[SET]
name: Special Wall
move 1: Thunderbolt / Return
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Recover
move 4: Toxic / Thunder Wave
item: Leftovers
ability: Trace
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Porygon's great bulk, reliable recovery, and special coverage make it a great wall in ADV ZU and set it apart from other special walls like Delcatty, Gloom, and Noctowl. Thunderbolt deals significant damage to Corsola and Clamperl, which otherwise switch in on Return and threaten to respectively wall and break Porygon, and it's stronger against other Water-types like Wartortle, Horsea, and Staryu. Return is a stronger alternative to 2HKO Ponyta and Quilava, notably OHKOing Abra, and it doesn't leave Porygon reliant on Toxic to beat Chinchou. Ice Beam is strong against Gloom and Tropius and keeps Porygon threatening against physical attackers like Cubone and Rhyhorn. Toxic wears down offensive foes like Seaking, Ponyta, and Quilava while Porygon recovers, puts walls like opposing Porygon and Lileep on a timer, and forces Pokemon with ways to mitigate status like Corsola and Noctowl to switch out in Corsola's case or use Refresh and Rest respectively. Thunder Wave is an alternative to Toxic to neutralize fast attackers like Ponyta and Quilava, but it leaves Porygon more passive and unable to wear down opposing walls and Chinchou. Trace has interesting utility perks for Porygon, potentially allowing it to use Corsola's and Staryu's Natural Cure to heal off status and become immune to Flash Fire Ponyta's STAB moves.
Porygon's sole Fighting weakness means special attackers like Ponyta, Quilava, and Abra struggle to break through it without support, so it's a great fit for bulky offense and balance teams. Physically defensive Pokemon like Corsola, Gloom, and Koffing are great partners for Porygon given their complementary bulk, making defensive cores that are tough to break, and all of them can absorb Toxic for Porygon and handle offensive Poison-types like Beedrill and Ariados. Tropius is another physically defensive Pokemon that particularly appreciates Porygon handling Ponyta and Quilava, and in return, it can handle Aipom and Meditite for Porygon. Mightyena helps neutralize physical attackers for Porygon with Intimidate and provides cleric support in case Porygon is afflicted by status. Setup sweepers like Beedrill, Anorith, and Abra benefit from Porygon wearing down foes with Toxic so that they can more comfortably sweep. Fast wallbreakers such as Aipom, Doduo, and Quilava benefit from Porygon handling faster special attackers like Abra, Ponyta, and Elekid for them. Porygon struggles to deal with Magnemite, so teammates like specially defensive Gloom, Ponyta, and Flaaffy should handle it for Porygon.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A more offensive EV spread with Agility can turn Porygon into a threatening setup sweeper, but other offensive setup sweepers like Gloom, Tropius, Beedrill, and Anorith are stronger.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Magnemite**: Porygon lacks a way to meaningfully threaten Magnemite, which can use it as setup fodder for Substitute, debilitate it with Toxic, and proceed to wear it down with repeated hits.
**Clamperl**: Clamperl can come in on Return or Ice Beam and threaten to 2HKO Porygon with Surf, though Porygon can wear it down with Toxic and threaten significant damage with Thunderbolt.
**Physical Attackers**: Aipom, Seaking, and Meditite cleave through Porygon by hitting its lower physical bulk. Gloom and Tropius can turn the tables on Porygon with Swords Dance, but Ice Beam threatens to 2HKO Gloom and easily 2HKOes Tropius.
**Calm Mind Users**: Corsola can take advantage of Porygon to set up on it and has Natural Cure and Refresh to mitigate Toxic, but it risks being worn down by Toxic and Thunderbolt. Abra can overwhelm Porygon if it boosts enough with Calm Mind, but Return will KO it back. Without Return, Porygon cannot threaten to break Drowzee's Substitute.
