Rock 'n' Roll!
Golem@Weakness Policy
Adamant nature
Sturdy
252 Attack/252 Speed/4 HP
~Rock Polish
~Earthquake
~Rock Slide/Stone Edge
~Fire Punch/Sucker Punch
This set turns Golem's numerous weaknesses into an asset with the help of Sturdy and Weakness Policy. Use Rock Polish on the same turn the enemy uses one of many attacks Golem is weak to, that's the equivalent of a Shell Smash, minus the stat drops, right there. And from there, you sweep. Earthquake and Rock Slide are for STAB (Rock Slide can be replaced with Stone Edge if you're feeling like taking risks... well, more risks than usual, considering you'd be using Golem). Fire Punch is for extra coverage, though if whether it's from Generation VI isn't an issue, Sucker Punch is its only priority option, could be useful against enemies packing priority moves of their own.
Item and Ability help raise Golem's Attack.
Don't Take Golem For Granite
Golem@Custap Berry
Adamant nature
Sturdy
252 Attack/252 HP/4 Sp. Def
~Stealth Rock
~Explosion
~Earthquake
~Roar/Stone Edge
This is a suicide lead- basically, lead with Golem. Set up Stealth Rock, enemy attacks, likely activating Sturdy because lol Rock/Ground as a defensive typing. And then, Custap Berry kicks in, and suddenly you're packing priority Explosion. Or Earthquake or Stone Edge, if you think either one of those moves will have a bigger impact on whatever enemy you might be up against. Roar is also something to consider, get the Stealth Rock damage rolling. Get it? Rock? Rolling? Ehh, forget it, I already did that pun. Anyway, though, Roar's an option worth putting in there, even if only as filler- let's face it, Stealth Rock and Explosion are the stars of this set.
Item and Ability have been covered.
Other options:
*Golem gets Autotomize, which is basically the offspring of Rock Polish and a diet plan. It's actually worth considering over Rock Polish if you're looking to reduce the damage Golem's gonna take from Low Kick. Grass Knot, on the other hand, that's a whole other swarm of Yanma right there. If you think Golem using Autotomize is gonna stop Grass Knot from killing it to death, you got another think coming. Then again, by the time Golem gets to use the move, odds are Sturdy will have kicked in already, so breeding for Autotomize should really only be a matter of one of the parents you chose just happening to know that move.
*Considering how much time Golem will be spending with 1 HP, Flail's an option worth considering, especially on the Custap Berry set, but then, you know it's only gonna get one shot at attacking before getting KO'd anyway, and Explosion is just stronger, so yeah. I mean, maybe if you fear Damp, but let's be honest here- nobody in their right mind runs that travesty of an Ability anymore!
*Golem gets Heavy Slam and is fat enough to pull it off, but it gets good coverage as it is- no real need to stoop to Steel moves. Leave the Heavy Slamming to Mega Steelix.
*If you don't mind transferring up from a Generation III game, Counter's not a bad option to use with Sturdy. That said, any Trainer worth their salt knows to target Golem's Special Defense whenever possible, so this might not be a wise option.
Abilities:
*Rock Head: Golem does not sustain recoil damage from moves that inflict it, except for Struggle or Shadow Rush in Colosseum. Life Orb recoil is still applied, as well as crash damage from Jump Kick and High Jump Kick. Not a bad Ability in and of itself, but Golem's only recoil move is Double-Edge, and you'll notice from the first set I posted that it's got solid coverage without any Normal moves. Yeah, no.
*Sturdy: If Golem is at full health and takes a hit that ought to OHKO it, it instead survives with 1 HP. Moves that automatically OHKO targets outright fail against it. This does not prevent Golem from OHKOing itself with a move like Self-Destruct or Explosion. Easily Golem's best Ability, considering the agonizingly common 4x weaknesses and the subpar Special Defense. This should be the only Ability of Golem's you should seriously consider, ever.
*Sand Veil: Golem's Hidden Ability. Golem's evasiveness is boosted by one level during a sandstorm. Pretty underwhelming for a Hidden Ability if you ask me. Stick with Sturdy.
Partners:
Golem's gonna lure in special attackers like nobody's business, so you might wanna be packing something that can take special attacks. Chansey and Blissey are well suited for such a role. Oh, and Rapid Spin support is a must if your Golem's not a lead- those pesky entry hazards screw with Sturdy, and if Sturdy's lost, Golem's more screwed than a Shedinja in a Hippowdon nest.
Counters:
Got Mold Breaker and Aqua Tail? You're a Golem counter. Packing Bullet Seed or Water Shuriken? You're a Golem counter. Special attacks in general? You're a Golem counter.
Opinion:
Golem's a classic. Not the best, but it's pretty cool.
Prediction for next week:
Seviper.