Is Golduck Good in HeartGold & SoulSilver Playthrough?
Psyduck evolves at level 33. Water-type with AbilityCloud Nine. Solid Speed and special Attack without standout gym matchups. Handles Jasmine through Water and Pryce in a neutral fight. Quagsire's Ground typing gives it more coverage, though.
Psyduck trades roughly evenly with Falkner's team.
Psyduck trades roughly evenly with Bugsy's team.
Psyduck trades roughly evenly with Whitney's team.
Psyduck has the type edge here and should clean up Morty's team.
Chuck's typing presses Psyduck's defenses.
Golduck resists most of Jasmine's coverage and hits back hard.
Golduck has the type edge here and should clean up Pryce's team.
Golduck trades roughly evenly with Clair's team.
Golduck resists most of Brock's coverage and hits back hard.
Golduck trades roughly evenly with Misty's team.
Golduck has the type edge here and should clean up Lt. Surge's team.
Golduck trades roughly evenly with Erika's team.
Golduck has the type edge here and should clean up Janine's team.
Golduck has the type edge here and should clean up Sabrina's team.
Golduck resists most of Blaine's coverage and hits back hard.
Golduck has the type edge here and should clean up Blue's team.
Golduck has the type edge here and should clean up Will's team.
Golduck has the type edge here and should clean up Koga's team.
Golduck has the type edge here and should clean up Bruno's team.
Golduck has the type edge here and should clean up Karen's team.
Golduck has the type edge here and should clean up Lance's team.
Catch Psyduck
Catch Psyduck in Ilex Forest (Surf, Lv 5-20, common).
Recommended Moves
- After Bugsy
- TM14IceBlizzardPower 120Accuracy 70%PP 5Goldenrod Department Store
- TM13IceIce BeamPower 95Accuracy 100%PP 10Goldenrod Game Corner
- TM28GroundDigPower 80Accuracy 100%PP 10National Park
- After Whitney
- HM03WaterSurfPower 143Accuracy 100%PP 15Gift from a Kimono Girl in the Ecruteak Dance Theater
- LV 22WaterWater PulsePower 90Accuracy 100%PP 20
- After Chuck
- TM01FightingFocus PunchPower 150Accuracy 100%PP 20Prize for defeating Chuck
- After Pryce
- HM07WaterWaterfallPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 15Item ball on Ice Path 1F
- LV 48WaterHydro PumpPower 180Accuracy 80%PP 5
Evolve Psyduck to Golduck
Psyduck evolves into Golduck at Level 33. Your Psyduck should hit Level 33 before you reach Jasmine, at typical leveling pace.
Recommended Moves
- STARTING (Lv 33)
- LV 33WaterWater PulsePower 90Accuracy 100%PP 20
- After Bugsy
- TM15NormalHyper BeamPower 150Accuracy 90%PP 5Goldenrod Department Store
- TM14IceBlizzardPower 120Accuracy 70%PP 5Goldenrod Department Store
- TM13IceIce BeamPower 95Accuracy 100%PP 10Goldenrod Game Corner
- After Whitney
- HM03WaterSurfPower 143Accuracy 100%PP 15Gift from a Kimono Girl in the Ecruteak Dance Theater
- After Chuck
- TM01FightingFocus PunchPower 150Accuracy 100%PP 20Prize for defeating Chuck
- After Pryce
- HM07WaterWaterfallPower 120Accuracy 100%PP 15Item ball on Ice Path 1F
- LV 56WaterHydro PumpPower 180Accuracy 80%PP 5
How to Get Golduck in HeartGold & SoulSilver
Golduck surfs and walks wild across seven locations, reaching all the way to level 51 in late water. You can hook the evolved duck directly or simply raise a Psyduck to level 33, whichever the rivers hand you first.
7 locations to catch Golduck6 locations to catch Psyduck
Encountered via Surfing, tall grass encounters
Encountered via fishing with a Rod, Surfing, tall grass encounters
Badge 2
Badge 3
Badge 4
Badge 5
Badge 6
Badge 7
Badge 8Catch Psyduck at any of the 6 locations below, then level it up to 33 — it evolves into Golduck.
