Let’s go Tadpoling! Poliwag Community Day!

Hey, Trainers! Welcome back!
This month we have a slippery little guy starring in Community Day – Poliwag!
The date and time are Sunday, July 30th, 2:00pm till 5:00pm local time. Here are the bonuses you can expect:

1/4 Hatch Distance for Eggs placed in Incubators during event hours.

2X Catch Candy, including the chance for 2X XL Candy if you’re a Trainer level 31 and above.Photobombs!

Lure Modules and Incense launched during event times will last for 3 hours.

Poliwag themed Stickers will be available in all the usual ways you get Stickers.

For $1:00 or your local equivalent you’ll gain access to a Special Research quest: Slippery Swirls! (You may gift these Tickets to other Trainers with whom you are Good Friends or better.)

Trades will cost 50% less Stardust.

You may perform an extra Special Trade for a total of 3 up till 10:00pm.

4 Star Poliwhirl raids will launch after 5:00pm – beat one and Poliwag will spawn within 300 meters of the gym for a half hour with the same Shiny odds as during the event proper.

Poliwag will be spawning in massive numbers with the possibility of a Shiny!

Evolve your Poliwag or Poliwhirl into Poliwrath or Politoed and they will have the Community Day exclusive Attacks Counter and Ice Beam respectively.

Let’s get a good look at the star of the show!

Spotlight on Poliwag

Poliwag is a cute little Generation 1 critter and one of the most recognizable of that generation. It’s such a cute little guy! It was inspired by Satoshi Tajiri’s love of catching tadpoles when he was a kid. The swirl on its belly is inspired by the visible guts of real life tadpoles!

The Pokedex tells us this many times over – the spiral is its guts showing through its thin but flexible skin. It has trouble walking on those little blob feet so prefers to swim. It can clamp onto rocks with those big, blubbery lips to prevent itself from being washed away by faster flowing water.

Poliwhirl is actually Satoshi Tajiri’s favorite Pokemon!

Poliwrath is one of the first Pokemon who’d designs I ever had… kind of a problem with? Like. It just looks like a beefier, slightly angrier Poliwhirl. I really don’t see much need for them to be separate Pokemon, even now.

The Pokedex does something interesting with this Pokemon – It repeatedly states that Poliwrath can swim across the Pacific Ocean effortlessly. It used to be the case fairly often that real world places and animals would be named in Pokedex entries, Indian Elephants being the one most people remember. Over time, this became less and less common as the Pokemon world itself became more fleshed out. BUT, the Pacific Ocean is mentioned even as recently as Shining Pearl and Brilliant Diamond! Anyway, other than that the Pokedex just states that this ‘mon can outpace even the best human swimmers which, honestly, in a world where sand sharks can fly faster than the speed of sound and whatnot? Doesn’t sound that impressive. Their muscles never tire no matter how much they train.

But can it swim all over its enemies in Pokemon GO?

With a Max CP of 2923, Attack of 182, Defense of 184 and Stamina of 207…? Not really. It’s outclassed by better Water Types and Fighting Types both. With that Typing of Water/Fighting it’s weak to Grass, Electric, Fairy, Flying and Psychic Types while it resists a good number with Bug, Ice, Dark, Fire, Rock, Water and Steel.

In terms of Fast Attacks you have Mud Shot, Bubble and Rock Smash, the latter two of which are STAB. For Charged Attacks you have Ice Punch, Scald, Hydro Pump, Power Up Punch and Dynamic Punch, the latter three of which are STAB. The Community Day move, Counter, is also a Fighting Type move so doesn’t offer much by way of additional coverage – honestly, your better bet is to stick with Power Up Punch.

Now! Politoed is what I’m really looking forward to this time around mostly becfause LOOK AT THIS SHINY!

Peak Shiny Design. We don’t need any more. This has perfected the art form. All others are cast aside into the gently simmering flames of mediocrity before this towering behemoth of color mastery.

Maybe I’m overselling it a bit buit you gotta admit… it’s pretty great.

Anyway, the Pokedex tells us that its cries sound like shouts and bellows – nevertheless, when they can hear it, Poliwag and Poliwhirl gather to hold court for this royal frog. The hair on its head is said to impart its role as frog royalty and the longer the hair, the more Poliwag and Poliwhirl with flock to it.

Can it retain its royal status in Pokemon GO?

Again…. eh. With a Max CP of 2769, Attack of 174, Defense of 179 and Stamina of 207? Those tadpoles might be better off sticking around the dojo with Poliwrath. It’s a pure Water Type meaning it is weak to Grass and Electric Type Attacks, while it resists Fire, Water, Ice and Steel.

In terms of Fast Attacks, you have Mud Shot and Bubble (STAB) with Charged Attacks being Blizzard, Hydro Pump, Surf and Water Ball (Water) the latter 3 of which are STAB. Ice Beam is your Community Day move and it offers a faster turn-around Ice move for Grass Type coverage but not much else.

Shiny Poliwag is a slightly greener shade of blue so be careful when Shiny Hunting, Trainers! It might be easy to miss!

Thanks for joining me this month, Trainers! As always, I wish you the absolute best of luck out there! Stay cool, stay hydrated and have fun!