Poliwhirl trainers in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s Teal Mask DLC face a pivotal choice: evolve into the powerful Water/Fighting-type Poliwrath with a Water Stone, or opt for the elusive Politoed by trading while holding a King’s Rock. Discover where to find Poliwhirl in Kitakami, how to obtain these key items, and the trade tricks that unlock Poliwhirl’s full evolutionary potential in this exclusive guide.
If you’re looking to evolve your beloved swirly frog, you’ve come to the right place. Below, we detail where to find Poliwhirl and how to evolve it into its two possibilities.
Where to find Poliwhirl in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
Poliwhirl in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s The Teal Mask DLC can be found primarily in the Kitakami region. While Poliwhirl itself is not commonly encountered in the wild, you can obtain it by evolving Poliwag once it reaches level 25. Poliwag can be caught along rivers and lakes throughout Kitakami, such as near Mossui Town and the Community Center area. Additionally, Poliwhirl can be found in locations like Dreaded Den, Fellhorn Gorge, and Mossfell Confluence. For a guaranteed Poliwhirl spawn, head to the large lake at Kitakami Hall in the center of the region, where a wild Terra Poliwhirl appears. Catching Poliwhirl here or evolving Poliwag are the main ways to add Poliwhirl to your team in this DLC.
You can find Poliwhirl in these waters in Kitakami:
You’ll more easily find Poliwag around the water, which will evolve into Poliwhirl at level 25.
How to evolve Poliwhirl into Poliwrath
To evolve Poliwhirl into Poliwrath in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: The Teal Mask, you need to use a Water Stone on Poliwhirl. This evolution does not require trading, making it simpler than evolving Poliwhirl into Politoed. You can obtain Water Stones by purchasing them from the Delibird Presents shop after earning at least three gym badges or by finding them as items in the game world. Once you use the Water Stone on Poliwhirl, it will evolve into the Water/Fighting-type Poliwrath, gaining access to a strong physical movepool and new type advantages and weaknesses.
To evolve Poliwhirl into Poliwrath, the water- and fighting-type, you just need to use a Water Stone on it.
You can buy Water Stones from Delibird Presents after earning at least three gym badges.
How to evolve Poliwhirl into Politoed
To evolve Poliwhirl into Politoed in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: The Teal Mask, you first need to obtain a King’s Rock, which can be purchased for 10,000 Pokédollars at the Delibird Presents shop in Mesagoza after completing at least four Gyms. Once you have the King’s Rock, give it to your Poliwhirl to hold. Then, trade the Poliwhirl to another player and have it traded back to you. This trade while holding the King’s Rock will trigger Poliwhirl’s evolution into Politoed. Because this process requires trading, having a Nintendo Online Membership is necessary to complete the evolution via online trade features like the Union Circle or Link Trade.
To evolve Poliwhirl into the water-type Politoed, you’ll need to give it a King’s Rock to hold and trade it.
You can buy King’s Rock from the Mesagoza Delibird Presents shop after earning at least four gym badges.
To trade a Poliwhirl with a King’s Rock and get your Politoed easily, you can use the trade code“00610061” to only get matched up online with people who are also trading Poliwhirl with King’s Rocks. You will need a Nintendo Switch Online subscription in order to trade online, although you can always ask a local friend to trade with you if you don’t have the subscription!
Want to learn the secret to evolving Poliwhirl into Poliwrath or Politoed in Scarlet and Violet
To evolve Poliwhirl into Poliwrath in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: The Teal Mask, simply use a Water Stone on Poliwhirl. Water Stones can be purchased from Delibird Presents after earning at least three gym badges.
To evolve Poliwhirl into Politoed, you need a King’s Rock and an active Nintendo Online membership. Have Poliwhirl hold the King’s Rock, then trade it to another player and trade it back. Upon returning, Poliwhirl will evolve into Politoed. King’s Rock can also be bought from Delibird Presents.
This trade evolution requires a link trade with a friend or another player, making it a bit more involved than the straightforward Water Stone method.
What’s the easiest way to get a King’s Rock for Poliwhirl evolution
The easiest way to get a King’s Rock for evolving Poliwhirl in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: The Teal Mask is to purchase it from the Delibird Presents shop in Mesagoza after earning at least four gym badges. This method is straightforward and reliable compared to searching for it as a rare held item in the wild or through complex farming.
Alternatively, in other Pokémon games like Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, King’s Rock can be found by catching wild Poliwhirl, which have a small chance (around 5%) to hold the item, or by digging in the Grand Underground. However, these methods are more time-consuming and less guaranteed.
In Pokémon GO, King’s Rock is obtained mainly by spinning PokéStops, opening gifts, defeating Team Go Rocket Grunts, or as research rewards, with spinning PokéStops being the most consistent method.
For Scarlet and Violet specifically, buying from Delibird Presents remains the simplest and most direct way to acquire King’s Rock.
