[OVERVIEW]
Porygon2's great Eviolite-boosted bulk allows it to be one of the bulkiest defensive Pokemon in the metagame and check threats such as Latias, Mega Sharpedo, and Mega Aerodactyl with the adequate support. It has also access to Trace, a good defensive ability that allows Porygon2 to check foes such as Volcanion with their own abilities or gain some useful abilities such as Technician and Poison Heal temporarily. Porygon2's movepool is expansive, as it has access to support moves such as Recover, Toxic, and Thunder Wave, and it can also use some offensive moves such as Discharge, Ice Beam, and Tri Attack, meaning it doesn't have to stick to one common set. However, its Normal typing is only average, as it gives it no resistances, only one immunity to the uncommon Ghost type, and a weakness to one of the most common offensive types, Fighting, making it weak to Pokemon such as Infernape, Terrakion, Heracross, and Cobalion. It also relies too much on Eviolite, making it vulnerable to threats like Mamoswine and Krookodile due to their access to Knock Off. Toxic poison makes Porygon2 unreliable and decreases its longevity, as the residual damage makes Porygon2 unable to pivot into attacks decently due to the lack of Leftovers's passive recovery. It's also easily walled by some bulky Pokemon and can be used as setup fodder by bulky setup sweepers that don't mind Toxic or Thunder Wave such as Suicune, Snorlax, and Reuniclus.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Recover
move 2: Tri Attack / Ice Beam
move 3: Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Toxic / Thunder Wave
item: Eviolite
ability: Trace
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Recover is Porygon2's main way to stay healthy, enabling it to pivot throughout the battle and reliably check threats such Choice Scarf Hydreigon and Starmie. STAB-boosted Tri Attack hits decently hard, can randomly burn, paralyze, or freeze the opposing Pokemon, and can hit Mega Altaria super effectively after Tracing Pixilate. It also hits Pokemon such as Infernape, Rotom-W, and Mega Manectric for decent damage. Ice Beam hits huge threats such as Gliscor, Hydreigon, and Mega Aerodactyl super effectively. Hidden Power Fire is a more conventional option to beat Steel-types such as Scizor and Magneton, OHKOing the former after Porygon2 Traces Technician. Toxic is useful to stall out opposing walls and weaken them considerably and to deal with Rotom-W and Calm Mind Latias. Alternatively, Thunder Wave can help to cripple more offensive threats such as Terrakion and Cobalion by halving their Speed to allow slower teammates an easier time against them. Thunderbolt could be used to beat opposing Water-types such as Mantine, Mega Sharpedo, and Suicune, but most of them are already threatened by either Tri Attack or Toxic.
Set Details
========
252 EVs in HP are used in order to maximize Porygon2's overall bulk, and 120 EVs in Defense let Porygon2 take a Superpower from Choice Band Scizor after Stealth Rock while being able to take on Mega Sharpedo and Mega Aerodactyl well. The rest of the EVs are dumped into Special Defense with a Calm nature to better take on special attackers such as Hydreigon, Mega Pidgeot, and Mega Sceptile. Eviolite is the best item to run, as it boosts Porygon2's defenses and gives it bulk. Trace is the ability that fits best with the defensive set, as it can temporarily copy the foe's ability, enabling Porygon2 to check Manectric decently before it Mega Evolves, check Scizor by Tracing Technician, and check Gliscor by Tracing Poison Heal.
Usage Tips
========
Porygon2 is used as a great catch-all check to many threats such as Mega Sharpedo and Latias. Porygon2 has enough bulk to tank at least two hits from those threats, and it can beat them by crippling them with Toxic and spamming Recover until they faint. Porygon2's HP must be near full to check the threats it needs to, so use Recover liberally to keep it healthy, and avoid switching in on entry hazards and allowing Porygon2 to get crippled by Toxic as much as possible. It also must watch out for opposing Knock Off users such Krookodile and Alolan Muk, as it needs its Eviolite to reliably check opposing threats. Even though it has great bulk, Porygon2 can't take on Fighting-types and bulky setup sweepers and should be saved by switching out against them. Scout for moves that can wear down Porygon2, such as Taunt + Superpower from Hydreigon and Knock Off from Scizor. Trace should be taken advantage of against the opponent; try to understand how you can make use of opposing's Pokemon abilities from Team Preview.
