New World Order
Licks Toads
QC Checks: PK Gaming, doomvendingmachine, Honko
GP Checks: sirndpt, New World Order
[Overview]
<p>Ever since their inception, Porygon-Z and Rhyperior have been inextricably intertwined. Both were released in DPP as new evolutions, and both were deemed instant Ubers during the theorymon stages, due to their incredible power and fantastic abilities. Both, however, fell from grace, never to return to their former OU glory. Then BW came along, and the UU / RU cutoff has separated these lifelong partners, drowning both in an ocean of sorrow. As Rhyperior goes onto bigger and better things in BW UU, Porygon-Z is relegated to RU, where it can demolish the opposition by virtue of its base 135 Special Attack. It also has access to two divine abilities in Adaptability and Download; the former gives Porygon-Z's Normal-type attacks a double STAB boost, while the latter could give it a potential Special Attack boost upon switching in.</p>
<p>Porygon-Z is without a doubt one of the most powerful attackers in RU; Tri Attack grants Porygon-Z a fantastic STAB with which to wreak havoc, and has fantastic coverage alongside Dark Pulse, and Hidden Power Fighting. On top of all this, Porygon-Z can boost with either Nasty Plot or Agility to become a formidable sweeper, or run a Choice set to become a dangerous wallbreaker or revenge killer. Unfortunately, the 3-D duck is not without faults, for its atrocious defenses, lack of resistances, and unimpressive base 90 Speed leave it vulnerable to priority move users and revenge killers.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Tri Attack
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Specs / Choice Scarf
ability: Adaptability
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Choice Porygon-Z is one of the most prominent attackers in RU; in a tier is largely devoid of special walls, Porygon-Z can easily lay waste to the entire tier by virtue of its unmatched base 135 Special Attack. The main draw of this set is Porygon-Z's Adaptability-boosted Tri Attack, which instills fear into the opponent despite not being able to hit any Pokemon for super effective damage. Any Pokemon that is not a Ghost-, Rock-, or Steel-type, or does not have god-like special bulk, will tremble before the 3-D duck's 3-D attack. Ghost-types, such as Cofagrigus, are annihilated by Dark Pulse. Rock- and Steel-types, such as Steelix, are ravaged by Hidden Power Fighting. Dedicated special walls, such as Munchlax, are crippled by Trick. Add this up, and there are a grand total of 0 safe switch-ins to Porygon-Z.</p>
<p>The decision between Choice Specs and Choice Scarf is a fantastic problem for Porygon-Z users, because you can't go wrong with either. Modest Choice Specs Porygon-Z is one of the, if not the most, destructive attacker in RU. With Stealth Rock and Spikes support, it can 2HKO the entire RU tier between Tri Attack, Dark Pulse, and Hidden Power Fighting. While the offensive juggernaut that is Choice Specs Porygon-Z would be a welcome addition to any team, Choice Scarf Porygon-Z is not to be underestimated either. With a Choice Scarf, Porygon-Z can outspeed every unboosted Pokemon in the tier, and threaten frail sweepers with its awesome power. The best part about Porygon-Z is that these two sets cannot be dealt with in the same manner. Choice Specs Porygon-Z is next to impossible to wall, whereas Choice Scarf Porygon-Z is excruciatingly difficult to revenge kill without resorting to Mach Punch. Unless your opponent opts for a Mach Punch user, they will essentially need to dedicate 2 Pokemon to deal with Choice Porygon-Z: a fast revenge killer to deal with Choice Specs variants, and a monster special wall to take on Choice Scarf variants. A Timid nature gives Porygon-Z the jump on Rotom-C—note that Porygon-Z cannot Speed tie base 90 Speed foes because Hidden Power Fighting forces it to lose 1 Speed point—while a Modest nature makes Porygon-Z's onslaught utterly unstoppable.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Download is certainly a viable ability for Porygon-Z, as Porygon-Z will be locked into one move each time it comes in, and may as well take a chance on a Special Attack boost. However, the duck from a different dimension will more often find itself spamming Tri Attack, so Adaptability is the superior ability. Download is more feasible on the Choice Scarf variant, though, as Dark Pulse and Hidden Power Fighting fail to score a number of 2HKOs and OHKOs without a boost. Should one opt for Download rather than Adaptability, BoltBeam coverage can be used instead, as Thunderbolt and Ice Beam have higher Base Power than Dark Pulse and Hidden Power Fighting.</p>
