[OVERVIEW]
Golbat is one of the fastest Pokemon in the tier, able to hit a maximum speed of 306. It also has a phenomenal Poison / Flying typing, giving it a 4x resistance to Fighting and Grass along with an immunity to Ground. This makes it one of the best checks to Hitmonchan, the best Pokemon in the tier, given it is not running the uncommon Rock Slide. Golbat's base 80 Attack is decent, especially given its powerful physical STAB attack in Sludge Bomb. However, Golbat struggles to deal with the multiple good Rock-types that are in the tier. It also struggles with Steel-types, especially Mawile, as it forces Golbat to predict with Hidden Power Ground and even then can become setup fodder that allows Mawile to Baton Pass to a teammate.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Sludge Bomb
move 2: Aerial Ace
move 3: Hidden Power Ground
move 4: Giga Drain
item: Choice Band
ability: Inner Focus
nature: Naive
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
========
Sludge Bomb is Golbat's main STAB attack, hitting Grass-types very hard and neutral targets for good damage. Aerial Ace is the preferred STAB Flying-type attack to allow Golbat to run Hidden Power Ground. Hidden Power Ground hits the Rock- and Steel-types that Golbat usually struggles with. Giga Drain hits Relicanth and Graveler harder than Hidden Power Ground would. Shadow Ball can can be a good option to hit Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Chimecho and Haunter super effectively. Choice Band improves Golbat's already decent Attack, turning it into an effective revenge killer, cleaner, and wallbreaker. Maximum Attack and Speed investment with a Jolly nature ensures that Golbat will hit as hard and as fast as possible.
[ADDITIONAL SET COMMENTS]
========
Golbat is one of the best offensive switch-ins to Hitmonchan, but Rock Slide should be scouted for to ensure that Golbat is not KOed. Golbat should be kept as healthy as possible to check Fighting- and Grass-types to its maximum potential, as without Leftovers, it gets worn down quite easily. It outspeeds the majority of the tier and can be used to clean up as long as all Rock- and Steel-types are properly dealt with beforehand. Golbat should avoid getting locked into moves without knowing or being able to guess most of the opponent's team, as it can become potential setup fodder for Pokemon like Pupitar, Mawile, and Plusle. Golbat has the option of running Quick Attack to beat out weakened threats, Double-Edge for an overall powerful attack, and Shadow Ball over Giga Drain to hit Psychic-types like Chimecho harder.
Golbat appreciates Pokemon that can deal with Rock-, Ground-, and Steel-types. Whiscash is a particularly good partner for this reason. Grass-types such as Bellossom and Tangela help eliminate Rock- and Ground-types that wall Golbat. Diglett traps and KOes Mawile and Flareon, meaning Golbat can switch in and stay in more easily.
[SET]
name: Bulky Leftovers
move 1: Sludge Bomb
move 2: Aerial Ace
move 3: Hidden Power Ground / Protect
move 4: Toxic / Whirlwind
item: Leftovers
ability: Inner Focus
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 112 Atk / 144 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Sludge Bomb is Golbat's main STAB attack, hitting Grass-types very hard and neutral targets for good damage. Aerial Ace is the preferred STAB Flying-type attack to allow Golbat to run Hidden Power Ground. Hidden Power Ground hits the Rock- and Steel-types that Golbat usually struggles with. Toxic allows Golbat to put a foe on a timer, wearing down potential walls that might switch into Golbat. Whirlwind phazes the opposing Pokemon, resetting stat boosts and potentially revealing more of your opponent's team. Taunt can be used to prevent setup and other status moves, preventing Golbat from becoming setup fodder. Giga Drain is an option to hit Relicanth, Pupitar, and Graveler harder than Hidden Power Ground would. Protect over Hidden Power Ground is an option that allows Golbat to gain an extra turn of Leftovers recovery, which greatly increases longevity, as Hidden Power Ground isn't doing much to common Steel-types. Leftovers gives Golbat passive recovery that helps it stay healthy against chip damage and switching in. The given EV spread maximizes HP and has enough Speed investment to make Golbat outspeed Jolly Hitmonchan, with the rest of the EVs thrown into Attack to boost Golbat's offensive potential.
[ADDITIONAL SET COMMENTS]
========
This Golbat set can be used to switch into Fighting-types more liberally, having the passive recovery of Leftovers to help it out. Golbat can also be used to deal with Grass-types, which usually rely on their STAB moves to defeat foes. Golbat can switch into powerful Earthquakes from many Pokemon, but because many Ground-type Pokemon are also Rock-type, Golbat needs to make use of effective double switching to get in a teammate that can take on these Pokemon one-on-one.
