Pokemon Scarlet and Violet | Gholdengo Best Build & Moveset | Pokemon SV

EVs: SpA Spe / Scarf Style

Tera Type		Nature		Ability		Item
		Timid		Good as Gold		Choice Scarf
		HP	ATK	DEF	SP. ATK	SP. DEF	SPD
Base Stats		167	x	117	185	112	143
EV		36	-	12	252	4	204

Recommended Moves

1. FIXED

   Make It Rain

   

   

   120

   100

   5
2. FIXED

   Shadow Ball

   

   

   80

   100

   15
3. FIXED

   Trick

   

   

   -

   100

   10
4. FLEX

   Nasty Plot

   

   

   -

   -

   20

Category

Strengths & How to Use

Excellent dual-type and high versatility

The Steel/Ghost dual-type is excellent both in resistance and attack. In addition, the Ability "Good as Gold" can nullify all Status Moves against itself. In this build, Speed is increased with Choice Scarf, which provides a wider range to use.

"Trick" effective against durable Pokemon

By using "Trick" to force the opponent Pokemon holding Choice Scarf, you can greatly limit the actions of the opponent. It is especially effective against highly durable Pokemon such as Corviknight and Garganacl.

Things to Keep in Mind

Be careful when handling "Choice Scarf"

Scarf type Gholdengo's Trick is very powerful if handled well. But it has different strengths and weaknesses before and after the Trick, before using Trick, you cannot use Nasty Plot, and after using Trick, the initiative is easy to be taken by fast Attackers.

Beware of the opponent's Tera Type

Gholdengo's Attack moves are powerful, but the two main ones, Make It Rain and Shadow Ball, are easy for your opponent to read your moves, and there is a high possibility that the opponent may change Tera type to reduce the damage.

Pokemon Team Compositions

Pokemon	Reason
Dondozo	Even if Gholdengo gives the opponent a chance for Stat boost moves, it can ignore it with Ability "Unaware". Also, Gholdengo can nullify Trick, which Dondozo is weak against.
Breloom	Breloom's nemesis, "Amoonguss," is almost non-effective to Gholdengo. If you put Gholdengo in the build as a swap, it will be easier to deal with the opponent's Amoonguss.
Hydreigon	They can take all of each other's weakness types at less than half the damage. The two complete each other perfectly as there is no single move that can damage them at one time.

Gholdengo works well with Pivot Builds

Gholdengo has a wide range of moves it can do, but it cannot fulfill all the needs on its own. Gholdengo's strength is shown in Pivot Builds, for example, by putting out after the opponent's durable Pokemon to stop its function and letting the allied attacker Pokemon through, or by changing to other allied Pokemon to deal with the types that Gholdengo is weak to when it is inflicting damage to the opponent as an attacker.

Other Suggestions

Nature & EV Distribution

Suggested Moves

EVs: HP SpA / Vest Style

Tera Type		Nature		Ability		Item
		Modest		Good as Gold		Assault Vest
		HP	ATK	DEF	SP. ATK	SP. DEF	SPD
Base Stats		191	x	115	203	111	108
EV		228	-	-	252	-	28

Recommended Moves

1. FIXED

   Make It Rain

   

   

   120

   100

   5
2. FIXED

   Shadow Ball

   

   

   80

   100

   15
3. FIXED

   Tera Blast

   

   

   80

   100

   10
4. FIXED

   Power Gem

   

   

   80

   100

   20

Category

Strengths & How to Use

Deal Hydreigon and Kingambit with Tera Blast

Gholdengo is originally weak to Dark types. But by terastalizing into Fighting type and using Tera Blast, it can take out Hydreigon and Vest syle Kingambit in one blow, even when they are into Steel Tera type.

Wide attack range

With the combination of Steel, Ghost, and Fighting types moves makes it easier to deal damage at equal or greater effectiveness against all Pokemon.

Things to Keep in Mind

Beware of Physical Attacker

While it is able to deal with Dark type, it may be knocked down by simply Physical Attackers, such as Mimikyu, Dragonite, Azumarill, and others. Therefore, it is recommended to pair it with a Physical Tank that can block them.

Difficulty in HP management

Holding an Assault Vest means it cannot use HP restoring moves such as "Recover". Also, since it doesn't have a high Speed stat and a Fast Move, it is difficult to manage HP in Pivot Battles.

Pokemon Team Compositions

Pokemon	Reason
Corviknight	It'd be great to switch to Corviknight when facing a Physical Attacker that migh knock down Gholdengo.
Skeledirge	Gholdengo may take Hydreigon down first, making it easier to recieve damage with [Unaware] Skeledirge in the latter half of the battle.
Meowscarada	An attacker that can fight without Terastal. If Gholdengo defeats Dark and Steel types beforehand, it'd be easier to have consistent damage with Grass and Dark types.

It works well with the builds wherein Gholdengo is as a Lead

Vest style Gholdengo's low speed and lack of recovery moves make it difficult to manage HP when not being a Lead in Pivot Builds. If you put Gholdengo in the Lead to make up for its disadvantage, it will be easier to show the strength of Fighting Tera type.

Other Suggestions

Suggested Moves