<p>When using Porygon-Z, one would very much like to fire off Tri Attack without thought. Therefore, Mixed Honchkrow and Krookodile are great teammates to help eliminate the Rock-, Steel-, and Ghost-types that either resist or are immune to Tri Attack. Ghost-types tend to be the best switch-ins to Porygon-Z. Ironically, they are also some of Porygon-Z's best teammates, as Mach Punches aimed at the software duck pass through them harmlessly. Choice Porygon-Z pummels many common special walls, which could potentially open up a sweep for a teammate, such as Lilligant or Galvantula. Porygon-Z's immense power forces switches like no other, and as such, entry hazard support is recommended to allow Porygon-Z to break through its checks. For example, with Stealth Rock and 2 layers of Spikes up, Choice Specs Porygon-Z is guaranteed to 2HKO Eviolite Munchlax. Uxie and Qwilfish make good teammates due to their resistances to Fighting.</p>
[SET]
name: Agility
move 1: Agility
move 2: Tri Attack
move 3: Dark Pulse
move 4: Hidden Power Fighting
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
ability: Download
nature: Modest
evs: 164 HP / 252 SpA / 92 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Porygon-Z's greatest weakness is its middling Speed, and this set aims to alleviate that. Even without a boost, Porygon-Z is obscenely strong, and can power through any Pokemon lacking decent special bulk. Unlike the Choice and Nasty Plot variants, Download is preferred because Dark Pulse and Hidden Power Fighting do not hit hard enough without a boost. Although Download is inconsistent, the potential for Porygon-Z to reach +1 Special Attack and +2 Speed is too good to pass up. Tri Attack is the 3-D duck's crown jewel, and exterminates any Pokemon that is not immune or resistant to Normal. Dark Pulse takes out said Pokemon immune to Tri Attack, such as Cofagrigus and Rotom, while Hidden Power Fighting brings down said Normal resists, such as Aggron and Steelix.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The Speed EVs allow Porygon-Z to outspeed Choice Scarf Primeape after a boost, while Special Attack is maximized to ensure Porygon-Z claims as many victims as possible. The remaining EVs are dumped into HP in hopes that Porygon-Z may one day survive a Mach Punch. However, if one feels the need to outspeed a less common threat, such as Choice Scarf Scyther or Sceptile, EVs could be moved from HP to Speed. Agility Porygon-Z is a dedicated late-game sweeper. However, it does lack power in comparison to the other sets. Therefore, Life Orb is the preferred item. However, Porygon-Z is also severely hampered by status, so one could opt to use Lum Berry, although the loss of power seriously hinders its offensive potency. Similarly, Porygon-Z needs maximum Special Attack investment and a Modest nature in order to maximize damage output. Maximum Speed investment allows it to Speed tie opposing unboosted Porygon-Z. It could use Thunderbolt and Ice Beam rather than Dark Pulse and Hidden Power Fighting, but the latter two are generally superior. Substitute can be used to protect Porygon-Z from priority and status, but Porygon-Z needs coverage like Charlie Sheen needs help.</p>
<p>Speaking of needing help, this variant of Porygon-Z relies heavily on its teammates to pull off a sweep. Despite having access to Dark Pulse and Hidden Power Fighting, the destructo duck still has trouble destroying Ghost-, Steel-, and Rock-types. Mixed Honchkrow and Krookodile can easily dispose of these threats. Porygon-Z also has difficulty breaking through elite special walls, namely Munchlax and Clefable, so it is advantageous to pair Porygon-Z with a powerful Fighting-type, such as Gallade or Medicham. As alluded to earlier, Mach Punch is the bane of Porygon-Z's existence. It is of paramount importance that Porygon-Z has a teammate to absorb Mach Punch, such as Rotom or Cofagrigus. Of course, due to its lack of power, Agility Porygon-Z functions best with heavy hazard support, as it would otherwise have difficulty scoring KOs. Qwilfish and Claydol, therefore, make great teammates, as they can not only set up entry hazards, but also take a Mach Punch for Porygon-Z.</p>
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Tri Attack
move 3: Dark Pulse
move 4: Hidden Power Fighting
item: Life Orb
ability: Adaptability
