Introduced in generation one, with the original Pokemon Red, Blue, and Green games, Goldeen is a monotype water Pokemon. It is the first stage in its two stage evolution line and evolves into Seaking once it reaches the level threshold. Goldeen is classified by the Pokedex as the “Goldfish Pokemon” which indicates its general design. This guide will showcase Goldeen’s capabilities in battle, its appearances in the anime, as well as other general facts about Goldeen.
About Goldeen
As one of the original 151 Pokemon, Goldeen first appeared in the original series of the anime in the episode Pokemon Emergency. This was the second episode of the anime and it introduced Misty and her Goldeen. Goldeen is the first stage evolution of its two stage evolution line and it evolves into Seaking when it reaches level 33. The Pokedex mentions that Goldeen’s billowing tail fin gives Goldeen the nickname of the Water Queen.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Original Series: Pokemon Emergency |
| First appearance in game | Red/Green (Japan) Red/Blue (International) |
| Region | Kanto |
| Evolution | Base evolution of Seaking, not known to evolve from any other Pokemon |
| 1st Evo level | 33 |
| 2nd Evo level | N/A |
| Pokedex Entry | Goldeen is a very beautiful Pokémon with fins that billow elegantly in water. However, don't let your guard down around this Pokémon - it could ram you powerfully with its horn. |
Goldeen Base Stats
| HP | 45 |
| ATTACK | 67 |
| DEFENCE | 60 |
| SP. ATTACK | 35 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 50 |
| SPEED | 63 |
| TOTAL | 320 |
Appearance
Goldeen is a white and orange Pokemon that resembles a goldfish. Most of its body is white with splashes of orange and a small pointed horn on its head. It has two blue eyes with black pupils and pink lips. It has a small, wavy dorsal fin on its back, and it has a long tail fin. Goldeen's billowing tail fin is admired by many for its beauty and its resemblance to a ballroom dress. Goldeen is a small Pokemon at 2 feet, or 0.6 meters, tall.
Behavior
Despite Goldeen’s goldfish-like appearance, it hates to be kept in captivity. If Goldeen is kept in an aquarium, it will use its horn to smash its way out. When Goldeen meet each other in the wild, they will fight to see whose horn is stronger. It has an aggressive temperament and trainers are told to be cautious of it in the wild. The Pokedex mentions that Goldeen will gather together and swim up waterfalls and rivers seasonally.
Strengths and Weaknesses
As the base evolution Pokemon of its evolution line, Goldeen is not particularly powerful. Its physical attack is its most powerful stat, and it has a decent speed stat for a base evolution Pokemon. However, it has a weak special attack and a low health pool, so you can knock out a Goldeen quickly. As a monotype water Pokemon, Goldeen takes 2x damage from grass and electric type moves. It has no immunities but is resistant to steel, fire, water, and ice type moves. However, it can also have the Lightning Rod ability, which makes it immune to electric type moves.
Best Moveset
As a base evolution Pokemon, Goldeen is most at home in the LC (Little Cup) bracket of competitive play. In this format, it only has to face other base evolution Pokemon, and with its ability Lightning Rod, it can help negate some electric type weaknesses on your team. Use an Eviolite or a Life Orb held item if you want to run a defensive or offensive set respectively. Consider running Waterfall, Drill Run, Knock Off, and Poison Jab/Megahorn. Waterfall benefits from STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus), Drill Run is meant to fish for critical hits, Knock Off can deal with problematic held items, and Poison Jab/Megahorn are interchangeable as type coverage options.
| Waterfall | Drill Run |
| Knock Off | Poison Jab/Megahorn |
How to Catch Goldeen in Pokemon Go?
If you would like to obtain a Goldeen in Pokemon Go, there are a few different ways of doing so. You can find Goldeen spawning in the wild, at a boosted rate, near docks, harbors, rivers, canals, oceans, beaches, and other watery areas. Goldeen can also be hatched from 2 and 5 km eggs but unfortunately, neither Goldeen or its evolution Seaking have appeared as a raid boss in the past. You will need to find a Goldeen in the wild or hatch one from eggs in order to obtain this Pokemon. It takes 50 candies to evolve Goldeen into Seaking.
Trivia
- Goldeen’s original name in the early development of Pokemon was “Goldy”
- The inspiration for Goldeen’s design seems to be based on a goldfish.
- The name Goldeen is a combination of the words goldfish and queen.
FAQ
At what level does Goldeen evolve at?
Goldeen will evolve into Seaking once it reaches level 33. There are no other special conditions to fulfill for this evolution, and Goldeen will begin to evolve into Seaking once it reaches the level threshold. You will need to allow the evolution animation to play without pressing the “B” button.
Are all Goldeen female?
Despite its feminine appearance, and the connection of the words king in Seaking and queen in Goldeen, it has a 50/50 gender ratio in the mainline games. Any Goldeen you encounter is just as likely to be female or male. It has many feminine features, such as frills and pink scales, but only half of the Goldeen you encounter will be female.
Is Goldeen a Legendary Pokemon?
Nothing about Goldeen classifies it as a legendary Pokemon. It can be encountered more than once per save file, it can be bred at a Pokemon Daycare, and it can evolve into another Pokemon. Goldeen does not qualify for any part of a legendary Pokemon, so it is not a legendary Pokemon.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this “Goldfish Pokemon”. While Goldeen’s influence on the competitive environment is somewhat limited, it is remarkable as one of the original 151 Pokemon. It can also prove to be resilient with its typing coupled with its Lightning Rod ability invalidating a super effective type. Reserve a slot on your team for Goldeen if you want a mixed defensive and offensive water type Pokemon.
