Overview
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Porygon2 is a very quirky Pokemon, but it pulls its weight of 71.6 pounds with honors in many different roles. It has a good defensive typing and solid coverage to handle many threats effectively. Access to Eviolite gives it sky-high defensive stats, and it has decent Special Attack to boot. However, Porygon2's reliance on the Eviolite takes away passive recovery from Leftovers. Its great abilities also help it in many ways. Trace is a phenomenal walling ability, and with proper switching can grant Porygon2 even better abilities like Protean or Intimidate. The virtual duck is not without its flaws, however. It has a low Speed stat and is prone to status. Porygon2's Normal typing gives it a Ghost immunity, but that comes coupled with a weakness to Fighting, one of the most common attacking types in the tier.

SET NAME
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name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Recover
move 4: Toxic / Thunder Wave
ability: Trace
item: Eviolite
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

Moves
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Thunderbolt and Ice Beam are reasonably powerful, and few things resist both moves, allowing it to hit most opponents neutrally. Recover is an absolute necessity for this set, because it allows Porygon2 to stall poisoned opponents out and, more importantly, to heal itself. Porygon2 can't heal itself with Leftovers, so Recover is needed. Either Toxic or Thunder Wave can be used as the status move, but Toxic is generally better because of the passive damage it inflicts.

Set Details
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Trace is the best Ability for this set, because it can get access to many wonderful Abilities through it. Flash Fire on Houndoom before Mega Evolution renders it about useless against Trace, for instance. Analytic is also an option for increased damage output, but lessens Porygon2's walling capabilities. It's not slashed due to Trace's general superiority. The Bold nature, together with this EV spread, makes Porygon2's defenses even more ridiculous at no cost to Porygon2.

Usage Tips
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This version of Porygon2 can force switches, deal damage, and spread status. In a pinch, this set can be used as a pivot, as well. This set counters mixed Aegislash, Salamence, and Haxorus and stops Garchomp in its tracks. It is necessary to predict with Recover, since Porygon2 is outsped by most things. It's not recommended to switch Porygon2 into weak attacks since it can be worn down by hazards very quickly this way. Porygon2 still has great mixed bulk with this set, so it can still take moderately powerful Special Attacks as well.

Team Options
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A Rapid Spinner such as Excadrill or Defogger such as Mandibuzz, Latias, Zapdos, or Skarmory is recommended to keep hazards off so Porygon2 is not worn down. A bulky Fighting resist such as Landorus-T is also important to handle those attackers. Cleric support from Clefable or Sylveon is very nice since Porygon2 has no way to deal with status. Fairy-types have good synergy in general as they resist Fighting-type attacks and Porygon2 can easily take most neutral attacks.

SET NAME
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name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Shadow Ball / Thunder Wave / Toxic
move 4: Recover
ability: Trace
item: Eviolite
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD

Moves:
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Again, BoltBeam provides at least neutral coverage against nearly all opponents and when used with Porygon2's high Special Attack, both moves pack decent damage. Shadow Ball helps deal with the many Special Attackers weak to Ghost, as well as providing a strong hit on Aegislash, since this set takes significantly more damage from Sacred Sword. A status move can be used in this slot instead, for more stall-oriented needs. Toxic wears down many attackers, while Thunder Wave can help slow them down so that Porygon2 and other team members outspeed.

Set Details
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The Calm nature and EV's maximizes Special Defense. Eviolite is, as on any set for Porygon2, a necessity because of the bulk it affords. Trace is used as the Ability to steal your opponent's options, which are often helpful. In this case Porygon2 is more likely to get Abilities like Sheer Force that can help it.

Usage Tips
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Porygon2, by virtue of its bulk, can switch into almost any Special Attacker and not be 2HKO'd, even against one as powerful as Mega Charizard Y. Thus, it can be used as a panacea for Special Attackers, spreading status, walling these Pokemon, and attacking with good power. It's necessary to use Recover often so you don't get worn down by powerful attacks and hazards. Porygon2 still has the physical bulk to take Psyshocks and weaker physical attacks, and can pivot, but it will be worn down if it does so.

