
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Earthquake deals immense damage against most foes, 3HKOing at worst, and it 2HKOes Mr. Mime, Nidoking, Raticate, Kabutops, and Ninetales. Rock Slide OHKOes Charizard and Moltres and comes just short of OHKOing Venomoth. Explosion OHKOes frail Pokemon like Mr. Mime and Raticate, and it deals massive damage to Clefable and Blastoise, KOing them after mild chip damage. Substitute eases prediction and allows Golem to fish for full paralysis against paralyzed foes; it can easily set up Substitute in front of Electrode or Fearow. Alternatively, Body Slam can paralyze Water-type switch-ins; since Golem's Earthquake 3HKOes them all, they cannot switch in again later if paralyzed, since Golem will outspeed and finish them off. Golem's primary advantages over its main competitor, Nidoking, include its vastly superior typing and bulk, which make it a far more effective check to Charizard, Mr. Mime, and Venomoth. However, its lower Speed and 4x Water weakness make Nidoking the superior choice against Clefable, Exeggcute, and every Water-type. This Speed gap makes Golem far more reliant on paralysis, and it needs allies that can switch into Ice- and Water-type attacks, such as Blastoise and Seadra; Nidoking operates far more independently but brings little defensive value.
Golem can seek out lopsided matchups and find entry against Thunder Wave users mid-game, or it can be saved to revenge kill paralyzed targets and threaten Explosion. Golem desperately does not want to take damage on entry; a lot of theoretically-good matchups become quite poor with a critical hit or Special drop. For example, Mr. Mime only 3HKOes Golem normally, but with its nearly 50% odds of a critical hit or Special drop, it has a fair chance to 2HKO instead. Similarly, taking a Fire Blast on entry is essentially a 30% chance to turn Golem into a paperweight, and a Charizard Earthquake might deal over 60% if it critically hits. Therefore, Golem benefits from teams that spread paralysis and, most importantly, force the opponent to switch into paralysis-inflicting moves. For example, Blastoise can use Body Slam against Charizard, potentially catching it switching out and paralyzing an incoming Blastoise or Mr. Mime, and Venomoth forces the opponent to switch into Stun Spore after it puts something to sleep. Exeggcute, for example, checks Mr. Mime, spreads paralysis, and enables allied Mr. Mime to spread paralysis and bait Thunder Wave. When the opponent's hapless Thunder Wave user tries to retaliate, Golem comes in to block Thunder Wave and fire off powerful attacks. This is notably far less effective against Clefable unless it is chipped significantly; Clefable's bulk allows it to take hits from Golem, and Blizzard 2HKOes normally but also has about a 20% chance to critically hit or freeze.
Alternatively, Golem can work as a late-game cleaner on fast teams with many paralysis options; Venomoth and Body Slam Charizard, for example, can help spread enough paralysis for Golem to tear through the enemy team and finish the game. Water-types make good teammates as well; Golem covers their Electric weaknesses, and in return they help to check opposing Water-types and solidify the matchup against Fire-types. In particular, Blastoise and Kingler can use Body Slam to hamstring targets for Golem and force the opponent into guessing games when they'd like to use Thunderbolt. If the opponent predicts incorrectly, they will often end up losing a Pokemon for minimal gain; Kingler is especially dangerous, as a single mistake may allow it to set up Swords Dance and inflict incredible damage. Golem does struggle late-game against many foes often saved for a sweep, like Kingler, Nidoking, and Seadra, so using it in this role requires careful scouting and team support.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Golem lacks viable options outside of the above set. Toxic can prevent opposing Fire Spin users from chipping it down, but Golem already OHKOes the most relevant ones should they miss a single time. Fire Blast 2HKOes Exeggcute but has very little utility otherwise. Counter is an extremely niche option; Golem can use this to OHKO Raticate if it uses Super Fang, but this plan is extremely dangerous, since Raticate is likely to have Bubble Beam. Golem can also come in after Charizard KOes its ally with a Normal-type attack, using Counter as Charizard switches out, but this is only notable when using Counter against a critical hit—primarily from Slash—or a +2 Hyper Beam.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water-types**: Every single Water-type outspeeds and OHKOes Golem. Golem's only recourse is to paralyze them with Body Slam as they switch in or wear them down; none of them can repeatedly switch into its powerful Earthquake, and paralyzed Water-types lose after a little chip damage, since Earthquake can 2HKO them from about 70%. Kabutops is a worse check than the other Water-types and is unable to switch into Earthquake.
**Burn**: A burned Golem is almost worse than useless; opposing Swords Dance users can reapply its burn while setting up, and it becomes easy to switch into even for frail foes. In particular, Charizard exploits it heavily, setting up a game-ending sweep against the hapless boulder. Moltres can similarly use Agility to reduce Rock Slide to a paltry 25% damage, then retaliate with Fire Spin to wear Golem down. Explosion deals minimal damage after a reapplied burn, so Golem is often better off switching out if this happens; it can be saved to chip down a paralyzed Mr. Mime, Clefable, or Venomoth later or used as a sacrifice for momentum.
