In a world where League of Legends and Dota top the charts, Pokémon Unite stepped in and quickly made a name for itself. The franchise is known for its turn-based RPGs, but thanks to Unite’s fresh MOBA experience, the game has gained plenty of attention.

Here, most of the action happens against real players in 5v5 matches. Whether casual or ranked, these can be quite challenging to deal with, especially for newcomers. But as always, we’ve got you covered. Follow this ultimate beginner guide and start dominating Pokémon Unite like a pro.

Not Always Going for a Cool Pokémon

Let’s be real, we’ve all grown up admiring a cool Pokémon. From collecting cards to bedroom posters, keeping that particular character involved in daily life has been a thing for many. As a result, always picking up your favorite hero in Pokémon Unite is a common habit, especially among beginners.

But sometimes it can cause more harm than good. See, some characters, such as Greninja, are indeed flashy. Sure, it can be helpful with perfect positioning and can teach opponents a lesson. However, all of its benefits are limited to the player using it.

When it comes to team support, most of these Pokémon fall behind. In Greninja’s case, its low crowd control is a problem where, sometimes, it’s of no use to the rest of the team. Since the game relies heavily on team support, you must play with a Pokémon that goes well with the whole squad. That’s why we suggest using Slowbro, a beginner-friendly defender. By staying on the frontline, taking damage, and disrupting enemies, you’ll be assisting the team a lot.

Using Super Item Enhancers Wisely

With your Pokémon sorted, the next step is to make the most of your Super Item Enhancers. For those who don’t know, these are one of the crucial resources in Pokémon Unite that can instantly top up any Held Item to Level 30.

The game offers a total of three of these enhancers unlocked through Super Held Item Enhancement Missions. By three, we mean literally three, because aside from these missions, there’s literally no other way to earn them back.

To use them wisely, dedicate each to your main Pokémon, the one you use the most. For each role, here are the best Held Items that are worth investing in.

• Attacker: Muscle Band, Scope Lens, Float Stone, and Drain Crown
• Speedster: Scope Lens, Razor Claw, and Attack Weight
• Defender: Buddy Barrier, Focus Band, and Tenacity Belt
• All-Rounder: Energy Amplifier, Focus Band, Weakness Policy, and Buddy Barrier
• Supporter: Exp. Share, Rescue Hood, and Wise Glasses

Using Chat Signals

One of the crucial features in any multiplayer game, let alone Pokémon Unite, is the chat signal. While other games focus more on pinging an opponent's location, Unite is more about telling your squad whether your moveset is ready or not for a planned strategy.

For beginners, this feature is unknown as the game doesn’t mention chat signals during the initial tutorial. However, it’s an easy yet handy feature that pro players use all the time. Here, all you need to do is identify a small chat icon on the right-hand side of the screen.

Now, simply drag and drop it on a particular move, such as the Unite Move, and it will display a banner “Unite Move X% Charged!” with your name on every squad member’s screen. This way, the whole team will act accordingly and either wait for you to charge up or execute a strategy if you are good to go.

Be Patient With the Unite Move

The Unite Move is your character’s ultimate ability that does maximum damage and can quickly turn the match in your favor. However, those who are impatient with it often fail to benefit a lot from this move.

It’s all about using it correctly, especially during the Final Stretch. Spamming it during the initial stages of showdown is fine, but during the last 3-4 minutes, keep in mind that the Unite Move takes at least 3 minutes until you can reuse it.

Saving it for the Final Stretch is important as it’s a victory-defining moment. But since this nail-biting scene already lasts for a couple of minutes, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to regenerate it. That’s why keeping the Unite Move farmed for one last hurrah is important, especially for beginners who often fail to make a comeback on their own.

Turning On Necessary Features

As a beginner, you’d be diving into the matches with the defaults. However, the game offers some game-changing settings that can help you play more easily and optimally. Below are all of those, along with their effects.

• Advanced Attacking Controls: This will give you a small button next to your basic attack button, helping you focus and take down the jungle Pokémon.
• Enable Lock-On Icon: Lets you lock on a specific target. This is particularly helpful when too many enemies cluster in a spot, making it harder to focus on one.
• High Camera Sensitivity and Custom Panel Placement: Keeping the camera sensitivity high lets you hover over the map faster and reveal the enemy's whereabouts quickly. Similarly, a custom panel helps you tailor control placement according to your fingers’ reachability.

By opting for these, the gameplay will become quite forgiving for someone who’s just getting started.

Don’t Kill Rayquaza

Rayquaza is the final boss that multiplies the drama in the Final Stretch. For not killing it, we don’t mean that you should always avoid it. However, if your team already has a big lead, don’t waste your time taking it down.

Instead, try to defend the Rayquaza and prevent enemies from stealing it. Because if they manage to do so, odds are high that the win goes to them. This is a common issue among beginners that ultimately results in a loss, right when it was looking promising.

Conclusion

With our beginner guide, you can expect a forgiving experience. However, it still won’t be easy. Pokémon Unite is also about making split-second decisions. So, take these tips as assists rather than full-on game-changers because you won’t be able to have a pro-level command of the game until you practice.