[OVERVIEW]
Since Generation One's release in 1996, Poliwrath has always been at the lower end of Water-types in the lower tiers, but it does have several defensive advantages over many of them. For starters, it has a unique defensive typing in Water / Fighting as well as Water Absorb, giving it a great immunity to Water and resistances to powerful types such as Dark, Ice, Rock, Steel, and Bug. When paired with its good defensive stats, this allows Poliwrath to be one of the few hard counters to both Feraligatr and Suicune, and a great check to Mega Sharpedo, Entei, Krookodile, and Cobalion. It also boasts a great support movepool with moves such as Scald, Circle Throw, Haze, and Encore.
However, Poliwrath has to compete with a large number of other Water-types such as Suicune and Swampert, which both have higher defensive stats and can phaze their foes like Poliwrath can. Poliwrath also boasts very little offensive presence, which, in tandem with its lack of a good Fighting-type STAB move, means that it won't be playing any offensive roles. Defensively, it boasts no reliable recovery outside of Rest, and its typing leaves it with crippling weaknesses to Psychic, Flying, Electric, and Grass, which are all good offensive types and can be hard for its teammates to cover.
[SET]
name: RestTalk
move 1: Rest
move 2: Sleep Talk
move 3: Scald
move 4: Circle Throw
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Rest is Poliwrath's only form of reliable recovery and is a necessity to check physical attackers throughout the game. Sleep Talk allows Poliwrath to continue to do its job while it is asleep by either spreading burns or phazing the foe. Scald is highly spammable and can cripple many physical attackers for the rest of the match. Circle Throw allows Poliwrath to force out setup sweepers and switch-ins, possibly putting the opponent into an unfavorable matchup.
Set Details
========
Leftovers gives Poliwrath a form of passive recovery that allows it to stay in the match longer. Alternatively, Rocky Helmet gives Poliwrath a better way to check contact attackers by dealing damage upon contact. Poliwrath runs maximum HP and Defense EVs to maximize its physical bulk in order to check physical attackers better. Water Absorb restores Poliwrath's HP when it's hit by a Water-type move, allowing it to counter most bulky Water-types such as Suicune and Alomomola by switching into their Scald, which is usually their only damaging move.
Usage Tips
========
Poliwrath's good defensive typing allows it to work as a good defensive check to most physical attackers, phaze dangerous setup sweepers such as Dragon Dance Feraligatr and Curse Snorlax, and check some physical attackers that many other bulky Water-types can't, such as Entei, Krookodile, and Mega Sharpedo. However, Poliwrath should only be used on defensively-oriented teams due to the fact that it can easily kill momentum and doesn't deal much damage. Due to its defensive capabilities, it can force a lot of physical attackers out and can capitalize on this by either forcing out the switch-in with Circle Throw or trying to burn it with Scald.
Team Options
========
Ground- and Rock-types such as Gligar, Donphan, and Rhyperior like having Poliwrath as a partner, as it can easily force out the Water-, Ice-, and Fighting-types that threaten them. Psychic types such as Reuniclus and Cresselia appreciate Poliwrath's ability to check Steel-types, giving them chances to heal or set up. Rotom-H beats the Flying- and Grass-types that check Poliwrath, while Poliwrath checks the Water- and Rock-types that beat Rotom-H in return. Like Rotom-H, many defensive Pokemon, such as Florges, Tangrowth, Bronzong, and Mega Aggron, can form nice stall cores with Poliwrath.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Seismic Toss is an option over Circle Throw, dealing more consistent damage while losing the ability to force Pokemon out. Encore and Toxic can also be run, as the former can lock setup sweepers into their boosting moves and the latter can cripple many of Poliwrath's checks for the rest of the match. An Impish nature can be run over Relaxed to allow Poliwrath to outspeed uninvested base 65 Speed Pokemon, such as Umbreon and Vaporeon, at the cost of lowering Scald's damage output. Hypnosis is another option to lure in most of Poliwrath's counters, but it has rather shaky 60 accuracy. Ice Punch, Brick Break, and Substitute + Focus Punch can all be run as other attacking options; Focus Punch and Brick Break are more powerful STAB options, while Ice Punch can hit Grass- and Flying-types. Although gimmicky, a set with Swift Swim and Belly Drum can be run with rain support to make Poliwrath a rain sweeper.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Jellicent**: Jellicent is immune to Circle Throw and Scald by virtue of its Ghost typing and Water Absorb, respectively, allowing it to counter Poliwrath every time.
**Grass-types**: Grass-types can very easily switch into Scald and hit Poliwrath for super effective damage. Shaymin and Roserade both have Natural Cure and are unfazed by Scald burns, so they can switch out and switch back in very easily.
**Electric-types**: Most Electric-types can easily hit Poliwrath with their STAB attacks. Rotom-C gets a special mention, as it resists Scald.
**Psychic-types**: Most Psychic-types can easily switch in and force Poliwrath out or hit it with their powerful STAB attacks. Hoopa is especially notable, as it's immune to Circle Throw.
**Trick and Switcheroo Users**: Pokemon that tend to run Trick or Switcheroo with a Choice Scarf can very easily cripple Poliwrath for the rest of the match. In particular,Noivern and Chandelure come to mind, as the former can hit Poliwrath with Air Slash and the latter is immune to Circle Throw.
