Porygon is one of the more unique designs in the Pokémon franchise, and it is back again in Pokémon Legends Arceus and is able to evolve to both Porygon2 and PorygonZ. There are different types of evolutions in Pokémon Legends Arceus just like throughout the rest of the series. When it comes to Porygon, evolution items come into play, and you're going to need to know exactly what to look for.
Updated by Dean James on October 22, 2022: The first generation of Pokémon will always be more nostalgic than any other for a lot of people, which has led to the Pokémon from those games getting some of the best treatment with new evolutions and such over the years. As the National Dex is no more, actually making it into the new games isn't a sure thing and one of the classic Pokémon that hasn't been confirmed yet for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is Porygon and its two evolutions. This is often under the radar first generation Pokémon is available to find in Pokémon Legends Arceus though and this is the time to go grab one to scratch that itch in case it is not available in the two new games.
How To Evolve Into Porygon2
Finding a Porygon is the first step, which are only found in one area of the game. This is in the Crimson Mirelands, specifically within a Space-Time Distortion. You will need to traverse the map until a Space-Time Distortion pops up, which you can then enter and look around for a Porygon within. Not every Space-Time Distortion will have a Porygon though, so it may take a while to actually come across one.
While you can find Porygon in the wild in its base form, you can only get Porygon2 and PorygonZ as long as you have the right evolutions items. Just raising Porygon's level will not do anything other than increase its stats, as you need an evolution item for both of the evolutions in this line.
To evolve your Porygon into Porygon2, you're going to need the Upgrade item. This can be found at the Trading Post in Jubilife Village, where you can exchange 1,000 Merit Points in exchange for the Upgrade. If you're having trouble getting enough Merit Points, you can also try to defeat Pokémon in Space-Time Distortions and hope you get an Upgrade as an item drop. From there, use it on your Porygon and it'll evolve into Porygon2.
How To Get More Merit Points
Merit Points are a vital resource in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, as they are a currency you'll need to get some major items that are needed for evolution beyond even Porygon. The only way to earn more Merit Points in Pokémon Legends: Arceus is by finding Lost Satchels while out exploring the world of Hisui.
While exploring the map, markers will pop up indicating a Lost Satchel is nearby, which represents other players online that have fainted and returned to base. If you're playing offline, they are just procedurally generated. After you pick up one of the Lost Satchels, you have to go to the Communications tab after pausing the game. From there, select Lost & Found and go and redeem any of the Merit Points you've picked up.
How To Evolve Into PorygonZ
Now that you have a Porygon2, you need to get an item known as the Dubious Disk to turn it into PorygonZ. To do this, we need to head right back to the Jubilife Village Trading Post and exchange 1,400 Merit Points for the Dubious Disk.
Once again, you can also try getting one through drops from defeated Pokémon in Space-Time Distortions. Just like with the Upgrade, use your Dubious Disk on the Porygon2, and it'll evolve into its final form PorygonZ. That is all when it comes to how to evolve Porygon into Porygon2 and PorygonZ in Pokémon Legends Arceus. Each are very similar to one another, but you just have the right item for them.