phoopes
I did it again
Taken over from pac, will edit in the comments from the previous thread soon
[OVERVIEW]
Poliwhirl is the fastest Water-type in RBY NU, which, combined with being tied with Venomoth for fastest sleeper, makes it a strong threat in the tier. The combination of Hypnosis, Amnesia, and Water typing compresses incredible, unique offensive utility. Putting Pokemon to sleep lets Poliwhirl set up Amnesia when the time is right, vastly improving its mediocre Special and immediately threatening to punch holes in the opposing team. Sleep + setup often allows it to go "two for one" against an opponent, effectively KOing foes all on its own. This strategy makes Poliwhirl a strong lead choice, as it can quickly swing momentum in your favor. However, using Poliwhirl mid- to late-game against Pokemon that are slower than it, like Nidoking, has been shown to be arguably even more effective.
Nevertheless, Poliwhirl faces a few key issues in RBY NU. Poliwhirl's reliance on its Speed means that Thunder Wave users like Mr. Mime, Clefable, and especially Electrode often force it out, the latter boasting STAB Thunderbolt and a high critical hit rate. Also, using Poliwhirl as a primary defensive Water-type is unwise: its lack of bulk means it falls quickly to neutral or even resisted attacks. Poliwhirl's typing is both a blessing and a curse, as while it combats the numerous Fire- and Ground-types of the tier effectively, it struggles versus tier staple Blastoise, especially if lacking Psychic, which has a bevy of ways to annoy or even outright beat Poliwhirl. Also, Exeggcute can threaten Poliwhirl with paralysis or sleep of its own, especially if it lacks Blizzard. Since Hypnosis and Amnesia take two moveslots, Poliwhirl is forced to choose between being walled by Exeggcute, being walled by Blastoise, or forgoing a STAB move.
[SET]
name: Amnesia Sleeper
move 1: Hypnosis
move 2: Amnesia
move 3: Psychic
move 4: Blizzard / Surf / Hydro Pump
[SET COMMENTS]
Hypnosis is Poliwhirl's claim to fame, allowing it to quickly gain momentum and to potentially set up Amnesia freely. Psychic is Poliwhirl's best option versus opposing Water-types like Blastoise and Seadra, 4HKOing both of them an Amnesia and possibly doing more with Special drops. For the final moveslot, Blizzard allows Poliwhirl to threaten Exeggcute, Dragonair, and Fearow much more effectively, having chances to OHKO all at +2, while also wielding a chance to freeze. Without a STAB move, however, Poliwhirl notably does not KO Mr. Mime at +2 Special. Thus, as an alternative, Surf can be used to reliably 2HKO or OHKO every Fire- and Ground-type, as well as 2HKOing Mr. Mime after Amnesia. Hydro Pump can also be used, as it turns 2HKOs versus the likes of Charizard, Ninetales, Arcanine, and Nidoking into OHKOs, albeit at the cost of accuracy. Generally, Psychic and Blizzard are the best options for when Poliwhirl is used as a lead, whereas a STAB move is usually only necessary outside this role.
While Poliwhirl has other options, they are typically very difficult to fit into its moveset. The most usable option is Counter, as it can do serious damage to Slash Charizard or Seismic Toss Blastoise, for example. In a lead situation against Charizard, a countered Slash allows Blizzard to KO it thereafter almost every time, providing significant early-game momentum. Rest Poliwhirl can exploit Fire Spin users like Moltres and Rapidash for sleep turns, though due to the fast-paced nature of NU, it can be hard to pull off a Rest at times. Seismic Toss can be used over a coverage move as a midground option for Blastoise and Exeggcute, hitting both for decent damage instead of picking one or the other to hit hard. Finally, Ice Beam could be used over Blizzard for more consistency, but the damage output from Blizzard usually outweighs its lower accuracy.
Poliwhirl finds itself most effective alongside tier staples such as Mr. Mime. For example, Mr. Mime can spread status and weaken opposing Mr. Mime, which often paralyze Poliwhirl. It a.lso has a strong Thunderbolt to threaten opposing Blastoise, which can annoy Poliwhirl with status, either through Body Slam paralysis or Toxic. In return, Poliwhirl deals with Golem well, which Mr. Mime has a less-than-ideal matchup against. Electrode also makes for a good partner for similar reasons to Mr. Mime. Clefable is great to absorb status that would cripple Poliwhirl and fight back by spreading its own status with Thunder Wave. Finally, Water-spam team archetypes that include Poliwhirl alongside Blastoise, Seadra, or both have also seen success.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[pac, 520967], [phoopes, 97316]]
- Quality checked by: [[Enigami, 233818], [May, 236353]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Adeleine, 517429]]
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