Pokemon Unite finally brings the beloved franchise to the MOBA space – and just like any Pokemon game, it has its own take on the genre. Unlike base destruction mechanics of usual MOBAs, Pokemon Unite adds a scoring angle into the mix. Following a three-lane structure, players – who control Pokemon – have to score points on enemy goal posts to win a match.
The thing is though, players have to consider facing both mobs and enemy Pokemon in any particular lane. What's more, just like in any other MOBA, certain Pokemon can really excel when up against other Pokemon types, and even in particular lanes.
Updated March 21, 2022, by Rhenn Taguiam: Fans of Pokemon can finally enjoy the franchise in a MOBA experience thanks to Pokemon Unite, with the game offering a more fast-paced Pokemon combat experience to fans than previous installments. What's more, with recent events such as February 2022’s “Pokemon Day Special Event” and “Hoopa Special Event” having just ended, Nintendo is still going all-out with the point-based MOBA when it comes to adding new Pokemon to the roster, such as Duraludon, Hoopa, and even Aegislash. However, for newcomers to the game, knowing who should be their go-to Pokemon for each lane and how to use their Pokemon of choice to secure victory will require a little bit of prior knowledge.
Top Lane: Combat Is Wealth
The Top Lane in Pokemon Unite consists of a slightly longer path compared to other Lanes. This proves to become a key area of interest for more careful engagements, preferably amongst slower yet sturdier Pokemon. Defense and patience are key here, as the Top Lane is one of the best areas to build Pokemon for the long haul.
Main Characteristics:
- 2 Goals per Team
- Multiple Wild Pokemon
- Rotom: Rotom spawns in this area seven minutes into the match. If acquired, Rotom briefly fights for the Team and walks towards the nearest Goal. Rotom can insta-score for the team for a while.
Best Types:
- All-Rounders: Best equipped in early encounters, All-Rounders work great in the earlier interactions of a match. They're also relatively great to secure the Top Lane due to their secondary role as Attackers.
- Supporters: Given their penchant for buffs and protections, Supporters work well in Top Lane to protect and support the All-Rounder.
- Attackers: Albeit more fit for Bot Lane encounters, an Attacker could be a great companion for the Pokemon there due to their attack strength.
Charizard
- Type: All-Rounder
A titan in Offense, Charizard is easily one of the more aggressive Pokemon that fits the long game in Top. It boasts decent Endurance and Scoring, alongside middling Mobility, making it quite a reliable asset at Top throughout the game. Sadly, its long evolution time does mean there's not much time left by the time Charmeleon gets to become Charizard. Regardless, its host of AOE attacks makes Charizard a considerable threat in teamfights.
Machamp
- Type: All-Rounder
What Machamp lacks in Support Capabilities, it compensates with an impressive Offense. All its attacks serve as great knuckle-busters for aggressive encounters. Its decent Endurance, Mobility, and Scoring make Machamp quite a versatile unit for all sorts of situations. Every third basic attack slows Pokemon down, and its passive increases damage to Pokemon with status conditions. This works well when accompanied by a debuffing Attacker (e.g. Alolan Ninetales).
Venusaur
- Type: Attacker
When it comes to stabilizing defense on the Top Lane, Venusaur is a go-to Pokemon for fans to use. Its AOE capabilities give it a lot of opportunity to crowd-control enemies, and relying on nifty Giga Drain can give Venusaur a decent defense via lifesteal. Not to mention, its Solar Beam has good range, which can make it a great deterrent and defender of objectives, securing the defense on Top quite easily across all stages of the game.
Slowbro
- Type: Defender
Slowbro boasts great Endurance and Support, alongside a toolkit that makes it more than capable of doing crowd control. Its abilities allow it to delay an enemy's advance as much as possible, giving teammates time to recuperate and get back to Top Lane for a counter-offensive.
