Competitive Information for Poliwhirl [Black/White]
Water
Abilities:
Movesets for Singles
What is a good competitive moveset for Poliwhirl? 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.
Poliwhirl is a sensational Water-typed Pokemon. Poliwhirl is not a Pokemon anyone usually expects sees on the battlefield. Poliwhirl's only type-related weaknesses are Electric and Grass.
Item: Eviolite / Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 168 Hp / 252 Atk / 88 SpD
Moveset:
- Double-Edge / Frustration
- Waterfall / Dive
- Earthquake / Bulldoze
- Ice Punch / Ice Ball
Physical Sweeper Poliwhirl (Swift Swim)
Poliwhirl is an interesting Physical Sweeper. It's meant to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Poliwhirl is not a Pokemon anyone usually expects sees on the battlefield until it was realized Eviolite would make it quite viable. If Eviolite is held by a Pokémon that is not fully evolved, it will raises the Defense and Special Defense of that Pokemon by 50%. Focus Sash helps protect Poliwhirl from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Life Orb boosts the power of Poliwhirl'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 Poliwhirl'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).
♦ Earthquake is a physical 100-base power Ground-type move (hits adjacent pokemon).
♦ Bulldoze is a physical 60-base power Ground-type move (100% chance lower adjacent pkmn speed by 1 stage).
♦ Ice Punch is a physical 75-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze the target).
♦ Ice Ball is a physical 30-base power Ice-type move (power doubles with each hit. repeats for 5 turns).
Item: Eviolite / Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 168 Hp / 252 SpA / 88 SpD
Moveset:
- Surf / Scald
- Ice Beam / Icy Wind
- Psychic
- Round / Snore
Special Sweeper Poliwhirl (Swift Swim)
Poliwhirl is an extraordinary Special Sweeper. The purpose of this moveset is to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Poliwhirl is not a Pokemon anyone usually expects sees on the battlefield until Eviolite was equipped. If Eviolite is held by a Pokémon that is not fully evolved, it will raises the Defense and Special Defense of that Pokemon by 50%. Focus Sash helps protect Poliwhirl from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Life Orb boosts the power of Poliwhirl'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 Poliwhirl'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 (Poliwhirl must be asleep. 30% chance to flinch target).
Item: Sitrus Berry
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Careful (+SpD, -SpA)
EVs: 252 Hp / 104 Def / 152 SpD
Moveset:
- Brick Break
- Belly Drum
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
Poliwhirl Double Wall (This Is A Brain)
Poliwhirl is a stupendous Double Wall. It's purpose is to have enough defenses and bulk to take both physical and special hits. With Water Absorb, Poliwhirl heals 1/4 of its max hp when hit by water moves; water immunity.
♦ Belly Drum is a status move (Poliwhirl loses 50% max hp; This also maximizes Poliwhirl's attack stat).
♦ Waterfall is a physical STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move (20% chance to flinch the target).
♦ Earthquake is a physical 100-base power Ground-type move (hits adjacent pokemon).
Movesets for Doubles
What is a good doubles moveset for Poliwhirl? 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: Eviolite / Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 168 Hp / 252 Atk / 88 SpD
Moveset:
- Earthquake / Bulldoze
- Double-Edge / Frustration
- Waterfall / Dive
- Ice Punch / Ice Ball
Doubles Physical Sweeper Poliwhirl (Swift Swim)
Poliwhirl is an outstanding Physical Sweeper. It is meant to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Poliwhirl is not a Pokemon anyone usually expects sees on the battlefield until equipping Eviolite became the goto option. If Eviolite is held by a Pokémon that is not fully evolved, it will raises the Defense and Special Defense of that Pokemon by 50%. Focus Sash helps protect Poliwhirl from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Life Orb boosts the power of Poliwhirl'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 Poliwhirl's speed is doubled.
♦ Bulldoze is a physical 60-base power Ground-type move (100% chance lower adjacent pkmn speed by 1 stage).
♦ Double-Edge is a physical 120-base power Normal-type move (has 33% recoil).
♦ 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).
♦ Ice Punch is a physical 75-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze the target).
♦ Ice Ball is a physical 30-base power Ice-type move (power doubles with each hit. repeats for 5 turns).
Item: Eviolite / Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 168 Hp / 252 SpA / 88 SpD
Moveset:
- Surf / Scald
- Icy Wind / Ice Beam
- Psychic
- Round / Snore
Doubles Special Sweeper Poliwhirl (Swift Swim)
Poliwhirl is a stupendous Special Sweeper. It's meant to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Poliwhirl is not a Pokemon anyone usually expects sees on the battlefield without an Eviolite attached. If Eviolite is held by a Pokémon that is not fully evolved, it will raises the Defense and Special Defense of that Pokemon by 50%. Focus Sash helps protect Poliwhirl from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Life Orb boosts the power of Poliwhirl'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 Poliwhirl'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 (Poliwhirl must be asleep. 30% chance to flinch target).
Movepool
Wondering what moves can Poliwhirl 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 Poliwhirl 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 Poliwhirl
- Moves: Belly drum + Rest
- Moves: Endure + Endeavor
- Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
- Move: Fling + Item: King's Rock
- Move: Facade + Item: Flame Orb
- Move: Facade + Item: Toxic Orb
- Move: Endeavor + Item: Focus Sash
- Moves with Priority: Endure, Protect, Helping Hand
- Moves that Break Screens: Haze, Brick Break
Optimize Poliwhirl's EVs for Black/White
Related Videos
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