Download

Compares an opposing Pokémon's Defense and Sp. Def stats before raising its own Attack or Sp. Atk stat—whichever will be more effective.

Competitive value

Attack is increased when the foe’s Defense is lower than its Special Defense or increases Special Attack when the foe’s Special Defense is lower than its Defense.

All Pokémon with this ability

4 Pokémon, sorted by usage

What this ability changes

Download is a tier C ability. Compares an opposing Pokémon's Defense and Sp. Def stats before raising its own Attack or Sp. Atk stat—whichever will be more effective. Common users include genesect, porygon2, porygon-z, porygon. Attack is increased when the foe’s Defense is lower than its Special Defense or increases Special Attack when the foe’s Special Defense is lower than its Defense.

How it affects positioning

Positioning matters with Download. Think about when the ability triggers — on entry, on hit, on switch out, or continuously — and build your turns around those moments. Abilities that trigger on entry pair well with pivot moves, while continuous abilities reward careful lead selection. If the ability affects the whole field, consider how long you expect that field condition to last and whether your opponent can override it.

Team-building considerations

In team building, Download should justify at least one team slot and ideally shape several. Ask which Pokémon benefit directly from the ability and which opponents will try to play around it. Build redundant answers to the ability's common counters so the rest of the team still functions when the ability is negated, overridden or ignored.

Matchup notes

Matchup value depends on whether the opponent's team can ignore, copy or remove the ability's effect. Bring Download when you expect the opposing strategy to rely on the mechanics it counters, and consider a backup plan for games where that interaction does not come up. Test these matchups in the team builder and analyzer before finalizing your roster.

Related Pokémon and tools

Explore related Pokémon, team examples and guides to see Download in action.

Frequently asked questions

Is Download good in VGC?

Attack is increased when the foe’s Defense is lower than its Special Defense or increases Special Attack when the foe’s Special Defense is lower than its Defense.

Which Pokémon use Download?

Common users include genesect, porygon2, porygon-z, porygon.

Last updated: July 2026 · This entry is kept navigable while additional editorial context is being added.
All figures are estimated trends based on available data and do not guarantee competitive results. Matchups are situational. See our methodology for how these figures are calculated.