Physical
Balanced
DTier
90Speed · Above Avg

Stats & Training

Golbat's stats barely vary. 2 sit in respectable range with no real gaps. It's a blank slate for EV investment. Worth 2 Speed EVs, medium-fast 1M XP curve to max.

Base Stats
Above
HP75
C
Attack80
C
Defense70
C
Sp. Atk65
C
Sp. Def75
C
Speed90
B
Total455
Details
Catch Rate
Challenging90 / 255
Growth Rate
Medium Fast1M XP
Height1.6 m
5'03"Average
Weight55.0 kg
121.3 lbsStandard
Base XP159
Average
Abilities
Inner Focus
Prevents flinching.
InfiltratorHATop Pick
Bypasses light screen, reflect, and safeguard.
EV Yield
HPAtkDefSpASpDSpe+2
Speed training target
Pokedex Entries

It loves to drink other creatures’ blood. It’s said that if it finds others of its kind going hungry, it sometimes shares the blood it’s gathered.

Golbat Weakness

Type-wise, Golbat takes extra damage from Electric, Ice, Psychic, and Rock. Ground moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity. It resists 5 types, giving it decent defensive coverage.

Golbat Weakness and Resistance Chart
DamageTypes
2x (Weak)Electric, Ice, Psychic, Rock
0.5x (Resist)Poison, Fairy
0.25x (Resist)Grass, Fighting, Bug
0x (Immune)Ground
Type ChartExcellent
4Weak
5Resist
1Immune
Score+3
4xCritical
None
2xWeak
ElectricIcePsychicRock
½xResist
PoisonFairy
¼xResist
GrassFightingBug
0xImmune
Ground
STAB (4)
GrassFairyFightingBug
How to Beat Golbat in Sword & Shield (Best Counters)

In Sword & Shield, Weavile's Ice Shard hits Golbat for 47-56%.

Weavile
Weavile
DarkIce
A
Recommended Build
AbilityPressure
ItemHeavy-Duty Boots
NatureJolly
Moves
  • Knock Off
  • Ice Shard
  • Triple Axel
  • Swords Dance
Damage vs Golbat
Knock Off
38-45%
Ice Shard 2x
47-56%
View Weavile builds →

Sword & Shield Evolution

Golbat is the middle stage between Zubat and Crobat. It's a three-stage line with one more evolution to go. For breeding, quick to hatch with a decent partner pool via one egg group. HP has grown the most so far (+35), but there's still another 80 stats to gain in the final evolution. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.

How to Evolve

3 Forms
Zubat
#041Zubat
22
Level 22
Golbat
#042Golbat
High Friendship
Crobat
#169Crobat
Stat Comparison 3 Stages
Zubat
PoisonFlying
Golbat
PoisonFlying
Crobat
PoisonFlying
HP
40
75+35
85+10
ATK
45
80+35
90+10
DEF
35
70+35
80+10
SP.ATK
30
65+35
70+5
SP.DEF
40
75+35
80+5
SPE
55
90+35
130+40
BST
245D-Tier
455D-Tier+210
535B-Tier+80
ROLE
Balanced
Balanced
Pivot
TYPE
Utility
Physical
Physical

Breeding

Very Easy

Breed with Golbat to get Zubat eggs easily using 42 partners from the Flying egg group.

Egg Groups
Flying
Gender
♂50.0%♀50.0%
Hatch Time
15 cycles·3,855 steps
Quick~4 min with Flame Body
Breed With (best first)
togekisstogetichawluchanoivernsirfetchdaltariacramorantpelipperswoobatfarfetchdwoobatswablu
12 of 42·

Sword & Shield Golbat Best Moveset

Nothing fancy here. Golbat builds around Life Orb for extra damage on every hit for a health trade, Jolly nature for the right stat lean, and max HP and Speed EVs. Infiltrator does its job quietly.

Best Build

Experimental
Support
Ability
Infiltrator
Item
Life OrbPOWER
Best Nature for Golbat
Jolly+SPE

Golbat best EVs are HP and Speed

EVs

Support Moveset

  • Poison FangSTAB
  • RoostRecovery
  • ToxicUtility
  • CrunchCoverage

Recommended Teammates

Weezing
WeezingGood
Nidoking
NidokingGood
Nidoqueen
NidoqueenGood

Moves

TMs define Golbat's movepool. The natural moves cover basics with Brave Bird and Fly, but the real versatility comes from technical machines giving it coverage across 8 types. That's where the options open up.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Absorb
—2010025Grass
Lv 1
Astonish
—3010015Ghost
Lv 1
Mean Look
D——5Normal
Lv 1
Screech
D—8540Normal
Lv 1
Supersonic
D—5520Normal
Lv 15
Poison Fang
S5010015Poison
Lv 20
Quick Guard+3
———15Fighting
Lv 27
Air Cutter
D609525Flying
Lv 34
Bite
B6010025Dark
Lv 41
Haze
C——30Ice
Lv 48
Venoshock
C6510010Poison
Lv 55
Confuse Ray
D—10010Ghost
Lv 62
Air Slash
C759515Flying
Lv 69
Leech Life
C8010010Bug

