* Poliwrath shares its {{pkmn|category}} with {{p|Poliwag}}, Poliwhirl, and {{p|Tympole}}. They are all known as the Tadpole Pokémon.
* Poliwrath shares its {{pkmn|category}} with {{p|Poliwag}}, Poliwhirl, and {{p|Tympole}}. They are all known as the Tadpole Pokémon.
* In some illustrations, Poliwrath is depicted with four fingers instead of three.
* In some illustrations, Poliwrath is depicted with four fingers instead of three.
* Prior to [[Generation VI]], Politoed and its [[Branched evolution|evolutionary counterpart]] {{p|Poliwrath}} shared the same [[base stats]]. This changed in Generation VI when Poliwrath received a ten-point increase to its Attack, but Politoed did not receive a stat increase. It shares this counterpart difference with {{p|Dustox}}.
Poliwrath is a blue, bipedal amphibianPokémon with a round body and muscular arms. It has bulbous eyes that protrude from the top of its head and its belly is covered by a white and black swirl. There appear to be white gloves on its hands, and it has rounded, digit-less feet.
Poliwrath's body is almost entirely muscle, and the muscles in its arms and legs never tire. It also has zero percent body-fat. When it swims, it uses all of the muscles in its body and is able to swim vast distances with minimal breathing. It is even capable of briefly running on the water's surface. It can also smash through ice and plow forward using its strong arms. Poliwrath is capable of out-swimming even world-class swimmers. Poliwrath is also skilled at martial arts. It can launch powerful square punches capable of crushing boulders into dust. Many children learn how to swim by replicating Poliwrath's movement. It is one of the most gifted swimmers of all Water-type Pokémon.
Being the result of an evolution via Evolution stone, Poliwrath is rarely found in the wild. When found, it is usually seen living on dry land near the water's edge, despite it being an excellent swimmer. In Alola, Poliwrath found are strong enough to use the breaststroke while swimming.
Poliwrath debuted in Buzz Off, Electabuzz! when Red's Poliwhirl Poli evolved into it to save his Trainer from drowning. His evolution wasn't explained until the Yellow arc, where it was revealed there were four Evolution stones that could be used without any limit.
A Poliwrath appeared in Gold's fantasy after seeing Polibo evolved into Politoed in Ampharos Amore.
Chuck, Blue's own master, owns a Poliwrath, as seen in Scrappy Skarmory. It was first seen training with him and his Primeape. Together with Primeape, it used Dynamic Punch to reveal Suicune's presence in the ocean off the Cianwood coast, but the Gym Leader was defeated in the end, even after being joined by a friend.
A Poliwrath appeared alongside a Venusaur in PSs1, kidnapping Pibu.
Poliwrath's highly developed, brawny muscles never grow fatigued, however much it exercises. It is so tirelessly strong, this Pokémon can swim back and forth across the Pacific Ocean without effort.
Its highly developed muscles never grow fatigued, however much it exercises. This Pokémon can swim back and forth across the Pacific Ocean without effort.
Poliwrath's highly developed, brawny muscles never grow fatigued, however much it exercises. It is so tirelessly strong, this Pokémon can swim back and forth across the ocean without effort.
In Generation II and Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, a man in Celadon City with a Poliwrath says that he hopes that it will evolve into a frog Pokémon one day. Although the Pokémon he was thinking of is most likely Politoed, it is too late, as it is Poliwhirl, not Poliwrath, that evolves into Politoed when traded while holding a King's Rock.
An early design of Poliwrath revealed on Game Freak's official Japanese website circa 1997 depicts it wearing a crown, similar to the King's Rock, which is necessary to evolve Poliwhirl into Politoed.
Poliwrath shares its category with Poliwag, Poliwhirl, and Tympole. They are all known as the Tadpole Pokémon.
In some illustrations, Poliwrath is depicted with four fingers instead of three.
Prior to Generation VI, Politoed and its evolutionary counterpartPoliwrath shared the same base stats. This changed in Generation VI when Poliwrath received a ten-point increase to its Attack, but Politoed did not receive a stat increase. It shares this counterpart difference with Dustox.
Origin
Poliwrath is based on a glass frog. The spiral pattern on its belly is supposed to represent how the organs of these frogs and other tadpoles can sometimes be seen through their transparent skin. It may also be based on amphibian neoteny, as it stays in tadpole form and does not metamorphose into a frog. Its brawny body and newfound Fighting-type could be an interpretation of the frogs' bulky bodies and vastly heightened muscle mass and strength in comparison to the infant tadpole.
Name origin
Poliwrath may be a combination of polliwog (outdated term for tadpole) and wrath.
Nyorobon may be a combination of ニョロニョロ nyoronyoro (onomatopoeia for wriggling) and 坊 bon (boy).
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.
King's Rock (5%)
For other sprites and images, please see Poliwrath images on the Bulbagarden Archives.
