Pokemon Unite is still pretty new on the scene, but it's already making an impact with Pokemon and MOBA fans alike. The game is certainly a big step in a new direction for the franchise as a whole, and developer TiMi has demonstrated that it's committed to improving Pokemon Unite early on. It's certainly not without its faults, hardly any MOBA is, but Pokemon Unite seems to be a worthwhile experiment for Nintendo so far.
As a part of TiMi's desire to make active changes to Pokemon Unite, there has already been a list of nerfs and buffs only a couple of weeks after the game's release. Some changes were more disruptive than others, and it will likely take some time for players to reassess Pokemon Unite's meta after the short amount of time spent figuring out the strengths of each Pokemon. Even still, it's quickly become clear which Pokemon are more viable options than others. Out of the roughly two dozen Pokemon available in Pokemon Unite right now, there are some that would greatly benefit from a buff of some kind.
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Out of the hundreds of Pokemon that have been introduced throughout the franchise's history, Mr. Mime has always been one of the strangest. The Psychic-type Pokemon is one of the three Supporter options in Pokemon Unite, but it doesn't exactly fill out the role very well. While Mr. Mime's Barrier ability does a good job at pushing opposing players back, there are a number of other Pokemon that have similar abilities, as well as other attacks that make them more useful. Mr. Mime simply isn't viable as a Supporter the same way a Pokemon like Eldegoss is, and it might take a serious reworking of its moves to even get close.
Garchomp has built up a strong reputation with the Pokemon fanbase ever since players had to face the wrath of Cynthia's Garchomp in the Generation 4 Pokemon titles. The pseudo-legendary has been featured in dozens of other pieces of Pokemon media since, and Pokemon Unite is yet another game to add to the list. Unfortunately for fans of the character, Pokemon Unite's Garchomp doesn't exactly demonstrate the same level of power that other games have conveyed. It is perhaps the most overrated All-Rounder Pokemon to choose in the game, as it's not very strong in early game situations or in the mobility department.
Pokemon Unite's Attackers are some of the most lethal characters to use when tackling each match, but not all of them are created equally. Greninja is one Attacker that doesn't exactly match up next to its peers, and it's not for lack of trying. Greninja's abilities aren't necessarily bad, but its expert difficulty makes it a very difficult Pokemon to choose when there are other Attackers that do more damage with a lower difficulty. If Greninja had a higher upside to its expert difficulty, then perhaps it would be more viable, but as of right now it's in dire need of a buff to help its overall effectiveness.
Pokemon Unite's meta is still very fresh, and considering the changes that have been made already, it's likely to change once again in the near future. While these characters may not be as effective now, it's possible that they could receive their much-needed buffs and be more useful in the future. Things are sure to evolve as Pokemon Unite continues to carve out its space in the MOBA genre, so players will just have to keep their eyes peeled for when the next round of nerfs and buffs releases.
Pokemon Unite is available now on the Nintendo Switch, and is coming to Mobile in September 2021.
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