10 most underrated licenses in Pokemon Unite and their best builds

Understanding the potential of underrated licenses in Pokemon Unite by adopting the right build and strategy is akin to uncovering hidden gems. Whether you're looking to shake up the meta or find a new main, this list shines a light on overlooked Pokemon that pack a punch. The licenses featured here are by no means inferior. However, they tend to be overshadowed by other creatures that are more prominent in the meta.

From strategic builds that maximize their unique strengths to tactical advice on how to wield their abilities, this article dives deep into how these underappreciated contenders can lead you to victory.

Note: This list is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer

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Pokemon Unite: Best currently underrated licenses and their builds

1) Garchomp

Garchomp in Pokemon Unite (Image via The Pokemon Company)

• Recommended Held Items: Scope Lens, Muscle Band, and Rapid Fire (Suggested substitutions: Focus Band or Drain Crown)
• Recommended Emblem: six Brown, six White, two Blue

Garchomp is known for its high win rate but surprisingly low pick rate. Despite not being the top Pokemon statistically, the creature excels in the game, especially with the right strategy and skill set.

A key tactic for Garchomp involves the Dragon Rush and Dragon Claw combo, which effectively controls and damages opponents in fights. This moveset and build setup maximizes Garchomp's potential for devastating enemy teams.

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2) Chandelure

Chandelure in Pokemon Unite (Image via The Pokemon Company)

• Recommended Held Items: Slick Spoon, Choice Specs, Wise Glasses (Suggested substitution: Curse Incense)
• Recommended Emblem: seven Black, six Green

Chandelure is gaining attention with its Flamethrower build, but the Overheat and Poltergeist combo offers substantial value, providing unique kiting abilities and fight control. Overheat allows for impactful hits and retreat strategies, proving especially effective for solo play.

An Eject Button is nearly essential for Chandelure due to its limited mobility, aiding in positioning. Using Chandelure's Unite Move aggressively can blind and disorient opponents, making it a strategic tool in team fights despite its vulnerability during activation.

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3) Gengar

Gengar in Pokemon Unite (Image via The Pokemon Company)

• Recommended Held Items: Slick Spoon, Choice Specs, Curse Incense
• Recommended Emblem: seven Black, six Green

The Hex-Sludge Bomb Gengar build excels in the current meta, especially against tanks, by leveraging Sludge Bomb's poison damage and Hex's invulnerability frames for dodging and consistent damage. Optimal battle items include the Eject Button or Full Heal to navigate or sustain through fights.

This strategy enables effective use of Gengar's Unite Move, allowing for quick eliminations of fragile foes and efficient repositioning to confront bulkier adversaries.

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4) Goodra

Goodra in Pokemon Unite (Image via The Pokemon Company)

• Recommended Held Items: Slick Spoon, Resident Guard, and Focus Band (Suggested substitutions: Exp Share, Aeos Cookie)
• Recommended Emblem: six White, six Green or five Red

Goodra is a versatile defender in Pokemon Unite, offering builds that adjust to team needs and enemy tactics. The Muddy Water build, paired with Power Whip or Acid Spray, shines for its defensive boost, where hitting opponents can significantly increase Goodra's defenses, making it an imposing presence in battles. Muscle Band and X Speed or Potion improve its combat engagement and survival.

This approach, especially when utilizing Muddy Water effectively, makes Goodra a formidable opponent, capable of sustaining longer in fights and stacking defenses to become nearly unstoppable.

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5) Alolan Ninetales

Alolan Ninetales in Pokemon Unite (Image via The Pokemon Company)

• Recommended Held Items: Rapid-Fire Scarf, Slick Spoon, and Muscle Band
• Recommended Emblem: four White, seven Red

This setup, featuring Dazzling Gleam and Aurora Veil, coupled with advised Held Items, aims to boost attack speed and durability, enabling Alolan Ninetales to solo carry its team in a Pokemon Unite game.

This approach not only boosts Ninetales' offensive output but also its defensive capabilities through the Aurora Veil's buffs, providing significant damage reduction, attack speed increase, and healing for Ninetales and allies within the veil. The use of X Attack further amplifies its offensive threat in team fights.

The emblem setup allows Ninetales to continuously apply pressure and control with its freezing effects. Mastery of timing between Dazzling Gleam and auto-attacks is crucial, extending crowd control durations for optimal team fight impact. This build highlights Alolan Ninetales as a versatile force capable of dealing significant damage while supporting and controlling battles.