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>A perpetual command runs within the 3-D terminator's software: Targets Acquired. Destroy All Existence. Porygon-Z's plan to destroy all life forms has been discovered, in the form of Nasty Plot. Nasty Plot Porygon-Z was, and still is, one of the most vicious attackers in the history of the game. A Nasty Plot, Adaptability-boosted Tri Attack is obscenely powerful, capable of blowing past any Pokemon that is not outright immune. For reference, it deals 61.9% - 72.9% to 252 HP / 252 SpD Sassy Steelix; unless the word "Ghost" appears in a Pokemon's typing data, they cannot switch into a +2 Adaptability Tri Attack. However, not even Ghost-types can safely deal with Nasty Plot Porygon-Z, for they are instantly banished to a different dimension by Dark Pulse. Although Pokemon such as Steelix and Aggron can survive a Tri Attack, they certainly wont enjoy eating Hidden Power Fighting.</p>
<p>Even though Nasty Plot Porygon-Z is a destroyer of worlds, it is not invincible. That same fatal flaw that has haunted Porygon-Z since its inception rears its ugly head once more: base 90 Speed. Although it is not atrocious, Porygon-Z's Speed is underwhelming to say the least. For the duck is outsped by a plethora of RU threats, ranging from Accelgor to the likes of Moltres. While Hidden Power Fighting may seem like a blessing to such an offensively gifted Pokemon, it is in fact a curse in disguise, as the imperfect Speed IV means Porygon-Z will even be outsped by its fellow base 90 Speed Pokemon. However, not all is lost for Porygon-Z; once these threats have been eliminated, there really is nothing that can stand in the way of a fully charged duck-billed terminator.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Maximum Speed and Special Attack investment reinforces Porygon-Z's offensive prowess. A Timid nature is preferred because +2 Porygon-Z hits like a truck regardless. In fact, a +2 Porygon-Z's Adaptability Hyper Beam can even OHKO Blissey! As appealing as that sounds, Blissey is not a part of RU, and Tri Attack is superior in so many ways it's not even funny. A BoltBeam combination can be used instead of Dark Pulse and Hidden Power Fighting, but Nasty Plot Porygon-Z will be mindlessly firing off Tri Attacks unless a Ghost-, Rock-, or Steel-type enters the field. A boosted Tri Attack is so powerful that only Pokemon that are outright immune to it can avoid a 2HKO. Therefore, Substitute or Recover can be used in place of Hidden Power Fighting. Substitute can protect Porygon-Z from being crippled by status, as well as scout for potential revenge killers. Recover can be used to shake off Life Orb recoil and lengthen the serial killing duck's rampage. However, Porygon-Z is much better off being able to OHKO the likes of Aggron and Steelix with Hidden Power Fighting.</p>
<p>The best way to stop Nasty Plot Porygon-Z is to capitalize on its unimpressive Speed, but what can one do when these Pokemon can no longer outspeed it? The answer is... nothing. With paralysis support, Porygon-Z will be able to blow past every Pokemon in the tier bar Mach Punch users. Thunder Wave support turns Nasty Plot Porygon-Z from a colossal threat into an untouchable messiah, while moves such as Body Slam and Stun Spore are useful for paralyzing Krookodile, who is immune to Thunder Wave. Nasty Plot Porygon-Z needs no help KOing Pokemon whatsoever, so it would be much wiser to bring another powerful special sweeper, such as Lilligant, than a wallbreaker. Porygon-Z despises revenge killers with a passion; therefore, it would be wise to pair it with a sturdy pivot, such as Claydol or Cofagrigus, to take the blows. Entry hazard support is recommended to turn numerous 2HKOs into OHKOs. Note that it does not say "turn 3HKOs into 2HKOs," that is because even without hazards, every Pokemon in the tier is 2HKOed by +2 Porygon-Z, no exceptions whatsoever. Qwilfish works especially well, as it not only sets up Spikes for Porygon-Z, but also absorbs Mach Punches aimed at it.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Recover can be used to improve Porygon-Z's survivability, but le canard really does need the coverage. A double booster set with Nasty Plot and Agility is unviable for the same reasons. Magic Coat can be used to protect the destructo duck from non-attacking moves, but Porygon-Z isn't bothered by moves such as Taunt, and Substitute is much better for defending against status moves. Even Substitute is not recommended, as Porygon-Z absolutely mauls the tier between 3 moves, and has no reason to hide. A SubCharge set can be used to boost Porygon-Z's Special Attack behind the protection of a Substitute. However, Porygon-Z would much prefer to either annhilate opponents off the bat with a Choice Specs, or Nasty Plot up and tear the opposing team a new one. Psyshock can be used to deal more damage to special walls, such as Munchlax and Clefable, but Porygon-Z can power through these threats anyways with sufficient entry hazard support. Finally, one could try out a Trick Room set to surprise potential revenge killers, but this is generally a waste of a valuable moveslot.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Porygon-Z is truly an abomination, and outright cannot be handled via conventional means. Its coverage is phenomenal, and its sheer strength means that not even the bulkiest RU special wall can reliably take its attacks, so special precautions must be taken against it. One should never, under any circumstance, play recklessly when that pink and blue duck sprite shows up on team preview. Ghost-types, such as Rotom, Dusknoir, and Cofagrigus make good initial switch-ins, as most of the time, Porygon-Z will fire off Tri Attack. However, should the Porygon-Z user opt to click Dark Pulse instead, you can kiss your Ghost-type goodbye. Ghost-types are also helpless against Nasty Plot variants, as they are unable to KO it, and are swiftly obliterated by a Dark Pulse.</p>
<p>The most important thing when dealing with Porygon-Z is to figure out its moveset, as there is no universal counter for it. Weaker, but faster variants, such as Choice Scarf and Agility, are walled cold by elite special walls, such as Munchlax, Clefable, and Dusknoir. These variants can also be played around through careful pivoting, but one wrong prediction could cost you the game. More powerful variants, such as Choice Specs and Nasty Plot, will likely claim a victim unless you predict perfectly. A more reliable method for dealing with these sets is to revenge kill them with fast, powerful attackers, such as Archeops and Primeape. Strong priority moves can also be used to bring down the software colossus. As for priority, there is one move that can be employed to handle all Porygon-Z variants: Mach Punch. However, as none of the users of Mach Punch can reliably switch-in, carrying a Mach Punch user does not translate to "let your guard down against Porygon-Z."</p>
GP Checks: sirndpt, New World Order
[Overview]
<p>Ever since their inception, Porygon-Z and Rhyperior have been inextricably intertwined. Both were released in DPP as new evolutions, and both were deemed instant Ubers during the theorymon stages, due to their incredible power and fantastic abilities. Both, however, fell from grace, never to return to their former OU glory. Then BW came along, and the UU / RU cutoff has separated these lifelong partners, drowning both in an ocean of sorrow. As Rhyperior goes onto bigger and better things in BW UU, Porygon-Z is relegated to RU, where it can demolish the opposition by virtue of its base 135 Special Attack. It also has access to two divine abilities in Adaptability and Download; the former gives Porygon-Z's Normal-type attacks a double STAB boost, while the latter could give it a potential Special Attack boost upon switching in.</p>
<p>Porygon-Z is without a doubt one of the most powerful attackers in RU; Tri Attack grants Porygon-Z a fantastic STAB with which to wreak havoc, and has fantastic coverage alongside Dark Pulse, and Hidden Power Fighting. On top of all this, Porygon-Z can boost with either Nasty Plot or Agility to become a formidable sweeper, or run a Choice set to become a dangerous wallbreaker or revenge killer. Unfortunately, the 3-D duck is not without faults, for its atrocious defenses, lack of resistances, and unimpressive base 90 Speed leave it vulnerable to priority move users and revenge killers.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice
move 1: Tri Attack
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Hidden Power Fighting
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Specs / Choice Scarf
ability: Adaptability
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Choice Porygon-Z is one of the most prominent attackers in RU; in a tier is largely devoid of special walls, Porygon-Z can easily lay waste to the entire tier by virtue of its unmatched base 135 Special Attack. The main draw of this set is Porygon-Z's Adaptability-boosted Tri Attack, which instills fear into the opponent despite not being able to hit any Pokemon for super effective damage. Any Pokemon that is not a Ghost-, Rock-, or Steel-type, or does not have god-like special bulk, will tremble before the 3-D duck's 3-D attack. Ghost-types, such as Cofagrigus, are annihilated by Dark Pulse. Rock- and Steel-types, such as Steelix, are ravaged by Hidden Power Fighting. Dedicated special walls, such as Munchlax, are crippled by Trick. Add this up, and there are a grand total of 0 safe switch-ins to Porygon-Z.</p>
