Gholdengo is one of a few Pokémon from Paldea who can perform extremely well in battle thanks to a powerful ability. Good as Gold makes Gholdengo immune to status moves, which leaves it free to set up and break holes in opposing teams. Gholdengo also gets a huge 133 Special Attack stat, making it very difficult to switch into.
What moves to teach Gholdengo in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet
Best moves for Gholdengo in the story of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet
- Flash Cannon
- Shadow Ball
- Psychic
- Thunderbolt
Gholdengo gets a huge Steel-type attack in Make it Rain, but it won't learn the move until level 56. For that reason, it's just more feasible to use Flash Cannon for most of the run. Shadow Ball is the other strong STAB move that Gholdengo can spam in most matchups.
With Psychic, Gholdengo becomes a great counter to Poison-type Pokémon. Since Gholdengo itself is Steel-type, it's immune to Poison, and Psychic hits for super effective damage. Thunderbolt is simply good coverage against Water-types and Flying-types.
Related: Where to catch Cyclizar in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet.
Best moves for Gholdengo in Tera Raids in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet
- Flash Cannon
- Shadow Ball
- Thunderbolt
- Dazzling Gleam
Thanks to its high Special Attack stat, there will rarely be a Raid where Gholdengo isn't valuable. The easiest thing to do with this Pokémon in Tera Raids is to give it a Choice Specs and spam damage as much as possible. Dazzling Gleam gives it more coverage than Psychic, since Dazzling Gleam also hits Dragons.
Best moves for Gholgengo in Competitive Pokémon Scarlet & Violet
- Substitute
- Nasty Plot
- Make it Rain
- Shadow Ball
After a Nasty Plot set up, whichever Pokémon is in front of Gholdengo is likely going down to a Make it Rain. Since Good as Gold leaves Gholdengo immune to status moves, it can set up Substitute easily in front of Pokémon like Amoonguss, Toxapex, and Glimmora. Steel and Ghost coverage are really tough to guard against, which leaves Gholdengo as arguably the best wallbreaker in Generation IX. Try paring it with a fast sweeper like Dragapult or Roaring Moon.
Want more Pokémon Scarlet & Violet guides? Pro Game Guides has you covered with How to get Sinistea Chips in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet.
Shane Foley is both a huge gamer and a Contributing Writer at Pro Game Guides. He's been gaming ever since the Nintendo 64 came out, and he knows everything there is to know about Pokémon, Fire Emblem, Zelda, and several other Nintendo franchises.