Community POTW #089

[Serebii]

This August is the Pokémon World Championships and, in celebration of all things VGC, we have skewed our RNG to focus on VGC fan favourites and commonly used Pokémon

We're starting off with Porygon-Z and its pre-evolution, Porygon2

Go nuts

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/233.shtml
https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/474.shtml

 

[Sceptile Leaf Blade]

Porygon-Z @ Normalium Z
Ability: Adaptability
Timid Nature
252 Sp.Atk, 252 Speed, 4 HP
-Thunderbolt / Shadow Ball / Ice Beam
-Hyper Beam
-Conversion
-Thunderbolt / Shadow Ball / Ice Beam

Z-Conversion is one of the most terrifying things Porygon-Z can do. It changes its typing to whatever type the first move on the list is and gives you +1 in all your stats, after which you can sweep with your newly acquired Adaptability boosted STAB move. This set is primarily aimed at the Battle Spot Singles and can actually run in two ways depending on the situation. The first one is Z-Conversion, the other one is Breakneck Blitz. If you don't have the opportunity to set up, Breakneck Blitz based on Hyper Beam is a devastating nuke with an Adaptability boost and can OHKO a lot of opponents. After this you follow up with Hyper Beam to KO whatever the opponent sends out next. Porygon-Z is done after Hyper Beam and can be set up on, but before that it essentially trades 2-for-1, and if the opponent only has 2 pokémon left it's an excellent finisher as the recharge turn is irrelevant if Hyper Beam is the winning move.

Porygon-Z can OHKO a lot with Breakneck Blitz, for instance:

252 Sp.Atk Adaptability Porygon-Z Breakneck Blitz (200 BP) vs. 252 HP / 52 Sp.Def Mega Venusaur: 192-226 (102.6 - 120.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 Sp.Atk Adaptability Porygon-Z Breakneck Blitz (200 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 Sp.Def Mega Blastoise: 208-246 (111.8 - 132.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO

 

[Mestorn]

Porygon has been making splashes ever since Gen VII started. Porygon 2, as always has been a bulky Trick Room setter, while Porygon Z brings Z Conversion to the table, becoming a terrifying Sweeper in just one move. This virtual pokémon is versatile in roles and both forms can be slotted on a lot of teams.

Porygon Antivirus
Porygon-2
Item: Eviolite
Ability: Trace
-Trick Room
-Recover
-Ice Beam/Toxic
-Thunderbolt/Foul Play
Nature: Relaxed (+DEF, -SPE)
EVs: 252 HP/88 DEF/16 SATK/152 SDEF

Best suited for doubles, Porygon 2's Trick Room set hits all the right notes, being bulky enough to ensure Trick Room get's thrown up while having the coverage and versatility to deal with whatever may come in. Trick Room is the obvious crux of the set and turns the normal speed wars on its head. Recover is reliable recovery. Last moves are up to preference. Bolt Beam provides fantastic coverage and threatens many foes with its decent SATK, while Toxic and Foul Play turn Porygon-2 into a more traditional tank, wearing everything down while it recovers off and Foul Play threatening any Physical Sweeper that comes in with their own ATK stat. Toxic is more suited for singles play, FYI.

Item is Eviolite, which is mandatory for Porygon-2 to wall and Trace can copy all sorts of delicious abilities, like Volt Absorb, Water Absorb, Intimidate, Levitate, Magic Bounce, etc. EV spread mixes bulk to handle most threats.

Other Options
Porygon-2
Magic Coat -As noted with Carbink, Magic Coat is fantastic for tanks, reflecting Taunt, Entry Hazards, Toxic and so forth.
Telekinesis -Pair up with something that has inaccurate attacks and watch as they hit every time (Inferno Chandelure, Zap Cannon Magnezone, Dynamic Punch Buzzwole, etc.)
Gravity -Less accurate Telekinesis while making everything vulnerable to ground moves and entry hazards.

