In all 3 Generation 1 games, wild Geodude can be found on Mt. Moon, Rock Tunnel and Victory Road, while wild Graveler can be found on Victory Road and Unknown Dungeon (the latter only in Pokemon Yellow).
Ah, Geodude, a solid physical battler, one of the most infamous exploding Pokemon and also one suffering a bad case of double weakness against Water and Grass types. But do not fear: if you keep this Pokemon far from its weaknesses and strong special moves, you'll be rewarded with a powerful physical tank.
Rival (Cerulean City): Depending on the starter you chose, Geodude could handle the whole fight. Pidgeotto falls to Rock Throw, but it could annoy you with Sand-Attack; Rattata's Hyper Fang to make you flinch with, but other than that it's harmless, proceed to wreck with Rock Throw or the Mega Punch TM you found on Mt. Moon; Abra is there just to look pretty and do nothing; Charmander is doable, hit it with Rock Throw; avoid Squirtle and Bulbasaur.
Gym #2 - Misty (Cerulean City, Water-type): Keep your rocky companion clear from this place like it was the plague itself.
Rival (S.S. Anne): You can safely KO Pidgeotto, Raticate and Charmeleon; Kadabra might be not worth to deal with because STAB Confusion; keep avoiding Wartortle and Ivysaur.
Gym #3 - Lt. Surge (Vermilion City, Electric-type): With or without Dig, Geodude (or Graveler, if you overleveled) can solo this battle, with Sonicboom's fixed damage and Growl's attack reduction being the most annoying things to deal with.
Rival (Pokémon Tower): You know the drill with Pidgeotto; Exeggcute has nothing SE to hit you with, but Hypnosis can be a time waster; Kadabra is not worth the risk; Charmeleon and Growlithe fall to Rock Throw again; add Gyarados to the list of foes to avoid, together with Wartortle and Ivysaur.
Giovanni (Rocket Hideout, Ground-type): Rhyhorn and Onix can only scratch you, and, unless you invested Dig/Seismic Toss/Submission's TM, you can only scratch them in return; Kangaskhan is another threat whose attacks bounce off your rocky skin, so proceed to defeat it.
Gym #4 - Erika (Celadon City, Grass-type): Steer clear of this place like there was another round of plague inside.
Gym #5 - Koga (Fuchsia City, Poison-type): Proceed to Dig or Earthquake everything, careful of Weezing's Selfdestruct.
Fighting Dojo (Saffron City, Fighting-type): Graveler can actually tank crits from Machoke's Low Kick, so it can take out the trainers without much to worry about, as long as it's kept with high health. Hitmonlee will OHKO only if it crits, while Hitmonchan's Ice Punch won't do that even with a crit.
Rival (Silph Co.): You can take on Pidgeot, Exeggcute (nope, not even a STAB move on its movepool during this fight), Growlithe and Charizard with either Rock Throw or Rock Slide's TM; avoid the rest, they are too dangerous for your rocky pal.
Giovanni (Silph Co., Ground-type): Dig or Earthquake everything, kick Giovanni out of Silph and get your reward.
Gym #6 - Sabrina (Saffron City, Psychic-type): Better avoid this battle, her Pokemon have a high special stat, while Graveler/Golem doesn't.
Gym #7 - Blaine (Cinnabar Island, Fire-type): Once again, Earthquake/Dig/Rock Slide is your problem solver, just heal eventual burns and you'll be fine, just watch out for Fire Blast if you still have Graveler.
Gym #8 - Giovanni (Viridian City, Ground-type): Earthquake will take out the Rhyhorn liners and the Nidos; leave Dugtrio to another teammate because it knows Dig and Earthquake.
Rival (Route 22, pre-Elite Four): Rocks on Pidgeot, Growlithe and Charizard; Earthquake Rhyhorn; Exeggcute now has Solarbeam and keep avoiding the rest.
Elite Four Lorelei (Indigo Plateau, Ice-type): Everything outspeeds and knows a SE STAB Water or Ice move. Leave Lorelei to your teammates.
Elite Four Bruno (Indigo Plateau, Fighting-type): The two Onix fall to a couple of Earthquakes; Hitmonchan can be taken on, but be careful of Counter; avoid Hitmonlee as High Jump Kick has high damage and a crit will off you; Machamp is better left to another teammate as well because of Submission and Fissure.
Elite Four Agatha (Indigo Plateau, Poison-type): Earthquake everything, except Golbat, it is dealt with Rock Slide.
Elite Four Lance (Indigo Plateau, Dragon-type): Gyarados is a no due to Hydro Pump; the Dragonair can only touch you with Dragon Rage, so let the Earthquakes loose; Dragonite and Aerodactyl can't dent you much, so proceed with Rock Slide.