Team Options
========
Porygon2 fits better on balanced teams, and staples such as Mega Aggron, Amoonguss, and Gliscor are perfect teammates for it, as they can absorb Knock Off without any problem in most cases, don't worry about switching in on Toxic, and can stop many setup sweepers with Roar, Clear Smog, Spore, and Taunt. Z-Move Cobalion is also a decent switch-in to Knock Off, Trick, and Toxic and can pressure bulky cores if it runs Swords Dance. Latias is also a good entry hazard remover that pairs well with Porygon2, as it can check common Fighting-types, especially Swords Dance Cobalion, a major threat that can use Porygon2 as setup fodder if it doesn't pack Thunder Wave, and it can switch into Trick if it runs a Z-Move and break down some cores if it runs Calm Mind over Defog. Pokemon that resist Fighting such as Sylveon appreciate Porygon2's ability to check Nidoking, Nihilego, and Scizor to an extent, and Sylveon can support Porygon2 with Heal Bell. Doublade is also a decent Fighting-type check but is also weak to Knock Off. Tentacruel and Nidoqueen are two Pokemon that can set up Toxic Spikes, which helps Porygon2 to beat opposing walls if it isn't running Toxic; they can also absorb Toxic Spikes thanks to their Poison typing, and Tentacruel can use Rapid Spin to clear hazards and Haze to prevent setup. Jellicent is a decent stallbreaker that can spinblock, check Fighting-types, and trouble walls, but it shares an annoying weakness to Toxic and Knock Off if it doesnt run Colbur Berry. Porygon2 also struggles against defensive teams, so having a stallbreaker such as Heracross, Nasty Plot Togekiss, or Swords Dance Gliscor on its team is helpful.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Foul Play can be used to beat physical setup sweepers such as Doublade more easily. Magic Coat is also viable, as it can surprise foes that try to use Taunt or status moves on Porygon2, but Porygon2 suffers from four-moveslot syndrome, meaning it's hard to find a slot to fit Magic Coat on. An offensive set with maximum investment in Special Attack, Download, and 3 attacking moves could be used, but it sacrifices a part of Porygon2's bulk. Porygon2 is a decent Trick Room setter thanks to its bulk with Eviolite; an optimal set would pack Download, a Quiet nature, 0 Speed IVs, and 252 EVs in HP and Special Attack to ensure that Porygon2 outspeeds as many Pokemon as possible under Trick Room and hits hard. A Z-Conversion set with Download as its ability can make a good alternative to the offensive set and fits well on VoltTurn teams, but having to rely on a one-time move to be bulky and fast enough doesn't make it really reliable.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fighting-type Pokemon and Attacks**: Pokemon such as Terrakion, Cobalion, and Heracross threaten Porygon2 with their powerful super effective STAB attacks. Porygon2 is also weak to common coverage moves such as Focus Blast, Aura Sphere, and Superpower, allowing some attackers such as Mega Sceptile, Mega Blastoise, and Scizor to beat it despite its high defenses.
**Knock Off and Trick**: Porygon2 becomes unable to perform well and check threats it should without its Eviolite, which is why it should avoid facing Knock Off users such as Mega Absol, Krookodile, and Mega Beedrill. Trick is an another way to remove Porygon2's Eviolite, leaving it unable to switch in on attacks and locking it into one move, which prevents it from effectively utilizing its support movepool; Togekiss and Latias often run Trick with a Choice item.
**Bulky Setup Sweepers**: Bulky setup sweepers, especially Calm Mind users, such as Reuniclus, Suicune, and Snorlax, can use Porygon2 as setup fodder and boost their stats without much trouble, as they don't care about status and can recover from Porygon2's hits or tank them easily.
**Residual Damage**: Toxic poison, sand, hail, and entry hazards can wear down Porygon2, preventing it from switching in on threats and being as effective as it should be.