Porygon-Z
Shadow Ball -Option for a Z-Conversion set and Shadow Ball makes Porygon-Z immune to Fighting type moves, which is good for luring stuff in... But makes Porygon-Z vulnerable to Sucker Punch and Pursuit trapping.
Trick -Can run a Scarf or Specs set, but the overall bulk provided Z-Conversion is usually better.
Nasty Plot/Agility -Again outclassed by Z-Conversion because Porygon Z needs both, not one or the other and with its frailty, it is hard getting the time to setup both moves.

 

[TheIceCream]

Porygon 2 and Porygon Z are great Pokemon but in their own ways. Despite sharing the same type, movepool and 2 abilities, they both operate in different ways. Let's start with Porygon 2:

Positives:
+ 85/90/95 Defenses are solid on their own but with the Eviolite, it makes Porygon 2 one of the bulkiest Pokemon in the game
+ With access to Recover, Trick Room and a huge variety of coverage moves, Porygon 2 is very versatile.
+ 105 Sp Attack allows it to throw around some hurt around as well
+ Normal typing might not give any Resistances but at least you only have 1 weakness to worry about
+ It has pretty good abilities
+ I am a big fan of its design

Negatives:
- 60 Speed never does anyone any favours since you're generally too fast for Trick Room and too slow for it.
- Normal-Typing as I mentioned, does mean you have a Weakness to Fighting and no Resistances
- If it loses its Eviolite then Porygon 2 does lose a lot of its viability
- FMSS is always a problem since you have many options you can't run on one set.

Now for Porygon Z

Positives:
+ 135 Sp Attack is amazing for offense and it can deal huge amounts of damage
+ It's movepool is just as large as Porygon 2 and works for the offense too
+ 90 Speed means that it can outspeed many Pokemon
+ Still being Normal means that you still only have 1 weakness
+ Adaptability essentially means that its STABs hit like a truck
+ It looks like a malfunctioned Porygon 2. I like it.

Negatives:
- Despite being an evolution, its defenses of 85/70/75 are even less than Porygon 2's base Defenses. It can't take that many hits
- Normal-Typing means that it has the same pre-mentioned problems
- 90 Speed is good but it can wish it was a little faster
- FMSS is still an issue

Abilities:
Download: Porygon 2 quite likes the boost from Download and is probably its best ability. Porygon Z on the other hand, usually prefers Adaptability but running download isn't unviable.
Trace: Porygon 2 only. Trace is a bit of a wild card; sometimes it can be good and other times it can be bad. Because of this, just stick with Download since it's generally more reliable.
Adaptability: Porygon Z Only. Basically' this makes STAB the equivalent of a Super-Effective Coverage move. Awesome stuff.
Analytic: OK for Porygon 2 since it's quite slow. But Porygon Z really doesn't have any use out of this.

 

[Wakerra]

Please tell me the writers are not longer riffing from Smogon and actually looking at the forums? I had the most amazing Porygon-Z in a double battle, but I don't want to waste any more time trying to pull up my game, figure out the EV spread and all that good stuff if it's not even going to be looked at.

 

[deoxysdude94]

Porygon Z is pretty cool, but I like porygon2 better.

here's my preferred set for porygon Z

Porygon Z@ life orb/leftovers
4 HP / 252 Sp Atk / 252 Speed
Adaptability
Modest/Timid

Nasty Plot/Agility
Tri Attack/Hyper Beam
Shadow Ball/Ice Beam
Focus Blast/Thunderbolt

this thing has a lot of options, its up to you what you want to do.

Thunderbolt can be replaced with discharge for the 30% paralysis chance. Since paralysis now blocks moves half the time on average, it becomes more viable.

 

[Sceptile Leaf Blade]

Since paralysis now blocks moves half the time on average, it becomes more viable.

That was never changed, paralysis is still only a 25% chance of blocking a move.

 

[XaelOstigian]

Is no one really going to mention the infamous Porygon incident in the anime that pretty much barred the Porygon evolutionary from ever appearing in the anime again?

Poor thing. Outside of the competitive Pokemon scene, this thing really needs more love:

 

[shoz999]

Porygon
Calm Nature
252 Sp. Def/252 Def
Eviolite
Analytical
Moveset
Recover
Foul Play
Swagger
Thunder Wave