
DuckTales! Woo-oo!
[OVERVIEW]
Porygon2 has an amazing defensive ability in Trace, allowing it to use the foe's ability against it. It has great 85 / 90 / 95 bulk that is further augmented by Eviolite. Using Eviolite is a double-edged sword, however, as it means that Porygon2 lacks the passive recovery of Leftovers. It also lacks strong bulk without its Eviolite, meaning that it is severely crippled by losing it via Knock Off. Regardless, Porygon2 has access to a decent STAB move in Tri Attack and decent coverage options such as Ice Beam and Thunderbolt. It also has a great support movepool, with access to Thunder Wave, Toxic, and Recover, a reliable recovery move that allows Porygon2 to stay healthy throughout the match. Porygon2's typing is decent defensively due to only having one weakness, albeit a common one, but it isn't amazing due to its lack of resistances, only being immune to Ghost. Porygon2 is also very susceptible to status ailments and is setup fodder for bulky sweepers such as Snorlax, Calm Mind Reuniclus, and Suicune.
[SET]
name: Duck Tales (Defensive)
move 1: Recover
move 2: Tri Attack
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Thunder Wave / Toxic
item: Eviolite
ability: Trace
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Recover gives Porygon2 a reliable form of recovery to continue tanking hits. Tri Attack is an amazing STAB move, allowing Porygon2 to have a 20% chance to burn, paralyze, or freeze its foe. Ice Beam gives Porygon2 decent coverage alongside its STAB move, hitting Salamence and Hydreigon harder as well as Pokemon that resist Normal such as Mega Aerodactyl, Rhyperior, and Tyrantrum. Thunder Wave allows Porygon2 to hinder more offensive teams, while Toxic allows Porygon2 to wear down more defensive teams. Foul Play is an option to have an easier time against physical attackers, especially those that use setup moves, such as Swords Dance Doublade and Swords Dance Abomasnow. Thunderbolt hits Feraligatr harder than Tri Attack, as well as hitting Empoleon and retaining super effective coverage on Mega Aerodactyl.
Set Details
========
The EVs allow Porygon2 to have the greatest mixed bulk it can have, taking on specially offensive Salamence, Mega Sceptile, and Mega Houndoom while also being able to check physical attackers such as Feraligatr. A Calm nature allows Porygon2 to better check special attackers. Eviolite further augments Porygon2's bulk, allowing it to repeatedly tank hits throughout the match. Trace gives Porygon2 the ability to check defensive and offensive Pokemon alike. Tracing great abilities such as Flash Fire and Intimidate allows Porygon2 to have both offensive and defensive presence when checking the Pokemon it needs to wall. 12 Special Attack EVs secure the OHKO on Salamence with Ice Beam without Stealth Rock. A specific EV spread of 248 HP / 164 Def / 96 SpD with a Bold nature allows Porygon2 to tank physical hits better while still retaining a good bit of special bulk.
Usage Tips
========
Porygon2 is used as a great blanket check to many threats such as Salamence, Hydreigon, and Feraligatr. However, don't overestimate its bulk or pressure it too much, as it can only take so much damage before being worn down. It also cannot reliably check Moxie Salamence, as it cannot Trace Intimidate to deter Salamence from setting up. Porygon2 must watch out for potential Knock Off users such as Gligar and Mandibuzz, as they can get rid of its Eviolite and compromise its bulk. Scout for moves that can shut down or 2HKO Porygon2 on Pokemon it normally walls, such as Taunt on Hydreigon and Focus Blast on Nidoqueen. Recover should be used often, as Porygon2 will usually move last. Porygon2 is a great pivot for moderately powerful attacks. Thunder Wave is all it can do to cripple slow setup sweepers such as Reuniclus, which can easily set up on Toxic variants of Porygon2.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that threaten Fighting-types as well as hit them super effectively, such as Florges and Crobat, are great partners; Florges can also get rid of status, which really cripples Porygon2, while Crobat can switch into Knock Off. Other clerics, such as Aromatisse and Vaporeon, can also help Porygon2 by getting rid of its status conditions. Entry hazard removers such as Forretress, Salamence, Gligar, and Crobat help keep Porygon2 alive, as entry hazards wear it down very quickly. Forretress can keep up momentum as well, while Gligar and Crobat can hit very hard. Gligar in particular has amazing defensive synergy with Porygon2, although both fear Knock Off from common Fighting-types. Grounded Poison-types such as Nidoqueen can absorb Toxic Spikes, which Porygon2 really hates. Nidoqueen also appreciates Porygon2's ability to slow down a lot of faster threats with Thunder Wave. Entry hazard support from Forretress, Qwilfish, or Nidoqueen helps Porygon2 wear down the opponent's team passively, as it can force a lot of switches thanks to its threatening status moves.
[SET]
name: Rubber Ducky (Offensive)
move 1: Trick Room
move 2: Recover
move 3: Thunderbolt / Tri Attack
move 4: Ice Beam
item: Eviolite
ability: Download
nature: Quiet
evs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
ivs: 0 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Trick Room allows Porygon2 to go first with its below average base 60 Speed. Recover gives Porygon2 a reliable form of recovery. Thunderbolt and Ice Beam allow Porygon2 to have near-perfect coverage, hitting everything in the tier for at least neutral damage bar Thick Fat Mamoswine. Thunderbolt hits bulky Water-types such as Suicune and Feraligatr, while Ice Beam hits Dragon- and Flying-types such as Salamence, Hydreigon, and Mega Aerodactyl. Tri Attack is a decent STAB option that allows Porygon2 to spread status ailments and hit neutral targets hard.
Set Details
========
A Quiet nature with a 0 Speed IV ensures that Porygon2 outspeeds as many Pokemon as possible under Trick Room. Download allows Porygon2 to possibly get a Special Attack boost and thus hit harder. Maximum HP and Special Attack EVs allow Porygon2 to tank as many hits as possible while hitting as hard as it can. Eviolite gives Porygon2 as much bulk as possible.
Usage Tips
========
Make sure to keep Porygon2 healthy so that it can continue to set up Trick Room throughout the match. Porygon2 must watch out for potential Knock Off users such as Gligar and Mandibuzz, as they can get rid of its Eviolite and compromise its bulk. Taunt users give Porygon2 a hard time, preventing it from using Recover and Trick Room. This set can set up Trick Room not only for itself but also for slow setup sweepers such as Nasty Plot Slowking and Swords Dance Doublade so that they can get around faster checks. This set should only be used on dedicated Trick Room teams, as Trick Room only has four turns to be utilized (three if Porygon2 switches out), so it can drain momentum from any team not dedicated to Trick Room.
Team Options
========
Pokemon that benefit from Trick Room, such as Pangoro, Mega Camerupt, Escavalier, Emboar, Hoopa, Machamp, Slowking, Reuniclus, and Mega Ampharos, can hit hard and outspeed most Pokemon under Trick Room. Secondary Trick Room setters such as Chandelure, Cresselia, Slowking, and Aromatisse are really helpful in keeping Trick Room up. Aromatisse has the added benefit of keeping Porygon2 healthy thanks to Aromatherapy and Wish. Entry hazard support from Pokemon such as Forretress is extremely helpful, as it helps wear down the opponent's team. Forretress also can spin away entry hazards, allowing Porygon2 to keep setting up Trick Room throughout the match.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Hidden Power Fire gives Porygon2 the ability to hit Forretress, Cobalion, Doublade, and Lucario harder than it can with its common coverage moves. Sadly, Cobalion, Doublade, and Lucario can set up on Porygon2, while Forretress can stack entry hazards against it. Psych Up gives Porygon2 a way to compete with Calm Mind sweepers that typically set up on it such as Suicune and Reuniclus; however, both of them have ways of beating Porygon2 anyway, with Roar in Suicune's case and Psyshock in Reuniclus's case. Porygon2 is already hard pressed for moveslots as well. Discharge gives Porygon2 a way to spread paralysis while retaining coverage on Empoleon and Feraligatr; however, Porygon2 is better off having a guaranteed chance at hindering them with Thunder Wave and then switching out. Magic Coat allows Porygon2 to bounce back Taunt and status moves that tend to cripple it. Again, though, Porygon2 suffers from four-moveslot syndrome and thus has a hard time finding a place to fit Magic Coat in.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fighting-types**: Heracross and Lucario can threaten Porygon2 with their super effective STAB moves. They also threaten a lot of Porygon2's common partners with their nearly impeccable coverage. Fighting-types also tend to carry Knock Off, which can further cripple Porygon2's bulk by removing its Eviolite.
**Knock Off and Trick Users**: Porygon2 hates losing its Eviolite and being locked into a move after being Tricked a Choice Scarf or Choice Band.
**Bulky Setup Sweepers**: Snorlax, Reuniclus, and Suicune can all set up on Porygon2 with ease, causing Porygon2 to be a momentum killer against these particular Pokemon. Reuniclus and Suicune both hate being paralyzed by the defensive set, though.
**Status Inducers**: Status ailments really cripple Porygon2, as it has no way to get rid of them itself and gets worn down easily.
**Taunt Users**: Crobat, Jellicent, and Hydreigon can force Porygon2 to not use Recover or Trick Room and whittle it down with their STAB moves.
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