Champion Rival (Indigo Plateau): Pidgeot, Rhydon, Arcanine, Charizard and Exeggutor (whose moveset hasn't a single Grass move once again) can be faced without risks, while the rest must not be approached.
Post-Game: Look, Mewtwo has high specials, unlike you.
Rival (Cerulean City):Geodude can solo this. Rock Throw on Spearow and Mega Punch on everyone else. Sand-Attack and Hyper Fang can be annoying due to accuracy loss and flinch respectively, but nothing else.
Gym #2 - Misty (Cerulean City, Water-type): Keep your rocky companion clear from this place like it was the plague itself.
Rival (S.S. Anne): Just like in Cerulean, Geodude can solo this matchup once again. Rock Throw against Spearow and either Mega Punch/Body Slam or Dig against the rest.
Gym #3 - Lt. Surge (Vermilion City, Electric-type): Even without Dig, Raichu can't dent you, so go ahead and wreck it.
Rival (Pokémon Tower): Graveler is able to beat everyone but Shellder, since it is a great risk because of STAB Clamp being 4x effective against your rocky pal. Once again resort to Dig, Rock Throw, Mega Punch/Body Slam.
Giovanni (Rocket Hideout, Ground-type): Rhyhorn and Onix can only scratch you, and, unless you invested Dig/Seismic Toss/Submission's TM, you can only scratch them in return; Persian is another threat whose attacks bounce off your rocky skin, so proceed to defeat it.
Gym #4 - Erika (Celadon City, Grass-type): Steer clear of this place like there was another round of plague inside.
Gym #5 - Koga (Fuchsia City, Poison-type): Everyone knows Psychic and Earthquake only does neutral damage because of their typings. Better stay on the sidelines.
Fighting Dojo (Saffron City, Fighting-type): Graveler can actually tank crits from Machoke's Low Kick, so it can take out the trainers without much to worry about, as long as it's kept with high health. Hitmonlee will OHKO only if it crits, while Hitmonchan's Ice Punch won't do that even with a crit.
Rival (Silph Co.): Sandslash is a neutral matchup, proceed with Dig or Earthquake; Kadabra is not worth the risk; Cloyster and Vaporeon are a big no due to obvious reasons; Flareon, Ninetales, Magneton and Jolteon are KOed by Earthquake.
Giovanni (Silph Co., Ground-type): Dig or Earthquake everything, kick Giovanni out of Silph and get your reward (just watch out for Nidorino and Nidoqueen's Double Kick).
Gym #6 - Sabrina (Saffron City, Psychic-type): Abra can be faced with no dangers, just remember it will spam Flash. Don't battle Kadabra and Alakazam, STAB Psychic from their special can easily destroy you.
Gym #7 - Blaine (Cinnabar Island, Fire-type): Earthquake will take care of everyone, but you'll be outsped, so watch out for Flamethrower and Fire Blast (even more if you still have Graveler) and Heal when necessary (and whenever you get burned).
Gym #8 - Giovanni (Viridian City, Ground-type): Only Persian is a dangerless matchup, the others will have Earthquake for dealing with you.
Rival (Route 22, pre-Elite Four): Sandslash is a neutral matchup, proceed with Dig or Earthquake; Kadabra is not worth the risk; Exeggcute has Solarbeam, so no; Cloyster and Vaporeon are a big no due to obvious reasons; Flareon, Ninetales, Magneton and Jolteon are KOed by Earthquake.
Elite Four Lorelei (Indigo Plateau, Ice-type): Everything outspeeds and knows a SE STAB Water or Ice move. Leave Lorelei to your teammates.
Elite Four Bruno (Indigo Plateau, Fighting-type): Onix both have either Dig or Earthquake; Hitmonchan is the only safe matchup because Ice Punch coming from him will still be weak; Hitmonlee has High Jump Kick and Machamp Submission.
Elite Four Agatha (Indigo Plateau, Poison-type): The first Gengar has Mega Drain, better avoid it; Rock Slide Golbat; Earthquake Haunter (It has only Dream Eater as good damaging move, so heal when it puts you to sleep) and Arbok; avoid the second Gengar as well due to it knowing Psychic.
Elite Four Lance (Indigo Plateau, Dragon-type): Gyarados is a no due to Hydro Pump; one of the Dragonair is easy peasy, while the other knows both Bubblebeam and Ice Beam; Dragonite is a no due to Blizzard; Aerodactyl falls to Rock Slide.
Champion Rival (Indigo Plateau): Avoid Sandslash, now it knows Earthquake; Alakazam dishes out loads of damage due to your low specials; Exeggutor can be faced (guess what? No STAB moves this time), but Hypnosis and Leech Seed are going to be a nuisance; Earthquake Flareon, Ninetales, Magneton and Jolteon; Cloyster and Vaporeon remain a solid no.
