In X & Y, Swift Swim changes the entire equation for Golduck. The 500 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked C-Tier. Encore with Focus Sash is the standard set.

What is Golduck weak to?

In X & Y, watch for Raikou (Electric) and Venusaur (Grass) when using Golduck. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Only 2 weaknesses means fewer dedicated counters to worry about.

What is the best ability for Golduck?

Swift Swim is what you want on Golduck. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Damp, Cloud Nine) work on paper but Swift Swim is what makes Golduck worth using.

What role does Golduck play in battle?

Base 85 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. On offense, Golduck is leaning toward the special side (base 95 Sp. Atk). Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two.

What are the best moves for Golduck?

In X & Y, run Encore, Simplebeam, Aqua Jet, and Toxic on Golduck. Encore is the most common pick at 17% usage. This set covers the balanced role with a mix of damage and utility.

Golduck - Weakness, Evolution, Moveset, EVs & Stats

Utility

Balanced

CTier

85Speed · Above Avg

Stats & Training

An unusually even spread gives Golduck flexibility. Sp. Atk barely edges ahead. But Defense isn't far off. Moderately hard to find and follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve. Yields 2 Sp. Atk EVs.

Base Stats

High

HP80

Attack82

Defense78

Sp. Atk95

Sp. Def80

Speed85

Total500

Details

Catch Rate

Challenging75 / 255

Growth Rate

Medium Fast1M XP

Height1.7 m

Weight76.6 kg

Base XP175

Abilities

DampPopular

Prevents self destruct, explosion, and aftermath from working while the Pokémon is in battle.

Cloud NinePopular

Negates all effects of weather, but does not prevent the weather itself.

Swift SwimHA

Doubles Speed during rain.

EV Yield

HPAtkDefSpA+2SpDSpe

Special Attack training target

Pokedex Entries

It appears by waterways at dusk. It may use telekinetic powers if its forehead glows mysteriously.

Golduck Weakness

Golduck's Water typing leaves it vulnerable to Electric and Grass. 4 resistances help offset the weaknesses. With 80 HP and balanced defenses, Golduck can afford to eat a neutral hit or two.

Golduck Weakness and Resistance Chart
Damage	Types
2x (Weak)	Electric, Grass
0.5x (Resist)	Fire, Water, Ice, Steel

Type ChartGood

2Weak

4Resist

0Immune

Score0

4xCritical

None

2xWeak

Electric Grass

½xResist

Fire Water Ice Steel

¼xResist

None

0xImmune

None

STAB (3)

Fire Ground Rock

How to Beat Golduck in X & Y (Best Counters)

In X & Y, Serperior's Leaf Storm hits Golduck for 78-92%. Zapdos's Thunderbolt hits Golduck for 66-77%.

Serperior Grass	A
Recommended Build AbilityContrary ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves Leaf Storm GlareUtility Hidden Power Fire Hidden Power Rock Damage vs Golduck Leaf Storm 2x 78-92% View Serperior builds →
Zapdos ElectricFlying	A
Recommended Build AbilityStatic ItemSitrus Berry NatureTimid Moves Heat Wave TailwindUtility ThunderboltSTAB RoostRecovery Damage vs Golduck Heat Wave 12-13% Thunderbolt 2x 66-77% View Zapdos builds →

X & Y Evolution

Evolved from Psyduck. Golduck is the final form in this two-stage line. A massive partner pool for breeding via two egg groups. Eggs are average hatch time. HP grew the most through evolution (+30 over Psyduck), and Golduck peaks at 500 total stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.

How to Evolve

2 Forms

#054Psyduck

Level 33

#055Golduck

Stat Comparison 2 Stages

Psyduck

Water

Golduck

Water

80+30

ATK

82+30

DEF

78+30

SP.ATK

95+30

SP.DEF

80+30

SPE

85+30

BST

320D-Tier

500C-Tier+180

ROLE

Balanced

TYPE

Utility

Mixed

Breeding

Very Easy

Breed with Golduck to get Psyduck eggs easily using 200 partners from the Ground and Water1 egg groups. Notable egg moves include Clear Smog, Confuse Ray, Cross Chop and 12 more.

