Porygon-Z Best Moveset
AbilityAdaptability doubles Normal TermStab from 1.5x to 2x, and 135 Sp. Atk behind Held ItemChoice Specs with NatureTimid fires the hardest-hitting special Normal damage available. 90 Speed is modest but the damage output compensates. Tera Normal under Adaptability and Choice Specs produces damage numbers few Pokemon can switch into. B-Tier as a dedicated special wallbreaker.
Download boosted whichever offensive stat the opponent was weaker against in Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl). Choice Scarf fixed the 90 Speed problem, and Tri Attack hit hard after a free boost.
Best Moves
Best Build
Porygon-Z best EVs are Sp. Atk and Speed
Special Revenge Killer Moveset
- Tri Attack
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Dark Pulse
Recommended Teammates
Same Download formula in Gen V (Black & White). Consistent damage output but Porygon-Z was stuck between tiers. Too strong for the level below, too prediction-dependent for the top.
Special Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Ice Beam
- Tri Attack
- Thunderbolt
- Agility
Recommended Teammates
Adaptability replaced Download as the preferred ability in Gen VI (X & Y). Normal STAB went from 1.5x to 2x power. Raw damage that few walls could stomach.
Special Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Tri Attack
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Nasty Plot
Recommended Teammates
Z-Conversion turned Porygon-Z into any type with +1 to all stats in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). The gimmick worked once per game, but when it worked, it swept entire teams.
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Conversion
- Shadow Ball
Recommended Teammates
No Z-Moves in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield) meant no Conversion trick. Adaptability from 135 Sp. Atk wasn't enough to compete without the setup boost that defined the previous gen.
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Tri Attack
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Shadow Ball
Recommended Teammates
Fell further in Gen IX (Scarlet & Violet). Two gens without Z-Conversion exposed that base stats alone weren't enough to carry the power creep.
Special Sweeper Moveset
- Ice Beam
- Tri Attack
- Thunderbolt
- Shadow Ball
Recommended Teammates
Porygon-Z Weakness
Type-wise, Porygon Z takes extra damage from Fighting. Ghost moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity. With 85 HP and balanced defenses, Porygon Z can afford to eat a neutral hit or two.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Fighting |
| 0x (Immune) | Ghost |
What is Porygon Z Weak Against
GoodBest Pokemon Against Porygon-Z
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityFlame Body ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Porygon Z View Moltres builds →Flamethrower32-38% U Turn20-23% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemRocky Helmet NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Porygon Z View Hydrapple builds →Giga Drain25-30% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilityDrought ItemHeatrock NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Porygon Z View Torkoal builds →Rapid Spin13-15% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityDrizzle ItemDamprock NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Porygon Z View Pelipper builds →Hurricane31-36% U Turn13-15% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityOvercoat ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureBold Moves View Mandibuzz builds →
| ||
Evolution
Porygon Z doesn't evolve through normal leveling. You'll need a trade to get here from Porygon's line. Breed this form to get Porygon eggs (average hatch time). Evolving from Porygon gave Porygon Z the biggest boost in Sp.Atk (+50), bringing the total to 535 stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Porygon-Z is genderless — breed with Ditto to produce Porygon eggs. Part of the Mineral egg group.
Ditto onlyHow to Get Porygon-Z
A trade step sits in Porygon-Z's 3-stage chain from Porygon. The step cards below map each stage with catch locations and evolution methods. Porygon shows up at moderate rates, so the starting catch is the easy part.
Porygon-Z isn't available in the wild in Legends: Z-A. Start by transferring Porygon from Red & Blue, Yellow, or Scarlet & Violet. The evolution path from Porygon to Porygon-Z is covered in the steps below.
How to Obtain Porygon-Z in LZA
Step 1Obtain PorygonCARTRIDGE TRADEfrom Scarlet & VioletAvailableCatch in Scarlet & Violet via Overworld · Polar Biome, then trade to the current game via link cable.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Red & BlueNot TradeableAppears in Red & Blue via Gift · Celadon City · 9,999 Coins. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom YellowNot TradeableAppears in Yellow via Gift · Celadon City · 9,999 Coins. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Gold & SilverNot TradeableAppears in Gold & Silver via Gift · Celadon City · 9,999 Coins. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom CrystalNot TradeableAppears in Crystal via Gift · Celadon City · 5,555 Coins. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom FireRed & LeafGreenNot TradeableAppears in FireRed & LeafGreen via Gift · Celadon City · 9,999 Coins. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Diamond & PearlNot TradeableAppears in Diamond & Pearl via Walking · Trophy Garden. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.