<p>The decision between Choice Specs and Choice Scarf is a fantastic problem for Porygon-Z users, because you can't go wrong with either. Modest Choice Specs Porygon-Z is one of the, if not the most, destructive attacker in RU. With Stealth Rock and Spikes support, it can 2HKO the entire RU tier between Tri Attack, Dark Pulse, and Hidden Power Fighting. While the offensive juggernaut that is Choice Specs Porygon-Z would be a welcome addition to any team, Choice Scarf Porygon-Z is not to be underestimated either. With a Choice Scarf, Porygon-Z can outspeed every unboosted Pokemon in the tier, and threaten frail sweepers with its awesome power. The best part about Porygon-Z is that these two sets cannot be dealt with in the same manner. Choice Specs Porygon-Z is next to impossible to wall, whereas Choice Scarf Porygon-Z is excruciatingly difficult to revenge kill without resorting to Mach Punch. Unless your opponent opts for a Mach Punch user, they will essentially need to dedicate 2 Pokemon to deal with Choice Porygon-Z: a fast revenge killer to deal with Choice Specs variants, and a monster special wall to take on Choice Scarf variants. A Timid nature gives Porygon-Z the jump on Rotom-C—note that Porygon-Z cannot Speed tie base 90 Speed foes because Hidden Power Fighting forces it to lose 1 Speed point—while a Modest nature makes Porygon-Z's onslaught utterly unstoppable.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Download is certainly a viable ability for Porygon-Z, as Porygon-Z will be locked into one move each time it comes in, and may as well take a chance on a Special Attack boost. However, the duck from a different dimension will more often find itself spamming Tri Attack, so Adaptability is the superior ability. Download is more feasible on the Choice Scarf variant, though, as Dark Pulse and Hidden Power Fighting fail to score a number of 2HKOs and OHKOs without a boost. Should one opt for Download rather than Adaptability, BoltBeam coverage can be used instead, as Thunderbolt and Ice Beam have higher Base Power than Dark Pulse and Hidden Power Fighting.</p>
<p>When using Porygon-Z, one would very much like to fire off Tri Attack without thought. Therefore, Mixed Honchkrow and Krookodile are great teammates to help eliminate the Rock-, Steel-, and Ghost-types that either resist or are immune to Tri Attack. Ghost-types tend to be the best switch-ins to Porygon-Z. Ironically, they are also some of Porygon-Z's best teammates, as Mach Punches aimed at the software duck pass through them harmlessly. Choice Porygon-Z pummels many common special walls, which could potentially open up a sweep for a teammate, such as Lilligant or Galvantula. Porygon-Z's immense power forces switches like no other, and as such, entry hazard support is recommended to allow Porygon-Z to break through its checks. For example, with Stealth Rock and 2 layers of Spikes up, Choice Specs Porygon-Z is guaranteed to 2HKO Eviolite Munchlax. Uxie and Qwilfish make good teammates due to their resistances to Fighting.</p>
[SET]
name: Agility
move 1: Agility
move 2: Tri Attack
move 3: Dark Pulse
move 4: Hidden Power Fighting
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
ability: Download
nature: Modest
evs: 164 HP / 252 SpA / 92 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Porygon-Z's greatest weakness is its middling Speed, and this set aims to alleviate that. Even without a boost, Porygon-Z is obscenely strong, and can power through any Pokemon lacking decent special bulk. Unlike the Choice and Nasty Plot variants, Download is preferred because Dark Pulse and Hidden Power Fighting do not hit hard enough without a boost. Although Download is inconsistent, the potential for Porygon-Z to reach +1 Special Attack and +2 Speed is too good to pass up. Tri Attack is the 3-D duck's crown jewel, and exterminates any Pokemon that is not immune or resistant to Normal. Dark Pulse takes out said Pokemon immune to Tri Attack, such as Cofagrigus and Rotom, while Hidden Power Fighting brings down said Normal resists, such as Aggron and Steelix.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The Speed EVs allow Porygon-Z to outspeed Choice Scarf Primeape after a boost, while Special Attack is maximized to ensure Porygon-Z claims as many victims as possible. The remaining EVs are dumped into HP in hopes that Porygon-Z may one day survive a Mach Punch. However, if one feels the need to outspeed a less common threat, such as Choice Scarf Scyther or Sceptile, EVs could be moved from HP to Speed. Agility Porygon-Z is a dedicated late-game sweeper. However, it does lack power in comparison to the other sets. Therefore, Life Orb is the preferred item. However, Porygon-Z is also severely hampered by status, so one could opt to use Lum Berry, although the loss of power seriously hinders its offensive potency. Similarly, Porygon-Z needs maximum Special Attack investment and a Modest nature in order to maximize damage output. Maximum Speed investment allows it to Speed tie opposing unboosted Porygon-Z. It could use Thunderbolt and Ice Beam rather than Dark Pulse and Hidden Power Fighting, but the latter two are generally superior. Substitute can be used to protect Porygon-Z from priority and status, but Porygon-Z needs coverage like Charlie Sheen needs help.</p>
<p>Speaking of needing help, this variant of Porygon-Z relies heavily on its teammates to pull off a sweep. Despite having access to Dark Pulse and Hidden Power Fighting, the destructo duck still has trouble destroying Ghost-, Steel-, and Rock-types. Mixed Honchkrow and Krookodile can easily dispose of these threats. Porygon-Z also has difficulty breaking through elite special walls, namely Munchlax and Clefable, so it is advantageous to pair Porygon-Z with a powerful Fighting-type, such as Gallade or Medicham. As alluded to earlier, Mach Punch is the bane of Porygon-Z's existence. It is of paramount importance that Porygon-Z has a teammate to absorb Mach Punch, such as Rotom or Cofagrigus. Of course, due to its lack of power, Agility Porygon-Z functions best with heavy hazard support, as it would otherwise have difficulty scoring KOs. Qwilfish and Claydol, therefore, make great teammates, as they can not only set up entry hazards, but also take a Mach Punch for Porygon-Z.</p>
[SET]
name: Nasty Plot
move 1: Nasty Plot
move 2: Tri Attack
move 3: Dark Pulse
move 4: Hidden Power Fighting
item: Life Orb
ability: Adaptability
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>A perpetual command runs within the 3-D terminator's software: Targets Acquired. Destroy All Existence. Porygon-Z's plan to destroy all life forms has been discovered, in the form of Nasty Plot. Nasty Plot Porygon-Z was, and still is, one of the most vicious attackers in the history of the game. A Nasty Plot, Adaptability-boosted Tri Attack is obscenely powerful, capable of blowing past any Pokemon that is not outright immune. For reference, it deals 61.9% - 72.9% to 252 HP / 252 SpD Sassy Steelix; unless the word "Ghost" appears in a Pokemon's typing data, they cannot switch into a +2 Adaptability Tri Attack. However, not even Ghost-types can safely deal with Nasty Plot Porygon-Z, for they are instantly banished to a different dimension by Dark Pulse. Although Pokemon such as Steelix and Aggron can survive a Tri Attack, they certainly wont enjoy eating Hidden Power Fighting.</p>
<p>Even though Nasty Plot Porygon-Z is a destroyer of worlds, it is not invincible. That same fatal flaw that has haunted Porygon-Z since its inception rears its ugly head once more: base 90 Speed. Although it is not atrocious, Porygon-Z's Speed is underwhelming to say the least. For the duck is outsped by a plethora of RU threats, ranging from Accelgor to the likes of Moltres. While Hidden Power Fighting may seem like a blessing to such an offensively gifted Pokemon, it is in fact a curse in disguise, as the imperfect Speed IV means Porygon-Z will even be outsped by its fellow base 90 Speed Pokemon. However, not all is lost for Porygon-Z; once these threats have been eliminated, there really is nothing that can stand in the way of a fully charged duck-billed terminator.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Maximum Speed and Special Attack investment reinforces Porygon-Z's offensive prowess. A Timid nature is preferred because +2 Porygon-Z hits like a truck regardless. In fact, a +2 Porygon-Z's Adaptability Hyper Beam can even OHKO Blissey! As appealing as that sounds, Blissey is not a part of RU, and Tri Attack is superior in so many ways it's not even funny. A BoltBeam combination can be used instead of Dark Pulse and Hidden Power Fighting, but Nasty Plot Porygon-Z will be mindlessly firing off Tri Attacks unless a Ghost-, Rock-, or Steel-type enters the field. A boosted Tri Attack is so powerful that only Pokemon that are outright immune to it can avoid a 2HKO. Therefore, Substitute or Recover can be used in place of Hidden Power Fighting. Substitute can protect Porygon-Z from being crippled by status, as well as scout for potential revenge killers. Recover can be used to shake off Life Orb recoil and lengthen the serial killing duck's rampage. However, Porygon-Z is much better off being able to OHKO the likes of Aggron and Steelix with Hidden Power Fighting.</p>
