Stats & Training
Politoed's spread isn't flashy. Sp. Def leads, Speed trails, 3 stats clear the bar. Tough to catch and worth 3 Sp. Def EVs, on a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve.
The curled hair on POLITOED’s head is proof of its status as a king. It is said that the longer and more curled the hair, the more respect this POKéMON earns from its peers.
The curled hair on POLITOED’s head is proof of its status as a king. It is said that the longer and more curled the hair, the more respect this POKéMON earns from its peers.
Politoed Weakness
Type-wise, Politoed takes extra damage from Electric and Grass. It resists 4 types, giving it decent defensive coverage. Water Absorb grants an additional Water immunity, reshaping the matchup chart. Politoed's special bulk (base 100 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Electric, Grass |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Water, Ice, Steel |
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
In Ruby & Sapphire, Magneton can KO Politoed with Thunderbolt (96-113%).
 Magneton ElectricSteel | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityMagnetpull ItemMagnet NatureModest Moves
Damage vs Politoed View Magneton builds →Thunderbolt 2x96-113%KO | ||
 Breloom GrassFighting | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityEffect Spore ItemLeftovers NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Politoed View Breloom builds →Mach Punch26-31% | ||
Ruby & Sapphire Evolution
Politoed is one of 2 ways Poliwhirl's chain can end. This one takes the trade route, while the siblings go different directions. Breed through Poliwag to get eggs. Poliwrath has 10 more total stats, but Politoed makes up for it with a stronger Sp.Def gain (+60 from Poliwag). View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Politoed to get Poliwag eggs easily using 58 partners from the Water1 egg group. Notable egg moves include Bubble Beam, Haze, Ice Ball and 4 more.
Ruby & Sapphire Politoed Best Moveset
This build takes hits and hits back. Leftovers provides passive recovery each turn, Waterabsorb supports the gameplan, and max Sp. Atk and Speed EVs mean Politoed doesn't crumble to chip damage. Plus Dark coverage backing it up.
Best Build
Politoed best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Ice Beam
- Hydro Pump
- Hypnosis
- Thief
Recommended Teammates
Moves
The egg pool carries weight here. Bubble Beam and Haze aren't available any other way for Politoed, and they meaningfully change what it threatens. Stack those on top of Surf and Dive for solid options.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
How to Get Politoed in Ruby & Sapphire
Politoed can't be caught in Ruby & Sapphire. Transfer Poliwag from Red and evolve through the 3-stage chain to get it. The step cards below map the full chain.
Politoed Guide
In Ruby & Sapphire, Don't let Politoed's 500 base stat total fool you. Drizzle is what makes it tick. It punches way above its weight class. We rate it C-Tier. Ice Beam with Leftovers is the standard set.
In Ruby & Sapphire, Run Drizzle on Politoed. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Politoed also gets Water Absorb and Damp, but they don't compare.
In Ruby & Sapphire, Politoed fills the balanced role. It's a special attacker with base 90 Sp. Atk. Base 70 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. And it's enough bulk to take a hit or two.
For Ruby & Sapphire, the core moveset is Ice Beam, Hydro Pump, Hypnosis, and Thief. Ice Beam leads at 23% usage. This set covers the balanced role with a mix of damage and utility.
Game Availability
Politoed has been available in 17 games since Gold & Silver, though obtaining it requires a trade evolution. This extra step makes it less common than Pokemon found through standard wild encounters.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 2GSDebut
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves