Politoed Best Moveset
AbilityDrizzle sets rain on entry, enabling AbilitySwift Swim and boosting Water moves across the team. Held ItemDamp Rock extends rain to 8 turns. NatureModest at 90 Sp. Atk fires Water TermStab boosted by its own rain. The moveset is a team enabler that also contributes offensively. B-Tier for the rain it provides, not the damage it deals.
Solid Water-type with Hypnosis and decent Sp. Def in Gen II (Gold & Silver). Not flashy, but reliable as a bulky Water option.
Utility Moveset
- Belly Drum
- Earthquake
- Lovely Kiss
- Hidden Power Bug
Recommended Teammates
Water Absorb gave it a Water immunity in Gen III (Ruby & Sapphire). Politoed worked as a defensive pivot but couldn't separate itself from other Water-types.
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Ice Beam
- Hydro Pump
- Hypnosis
- Thief
Recommended Teammates
Outclassed by bulkier or more offensive Water-types in Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl). Fine but rarely the right pick over Suicune, Swampert, or Vaporeon.
Bulky Support Moveset
- Protect
- Perish Song
- Surf
- Whirlpool
Recommended Teammates
Drizzle changed everything in Gen V (Black & White). Permanent rain boosted Water moves, enabled Swift Swim sweepers, and weakened Fire. Politoed didn't need to attack. Just switching in changed the game.
Best Moves
Best Build
Politoed best EVs are HP and Defense
Wall Moveset
- Scald
- Encore
- Protect
- Toxic
Recommended Teammates
Drizzle nerfed to five turns in Gen VI (X & Y). Without permanent rain, Politoed lost its entire reason to exist on a team. The drop was immediate.
Wall Moveset
- Scald
- Toxic
- Encore
- Rest
Recommended Teammates
Pelipper got Drizzle too in Gen VII (Sun & Moon) and had better offensive utility with Hurricane. Politoed wasn't even the best rain setter anymore.
Wall Moveset
- Scald
- Toxic
- Protect
- Encore
Recommended Teammates
Three straight gens at the bottom in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). Politoed existed solely as a worse Pelipper for rain teams.
Support Moveset
- Ice Beam
- Scald
- Encore
- Toxic
Recommended Teammates
Bounced back in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet) with Encore and Toxic support. Five-turn rain was enough when the team was built to maximize those turns.
Special Tank Moveset
- Ice Beam
- Weather Ball
- Encore
- Earth Power
Recommended Teammates
Politoed Weakness
Type-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.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Electric, Grass |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Water, Ice, Steel |
What is Politoed Weak Against
GoodBest Pokemon Against Politoed
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityLibero ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Politoed View Cinderace builds →U Turn23-28% Sucker Punch23-28% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityFlame Body ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Politoed View Moltres builds →Flamethrower10-12% U Turn15-18% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityDrought ItemHeatrock NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Politoed View Torkoal builds →Rapid Spin9-11% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityFlashfire ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves View Heatran builds →
| ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityDrought ItemHeatrock NatureTimid Moves View Ninetales builds →
| ||
Evolution
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). View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Politoed to get Poliwag eggs easily using 114 partners from the Water1 egg group.
How to Get Politoed
A trade step sits in Politoed's 3-stage chain from Poliwag. The step cards below map each stage with catch locations and evolution methods. Poliwag shows up at moderate rates, so the starting catch is the easy part.
How to Obtain Politoed in SV
The path to Politoed starts with Poliwag at Lv. 7-60 via walking encounters. 2 catchable stages total, with locations listed for each one below.
Step 1Catch PoliwagFellhorn GorgeLv.7-60OverworldKitakami RoadLv.7-60OverworldMossfell ConfluenceLv.7-60OverworldRevelers RoadLv.7-60Overworld
Step 2Catch or Evolve PoliwhirlFellhorn GorgeLv.25-60OverworldMossfell ConfluenceLv.25-60Overworldor evolve from Poliwag (Step 1)
Step 3Politoed ✓BREEDINGAvailableLeave a compatible parent at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Politoed egg.