**Flying-types**: Most Flying-types can outspeed Poliwrath and hit it with their super effective STAB attacks.
Since Generation One's release in 1996, Poliwrath has always been at the lower end of Water-types in the lower tiers, but it does have several defensive advantages over many of them. For starters, it has a unique defensive typing in Water / Fighting as well as Water Absorb, giving it a great immunity to Water and resistances to powerful types such as Dark, Ice, Rock, Steel, and Bug. When paired with its good defensive stats, this allows Poliwrath to be one of the few hard counters to both Feraligatr and Suicune, and a great check to Mega Sharpedo, Entei, Krookodile, and Cobalion. It also boasts a great support movepool with moves such as Scald, Circle Throw, Haze, and Encore.
However, Poliwrath has to compete with a large number of other Water-types such as Suicune and Swampert, which both have higher defensive stats and can phaze their foes like Poliwrath can. Poliwrath also boasts very little offensive presence, which, in tandem with its lack of a good Fighting-type STAB move, means that it won't be playing any offensive roles. Defensively, it boasts no reliable recovery outside of Rest, and its typing leaves it with crippling weaknesses to Psychic, Flying, Electric, and Grass, which are all good offensive types and can be hard for its teammates to cover.
[SET]
name: RestTalk
move 1: Rest
move 2: Sleep Talk
move 3: Scald
move 4: Circle Throw
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Rest is Poliwrath's only form of reliable recovery and is a necessity to check physical attackers throughout the game. Sleep Talk allows Poliwrath to continue to do its job while it is asleep by either spreading burns or phazing the foe. Scald is highly spammable and can cripple many physical attackers for the rest of the match. Circle Throw allows Poliwrath to force out setup sweepers and switch-ins, possibly putting the opponent into an unfavorable matchup.
Set Details
========
Leftovers gives Poliwrath a form of passive recovery that allows it to stay in the match longer. Alternatively, Rocky Helmet gives Poliwrath a better way to check contact attackers by dealing damage upon contact. Poliwrath runs maximum HP and Defense EVs to maximize its physical bulk in order to check physical attackers better. Water Absorb restores Poliwrath's HP when it's hit by a Water-type move, allowing it to counter most bulky Water-types such as Suicune and Alomomola by switching into their Scald, which is usually their only damaging move.
Usage Tips
========
Poliwrath's good defensive typing allows it to work as a good defensive check to most physical attackers, phaze dangerous setup sweepers such as Dragon Dance Feraligatr and Curse Snorlax, and check some physical attackers that many other bulky Water-types can't, such as Entei, Krookodile, and Mega Sharpedo. However, Poliwrath should only be used on defensively-oriented teams due to the fact that it can easily kill momentum and doesn't deal much damage. Due to its defensive capabilities, it can force a lot of physical attackers out and can capitalize on this by either forcing out the switch-in with Circle Throw or trying to burn it with Scald.
Team Options
========
Ground- and Rock-types such as Gligar, Donphan, and Rhyperior like having Poliwrath as a partner, as it can easily force out the Water-, Ice-, and Fighting-types that threaten them. Psychic types such as Reuniclus and Cresselia appreciate Poliwrath's ability to check Steel-types, giving them chances to heal or set up. Rotom-H beats the Flying- and Grass-types that check Poliwrath, while Poliwrath checks the Water- and Rock-types that beat Rotom-H in return. Like Rotom-H, many defensive Pokemon, such as Florges, Tangrowth, Bronzong, and Mega Aggron, can form nice stall cores with Poliwrath.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Seismic Toss is an option over Circle Throw, dealing more consistent damage while losing the ability to force Pokemon out. Encore and Toxic can also be run, as the former can lock setup sweepers into their boosting moves and the latter can cripple many of Poliwrath's checks for the rest of the match. An Impish nature can be run over Relaxed to allow Poliwrath to outspeed uninvested base 65 Speed Pokemon, such as Umbreon and Vaporeon, at the cost of lowering Scald's damage output. Hypnosis is another option to lure in most of Poliwrath's counters, but it has rather shaky 60 accuracy. Ice Punch, Brick Break, and Substitute + Focus Punch can all be run as other attacking options; Focus Punch and Brick Break are more powerful STAB options, while Ice Punch can hit Grass- and Flying-types. Although gimmicky, a set with Swift Swim and Belly Drum can be run with rain support to make Poliwrath a rain sweeper.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Jellicent**: Jellicent is immune to Circle Throw and Scald by virtue of its Ghost typing and Water Absorb, respectively, allowing it to counter Poliwrath every time.
**Grass-types**: Grass-types can very easily switch into Scald and hit Poliwrath for super effective damage. Shaymin and Roserade both have Natural Cure and are unfazed by Scald burns, so they can switch out and switch back in very easily.
**Electric-types**: Most Electric-types can easily hit Poliwrath with their STAB attacks. Rotom-C gets a special mention, as it resists Scald.
**Psychic-types**: Most Psychic-types can easily switch in and force Poliwrath out or hit it with their powerful STAB attacks. Hoopa is especially notable, as it's immune to Circle Throw.
**Trick and Switcheroo Users**: Pokemon that tend to run Trick or Switcheroo with a Choice Scarf can very easily cripple Poliwrath for the rest of the match. In particular,Noivern and Chandelure come to mind, as the former can hit Poliwrath with Air Slash and the latter is immune to Circle Throw.
**Flying-types**: Most Flying-types can outspeed Poliwrath and hit it with their super effective STAB attacks.
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