**Status**: Toxic from Ponyta and Quilava forces Porygon to use Recover more often and leads it to being more easily overwhelmed. Defensive Pokemon like Mightyena, Noctowl, Lileep, and Wartortle often carry Toxic, and Mightyena and Wartortle can heal off Porygon's own Toxic with Heal Bell and Refresh respectively. Paralysis from Castform, Chinchou, and Flaaffy makes Porygon less reliable given the chance to lose its turn, but paralysis can be protection from Toxic for Porygon. Abra's Synchronize can punish Porygon for using Toxic.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/missangelic.452572/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bp.272450/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
name: Special Wall
move 1: Thunderbolt / Return
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Recover
move 4: Toxic / Thunder Wave
item: Leftovers
ability: Trace
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Porygon's great bulk, reliable recovery, and special coverage make it a great wall in ADV ZU and set it apart from other special walls like Delcatty, Gloom, and Noctowl. Thunderbolt deals significant damage to Corsola and Clamperl, which otherwise switch in on Return and threaten to respectively wall and break Porygon, and it's stronger against other Water-types like Wartortle, Horsea, and Staryu. Return is a stronger alternative to 2HKO Ponyta and Quilava, notably OHKOing Abra, and it doesn't leave Porygon reliant on Toxic to beat Chinchou. Ice Beam is strong against Gloom and Tropius and keeps Porygon threatening against physical attackers like Cubone and Rhyhorn. Toxic wears down offensive foes like Seaking, Ponyta, and Quilava while Porygon recovers, puts walls like opposing Porygon and Lileep on a timer, and forces Pokemon with ways to mitigate status like Corsola and Noctowl to switch out in Corsola's case or use Refresh and Rest respectively. Thunder Wave is an alternative to Toxic to neutralize fast attackers like Ponyta and Quilava, but it leaves Porygon more passive and unable to wear down opposing walls and Chinchou. Trace has interesting utility perks for Porygon, potentially allowing it to use Corsola's and Staryu's Natural Cure to heal off status and become immune to Flash Fire Ponyta's STAB moves.
Porygon's sole Fighting weakness means special attackers like Ponyta, Quilava, and Abra struggle to break through it without support, so it's a great fit for bulky offense and balance teams. Physically defensive Pokemon like Corsola, Gloom, and Koffing are great partners for Porygon given their complementary bulk, making defensive cores that are tough to break, and all of them can absorb Toxic for Porygon and handle offensive Poison-types like Beedrill and Ariados. Tropius is another physically defensive Pokemon that particularly appreciates Porygon handling Ponyta and Quilava, and in return, it can handle Aipom and Meditite for Porygon. Mightyena helps neutralize physical attackers for Porygon with Intimidate and provides cleric support in case Porygon is afflicted by status. Setup sweepers like Beedrill, Anorith, and Abra benefit from Porygon wearing down foes with Toxic so that they can more comfortably sweep. Fast wallbreakers such as Aipom, Doduo, and Quilava benefit from Porygon handling faster special attackers like Abra, Ponyta, and Elekid for them. Porygon struggles to deal with Magnemite, so teammates like specially defensive Gloom, Ponyta, and Flaaffy should handle it for Porygon.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A more offensive EV spread with Agility can turn Porygon into a threatening setup sweeper, but other offensive setup sweepers like Gloom, Tropius, Beedrill, and Anorith are stronger.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Magnemite**: Porygon lacks a way to meaningfully threaten Magnemite, which can use it as setup fodder for Substitute, debilitate it with Toxic, and proceed to wear it down with repeated hits.
**Clamperl**: Clamperl can come in on Return or Ice Beam and threaten to 2HKO Porygon with Surf, though Porygon can wear it down with Toxic and threaten significant damage with Thunderbolt.
**Physical Attackers**: Aipom, Seaking, and Meditite cleave through Porygon by hitting its lower physical bulk. Gloom and Tropius can turn the tables on Porygon with Swords Dance, but Ice Beam threatens to 2HKO Gloom and easily 2HKOes Tropius.
**Calm Mind Users**: Corsola can take advantage of Porygon to set up on it and has Natural Cure and Refresh to mitigate Toxic, but it risks being worn down by Toxic and Thunderbolt. Abra can overwhelm Porygon if it boosts enough with Calm Mind, but Return will KO it back. Without Return, Porygon cannot threaten to break Drowzee's Substitute.
**Status**: Toxic from Ponyta and Quilava forces Porygon to use Recover more often and leads it to being more easily overwhelmed. Defensive Pokemon like Mightyena, Noctowl, Lileep, and Wartortle often carry Toxic, and Mightyena and Wartortle can heal off Porygon's own Toxic with Heal Bell and Refresh respectively. Paralysis from Castform, Chinchou, and Flaaffy makes Porygon less reliable given the chance to lose its turn, but paralysis can be protection from Toxic for Porygon. Abra's Synchronize can punish Porygon for using Toxic.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/missangelic.452572/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bp.272450/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
Last edited:
