Utility Gliscor cements itself as one of the best defensive options in the tier thanks to its fantastic defensive typing, ability, and utility movepool. Gliscor is very good at spreading Toxic, as it forces out several common Pokemon that would otherwise absorb the move, such as Toxapex, Gholdengo, and Heatran. U-turn allows Gliscor to maintain momentum versus switch-ins such as Skarmory, Zapdos, and Ogerpon-W for more offensive teammates such as Kyurem, Ogerpon-W, and Iron Valiant that appreciate getting free switches into battle. Knock Off is a decent option to remove crucial items from Ferrothorn, Zapdos, and Moltres. However, Toxic is by far the preferred option, especially on balance teams, thanks to how challenging it is to switch into, how effective Gliscor is at racking up chip damage via forcing switches, and how good it is at spreading the status condition. Gliscor is a good entry hazard setter, as it annoys many hazard removal options like Zapdos, Great Tusk, and Terapagos with either Toxic or Knock Off should they try to switch into it. Alternatively, Gliscor is one of the tier's best Defoggers, as it can switch into hazard setters like specially defensive Garchomp, Heatran, and defensive Landorus-T with little issue and remove the hazards they set as they switch out. Protect synergizes very well with Toxic and allows Gliscor to scout Choice-locked foes such as Choice Specs Iron Valiant, Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, and Choice Band Rillaboom as well as potential Hidden Power Ice from foes like Zapdos and Landorus-T. It also combines with Poison Heal to make Gliscor shockingly hard to wear down even without a reliable recovery move. Roost gives Gliscor more reliable recovery and allows it to effectively heal off hits that do well over 50% damage, such as Moonblast from Tapu Lele and Zen Headbutt from Mega Medicham. This is preferred on sets without Toxic, but Protect's synergy with Toxic and ability to stall turns out makes it the preferred option on most balance teams. Toxic Orb allows Gliscor to activate Poison Heal, making Gliscor extremely difficult to wear down. 36 Defense EVs allow Gliscor to take an Ivy Cudgel from Ogerpon-W at full health, while the rest is dumped into Special Defense to allow Gliscor to more effectively check the likes of Heatran, Gholdengo, and Volcarona. 96 Speed EVs with a Jolly Nature can be run to allow Gliscor to outrun Timid Raging Bolt, but this significantly cuts into Gliscor's bulk and hampers its ability to check foes such as Gholdengo and Mega Diancie.

Gliscor is a staple on balance teams thanks to the defensive stability and seemingly endless utility it provides them with, but it can also fit on bulky offense thanks to its great movepool giving it a lot of flexibility. Toxapex is a premier partner for Gliscor, as it assists Gliscor in pivoting around dangerous Water- and Ice-type attacks from the likes of Urshifu-R, Terapagos, and Ogerpon-W. In return, Gliscor can check threats to Toxapex such as Raging Bolt, Heatran, and Choice Scarf Landorus-T; additionally, the two of them together are extremely challenging to wear down thanks to their unique abilities. Other Water-type partners such as Alomomola and Slowbro can help to pivot around these as well while also giving Gliscor more buffer versus threats such as Great Tusk and Dragonite, although they aren't Ogerpon-W answers. Gliscor works very well on balance teams that try to stack Spikes, as it tends to force a lot of switches; a Spikes setter such as Ferrothorn, Skarmory, or Mega Diancie works well as a result. Gliscor can also run Spikes itself if another Stealth Rock setter, such as Great Tusk, Mega Tyranitar, or Heatran works better on your team. Offensively minded teammates such as Great Tusk, Mega Lopunny, Gholdengo, and Zamazenta appreciate Gliscor getting them in safely with U-turn or wearing down defensive foes via Toxic, Knock Off, or entry hazards. Mega Lopunny and Zamazenta are notable thanks to their superior Speed tiers letting them clean up late-game after the opponent's team has been worn down, while Gholdengo can help Gliscor keep its hazards up thanks to Good as Gold blocking opposing Defog attempts.

With Swords Dance, Gliscor is able to act as a bulky setup sweeper that can overwhelm defensive teams in mid- to late-game scenarios. This is because of the valuable resistances and immunities its typing affords, its bulk, and Poison Heal, allowing it to set up in front of common Pokemon such as Raging Bolt, Landorus-T, and Heatran. Facade allows Gliscor to hit Pokemon that resist or are immune to Earthquake such as Moltres, Rillaboom, and Zapdos. Alternatively, Knock Off hits Air Balloon Gholdengo, and can remove items from counters such as Dondozo and Corviknight to support its team. Roost allows Gliscor to challenge Pokemon it likes to switch in on such as Zapdos and Gholdengo more effectively. 36 Defense EVs allow Gliscor to take an Ivy Cudgel from Ogerpon-W at full health.

Swords Dance Gliscor fits best on bulky offense and balance structures due to its ability to set up on and remove passive Pokemon like Landorus-T, Clefable, and Toxapex, but it struggles against Pokemon with immediate offensive power such as Urshifu-R, Weavile, and Ogerpon-W. Ferrothorn and Toxapex are excellent defensive partners, as they are able to check Pokemon that threaten Gliscor like Ogerpon-W, Urshifu-R, and Weavile, forcing them to switch out. They are also able to set Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes, which can grant Gliscor opportunities to switch in again due to its good matchup against entry hazard removal options such as Zapdos, Moltres and Landorus-T. Gliscor can struggle with some bulky Water-types like Dondozo and Alomomola, so the likes of Tapu Koko, Ogerpon-W and Raging Bolt are able to pressure these Pokemon. Gliscor also doesn't appreciate the presence of bulky Grass-types like Ferrothorn and Rillaboom, so Moltres, Heatran, and Raging Bolt having the ability to threaten is appreciated. Powerful offensive options such as Kyurem, Terapagos, and Ogerpon-W can easily deal with Gliscor, so reliable defensive options that can switch in on these offensive threats like Ferrothorn, Gholdengo, and Mega Venusaur are valuable partners.