Porygon2's great Eviolite-boosted bulk allows it to be one of the bulkiest defensive Pokemon in the metagame and check threats such as Latias, Mega Sharpedo, and Mega Aerodactyl with the adequate support. It has also access to Trace, a good defensive ability that allows Porygon2 to check foes such as Volcanion with their own abilities or gain some useful abilities such as Technician and Poison Heal temporarily. Porygon2's movepool is expansive, as it has access to support moves such as Recover, Toxic, and Thunder Wave, and it can also use some offensive moves such as Discharge, Ice Beam, and Tri Attack, meaning it doesn't have to stick to one common set. However, its Normal typing is only average, as it gives it no resistances, only one immunity to the uncommon Ghost type, and a weakness to one of the most common offensive types, Fighting, making it weak to Pokemon such as Infernape, Terrakion, Heracross, and Cobalion. It also relies too much on Eviolite, making it vulnerable to threats like Mamoswine and Krookodile due to their access to Knock Off. Toxic poison makes Porygon2 unreliable and decreases its longevity, as the residual damage makes Porygon2 unable to pivot into attacks decently due to the lack of Leftovers's passive recovery. It's also easily walled by some bulky Pokemon and can be used as setup fodder by bulky setup sweepers that don't mind Toxic or Thunder Wave such as Suicune, Snorlax, and Reuniclus.
[SET]
name: Defensive
move 1: Recover
move 2: Tri Attack / Ice Beam
move 3: Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Toxic / Thunder Wave
item: Eviolite
ability: Trace
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Recover is Porygon2's main way to stay healthy, enabling it to pivot throughout the battle and reliably check threats such Choice Scarf Hydreigon and Starmie. STAB-boosted Tri Attack hits decently hard, can randomly burn, paralyze, or freeze the opposing Pokemon, and can hit Mega Altaria super effectively after Tracing Pixilate. It also hits Pokemon such as Infernape, Rotom-W, and Mega Manectric for decent damage. Ice Beam hits huge threats such as Gliscor, Hydreigon, and Mega Aerodactyl super effectively. Hidden Power Fire is a more conventional option to beat Steel-types such as Scizor and Magneton, OHKOing the former after Porygon2 Traces Technician. Toxic is useful to stall out opposing walls and weaken them considerably and to deal with Rotom-W and Calm Mind Latias. Alternatively, Thunder Wave can help to cripple more offensive threats such as Terrakion and Cobalion by halving their Speed to allow slower teammates an easier time against them. Thunderbolt could be used to beat opposing Water-types such as Mantine, Mega Sharpedo, and Suicune, but most of them are already threatened by either Tri Attack or Toxic.
Set Details
========
252 EVs in HP are used in order to maximize Porygon2's overall bulk, and 120 EVs in Defense let Porygon2 take a Superpower from Choice Band Scizor after Stealth Rock while being able to take on Mega Sharpedo and Mega Aerodactyl well. The rest of the EVs are dumped into Special Defense with a Calm nature to better take on special attackers such as Hydreigon, Mega Pidgeot, and Mega Sceptile. Eviolite is the best item to run, as it boosts Porygon2's defenses and gives it bulk. Trace is the ability that fits best with the defensive set, as it can temporarily copy the foe's ability, enabling Porygon2 to check Manectric decently before it Mega Evolves, check Scizor by Tracing Technician, and check Gliscor by Tracing Poison Heal.
Usage Tips
========
Porygon2 is used as a great catch-all check to many threats such as Mega Sharpedo and Latias. Porygon2 has enough bulk to tank at least two hits from those threats, and it can beat them by crippling them with Toxic and spamming Recover until they faint. Porygon2's HP must be near full to check the threats it needs to, so use Recover liberally to keep it healthy, and avoid switching in on entry hazards and allowing Porygon2 to get crippled by Toxic as much as possible. It also must watch out for opposing Knock Off users such Krookodile and Alolan Muk, as it needs its Eviolite to reliably check opposing threats. Even though it has great bulk, Porygon2 can't take on Fighting-types and bulky setup sweepers and should be saved by switching out against them. Scout for moves that can wear down Porygon2, such as Taunt + Superpower from Hydreigon and Knock Off from Scizor. Trace should be taken advantage of against the opponent; try to understand how you can make use of opposing's Pokemon abilities from Team Preview.
