Richard's Reasoning - Porygon2

Welcome to the ninth installment of Richard's Reasoning where we discuss competitive Pokemon in Crystal Clear's unique metagame. This time we'll be talking about one of the most used Pokemon in the history of our tournaments. Let's talk about Porygon2.

Base Stats: 85 HP / 80 Attack / 90 Defense / 105 Sp. Attack / 95 Sp. Defense / 60 Speed

As stated, Porygon2 has seen a ton of use in Crystal Clear's metagame, but while it's made it to grand finals in a few of them, it has never been a part of a winning team. That's not to disparage Porygon2 or indeed its users, but it is indicative of how well the Pokemon needs to be played to be successful. Things are harder now than ever for Porygon2 with the rise in offensive threats. Fighting types have been buffed, and Gyarados rampages the tier with 33% critical hit Aeroblasts, which Porygon2 cannot reliably switch in to take.

None of this makes Porygon2 bad though. In fact, I'd argue it's still somewhere between top tier and high tier, with how much utility it has and how easy it is to fit onto a team and perform well.

-Digital Duck Deluxe-

Porygon2@ Leftovers
Thunderbolt / Return
Ice Beam / Flamethrower
Recover
Thunder Wave / Toxic / Curse / Barrier

This is the standard set for Porygon2, and it's not hard to see why. Thunderbolt is the most necessary move on the set, hitting a wide range of common Pokemon for Super-Effective damage. Return is an option if you're opting for Curse, however, as it allows Porygon2 to mount an offensive presence while boosting its Defense at the cost of Speed which isn't something Porygon2 has much of anyway.

Ice Beam provides the best coverage alongside Thunderbolt, only being resisted by Magneton. It hits Dragonite, Rhydon, Golem, and hits Quagsire and Steelix neutrally. It's also your best option alongside Return, as it gives you coverage against Rhydon and Golem, as well as hitting Steelix neutrally. Flamethrower is a good option alongside Return, as it covers Steel types.

Recover is a necessity to keep Porygon2 alive. Not too much to say here, but you have to be mindful of when you use it, since it can be exploited by the opponent sometimes.

The last slot is really what makes Porygon2. It defines how your specific Porygon2 can play. Thunder Wave slows the opponent down, which is not only helpful for team support, but relieves pressure for Porygon2 as well, since it can Recover before the opponent attacks, and sometimes prevent them from attacking. Toxic is better for beating slower, bulkier Pokemon. Applying Toxic poison lets Porygon2 focus on healing itself and mitigating damage while the poison plays the battle for it. Curse is to be used alongside Return for the maximum benefit. It can allow Porygon2 to mount an offensive presence, but it's pretty slow to get started. It's best saved until mid-game when you're aware of what 3 Pokemon the opponent has, and know when or if you can set up for it. Finally, Barrier can be used on any combination of other moves to allow Porygon2 to beat some physical attackers by reducing their damage output enough that Porygon2 can Recover off their damage and beat them directly.

Porygon2 is a great Pokemon, but the metagame around it has changed drastically since the introduction of the Battle Tutor. Fighting types are more common than ever before, and their Cross Chop has a 1/4 chance to land a Critical Hit if it connects, which severely limits how well it can wall things. It needs defensive partners now more than ever, but luckily those are still in good supply. Slowbro handles many Fighting types, but not the most common one: Heracross. Gengar can take both of Heracross's STAB attacks with ease, though it needs to watch out for Earthquake from Heracross. Weezing can switch into most Fighting types and threaten a Burn via Sacred Fire, which would be very helpful for Porygon2. Choosing defensive partners that suit your team's needs is of vital importance for ensuring Porygon2 functions throughout the game.

In my opinion, there's no negotiating for the item on Porygon2. With the new item clause, you're allowed 2 Leftovers per team, so there's almost no excuse why Porygon2 can't be holding one of them. It absolutely needs them to maintain its walling capabilities and make the most of its stats. MiracleBerry could be used, but it's almost never worth it. Just bring a Heal Bell user if you're afraid of it being shut down by status.

There are some other options for Porygon2 as well, though it already struggles to fit everything it wants onto a single set. Psychic is a decent surprise for Fighting types that might switch directly into P2, but outside of that scenario it has little utility and you'd be giving up something important to fit it. Double-Edge is an option for the Curse set instead of Return, but it forces Porygon2 to Recover more often. If using this, you definitely need Thunder Wave in the last slot to be able to control Speed and Recover before the opponent hits you so that you're in control of the pace of the match.

-My Opinion-

I love this duck. In later generations it gets access to my favorite ability, Trace, and that has always drawn me to wanting to use it. I like defensive Pokemon that have an offensive presence as well, and the concept for the Porygon line is just wonderful. Everything about this duck makes me smile. Since joining CC, I associate Porygon2 very closely with Vance, who has been a friendly rival of mine in tournaments past, and that's made me like it even more. Porygon2 is definitely a friend. :)