Overview
Porygon-Z is one of many strong special attackers this month. It has tough completion in this role with Zororak-Hisui, Gengar, and Noivern but can set itself apart with the sheer firepower it has access to. Porygon-Z also has many sets it can run depending on what role it needs to fill. Its choice item sets are popular and easiest if fit on teams but can be played around with the many ghost types in the meta. Other sets that work well but are harder to use are download and set up sets. While these sets are harder to use, they are less one-dimensional and don’t struggle against ghost types as much. It’s checks are set dependent, but the most consistent ones are: special wall Sylveon, faster ghost types, and bulky Bisharp.
Popular Sets:
Choice Item:
Porygon-Z’s Choice item sets play very similar; you just come in and click big damage move, and because of this, it’s the easiest to fit on teams. The only difference is its targets. The choice scarf set is usually used to take out fast threats like Noivern, scarf Emboar, and Gengar. The choice specs set works better on teams that already have a fast special threat and need something to break through special walls like Amoongus and Sylveon if it’s chipped. Both sets can run hyper beam to secure KOs on their checks or run trick to cripple opposing walls. These sets biggest weakness is ghost types that predict tri-attack and force it out.
Calcs:
252 SpA Choice Specs Porygon-Z Ice Beam vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Amoonguss: 252-298 (58.4 - 69.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Adaptability Porygon-Z Tri Attack vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Sylveon: 162-192 (41.1 - 48.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ SpA Porygon-Z Dark Pulse vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Zoroark-Hisui: 296-350 (117.9 - 139.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Download Setup Sweeper
While download sets are both harder to fit on teams and are generally harder to use because of the ability not working on specially bulky mons, these sets have way higher highs and can end games more often. The main draw to download is that, unlike adaptability, it lets PZ’s great coverage shine. Most of the time download is paired with agility to allow this mon to sweep late game, but nasty plot can be used to push its damage output to unwallable levels, or it can use substitute to beat sucker punch Bisharp. These sets do have to make a choice what coverage move they want to run. Most sets run dark pulse to hit ghost types, including Zororak-Hisui, but the main choice is between ice beam and thunderbolt. Ice beam hits more meta staples like Noivern, Sandaconda, and Amoongus, but thunderbolt hits Blastoise super-effectively and Bisharp neutrally.
Calcs:
+1 252+ SpA Porygon-Z Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Blastoise: 316-374 (87.2 - 103.3%) -- 25% chance to OHKO
+1 252+ SpA Porygon-Z Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Bisharp: 148-175 (44.3 - 52.3%) -- 19.9% chance to 2HKO
Niche Sets:
Zap Cannon Blunder Policy
This set is a bit of a meme but nonetheless can be useful. This set is typically used in the place of agility download sets and pretty much play the same once the boost is obtained. The biggest drawback is that it’s a one-time boost. It’s funny and can catch an opponent by surprise, but it’s generally worse than the agility sets.
Trick Room Teleport?
Gonna be honest, this set is pretty bad. PZ is the only mon that gets trick room and teleport in this meta. If your team needs a second trick room setter after Klingklang, then this might work... but it’s probably not worth bringing.
Conclusion
Porygon-Z is a great mon despite the large ghost presence in the meta. PZ enjoys having Bisharp as a teammate to eliminate ghosts so that its powerful tri-attack can be clicked free. Other good teammates are slow pivots like Blastoise and Sylveon to allow it to hit the field easily. It has enough sets to fill a good amount of offensive roles and can be difficult to answer.
Written by Zetious