Team Options
========
Porygon2 fits better on balanced teams, and staples such as Mega Aggron, Amoonguss, and Gliscor are perfect teammates for it, as they can absorb Knock Off without any problem in most cases, don't worry about switching in on Toxic, and can stop many setup sweepers with Roar, Clear Smog, Spore, and Taunt. Z-Move Cobalion is also a decent switch-in to Knock Off, Trick, and Toxic and can pressure bulky cores if it runs Swords Dance. Latias is also a good entry hazard remover that pairs well with Porygon2, as it can check common Fighting-types, especially Swords Dance Cobalion, a major threat that can use Porygon2 as setup fodder if it doesn't pack Thunder Wave, and it can switch into Trick if it runs a Z-Move and break down some cores if it runs Calm Mind over Defog. Pokemon that resist Fighting such as Sylveon appreciate Porygon2's ability to check Nidoking, Nihilego, and Scizor to an extent, and Sylveon can support Porygon2 with Heal Bell. Doublade is also a decent Fighting-type check but is also weak to Knock Off. Tentacruel and Nidoqueen are two Pokemon that can set up Toxic Spikes, which helps Porygon2 to beat opposing walls if it isn't running Toxic; they can also absorb Toxic Spikes thanks to their Poison typing, and Tentacruel can use Rapid Spin to clear hazards and Haze to prevent setup. Jellicent is a decent stallbreaker that can spinblock, check Fighting-types, and trouble walls, but it shares an annoying weakness to Toxic and Knock Off if it doesnt run Colbur Berry. Porygon2 also struggles against defensive teams, so having a stallbreaker such as Heracross, Nasty Plot Togekiss, or Swords Dance Gliscor on its team is helpful.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Foul Play can be used to beat physical setup sweepers such as Doublade more easily. Magic Coat is also viable, as it can surprise foes that try to use Taunt or status moves on Porygon2, but Porygon2 suffers from four-moveslot syndrome, meaning it's hard to find a slot to fit Magic Coat on. An offensive set with maximum investment in Special Attack, Download, and 3 attacking moves could be used, but it sacrifices a part of Porygon2's bulk. Porygon2 is a decent Trick Room setter thanks to its bulk with Eviolite; an optimal set would pack Download, a Quiet nature, 0 Speed IVs, and 252 EVs in HP and Special Attack to ensure that Porygon2 outspeeds as many Pokemon as possible under Trick Room and hits hard. A Z-Conversion set with Download as its ability can make a good alternative to the offensive set and fits well on VoltTurn teams, but having to rely on a one-time move to be bulky and fast enough doesn't make it really reliable.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fighting-type Pokemon and Attacks**: Pokemon such as Terrakion, Cobalion, and Heracross threaten Porygon2 with their powerful super effective STAB attacks. Porygon2 is also weak to common coverage moves such as Focus Blast, Aura Sphere, and Superpower, allowing some attackers such as Mega Sceptile, Mega Blastoise, and Scizor to beat it despite its high defenses.
**Knock Off and Trick**: Porygon2 becomes unable to perform well and check threats it should without its Eviolite, which is why it should avoid facing Knock Off users such as Mega Absol, Krookodile, and Mega Beedrill. Trick is an another way to remove Porygon2's Eviolite, leaving it unable to switch in on attacks and locking it into one move, which prevents it from effectively utilizing its support movepool; Togekiss and Latias often run Trick with a Choice item.
**Bulky Setup Sweepers**: Bulky setup sweepers, especially Calm Mind users, such as Reuniclus, Suicune, and Snorlax, can use Porygon2 as setup fodder and boost their stats without much trouble, as they don't care about status and can recover from Porygon2's hits or tank them easily.
**Residual Damage**: Toxic poison, sand, hail, and entry hazards can wear down Porygon2, preventing it from switching in on threats and being as effective as it should be.
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