[OVERVIEW]
Porygon's extremely poor stats makes it unappealing at first sight, but its access to some of the best moves in the game, Recover and Thunder Wave, alongside its immunity to Body Slam paralysis thanks to being a Normal type gives it a niche. These traits allow Porygon to switch into the omnipresent Snorlax and use its 32 Recover PP to stall Snorlax out of its 24 Body Slam PP. Standard Snorlax sets can only hope to land multiple critical hits in a row, or freeze with Ice Beam if Porygon is not carrying Substitute. Porygon can also act as a pseudo check other Pokemon unable to reliably status Porygon such as Tauros, Persian, Cloyster, and Gengar but their higher speed and therefor higher critical hit rates makes switching in a risky proposition.
The biggest issue with Porygon is its passivity. Pokemon like Chansey and Exeggutor take minimal damage and threaten to paralyze Porygon, forcing it to switch out as paralysis makes it incapable of reliable walling Snorlax. Porygon also struggles heavily against Amnesia Snorlax only able to temporarily stall it with Substitute or attempt to freeze with Ice Beam, and to make things worse Cloyster gives Porygon strong competition as a more reliable check to Amnesia Snorlax and other normals. However, Porygon's immunity to Body Slam paralysis and access to Recover and Thunder Wave give it a niche over Cloyster and make it worth using on occasion.
[SET]
name: Standard
move 1: Recover
move 2: Thunder Wave
move 3: Ice Beam / Blizzard
move 4: Thunderbolt / Double-Edge
[SET COMMENTS]
Recover and Thunder Wave are both essential to what Porygon does, as such Porygon should never drop either of these moves. Ice Beam is Porygon's main attacking move because it does decent damage, has a chance to freeze and prevents Rhydon from using Porygon as free entry. Thunderbolt is the other most common move as it has great coverage when paired with Ice Beam, notably threatening Starmie and Cloyster with a 3HKO and its 24 PP can be useful in PP stalling. Porygon can use Blizzard over Ice Beam for high odds of 3HKOing Exeggutor and always 2HKOing Rhydon, However, it only has 8 PP so Porygon needs to play more conservatively than it would with Ice Beam. Double-Edge can be used instead of Thunderbolt, to threaten Chansey and Alakazam, but it only 3HKO's Alakazam and has a chance to 3HKO Chansey while dealing significant recoil to Porygon, unless it knocked out the foe. Psychic can force out Snorlax with repeated special drops but gives completely free entry to the many Psychic types that can paralyze Porygon. Thunder can be used as a stronger alternative to Thunderbolt that 2HKOes Cloyster and has a chance to 2HKO Starmie but the poor accuracy makes this unrealistic. Last up, Conversion can be used to copy an opponent's typing, but this is only useful if Snorlax is already delt with as Porygon is extremely likely to take paralysis when using this move.
The key to making this set work is paralyzing Snorlax, preferably before Porygon switches in, so it doesn't have to risk a critical hit when using Thunder Wave. Once Snorlax is paralyzed Porygon should use Recover every time Snorlax attacks and should only attack when Snorlax is fully paralyzed. Porygon needs to remain unparalyzed to wall Snorlax effectively so Porygon should always switch out when facing Pokemon that can paralyze it, unless Snorlax is already down. If the opposing Snorlax is already KOed or has Amnesia, Porygon can act as a second Chansey to wall the opponents Chansey or Starmie, alternatively Porygon can be used to check faster Pokemon that can't status it like Tauros, but it's likely going to faint from a critical hit so this should only be done as a last resort or when Porygon has already fulfilled its role.
