Poliwrath - Crossing the gap between Mexiduck and Glion

[Pneuma]

http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-dp/062.shtml

Defenses: 90/95/90
Offenses: 85/70/70
Absorbs: Water (eats it up numnum)
Resists: Fire, Ice, Dark, Steel, Bug, Rock
Weak to: Grass, Electric, Psychic, Flying

There have been a few discussions over him recently, not more than 5 posts in each and all of them were along the lines of "refer to the ADV standards."
Lately I've been looking into an anti-bulky water not named Ludicolo and I realized how perfectly Poliwrath fits the bill:
-Absorbs any Surf or Hydro Pump; gives him an AMAZING switch-in.
-Can status with Hypnosis.
-Resists Megahorn and Stone Edge from Heracross.
-Resists Crunch and Stone Edge from T-Tar.
-Resists Ice Beam. Along with Surf means he eats bulky waters alive.

BOLD is STAB.
Physical Movepool:
-Focus Punch
-Brick Break
-Dynamic Punch
-Waterfall
-Ice Punch
-Earthquake
-Poison Stab
-Rock Slide
-Return/Frustration
-Facade

Special Movepool:
-Surf
-Focus Bomb
-Ice Beam
-Blizzard
-Psychic

Support Movepool:
-Hypnosis
-Toxic
-Belly Drum
-Substitute
-Rest
-Sleep Talk
-Bulk Up
-Endeavor
-Haze
-Endure
-Protect
-Double Team


Sets:
Subpuncher
@LifeOrb/Lefties
-Substitute
-Focus Punch
Two from: Waterfall, RockSlide, Hypnosis, Ice Punch

Give this pokemon one specific strategy: Switch into a bulky water and Subpunch the switch "for free." Rock/Water/Fight hits a lot of things. With proper EVs, he can survive Manaphy's Grass Rope (due to low BP and 90/90 defenses) and hit back for some respectable damage.

Bellydrum
@Salac
-Substitute
-Belly Drum
-BrickBreak
-RockSlide/Waterfall

Very slight modification. Drop one attack for the ability to Drum up. Will likely be the most prominent Wrath should you come across one. Switches in on a Surf, subs/sleeps, drums, gets salac. Gets a nice 800-1000 attack depending on nature and IVs/EVs. Can rely on Rock Slide instead of HP Rock in D/P, thankfully. Kill it with a Jolteon, Aerodactyl, Ninjask, or a Double Attacker.

Resttalk
@Lefties
-Rest
-Talk
-Waterfall
-BrickBreak

If he stays UU, this kills a lot of things due to his unique resists. Probably won't last defensively outside of that environment though.

Team Player
@Wet Rock
-Rain Dance
-Substitute
-Waterfall/Toxic
-Hypnosis/Haze

He has better options but he can set up Rain Dance very well.
=


Against Manaphy, he can switch in on the Surf and Sub up with any set. Same with Suicune (who needs 2-3 CMs to do 50% with Ice beam). Against the Waterfall/IceFang variant Gyarados he can Rock Slide after Ice Fang fails to break his Sub.

All around a good anti-metagame pokemon.

 

[Misty]

Needs Ice Punch from Advance.

There's a whole lot to say about Poliwrath, some of it good, some of it not so much. Rock Slide is a necessity, or Gyarados will come in all day. Barring a CB set, Ice Punch is your only hope against Garchomp. Then you've got your Water and Fighting moves... Of course, Poliwrath doesn't really learn great Fighting moves (lol, Submission). Waterfall/Ice Punch/Rock Slide/Hypnosis, I guess would be the way to go. :]

 

[the voice of reason]

As special as my relationship with poliwrath is (it was the first pokemon I ever saw, on a package of cereal, back in 1998 ), if I want an anti-bulky-water that isn't named Ludicolo, I'd just go with Lapras.

On a second thought, it is still a very nice anti-bulky-water, so I would consider it, especially as it could theoretically shock opponents with either AG sets or CB sets. I know that almost no one would put AG on Poliwrath, but as I've frequently said, a well-placed surprise is excellent for catching your opponent with their pants around their ankles.

Edit: Ps, you left out hydro pump in the special movepool.

 

[CPU]

IMO as awesome as its attacking potential is, I'd just go defensive due to the fact that it forces Heracross to resort to lowering its Defense, leaving it open to an attack.
Poliwrath
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Careful/Sassy
EVs: 252 HP, 228 SpcDef, 16 Def, 12 Atk
-Substitute
-Bulk Up
-Waterfall
-Rock Slide
Annoying to take down, and the attack type combo isn't resisted by much.

And Damp should be given some consideration- it can stop Metagross/Azelf/etc from blowing up on your team if you lack a Ghost.

 

[Ayrton.nS)]

Yea its cool

Poliwrath@leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: +Att/-Spd
EVs: 252 HP, 200 Atk, 56 Sdef
-Focus Punch
-Substitute
-Waterfall
-Hypnosis

for me.

 

[Brock †]

Hypnosis
Belly Drum
Substitute/Ice Punch
Water Fall

There may be some Wtaer Absorbers in UU, ie: Lapras/other Poliwraths/Toads, but this will deal pretty nice damage and Sleep an opponent. Salac is very nice as well, its almost like a Water Charizard.

Ice=grass/dragons/grounds/flying

Water= fire/ground/rock

yes, it can be walled by waters, but with Water Absorb, it can really stand its own ground, as Ice beams wont hit it much, and BDrum will make up for its power. You could use Bbreak for handling Rocks/Normals/Steels/Darks/Ice (Lapras is a good Poliwrath counter w/o BBreak) and gain stab, its up to you, but Salac + SUb is a more guaranteed way to make it a usable sweeper.