Post-Game: Look, Mewtwo has high specials, unlike you.
Moves
When caught, Geodude will only know Tackle, with Defense Curl, useful to strengthen your already high defense, at level 11; level 16 brings forth its only Rock STAB, Rock Throw; at level 21 the suicidal Selfdestruct makes its appearance. After evolving, Harden is learned at level 29, not so useful since your defense is already high enough; Earthquake comes at level 36, its only Ground STAB, reliable and with great power; lastly there is Explosion at level 43, but it's another suicidal move in a challenge where fainting means death.
TM wise, Mega Punch is a very good starting option, already available on Mt. Moon, with either Strength, Body Slam or even Hyper Beam as later replacements. Dig and Rock Slide are also available, with the first being a early powerful STAB move (100 base power in G1) and the latter is the strongest Rock Type move in the game. Seismic Toss and Submission allow for more coverage and to inflict decent damage to other Rock Types. On the support side, there are the gambling Double Team, Toxic, Substitute, Rest and the situational Mimic.
Recommended moveset: Earthquake, Rock Slide, Body Slam/Strength, Dig/Seismic Toss/Submission
Recommended Teammates
Grass types: Those double weaknesses to both Water and Grass speak for themselves. Give Golem a Grass type teammate to counter Water and Grass moves and it will, in turn, deal with those pesky Bug, Flying and Fire types.
Good Pokémon that fit this description include, among others: Venusaur, Vileplume, Victreebel, Exeggutor, Parasect, Tangela
Water types: Golem takes Electric moves for them, while they easily sweep away opposing Rock and Ground types, some may even take on Grass types, provided they have access to an Ice move and aren't in danger of being taken out.
Flying types: Flying types can deal with Ground, Fighting and Grass, due to being immune to the first's STAB and hitting supereffectively the latter two. Golem, in turn, can absorb Electric attacks or simply wall strong physical moves in their stead.
Good Pokémon that fit this description include, among others: Pidgeot, Fearow, Dodrio
Specially bulky Pokemon: Golem has an extremely good physical bulk, but it's quite lacking on the special side, so Pokemon with an high special, or an high bulk overall, have very good synergy with it.
Good Pokémon that fit this description include, among others:Alakazam, Chansey, Exeggutor, Slowbro, Lapras, Hypno
Other
Geodude's stats
Stat
Range
At Lv. 50
At Lv. 100
HP:
40
100 - 147
190 - 284
Attack:
80
76 - 145
148 - 284
Defense:
100
94 - 167
184 - 328
Special:
30
31 - 90
58 - 174
Speed:
20
22 - 79
40 - 152
Total:
270
Other Pokémon with this total
Minimum stats are calculated with 0 EVs, IVs of 0, and a hindering nature, if applicable.
Maximum stats are calculated with 252 EVs, IVs of 31, and a helpful nature, if applicable.
Graveler's stats
Stat
Range
At Lv. 50
At Lv. 100
HP:
55
115 - 162
220 - 314
Attack:
95
90 - 161
175 - 317
Defense:
115
108 - 183
211 - 361
Special:
45
45 - 106
85 - 207
Speed:
35
36 - 95
67 - 185
Total:
345
Other Pokémon with this total
Minimum stats are calculated with 0 EVs, IVs of 0, and a hindering nature, if applicable.
Maximum stats are calculated with 252 EVs, IVs of 31, and a helpful nature, if applicable.
Golem's stats
Stat
Range
At Lv. 50
At Lv. 100
HP:
80
140 - 187
270 - 364
Attack:
110
103 - 178
202 - 350
Defense:
130
121 - 200
238 - 394
Special:
55
54 - 117
103 - 229
Speed:
45
45 - 106
85 - 207
Total:
420
Other Pokémon with this total
Minimum stats are calculated with 0 EVs, IVs of 0, and a hindering nature, if applicable.
Maximum stats are calculated with 252 EVs, IVs of 31, and a helpful nature, if applicable.
Geodude Line Ratings
Availability
Matchups
Movepool
Survivability
Type Usefulness
Team Role
Offensive Utility
Defensive Utility
Tankiness
Fun Factor
Overall
At what point in the game should I be evolved? If not right before Surge, be sure to have a Graveler somewhere between Route 9 and Lavender Town. If you allow trading, you can immediately trade Graveler to evolve it in Golem.
How good is the Geodude line in a Nuzlocke? Geodude and its evolutions are a must have as they perfectly fill the role of the physical tank, being able to shrug off exploding foes like it was nothing and dishing out damage in the form of STAB attacks. Just remember to not let it be targeted by Grass, Water or other strong special moves and you will gain a lifelong teammate.
Weaknesses: Ground, Ice, Fighting, Grass (x4), Water (x4)
Resistances: Flying, Normal, Fire, Rock, Poison (x0.25)
