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.
At nightfall, these Pokémon appear on the shores of lakes. They announce their territorial claims by letting out cries that sound like shouting.
The cry of a male is louder than that of a female. Male Politoed with deep, menacing voices find more popularity with the opposite gender.
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 |
 Leafeon Grass | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityChlorophyll ItemLife Orb NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Politoed View Leafeon builds →Knock Off30-35% | ||
 Stunfisk GroundElectric | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityStatic ItemLeftovers NatureCalm Moves View Stunfisk builds →
| ||
 Kartana GrassSteel | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityBeastboost ItemChoice Scarf NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Politoed View Kartana builds →Knock Off30-36% | ||
 Rotom ElectricGhost | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityLevitate ItemAssault Vest NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Politoed View Rotom builds →Dark Pulse18-22% Discharge 2x55-65% Hex22-27% | ||
Sword & Shield 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 81 partners from the Water1 egg group. Notable egg moves include Endeavor, Haze, Mind Reader and 3 more.
Sword & Shield Politoed Best Moveset
Nothing fancy here. Politoed builds around Sitrus Berry for a one-time health recovery at low HP, Modest nature for the right stat lean, and max HP and Sp. Atk EVs. Drizzle does its job quietly.
Best Build
Politoed best EVs are Sp. Atk and HP
Doubles Special Tank Moveset
- Icy Wind
- Scald
- Helping Hand
- Protect
Recommended Teammates
Wall Moveset
- Encore
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Rest
Recommended Teammates
Support Moveset
- Ice Beam
- Scald
- Encore
- Toxic
Recommended Teammates
Moves
The egg pool carries weight here. Endeavor and Haze aren't available any other way for Politoed, and they meaningfully change what it threatens. Stack those on top of Hydro Pump and Muddy Water for solid options.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
How to Get Politoed in Sword & Shield
The chain to Politoed requires a trade evolution through a trade. Catch Poliwag at solid rates and level through the stages, but line up the trade first. The rest of the chain runs on levels alone.
How to Obtain Politoed in Sword & Shield
To get Politoed, start by catching Poliwag through walking and surfing encounters at Lv. 13-45. The chain covers 1 catchable stage before reaching the final form.
Step 1Catch PoliwagBrawlers' CaveShieldOverworld Lv.13-18 Cave16%EarlyNormal WeatherBrawlers' CaveSwordOverworld Lv.13-18 Cave16%EarlySnowingBrawlers' CaveSwordOverworld Lv.13-18 Cave16%EarlyRainingBrawlers' CaveSwordOverworld Lv.13-18 Cave16%EarlyOvercastBrawlers' CaveSwordOverworld Lv.13-18 Cave16%EarlyNormal WeatherBrawlers' CaveShieldOverworld Lv.13-18 Cave16%EarlyThunderstormBrawlers' CaveShieldOverworld Lv.13-18 Cave16%EarlyIntense SunBrawlers' CaveShieldOverworld Lv.13-18 Cave16%EarlySnowingBrawlers' CaveShieldOverworld Lv.13-18 Cave16%EarlyRainingBrawlers' CaveSwordOverworld Lv.13-18 Cave16%EarlyThunderstormBrawlers' CaveShieldOverworld Lv.13-18 Cave16%EarlyOvercastBrawlers' CaveSwordOverworld Lv.13-18 Cave16%EarlyIntense SunBrawlers' CaveShieldSurfing on water Lv.40-45 Cave50%LateAll WeatherBrawlers' CaveSwordSurfing on water Lv.40-45 Cave50%LateAll Weather
Step 2Evolve into Poliwhirl
Step 3Politoed ✓
Politoed Guide
In Sword & Shield, 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 B-Tier. Icywind with Sitrus Berry is the standard set.
In Sword & Shield, 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 Sword & Shield, 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 Sword & Shield, the core moveset is Icywind, Scald, Helpinghand, and Protect. Icywind leads at 19% usage. Scald provides reliable STAB damage.
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