Politoed's stats are solid on their own, but Drizzle is what pushes it over the line. It sets rain on switch-in. Only weak to Electric and Grass. A competitive option since Gen 2. It needs some investment to avoid getting outsped.
Politoed's spread isn't flashy. Sp. Def leads, Speed trails, 3 stats clear the bar. Tough to catch and worth 3 Sp. Def EVs, on a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve.
Whenever three or more of these get together, they sing in a loud voice that sounds like bellowing.
If POLIWAG and POLIWHIRL hear its echoing cry, they respond by gathering from far and wide.
Politoed Weakness
GoodType-wise, Politoed takes extra damage from Electric and Grass. It resists 4 types, giving it decent defensive coverage. Water Absorb grants an additional Water immunity, reshaping the matchup chart. Politoed's special bulk (base 100 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
Politoed is one of 2 ways Poliwhirl's chain can end. This one takes the trade route, while the siblings go different directions. Breed through Poliwag to get eggs. Poliwrath has 10 more total stats, but Politoed makes up for it with a stronger Sp.Def gain (+60 from Poliwag).
How to Evolve
Breed with Politoed to get Poliwag eggs easily using 58 partners from the Water1 egg group. Notable egg moves include Bubble Beam, Haze, Ice Ball and 4 more.
This build takes hits and hits back. Leftovers provides passive recovery each turn, Waterabsorb supports the gameplan, and max Sp. Atk and Speed EVs mean Politoed doesn't crumble to chip damage. Plus Dark coverage backing it up.
Best Build
Best Politoed Moveset
- Ice Beam
- Hydro Pump
- Hypnosis
- Thief
Recommended Teammates
The egg pool carries weight here. Bubble Beam and Haze aren't available any other way for Politoed, and they meaningfully change what it threatens. Stack those on top of Hydro Pump and Surf for solid options.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Reminder Moves
Politoed's 3-stage chain starts with Poliwag, which appears at solid rates in the locations below. Level through 3 stages while you find a trade partner. Everything except the trade step is solo.
How to Obtain Politoed in FireRed & LeafGreen
Poliwag is your first catch on the way to Politoed. You'll find fishing encounters from Lv. 5-30 across 78 total spots in the chain.
Step 1Catch PoliwagEASYCape BrinkLeafGreenGood RodLv.5-15CommonEarlyEASYCape BrinkFireRedGood RodLv.5-15CommonEarlyEASYCerulean Cave - 1FLeafGreenGood RodLv.5-15CommonEarlyCaveEASYCerulean Cave - 1FFireRedGood RodLv.5-15CommonEarlyCaveEASYCerulean Cave - B1FFireRedGood RodLv.5-15CommonEarlyCaveEASYCerulean Cave - B1FLeafGreenGood RodLv.5-15CommonEarlyCaveEASYFour IslandFireRedGood RodLv.5-15CommonEarlyWaterEASYFour IslandLeafGreenGood RodLv.5-15CommonEarlyWaterEASYFuchsia CityFireRedGood RodLv.5-15CommonEarlyCityEASYFuchsia CityLeafGreenGood RodLv.5-15CommonEarlyCityEASYIcefall Cave - 1F Room 1FireRedGood RodLv.5-15CommonEarlyCaveEASYIcefall Cave - 1F Room 1LeafGreenGood RodLv.5-15CommonEarlyCaveEASYRoute 22LeafGreenGood RodLv.5-15CommonEarlyRouteEASYRoute 22FireRedGood RodLv.5-15CommonEarlyRouteEASYRoute 23LeafGreenGood RodLv.5-15CommonEarlyRouteEASYRoute 23FireRedGood RodLv.5-15CommonEarlyRouteEASYRoute 25FireRedGood RodLv.5-15CommonEarlyRouteEASYRoute 25LeafGreenGood RodLv.5-15CommonEarlyRouteEASYRoute 6FireRedGood RodLv.5-15CommonEarlyRouteEASYRoute 6LeafGreenGood RodLv.5-15CommonEarlyRouteEASYRuin ValleyFireRedGood RodLv.5-15CommonEarlyEASYRuin ValleyLeafGreenGood RodLv.5-15CommonEarlyEASYViridian CityFireRedGood RodLv.5-15CommonEarlyCityEASYViridian CityLeafGreenGood RodLv.5-15CommonEarlyCityEASYCape BrinkFireRedSuper RodLv.15-25CommonEarlyEASYCape BrinkLeafGreenSuper RodLv.15-25CommonEarlyEASYCerulean Cave - 1FLeafGreenSuper RodLv.15-25CommonEarlyCaveEASYCerulean Cave - 1FFireRedSuper RodLv.15-25CommonEarlyCaveEASYCerulean Cave - B1FLeafGreenSuper RodLv.15-25CommonEarlyCaveEASYCerulean Cave - B1FFireRedSuper RodLv.15-25CommonEarlyCaveEASYFour IslandFireRedSuper RodLv.15-25CommonEarlyWaterEASYFour IslandLeafGreenSuper RodLv.15-25CommonEarlyWaterEASYIcefall Cave - 1F Room 1FireRedSuper RodLv.15-25CommonEarlyCaveEASYIcefall Cave - 1F Room 1LeafGreenSuper RodLv.15-25CommonEarlyCaveEASYRoute 22LeafGreenSuper RodLv.15-25CommonEarlyRouteEASYRoute 22FireRedSuper RodLv.15-25CommonEarlyRouteEASYRoute 23LeafGreenSuper RodLv.15-25CommonEarlyRouteEASYRoute 23FireRedSuper RodLv.15-25CommonEarlyRouteEASYRoute 25FireRedSuper RodLv.15-25CommonEarlyRouteEASYRoute 25LeafGreenSuper RodLv.15-25CommonEarlyRouteEASYRoute 6FireRedSuper RodLv.15-25CommonEarlyRouteEASYRoute 6LeafGreenSuper RodLv.15-25CommonEarlyRouteEASYRuin ValleyFireRedSuper RodLv.15-25CommonEarlyEASYRuin ValleyLeafGreenSuper RodLv.15-25CommonEarlyEASYViridian CityLeafGreenSuper RodLv.15-25CommonEarlyCityEASYViridian CityFireRedSuper RodLv.15-25CommonEarlyCityMODERATEBerry ForestFireRedGood RodLv.5-15UncommonEarlyForestMODERATEBerry ForestLeafGreenGood RodLv.5-15UncommonEarlyForestMODERATESafari Zone - CenterFireRedGood RodLv.5-15UncommonEarlyFacilityMODERATESafari Zone - CenterLeafGreenGood RodLv.5-15UncommonEarlyFacilityMODERATESafari Zone - EastLeafGreenGood RodLv.5-15UncommonEarlyFacilityMODERATESafari Zone - EastFireRedGood RodLv.5-15UncommonEarlyFacilityMODERATESafari Zone - NorthLeafGreenGood RodLv.5-15UncommonEarlyFacilityMODERATESafari Zone - NorthFireRedGood RodLv.5-15UncommonEarlyFacilityMODERATESafari Zone - WestLeafGreenGood RodLv.5-15UncommonEarlyFacilityMODERATESafari Zone - WestFireRedGood RodLv.5-15UncommonEarlyFacility
Step 2Catch or Evolve PoliwhirlEASYCape BrinkLeafGreenSuper RodLv.20-30CommonMidEASYCape BrinkFireRedSuper RodLv.20-30CommonMidEASYCerulean Cave - 1FFireRedSuper RodLv.20-30CommonMidCaveEASYCerulean Cave - 1FLeafGreenSuper RodLv.20-30CommonMidCaveEASYCerulean Cave - B1FLeafGreenSuper RodLv.20-30CommonMidCaveEASYCerulean Cave - B1FFireRedSuper RodLv.20-30CommonMidCaveEASYFour IslandLeafGreenSuper RodLv.20-30CommonMidWaterEASYFour IslandFireRedSuper RodLv.20-30CommonMidWaterEASYIcefall Cave - 1F Room 1LeafGreenSuper RodLv.20-30CommonMidCaveEASYIcefall Cave - 1F Room 1FireRedSuper RodLv.20-30CommonMidCaveEASYRoute 22LeafGreenSuper RodLv.20-30CommonMidRouteEASYRoute 22FireRedSuper RodLv.20-30CommonMidRouteEASYRoute 23LeafGreenSuper RodLv.20-30CommonMidRouteEASYRoute 23FireRedSuper RodLv.20-30CommonMidRouteEASYRoute 25LeafGreenSuper RodLv.20-30CommonMidRouteEASYRoute 25FireRedSuper RodLv.20-30CommonMidRouteEASYRoute 6LeafGreenSuper RodLv.20-30CommonMidRouteEASYRoute 6FireRedSuper RodLv.20-30CommonMidRouteEASYRuin ValleyLeafGreenSuper RodLv.20-30CommonMidEASYRuin ValleyFireRedSuper RodLv.20-30CommonMidEASYViridian CityLeafGreenSuper RodLv.20-30CommonMidCityEASYViridian CityFireRedSuper RodLv.20-30CommonMidCityor evolve from Poliwag (Step 1)
Step 3Politoed ✓
Don't let Politoed's 500 base stat total fool you. Drizzle is what makes it tick — it punches way above its weight class. We rate it C-Tier.
Run Drizzle on Politoed. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Politoed also gets Water Absorb and Damp, but they don't compare.
Politoed fills the balanced role. It's a special attacker with base 90 Sp. Atk. Base 70 Speed is workable — faster than some, slower than many. And it's enough bulk to take a hit or two.
Politoed appears in 17 games, including Gold & Silver, Crystal, and Ruby & Sapphire.
Politoed has been available in 17 games since Gold & Silver, though obtaining it requires a trade evolution. This extra step makes it less common than Pokemon found through standard wild encounters.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRB
Red & Blue - Gen IIGSDebut
Gold & Silver - Gen IIC
Crystal - Gen IIIRS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen IIIFRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen IIIE
Emerald - Gen IVPt
Platinum - Gen IVHGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen IVDP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen VBW
Black & White - Gen VB2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen VIXY
X & Y - Gen VIORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen VIIUSUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen VIISM
Sun & Moon - Gen VIILGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen VIIISwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen VIIIPLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen VIIIBDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen IXSV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen IXLZA
Legends: Z-A