Competitive Information for Golduck [Sword/Shield]
Water
Abilities:
Movesets for Singles
What is a good competitive moveset for Golduck? These builds have been optimized for Pokemon competing in Sword/Shield Single Battles. The movesets and EVs have been specifically calibrated to deal the most amount of damage to the largest group of potentially common opponents and typing threats for the Sword/Shield generation metagame.
HitmontopSnorlaxRibombeeCrustleCinderaceDuraludonIndeedee-FTalonflameBarraskewdaCoalossal
Golduck is an extraordinary Water-typed Pokemon. It's pretty usual to find yourself dealing with Golduck when battling in the 8th generation meta. Golduck's only type-related weaknesses are Electric and Grass.
Item: Rindo Berry / Focus Sash
Ability: Cloud Nine
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Surf / Scald
- Icy Wind / Ice Beam
- Hypnosis
- Yawn
Special Sweeper Golduck (Popular/Trending)
Golduck is a fabulous Special Sweeper for single battles. It was designed to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Focus Sash helps protect Golduck from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. With Cloud Nine, while Golduck is active the effects of weather conditions are disabled. With a Rindo Berry equipped to it, halves damage taken from a supereffective grass-type attack then the Rindo Berry gets consumed.
◆ Scald is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move (30% chance to burn the target. Thaws target).
◆ Icy Wind is a special 55-base power Ice-type move (100% chance to lower the foes speed by 1 stage).
◆ Ice Beam is a special 90-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze the target).
◆ Hypnosis is a status move (causes the target to fall asleep).
◆ Yawn is a status move (puts the target to sleep after 1 turn).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is10a37
Item: Life Orb / Choice Band
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 252 Hp / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Moveset:
- Liquidation / Aqua Tail
- Ice Punch / Double-Edge
- Shadow Claw
- Brick Break / Low Sweep
Physical Sweeper Golduck (Swift Swim)
Golduck is an outstanding Physical Sweeper for single battles. This moveset is designed to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Choice Band will increase the damage of Golduck's physical moves by 1.5x at the cost of locking you into the first move you pick. Life Orb boosts the power of Golduck's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Swift Swim, Golduck's speed is doubled during rainy weather. Ice Punch was added to provide additional threat coverage.
◆ Aqua Tail is a physical STAB-boosted 90-base power Water-type move that deals a considerable amount of damage.
◆ Ice Punch is a physical 75-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze the target).
◆ Double-Edge is a physical 120-base power Normal-type move (has 33% recoil).
◆ Shadow Claw is a physical 70-base power Ghost-type move (high critical hit ratio).
◆ Brick Break is a physical 75-base power Fighting-type move (destroys screens, unless the target is immune).
◆ Low Sweep is a physical 65-base power Fighting-type move (100% chance to lower the target's speed by 1 stage).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is11a37
Item: Life Orb / Choice Specs
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 252 Hp / 4 Def / 252 SpA
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Surf / Scald
- Ice Beam / Icy Wind
- Psychic / Psyshock
- Hyper Beam / Round
Special Sweeper Golduck (Swift Swim)
Golduck is a phenomenal Special Sweeper for single battles. It's designed to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Choice Specs will increase the damage of Golduck's special moves by 1.5x but will lock you into the first move you pick. Life Orb boosts the power of Golduck's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Swift Swim, Golduck's speed is doubled during rainy weather.
◆ Scald is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move (30% chance to burn the target. Thaws target).
◆ Ice Beam is a special 90-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze the target).
◆ Icy Wind is a special 55-base power Ice-type move (100% chance to lower the foes speed by 1 stage).
◆ Psychic is a special 90-base power Psychic-type move (10% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
◆ Psyshock is a special 80-base power Psychic-type move (damages target based on defense, not special defense).
◆ Hyper Beam is a special 150-base power Normal-type move (Golduck cannot move next turn).
◆ Round is a special 60-base power Normal-type move (power doubles if others used round this turn).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is12a37
Item: Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 231 Hp / 240 SpA / 39 SpD
Moveset:
- Scald
- Focus Blast
- Yawn
- Rain Dance
Golduck Special Tank (Yawnduck)
Golduck is a wonderful Special Tank for single battles. It's goal is to take a nice amount of hits from special attacks while dealing some decent damage. Life Orb boosts the power of Golduck's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Swift Swim, Golduck's speed is doubled during rainy weather.
◆ Focus Blast is a special 120-base power Fighting-type move (10% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
◆ Yawn is a status move (puts the target to sleep after 1 turn).
◆ Rain Dance is a status move (for 5 turns, heavy rain powers water moves).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is13a37
Movesets for Doubles
What is a good doubles moveset for Golduck? These builds have been optimized for Sword/Shield Double Battles. They have movesets and EVs specifically calibrated to generally work best versus multiple Pokemon at once as well as helping to support other team members and allys in the Sword/Shield generation metagame.