**Faster Attackers**: Golem loses against just about any Pokemon that packs a Water- or Ice-type coverage move, unless it is paralyzed. Clefable outspeeds and 2HKOes Golem with Blizzard, and it is only 3HKOed in return. Golem can fish for full paralysis with Substitute against a paralyzed Clefable, or it can use Explosion to remove it, which is usually a beneficial trade for the Golem user given Clefable's value, but the risk of a Blizzard critical hit makes this dubious. Raticate 2HKOes Golem with Bubble Beam and easily covers any switch-in with Super Fang. Thus, Golem cannot beat it one-on-one, cannot switch into it, and opens up a teammate to heavy damage by switching out. Golem does 2HKO with Earthquake, so a paralyzed Raticate is far less of an issue; Golem can defeat it and then land Explosion on something else later. Nidoking cannot switch into Golem, since they mutually 2HKO, but Nidoking wins one-on-one with Blizzard handily.
**Venomoth**: While Venomoth fears both Earthquake and Rock Slide, it easily comes in after a KO or as Golem sets up Substitute and threatens to put it to sleep. Venomoth can also run Mega Drain, which just barely misses the 2HKO but heavily wears Golem down. Golem cannot switch in well even after Sleep Clause takes effect, as Stun Spore and Psychic remain threatening.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Previous version by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/5dots.543866/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/236353/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pac.520967/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/enigami.233818/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/togkey.400664/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/juoean.486979/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/phoopes.96315/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rabia.336073/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adeleine.517429/
Tumbling down from its peak as an OU staple, Golem finds a solid role in NU as one of the bulkiest and hardest-hitting attackers. QuakeSlide coming off an incredible base 110 Attack threatens the entire tier, deters omnipresent threats like Charizard, Mr. Mime, and Venomoth, and makes Golem painful to switch into, even for bulky checks like Blastoise. In fact, Golem outright OHKOes both Charizard and Moltres, a feat no other Pokemon can manage without a critical hit. Explosion makes it a persistent threat, as even checks like Blastoise and Clefable barely survive it. Perhaps even more notable is its defensive profile—Electric immunity grants it opportunities to switch in against Mr. Mime, Clefable, and Electrode, while its Rock typing allows it to catch careless foes using Hyper Beam and retaliate for massive damage. Its absurd base 130 Defense lets it shrug off Charizard's Earthquake before rocking its world in return; even a +4 Earthquake fails to OHKO Golem, letting it stonewall even the most unstoppable sweep. Even better is the Electrode matchup—Golem fully invalidates it.
Golem's 4x Water weakness erodes its formidable defenses, though, as every single Water-type in the tier outspeeds and OHKOes it. Its poor Speed makes it difficult to use against most unparalyzed foes—if it takes a critical hit on entry from Mr. Mime or Charizard, it is almost certainly doomed. Coverage moves from Clefable, Raticate, and Nidoking 2HKO it, limiting its chances to switch in. One would think Golem could at least switch into Fire-types safely, but a burn reduces Rock Slide to an avalanche of pebbles; worse yet, Swords Dance reapplies the Attack drop, granting Charizard free setup. This rocky matchup spread limits Golem to mostly switching into Thunderbolt and Thunder Wave.
[SET]
name: Bulky Attacker
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Rock Slide
move 3: Explosion
move 4: Substitute / Body Slam
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Earthquake deals immense damage against most foes, 3HKOing at worst, and it 2HKOes Mr. Mime, Nidoking, Raticate, Kabutops, and Ninetales. Rock Slide OHKOes Charizard and Moltres and comes just short of OHKOing Venomoth. Explosion OHKOes frail Pokemon like Mr. Mime and Raticate, and it deals massive damage to Clefable and Blastoise, KOing them after mild chip damage. Substitute eases prediction and allows Golem to fish for full paralysis against paralyzed foes; it can easily set up Substitute in front of Electrode or Fearow. Alternatively, Body Slam can paralyze Water-type switch-ins; since Golem's Earthquake 3HKOes them all, they cannot switch in again later if paralyzed, since Golem will outspeed and finish them off. Golem's primary advantages over its main competitor, Nidoking, include its vastly superior typing and bulk, which make it a far more effective check to Charizard, Mr. Mime, and Venomoth. However, its lower Speed and 4x Water weakness make Nidoking the superior choice against Clefable, Exeggcute, and every Water-type. This Speed gap makes Golem far more reliant on paralysis, and it needs allies that can switch into Ice- and Water-type attacks, such as Blastoise and Seadra; Nidoking operates far more independently but brings little defensive value.
