Everyone remembers the troubles and headaches Misty went through with her adorable, yet seemingly incompetent, Psyduck. Little did we (or Misty for that matter) know that, several years down the line, this little yellow duck’s evolution would become a potential centerpiece in VGC competitions. Though the Chinese calendar may say this year is the Year of the Monkey, we in the competitive community may be looking at 2016 as the Year of the Duck.
Golduck has seen little real competitive play in VGC competition the past few years. In fact, you will not find a single Golduck on any Juniors, Seniors, or Masters World Championship teams. We may see that change this year, with the change in the ruleset for 2016 allowing previously banned Pokemon into the field for this season.
Namely, this allows for the formation of the ultimate weather teams with the use of Primal Groudon’s Desolate Land, Primal Kyogre’s Primordial Sea, and Mega Rayquaza’s Delta Stream abilities. With the likely onset of teams built around these powerhouses, having a Pokemon on your team that laughs at the effects of weather can be quite handy. Through Golduck’s Cloud Nine ability, you can break through the weathers set up by the formerly mentioned Primal and Mega Pokemon. This is especially handy against the Groudon and Mega Rayquaza that have been surfacing in early VGC ’16 competition. Using Cloud Nine, a Golduck can easily directly counter most Groudon and Rayquaza sets. Here are some examples of potential matchups between Golduck and these two foes:
252 SpA Golduck Scald vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Primal Groudon: 240-288 (115.9 – 139.1%) — guaranteed OHKO
252 SpA Golduck Scald vs. 252 HP / 252 SpD Primal Groudon: 192-228 (92.7 – 110.1%) — 50% chance to OHKO
252 SpA Golduck Ice Beam vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Mega Rayquaza: 168-200 (93.3 – 111.1%) — 68.8% chance to OHKO
Golduck will nearly always be run as a max SpA and max Speed utility Pokemon. The two main moves on most sets will typically be Ice Beam and Scald/Hydro Pump, depending on if you prefer power over accuracy. I would personally recommend running Scald given its solid power, perfect accuracy, and 30% chance to burn the opponent, not to mention that is will nearly always OHKO even the bulkiest of Groudon sets. The two open move slots left can be used in several different ways with several options. Since this Golduck will be pretty much solely offensive, I would run either Psychic or Psyshock in one slot, depending on if you want more power or to hit a special wall on the defensive side. The fourth move slot is really up to the taste of the trainer and/or needed coverage on any given team. Ice Beam and Scald will be the most used moves by far, so they are the only two truly necessary moves.
All in all, this little duck from the PU tier can have a huge potential impact on this upcoming VGC season. It may not be the strongest in any given category, but with a combination of ability, decent special attack and speed, and the potential Pokemon it counters in the current metagame, Golduck very well could be the Most Improved Pokemon in the format. Be on the lookout for this guy at whatever events you participate in, and feel free to tweet us any unique sets or major success you have with Golduck! May the Duck above all Ducks guide you to success!
