Competitive Information for Poliwhirl [Sword/Shield]
Water
Abilities:
Note: Pokemon with the Water Absorb ability are immune to Water attacks.
Movesets for Singles
What is a good competitive moveset for Poliwhirl? These builds have been optimized for Pokemon competing in Sword/Shield 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 Sword/Shield generation metagame.
Poliwhirl is a remarkable 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: Focus Sash / Choice Band
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Double-Edge / Body Slam
- Waterfall / Dive
- Earthquake / Bulldoze
- Ice Punch
Physical Sweeper Poliwhirl (Water Absorb)
Poliwhirl is a marvelous Physical Sweeper for single battles. It's primary goal is to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Focus Sash helps protect Poliwhirl from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Choice Band will increase the damage of Poliwhirl's physical moves by 1.5x at the cost of locking you into the first move you pick. With Water Absorb, Poliwhirl heals 1/4 of its max hp when hit by water moves; water immunity.
◆ Body Slam is a physical 85-base power Normal-type move (30% chance to paralyze the target).
◆ Waterfall is a physical STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move (20% chance to make the target flinch).
◆ 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 Pokemon speed by 1 stage).
◆ Ice Punch is a physical 75-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze the target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is10a3d
Item: Focus Sash / Choice Specs
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Surf / Scald
- Earth Power / Mud Shot
- Ice Beam / Icy Wind
- Psychic
Special Sweeper Poliwhirl (Water Absorb)
Poliwhirl is a notable Special Sweeper for single battles. It is designed to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Focus Sash helps protect Poliwhirl from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Choice Specs will increase the damage of Poliwhirl's special moves by 1.5x but will lock you into the first move you pick. With Water Absorb, Poliwhirl heals 1/4 of its max hp when hit by water moves; water immunity.
◆ Scald is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move (30% chance to burn the target. Thaws target).
◆ Earth Power is a special 90-base power Ground-type move (10% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
◆ Mud Shot is a special 55-base power Ground-type move (100% chance to lower the target's speed by 1 stage).
◆ Ice Beam is a special 90-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).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is11a3d
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 an extraordinary Double Wall for single battles. It's meant to have enough defenses and bulk to take both physical and special hits. 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 physical STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move (20% chance to make the target flinch).
◆ Earthquake is a physical 100-base power Ground-type move (hits adjacent pokemon).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is12a3d
Movesets for Doubles
What is a good doubles moveset for Poliwhirl? These builds have been optimized for Sword/Shield 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 Sword/Shield generation metagame.
Item: Focus Sash / Choice Band
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Earthquake / Bulldoze
- Ice Punch / Double-Edge
- Waterfall / Dive
- Brick Break / Seismic Toss
Doubles Physical Sweeper Poliwhirl (Water Absorb)
Poliwhirl is a notable Physical Sweeper for double battles. It's designed to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Focus Sash helps protect Poliwhirl from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Choice Band will increase the damage of Poliwhirl's physical moves by 1.5x at the cost of locking you into the first move you pick. With Water Absorb, Poliwhirl heals 1/4 of its max hp when hit by water moves; water immunity. Ice Punch was added to provide additional threat coverage.
◆ Bulldoze is a physical 60-base power Ground-type move (100% chance lower adjacent Pokemon speed by 1 stage).
◆ Ice Punch is a physical 75-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze the target).
◆ Double-Edge is a physical 120-base power Normal-type move (has 33% recoil).
◆ Waterfall is a physical STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move (20% chance to make the target flinch).
◆ Dive is a physical STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move (dives underwater turn 1, strikes turn 2).
◆ Brick Break is a physical 75-base power Fighting-type move (destroys screens, unless the target is immune).
◆ Seismic Toss is a physical 0-base power Fighting-type move (does damage equal to your Poliwhirl's level).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/id10a3d
Item: Focus Sash / Choice Specs
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Surf / Scald
- Icy Wind / Ice Beam
- Earth Power / Mud Shot
- Psychic
Doubles Special Sweeper Poliwhirl (Water Absorb)
Poliwhirl is an outstanding Special Sweeper for double battles. It's designed to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Focus Sash helps protect Poliwhirl from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. Choice Specs will increase the damage of Poliwhirl's special moves by 1.5x but will lock you into the first move you pick. With Water Absorb, Poliwhirl heals 1/4 of its max hp when hit by water moves; water immunity.
◆ Scald is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Water-type move (30% chance to burn the target. Thaws 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 90-base power Ice-type move (10% chance to freeze the target).
◆ Earth Power is a special 90-base power Ground-type move (10% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
◆ Mud Shot is a special 55-base power Ground-type move (100% chance to lower the target's 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).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/id11a3d
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 Sword/Shield. 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 SS Move and Ability Combos for Poliwhirl
- Moves: Belly drum + Rest
- Moves: Endure + Endeavor
- Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
- Moves: Rest + Snore
- Move: Swagger + Item: Mirror Herb
- Move: Fling + Item: King's Rock
- Move: Facade + Item: Flame Orb
- Move: Facade + Item: Toxic Orb
- Move: Endeavor + Item: Focus Sash
- OHKO Combo - Moves: Mind Reader + Fissure
- Moves with Priority: Detect, Endure, Helping Hand, Protect
- Moves that Break Screens: Brick Break
- Moves that inflict status: Scald, Hypnosis, Toxic
Moves that boost Poliwhirl's stats
- Amnesia
- Belly Drum
- Curse
- Defense Curl
- Power-Up Punch
- Skull Bash
Most notable and possible best moves for Poliwhirl
- Earthquake
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Protect
- Rest
- Scald
- Toxic
Common Effort Values for Poliwhirl in Sword and Shield
- Adamant Nature ( 0/252/0/0/0/252 )
- Modest Nature ( 0/0/0/252/0/252 )
- Optimize Poliwhirl's EV spread for Pokemon Sword and Shield
Related Videos
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