Golduck, The Duck Pokémon. The webbed flippers on its forelegs and hind legs and the streamlined body of GOLDUCK give it frightening speed. This POKéMON is definitely much faster than even the most athletic swimmer. It swims effortlessly, even in a rough, stormy sea. It sometimes rescues people from wrecked ships floundering in high seas. It sometimes joins competitive swimmers in training. It uses psychic powers when its forehead shimmers with light. Often seen swimming elegantly by lakeshores. It is often mistaken for the Japanese monster Kappa. When it swims at full speed using its long, webbed limbs, its forehead somehow begins to glow. It may use telekinetic powers if its forehead glows mysteriously.

Overview

I've always had a soft spot for Golduck. It is really quite an awesome Pokémon, if only for looks and cool attitude. Otherwise, it is pretty mediocre. It has average stats, a pretty lackluster movepool, and is generally not very appealing. However, it does have a niche because of Cloud Nine, so it can still be pretty fantastic!

Ability

Cloud Nine: shuts down weather, which shuts down one of the most devastating teams in UU: the rain teams.

Damp: only worth it for doubles teams. Stopping Explosion is pretty awesome really.

Move Sets

Mixed

- Cross Chop
- Surf / Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Grass] / Hidden Power [Electric] / Psychic / Hypnosis
Item Attached: Life Orb
Ability: Cloud Nine
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 104 Atk / 252 SAtk / 152 Spd
Mild Nature (+SAtk, -Def)

Cross Chop takes care of special walls in UU and OU if you decide to use Golduck in that tier. The Water move depends on if you want reliability or power, Surf being reliable and Hydro Pump being power. Ice Beam handles any Grass types and Dragons, which is especially useful in OU. Hidden Power [Grass] ruins Grass and Water Pokémon. Hidden Power [Electric] destroys Water and Flying Pokémon. Psychic is for Poison and Fighting types specifically, and Hypnosis can shut down a Pokémon for a number of turns.

Choice

- Surf / Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Grass] / Hidden Power [Electric]
- Psychic / Mud Bomb / Hypnosis
Item Attached: Choice Specs / Choice Scarf
Ability: Cloud Nine
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 4 HP/252 SAtk/252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk) / Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)

Surf or Hydro Pump, standard choice. Ice Beam hurts Dragons and Grass types, and brings good coverage anyway. The choice of Hidden Power depends on whether you want to kill Ground and Water types or Water and Flying types. Psychic hurts Fighting and Poison Pokémon. Mud Bomb lays the hurt on Ground types as well as Poison types, with Hypnosis there to shut something down. Hypnosis works better with Scarf rather than Specs..

Calm Mind

- Calm Mind
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Hypnosis / Psychic
Item Attached: Leftovers
Ability: Cloud Nine
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)

Calm Mind boosts Golduck's already nice Special Attack, as well as its Special Defence. Surf should not be replaced with Hydro Pump as reliability is pretty necessary. Ice Beam gets amazing coverage with Surf, hitting most Pokémon hard that resist Water. Hypnosis shuts down a Pokémon which means more Calm Mind boosts. Psychic hits Poison and Fighting types hard, making for extra coverage.

EVs and Nature:

Mixed
Max Special Attack, enough Speed to hit 244, which outruns max Speed Tyranitar, considering this Golduck is more likely to be used in OU than other sets. Rest in Attack

Choice
Pure offence, no reason to do anything else. Speed and Special Attack, go.

Calm Mind
You could add some HP to get some bulk, but it'd generally be better to just maximize Speed and Special Attack.

Other Options

Confuse Ray, Encore, Focus Blast, Substitute, Yawn, Physical

Confuse Ray can be used to get some free damage on the opponent, as well as protect yourself.

Encore is an amazing move that doesn't really have a place on another set. It could be used on the Calm Mind set over Hypnosis, but that is about it.

Focus Blast is a really strong special attack that has good coverage, but isn't too accurate.

Substitute can be used on the Calm Mind set to get some extra boosts.

Yawn can force switches, but Hypnosis is better for a sleep move.

Physical Golduck is outclassed by a lot, but it has a good few physical options if you wanted a surprise set.

Countering Golduck

Water types are the champs of stopping Golduck. Lanturn, Quagsire, Mantine, most Water types work amazingly. Toxicroak can really hurt Golduck and also absorbs Water moves. Standard Special Walls like Chansey and Hypno work really well, just avoid Cross Chop in Chansey's case. Bulky Grass types like Venusaur and Meganium are good for stopping Golduck. Really, Golduck isn't very dangerous and can be stopped by any well made team.

Locations in Games

Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald Safari Zone Colosseum/XD Trade from RSEFRLG (Col) Snagged from Navigator Abson in Citadark Isle (XD) Fire Red/Leaf Green Cerulean Cave Floor 1 & Basement 1, Berry Forest (Surf), Seafoam Island Basements 1, 2, 3 & 4, Cape Brink Diamond/Pearl/Platinum Twinleaf Town, Route 203, Route 204, Route 205 Upper Part, Eterna City, Route 208, Route 209, Route 210 Upper Part, Celestic Town, Route 212 Upper Part, Route 214, Deserted Escape Path, Oreburgh Gate, Lake Verity, Lake Acuity, Lake Valor, Spring Path, Route 225, Route 226, Route 230, Resort Area, Safari Game HeartGold/SoulSilver Route 6, Route 35, Ilex Forest, Mt. Silver, Cerulean Cave, Seafoam Islands, Safari Zone

Animé Appearences

Golduck has had a handful of Animé Appearences. Its appearances have usually been in a sense of predicting the future or altering reality Pikachu's Summer Vacation Mewtwo Strikes Back Episode 93: Bye Bye Psyduck Episode 149: The Fire-ring Squad Episode 155: Love, Totodile Style Episode 170: Hook, Line & Stinker Mewtwo Returns Episode 196: The Ring Masters Episode 212: Around the Whirlpool Episode 217: Octillery The Outcast Episode 218: Duelling Heroes Episode 219: The Perfect Match Episode 221: Hi-Ho Silver...Away! Episode 270: Tie One On Episode 308: Abandon Ship Episode 344: A Double Dilemma Episode 403: Saved by the Beldum Episode 405: Shocks and Bonds Episode 406: A Judgment Brawl Episode 412: Numero Uno Articuno Episode 475: Like It or Lup It Episode 506: One Big Happiny Family