Step 2Evolve into Porygon2
Step 3Porygon-Z ✓
Porygon-Z's 3-stage chain starts with Porygon, which appears at decent rates in the locations below. Level through 3 stages while you find a trade partner. Everything except the trade step is solo.
Where To Catch Porygon-Z in PLA
Porygon is your first catch on the way to Porygon-Z. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 35-50 across 3 total spots in the chain.
Step 1Catch PorygonSpace-Time Distortion - Crimson MirelandsLv.35-50CaveRate 15%
Step 2Catch or Evolve Porygon2Space-Time Distortion - Crimson MirelandsLv.35-50CaveRate 15%or evolve from Porygon (Step 1)
Step 3Porygon-Z ✓Space-Time Distortion - Crimson MirelandsLv.35-50CaveRate 5%or evolve from Porygon2 (Step 2)
Porygon-Z can't be caught in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. Transfer Porygon from Red & Blue, Yellow, or Scarlet & Violet and evolve through the 3-stage chain to get it. The step cards below map the full chain.
How to Obtain Porygon-Z in BDSP
Step 1Obtain PorygonCARTRIDGE TRADEfrom Legends: ArceusAvailableCatch in Legends: Arceus via Walking · Space-Time Distortion, then trade to the current game via link cable.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Red & BlueNot TradeableAppears in Red & Blue via Gift · Celadon City · 9,999 Coins. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom YellowNot TradeableAppears in Yellow via Gift · Celadon City · 9,999 Coins. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Gold & SilverNot TradeableAppears in Gold & Silver via Gift · Celadon City · 9,999 Coins. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom CrystalNot TradeableAppears in Crystal via Gift · Celadon City · 5,555 Coins. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom FireRed & LeafGreenNot TradeableAppears in FireRed & LeafGreen via Gift · Celadon City · 9,999 Coins. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.LATER APPEARANCEfrom Diamond & PearlNot TradeableAppears in Diamond & Pearl via Walking · Trophy Garden. Forward-only transfer — no path back to this game from a later one.
Step 2Evolve into Porygon2
Step 3Porygon-Z ✓
Base Stats
Porygon-Z's built around special offense. Sp. Atk leads the charge, Defense pays for it. Tough to catch, worth 3 Sp. Atk EVs. Follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
Porygon-Z had a program installed to allow it to move between dimensions, but the program also caused instability in Porygon-Z’s behavior.
Porygon-Z Guide
Don't let Porygon-Z's 535 base stat total fool you. Adaptability is what makes it tick. It punches way above its weight class. We rate it B-Tier as a wallbreaker.
Porygon-Z's biggest threats include Blaziken (Fighting), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Only 1 weakness means fewer dedicated counters to worry about.
Porygon-Z is obtained by trade-evolving Porygon2. Catch or evolve a Porygon2 first, then trade. Trade needs a Game Boy Advance link cable and a second GBA running another Gen 3 game (FireRed, LeafGreen, Ruby, Sapphire, or Emerald). Trade Porygon2 to a friend, then have them trade it back. The 2026 Switch re-release supports the same trade through local wireless on the Pokemon Center 2F Wireless Club, with no cables required. The Dubious Disc must be held during the trade. Bring one over from a sibling Gen 3 game if needed.
Run Adaptability on Porygon-Z. It's the ability that defines how you build around it and the main reason it holds a competitive niche. Porygon-Z also gets Download and Analytic, but they don't compare.
Porygon-Z fills the wallbreaker role. It's a special attacker with base 135 Sp. Atk. Base 90 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. And it's enough bulk to take a hit or two.
Game Availability
Porygon Z has been available in 14 games since Diamond & Pearl, though obtaining it requires a trade evolution. This extra step makes it less common than Pokemon found through standard wild encounters.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DPDebut
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves