Pokémon UNITE updates to v1.16.1.2 — use code 「BALANCE0905」 to receive free rental licenses

Pokémon UNITE updated to Version 1.16.1.2 on September 5th. These updates, dubbed "Hyper Voltage" (Japanese: 「ハイパーボルテージ」), bring balance adjustments for a variety of Pokémon and various inventory adjustments alongside bug fixes and Shop and Event updates, and prepare for Armarouge's arrival to the game. Additionally, a new gift code has also been released, enabling players to obtain rental licenses for Sylveon, Pikachu, Buzzwole, and Gengar.

Use Gift Code 「BALANCE0905」 to obtain Rental License
Use the gift code 「BALANCE0905」 to obtain 3-day rental licenses for Sylveon, Pikachu, Buzzwole, and Gengar. The gift code is valid until Saturday, October 5, at 2:59pm (UTC).

To redeem the gift code in Pokémon UNITE, go to the events screen, select Daily Events, and select Gift Exchange from the list on the left. Enter the gift code on the Gift Exchange screen and an in-game mail containing the rewards will be received within 48 hours of successfully entering the gift code.

Social Media Campaign for Holowear lottery
The official X (formerly Twitter) account in Japan is holding a giveaway campaign where players will be entered into a drawing to receive Holowear for Sylveon, Pikachu, Buzzwole, and Gengar. The campaign will run from Thursday, September 5th, 2024 to Sunday, September 8th, 2024 at 11:59 p.m (JST). 4 winners will be announced, with each player winning Cook Style: Pikachu, Knight Style: Sylveon, Tuxedo Style: Buzzwole, and Tuxedo Style: Gengar Holowear.

To enter the campaign, follow the official Japanese UNITE account on X (formerly Twitter) (@poke_unite_jp) and repost the relevant post. After the campaign ends, winners will receive a gift code via X-Direct Message to the account that applied. The gift code can be exchanged for a gift from the in-game Gift Exchange. The exchanged item will be received by in-game email.

Removal of EX license classification
As announced in the 3rd Anniversary Letter from the Producer, the EX license classification will be removed in this update. For balance, Zacian and Ho-Oh have received nerfing (▼) adjustments, while Miraidon, Mewtwo (X), and Mewtwo (Y) already received adjustments in the Shadow Flame update.

Version 1.16.1.2 Update Patch
This update brings Shop and Event updates, along with some QoL upgrades, such as the size of the Item Box being increased from 100 to 200, the experience points received from some wild Pokémon in Theia Sky Ruins being changed, and the healing effect of the Shell Bell being improved. The update also contains changes to some Pokémon stats and moves to adjust the balance in competitive tournament scenes. Specifically, this update buffs (▲) Sylveon, Pikachu, Mimikyu, Gengar, and Buzzwole; while it nerfs (▼) Ceruledge, Blaziken, and Slowbro.

The full patch notes can be found below:

▼ Adjustments to Item Box​

• Limit: 100 → 200

▼ Map Adjustments​

Wild Pokémon in Theia Sky Ruins​

• Experience points for Escavalier and Accelgor: decreased by 18%
• Experience points for Baltoy: increased by 33%

At the beginning of the game, when the opposing team steals the last hit on Escavalier or Accelgor, the resulting experience point difference can be too significant, potentially deciding the game's outcome early on. Therefore, we adjusted the experience points of wild Pokémon. The total experience points of wild Pokémon remain unchanged until the forward goal zone is destroyed.

▼ EX License Changes​

As announced in the 3rd Anniversary Producer Letter, the EX license classification will be removed in the September update. Along with this change, balance adjustments will also be made.

