Competitive Information for Poliwag [Black/White]
Water
Abilities:
Note: Pokemon with the Water Absorb ability are immune to Water attacks.
Movesets for Singles
What is a good competitive moveset for Poliwag? These builds have been optimized for Pokemon competing in Black/White Single Battles. The movesets and EVs have been specifically calibrated to deal the most amount of damage to the largest group of potentially common opponents and typing threats for the Black/White generation metagame.
Poliwag is a phenomenal Water-typed Pokemon. Poliwag is not a Pokemon anyone usually expects sees on the battlefield. Poliwag can be quite a contender in the LC tier (Little Cup). Poliwag's only type-related weaknesses are Electric and Grass.
Item: Life Orb / Silk Scarf
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 160 Hp / 252 Atk / 48 Def / 48 SpD
Moveset:
- Double-Edge / Frustration
- Waterfall / Dive
- Wake-Up Slap
- Dig
Physical Sweeper Poliwag (Swift Swim)
Poliwag is a stupendous Physical Sweeper. It's primary goal is to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Focus Sash helps protect Poliwag from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Life Orb boosts the power of Poliwag's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Swift Swim, if rain dance is active Poliwag's speed is doubled.
♦ Frustration is a physical 0-base power Normal-type move (max 102 power at minimum happiness).
♦ Waterfall is a physical STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move (20% chance to flinch the target).
♦ Dive is a physical STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move (dives underwater turn 1, strikes turn 2).
♦ Wake-Up Slap is a physical 60-base power Fighting-type move (power doubles if target is asleep, and wakes it).
♦ Dig is a physical 80-base power Ground-type move (digs underground turn 1, strikes turn 2).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/fs10a3c
Item: Life Orb / Mystic Water
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 160 Hp / 48 Def / 252 SpA / 48 SpD
Moveset:
- Surf / Scald
- Ice Beam / Icy Wind
- Psychic
- Round / Snore
Special Sweeper Poliwag (Swift Swim)
Poliwag is an awesome Special Sweeper. It was designed to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Focus Sash helps protect Poliwag from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Life Orb boosts the power of Poliwag's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Swift Swim, if rain dance is active Poliwag's speed is doubled.
♦ Scald is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move (30% chance to burn the target).
♦ Ice Beam is a special 95-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze the target).
♦ Icy Wind is a special 55-base power Ice-type move (100% chance to lower the foes speed by 1 stage).
♦ Psychic is a special 90-base power Psychic-type move (10% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
♦ Round is a special 60-base power Normal-type move (power doubles if others used round this turn).
♦ Snore is a special 40-base power Normal-type move (Poliwag must be asleep. 30% chance to flinch target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/fs11a3c
Movesets for Doubles
What is a good doubles moveset for Poliwag? These builds have been optimized for Black/White Double Battles. They have movesets and EVs specifically calibrated to generally work best versus multiple Pokemon at once as well as helping to support other team members and allys in the Black/White generation metagame.
Item: Life Orb / Silk Scarf
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 160 Hp / 252 Atk / 48 Def / 48 SpD
Moveset:
- Double-Edge / Frustration
- Waterfall / Dive
- Wake-Up Slap
- Dig
Doubles Physical Sweeper Poliwag (Swift Swim)
Poliwag is an astounding Physical Sweeper. It's primary goal is to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Focus Sash helps protect Poliwag from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Life Orb boosts the power of Poliwag's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Swift Swim, if rain dance is active Poliwag's speed is doubled.
♦ Frustration is a physical 0-base power Normal-type move (max 102 power at minimum happiness).
♦ Waterfall is a physical STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move (20% chance to flinch the target).
♦ Dive is a physical STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move (dives underwater turn 1, strikes turn 2).
♦ Wake-Up Slap is a physical 60-base power Fighting-type move (power doubles if target is asleep, and wakes it).
♦ Dig is a physical 80-base power Ground-type move (digs underground turn 1, strikes turn 2).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/fd10a3c
Item: Life Orb / Mystic Water
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 160 Hp / 48 Def / 252 SpA / 48 SpD
Moveset:
- Surf / Scald
- Icy Wind / Ice Beam
- Psychic
- Round / Snore
Doubles Special Sweeper Poliwag (Swift Swim)
Poliwag is an interesting Special Sweeper. The purpose of this moveset is to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Focus Sash helps protect Poliwag from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Life Orb boosts the power of Poliwag's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Swift Swim, if rain dance is active Poliwag's speed is doubled.
♦ Scald is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move (30% chance to burn the target).
♦ Icy Wind is a special 55-base power Ice-type move (100% chance to lower the foes speed by 1 stage).
♦ Ice Beam is a special 95-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze the target).
♦ Psychic is a special 90-base power Psychic-type move (10% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
♦ Round is a special 60-base power Normal-type move (power doubles if others used round this turn).
♦ Snore is a special 40-base power Normal-type move (Poliwag must be asleep. 30% chance to flinch target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/fd11a3c
Movepool
Wondering what moves can Poliwag learn? Here is the list of moves this Pokemon can learn in this selected generation.
Sort and organize the learnset by move type, category, accuracy, and power. Bolded moves will gain the same-type attack bonus (STAB) if this Pokemon uses them.
Damage Modifiers:
Combo List
These are a list of several common move combinations Poliwag can perform in Black/White. Not every combo going to be game-changing, but some can be pretty fun to play with. Sometimes these can be easily overlooked or forgotten, hence why we find and list them here. Discover what items, abilities, and moves this Pokemon can use in combination with each other to gain a strategic advantage in competitive battles.
Competitive BW Move and Ability Combos for Poliwag
- Moves: Defense curl + Ice ball
- Moves: Belly drum + Rest
- Moves: Endure + Endeavor
- Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
- Moves: Rest + Snore
- Move: Swagger + Item: Mirror Herb
- Move: Facade + Item: Flame Orb
- Move: Facade + Item: Toxic Orb
- Move: Endeavor + Item: Focus Sash
- Moves with Priority: Endure, Helping Hand, Protect
- Moves that inflict status: Scald, Hypnosis, Toxic
Moves that boost Poliwag's stats
- Belly Drum
- Defense Curl
Most notable and possible best moves for Poliwag
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Protect
- Rest
- Scald
- Toxic
Common Effort Values for Poliwag in Black and White
- Nature ( )
- Nature ( )
- Optimize Poliwag's EV spread for Pokemon Black and White
Related Videos
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