<p>The best way to stop Nasty Plot Porygon-Z is to capitalize on its unimpressive Speed, but what can one do when these Pokemon can no longer outspeed it? The answer is... nothing. With paralysis support, Porygon-Z will be able to blow past every Pokemon in the tier bar Mach Punch users. Thunder Wave support turns Nasty Plot Porygon-Z from a colossal threat into an untouchable messiah, while moves such as Body Slam and Stun Spore are useful for paralyzing Krookodile, who is immune to Thunder Wave. Nasty Plot Porygon-Z needs no help KOing Pokemon whatsoever, so it would be much wiser to bring another powerful special sweeper, such as Lilligant, than a wallbreaker. Porygon-Z despises revenge killers with a passion; therefore, it would be wise to pair it with a sturdy pivot, such as Claydol or Cofagrigus, to take the blows. Entry hazard support is recommended to turn numerous 2HKOs into OHKOs. Note that it does not say "turn 3HKOs into 2HKOs," that is because even without hazards, every Pokemon in the tier is 2HKOed by +2 Porygon-Z, no exceptions whatsoever. Qwilfish works especially well, as it not only sets up Spikes for Porygon-Z, but also absorbs Mach Punches aimed at it.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Recover can be used to improve Porygon-Z's survivability, but le canard really does need the coverage. A double booster set with Nasty Plot and Agility is unviable for the same reasons. Magic Coat can be used to protect the destructo duck from non-attacking moves, but Porygon-Z isn't bothered by moves such as Taunt, and Substitute is much better for defending against status moves. Even Substitute is not recommended, as Porygon-Z absolutely mauls the tier between 3 moves, and has no reason to hide. A SubCharge set can be used to boost Porygon-Z's Special Attack behind the protection of a Substitute. However, Porygon-Z would much prefer to either annhilate opponents off the bat with a Choice Specs, or Nasty Plot up and tear the opposing team a new one. Psyshock can be used to deal more damage to special walls, such as Munchlax and Clefable, but Porygon-Z can power through these threats anyways with sufficient entry hazard support. Finally, one could try out a Trick Room set to surprise potential revenge killers, but this is generally a waste of a valuable moveslot.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Porygon-Z is truly an abomination, and outright cannot be handled via conventional means. Its coverage is phenomenal, and its sheer strength means that not even the bulkiest RU special wall can reliably take its attacks, so special precautions must be taken against it. One should never, under any circumstance, play recklessly when that pink and blue duck sprite shows up on team preview. Ghost-types, such as Rotom, Dusknoir, and Cofagrigus make good initial switch-ins, as most of the time, Porygon-Z will fire off Tri Attack. However, should the Porygon-Z user opt to click Dark Pulse instead, you can kiss your Ghost-type goodbye. Ghost-types are also helpless against Nasty Plot variants, as they are unable to KO it, and are swiftly obliterated by a Dark Pulse.</p>
<p>The most important thing when dealing with Porygon-Z is to figure out its moveset, as there is no universal counter for it. Weaker, but faster variants, such as Choice Scarf and Agility, are walled cold by elite special walls, such as Munchlax, Clefable, and Dusknoir. These variants can also be played around through careful pivoting, but one wrong prediction could cost you the game. More powerful variants, such as Choice Specs and Nasty Plot, will likely claim a victim unless you predict perfectly. A more reliable method for dealing with these sets is to revenge kill them with fast, powerful attackers, such as Archeops and Primeape. Strong priority moves can also be used to bring down the software colossus. As for priority, there is one move that can be employed to handle all Porygon-Z variants: Mach Punch. However, as none of the users of Mach Punch can reliably switch-in, carrying a Mach Punch user does not translate to "let your guard down against Porygon-Z."</p>