Pokemon Unite has only been out in the wild for about a week, but it's already made a pretty big splash with Pokemon and MOBA fans alike. The game is certainly taking a very different approach compared to past Pokemon spin-offs, providing a MOBA experience that is relatively accessible for newcomers to the genre. It's certainly a big step in a new direction for Nintendo, but Pokemon Unite has already shown that it could have some extensive longevity if players continue to support this fresh take on the franchise.
Even with Pokemon Unite barely reaching its second week of activity, dozens of players have already figured out a number of strategies to get an edge in each match. The game gives players a decent understanding of how each character works right away, with most MOBA novices able to pick up higher difficulty fighters and use them with relative ease. However, it'squickly become clear as Pokemon Unite's meta takes shape that there are a number of characters that give players a significant advantage. Some of them are better options than others, but there's a clear list of Pokemon that seem very overpowered already.
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Unite players have quickly discovered that Gengar has incredible potential as one of the game's most overpowered characters, and it comes from the moves Sludge Bomb and Hex. Players get access to these moves as they evolve into Haunter, and once they reach Gengar they can really shift the tide of battle. Sludge Bomb lets players do a lot of AoE damage all at once, which it then pairs with poison damage over time. Hex then allows Gengar to teleport and deal even more AoE damage, all with a short cooldown that basically renders players untouchable. It's a devastating move set to have when taking down clustered teams.
One of the few Mythical Pokemon to be featured in Pokemon Unite, Zeraora is in very similar company with Gengar in its ability to deal a lot of damage and avoid incoming attacks. Some of Zeraora's most devastating moves are Volt Switch and Discharge, the latter of which gives players a shield in addition to dealing a ton of damage. On top of all of this, Zeraora's Unite Move, Plasma Gale, is a sure hit move that deals area-of-effect damage capable of taking out many players at once. Compared to other Pokemon on the Pokemon Unite roster, Zeraora certainly seems to be one of the most devastating combinations of damage and speed.
Pokemon Sword and Shield's fire starter is one of the few starters available in Pokemon Unite, but it's arguably one of the strongest. Cinderace's main strength comes from its power in late-game situations. With the move Blaze Kick, Cinderace is able to do close damage while immediately jumping back to avoid any counters. Feint then gives players a moment of invincibility, all while cleansing any nerfs and buffing movement speed for a short time. All of this helps to make Cinderace a very effective option for players who want a character that can help keep leads alive, or tilt the odds in their favor.
Pokemon Unite's current meta is still very fresh, and there's always a chance that it could change at a moment's notice. Developers are already hard at work improving the game, even putting out Pokemon Unite surveys so players can give feedback. As the game adds more Pokemon and makes improvements, it's possible that these overpowered characters could be tweaked in some way or another. As such, it might be worth getting familiar with as many characters as possible right now, just in case these Pokemon aren't as viable options in the future.
Pokemon Unite is currently available on Nintendo Switch and releases in September for iOS and Android.
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