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6) Absol

Absol in Pokemon Unite (Image via The Pokemon Company)

• Recommended Held Items: Scope Lens, Razor Claw, and Attack Weight (Suggested substitutions: Energy Amplifier, Drain Crown)
• Recommended Emblem: four White, seven Red

Absol, notably buffed a while ago, fluctuates in viability, heavily reliant on a player's skill to effectively snowball games. It offers versatility with moves like Sucker Punch for outmaneuvering opponents and Psycho Cut for high damage output, the latter being preferred for its effectiveness in both combat and objective control. Eject Button is a battle item recommendation for better positioning and escape capabilities.

Absol excels in soloing objectives, leveraging Pursuit to maneuver around targets and continuously reset its positioning for optimal damage. This tactic, along with the careful timing of Psycho Cut followed by its Unite Move, allows Absol to secure objectives efficiently, demonstrating its potential in both Pokemon Unite solo queues and team engagements.

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7) Cramorant

Cramorant in Pokemon Unite (Image via The Pokemon Company)

• Recommended Held Items: Slick Spoon, Energy Amplifier, and Buddy Barrier (Suggested substitutions: Wise Glasses, Choice Specs)
• Recommended Emblem: seven Black, six Green

Often targeted by nerfs, Cramorant excels with the Dive build, demanding high skill but rewarding mastery with significant impact in Pokemon Unite matches. The key to maximizing Cramorant's potential lies in its Unite Move, which is powerful but leaves it vulnerable due to reduced mobility. Thus, an Eject Button is essential for repositioning during its Unite Move, allowing for strategic plays and escapes.

Mastering Cramorant's Dive ability is crucial, as it enables players to maneuver around opponents and obstacles effectively, enhancing both offense and survivability. Aggressive use of the Unite Move, especially in advantageous situations, can significantly sway battles.

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8) Charizard

Charizard in Pokemon Unite (Image via The Pokemon Company)

• Recommended Held Items: Muscle Band, Scope Lens, and Curse Bangle (Suggested substitutions: Energy Amplifier, Attack Weight)
• Recommended Emblem: six White, six Brown

Charizard, although in need of buffs in Pokemon Unite, remains a potent carry with the Flamethrower and Fire Blast build.

This setup allows players to engage from a safe distance before diving in with Charizard's impactful Unite Move. For battle items, the X Speed is essential, as it enhances Charizard's mobility during its Unite Move to chase down elusive opponents or navigate fights more effectively.

Strategy is key with Charizard, especially in selecting the right moments and targets for its Unite Move. Avoiding Pokemon with abilities or passives that negate Charizard's Unite Move, such as Glaceon's passive or moves that grant Unstoppable status, is crucial. Identifying vulnerable targets without such protections can significantly increase Charizard's effectiveness in battles.

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9) Mr. Mime

Mr. Mime in Pokemon Unite (Image via The Pokemon Company)

• Recommended Held Items: Resident Guard, Slick Spoon, and Exp Share (Suggested substitutions: Special Attack Specs)
• Recommended Emblem: six White, six Green

Mr. Mime has been quietly ascending the win rate charts in Pokemon Unite despite maintaining a low play rate. A notable composition for it is the Psychic/Power Swap build, diverging from the popular Confusion/Barrier setup.

Power Swap plays a central role here, enhancing ally speed and damage or reducing enemy damage when linked. This ability, combined with Psychic, can create powerful damage outputs, especially when paired with allies like Tyranitar, or amplify backline damage from Pokemon such as Decidueye.

Engaging enemies with Power Swap followed by Psychic, then seamlessly transitioning into Mr. Mime's Unite Move, can unleash significant damage and stuns, disrupting the opposing team effectively. The strategy emphasizes initiating fights with Power Swap, leading to Psychic, and culminating with the Unite Move for maximum impact and control.

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10) Lapras

Lapras in Pokemon Unite (Image via The Pokemon Company)

• Recommended Held Items: Resident Guard, Slick Spoon, and Special Attack Specs
• Recommended Emblem: six White, six Green

Lapras, once a dominant force in Pokemon Unite, has received nerfs that somewhat tempered its power. However, it remains a formidable choice, possibly underestimated by the community.

The Water Pulse/Ice Beam build showcases Lapras' still potent capabilities, providing significant damage and a formidable Unite Move, albeit with a longer charging time. Lapras, now more fittingly A-tier than its former S-tier status, remains a powerful contender in battles.

Lapras' strategy involves using its Unite Move, Huge Wave, coupled with Ice Beam to disable enemies, facilitating the targeting and elimination of key opponents. This approach highlights its capacity to control team fights and clinch victories.

The Held Item and Emblem combination not only enhances Lapras' survivability and damage output but also its healing capabilities, making it a challenge to take down.

Despite recent nerfs, Lapras' enduring strengths warrant greater consideration and use in team compositions, suggesting a reevaluation of its game impact.

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