Pokemon: Close Combat/Poliwrath

Poliwrath slaps quickly.

• Poliwrath's main combo starter and quickest button to challenge
• Buffer the move out of prejump to restagger your plus frames

Poliwrath slaps again.

• Gives an extra hit to confirm with
• Converts into Power-Up Punch to gain stacks off of an empty River Dive

Poliwrath chops the space in front of it, knocking the opponent out of the sky.

• Best anti-air option, though its meterless reward is lacking
• Extremely advantageous, allowing Poliwrath to continue pressure afterwards
• Tons of active frames, hitting late into the animation will allow Poliwrath's frame advantage to skyrocket
• Allows for a link into 2AA in the corner
• High pushback, pushes Poliwrath out of throw range on block and fails to link on thinner characters in Whirlpool combos

Poliwrath punches forward.

• Staple combo ender when cancelled into Power-Up Punch
• Best all-around poke
• Combos into Whirlpool on CH, or when cancelled into 5B cc

Poliwrath kicks at the opponent's feet.

• Essential pressure button, useful in strike-throw & preventing the opponent from holding up-back

Poliwrath kicks again, knocking the opponent down.

• Poliwrath's traditional sweep; builds meter, but is unsafe
• Has 5 extra frames of startup if 2A is cancelled in its first 2 active frames

Poliwrath slips and slides on its belly nearly fullscreen.

• Slides under many projectiles
• Good burst option when the opponent is distracted by your zoning
• Poliwrath's closest knockdown when spaced, allowing for (Eternal) Whirlpool oki
• Can be made safe on block by hitting with the tip of its range, or by placing a hazard behind the opponent
• Side switches for most of its active frames; denies back rolls and steals the corner, but can also corner Poliwrath

Poliwrath kicks forward in midair.

• Standard jump-in
• Juggles well from air-to-air jB
• Can cross up

Poliwrath bellyflops towards the ground.

• Can cross up more easily than j5A
• Usually minus on block and unable to combo on hit despite the frame data

Poliwrath shoots water jets from its hands, propelling it backward.

• Anti-airs surprisingly well, great way to protect yourself while running away midscreen
• Punishable on hit and block when Poliwrath is cornered

Poliwrath makes a finger gun and shoots a bubble.

• Advantage assumes done point blank
• 5B travels fast, while 4B travels slowly and lasts longer
• 4B is a key neutral tool for Poliwrath to walk behind when taking space
• Resets pressure or combos into Whirlpool on C-Cancel

Poliwrath lunges forward with a huge uppercut.

• Key combo ender, able to be confirmed from 5AA or 6A
• Halfscreen anti-air at max power, good synergy with 5B & 4A
• Landing a hit causes Poliwrath to flex, gaining a stock of Power-Up (up to a maximum of four )
• If Poliwrath lands the move when it's at the maximum number of stacks, it heals 3 Endurance instead
• Damage & distance traveled increases with each stock of Power-Up
• Stocks carry over between rounds
• The post-move flex is not performed on block or C Cancel
• The super cancel is a late cancel performed right after Poliwrath puts its foot down during the flex
• Cancelling into Bubble Blast still gives Poliwrath a Power-Up stack

Poliwrath spins on the spot, summoning a whirlpool beneath it.

• Great follow up after C-Cancelling 6C or 5B
• If Poliwrath is hit before the animation completes, the whirlpool will disappear

Poliwrath's whirlpool churns on the ground.

• Incredible pressure tool, with multiple low hits for the opponent to deal with
• Pulls the opponent towards the origin of the whirlpool on hit, opening up new midscreen combo routes
• Poliwrath can end its whirlpool combo with meter gain/recovery, Power-Up Punch, or spend 1 bar to loop using C-Cancelled 5B
• Will end early if it damages the opponent on the third hit

Poliwrath dives into its whirlpool, swimming underneath the stage.

• Get-out-of-jail option to escape bad positioning, but requires whirlpool to utilize
• Excellent left/right mix
• Has some recovery post-teleport, making it easier for the opponent to challenge if done close-by
• Startup range is shortest to longest possible
• Can be performed from the air, but will have increased startup due to additional time diving
• Poliwrath does not need to be above its whirlpool to dive
• Resurface early by pressing up

Poliwrath breaches after diving with a massive uppercut.

• Can hit cross-up
• Very unsafe on block, but a great surprise tool when your opponent attempts to attack/jump over the teleport
• Startup range is shortest to longest possible
• Damage increases with each stock of Power-Up, though only at four stacks does it do more damage than 5AA 6B

Poliwrath bounces off a bubble it creates in mid-air.

• Changes Poliwrath's air momentum, making it stall and bounce forward
• Poliwrath is fully actionable after recovery, allowing for further pressure
• Huge hitbox, this move is a fantastic air-to-air and anti-air bait
• Juggle afterwards enables easy combos into j5A

Poliwrath creates a large bubble in mid air that drifts slowly forwards before falling to the ground.

• Covers jump-ins for a long period similar to Scrafty's Air Balloon, but is destroyed by projectiles

Poliwrath lunges forward with a huge uppercut.

• Causes Poliwrath to flex, gaining a stock of Power-Up (up to a maximum of four )
• Unlike 6B, the post-move flex is always performed, regardless of condition
• Damage and distance travelled increases with each stock of Power-Up
• Easy to jump over but extremely plus when C-Cancelled making it high risk/high reward
• Cancelling into Bubble Blast still gives Poliwrath a Power-Up stack

Poliwrath spins on the spot, summoning a long-lasting whirlpool beneath him.

Poliwrath's whirlpool churns on the ground.

• Functionally identical to the meterless version on hit
• On block, however, it turns into an amazing pressure tool easily allowing for 4A guard breaks
• Slightly faster, allowing you to combo it out of 5B CC or meaty it after 6B, 623B and River Dive Punch

Poliwrath extends his palm and shoots a stream of water, leaving three bubbles behind.

• The three lingering bubbles drift slowly upward and can be used in stylish combos
• These bubbles pop after 252 frames

Poliwrath hypnotizes the opponent, then wakes them up with a slap.

• Poliwrath's key combo starter when C-Cancelled
• Destroys existing whirlpool on grab

Poliwrath spins with the opponent and tosses them backwards.

Poliwrath spins with the opponent and tosses them forward.

• Deals 4 damage and gains 0 meter when used in combo
• Deals 2 damage and gains 1 meter outside of combo

Poliwrath's belly swirl becomes an X as he unleashes a spectacular uppercut.

• Damage increases with each stock of Power-Up