Golem can seek out lopsided matchups and find entry against Thunder Wave users mid-game, or it can be saved to revenge kill paralyzed targets and threaten Explosion. Golem desperately does not want to take damage on entry; a lot of theoretically-good matchups become quite poor with a critical hit or Special drop. For example, Mr. Mime only 3HKOes Golem normally, but with its nearly 50% odds of a critical hit or Special drop, it has a fair chance to 2HKO instead. Similarly, taking a Fire Blast on entry is essentially a 30% chance to turn Golem into a paperweight, and a Charizard Earthquake might deal over 60% if it critically hits. Therefore, Golem benefits from teams that spread paralysis and, most importantly, force the opponent to switch into paralysis-inflicting moves. For example, Blastoise can use Body Slam against Charizard, potentially catching it switching out and paralyzing an incoming Blastoise or Mr. Mime, and Venomoth forces the opponent to switch into Stun Spore after it puts something to sleep. Exeggcute, for example, checks Mr. Mime, spreads paralysis, and enables allied Mr. Mime to spread paralysis and bait Thunder Wave. When the opponent's hapless Thunder Wave user tries to retaliate, Golem comes in to block Thunder Wave and fire off powerful attacks. This is notably far less effective against Clefable unless it is chipped significantly; Clefable's bulk allows it to take hits from Golem, and Blizzard 2HKOes normally but also has about a 20% chance to critically hit or freeze.
Alternatively, Golem can work as a late-game cleaner on fast teams with many paralysis options; Venomoth and Body Slam Charizard, for example, can help spread enough paralysis for Golem to tear through the enemy team and finish the game. Water-types make good teammates as well; Golem covers their Electric weaknesses, and in return they help to check opposing Water-types and solidify the matchup against Fire-types. In particular, Blastoise and Kingler can use Body Slam to hamstring targets for Golem and force the opponent into guessing games when they'd like to use Thunderbolt. If the opponent predicts incorrectly, they will often end up losing a Pokemon for minimal gain; Kingler is especially dangerous, as a single mistake may allow it to set up Swords Dance and inflict incredible damage. Golem does struggle late-game against many foes often saved for a sweep, like Kingler, Nidoking, and Seadra, so using it in this role requires careful scouting and team support.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Golem lacks viable options outside of the above set. Toxic can prevent opposing Fire Spin users from chipping it down, but Golem already OHKOes the most relevant ones should they miss a single time. Fire Blast 2HKOes Exeggcute but has very little utility otherwise. Counter is an extremely niche option; Golem can use this to OHKO Raticate if it uses Super Fang, but this plan is extremely dangerous, since Raticate is likely to have Bubble Beam. Golem can also come in after Charizard KOes its ally with a Normal-type attack, using Counter as Charizard switches out, but this is only notable when using Counter against a critical hit—primarily from Slash—or a +2 Hyper Beam.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Water-types**: Every single Water-type outspeeds and OHKOes Golem. Golem's only recourse is to paralyze them with Body Slam as they switch in or wear them down; none of them can repeatedly switch into its powerful Earthquake, and paralyzed Water-types lose after a little chip damage, since Earthquake can 2HKO them from about 70%. Kabutops is a worse check than the other Water-types and is unable to switch into Earthquake.
**Burn**: A burned Golem is almost worse than useless; opposing Swords Dance users can reapply its burn while setting up, and it becomes easy to switch into even for frail foes. In particular, Charizard exploits it heavily, setting up a game-ending sweep against the hapless boulder. Moltres can similarly use Agility to reduce Rock Slide to a paltry 25% damage, then retaliate with Fire Spin to wear Golem down. Explosion deals minimal damage after a reapplied burn, so Golem is often better off switching out if this happens; it can be saved to chip down a paralyzed Mr. Mime, Clefable, or Venomoth later or used as a sacrifice for momentum.
**Faster Attackers**: Golem loses against just about any Pokemon that packs a Water- or Ice-type coverage move, unless it is paralyzed. Clefable outspeeds and 2HKOes Golem with Blizzard, and it is only 3HKOed in return. Golem can fish for full paralysis with Substitute against a paralyzed Clefable, or it can use Explosion to remove it, which is usually a beneficial trade for the Golem user given Clefable's value, but the risk of a Blizzard critical hit makes this dubious. Raticate 2HKOes Golem with Bubble Beam and easily covers any switch-in with Super Fang. Thus, Golem cannot beat it one-on-one, cannot switch into it, and opens up a teammate to heavy damage by switching out. Golem does 2HKO with Earthquake, so a paralyzed Raticate is far less of an issue; Golem can defeat it and then land Explosion on something else later. Nidoking cannot switch into Golem, since they mutually 2HKO, but Nidoking wins one-on-one with Blizzard handily.
**Venomoth**: While Venomoth fears both Earthquake and Rock Slide, it easily comes in after a KO or as Golem sets up Substitute and threatens to put it to sleep. Venomoth can also run Mega Drain, which just barely misses the 2HKO but heavily wears Golem down. Golem cannot switch in well even after Sleep Clause takes effect, as Stun Spore and Psychic remain threatening.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Previous version by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/5dots.543866/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/236353/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pac.520967/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/enigami.233818/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/togkey.400664/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/juoean.486979/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/phoopes.96315/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/rabia.336073/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adeleine.517429/
Last edited:
