first of all, golurk is not a good check to eelektross because it's murdered by giga drain. there are a lot of good ground-types in nu such as seismitoad, golem, or piloswine so it's ability to absorb volt switch isn't that game breaking at all. the most common and effective golurk sets don't do any setting up at all except for stealth rocks which can be put up by the aforementioned pokemon as well.
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Golurk, lets take a deeper look
- Thread starter StonekingZ
- Start date
Sorry, bad example I'm thinking of my offensive team where I use a Specsed Eelektross and if I dont' predict correctly Golurk can come in and do significant damage to my semi-frail team. It still can absorb powerful banded normal attacks though which are prevalent in NU and could become more common.
I would consider being able to set up a substitute as setting up even though it's simple. If you're forced to switch out because of an aforementioned weakness now your counter for Golurk is forced to take a powerful hit.
Golurk's a beast when it comes to physical strength. With good abilities in No Guard and Iron Fist, Golurk can hit 100% of the time with moves like Stone Edge and Dynamicpunch, and also hit hard with a strong STAB Shadow Punch.
But what lets it down in my opinion is its typing. Ground/Ghost, as good as it is on neutralising things like Eelektross and Braviary, it also has a bunch of weaknesses such as Carracosta and Haunter, which can take hits and outspeed respectively.
But what lets it down in my opinion is its typing. Ground/Ghost, as good as it is on neutralising things like Eelektross and Braviary, it also has a bunch of weaknesses such as Carracosta and Haunter, which can take hits and outspeed respectively.
You guys and your not-CB Golurk.
Golurk might not be able to switch into Giga Drain, but Eelektross can't switch in to Shadow Punch, Ice Punch, or Drain Punch. If it does, it gets outrun and KO'd by the same move. If it switches, something else gets to eat a powerful attack.
Expert Belt Golurk is nothing to sneeze at, either. It's hilarious to pretend to lock yourself into Earthquake, and then...
252+ Atk Expert Belt Iron Fist Golurk Shadow Punch vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Haunter: 562-662 (242.24 - 285.34%) -- guaranteed OHKO
...on the switch. If you can predict well, CB Golurk has some of the best mindgames in the business. With three immunities, plus each of his STABs having an immunity, your opponent has to guess what you're going to do. If they guess perfectly, maybe they don't take a hit. Maybe they take a neutral hit. Maybe they switch their Musharna out for Zangoose to take the Shadow Punch, then get clobbered by Drain Punch and you keep on rolling. Or you guess wrong and you're trying to break Musharna with Drain Punch. You just gotta believe, mang.
Golurk might not be able to switch into Giga Drain, but Eelektross can't switch in to Shadow Punch, Ice Punch, or Drain Punch. If it does, it gets outrun and KO'd by the same move. If it switches, something else gets to eat a powerful attack.
It'd have to be a revenge kill for Haunter, since it certainly can't switch in to Shadow Punch or Ice Punch. (And in the unlikely circumstance that Golurk has full HP, Golurk wins!) Only the bulkiest Carracosta can survive an Earthquake, and they have to use Waterfall+Aqua Jet to KO back. You can probably switch in something to take the uninvested 40 BP water move, having just crippled one of their tanks.
Expert Belt Golurk is nothing to sneeze at, either. It's hilarious to pretend to lock yourself into Earthquake, and then...
252+ Atk Expert Belt Iron Fist Golurk Shadow Punch vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Haunter: 562-662 (242.24 - 285.34%) -- guaranteed OHKO
...on the switch. If you can predict well, CB Golurk has some of the best mindgames in the business. With three immunities, plus each of his STABs having an immunity, your opponent has to guess what you're going to do. If they guess perfectly, maybe they don't take a hit. Maybe they take a neutral hit. Maybe they switch their Musharna out for Zangoose to take the Shadow Punch, then get clobbered by Drain Punch and you keep on rolling. Or you guess wrong and you're trying to break Musharna with Drain Punch. You just gotta believe, mang.
The problem with Golurk's typing is that after it kills something, many threats can come in to set up on Golurk and/or outright KO it. Its typing leaves it vulnerable to Ludicolo, Jynx, Samurott and the like. CB Golurk suffers from this the most since it can't switch moves and something like Missy can set up Nasty Plots on a Golurk locked into Earthquake. Alomomola can also come in, take a hit and pivot out to a resist while regenerating health. Otherwise, Golurk has an amazing typing allowing it to get a free hit against Primeape, Sawk and almost all leads such as Metang and Garbodor. It is checked easily but difficult to counter.
Again Golurk's typing is a double edged sword. It is immune to three types but is weak to a bunch more.
I personally like to use Golurk as a Stealth Rocker or lead. As stated before Golurk is hard to counter so this fully optimizes that. Golurk basically beats almost every typical lead (except for Seismitoad) so it can deal some massive damage as well as set up hazards.
I must admit though Infernis' set looks hilarious to use. XD (dead Haunter)
I personally like to use Golurk as a Stealth Rocker or lead. As stated before Golurk is hard to counter so this fully optimizes that. Golurk basically beats almost every typical lead (except for Seismitoad) so it can deal some massive damage as well as set up hazards.
I must admit though Infernis' set looks hilarious to use. XD (dead Haunter)
Hopefully nobody minds if I bump this thread but recently I saw someone post a Lead Golurk set in an OU thread that utilized Magic Coat and I've been using it in NU recently to some pretty decent success and I thought it would be interesting to discuss. Revealing Magic Coat early on can force a switch to get a useful Dynamic Punch or SE hit off on something else. You can also simply bluff a standard Sash Lead set and put a bulky Grass Type such as Tangela to sleep later on in the match. Not to mention it also does great against Taunt Leads like Onix and Serperior and can prevent Golurk from having to take a Will-o-Wisp at times. So has anyone else used this set in NU? What are your thoughts and do you think its more than just a gimmick?
If you use No Guard Golurk as a lead, 10/10 times I'm going to lead with a Water-type and OHKO you right out of the gate. Obviously you could just switch to whatever on your team deals with Water-types, but it's certainly not that effective to play behind the 8 ball from turn 1. Taunt Onix is also a laughable "threat" so I'm not sure why you mentioned it here?
Iron Fist is the better ability on Golurk by far, but I feel that Golurk doesn't really have the room for Magic Coat, unless you want to give up SR (which means either you run it on another Pokemon or pray Seismitoad isn't their SR setter) or give up Ice Punch, and punt vs Braviary and Grass-types that will commonly switch in on Golurk. It's an interesting option for sure, but on the ladder you can use a lot of interesting options that give "good results".
Iron Fist is the better ability on Golurk by far, but I feel that Golurk doesn't really have the room for Magic Coat, unless you want to give up SR (which means either you run it on another Pokemon or pray Seismitoad isn't their SR setter) or give up Ice Punch, and punt vs Braviary and Grass-types that will commonly switch in on Golurk. It's an interesting option for sure, but on the ladder you can use a lot of interesting options that give "good results".
Perhaps I should have made it more clear in my first post but I do have a Focus Sash on the set and I use Dynamic Punch + Shadow Punch/Ice Punch for coverage so nothing is immune to both attacks. However, I do agree that Iron Fist is the better option for Golurk overall but on this set Dynamic Punch is nice since you are forcing switches and getting a Confusion helps to keep your Sash in tact. I also agree that sometimes I wish I had an extra move slot on the set but I haven't tested out not using SR yet.
dynamicpunch is a decent option for a lead since you can get a good matchup against the likes of golem or probopass and possibly prevent them from setting up rocks even if they have sturdy, but that's probably the only thing that should change for the set. there's no need to run magic coat or focus sash over the standard set because they're really situational.
As a lead I prefer something like mold breaker sawk to take care of an sr setter, however, as a wall breaker, I much prefer golurk. I just like its immunities and coverage overall. The choice band set can absolutely wreck a team, especially if its given t-wave support from something else like musharna.
Golurk is a pretty good mon in the meta right now and it really does help with those interesting immunities and resistances it does have.
I have used him as an offensive spinner in some of my teams and I would say that he has not failed me in one team that I have used him in, he always get rocks up and always manages to kill something. All my teams can take on Golurk, but I always make sure I have something to deal with him accordingly.
Sadly, Golurk is really slow and that is what throws him back mainly,because his offensive prowess is kinda thrown off by that,meaning he is easily revenge killed by many pokes in the meta. Golurk also has weaknesses holding him back, which means he has trouble dealing with a lot of the threats in the NU meta. Golurk, despite all this, is a really amazing mon to use and he can work in a lot of teams, as a spinblocker and as an offensive mon as well. Choice Banded Golurk is pretty threatening, because it can deal a lot of damage to pokemon that do not resist Golurk's stabs well.
EDIT : T- Wave does work well with Golurk, so that can patch up his slow speed if you manage to get enough of the the opponent's team paralyzed. This could help Golurk precede to clean up, by taking out paralyzed threats like for instance, if Jynx was paralyzed, Golurk could take her out with Shadow Punch because of the lowered speed and Jynx's shitty defenses.
If Golurk did leave the meta, I would expect Misdreavus to rise even more in usage, mainly because she can spinblock and can either help the team by spreading statue with Will o Wisp or precede to set up a sweep with Nasty Plot.
I have used him as an offensive spinner in some of my teams and I would say that he has not failed me in one team that I have used him in, he always get rocks up and always manages to kill something. All my teams can take on Golurk, but I always make sure I have something to deal with him accordingly.
Sadly, Golurk is really slow and that is what throws him back mainly,because his offensive prowess is kinda thrown off by that,meaning he is easily revenge killed by many pokes in the meta. Golurk also has weaknesses holding him back, which means he has trouble dealing with a lot of the threats in the NU meta. Golurk, despite all this, is a really amazing mon to use and he can work in a lot of teams, as a spinblocker and as an offensive mon as well. Choice Banded Golurk is pretty threatening, because it can deal a lot of damage to pokemon that do not resist Golurk's stabs well.
EDIT : T- Wave does work well with Golurk, so that can patch up his slow speed if you manage to get enough of the the opponent's team paralyzed. This could help Golurk precede to clean up, by taking out paralyzed threats like for instance, if Jynx was paralyzed, Golurk could take her out with Shadow Punch because of the lowered speed and Jynx's shitty defenses.
If Golurk did leave the meta, I would expect Misdreavus to rise even more in usage, mainly because she can spinblock and can either help the team by spreading statue with Will o Wisp or precede to set up a sweep with Nasty Plot.