[Overview]

Since Generation One's release in 1996, Poliwrath has always been at the lower end of water types in the lower tiers, but it does have many defensive advantages over a great deal of many water types. For starters, it has a greatly unique defensive typing in Water and Fighting, which, when paired with water absorb, gives it a great immunity to water, and key resistances to types such as Dark, Ice, Rock, Steel, and Bug. When paired with the good defensive stats boasted by Poliwrath, allow it to be one of the few hard counters to both Feraligatr and Suicune, as well as be a great check to Mega-Sharpedo, Entei, Krookodile, and Cobalion. It also boasts a great support movepool with moves like scald, circle throw, haze, and encore.

However, every Pokemon is not without it's fair share of problems, and for Poliwrath, they are pretty big, especially in the Underused tier, where it has to compete with a large amount of other water types such as Suicune and Swampert, which both have higher defensive stats, as well as have the ability to phaze out their opponents like Poliwrath. Poliwrath also boasts very little offensive presence, which when backed by its lack of good fighting type stab, mean it won't be fitting in offensive roles. On the defensive side, it boasts no reliable recovery outside of Rest, and its type leaves it with crippling weaknesses in Psychic, Flying, Electric, and Grass, which are all good offensive types and can be hard to cover for.

[Set]
name: Rest-talk
move 1: Rest
move 2: Sleep Talk
move 3: Scald
move 4: Circle Throw
item: Leftovers/ Rocky Helmet
ability: Water Absorb
nature: Relaxed
evs: 252 HP/ 252 Def/ 4 Spd

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
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Rest is Poliwraths only form of viable recovery, and is a necessity to have for it to be able to check physical attackers throughout the game. Sleep Talk allows Poliwrath to continue to do its job while it is asleep by either burn spreading or phazing. Scald is an important move on this set, as it is highly spammable and can cripple many physical attackers for the rest of the match. Circle Throw allows Poliwrath to be able to force out set-up sweepers and Poliwrath switch-ins, putting the opponent into an unfavorable match-up.

Set Details
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Poliwrath is able to run one of two items, the first, leftovers, give Poliwrath a form of passive recovery which allow it to stay in the match longer. The second item, Rocky Helmet, give Poliwrath a better way to check contact attackers by dealing damage upon contact. Poliwrath runs max HP and Defense to maximize it's physical defense stat to best check physical attackers in the tier. Water Absorb allows Poliwrath to become a counter to most bulky water types by absorbing the scalds that most bulky waters, like Suicune and Alomomola, tend to run as their only way to attack opponents.

Usage Tips
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Poliwrath's good defensive typing allows it to work as a good defensive check to most physical attackers in the Underused tier that can phase out dangerous set-up sweepers such as