Golbat appreciates teammates that can deal with Rock-, Ground-, and Steel-types. Whiscash, Hitmonchan, and Graveler are particularly good partners to perform this task. Ice-resistant Pokemon such as Dewgong, Seadra, and Mawile can cover Golbat's Ice weakness. In return, these Pokemon like the removal of Fighting-types, which Golbat does well. Grass-types such as Bellossom and Tangela help eliminate Rock- and Ground-types that wall Golbat. Diglett can remove Rock- and Steel-types, particularly Mawile, which Golbat has significant trouble playing around without good prediction.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A set utilizing Screech is a good option to help Golbat wallbreak, being able to 2HKO even the bulkiest Pokemon in the tier with neutral attacks. More importantly, it allows Golbat to be able to beat Sableye late-game. It also forces a lot of switches, making Golbat pair nicely with Spikes support. A bulky set with Substitute can be used to help ease prediction. An even more bulky EV spread can be run to check the likes of Hitmonchan more effectively, but this takes a lot away from Golbat's offensive presence. Haze can be run to prevent Pokemon from setting up on Golbat, and Thief can be used to cripple Pokemon dependent on Leftovers as their source of recovery. Curse is an option for Golbat to set up itself, but it reduces Golbat's appealing Speed that makes Golbat a popular option. Sunny Day can be used to set up sun for another Pokemon to take advantage of while also removing rain to prevent Huntail and Swift Swim Relicanth from utilizing it.
Checks and Counters
===================
Mawile is immune to Golbat's STAB Sludge Bomb, resists Aerial Ace, and forces Golbat to predict with Hidden Power Ground to even hit it for chip damage. Even Choice Band Golbat will do less than 40% to Mawile with Hidden Power Ground, letting it set up for almost no cost and then Baton Pass the boosts and possibly a Substitute to one of its teammates. Sableye completely walls the Choice Band set, as Golbat cannot 2HKO it with any move, and Sableye only fears Toxic from the bulky Leftovers set. Rock-types such as Sudowoodo, Relicanth, and Graveler resist both of Golbat's STAB attacks and can punish back with a super effective Rock Slide, but the latter two must watch out for a potential Giga Drain. While it can't take a Hidden Power Ground well, Plusle will always have at least one chance to KO even bulky Golbat from full health, so you need to predict well when anticipating it to come in, as it will almost always force Golbat out. Pikachu is also a potential revenge killer that forces a Speed tie with Jolly Golbat. Poison-types such as Swalot and Arbok check Golbat well, and Chimecho fares well against it unless Golbat is holding a Choice Band.
Golbat is one of the fastest Pokemon in the tier, able to hit a maximum speed of 306. It also has a phenomenal Poison / Flying typing, giving it a 4x resistance to Fighting and Grass along with an immunity to Ground. This makes it one of the best checks to Hitmonchan, the best Pokemon in the tier, given it is not running the uncommon Rock Slide. Golbat's base 80 Attack is decent, especially given its powerful physical STAB attack in Sludge Bomb. However, Golbat struggles to deal with the multiple good Rock-types that are in the tier. It also struggles with Steel-types, especially Mawile, as it forces Golbat to predict with Hidden Power Ground and even then can become setup fodder that allows Mawile to Baton Pass to a teammate.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Sludge Bomb
move 2: Aerial Ace
move 3: Hidden Power Ground
move 4: Giga Drain
item: Choice Band
ability: Inner Focus
nature: Naive
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
========
Sludge Bomb is Golbat's main STAB attack, hitting Grass-types very hard and neutral targets for good damage. Aerial Ace is the preferred STAB Flying-type attack to allow Golbat to run Hidden Power Ground. Hidden Power Ground hits the Rock- and Steel-types that Golbat usually struggles with. Giga Drain hits Relicanth and Graveler harder than Hidden Power Ground would. Shadow Ball can can be a good option to hit Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Chimecho and Haunter super effectively. Choice Band improves Golbat's already decent Attack, turning it into an effective revenge killer, cleaner, and wallbreaker. Maximum Attack and Speed investment with a Jolly nature ensures that Golbat will hit as hard and as fast as possible.
[ADDITIONAL SET COMMENTS]
========
Golbat is one of the best offensive switch-ins to Hitmonchan, but Rock Slide should be scouted for to ensure that Golbat is not KOed. Golbat should be kept as healthy as possible to check Fighting- and Grass-types to its maximum potential, as without Leftovers, it gets worn down quite easily. It outspeeds the majority of the tier and can be used to clean up as long as all Rock- and Steel-types are properly dealt with beforehand. Golbat should avoid getting locked into moves without knowing or being able to guess most of the opponent's team, as it can become potential setup fodder for Pokemon like Pupitar, Mawile, and Plusle. Golbat has the option of running Quick Attack to beat out weakened threats, Double-Edge for an overall powerful attack, and Shadow Ball over Giga Drain to hit Psychic-types like Chimecho harder.
Golbat appreciates Pokemon that can deal with Rock-, Ground-, and Steel-types. Whiscash is a particularly good partner for this reason. Grass-types such as Bellossom and Tangela help eliminate Rock- and Ground-types that wall Golbat. Diglett traps and KOes Mawile and Flareon, meaning Golbat can switch in and stay in more easily.
[SET]
name: Bulky Leftovers
move 1: Sludge Bomb
move 2: Aerial Ace
move 3: Hidden Power Ground / Protect
move 4: Toxic / Whirlwind
item: Leftovers
ability: Inner Focus
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 HP / 112 Atk / 144 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Sludge Bomb is Golbat's main STAB attack, hitting Grass-types very hard and neutral targets for good damage. Aerial Ace is the preferred STAB Flying-type attack to allow Golbat to run Hidden Power Ground. Hidden Power Ground hits the Rock- and Steel-types that Golbat usually struggles with. Toxic allows Golbat to put a foe on a timer, wearing down potential walls that might switch into Golbat. Whirlwind phazes the opposing Pokemon, resetting stat boosts and potentially revealing more of your opponent's team. Taunt can be used to prevent setup and other status moves, preventing Golbat from becoming setup fodder. Giga Drain is an option to hit Relicanth, Pupitar, and Graveler harder than Hidden Power Ground would. Protect over Hidden Power Ground is an option that allows Golbat to gain an extra turn of Leftovers recovery, which greatly increases longevity, as Hidden Power Ground isn't doing much to common Steel-types. Leftovers gives Golbat passive recovery that helps it stay healthy against chip damage and switching in. The given EV spread maximizes HP and has enough Speed investment to make Golbat outspeed Jolly Hitmonchan, with the rest of the EVs thrown into Attack to boost Golbat's offensive potential.
[ADDITIONAL SET COMMENTS]
========
This Golbat set can be used to switch into Fighting-types more liberally, having the passive recovery of Leftovers to help it out. Golbat can also be used to deal with Grass-types, which usually rely on their STAB moves to defeat foes. Golbat can switch into powerful Earthquakes from many Pokemon, but because many Ground-type Pokemon are also Rock-type, Golbat needs to make use of effective double switching to get in a teammate that can take on these Pokemon one-on-one.
Golbat appreciates teammates that can deal with Rock-, Ground-, and Steel-types. Whiscash, Hitmonchan, and Graveler are particularly good partners to perform this task. Ice-resistant Pokemon such as Dewgong, Seadra, and Mawile can cover Golbat's Ice weakness. In return, these Pokemon like the removal of Fighting-types, which Golbat does well. Grass-types such as Bellossom and Tangela help eliminate Rock- and Ground-types that wall Golbat. Diglett can remove Rock- and Steel-types, particularly Mawile, which Golbat has significant trouble playing around without good prediction.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A set utilizing Screech is a good option to help Golbat wallbreak, being able to 2HKO even the bulkiest Pokemon in the tier with neutral attacks. More importantly, it allows Golbat to be able to beat Sableye late-game. It also forces a lot of switches, making Golbat pair nicely with Spikes support. A bulky set with Substitute can be used to help ease prediction. An even more bulky EV spread can be run to check the likes of Hitmonchan more effectively, but this takes a lot away from Golbat's offensive presence. Haze can be run to prevent Pokemon from setting up on Golbat, and Thief can be used to cripple Pokemon dependent on Leftovers as their source of recovery. Curse is an option for Golbat to set up itself, but it reduces Golbat's appealing Speed that makes Golbat a popular option. Sunny Day can be used to set up sun for another Pokemon to take advantage of while also removing rain to prevent Huntail and Swift Swim Relicanth from utilizing it.
Checks and Counters
===================
Mawile is immune to Golbat's STAB Sludge Bomb, resists Aerial Ace, and forces Golbat to predict with Hidden Power Ground to even hit it for chip damage. Even Choice Band Golbat will do less than 40% to Mawile with Hidden Power Ground, letting it set up for almost no cost and then Baton Pass the boosts and possibly a Substitute to one of its teammates. Sableye completely walls the Choice Band set, as Golbat cannot 2HKO it with any move, and Sableye only fears Toxic from the bulky Leftovers set. Rock-types such as Sudowoodo, Relicanth, and Graveler resist both of Golbat's STAB attacks and can punish back with a super effective Rock Slide, but the latter two must watch out for a potential Giga Drain. While it can't take a Hidden Power Ground well, Plusle will always have at least one chance to KO even bulky Golbat from full health, so you need to predict well when anticipating it to come in, as it will almost always force Golbat out. Pikachu is also a potential revenge killer that forces a Speed tie with Jolly Golbat. Poison-types such as Swalot and Arbok check Golbat well, and Chimecho fares well against it unless Golbat is holding a Choice Band.
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