Blastoise
- Type: Defender
Given how short the Top Lane can sometimes get, it’s easy to see it become a hotspot for constant encounters between both teams. And while Attackers can secure objectives quickly, it’s defenders like Blastoise that can make this endeavor near-impossible. Its slate of abilities gives it a wide range of crowd control options, with high-damage options at low-health. Then there's Surf, which can become a great deterrent for enemy scoring and give the team a chance to eliminate foes and secure the points for themselves.
Alolan Ninetales
- Type: Attacker
Unlike other Attackers, Alolan Ninetales boasts one of the highest Offense and Support stats in the game. Given its low Endurance and Mobility, Alolan Ninetales might be aggressive but it's definitely not the one to start fights. Its passives and attack effects can slow down or freeze enemies on their tracks – making Alolan Ninetales a great companion to accompany heavier All-Rounders.
Mid Lane: Prepare For Endgame
Unlike other MOBA, the Mid Lane in Pokemon Unite is a relatively safe zone. It's littered with a lot of Pokemon but there aren't any contested goals. However, given the appearance of Zapdos in the late game, Mid Lane can easily become a contested area if not guarded carefully.
Main Characteristics:
- No Goals
- Ludicolo: When eliminated, Ludicolo gives the Purple Buff which deals higher damage to low-health Pokemon.
- Bouffalant: When eliminated, Bouffalant gives the Orange Buff which slows enemy Pokemon when hit with basic attacks.
- Zapdos: Zapdos spawns at around the two-minute mark. When eliminated, Zapdos gives 20 points to the players.
Best Types:
- Speedsters: Due to their mobility, Speedsters are best equipped for quick skirmishes in Mid Lane before supporting either Lane.
Absol
- Type: Speedster
Given the encounter-heavy nature of Mid Lane with Jungle Buffs, Absol's mobile toolkit is perfect to adjust to the situation. Its high Offense and high Mobility works well with its abilities that dish out damage pretty quickly. Ideally, Absol should take down Jungle Pokemon to secure buffs as soon as possible and gank unsuspecting Pokemon in other Lanes.
Garchomp
- Type: All-Rounder
An absolute tank in terms of Offense and Endurance, Garchomp is easily a threat to reckon with in Mid. Its toolkit boasts powerful damaging skills, which compensates for its rather slow evolution time. All first four of its basic attack increases attack speed and provides heal, while its passive can constantly reflect melee damage. This works great when facing more powerful Jungle Pokemon or when having to dash into other Lanes for the assist.
Zeraora
- Type: Speedster
The faster the Pokemon, the earlier they can secure buffs in the Mid Lane, and this is exactly what Zeraora offers. Unlike other Speedsters that rely on quick pokes to eliminate foes, Zeraora has a toolkit that's perfect for hindering enemy assaults. For instance, its normal attacks not only generate HP but can also paralyze enemies, slowing them to a snail's pace. Not to mention, its Spark gives Zeraora up to three dashes, allowing the Pokemon to zoom into objectives much faster or even steal them from enemies. Lastly, Plasma Gale has a short-enough CD that Zeraora can spam it during crucial clashes.
Lucario
- Type: All-Rounder
Lucario rules the speed game amongst the All-Rounders, making it capable of tanking the Jungle Pokemon in Mid. Its decent Offense and Scoring capabilities allow it to quickly switch Lanes to steal scores and even eliminate the occasional enemy. Its third basic attack is an AOE that can displace opponents, while its passive grants it a shield and speed boost at half-HP. Thanks to its mobile moveset, Lucario can quickly eliminate threats at Mid and transition to any Lane.
Gengar
- Type: Speedster
Gengar's high Offense and Mobility rules the hit-and-run game. Players who take the time to get Gengar to Level 7 will give its toolkit that transforms the Pokemon into a mobile powerhouse. Gengar has nasty abilities that poke enemies and at the same time give it a quick exit. This makes Gengar a neat Jungler, with many capabilities of assisting either Lane when needed.
