Is Gholdengo viable in Gen 9 OU?

Gholdengo is ranked #3 in Gen 9 OU with 28.46% usage according to Smogon Apr 2026 - Jun 2026 data.

What beats Gholdengo in Gen 9 OU?

The best counter for Gholdengo in Gen 9 OU is Iron Moth with a 85.2% win rate when they meet. Based on Smogon's Apr 2026 - Jun 2026 usage data, the top Pokémon that beat Gholdengo include Iron Moth, Volcarona, Clodsire, Samurott-Hisui, Kingambit.

What is the best counter for Gholdengo in Gen 9 OU?

Iron Moth is the best counter for Gholdengo in Gen 9 OU, KOing or forcing it out in 85.2% of their encounters.

Gholdengo counters

Gen 9 OU · Sorted by reliability score · Smogon · Apr 2026 - Jun 2026

#1000 Gholdengo

SteelGhost

USAGE 28.5% #3

BASE STATS

HP 87

ATK 60

DEF 95

SPA 133

SPD 91

SPE 84

BST550

TYPE MATCHUPS

2×

FireGroundGhostDark

½×

GrassIceFlyingPsychicRockDragonSteelFairy

¼×

Bug

0×

NormalFightingPoison

Moves

Shadow Ball 84.8% Make It Rain 82.3% Recover 65.0% Nasty Plot 46.3% Trick 44.4% Focus Blast 19.3% Thunder Wave 16.1% Psyshock 12.8%

Items

Choice Scarf 42.6% Air Balloon 30.5% Grassy Seed 5.8% Leftovers 3.7% Shuca Berry 3.2% Metal Coat 3.0% Custap Berry 3.0% Choice Specs 2.2%

Tera Types

Fairy 32.9% Steel 23.7% Ghost 16.4% Fighting 10.5% Water 7.6% Flying 6.3% Bug 0.9% Electric 0.6%

Common Teammates

Ogerpon-Wellspring19.3%

Iron Valiant16.6%

Kingambit15.7%

Browse Gen 9 OU teams using Gholdengo →

Teams using Clodsire 70% Teams using Samurott-Hisui 67% Teams using Kingambit 67% Teams using Raging Bolt 67%

Checks & Counters

Reliability ranks observed matchups; KO rate is how often the checker knocked out or forced out the target. “Checker faints” reports the checker's own observed death rate. Categories use matchup reliability plus offensive and defensive base stats.

How to read this table

Use encounter count to judge sample size. A high-reliability check with a modest KO rate can still be useful when it consistently forces switches or limits the target.

# Checker Encounters Reliability KO Rate

Iron Moth

FirePoison OFFENSIVE CHECK

53.829

85.2% checker faints 6.79%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Iron Moth Overheat vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Gholdengo: 378-446 (100 - 117.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO

View Iron Moth counters →

Volcarona

BugFire OFFENSIVE CHECK

35.222

82.8% checker faints 6.36%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Volcarona Flamethrower vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Gholdengo: 254-302 (67.1 - 79.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Volcarona counters →

Clodsire

PoisonGround DEFENSIVE COUNTER

142.065

69.5% checker faints 6.66%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Gholdengo Psyshock vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Clodsire: 294-348 (63.3 - 75%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Clodsire counters → Teams with Clodsire →

Samurott-Hisui

WaterDark OFFENSIVE CHECK

144.091

67.1% checker faints 6.73%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Sharpness Samurott-Hisui Ceaseless Edge vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Gholdengo: 320-378 (84.6 - 100%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO

View Samurott-Hisui counters → Teams with Samurott-Hisui →

Kingambit

DarkSteel DEFENSIVE COUNTER

233.845

67.0% checker faints 5.28%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Gholdengo Focus Blast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Kingambit: 472-556 (116.8 - 137.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO

View Kingambit counters → Teams with Kingambit →

Raging Bolt

ElectricDragon OFFENSIVE CHECK

99.692

66.8% checker faints 8.08%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Raging Bolt Thunder vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Gholdengo: 157-186 (41.5 - 49.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

View Raging Bolt counters → Teams with Raging Bolt →

Iron Treads

GroundSteel DEFENSIVE COUNTER

111.707

61.0% checker faints 7.93%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Gholdengo Focus Blast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Iron Treads: 264-312 (68.7 - 81.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Iron Treads counters → Teams with Iron Treads →

Ting-Lu

DarkGround DEFENSIVE COUNTER

232.952

59.7% checker faints 5.55%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Gholdengo Focus Blast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Vessel of Ruin Ting-Lu: 182-216 (35.4 - 42%) -- 86% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery

View Ting-Lu counters → Teams with Ting-Lu →

Ogerpon-Wellspring

GrassWater OFFENSIVE CHECK

125.855

56.7% checker faints 7.63%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Wellspring Mask Ogerpon-Wellspring Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Gholdengo: 276-326 (73 - 86.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Ogerpon-Wellspring counters → Teams with Ogerpon-Wellspring →

Cinderace

Fire OFFENSIVE CHECK

112.52

56.1% checker faints 8.05%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Cinderace Pyro Ball vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Gholdengo: 416-492 (110 - 130.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO

View Cinderace counters → Teams with Cinderace →

Darkrai

Dark OFFENSIVE CHECK

87.072

55.3% checker faints 9.13%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Darkrai Dark Pulse vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Gholdengo: 228-270 (60.3 - 71.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Darkrai counters → Teams with Darkrai →

Dragonite

DragonFlying SOFT CHECK

221.241

54.8% checker faints 5.77%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Dragonite Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Gholdengo: 256-302 (67.7 - 79.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Dragonite counters → Teams with Dragonite →

Blissey

Normal SOFT CHECK

176.954

53.7% checker faints 6.46%

DAMAGE CALC

0- SpA Blissey Flamethrower vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Gholdengo: 70-84 (18.5 - 22.2%) -- possible 5HKO

View Blissey counters → Teams with Blissey →

Walking Wake

WaterDragon SOFT CHECK

41.057

53.6% checker faints 10.84%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Choice Specs Walking Wake Flamethrower vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Gholdengo: 240-284 (63.4 - 75.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Walking Wake counters → Teams with Walking Wake →

Landorus-Therian

GroundFlying SOFT CHECK

82.096

51.9% checker faints 9.48%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Landorus-Therian Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Gholdengo: 408-480 (107.9 - 126.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO

View Landorus-Therian counters → Teams with Landorus-Therian →

Gholdengo

SteelGhost SOFT CHECK

210.295

46.1% checker faints 5.94%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Gholdengo Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Gholdengo: 224-266 (59.2 - 70.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Gholdengo counters → Teams with Gholdengo →

Great Tusk

GroundFighting SOFT CHECK

301.819

45.7% checker faints 4.95%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Great Tusk Headlong Rush vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Gholdengo: 456-536 (120.6 - 141.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO

View Great Tusk counters → Teams with Great Tusk →

Cresselia

Psychic SOFT CHECK

42.184

43.9% checker faints 7.64%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Cresselia Moonblast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Gholdengo: 30-36 (7.9 - 9.5%)

View Cresselia counters → Teams with Cresselia →

Gliscor

GroundFlying SOFT CHECK

236.892

41.4% checker faints 5.50%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Gliscor Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Gholdengo: 302-356 (79.8 - 94.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Gliscor counters → Teams with Gliscor →

Tornadus-Therian

Flying SOFT CHECK

49.525

41.3% checker faints 9.87%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Tornadus-Therian Heat Wave vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Gholdengo: 156-184 (41.2 - 48.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

View Tornadus-Therian counters → Teams with Tornadus-Therian →

Kyurem

DragonIce SOFT CHECK

206.605

39.2% checker faints 5.82%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Kyurem Earth Power vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Gholdengo: 166-196 (43.9 - 51.8%) -- 14.1% chance to 2HKO

View Kyurem counters → Teams with Kyurem →

Moltres

FireFlying SOFT CHECK

24.284

39.0% checker faints 9.90%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Moltres Flamethrower vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Gholdengo: 240-284 (63.4 - 75.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Moltres counters → Teams with Moltres →

Zamazenta

Fighting SOFT CHECK

309.586

38.5% checker faints 4.75%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Zamazenta Crunch vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Gholdengo: 190-224 (50.2 - 59.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Zamazenta counters → Teams with Zamazenta →

Iron Valiant

FairyFighting SOFT CHECK

119.329

35.3% checker faints 7.54%

DAMAGE CALC

0- Atk Iron Valiant Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Gholdengo: 164-194 (43.3 - 51.3%) -- 8.2% chance to 2HKO

View Iron Valiant counters → Teams with Iron Valiant →

Zapdos

ElectricFlying SOFT CHECK

30.955

33.2% checker faints 8.46%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Zapdos Heat Wave vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Gholdengo: 170-200 (44.9 - 52.9%) -- 30.5% chance to 2HKO

View Zapdos counters → Teams with Zapdos →

Dragapult

DragonGhost SOFT CHECK

145.015

32.4% checker faints 6.68%

DAMAGE CALC

0- SpA Dragapult Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Gholdengo: 120-144 (31.7 - 38%) -- 91.7% chance to 3HKO

View Dragapult counters → Teams with Dragapult →

Enamorus

FairyFlying SOFT CHECK

25.601

28.8% checker faints 8.95%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Enamorus Earth Power vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Gholdengo: 170-202 (44.9 - 53.4%) -- 31.3% chance to 2HKO

View Enamorus counters →

Deoxys-Speed

Psychic SOFT CHECK

22.055

26.8% checker faints 9.43%

DAMAGE CALC

0- Atk Deoxys-Speed Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Gholdengo: 126-150 (33.3 - 39.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

View Deoxys-Speed counters → Teams with Deoxys-Speed →

Pecharunt

PoisonGhost SOFT CHECK

116.355

22.4% checker faints 6.66%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Pecharunt Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Gholdengo: 168-200 (44.4 - 52.9%) -- 26.2% chance to 2HKO

View Pecharunt counters → Teams with Pecharunt →

Slowking-Galar

PoisonPsychic SOFT CHECK

133.917

20.0% checker faints 5.95%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Slowking-Galar Flamethrower vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Gholdengo: 146-174 (38.6 - 46%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

View Slowking-Galar counters → Teams with Slowking-Galar →

Ranked #3 with 28.46% usage. Sorted by reliability score.