Zacian​

• Basic Attacks
  • Additional damage from the ability Intrepid Sword:
    • 1st Hit: 3% of max HP → 2%
    • 2nd Hit: 4% of max HP → 3%
    • 3rd Hit: 4% of max HP → 3%
    • 4th Hit: 5% of max HP → 4%
• Agility
  • Shield amount when enhanced: Reduced by approximately 35% to 30% (Levels 7 to 15)

As an all-rounder that allows for diverse combat styles, Zacian had characteristics such as dealing additional damage based on HP to Defense types through empowered attacks and closing in rapidly on Attack types with Agility while gaining a large shield. However, as these features led to one-sided situations, adjustments were made.

Ho-oh​

• Ability: Regenerator
  • HP Recovery: Every 2 seconds, 0.4% of max HP → 0.3%
  • HP Recovery out of combat: Every 2 seconds, 4% of max HP → 3%
• Tailwind
  • Damage: reduced by 20%
• Fire Spin
  • Cooldown: 8s → 8.5s
• Sky Attack
  • Cooldown: 7s → 8.5s
• Fly
  • Cooldown: 7s → 8s
• Unite Move: Rekindling Flame
  • Allied Pokémon will now leave a feather mark after learning the move.

At the beginning of the battle, the healing ability from the ability Regenerator and the last-hit capability on wild Pokémon from Tailwind were too powerful, so they have been nerfed. Additionally, the combination of the high shield from Fire Spin and the superior mobility from Sky Attack and Fly resulted in excessively high survivability. Therefore, the cooldowns of these moves have been nerfed.

Mewtwo X, Mewtwo Y, Miraidon​

The adjustments made to these three Pokémon in the Shadowflame balance patch on 07/16 have brought them within the expected win rate range. No changes will be made in this balance update and they will continue to be monitored closely.

▼Battle Updates​

Sylveon​

• Hyper Voice
  • Area of Effect Angle: 35° forward → 120° forward
  • Damage: reduced by 8%
  • Cooldown: 6s → 5.5s
• Hyper Voice+
  • Now slows opposing Pokémon hit by the move.(The effect of adding an extra sound wave has been removed.)
• Draining Kiss
  • HP Recovery: Increased by 23%
  • Slow Effect: 20% for 1.5s → 50% (decaying by 20% every 0.5s) for 1s
• Baby-Doll Eyes
  • Now, it hits the targeted Pokémon.

The guaranteed hit of Magical Flame is especially effective in one-on-one battles. On the other hand, Hyper Voice can hit multiple opposing Pokémon, but its narrow effect range limits the situations where this characteristic could be utilized. To further highlight the contrasting performance of these two moves, Hyper Voice's effect range has been expanded while reducing its damage, making it easier to hit multiple opponents. This adjustment is expected to increase its effectiveness in team battles when using Hyper Voice.

Pikachu​

• Visual Update
  • The visuals of Pikachu’s moves have been updated.
• Volt Tackle
  • Cooldown: 10s → 9s
  • Pikachu's movement speed is now increased for a short duration after using the move.
• Unite Move: Thunderstorm
  • Number of Pokémon struck by subsequent lightning bolts: 1 → 2

To improve move visibility and enhance satisfaction when used, the visual effects of Pikachu's moves have been refined.

The Unite Move Thunderstorm had its first lightning strike hit all surrounding opposing Pokémon, but subsequent strikes only hit one target. This resulted in a slightly underwhelming performance; while the first strike offered thrilling potential for massive damage in the middle of the enemy team, subsequent strikes failed to deliver a similar impact. In this adjustment, the number of Pokémon hit by subsequent lightning strikes has been increased, enhancing the value of capturing multiple opponents within the area.

Volt Tackle had a high-risk aspect, as the landing spot could be easily predicted. To make it safer to use, Pikachu's movement speed is increased for a short duration after using the move.