Badge 2 Badge 3 Badge 4 Badge 5 Badge 6 Badge 7 Badge 8Where To Catch Golduck in HGSS
To get Golduck, start by catching Psyduck through surfing, walking, and more encounters at Lv. 5-40. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.
- Step 1Catch PsyduckIlex ForestLv.5-20Surfing on waterRate 90%Route 6Lv.5-10Surfing on waterRate 90%Route 35Lv.10-25Surfing on waterRate 90%Safari Zone - WetlandLv.15-16FloorRate 20%NightSeafoam Islands - B4FLv.20Good RodRate 30%Seafoam Islands - 1FLv.26-29GrassRate 30%Safari Zone - WetlandLv.16-17Surfing on waterRate 20%Seafoam Islands - B1FLv.26-28GrassRate 16%Seafoam Islands - B2FLv.27-30GrassRate 16%Cerulean Cave - 1FLv.35-40Surfing on waterRate 90%Cerulean Cave - 2FLv.35-40Surfing on waterRate 90%Cerulean Cave - B1FLv.35-40Surfing on waterRate 90%Seafoam Islands - B3FLv.31-32GrassRate 12%Seafoam Islands - B4FLv.34GrassRate 10%
- Step 2Golduck ✓Ilex ForestLv.10-20Surfing on waterRate 10%Route 6Lv.10Surfing on waterRate 10%Route 35Lv.15-31Surfing on waterRate 10%Safari Zone - WetlandLv.17FloorRate 20%NightSeafoam Islands - B1FLv.32-34GrassRate 14%Seafoam Islands - B2FLv.33-35GrassRate 14%Seafoam Islands - B3FLv.34-36GrassRate 14%Seafoam Islands - B4FLv.37-38GrassRate 14%Seafoam Islands - 1FLv.32GrassRate 10%Cerulean Cave - 1FLv.40Surfing on waterRate 10%Cerulean Cave - 2FLv.40Surfing on waterRate 10%Cerulean Cave - B1FLv.40Surfing on waterRate 10%Mt. Silver - 3FLv.48CaveRate 30%Mt. Silver - Upper mountainsideLv.48CaveRate 30%Morning/dayMt. Silver - 1F Central ChamberLv.48CaveRate 20%Mt. Silver - Upper mountainsideLv.48CaveRate 20%NightMt. Silver - 1F Upper ChamberLv.48CaveRate 10%Mt. Silver - 2FLv.48CaveRate 10%Mt. Silver - Lower mountainsideLv.51CaveRate 5%or evolve from Psyduck (Step 1)
Not landing the catch? Calculate Golduck catch rates for HeartGold & SoulSilver by ball, status, and HP.
How to Get Shiny Golduck in HeartGold & SoulSilver
Golduck cruises the Seafoam Islands and Ilex Forest waters, but a shiny comes faster from Masuda breeding. Compare Shiny Golduck odds across every game
HeartGold & SoulSilver Shiny Golduck Calculator
2 MethodsThe best route is Masuda Method, about 1 in 1,639 on each try.
Masuda Method: Breed with a parent from a different-language game. Works on any breedable line.
Full Odds: Walk through grass, surf, or fish. Every encounter is its own independent shiny roll.
How many you have done, or plan to do.
| Chance | Encounters | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 10%lucky few | 173-- | -- |
| 25%one in four | 472-- | -- |
| 50%coin flip | 1,136-- | -- |
| 90%very likely | 3,773-- | -- |
Time assumes -- at your pace and does not change your shiny odds.
How is this calculated?
Every encounter has the same shiny chance, the Shiny Odds Per Try shown above. Each one is a separate roll that does not care how many you have already done, so the more you hunt, the higher your overall chance of at least one shiny. The formula below turns your odds and your number of tries into that combined chance.
chance after N tries = 1 − (1 − p)^N, where p = 1 / odds per try
Example at 1 in 8,192 (classic full odds): about 864 encounters for a 10 percent chance, 5,678 for 50 percent, and 18,862 for 90 percent.
The table above flips that around: it shows how many encounters it takes to reach a 10, 25, 50, and 90 percent chance at your current odds. Turning on boosts like the Shiny Charm, sandwiches, or chains improves your odds, so the encounter numbers drop.
These are estimates, not promises. Most games have no pity counter, meaning no guaranteed shiny no matter how many you hunt, so even Very Likely is not guaranteed: some hunters find one early, others go well past that point.
Want exact numbers for your session? Calculate your shiny odds in HeartGold & SoulSilver with Golduck preloaded.
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.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Electric, Grass |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Water, Ice, Steel |
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
What is Golduck Weak Against
GoodBest Pokemon Against Golduck
 Parasect BugGrass | C | |
 Cacturne GrassDark | B | |
 Tangrowth Grass | C | |
 Victreebel GrassPoison | C | |
 Vileplume GrassPoison | C | |
 Ludicolo WaterGrass | C | |
 Shiftry GrassDark | C | |
 Carnivine Grass | C | |
 Meganium Grass | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Chikorita (New Bark Town Gift) | ||
 Magnezone ElectricSteel | A | |
 Raikou Electric | B | |
 Jolteon Electric | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Goldenrod City Gift) | ||
 Manectric Electric | C | |
 Ampharos Electric | C | |
Golduck Evolutions
Evolved from Psyduck. Golduck is the final form in this two-stage line. A massive partner pool for breeding via two egg groups. Eggs take an average time to hatch. 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
Breeding
Breed with Golduck to get Psyduck eggs easily using 131 partners from the Field and Water 1 egg groups. Notable egg moves include Confuse Ray, Cross Chop, Encore and 9 more.
HGSS Golduck Best Moveset
Weather disappears entirely through AbilityCloud Nine as long as Golduck is on the field, which wrecks rain and sand teams. The moveset fires special Water attacks from 95 Sp. Atk at 85 Speed, both solid enough for a fast special attacker that doubles as weather control.
Best Build
Golduck best EVs are HP and Attack
Physical Tank Moveset
- Surf
- Calm Mind
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power Grass
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
The natural movepool does the job, but Confuse Ray and Cross Chop from the egg pool give Golduck something extra. Pair those with Hydro Pump and Surf for STAB and coverage across 9 types for reach, and the kit fills out nicely.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- Egg
- Inherited via breeding.
- Tutor
- NPC tutor (cost: items, BP, money).
- Reminder
- An NPC reteaches any move this Pokemon could have learned by leveling up.
- Transfer
- Carried over from an older game using Pokemon HOME.
- Event
- Given out through Mystery Gift events.
Visual Signals
CAT (Category)
How the move deals damage and which stats it uses.
A small dot on the icon's corner marks the move as contact. That triggers abilities like Static, Flame Body, Rough Skin, or Iron Barbs, plus items like Rocky Helmet and Sticky Barb.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM, Egg, and Tutor sort by tier by default (best first). On Level-Up, click the Tier header to do the same.
PWR (Power)
Base damage. Numbers shown in a type color include STAB (base × 1.5). Hover any colored number to see the math.
— means no power (status moves) or variable power.
Sorting & Filter
Click any column header to sort. Level-Up opens with Lv 1 at the top. TM, Egg, and Tutor open with the highest-tier moves at the top.
Search filters by move name or type. The Filter button limits the list to STAB, Physical, Special, or Status moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
All 28 TMs are obtainable before the Elite Four
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
When it swims at full speed using its long, webbed limbs, its forehead somehow begins to glow.
It appears by waterways at dusk. It may use telekinetic powers if its forehead glows mysteriously.
Golduck HeartGold & SoulSilver Guide
- Where in the HeartGold & SoulSilver Safari Zone can I find Golduck?
See the Locations section above for where to find Golduck in HeartGold & SoulSilver.
Safari rules: You can only use Safari Balls. No battling. Two tactical items shift the catch/flee trade-off:
- Throw bait to keep Golduck from fleeing (flee rate cut to 1/4) but it becomes harder to catch (catch factor halved).
- Throw a rock to make Golduck easier to catch (catch factor doubled) but it flees twice as often.
- Each effect lasts 2-6 random turns; throwing one cancels the other.
In HeartGold & SoulSilver, use Golduck as a balanced. Splits damage between physical and special. Speed is middling, Surf is the primary attack.
For HeartGold & SoulSilver, run Hardy on Golduck. Fits the balanced role.
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
- Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7Let's Go
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves
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