HitmontopSnorlaxRibombeeCrustleCinderaceDuraludonIndeedee-FTalonflameBarraskewdaCoalossal
Item: Life Orb / Choice Band
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 252 Hp / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Moveset:
- Liquidation / Aqua Tail
- Ice Punch / Double-Edge
- Shadow Claw
- Brick Break / Low Sweep
Doubles Physical Sweeper Golduck (Swift Swim)
Golduck is a spectacular Physical Sweeper for double battles. It's goal is to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Choice Band will increase the damage of Golduck's physical moves by 1.5x at the cost of locking you into the first move you pick. Life Orb boosts the power of Golduck's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Swift Swim, Golduck's speed is doubled during rainy weather. Ice Punch was added to provide additional threat coverage.
◆ Aqua Tail is a physical STAB-boosted 90-base power Water-type move that deals a nice amount of damage.
◆ Ice Punch is a physical 75-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze the target).
◆ Double-Edge is a physical 120-base power Normal-type move (has 33% recoil).
◆ Shadow Claw is a physical 70-base power Ghost-type move (high critical hit ratio).
◆ Brick Break is a physical 75-base power Fighting-type move (destroys screens, unless the target is immune).
◆ Low Sweep is a physical 65-base power Fighting-type move (100% chance to lower the target's speed by 1 stage).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/id10a37
Item: Life Orb / Choice Specs
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 252 Hp / 4 Def / 252 SpA
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Surf / Scald
- Icy Wind / Ice Beam
- Psychic / Psyshock
- Hyper Beam / Round
Doubles Special Sweeper Golduck (Swift Swim)
Golduck is a sensational Special Sweeper for double battles. It was designed to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Choice Specs will increase the damage of Golduck's special moves by 1.5x but will lock you into the first move you pick. Life Orb boosts the power of Golduck's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Swift Swim, Golduck's speed is doubled during rainy weather.
◆ Scald is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move (30% chance to burn the target. Thaws target).
◆ Icy Wind is a special 55-base power Ice-type move (100% chance to lower the foes speed by 1 stage).
◆ Ice Beam is a special 90-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze the target).
◆ Psychic is a special 90-base power Psychic-type move (10% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
◆ Psyshock is a special 80-base power Psychic-type move (damages target based on defense, not special defense).
◆ Hyper Beam is a special 150-base power Normal-type move (Golduck cannot move next turn).
◆ Round is a special 60-base power Normal-type move (power doubles if others used round this turn).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/id11a37
Movepool
Wondering what moves can Golduck learn? Here is the list of moves this Pokemon can learn in this selected generation.
Sort and organize the learnset by move type, category, accuracy, and power. Bolded moves will gain the same-type attack bonus (STAB) if this Pokemon uses them.
Damage Modifiers:
Combo List
These are a list of several common move combinations Golduck can perform in Sword/Shield. Not every combo going to be game-changing, but some can be pretty fun to play with. Sometimes these can be easily overlooked or forgotten, hence why we find and list them here. Discover what items, abilities, and moves this Pokemon can use in combination with each other to gain a strategic advantage in competitive battles.
Competitive SS Move and Ability Combos for Golduck
- Moves: Swagger + Psych up
- Moves: Swagger + Screech
- Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
- Moves: Rest + Snore
- Moves: Yawn + Protect
- Move: Swagger + Item: Mirror Herb
- Move: Fling + Item: King's Rock
- Move: Facade + Item: Flame Orb
- Move: Facade + Item: Toxic Orb
- Item: Blunder Policy + Move: Dynamic Punch
- Moves with Priority: Endure, Protect, Aqua Jet
- Moves that Break Screens: Brick Break
- Moves that inflict status: Yawn, Scald, Hypnosis, Toxic
Moves that boost Golduck's stats
- Amnesia
- Calm Mind
- Curse
- Hone Claws
- Power-Up Punch
- Skull Bash
Most notable and possible best moves for Golduck
- Aqua Jet
- Clear Smog
- Flip Turn
- Hydro Pump
- Hypnosis
- Ice Beam
- Icy Wind
- Light Screen
- Muddy Water
- Protect
- Psych Up
- Rest
- Scald
- Simple Beam
- Surf
- Toxic
- Yawn
Common Effort Values for Golduck in Sword and Shield
- Timid Nature ( 4/0/0/252/0/252 )
- Timid Nature ( 252/0/0/0/4/252 )
- Optimize Golduck's EV spread for Pokemon Sword and Shield
Related Videos
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Here are the best movesets for Golduck. Top rated Golduck Sword/Shield movesets. You can find Golduck builds Sword/Shield. Golduck movesets Sword/Shield are listed here. VGC Golduck Competitive Movesets can be found here. Find various EV spreads, find the best nature for Golduck in Sword/Shield along with competitive movesets. Basic info and Movesets for evolution