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Quality Control OO Gholdengo [QC 1/2] [GP 0/1]

memester

formerly A_Memester112233
is an official Team Rater
[Overview]

With an excellent typing, moveset, and ability in Good as Gold, Gholdengo stands out as a valuable Pokemon that can act as both a defensive and offensive glue into virtually any team style from offense to balance. Its excellent typing allows Gholdengo to check numerous relevant threats such as Iron Valiant, Pecharunt, Zamazenta, and Slowking-Galar, and Good as Gold allows Gholdengo to block almost all status moves including Defog from Corviknight. Gholdengo’s moveset also gives it many options; Nasty Plot allows Gholdengo to act as a wincon and wallbreaker, boosting its attacking power and allowing it to overwhelm opponents with excellent coverage and longevity provided via Recover. Thunder Wave gives Gholdengo an option to cripple faster opponents such as Zamazenta, Darkrai, and Dragapult, synergizing well with Hex. Choice Scarf allows Gholdengo to patch up its middling speed, and on Choiced Item sets, Trick can be run to cripple defensive switch-ins in matchups against bulkier teams. Gholdengo, however, suffers from an awkward speed tier without a Choice Scarf, making it slower than many relevant threats such as Kyurem, Cinderace, and Great Tusk. Gholdengo also often invites in Pokemon that can threaten it directly such as Kingambit and Samurott-Hisui, and special walls such as Ting-Lu, Assault Vest Tornadus-T, and Clodsire can give it trouble.

Other Options
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Covert Cloak is an option to take on Garganacl’s Salt Cure and Hatterene’s Nuzzle. Ability Shield allows Gholdengo to ignore Weezing-G’s Neutralizing Gas, allowing Gholdengo to block its Defog. Thunder Wave is an option on Choice Scarf sets in order to surprise and cripple threats such as Ogerpon-W and Tornadus-T. Choice Specs can be used for a more immediate power boost for Gholdengo’s attacks, although this set is notably held back by its speed. Salac Berry allows Gholdengo to raise its speed in a pinch and act as a fast sweeper, while Red Card and Eject Pack take advantage of Gholdengo's bulk in order to act as a one-time phazer against boosted threats such as Iron Valiant and a pivot after using Make it Rain respectively.


Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/memester.547766/

Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/setsu.548068/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/xxx/
Grammar checked by:
 
Last edited:
add remove highlight comment

QC 1/2
after implemented, thank you! And please reach out about Grassy Seed and Shuca Berry if you feel is warranted

[Overview]

With an excellent typing, moveset, and ability in Good as Gold, Gholdengo stands out as a valuable Pokemon that can act as both a defensive and offensive glue into virtually any team style from offense to balance. Its typing provides a plethora of resistances and immunities to crucial types such as Fighting, Fairy, Poison, and Ice, I would rather change this to mention crucial threats such as... as to not have just a typechart and Good as Gold allows Gholdengo to block almost all status moves including Defog from Corviknight. Gholdengo moveset also gives it many options; Nasty Plot allows Gholdengo to act as a wincon and wallbreaker, boosting its attacking power and allowing it to overwhelm opponents with excellent coverage and longevity provided via Recover. Thunder Wave gives Gholdengo an option to cripple faster opponents such as Zamazenta, Darkrai, and Dragapult, synergizing well with Hex. On Choiced Item sets, Trick can be run to cripple defensive switch-ins in matchups against bulkier teams. I would add something at the start of the sentence about how Choice Scarf lets it patch up its average Speed, then mention how Trick lets it still lets it cripple defensive switch-ins Gholdengo, however, suffers from an awkward speed tier, making it slower than many relevant threats such as Kyurem, Samurott-Hisui, and Great Tusk. Could flow better from the last sentence once you add the bit about average Speed there, so you can then say "without a Choice Scarf" or something to that effect. In particular I would add Cinderace over Hisuian Samurott, since its a key check, and Hisuian Samurott may be included elsewhere, as per my comment below Gholdengo appreciates having Pokemon that can deal with Dark, Ghost, Fire, and Ground attacks such as Kingambit, Ting-Lu, and Moltres, as they can form a solid defensive core around Gholdengo. Speed control and priority users such as Zamazenta, Darkrai, and Dragonite are also highly appreciated so Gholdengo doesn’t get overwhelmed offensively by faster opponents. I would rather let this be a part of the analysis themselves. Instead use this space to mention more of its shortcomings, such as often giving entry to the likes of Hisuian Samurott and Kingambit that resist both of its STAB moves, while other special walls such as Ting-Lu, Clodsire, and Assault Vest Tornadus-T may trouble it.

Other Options
=============

In Grassy Terrain teams, Gholdengo can run Grassy seed alongside a spread of 252 HP 132 Def 64 Sp. Def and 60 Speed to avoid the 2HKO from Kyurem’s Earth Power and Dragapult’s Hex in Grassy Terrain. Shuca Berry can be run over Air Balloon to bait Great Tusk and Iron Treads without revealing its item. Both are already included as mentions in the full analysis. If you want to discuss removing them from up there, that could be an option but something to discuss in analysis-discussion, so as to how to apply it Covert Cloak is an option to more easily switch into take on Garganacl’s Salt Cure and Hatterene’s Nuzzle. Please add an Ability Shield mention, as it lets Gholdengo ignore Galarian Weezing's Neutralizing Gas, thus blocking its Defog attempts. Eject Pack and Salac Berry could also be options if you are familiar with either, but they are very niche and fine to leave out, up to you, just bringing stuff up for fluff
 
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