Team Options
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A Rapid Spinner such as Excadrill or Defogger such as Mandibuzz, Latias, Zapdos, or Skarmory is recommended to keep hazards off so Porygon2 is not worn down. A bulky Fighting resist such as Landorus-T is also important to handle those attackers. Cleric support from Clefable or Sylveon is very nice since Porygon2 has no way to deal with status. Fairy-types have good synergy in general as they resist Fighting-type attacks and Porygon2 can easily take most neutral attacks.

Trick Room
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name: Trick Room
move 1: Trick Room
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Recover / Tri Attack / Hidden Power Fire
ability: Trace / Download
item: Eviolite
nature: Quiet
evs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Moves:
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Porygon2 can also run a radically different set from the previous two. Its low Speed coupled with its high Special Attack makes it a very powerful Trick Room sweeper. The first slots (beyond the self-explanatory Trick Room) boost Porygon2's sweeping capabilities. BoltBeam is a classic and never fails. Keep in mind that this variant of Porygon2 is strictly offensive. The last moveslot can be filled with either Recover for healing, or Tri Attack as a STAB move. Shadow Ball could also be used here to hit Ghosts, but it's not recommended. Hidden Power Fire is an excellent coverage opportunity to hit the very common Steel-types in the tier.

Set Details
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This EV spread neglects defenses (which are already huge with the Eviolite) for full-on sweeping capabilities. The Quiet nature drops speed, but this is useful for Trick Room. Trace is a great Ability, because many pokemon Porygon2 may come up against have abilities that grant immunities to their own types like Flash Fire on Heatran. Download is also helpful to improve your chances of sweeping. Analytic is not helpful since the goal of Trick Room is to move first.

Usage Tips
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Porygon2 makes a reliable setter of Trick Room throughout the game, so it should be preserved to do this multiple times. It can also deal good damage under Trick Room and still handles many attacks. This is more of a support Pokemon for Trick Room teams, but it can't be used a sponge for powerful attacks.

Team Options
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Reuniclus is another good Trick Room sweeper that works well with Porygon2. Conkeldurr is a good tank in Trick Room and appreciates the support as well. Escavalier is an effective Pursuit trapper and has an extremely high Attack stat in general along with abysmal Speed, making it a great fit. Mega Abomasnow has good bulk and high Attacking stats and works well, but its Hail can wear down Porygon2. A few Pokemon that work outside of Trick Room like Garchomp are also necessary, though.

Other Options
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Porygon2 is such a versatile pokemon that there isn't much it can't do. The three sets listed are its most popular, but feel free to use any set that fills whatever niche spot you can't find a match for. One especially notable alternate move for Porygon2 is Foul Play. It provides coverage, as well as countering opponents with higher base Attack than Porygon2. On the defensive sets, Conversion 2 deserves mention because it can give Porygon2 useful resistances to Choice moves. This could be used on an Analytic sweeper set with BoltBeam and Recover. Psyshock can be used instead of Thunderbolt or Ice Beam if special defenders are proving a lot of trouble, but this sacrifices coverage and power. Discharge can also be used on any set except Trick Room for the paralysis chance, and Tri Attack can be used on defensive sets if you want a STAB attack.

Checks & Counters
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**Fighting-Type Pokemon and Moves**: Fighting is a ridiculously common offensive type, both for powerful STABs on Breloom, Terrakion, Conkeldurr and others, and in conjunction with the ubiquitous coverage move Focus Blast. Porygon2 has trouble taking out bulky Fighting-Types, and can usually be outsped and 2HKOed by Landorus and its ilk of Focus Blast users.

**Taunt**: Taunt prevents Porygon2 from Recovering and setting up Trick Room. This prevents Porygon2 from what is essentially its essence: tanking hits. Without any form of recovery due to its Eviolite reliance, Porygon2 must either switch or hope not to die after being Taunted. Trick Room is also rendered null if it can't be used.

**Trick, Knock Off, and Switcheroo**: Porygon2 is absolutely reliant on the Eviolite to work in any given situation, and any one of these three commonly seen moves can eliminate the item in an instant. Thus, Porygon2 should not stay in and hope to be successful against any known enemies with one of these moves.

**Status**: Porygon2 often sees itself afflicted with status, and without a teammate with Heal Bell, cannot get rid of it. Porygon2 can't use the Lum Berry, it can't use Psycho Shift, and it can't do anything to get rid of the poison that hurts it so often.