[SET]
name: Substitute
move 1: Recover
move 2: Thunder Wave
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Ice Beam / Double-Edge / Thunderbolt
[SET COMMENTS]
Porygon makes great use of the buffed Stadium Substitute to block status moves and create free turns against paralyzed foes, it also survives Snorlax's Ice Beam giving Porygon a free turn and dissuading Snorlax from using it. Substitute also makes Recover more efficient as it allows Porygon to dip below 50 percent health risk-free, as long as Porygon has at least 200 hp remaining while using Substitute to ensure it has at least 133 after, allowing it to Recover and always survive a critical hit Snorlax Body Slam. Recover and Thunder Wave are both mandatory on Porygon as without them Porygon is completely incapable of beating Snorlax, or any Pokemon for that matter. Porygon's last move goes to an attack, Ice Beam is the most common for its ability to threaten freeze and its solid coverage, hitting Exeggutor Rhydon and Zapdos super effectively. Double-Edge is Porygon's strongest reliable stab move and has 24 PP, notably more than Ice Beam, and does decent damage against most Pokemon, however it does almost nothing to Rhydon, and Reflect Snorlax, while dealing recoil damage to Porygon unless it KOed the foe. Thunderbolt Threatens to 3HKO Starmie, and Cloyster, and has 24PP like Double-Edge, but does minimal damage to most other Pokemon, and lets Rhydon in entirely for free. Reflect can be used in place of Thunder Wave or Porygon's attacking move, notably allowing its Substitute to survive a Snorlax Body Slam, but this comes at the price of passivity, making Porygon free entry for many Pokemon. Tackle can be used in the last slot for PP stalling thanks to its massive 56PP, but its very low damage makes it exploitable.
Substitute Porygon greatly appreciates paralysis support, especially on Snorlax so Porygon does not have to risk a critical hit when using Thunder Wave. Once Snorlax is paralyzed Porygon can use Recover and Substitute to fish for full paralysis and use these opportunities to attack, although depending on the opponents team Porygon may not want to reveal its only attack to the opponent so PP stalling by using Thunder Wave can be done instead. Likewise Porygon needs to be paired with counters for the Pokemon that wall its only attack, Chansey is on nearly every team and supports Porygon, greatly helping against the strong Psychic types and other special attackers while paralyzing them with Thunder Wave.
Slowbro is a great teammate as it handles Amnesia Snorlax and can help against many other Pokemon that trouble Porygon such as Exeggutor, Alakazam, Cloyster, or opposing Slowbro
notes
(Porygon needs teammates to cover amnesia snorlax)
(minus 1 speed to out slow rhydon and spam recover when sub porygon has double-edge or thunderbolt)
(porygon needs teammates to cover the pokemon it lets in for free with its only attack)
(paralysis support teammates)
(substitute is good for paralysis fishing against switch ins while porygon is using recover)
(sub porygon is good at paralyzing whichever pokemon switches in)
(Slow twave can be helpful to punish faster pokemon waking up on porygon)
[CREDITS]
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Porygon's extremely poor stats makes it unappealing at first sight, but its access to some of the best moves in the game, Recover and Thunder Wave, alongside its immunity to Body Slam paralysis thanks to being a Normal type gives it a niche. These traits allow Porygon to switch into the omnipresent Snorlax and use its 32 Recover PP to stall Snorlax out of its 24 Body Slam PP. Standard Snorlax sets can only hope to land multiple critical hits in a row, or freeze with Ice Beam if Porygon is not carrying Substitute. Porygon can also act as a pseudo check other Pokemon unable to reliably status Porygon such as Tauros, Persian, Cloyster, and Gengar but their higher speed and therefor higher critical hit rates makes switching in a risky proposition.
The biggest issue with Porygon is its passivity. Pokemon like Chansey and Exeggutor take minimal damage and threaten to paralyze Porygon, forcing it to switch out as paralysis makes it incapable of reliable walling Snorlax. Porygon also struggles heavily against Amnesia Snorlax only able to temporarily stall it with Substitute or attempt to freeze with Ice Beam, and to make things worse Cloyster gives Porygon strong competition as a more reliable check to Amnesia Snorlax and other normals. However, Porygon's immunity to Body Slam paralysis and access to Recover and Thunder Wave give it a niche over Cloyster and make it worth using on occasion.
[SET]
name: Standard
move 1: Recover
move 2: Thunder Wave
move 3: Ice Beam / Blizzard
move 4: Thunderbolt / Double-Edge
[SET COMMENTS]
Recover and Thunder Wave are both essential to what Porygon does, as such Porygon should never drop either of these moves. Ice Beam is Porygon's main attacking move because it does decent damage, has a chance to freeze and prevents Rhydon from using Porygon as free entry. Thunderbolt is the other most common move as it has great coverage when paired with Ice Beam, notably threatening Starmie and Cloyster with a 3HKO and its 24 PP can be useful in PP stalling. Porygon can use Blizzard over Ice Beam for high odds of 3HKOing Exeggutor and always 2HKOing Rhydon, However, it only has 8 PP so Porygon needs to play more conservatively than it would with Ice Beam. Double-Edge can be used instead of Thunderbolt, to threaten Chansey and Alakazam, but it only 3HKO's Alakazam and has a chance to 3HKO Chansey while dealing significant recoil to Porygon, unless it knocked out the foe. Psychic can force out Snorlax with repeated special drops but gives completely free entry to the many Psychic types that can paralyze Porygon. Thunder can be used as a stronger alternative to Thunderbolt that 2HKOes Cloyster and has a chance to 2HKO Starmie but the poor accuracy makes this unrealistic. Last up, Conversion can be used to copy an opponent's typing, but this is only useful if Snorlax is already delt with as Porygon is extremely likely to take paralysis when using this move.
