|
-
Trace
- Copies foe's ability.
-
Download
- The wielder gets a stat boost depending on its opponent's stats.
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Analytic
- Raises the power of all moves by 30% if the wielder moves last.
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Level 100 Statistics (see level 5, 50, 100)
|
Min- |
Min |
Max |
Max+ |
| HP |
85
|
- |
311 |
374 |
- |
| Atk |
80
|
176 |
196 |
259 |
284 |
| Def |
90
|
194 |
216 |
279 |
306 |
| SpA |
105
|
221 |
246 |
309 |
339 |
| SpD |
95
|
203 |
226 |
289 |
317 |
| Spe |
60
|
140 |
156 |
219 |
240 |
Overview
Porygon2 is a solid, all-purpose wall to use on a team that needs, but can't afford to run, a large defensive core. It is among some of the bulkiest Pokemon in the game, and it has an excellent ability in Trace, which allows it to switch with little fear into opponents with abilities such as Flash Fire, Water Absorb, and Volt Absorb, which are usually very powerful special attackers. Trace also allows Porygon2 to take advantage of other abilities such as Levitate, Natural Cure, Intimidate, and Poison Heal. A workable 105 base Special Attack goes a long way in preventing Porygon2 from becoming a "sitting duck", taking attacks from the likes of Gliscor, Gyarados, and Salamence, and OHKOing or 2HKOing them back.
Nonetheless, this virtual duck suffers from several drawbacks that ultimately prevent it from taking the OU environment by storm. Lack of Leftovers recovery, low Speed, and shallow movepool mean that Porygon2 is relatively easy to overwhelm with multiple fast sweepers or with pure brute force from boosted attacks. All in all, Porygon2 is a jack of all trades when it comes to walling; its Normal typing is a double-edged sword, having only one weakness (to Fighting), as well as only an immunity to Ghost and no resistances. Porygon2 is a solid wall that certainly won't discriminate when it comes to walling offensive threats.
Porygon2 should not be the main focus or the starting point of a team; it is a "glue" Pokemon that turns momentum in its team's favor, and thus it may not be suited for heavily defensive teams or teams with solid cores of specialized Pokemon.
Porygon2 is an all-purpose defensive pivot that discriminates almost purely by numerical power. Depending on the EVs, it can go toe-to-toe with, or outright defeat, many offensive threats, such as Choice Band Scizor, Tyranitar, Gyarados, Salamence, Hydreigon, and Gengar. The "BoltBeam" combo is essential to maximize offensive presence and especially to deal with threats such as Gyarados and Gliscor in a timely manner. With Trace, Heatran, Jolteon, Chandelure, and Jellicent are also walled. Porygon2's low Speed means that it should try to use Recover at any available opportunity to maximize the impact that it has on the match. The EV spread listed avoids a 2HKO from Salamence's Draco Meteor in sand as well as a 2HKO from Life Orb Cloyster's Icicle Spear, and the rest are dumped into HP and Defense to protect against the numerous physical threats in OU, surviving even Life Orb Haxorus's +1 Outrage.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
Porygon2 has three main options for its support move; Toxic is a great option against defensive teams to cripple walls and Calm Mind users, but Thunder Wave is good against offensive teams for crippling switch-ins, creating better match-ups, and giving itself more breathing room to use Recover. Magic Coat is more of an anti-support move, reflecting opponents' status moves or entry hazards back at them. The EV spread can be altered for more specialization; for instance, 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe Calm maximizes the probability of surviving through powerful special attacks such as Choice Specs Latios's Draco Meteor. Yet another option is 252 HP / 136 Def / 72 SpD / 48 Spe Bold to outrun Vaporeon and still avoid a 2HKO from unboosted Tyranitar's Superpower. Analytic is plausible because it directly exploits Porygon2's low Speed for a nearly guaranteed power boost with every attack, but it gels poorly with Discharge and Thunder Wave, and it doesn't really fix any of Porygon2's problems enough.
The best teammates for Porygon2 tend to have key immunities and resistances, especially to powerful Fighting-type moves and status moves. Notably, Bulk Up Conkeldurr's low Speed, high bulk, powerful Fighting-type STAB, and Guts prevent the Virtual Pokemon from doing much of anything to it. Reuniclus is the best answer to Conkeldurr as its Psychic typing and abysmal Speed prevent Conkeldurr (and Fighting-types in general) from doing much against it. Jellicent is one of two Ghost-types with Recover, making it an effective sponge for Fighting-type moves, and it can also burn opponents for Porygon2; however, it also has problems with Conkeldurr. Offensive Ghost-types such as Gengar and Chandelure also benefit from Fighting-type moves aimed at Porygon2, though once again KOing a specially defensive Conkeldurr will prove difficult. Other Psychic-types such as Latios, Latias, and Sigilyph can be of help as well.
