Physical
Tank
45Speed · Slow

Stats & Training

Defense leads and Speed gets almost nothing. That's Golem's stat line in a nutshell. 3 stats sit in respectable range, but the spread is brutal. Tough to catch and yields 3 Defense stat exp.

Base Stats
Above
HP80
C
Attack110
B
Defense130
A
Sp. Atk55
D
Sp. Def65
C
Speed45
D
Total485
Details
Catch Rate
Challenging45 / 255
Growth Rate
Medium Slow1.06M XP
Height1.4 m
Weight300.0 kg
Base XP223
Abilities
Abilities were introduced in Generation III. Shown below for reference.
Rock Head
Protects against recoil damage.
Sturdy
Prevents being KOed from full HP, leaving 1 HP instead. Protects against the one-hit KO moves regardless of HP.
Sand VeilHA
Increases evasion to 1.25× during a sandstorm. Protects against sandstorm damage.
EV Yield
HPAtkDef+3SpASpDSpe
Strong Defense training target
Pokedex Entries

Its rock-like body is so durable, even high-powered dynamite blasts fail to scratch its rugged hide.

Crystal

Golem Weakness

Golem is weak to Water, Grass, Ice, Fighting, Ground, and Steel. Watch out for Water and Grass attacks, those deal 4x damage. On the flip side, it's immune to Electric-type moves entirely. 5 resistances help offset the weaknesses. Golem's physical bulk (base 130 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.

Golem Weakness and Resistance Chart
DamageTypes
4x (Critical)Water, Grass
2x (Weak)Ice, Fighting, Ground, Steel
0.5x (Resist)Normal, Fire, Flying, Rock
0.25x (Resist)Poison
0x (Immune)Electric
Type ChartFragile
6Weak
5Resist
1Immune
Score-7
Gen II Type Chart
  • Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
  • Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
  • Special stat split into Sp.Atk and Sp.Def
How to Beat Golem in Crystal (Best Counters)

In Crystal, Snorlax's Earthquake hits Golem for 42-49%. Tyranitar deals 50-58% with Earthquake.

Snorlax
SnorlaxThreatens with Earthquake, walls special sets
Normal
S
Recommended Build
ItemLeftovers
Moves
  • RestRecovery
  • Double Edge
  • Earthquake
  • CurseSetup
Damage vs Golem
Double Edge
19-22%
Earthquake 2x
42-49%
View Snorlax builds →

Crystal Evolution

Getting Golem requires a trade, not just grinding levels. The chain starts at Geodude. Breed this form to get Geodude eggs (quick to hatch). HP grew the most through evolution (+40 over Geodude), and Golem peaks at 485 total stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.

How to Evolve

3 Forms
Stat Comparison 3 Stages
Geodude
RockGround
Graveler
RockGround
Golem
RockGround
HP
40
55+15
80+25
ATK
80
95+15
120+25
DEF
100
115+15
130+15
SP.ATK
30
45+15
55+10
SP.DEF
30
45+15
65+20
SPE
20
35+15
45+10
BST
300C-Tier
390C-Tier+90
495C-Tier+105
ROLE
Trick Room
Trick Room
Wallbreaker
TYPE
Physical
Physical
Physical

Breeding

Very Easy

Breed with Golem to get Geodude eggs easily using 12 partners from the Mineral egg group. Notable egg moves include Mega Punch, Rock Slide.

Egg Groups
Mineral
Gender
50.0%50.0%
Hatch Time
15 cycles·3,855 steps
Quick~4 min with Flame Body
Egg Moves
2moves
Breed With (best first)
porygon2electrodemagnetonsudowoodogravelerporygonmagnemitevoltorbgeodudesteelixonix

Crystal Golem Best Moveset

Best Build

Solid pick
Utility
Ability
Not in Gen 2
Item
LeftoversSUSTAIN
Nature
Not in Gen 2

Utility Moveset

  • EarthquakeSTAB
  • ExplosionCoverage
  • Rapid Spin
  • RoarSLOW -6Utility

Moves

TMs carry this one. Golem learns Earthquake and Dig naturally for STAB, but the offensive range comes almost entirely from technical machines. Normal and Fighting and beyond give it real matchup play.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Defense Curl
D40Normal
Lv 1
Magnitude
10030Ground
Lv 1
Rock Throw
509015Rock
Lv 1
Tackle
D3510035Normal
Lv 6
Defense Curl
D40Normal
Lv 11
Rock Throw
509015Rock
Lv 16
Magnitude
10030Ground
Lv 21
Self-Destruct
B2001005Normal
Lv 27
Harden
30Normal
Lv 34
Rollout
D309020Rock
Lv 41
Earthquake
S10010010Ground
Lv 48
Explosion
S2501005Normal