The key to making this set work is paralyzing Snorlax, preferably before Porygon switches in, so it doesn't have to risk a critical hit when using Thunder Wave. Once Snorlax is paralyzed Porygon should use Recover every time Snorlax attacks and should only attack when Snorlax is fully paralyzed. Porygon needs to remain unparalyzed to wall Snorlax effectively so Porygon should always switch out when facing Pokemon that can paralyze it, unless Snorlax is already down. If the opposing Snorlax is already KOed or has Amnesia, Porygon can act as a second Chansey to wall the opponents Chansey or Starmie, alternatively Porygon can be used to check faster Pokemon that can't status it like Tauros, but it's likely going to faint from a critical hit so this should only be done as a last resort or when Porygon has already fulfilled its role.
[SET]
name: Substitute
move 1: Recover
move 2: Thunder Wave
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Ice Beam / Double-Edge / Thunderbolt
[SET COMMENTS]
Porygon makes great use of the buffed Stadium Substitute to block status moves and create free turns against paralyzed foes, it also survives Snorlax's Ice Beam giving Porygon a free turn and dissuading Snorlax from using it. Substitute also makes Recover more efficient as it allows Porygon to dip below 50 percent health risk-free, as long as Porygon has at least 200 hp remaining while using Substitute to ensure it has at least 133 after, allowing it to Recover and always survive a critical hit Snorlax Body Slam. Recover and Thunder Wave are both mandatory on Porygon as without them Porygon is completely incapable of beating Snorlax, or any Pokemon for that matter. Porygon's last move goes to an attack, Ice Beam is the most common for its ability to threaten freeze and its solid coverage, hitting Exeggutor Rhydon and Zapdos super effectively. Double-Edge is Porygon's strongest reliable stab move and has 24 PP, notably more than Ice Beam, and does decent damage against most Pokemon, however it does almost nothing to Rhydon, and Reflect Snorlax, while dealing recoil damage to Porygon unless it KOed the foe. Thunderbolt Threatens to 3HKO Starmie, and Cloyster, and has 24PP like Double-Edge, but does minimal damage to most other Pokemon, and lets Rhydon in entirely for free. Reflect can be used in place of Thunder Wave or Porygon's attacking move, notably allowing its Substitute to survive a Snorlax Body Slam, but this comes at the price of passivity, making Porygon free entry for many Pokemon. Tackle can be used in the last slot for PP stalling thanks to its massive 56PP, but its very low damage makes it exploitable.
Substitute Porygon greatly appreciates paralysis support, especially on Snorlax so Porygon does not have to risk a critical hit when using Thunder Wave. Once Snorlax is paralyzed Porygon can use Recover and Substitute to fish for full paralysis and use these opportunities to attack, although depending on the opponents team Porygon may not want to reveal its only attack to the opponent so PP stalling by using Thunder Wave can be done instead. Likewise Porygon needs to be paired with counters for the Pokemon that wall its only attack, Chansey is on nearly every team and supports Porygon, greatly helping against the strong Psychic types and other special attackers while paralyzing them with Thunder Wave.
Slowbro is a great teammate as it handles Amnesia Snorlax and can help against many other Pokemon that trouble Porygon such as Exeggutor, Alakazam, Cloyster, or opposing Slowbro
notes
(Porygon needs teammates to cover amnesia snorlax)
(minus 1 speed to out slow rhydon and spam recover when sub porygon has double-edge or thunderbolt)
(porygon needs teammates to cover the pokemon it lets in for free with its only attack)
(paralysis support teammates)
(substitute is good for paralysis fishing against switch ins while porygon is using recover)
(sub porygon is good at paralyzing whichever pokemon switches in)
(Slow twave can be helpful to punish faster pokemon waking up on porygon)
[CREDITS]
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