TM Moves

TM
TM78
Acrobatics
C5510015Flying
TR12
Agility
C——30Psychic
TM95
Air Slash
C759515Flying
TM58
Assurance
—6010010Dark
TM31
Attract
C—10015Normal
TR66
Brave Bird
A12010015Flying
TR32
Crunch
A8010015Dark
TR26
Endure+4
C——10Normal
TM39
Facade
D7010020Normal
TM06
Fly
C909515Flying
TM28
Giga Drain
D7510010Grass
TM09
Giga Impact
C150905Normal
TR36
Heat Wave
D959010Fire
TM08
Hyper Beam
C150905Normal
TR18
Leech Life
C8010010Bug
TR68
Nasty Plot
C——20Dark
TM57
Payback
D5010010Dark
TM25
Protect+4
A——10Normal
TM33
Rain Dance
C——5Water
TM21
Rest
C——10Psychic
TM76
Round
D6010015Normal
TM16
Screech
D—8540Normal
TR33
Shadow Ball
D8010015Ghost
TR27
Sleep Talk
C——10Normal
TR22
Sludge Bomb
C9010010Poison
TM24
Snore
—5010015Normal
TM30
Steel Wing
D709025Steel
TR20
Substitute
C——10Normal
TM34
Sunny Day
C——5Fire
TM40
Swift
D60—20Normal
TR37
Taunt
C—10020Dark
TM23
Thief
D6010025Dark
TM56
U-turn
D7010020Bug
TR35
Uproar
D9010010Normal
TR91
Venom Drench
——10020Poison
TM74
Venoshock
C6510010Poison
TR69
Zen Headbutt
D809015Psychic

Egg Moves

Golbat doesn't have any Egg moves

Tutor Moves

Tut
Tutor
Dual Wingbeat
D409010Flying

How to Get Golbat in Sword & Shield

No wild encounters for Golbat. The 2-stage line runs through Zubat, which you can catch at solid rates from the locations below. Evolve at level 22 once you've got the levels.

How to Obtain Golbat in Sword & Shield

Zubat is your first catch on the way to Golbat. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 60-65 across 6 total spots in the chain.

  1. Zubat
    Step 1Catch Zubat
    Roaring-Sea Caves
    ShieldOverworld Lv.60-65 Cave
    40%Post
    All Weather
    Roaring-Sea Caves
    SwordOverworld Lv.60-65 Cave
    40%Post
    All Weather
    Tunnel to the Top
    SwordOverworld Lv.60-65 Cave
    40%Post
    All Weather
    Tunnel to the Top
    ShieldOverworld Lv.60-65 Cave
    40%Post
    All Weather
    Lakeside Cave
    ShieldOverworld Lv.60-65 Cave
    20%Post
    All Weather
    Lakeside Cave
    SwordOverworld Lv.60-65 Cave
    20%Post
    All Weather
  2. Golbat
    Step 2Golbat ✓

Golbat Guide

  • In Sword & Shield, Golbat isn't fully evolved, so it's not built for competitive play. You'll want to evolve it into Crobat to unlock its full potential. At 455 BST, it's a stepping stone rather than a team anchor.

  • In Sword & Shield, Golbat's biggest threats include Jolteon (Electric), Cloyster (Ice), and Alakazam (Psychic), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Rock-type attackers are also a problem.

  • In Sword & Shield, Zubat evolves into Golbat at level 22. Golbat evolves into Crobat by leveling up. Golbat is a middle-stage evolution in the Zubat line.

  • Inner Focus is the go-to ability for Golbat. It prevents flinching. Its hidden ability Infiltrator can work in specific setups.

  • In Sword & Shield, Golbat fills the balanced role. It's a physical attacker with base 80 Attack. Base 90 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. And it's enough bulk to take a hit or two.

Game Availability

Golbat has been part of the series since Red & Blue, appearing in 21 titles across all 10 generations. As a Gen 1 original, it's one of the most consistently available Pokemon in the franchise.

Click a game to view version-specific details

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