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Porygon is a Normal-type Pokemon that received two evolutions, Porygon2 and Porygon-Z, in Gen 2 and Gen 4 respectively. It appeared in Gen 8’sPokemon Sword/Shield(Isle of Armor DLC) andPokemon Legends: Arceus, and it appears to have returned forPokemon Scarlet & Violetfollowing the release of the Indigo Disk DLC.
Evolving Porygon inScarlet/Violetcan be a chore if you don’t have the right items or an online membership. You can evolve it all the way to Porygon-Z, or you can keep it as a Porygon2. The choice depends on what you’re looking for on your ideal team, but if you’re going for a complete Blueberry Pokedex, you’ll need to get the entire Porygon-line to fill out the entries.
Where to Find Porygon in Scarlet & Violet
Polar Biome
Porygon primarily lives inthe Polar Biome of Terarium, but you can also find a Fixed Spawn Porygon in Chargestone Cavern near the border separating the Polar and Canyon Biome. The closest area with Porygon isa bit northwest from the Central Plaza. Porygon isn’t too rare, so you should have no problems finding it.
You’ll have a better chance of catching Pokemon if you manage to get a “back attack”/sneak up on it.
Another way to catch Porygon is to battle it in3-star Tera Raids. A Porygon in a Tera Raid will belevel 35,so significantly lower than the Pokemon in Terarium. However, Pokemon caught in Tera Raids all have 100% catch rates - including Porygon.
you may also find Porygon’s evolutions,Porygon2andPorygon-Z,in 5 and 6-star Tera Raids. You will have access to 5-star Tera Raids by the time you go to Terarium, but 6-star Tera Raids require the completion ofScarlet/Violet’s Academy Ace Tournament (postgame).
Other Methods of Getting Porygon
Transfer or Trade
Porygon appears inPokemon GO,Pokemon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl,Pokemon: Legends Arceus, andPokemon Sword/Shield (Isle of Armor). If you have one from any of those games, you can transfer it toScarlet/Violetby usingPokemon HOME.
As long as you have save files onSwSh, BDSP,orL:A, you should be able to transfer Pokemon back and forth viaHOME. Transferring’s simple:
If you’re transferring fromPokemon GO, you’re able to bypass steps 1-2 and move the transferred Pokemon fromHOMEtoScarlet/Violet. Transferring Pokemon fromGOrequires you tolink yourHOMEandGOaccount.
If Porygon is holding an itemwhen you place it in the PC Box,it will be returned to the inventorywhen you move it to theBasic Box/Pokemon HOMEstorage. So, youcan’t transfer Porygon while it’s holding its evolution item(i.e, Upgrade and Dubious Disc). You will need toget these items inScarlet/Violet.
The last method of getting Porygon and its evolutions is by trading with another player. You’ll need aNintendo Online Membershipto do this. The lowest cost is3.99 a month, and the Subscription can be toggled byclicking your profile picture in the Nintendo eShop.
How to Evolve Porygon & Porygon2 into Porygon-Z
Upgrade & Dubious Disc Location
Porygon will evolve into Porygon2 if you give it an Upgrade to Hold, then trade it to someone else. To evolve Porygon2 into Porygon-Z, you’ll need to have Porygon2Hold a Dubious Disc and then trade it again. InScarlet/Violet, there are two ways to get both the Upgrade and Dubious Disc:
You’ll need an Online Membership to trade with someone else, and since you’re trying to complete the Pokedex or add Porygon’s evolutions to your team, you’ll want that Porygon2/Porygon-Z back. Thus, it’s recommended to trade with someone you know or someone who’slooking to evolve some of their Pokemon, too.
You can trade by accessing thePoke Portalin the pause menu (X-button), or you can go to theUnion Circlesthat are at most Poke Centers. You can find aUnion Circleat the Central Plaza in Terarium. SelectLink Trade, and either input a code that your trade-partner has or make your own to give to them.
How to Evolve Porygon without Trading
Using Legends: Arceus & Pokemon HOME
For those who don’t want to purchase an Online Membership or dislike trading, you can transfer your Porygon toLegends: Arceusandsimply evolve it in Hisui. Since Trading and online features don’t exist inLegends: Arceus, all items that trigger evolution upon trade (ex: Dubious Disc, Protector) function like evolution stones (ex: Water Stone).
You can pick up both an Upgrade and Dubious Disc inspace-time distortions. The items that appear in distortions are randomized, so if you’re not getting any, then you’ll want to start farming Merit Points (MP). These can be gained bycollecting satchels around Hisui. For each satchel you pick up, you will receive a set amount of Merit Points. Satchels appear on the map with their own special icon, so it’s easy to track them down.
With Merit Points, you can buy special evolution items from theMerit Shop, which is located next to theGalaxy HallandTraining GroundsinJubilife Village. Porygon’s evolution items are priced as the following:
You can choose to evolve Porygon into Porygon2, or you can evolve it all the way into Porygon-Z. It should be noted that Porygon2 has the better Defense and Special Defense, and,since it’s un-evolved, can make use of the Eviolite item. On the other hand, Porygon-Z has great Special Attack and is a bit faster at the cost of lower Defense and Special Defense. In short: If you want a wall/defensive Pokemon, go with Porygon2. If you want a battler/sweeper, go with Porygon-Z.