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 BDSP
Poliwag is your first catch on the way to Politoed. You'll find walking, surfing, and more encounters from Lv. 10-63 across 34 total spots in the chain.
Step 1Catch PoliwagRoute 225Lv.10-25Good RodRate 35%Route 227Lv.20-30Surfing on waterRate 30%Route 228Lv.20-30Surfing on waterRate 30%Fountainspring CaveLv.58-63CavePost-gameGrassland CaveLv.58-63CavePost-gameRiverbank CaveLv.58-63CavePost-gameStill-Water CavernLv.58-63CavePost-gameSunlit CavernLv.58-63CavePost-game
Step 2Catch or Evolve PoliwhirlRoute 225Lv.30-55Super RodRate 35%Route 227Lv.40-55Surfing on waterRate 70%Route 228Lv.40-55Surfing on waterRate 70%Route 225Lv.40-50Surfing on waterRate 30%Fountainspring CaveLv.58-63CavePost-gameGrassland CaveLv.58-63CavePost-gameRiverbank CaveLv.58-63CavePost-gameStill-Water CavernLv.58-63CavePost-gameSunlit CavernLv.58-63CavePost-gameor evolve from Poliwag (Step 1)
Step 3Politoed ✓
The chain to Politoed requires a trade evolution through a trade. Catch Poliwag at solid rates and level through the stages, but line up the trade first. The rest of the chain runs on levels alone.
How to Obtain Politoed in SwSh
To get Politoed, start by catching Poliwag through walking and surfing encounters at Lv. 13-45. The chain covers 1 catchable stage before reaching the final form.
Step 1Catch PoliwagBrawlers' CaveLv.13-18OverworldRate 16%ThunderstormBrawlers' CaveLv.13-18OverworldRate 16%RainingBrawlers' CaveLv.13-18OverworldRate 16%OvercastBrawlers' CaveLv.13-18OverworldRate 16%Intense SunBrawlers' CaveLv.13-18OverworldRate 16%Normal WeatherBrawlers' CaveLv.13-18OverworldRate 16%SnowingBrawlers' CaveLv.40-45Surfing on waterRate 50%All Weather
Step 2Evolve into PoliwhirlBREEDINGAvailableLeave Politoed with a compatible partner at the Pokemon Day Care to receive a Poliwhirl egg.
Step 3Politoed ✓
The chain to Politoed requires a trade evolution through a trade. Catch Poliwag at solid rates and level through the stages, but line up the trade first. The rest of the chain runs on levels alone.
Where To Catch Politoed in USUM
To get Politoed, start by catching Poliwag through walking and surfing encounters at Lv. 14-28. The chain covers 3 catchable stages before reaching the final form.
Step 1Catch PoliwagBrooklet Hill - NorthLv.14-17Surfing on waterRate 40%Brooklet Hill - SouthLv.14-17Surfing on waterRate 40%Brooklet Hill - NorthLv.14-17GrassRate 20%Brooklet Hill - SouthLv.14-17GrassRate 20%
Step 2Catch or Evolve PoliwhirlMalie GardenLv.25-28GrassRate 20%Malie GardenLv.25-28GrassRate 10%SOS chain (rain)or evolve from Poliwag (Step 1)
Step 3Politoed ✓Malie GardenLv.25-28GrassRate 1%NightSOS chain (rain)or evolve from Poliwhirl (Step 2)
Base Stats
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.
At nightfall, these Pokémon appear on the shores of lakes. They announce their territorial claims by letting out cries that sound like shouting.
Politoed Guide
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.
Politoed is obtained by trade-evolving Poliwhirl. Catch or evolve a Poliwhirl first, then trade. Trade needs a Game Boy Advance link cable and a second GBA running another Gen 3 game (FireRed, LeafGreen, Ruby, Sapphire, or Emerald). Trade Poliwhirl to a friend, then have them trade it back. The 2026 Switch re-release supports the same trade through local wireless on the Pokemon Center 2F Wireless Club, with no cables required. The Kings Rock must be held during the trade. Bring one over from a sibling Gen 3 game if needed.
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.
Game Availability
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.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GSDebut
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves