Poliwrath is a powerful dual-type Water/Fighting Pokémon introduced in Generation I. Known as the Tadpole Pokémon, it evolves from Poliwhirl when exposed to a Water Stone. Poliwrath's body is composed almost entirely of muscle, with nearly zero percent body fat, making it exceptionally strong and heavy. This muscular physique allows Poliwrath to swim tirelessly across vast distances, even capable of crossing the Pacific Ocean without rest. In the Alola region, Poliwrath are known for their strong breaststroke technique, which many children imitate to learn how to swim.
Despite being an excellent swimmer, Poliwrath typically spends most of its time on land. It can briefly run on the water's surface and use its powerful arms to smash through drift ice when swimming in cold seas. Poliwrath is not only skilled in swimming but also in martial arts, capable of delivering powerful punches that can turn huge boulders to dust. Its impressive strength and endurance make it a formidable Pokémon both in and out of water.
Pokédex Data
- Height: 1.3 m (4'03")
- Weight: 54.0 kg (119.0 lbs)
- Type: Water/Fighting
- Abilities: Water Absorb, Damp, Swift Swim (Hidden Ability)
- Classification: Tadpole Pokémon
Breeding
- Egg Groups: Water 1
- Gender Ratio: 50% male, 50% female
- Base Happiness: 70
Pokédex Entries Across Versions
- Red/Blue: An adept swimmer at both the front crawl and breast stroke. Easily overtakes the best human swimmers.
- Yellow: Swims powerfully using all the muscles in its body. It can even overtake champion swimmers.
- Sun: Poliwrath in the Alola region are strong swimmers that use the breaststroke. Many children learn to swim by imitating Poliwrath.
- Moon: Its percentage of body fat is nearly zero. Its body is entirely muscle, which makes it heavy and forces its swimming prowess to develop.
- Sword: Its body is solid muscle. When swimming through cold seas, Poliwrath uses its impressive arms to smash through drift ice and plow forward.
- Shield: Poliwrath is skilled at both swimming and martial arts. It uses its well-trained arms to dish out powerful punches.
Evolutions
Poliwag (Level 25) → Poliwhirl (Water Stone) → Poliwrath
Habits and Additions Across Generations
- In Generation I, Poliwrath had a base Special stat of 70, which was later split into Special Attack and Special Defense.
- From Generation II onwards, Poliwrath gained the ability to evolve into Politoed when traded while holding a King's Rock, providing an alternative evolution path.
- In Generation III, Poliwrath's base Attack stat was increased from 85 to 95, making it a more formidable physical attacker.
- The addition of abilities in Generation III gave Poliwrath access to Water Absorb and Damp, with Swift Swim becoming its hidden ability in later generations.
- In Generation VI, Poliwrath gained a slight boost to its base stat total, increasing from 500 to 510.