Gengar​

• Dream Eater
  • Cooldown: 8s → 7s
  • Healing: increased by 20%
• Dream Eater+
  • Healing: increased by 23%
• Hex
  • Cooldown reduction when hitting a status-affected Pokémon:
  • 85% of the cooldown → 90% of the cooldown
• Unite Move: Invisible Shock
  • Required Energy: reduced by approximately 17%

Dream Eater often left players unable to act for a long time if the move was missed. To address this, the cooldown of the move has been shortened. Additionally, increasing the HP recovered reduces the risk of being KO'd, providing more opportunities for consecutive KOs. The reduced cooldown for reusing Hex allows players to KO opponents before being counterattacked and KO'd. To enable more aggressive attacks in the latter half of battles after evolving into Gengar, the required energy for the Unite move Invisible Shock has been reduced.

Buzzwole​

• Leech Life
  • Cooldown: 8s → 7s
  • HP Recovery: Decreased by approximately 37% to 25%
• Smack Down
  • Cooldown: 7.5s → 6.5s

In recent seasons, Buzzwole's win rate and usage rate have been declining. To improve Buzzwole's ability to fight fluidly, the cooldowns for Smack Down and Leech Life have been buffed. Among these, Leech Life is one of the few moves effective against Pokémon with hindrance resistance. With this adjustment, Leech Life can now be used more frequently at the cost of reduced recovery, enhancing Buzzwole's effectiveness in countering Pokémon with hindrance resistance.

Ceruledge​

• Bitter Blade
  • Damage: reduced by 16% to 0% (Level 5 to 15)
• Psycho Cut
  • Damage: reduced by approximately 14% to 9% (Level 5 to 15)
• Phantom Dive
  • Slow effect: 90% → 60%

Ceruledge exhibited high attack power and the ability to KO wild Pokémon quickly in the mid-game, often allowing it to maintain the advantage gained into the late game. Due to its high usage and win rates, the mid-game damage of Bitter Blade and Psycho Cut has been reduced. Additionally, the slow effect from Phantom Dive was so strong that it made the next attack nearly impossible for opposing Pokémon to dodge; therefore, it has also been nerfed.

Blaziken​

• Stats
  • Critical Hit Rate: 10% → 5% (Level 5-7), 20% → 10% (Level 8-15)
• Fire Punch
  • Damage: reduced by 17%
• Fire Punch+
  • Damage: reduced by 14%

Blaziken was able to take down low-durability Attackers with just Fire Punch and basic attacks, so the critical hit rate and damage of Fire Punch have been reduced.

Slowbro​

• Stats
  • HP: decreased by 0% to approximately 5% (Level 1-15)
  • Cooldown Reduction: 5% → 0% (Level 4-8), 10% → 0% (Level 9-15)

Slowbro's high durability allowed it to perform consistently well, leading to high usage and win rates. To address this, its HP has been reduced to lower its overall durability. Additionally, to decrease the activation frequency of the ability that restores HP, the stats to reduce the cooldowns of its moves have been nerfed.

Item Adjustment​

Shell Bell​

• HP Recovery on Move Hit
  • Level 1-9: Increased by approximately 15%
  • Level 10-19: Increased by approximately 20%
  • Level 20-30: Increased by approximately 33%

For a long time, the three stylish glasses have been the best-held item choices for special attack-type attackers, resulting in a narrow selection range. To enable more diverse strategies, the healing amount of Shell Bell has been increased. Even when there is no Pokémon on the team that excels at healing, Shell Bell provides recovery while fighting.

Bug Fixes​

• Fixed an issue where Dragapult's Unite move would target Ceruledge when it was hidden with Phantom Dive.
• Fixed a bug where Tyranitar could reuse Sand Tomb's second activation after exiting and re-entering the sandstorm area.
• Fixed an issue where Duraludon's enhanced attack damage cap applied not only to the percentage damage to max HP but also to the entire enhanced attack damage.
• Fixed a bug where Wigglytuff's Unite move Starlight Recital failed to remove poison from allies.
• Fixed an issue where Dodrio's footsteps were too loud.

 

How do they gotta nerf Slowbro? (I dont play Unite anymore)