Egg Groups

GroundWater1

Gender

♂50.0%♀50.0%

Hatch Time

20 cycles·5,140 steps

Quick~5 min with Flame Body

Egg Moves

15moves

Breed With (best first)

X & Y Golduck Best Moveset

Golduck's built to absorb hits. Bold nature leans into physical wall duty, Focus Sash gives it a guaranteed survive from full HP, and the moveset handles sustain. Damp and HP-heavy investment EVs tie the defensive profile together.

Best Build

Experimental

Wall

Ability

Damp

Item

Focus SashSURVIVAL

Best Nature for Golduck

Bold+DEF

Golduck best EVs are HP and Sp. Def

EVs

Def

SpD

Wall Moveset

EncoreUtility
Simple Beam
Aqua JetSTAB
ToxicUtility

Recommended Teammates

GarchompGood

TalonflameGood

Moves

Breadth over depth defines this movepool. Golduck won't stack one type's damage ceiling, but coverage across 10 types means it always has an effective option. Hydro Pump and Aqua Tail anchor the STAB core.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1

Aqua Jet+1

A4010020Water

Lv 1

Scratch

—4010035Normal

Lv 1

Tail Whip

——10030Normal

Lv 1

Water Gun

—4010025Water

Lv 1

Water Sport

———15Water

Lv 4

Tail Whip

——10030Normal

Lv 8

Water Gun

—4010025Water

Lv 11

Disable

C—10020Normal

Lv 15

Confusion

—5010025Psychic

Lv 18

Water Pulse

C6010020Water

Lv 22

Fury Swipes

—188015Normal

Lv 25

Screech

——8540Normal

Lv 29

Zen Headbutt

D809015Psychic

Lv 32

Aqua Tail

C909010Water

Lv 38

Soak

D—10020Water

Lv 43

Psych Up

D——10Normal

Lv 49

Amnesia

D——20Psychic

Lv 54

Hydro Pump

A110805Water

Lv 60

Wonder Room

———10Psychic

TM Moves

TM40

Aerial Ace

D60—20Flying

TM45

Attract

D—10015Normal

TM14

Blizzard

C110705Ice

TM31

Brick Break

C7510015Fighting

TM04

Calm Mind

A——20Psychic

TM100

Confide

———20Normal

TM28

Dig

C8010010Ground

TM32

Double Team

———15Normal

TM42

Facade

D7010020Normal

TM70

Flash

D—10020Normal

TM56

Fling

D—10010Dark

TM52

Focus Blast

C120705Fighting

TM21

Frustration

D—10020Normal

TM68

Giga Impact

C150905Normal

TM07

Hail

D——10Ice

TM10

Hidden Power

—6010015Normal

TM01

Hone Claws

C——15Dark

TM15

Hyper Beam

B150905Normal

TM13

Ice Beam

A9010010Ice

TM16

Light Screen

C——30Psychic

TM47

Low Sweep

—6510020Fighting

TM98

Power-Up Punch

D4010020Fighting

TM17

Protect+4

C——10Normal

TM77

Psych Up

D——10Normal

TM29

Psychic

C9010010Psychic

TM03

Psyshock

C8010010Psychic

TM18

Rain Dance

C——5Water

TM44

Rest

C——10Psychic

TM27

Return

D—10020Normal

TM94

Rock Smash

—4010015Fighting

TM48

Round

D6010015Normal

TM55

Scald

C8010015Water

TM65

Shadow Claw

D7010015Ghost

TM88

Sleep Talk

C——10Normal

HM04

Strength

—8010015Normal

TM90

Substitute

C——10Normal

HM03

Surf

B9010015Water

TM87

Swagger

——9015Normal

TM06

Toxic

A—9010Poison

HM05

Waterfall

C8010015Water

Egg Moves

Egg

Clear Smog

D50—15Poison

Egg

Confuse Ray

D—10010Ghost

Egg

Cross Chop

C100805Fighting

Egg

Encore

S—1005Normal

Egg

Foresight

———40Normal

Egg

Future Sight

C12010010Psychic

Egg

Hypnosis

