#0061 · Kanto · Generation 1

Poliwhirl

Tadpole Pokémon · Water-type

Poliwhirl is a Water-type Pokémon, the Tadpole Pokémon, number 61 (#0061) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 1 and comes from the Kanto region. It is 1 m tall and weighs 20 kg.

Poliwhirl is the Tadpole Pokémon whose belly spiral is so hypnotic that, according to the Pokédex, people have used it instead of a lullaby to get children to sleep. It is also coated in slime, which lets it wriggle out of any grip.

How to pronounce Poliwhirl

Poliwhirl is pronounced POL-ee-wurl. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Poliwhirl said out loud:

In Japanese it is ニョロゾ (Nyorozo).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Poliwhirl is 1.0 m tall and weighs 20 kg: a blue, upright, round-bodied amphibian with bulging eyes on top of its head, white mitten-like hands and rounded, toeless feet. The black and white spiral on its belly is its internal organs seen through thin skin, and it slowly undulates. Out of water it sweats constantly, which keeps its skin slimy everywhere except over the spiral, which feels smooth.

Behaviour

Poliwhirl copes on land or in water, but it prefers freshwater ponds and lakes, where it faces fewer enemies. If grabbed, it slithers free or puts the attacker to sleep with its spiral and escapes. The Pokédex warns that its health suffers if its skin dries out.

Habitat

The Pokédex habitat is the water's edge, and Bulbapedia places it in freshwater ponds and lakes. In Scarlet and Violet it is found in Kitakami, at Fellhorn Gorge and Mossfell Confluence; it is unobtainable in Legends: Z-A.

Diet

It eats bug and fish Pokémon; the Moon Pokédex says it catches bugs on land, then carries them underwater to eat in safety.

Powers

Its Abilities are Water Absorb and Damp, with Swift Swim hidden. The spiral powers Hypnosis, and it also fights with Bubble Beam, Mud Shot and Body Slam. With 65 base HP, Attack and Defense and 90 Speed, it is a balanced, quick middle stage.

Name origin

Poliwhirl combines 'polliwog', an old word for a tadpole, and 'whirl'. Its Japanese name, Nyorozo (ニョロゾ), may blend nyoronyoro (a wriggling sound) with possibly kozō ('youngster').

Design inspiration

Poliwhirl looks like a tadpole on its way to becoming a frog, and its evolutions follow a tadpole's change into one. Its mitten-like hands appear to be gloves and, with Fighting-type Poliwrath in mind, may be boxing gloves. Early sprites and its Red and Blue art gave it separate fingers instead.

Evolution notes

Poliwhirl evolves from Poliwag at level 25. A Water Stone turns it into Poliwrath, while a trade with a King's Rock held makes Politoed.

In the games

In Scarlet and Violet, Poliwhirl is a Kitakami Pokémon, found in The Teal Mask and in 3-star Tera Raid Battles. It first appeared in Red and Green (Red and Blue outside Japan).

In the anime

By 'The Totodile Duel' Misty's Poliwag had evolved into a Poliwhirl, and it later became a Politoed. In 'Hook, Line, and Stinker' it beat Andreas's Poliwrath in a contest to catch a Seaking.

Fun facts

• Poliwhirl featured in the original logo of the Pokémon Center in Tokyo until Piplup replaced it in July 2007.
• Bulbapedia says Poliwhirl was at the centre of the cover of Time magazine's 22 November 1999 issue.
• In the Red and Green beta its English name was Aquanau, or Polihirl.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Poliwhirl (Pokémon) · Serebii: Poliwhirl (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex)

Base stats

• HP: 65
• Attack: 65
• Defense: 65
• Sp. Atk: 50
• Sp. Def: 50
• Speed: 90

Poliwhirl’s base stat total is 385. Its highest stat is Speed.

Type matchups

What is Poliwhirl weak to?

Poliwhirl takes extra damage from Electric (2×), Grass (2×) moves.

It resists Fire (½×), Water (½×), Ice (½×), Steel (½×).

Evolution

What does Poliwhirl evolve from?

Poliwhirl evolves from Poliwag at level 25.

How does Poliwhirl evolve?

Poliwhirl evolves into Poliwrath (Water Stone). Poliwhirl evolves into Politoed (Trade holding King’s Rock).

The whole family: Poliwag, Poliwhirl, Poliwrath, Politoed.

Abilities

• Water Absorb: Absorbs Water moves, healing for 1/4 max HP.
• Damp: Prevents Self-Destruct, Explosion, and Aftermath from working while the Pokémon is in battle.
• Swift Swim (hidden ability): Doubles Speed during rain.

Moves

Moves Poliwhirl learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

TM moves (45)

Poliwhirl can learn 45 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Mud-Slap, Protect, Water Pulse, Low Kick, Thief, Chilling Water, Facade, Bulldoze, Swift, Icy Wind, Mud Shot, Low Sweep, Fling, Endure, Rain Dance, Dig, Brick Break, Body Slam, Ice Punch, Sleep Talk, Waterfall, Metronome, Rest, Substitute, Liquidation, Psychic, Encore, Surf, Amnesia, Helping Hand, Earth Power, Ice Beam, Hydro Pump, Blizzard, Earthquake, Tera Blast, Haze, Focus Punch, Weather Ball, Psych Up, Double-Edge, Endeavor, Whirlpool, Muddy Water.

Egg moves (5):Endeavor, Mist, Muddy Water, Splash, Water Pulse.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
• Egg groups: Water 1.
• Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
• Catch rate: 120 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
• Growth rate: Medium Slow (1,059,860 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 2 Speed effort values.
• Base experience yield: 135.

Pokédex entries

This Pokémon's sweat is a slimy mucus. When captured, Poliwhirl can slither from its enemies' grasp and escape. (Shield)

Staring at the swirl on its belly causes drowsiness. This trait of Poliwhirl's has been used in place of lullabies to get children to go to sleep. (Sword)

Under attack, it uses its belly spiral to put the foe to sleep. It then makes its escape. (Yellow, Let’s Go, Pikachu!, Let’s Go, Eevee!)

Its health suffers when its skin dries out, so be sure to moisturize it diligently. (Ultra Moon)

Although it has become capable of living on land, it spends its time in the water, where its prey, fish Pokémon, are plentiful. (Ultra Sun)

It marches over the land in search of bug Pokémon to eat. Then it takes them underwater so it can dine on them where it's safe. (Moon)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Taller than 47% of all Pokémon (1 m).
• Heavier than 42% of all Pokémon (20 kg).
• Base stat total 385, ranked #653 of 1,025.
• One of 154 Water-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
• One of 170 blue Pokémon.
• Number 61 of 151 Pokémon introduced in Generation 1 (Kanto).
• Part of an evolution family of 4 Pokémon.
• Can learn 52 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 120: about 15.7% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 17 distinct Pokédex entries.

Sources and fact-checking

• Stats, types, abilities, moves, evolutions, forms and Pokédex entries: PokéAPI open game data.
• Lore: written by pokee.si in our own words, researched from Bulbapedia: Poliwhirl (Pokémon), Serebii: Poliwhirl (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (POL-ee-wurl): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.

Last checked: 19 October 2026. Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.

Explore

Water-type Pokémon · Kanto region guide · Water Absorb ability · Damp ability · Swift Swim ability · Compare Poliwhirl · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 1 Water-type Pokémon · Gen 1 Pokémon list · Blue Pokémon list · Water 1 egg group · Pokémon that start with P · What does the Water Stone evolve? · Frog Pokémon

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