TM Moves

TM
TM45
Attract
D10015Normal
TM03
Curse
C10Ghost
TM40
Defense Curl
D40Normal
TM28
Dig
B6010010Ground
TM32
Double Team
15Normal
TM01
Dynamic Punch
D100505Fighting
TM26
Earthquake
S10010010Ground
TM20
Endure+4
D10Normal
TM38
Fire Blast
D120855Fire
TM48
Fire Punch
C7510015Fire
TM21
Frustration
D10020Normal
TM49
Fury Cutter
109520Bug
TM02
Headbutt
C7010015Normal
TM10
Hidden Power
6010015Normal
TM15
Hyper Beam
C150905Normal
TM31
Mud-Slap
D2010010Ground
TM17
Protect+4
C10Normal
TM44
Rest
C10Psychic
TM27
Return
D10020Normal
TM05
Roar-6
S20Normal
TM08
Rock Smash
2010015Fighting
TM04
Rollout
D309020Rock
TM37
Sandstorm
D10Rock
TM35
Sleep Talk
C10Normal
TM13
Snore
4010015Normal
HM04
Strength
C8010015Normal
TM11
Sunny Day
C5Fire
TM34
Swagger
C8515Normal
TM06
Toxic
C8510Poison

Egg Moves

Egg
Egg
Mega Punch
808520Normal
Egg
Rock Slide
C759010Rock

Tutor Moves

Tut
Tutor
Flamethrower
D9510015Fire

How to Get Golem in Crystal

Golem's 3-stage chain starts with Geodude, which appears at solid rates in the locations below. Level through 3 stages while you find a trade partner. Everything except the trade step is solo.

Trade Evolution Required — Requires trading with another player

How to Obtain Golem in Crystal

Geodude is your first catch on the way to Golem. You'll find walking and fixed encounters from Lv. 2-48 across 26 total spots in the chain.

  1. Geodude
    Step 1Catch Geodude
    Dark Cave - West
    Grass Lv.2-4 Cave
    60%Early
    Route 46
    Grass Lv.2-3 Route
    50%Early
    Rock Tunnel - 1F
    Grass Lv.11-12 Cave
    50%Early
    Night
    Mt. Moon - 1F
    Grass Lv.8-10 Cave
    35%Early
    Union Cave - 1F
    Grass Lv.6 Cave
    30%Early
    Union Cave - B1F
    Grass Lv.8 Cave
    30%Early
    Rock Tunnel - 1F
    Grass Lv.11 Cave
    30%Early
    Morning/day
    Mt. Mortar - 1F South
    Grass Lv.14 Cave
    30%Early
    Rock Tunnel - B1F
    Grass Lv.14 Cave
    30%Early
    Route 33
    Grass Lv.6 Route
    20%Early
    Mt. Mortar - 1F North
    Grass Lv.13 Cave
    5%Early
    Dark Cave - East
    Grass Lv.23 Cave
    30%Mid
    Route 45
    Grass Lv.23 Route
    30%Mid
    Mt. Mortar - B1F
    Grass Lv.16 Cave
    5%Mid
    Union Cave - B2F
    Grass Lv.20 Cave
    5%Mid
    Team Rocket HQ - B1F
    Interact with Pokemon Lv.21
    LimitedMid
    Mt. Mortar - 2F
    Grass Lv.31 Cave
    30%Late
    Night
    Mt. Mortar - 2F
    Grass Lv.31 Cave
    20%Late
    Day
  2. Graveler
    Step 2Catch or Evolve Graveler
    Route 45
    Grass Lv.23 Route
    30%Mid
    Morning/day
    Route 45
    Grass Lv.23-27 Route
    30%Mid
    Dark Cave - East
    Grass Lv.25 Cave
    20%Mid
    Victory Road - 1F
    Grass Lv.34 Cave
    50%Late
    Night
    Mt. Mortar - 2F
    Grass Lv.31 Cave
    30%Late
    Victory Road - 1F
    Grass Lv.34 Cave
    30%Late
    Morning/day
    Mt. Silver - 1F
    Grass Lv.43 Cave
    30%Late
    Mt. Silver - Summit
    Grass Lv.48 Cave
    20%Post
    or evolve from Geodude (Step 1)
  3. Golem
    Step 3Golem

Golem Guide

  • For Crystal, we rate Golem A-Tier: a strong pick in Crystal's competitive scene. At 485 BST, it fits the tank role. Earthquake with Leftovers is the standard set.

  • In Crystal, Golem's biggest threats include Gyarados (Water), Venusaur (Grass), and Lapras (Ice), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Gyarados is the most dangerous since Water moves deal 4x damage. Fighting, Ground, and Steel-type attackers are also a problem. With 6 weakness types, most competitive teams carry at least one counter.

  • Base 45 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. On offense, Golem is a physical attacker with base 110 Attack. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two. Best used as a tank.

  • In Crystal, the best way to handle Golem: Status moves (Toxic, Will-O-Wisp) wear it down. Setup sweepers can use it as a boost opportunity. Special attackers bypass its physical bulk.

  • For Crystal, the core moveset is Earthquake, Explosion, Rapid Spin, and Roar. Earthquake leads at 25% usage. Earthquake provides reliable STAB damage.

Game Availability

Since debuting in Red & Blue, Golem has appeared in 20 titles over 10 generations. Along the way, it received an Alolan form in Generation 7, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.

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