Mid-stage Pokemon like Poliwhirl rarely see competitive play outside of special formats. It's a waypoint on the road to Poliwrath, which is where the real potential kicks in. An original Gen 1 pick. Sits at a decent but contested Speed tier.
Speed and HP carry most of Poliwhirl's stat budget. Sp. Atk's the obvious dump stat. Common in the wild and yields 2 Speed EVs. Follows a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve.
The spiral pattern on its belly subtly undulates. Staring at it gradually causes drowsiness.
Poliwhirl Weakness
GoodElectric and Grass-type moves hit Poliwhirl for super-effective damage. 4 resistances help offset the weaknesses. Water Absorb grants an additional Water immunity, reshaping the matchup chart.
From here, Poliwhirl's line branches into Poliwrath and Politoed. That's 2 possible evolutions, each with its own method. So far, HP got the biggest boost (+25 from Poliwag). The final form adds another 125 stats on top.
How to Evolve
Breed with Poliwhirl to get Poliwag eggs easily using 84 partners from the Water1 egg group.
Eviolite makes Poliwhirl bulkier than you'd expect from something that still evolves. Max Attack and Speed EVs with Jolly nature handle the stat profile. Ground coverage keeps it from being passive.
Best Build
Best Poliwhirl Moveset
- Belly Drum
- Liquidation
- Earthquake
- Protect
Recommended Teammates
Level-up moves are just the starting point for Poliwhirl. TMs unlock Ground and Normal coverage and more and turn a straightforward STAB kit around Hydro Pump and Muddy Water into something with actual range.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Poliwhirl is meant to evolve into Poliwrath. At 385 BST, the stats aren't there for competitive play yet. Pre-evolution Pokemon rarely hold up against fully evolved threats.
Swift Swim is what you want on Poliwhirl. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Water Absorb, Damp) work on paper but Swift Swim is what makes Poliwhirl worth using.
Base 90 Speed is workable — faster than some, slower than many. On offense, Poliwhirl is a mixed attacker — base 65 Attack and 50 Sp. Atk.
Poliwhirl appears in 20 games, including Yellow, Red & Blue, and Gold & Silver.
One of the original 151, Poliwhirl has appeared in 20 games — nearly every mainline game. From Red & Blue through the latest titles, it's rarely been left out of a regional Pokedex.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen IIGS
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