[SET]
Choice Scarf (Porygon-Z) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest / Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hyper Beam
- Uproar
- Trick / Hidden Power Fire / Dark Pulse
- Recover / Hidden Power Fire / Dark Pulse
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
Choice Scarf allows Porygon-Z to beat hyper offensive threats to the punch, such as Greninja, Mega Lopunny, and Darkrai. Uproar is useful to stop stall Pokemon like Manaphy and Mega Slowbro from using Rest, and it also goes through the Substitutes of stall Pokemon like Deoxys-S and Whimsicott. Because of Uproar's slightly larger damage output than Hyper Beam over two turns, it also helps beat less bulky spreads of Mega Gyarados and stall Mega Altaria. Trick helps beat Chansey, and when combined with Recover, lets Porygon-Z stallbreak Registeel and Porygon2. Hidden Power Fire covers Genesect and stall Ferrothorn. Dark Pulse gives Porygon-Z a chance against Mega Gengar; however, if it uses Disable on the first turn, Porygon-Z loses.
EVs
=============
Timid can be used for an advantage in the mirror matchup; however, this reduces Porygon-Z's overall damage output, which disadvantages it against Mega Gyarados, Mega Altaria, and Hoopa-U.
Usage Tips
=============
Porygon-Z should only have Recover as a move if it already has Trick. The matchup against Manaphy is set-dependent; Against Choice Specs or stall Manaphy, always use Uproar. Against Custap Berry Manaphy, while generally your best bet is to use Uproar, if you think that it is going to not use Endure on the first turn, use Hyper Beam. Against Victini, always use Hyper Beam unless you suspect it to be Custap Berry, in which case you must predict whether it will use Endure or V-Create on the first turn. If you think it will use Endure, use Uproar; if you think it will use V-Create, use Hyper Beam. Watch out for the occasional Shadow Sneak from Greninja--if you think it will use Shadow Sneak, if you have it, use Dark Pulse; otherwise, the best play is to use Hyper Beam. Against Mega Slowbro, if you think it has Rest as its sole recovery move, always use Uproar. If you think it has Slack Off, either in addition to or instead of Rest, use Dark Pulse for the potential flinch chance.
[SET]
Choice Specs (Porygon-Z) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest / Timid Nature
- Hyper Beam
- Uproar
- Trick
- Recover / Hidden Power Fire
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
Choice Specs allows Porygon-Z to blow through bulky offensive threats like Mega Gyarados, Meloetta, and Mega Altaria. Uproar is useful to stop stall Pokemon like Manaphy and Mega Audino from using Rest, and it also goes through the Substitutes of stall Pokemon like Deoxys-S, Serperior, and Whimsicott. Trick helps beat Chansey, and when combined with Recover, lets Porygon-Z stallbreak Registeel and Porygon2. Hidden Power Fire covers Genesect and Ferrothorn.
EVs
=============
Timid can be used in order to beat slow Volcarona and Modest Choice Specs Genesect if Porygon-Z has Hidden Power Fire. It also helps in the mirror matchup. However, this reduces its damage output, which worsens its chances against faster Volcarona variants and Serperior.
Usage Tips
=============
Against Manaphy, use Hyper Beam if you think it has Choice Specs. If you think it is stall, use Uproar. If you think it is Custap Berry, you must predict what move it will make: if you think it will use Endure turn one, use Trick and then Hyper Beam; if you think it won't use Endure turn one, use Hyper Beam immediately. Against Volcarona, if you think that it's slower than Porygon-Z, always use Hyper Beam. If you think that it's faster than Porygon-Z, you must predict whether they will use Substitute or Quiver Dance: if you think Volcarona will Substitute, use Uproar; if you think it will Quiver Dance, use Hyper Beam.
[SET]
Custap Berry (Porygon-Z) @ Custap Berry
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 216 HP / 44 Def / 56 SpA / 8 SpD / 184 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Endure
- Hyper Beam
- Nasty Plot
- Uproar / Tri Attack / Dark Pulse
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
Custap Berry and Endure are used to stop hyper offensive threats in their tracks like Greninja, Mega Lopunny, and Darkrai. Nasty Plot is important for set-up against bulkier threats like Mega Gyarados, Mega Slowbro, and Mega Altaria. Uproar is Porygon-Z's way of getting through Pokemon with Substitute like Serperior, Deoxys-D, and Greninja. Alternatively, Tri Attack improves Porygon-Z's matchup against Custap Berry Manaphy. Dark Pulse allows Porygon-Z to beat Mega Gengar.
EVs
=============
216 HP and 44 Defense allow Porygon-Z to always take a Dragon Dance-boosted Waterfall from Mega Gyarados. 184 Speed allows Porygon-Z to always outspeed Adamant Mega Gyarados. 216 HP and 8 Special Defense let Porygon-Z always live a Bug Buzz from Choice Specs Genesect. If running Tri Attack over Uproar, use a spread of 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe; this spread lets Porygon-Z consistently beat Custap Berry Manaphy. You can also use this spread on Porygon-Z even if it doesn't have Tri Attack; however, the benefits are limited, with it only giving a better matchup against Mega Heracross, and some non-bulky Kyurem-B and Victini.
Usage Tips
=============
This set encounters many 50/50s by nature of Porygon-Z often having to use Endure in order to be able to rip out a Hyper Beam. Generally, against hyper offensive Pokemon like Mega Lopunny, Greninja, and Darkrai, you should always click Endure on the first turn; however, if you think that they know that you have Endure, you should expect them to click a weaker move in order to not get in the Custap Berry activation range; if you think that they'll do that, Porygon-Z should instead use Hyper Beam immediately. Against Manaphy, always immediately use Nasty Plot. If Porygon-Z has the standard EV spread and Uproar, the play is dependent on what set Manaphy reveals itself to be. If it's faster stall, use Nasty Plot again and then Hyper Beam; if it's slower stall, immediately use Hyper Beam; if it's Choice Specs, use Endure (unless Porygon-Z is already in Custap range; in that case, just use Hyper Beam) and then Hyper Beam; if it's Custap Berry, it's a 50-50 between if you expect them to attack or Endure--if you think they'll attack, use Hyper Beam; if you think they'll Endure, use Nasty Plot.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Hidden Power Ground on Choice Specs Porygon-Z allows it to beat Choice Specs Heatran and surprise Custap Berry Heatran. Ice Beam on Choice Specs Porygon-Z allows it to beat slow variants of Dragonite. Download Choice Specs Porygon-Z with Dark Pulse beats Mega Metagross; however, this loses many matchups that Adaptability gets with Hyper Beam when Porygon-Z doesn't get the Download boost, like Mega Gyarados and Meloetta.
[CREDITS]
Written by: pqs
[https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pqs.425798/]
Quality checked by:
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Grammar checked by:
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Last edited: