Competitive Information for Poliwhirl [Ruby/Sapphire]
Water
Abilities:
Prevents Explosion and Self-Destruct while this Pokemon is active.
This Pokemon heals 1/4 of its max HP when hit by Water moves; Water immunity.
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Note: Pokemon with the Water Absorb ability are immune to Water attacks.
Movesets for Singles
Looking for a competitive moveset for Poliwhirl? These builds are optimized for Ruby/Sapphire Single Battles. The movesets and EVs are designed to maximize damage against common opponents and threats in the Ruby/Sapphire metagame. Check out the expert movesets below to boost your battle performance and dominate your opponents!
Discover Poliwhirl, an awesome Pokémon with Water attributes! Poliwhirl is not a Pokémon anyone usually expects to see on the battlefield. Its only type-related weaknesses are Electric and Grass. Ready to elevate your game with Poliwhirl's movesets? They're right below!
Item: Shell Bell / Silk Scarf
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Double-Edge / Return
- Earthquake / Dig
- Brick Break / Seismic Toss
- Defense Curl
For those intense single battles, Poliwhirl is a stupendous Physical Sweeper. This moveset focuses to overwhelm foes with devastating physical attacks. In the old days prior to Generation IV, a move's damage category was determined by its type. The Shell Bell item option is to help Poliwhirl recover from the recoil damage it may take from Double-Edge. With Water Absorb, Poliwhirl heals 1/4 of its max hp when hit by water moves; water immunity. With a Silk Scarf equipped to it, Poliwhirl's normal-type attacks have 1.1x power.
◆ Return is a physical 0-base power Normal-type move (max 102 power at maximum happiness).
◆ Earthquake is a physical 100-base power Ground-type move (hits adjacent pokemon. Power doubles on dig).
◆ Dig is a physical 60-base power Ground-type move (digs underground turn 1, strikes turn 2).
◆ Brick Break is a physical 75-base power Fighting-type move (destroys screens, even if the target is immune).
◆ Seismic Toss is a physical 0-base power Fighting-type move (does damage equal to your Poliwhirl's level).
◆ Defense Curl is a status move (raises your Poliwhirl's defense by 1 stage).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/caa3d
Item: Mystic Water
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Surf / Waterfall
- Ice Beam / Ice Punch
- Psychic
- Thief
For single battles, Poliwhirl is a dazzling Special Sweeper. It attempts to take down the opponent's team with brute special power. Don't forget before Generation IV, a move's damage category was determined by its type. With Water Absorb, Poliwhirl heals 1/4 of its max hp when hit by water moves; water immunity. With a Mystic Water equipped to it, Poliwhirl's water-type attacks have 1.1x power.
◆ Waterfall is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move that deals a large amount of damage.
◆ Ice Beam is a special 95-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze the target).
◆ Ice Punch is a special 75-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).
◆ Thief is a special 40-base power Dark-type move (if your Poliwhirl has no item, it steals the target's).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/cba3d
Item: Sitrus Berry
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Careful (+SpD, -SpA)
EVs: 252 Hp / 104 Def / 152 SpD
Moveset:
- Brick Break
- Belly Drum
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
Prepare for single battles with Poliwhirl as a prestigious Double Wall. It is meant to balance defenses for both physical and special attacks. Prior to Generation IV, a move's damage category was determined by its type. The Sitrus Berry will restore 1/4th of Poliwhirl's max HP when it reaches below half health and gets consumed. 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 special STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move that deals a hefty amount of damage.
◆ Earthquake is a physical 100-base power Ground-type move (hits adjacent pokemon. Power doubles on dig).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/cca3d
Movesets for Doubles
Need a strong doubles moveset for Poliwhirl? These builds are perfect for VGC (Pokémon Video Game Championship) and other competitive Ruby/Sapphire Double Battles. The VGC is the ultimate test of strategy and skill, and these movesets and EVs are designed to excel against multiple opponents at once while providing essential support to your team. Dominate the Ruby/Sapphire metagame with these expert-crafted setups!
Item: Shell Bell / Soft Sand
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Earthquake / Dig
- Double-Edge / Return
- Brick Break / Seismic Toss
- Defense Curl
For double battles, Poliwhirl is a renowned Physical Sweeper. This moveset was created to crush rivals using powerful physical attacks. Remember prior to Generation IV, a move's damage category was determined by its type. The Shell Bell item option is to help Poliwhirl recover from the recoil damage it may take from Double-Edge. With Water Absorb, Poliwhirl heals 1/4 of its max hp when hit by water moves; water immunity. With a Soft Sand equipped to it, Poliwhirl's ground-type attacks have 1.1x power.
◆ Dig is a physical 60-base power Ground-type move (digs underground turn 1, strikes turn 2).
◆ Double-Edge is a physical 120-base power Normal-type move (has 1/3 recoil).
◆ Return is a physical 0-base power Normal-type move (max 102 power at maximum happiness).
◆ Brick Break is a physical 75-base power Fighting-type move (destroys screens, even if the target is immune).
◆ Seismic Toss is a physical 0-base power Fighting-type move (does damage equal to your Poliwhirl's level).
◆ Defense Curl is a status move (raises your Poliwhirl's defense by 1 stage).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/daa3d
Item: Mystic Water
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Surf / Waterfall
- Icy Wind / Ice Beam
- Psychic
- Thief
Prepare for double battles with Poliwhirl as a high-quality Special Sweeper. The intention of this moveset is to take down the opponent's team with intense special attacks. Remember before Generation IV, a move's damage category was determined by its type. With Water Absorb, Poliwhirl heals 1/4 of its max hp when hit by water moves; water immunity. With a Mystic Water equipped to it, Poliwhirl's water-type attacks have 1.1x power.
◆ Waterfall is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move that deals a decent amount of damage.
◆ 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).
◆ Thief is a special 40-base power Dark-type move (if your Poliwhirl has no item, it steals the target's).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/dba3d
Movepool
Want to know what moves Poliwhirl can learn? Check out the full list of moves available in the Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire generation.
Sort and organize the learnset by type, category, accuracy, and power. Moves in bold get the same-type attack bonus (STAB) when used by Poliwhirl.
Damage Modifiers:
Combo List
These are a list of several common move combinations Poliwhirl can perform in Ruby/Sapphire. 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 RS Move and Ability Combos for Poliwhirl
- Moves: Defense curl + Ice ball
- Moves: Belly drum + Rest
- Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
- Moves: Rest + Snore
- Move: Swagger + Item: Mirror Herb
- Move: Facade + Item: Flame Orb
- Move: Facade + Item: Toxic Orb
- Moves with Priority: Endure, Protect
- Moves that Break Screens: Brick Break
- Moves that inflict status: Hypnosis, Toxic
Moves that boost Poliwhirl's stats
- Belly Drum
- Defense Curl
Most notable and possible best moves for Poliwhirl
- Earthquake
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Protect
- Rest
- Toxic
Common Effort Values for Poliwhirl in Ruby and Sapphire
Usage Data
Explore the latest analytical usage data for this Pokémon from various VGC and online competitions. We use this data to develop our strategies and movesets. The data is categorized by competition and skill level: top-ranking trainers, mid-level players, and entry-level players.
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