Talonflame
- Type: Speedster
When it comes to securing buffs from mobs in the Mid Lane, speed is crucial for any player. Thanks to Talonflame, players not only have a nifty way to mow down mobs quickly but also eliminate threats that try to reassert their dominance in the playing field. Aside from boasting decent damage throughout the match, its Fly ability gives Talonflame much-needed temporary invincibility, and its Unite Move can push enemies away from the objective.
Bottom Lane: Farming Is Key
The Bottom Lane in Pokemon Unite consists mostly of a narrower path, providing a slightly faster way to reach the enemy's key points. Given the nature of Bot Lane, it's natural for Trainers to want to send in fast, mobile Pokemon for fast-paced engagements. Pokemon ideal for Bot Lane should prioritize speed and aggression, as this is a Lane that people will keep coming back to.
Main Characteristics:
- 2 Goals Per Team
- Multiple Wild Pokemon
- Drednaw: When eliminated, Dreadnaw gives extra EXP as well as a protective shield.
Best Types:
- All-Rounders: Given their sturdier nature and decent attack stats, All-Rounders work in the Bot Lane, particularly when fighting the Drednaw.
- Attackers: Aggressive by nature, Attackers work well in the encounter-reliant Bottom Lane. Whereas teamfights are abundant in Top Lane, Bot Lane works well to provide fast EXP due to easier access to Wild Pokemon.
- Support: Given the farming-heavy nature of Bot Lane, the squishier Attackers can benefit from the added help of a Support Pokemon.
Cinderace
- Type: Attacker
Cinderace boasts high Offense alongside a healthy mix of Mobility and Scoring, making it a nasty opponent that can outpace enemies to their own goal. Its toolkit is designed precisely to help Cinderace dish out a lot of damage with a lot of escape opportunities. With the right build, Cinderace's moves synergize with each other very well, allowing it to farm EXP in Bot Lane much faster than anticipated.
Gardevoir
- Type: Attacker
The much-contested Bottom Lane makes Pokemon choice crucial, and the vulnerable exterior of Gardevoir can make it feel like an undesirable pick. However, in the hands of an expert, Gardevoir can easily dominate Bottom Lane and deter the enemy’s advance. Its Unite Move draws enemies closer and blasts them with devastating damage, making encounters unfavorable for them. However, Teleport allows Gardevoir to zoom in for the kill and escape just as easily. Players will need to deal with Gardevoir’s limited mobility and defense, but the Pokemon becomes a real powerhouse by the time players master its nifty mobility options.
Cramorant
- Type: Attacker
Thanks to Cramorant, players in Bottom Lane have a reliable Attacker that can constantly pester enemies with poke damage while disengaging to avoid unnecessary encounters. Players who invest enough time into learning Cramorant can allow it to constantly throw Pokemon off the Bottom Lane and disengage as soon as enemies close in on them. Then there's its fantastic Unite Move, which can deal devastating damage to foes and helps make Cramorant a great Attacker for the much-contested Bottom Lane throughout the entirety of the match.
Pikachu
- Type: Attacker
Pikachu boasts one of the highest Offense stats in Pokemon Unite. This, on top of its long-ranged specialization, makes Pikachu an annoying opponent in the field. With its toolkit that consists of multiple AOE and direct damage attacks, Pikachu can excel greatly in teamfights. It's rather squishy, though, meaning Pikachu needs to regularly go back to base for heals. When accompanied by the right Support or All-Rounder, Pikachu can just dash in for the kill.
Mr. Mime
- Type: Support
Despite its low Offense and Mobility, Mr. Mime compensates for its extremely powerful Endurance and Support stats. Mr. Mime needs a bit of practice though, especially given the rather tactical natures of its healing Guard Swap and barrier creation. At the right hands, Mr. Mime can give its Bot Lane ally all the defense they need against harsh enemy resistance.
Wigglytuff
- Type: Support
Granted, Wigglytuff has one of the lowest Offense stats in the game. However, it rules Support alongside a decent Endurance and Mobility stat. It's more durable and versatile compared to its other companions, with abilities that both dish out damage and buff allies.
Pokemon Unite was released in 2021 and is available for the Nintendo Switch, as well as Android and iOS devices.