Although a Golisopod's claws are famously sharp, and their armor equally hard, this alone does not place them among Alola's strongest pokemon. Golisopod, after all, are not known for their endurance; their armor is heavy enough to constrain their movement, and it is easy for any pokemon to find weak spots if given enough time to observe them at close range.
Golisopod's true strength is as much in their fiercely competitive spirit as in their actual blades. Although they rarely fight, they spend their days watching pokemon move and meditating beneath the sea, constantly pondering past battles and devising a plan of attack. Consequently, this naturally slow species of pokemon has become famous for the efficacy with which they enter battles, getting the drop on species as fast as Ninjask and Talonflame, and often knocking out foes before they can strike back. Should this be insufficient to win, Golisopod have not lost a Wimpod's talent for running away – but rather than flee forever, they bide their time for another single, decisive strike.
Some of ancient Ransei's samurai saw the Golisopod as a model for emulation, while others, especially in periods of relative peace, considered their tactics antithetical to their vision of a fair fight. Golisopod often served as the training partners of battoujutsu sword masters. Should a samurai be wounded in a fight where he drew his sword too slowly, he would often be punished by being forced to care for the lord's Golisopod, in the hope that he would learn something by watching one.
In this peaceful age, where pokemon trainers take turns and announce their presence between a fight begins, the use of Golisopod seems dishonorable in polite society – but then again, the most famous outcast of Alola's "polite society" has found in his Golisopod a beloved companion.