Porygon-Z has crashed into Pokémon TCG Pocket as the most delightfully disruptive card in the Space-Time Smackdown expansion, turning matches into chaotic battles of energy roulette. With its signature attack, Buggy Beam, it randomly changes the type of energy your opponent generates next turn-frustrating foes and forcing unexpected retreats, all while dealing solid damage. Though tricky to set up and vulnerable, Porygon-Z’s blend of trolling and tactical disruption has made it a favorite for players who prefer to win with a grin rather than sheer power.
Porygon-Z is perhaps one of the quirkiest cards to come to Pokémon TCG Pocket since its release. Let’s explain why.
Why Porygon-Z is suddenly popular in Pokémon TCG Pocket
Porygon-Z has surged in popularity in Pokémon TCG Pocket primarily due to its disruptive and chaotic playstyle, which appeals to players who enjoy trolling and frustrating their opponents. Its signature attack, Buggy Beam, randomly changes the type of energy generated for the opponent, often hindering their ability to execute planned strategies and forcing them to concede in frustration. While it is not the strongest card competitively-being difficult to set up and vulnerable to faster decks-Porygon-Z excels in creating unpredictable and entertaining gameplay moments. This unique niche has made it a favorite among players seeking fun and unconventional tactics rather than consistent wins, contributing to its sudden rise in popularity despite a low win rate in tournaments.
Porygon-Z is a colorless-type Pokémon with 140 HP and a retreat cost of two energy. This bad boy has one attack, “Buggy Beam.” It requires three energy to use and it deals 80 damage. But here’s where things get fun: “Buggy Beam” has a devious additional effect that randomly changes the type of energy your opponent gets the next turn.
It’s annoying in every sense of the word. It can render you basically useless if don’t have any other cards, like the trainer card Misty, to generate additional energy beyond the one you get each turn. At its worst, it will stall you and force you to play several turns of the game, “spin the wheel on the energy type.”At its best, it will briskly zip and zap its way through all your energy-needing Pokémon at 80 HP damage a pop.
Porygon-Z’s unparalleled ability to troll does come at a price, though. Pulling up a Porygon-Z switch requires a lot of prior setup. Buggy Beam needs three energy and you to draw and you’ll need to evolve it from Porygon Porygon2 first. Additionally, it only has 140 HP which puts it at risk to loads of common Stage 1 Pokémon that could clean it up in a couple of turns if Porygon-Z is out for too long. If you do want to run it, you’ll have to compliment it with other cards like Dialga ex and plenty of support Pokémon Tool cards like Giant Cape.
Why is Porygon-Z considered the weirdest card to hit Pokémon TCG Pocket
Porygon-Z is considered the weirdest card to hit Pokémon TCG Pocket because of its uniquely disruptive and chaotic effect. Its sole attack, “Buggy Beam,” not only deals 80 damage but also randomly changes the type of energy your opponent will receive on their next turn. This unpredictable energy manipulation can severely disrupt opponents’ strategies by forcing them to “spin the wheel” for the right energy, often causing frustration and forcing retreats. While it requires significant setup-being a Stage 2 Pokémon needing three energy to attack and evolving from Porygon or Porygon2-its trolling nature and ability to mess with opponents’ energy generation make it stand out as a playful, chaotic choice rather than a straightforward powerhouse. Despite its low win rate and vulnerability, players enjoy Porygon-Z for the amusement and chaos it brings to matches, making it a favorite among those who prefer fun over consistent dominance.
What makes Porygon-Z’s ’Buggy Beam’ so uniquely disruptive in gameplay
Porygon-Z’s “Buggy Beam” is uniquely disruptive because it fundamentally interferes with the core resource system of Pokémon TCG Pocket: energy generation. When used, Buggy Beam not only deals a solid 80 damage but also randomly changes the type of energy your opponent will generate on their next turn. This means that if your opponent’s deck relies on specific energy types to attack or evolve, Buggy Beam can effectively lock them out of their main strategy, forcing them to scramble for the right energy or even rendering some of their Pokémon unable to attack at all.
This randomness creates a chaotic and often frustrating scenario for opponents, as they have to “spin the wheel” each turn, hoping to get the energy type they need, while you continue to pressure them with attacks. The disruption is particularly potent against decks that are highly dependent on a single energy type, as a single unlucky roll can stall their entire game plan.
Additionally, because Porygon-Z is a Colorless-type, it can use any energy to power Buggy Beam, making it flexible in deck construction and harder to counter with energy denial strategies. This blend of direct damage and unpredictable disruption is what makes Buggy Beam-and by extension, Porygon-Z-such a uniquely troublesome and “weird” card in the current meta.
