With Patch 1.4.1.7 released, Duraludon is running rampant throughout the Pokémon UNITE meta. Patch 1.4.1.2 was defined by a dynamic meta and the fall of previous titans like Eldegoss. While it is too soon to see what the meta will look like going forward, new trends among top players are beginning to develop.
So where do usage rates sit among the top 100 players?
S Tier:
- Duraludon – 23.5% (NEW)
A Tier:
- Lucario – 15% (-8.17)
- Hoopa – 9.5% (-1.88)
B Tier:
- Slowbro – 7.5% (+1)
- Greedent – 6.5% (-0.5)
- Wigglytuff – 5.5% (-0.5)
C Tier:
- Talonflame – 4% (+/-)
- Pikachu – 3% (-4.17)
- Machamp – 3% (+1.67)
- Blissey – 3% (+2)
- Venusaur – 2.5% (-2.88)
- Decidueye – 2.5% (+2.5)
- Ninetails – 2.5% (+2.5)
D Tier:
- Dragonite – 2% (-1.5)
- Absol – 2% (-0.83)
- Mime – 1.5% (+/-)
- Tsareena – 1.5% (+1.5)
- Cinderace – 1% (-5.5)
- Snorlax – 1% (-0.5)
- Crustle – 1% (-1)
- Zeraora – 1% (+0.67)
- Sylveon – 0.5% (+/-)
Aegislash, Blastoise (-0.33), Charizard (-0.33), Cramorant, Eldegoss (-3.88), Garchomp, Gardevoir (-0.5), Gengar (-1), Greninja (-2.5), Mamoswine, and Trevenant all saw no noticeable play among the top 100 players.
Below are the monthly averages of the 10 most used Pokémon:
Patch Winner: Duraludon
Duraludon has entered Pokémon UNITE with the highest usage rate of any introduced Pokémon. With incredible range and damage, Duraldon is a force to be reckoned with. Its release has dramatically reduced the usage rates of both traditional junglers and bottom lane attackers.
Patch Loser: Eldegoss
Throughout the history of Pokémon UNITE, Eldegoss has been one of the most prominently used Pokémon in the meta. Hoopa’s introduction finally caught Eldegoss on the back foot and led to a dramatic reduction in play. Patch 1.4.1.7 cemented that underdog status by dramatically reducing Eldegoss’s healing abilities in the game.
Patch Winner: Ninetails
Whether the buff Ninetails received is going to lead to a long-term increase in play is yet to be seen, but this is the highest usage rate Ninetails has seen since September. The Aurora Veil buff has given Ninetails both a mobility option and a sustain option. This is going to dramatically increase Ninetails’s survivability during a match.
Patch Loser: Cinderace
Cinderace was able to shine in the Pokémon UNITE meta after Patch 1.4.1.2. It was short of dominating the jungle but was the most used jungler option in the game. With Duraludon out and invading the jungle, though, Cinderace has seen its usage decimated. Cinderace is one of the most volatile Pokémon in the game, with a finely tuned toolkit that can easily snowball in the right conditions. And as Ricky Bobby said: if you ain’t first, you’re last.
Patch Winner: Decidueye
Decidueye was one of the worst Pokémon in the game upon release, and despite receiving several buffs since release, nothing really clicked. This latest buff didn’t provide a much needed mobility option but did provide another round of damage increases. Spirit Shackle and Nock Nock both saw increases to damage, giving Decidueye better sniping damage and making its Unite move something to fear.
Patch Loser: Cramorant
Cramorant hasn’t seen usage among the top 100 players since being knocked out of the meta by Venusaur during Patch 1.2.1.3. This hasn’t stopped developers from deciding to bring out the nerf hammer for the silly blue bird, though, and they weakened its Dive/Air Slash moveset in the most recent updates. Hopefully the Ninetails buff shows the developers still want to keep the older Pokémon viable, but with nerfs like this hitting Eldegoss and Cramorant, that might not be the case.
Methodology: This data is collected using both the rankings tab in Pokémon UNITE and the Pokémon UNITE API. A Pokémon is considered a “main” of a player if is it the most played Pokémon in their most recent 15 ranked matches. In the event of a tie or near tie the data will reflect that. If more than two Pokémon are tied, the 25 most recent matches will be considered instead.