Entry hazards and Rapid Spin are of huge help both for helping Porygon2 switch into attacks and for punishing the switches that Porygon2 forces. Forretress and Ferrothorn in particular can do both and attract Heatran and Chandelure, providing many opportunities for Porygon2 to switch in. Another option is to use Espeon or Xatu, as their Magic Bounce ability means that the opponent has to play around them to lay down their entry hazards. Alternatively, one can employ suicide leads such as Azelf to lay down hazards quickly and repel early hazards from the opponent.
Powerful threats boosted by weather or Choice items can surprise Porygon2 with a 2HKO, though often it is not guaranteed. Landorus is a very notable example of a weather sweeper that may be too much for Porygon2 to handle. Powerful Choice Scarf users such as Politoed and Hydreigon, as well as Chlorophyll Pokemon, can revenge kill offensive threats. Additionally, Ninetales and Politoed can alter the weather to help Porygon2 against certain threats with Fire- or Water-type moves, as well as negate sandstorm and hail damage to prevent its HP from leaking.
Oddly, a Pokemon that can outrun opponents with certain abilities, such as Venusaur or Jirachi, can be a valuable partner for Porygon2 for a different reason, namely with respect to its ability. In the event of a double switch, priority depends on the Pokemon that are switching out; the faster Pokemon switches out first. This can be used to Porygon2's advantage; for instance, Jirachi lures in Poison Heal Gliscor, and at that point a poisoned Porygon2 is guaranteed to Trace Poison Heal if it switches in, even if Gliscor promptly switches out.
Porygon2 is one of the best Trick Room users in the game due to its consistent bulk. Its low Speed becomes an advantage for this set, giving it much more offensive and defensive prowess. Trick Room itself allows powerful but slow attackers to become "fast" and attempt to sweep much more easily.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
As a bulky Trick Room user, Porygon2 should generally be preserved, not sacrificed, so that it can use Trick Room repeatedly. Its EV spread depends on the desired playstyle; the presented offensive spread is for leading or switching in after a teammate has been KOed, possibly right when Trick Room ends, and attempting to double as a "fast", bulky attacker, while bulkier EV spreads may be more appropriate if switching into an attack on the last Trick Room turn is needed. Download can be used to grab power boosts, but it is rather unreliable. Trick Room users who resist Fighting, such as Reuniclus, Slowbro, Dusclops, and Cresselia, make great partners; Reuniclus in particular is a potent sweeper as well as a supporter in Trick Room, and Slowbro is no slouch, either. Ghost-type sweepers such as Chandelure are appealing due to their increased ability to take on normally faster opponents in Trick Room.
Other Options
As mentioned before, Porygon2's movepool leaves much to be desired, though it does have a few other options. Charge Beam is a notable option for an offensive Porygon2, but there are plenty of Calm Mind users who play this role better. A Choice Specs set can incapacitate the majority of Porygon2's switch-ins with Trick, but outside of that it is literally a sitting duck and loses out on the defensive boosts from Eviolite. STAB Tri Attack is an option but has poor two-move coverage, causing Porygon2 to be walled unnecessarily. Porygon2 is also blessed with two other great abilities, Download and Analytic. The former raises Attack or Special Attack by one stage upon switching in depending on which defense stat of the opponent's is weaker, and the latter powers up moves when Porygon2 moves last. However, Trace is so crucial to its countering utility that it's almost too good to pass up.
Checks and Counters
Some threats are simply too powerful for Porygon2 to handle effectively due to sheer might on one of the offensive stats or having a powerful Fighting-type move. Lucario, Infernape, Terrakion, Virizion, and weather sweepers can overwhelm the virtual duck through sheer force. It is also a sitting duck against Conkeldurr, especially Bulk Up variants. Porygon2 is also very vulnerable to status from walls such as Chansey and Blissey; Toxic in particular shuts it down completely. However, one should be careful if using Pokemon such as Poison Heal Gliscor, as Porygon2 can find a way to switch into it and Trace Poison Heal. Remember that, in the event of a double switch, priority depends on the Pokemon who are switching out; the faster Pokemon switches out first.