D—6020Psychic

Egg

Mud Bomb

—658510Ground

Egg

Psybeam

—6510020Psychic

Egg

Refresh

D——20Normal

Egg

Secret Power

—7010020Normal

Egg

Simple Beam

A—10015Normal

Egg

Sleep Talk

C——10Normal

Egg

Synchronoise

—12010010Psychic

Egg

Yawn

C——10Normal

Tutor Moves

Golduck can't learn any Tutor moves

Transfer Moves

Gen

Gen 3

Body Slam

C8510015Normal

Gen 4

Brine

C6510010Water

Gen 4

Captivate

——10020Normal

Gen 3

Counter-5

D—10020Fighting

Gen 3

Double-Edge

C12010015Normal

Gen 3

Dynamic Punch

D100505Fighting

Gen 4

Endure+4

D——10Normal

Gen 4

Fury Cutter

D409520Bug

Gen 4

Headbutt

D7010015Normal

Gen 3

Mega Kick

C120755Normal

Gen 3

Mega Punch

—808520Normal

Gen 3

Mimic

———10Normal

Gen 4

Mud-Slap

D2010010Ground

Gen 4

Natural Gift

D—10015Normal

Gen 3

Seismic Toss

D—10020Fighting

Gen 4

Swift

—60—20Normal

Gen 5

Telekinesis

———15Psychic

Gen 4

Whirlpool

—358515Water

How to Get Golduck in X & Y

No wild encounters for Golduck. The 2-stage line runs through Psyduck, which you can catch at solid rates from the locations below. Evolve at level 33 once you've got the levels.

How to Obtain Golduck in X & Y

The path to Golduck starts with Psyduck at Lv. 6-27 via walking and surfing encounters. 1 catchable stage total, with locations listed for each one below.

Step 1Catch Psyduck
Route 22
XGrass Lv.6 Route
UncommonEarly
Route 22
YGrass Lv.6 Route
UncommonEarly
Route 7
YGrass Lv.8 Route
UncommonEarly
Horde battle
Route 7
XGrass Lv.8 Route
UncommonEarly
Horde battle
Route 22
XGrass Lv.25-27 Route
CommonMid
Yellow Flower
Route 22
YSurfing on water Lv.25-27 Route
CommonMid
Route 22
YGrass Lv.25-27 Route
CommonMid
Yellow Flower
Route 22
XSurfing on water Lv.25-27 Route
CommonMid
Train until Level 33
Step 2Golduck ✓

Golduck Guide

In X & Y, Swift Swim changes the entire equation for Golduck. The 500 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked C-Tier. Encore with Focus Sash is the standard set.
In X & Y, watch for Raikou (Electric) and Venusaur (Grass) when using Golduck. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Only 2 weaknesses means fewer dedicated counters to worry about.
Swift Swim is what you want on Golduck. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Damp, Cloud Nine) work on paper but Swift Swim is what makes Golduck worth using.
Base 85 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. On offense, Golduck is leaning toward the special side (base 95 Sp. Atk). Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two.
In X & Y, run Encore, Simplebeam, Aqua Jet, and Toxic on Golduck. Encore is the most common pick at 17% usage. This set covers the balanced role with a mix of damage and utility.

Game Availability

One of the original 151, Golduck has appeared in 21 games — nearly every mainline game. From Red & Blue through the latest titles, it's rarely been left out of a regional Pokedex.

Click a game to view version-specific details

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