Pokémon UNITE's newest update, “Long-Range Tactics”, brings balance adjustments for various Pokémon

Pokémon UNITE updated to ver.1.22.1.5 on March 5th at 7am UTC. This update, dubbed Long-Range Tactics (Japanese: 「ロングレンジ・タクティクス」), brings balance adjustments for various Pokémon, alongside the usual bug fixes, and Shop and Event updates.

Long-Range Tactics - Update Patch
This update brings Shop and Event updates, along with changes to some Pokémon stats and moves to adjust the balance of Unite Battles. Specifically, this update provides buffs (⇧) for Latios, Garchomp, Cinderace, Sirfetch'd, Cramorant, Greninja, and Gardevoir; while bringing nerfs (⇩) for Mega Gyarados, Gyarados, Mega Charizard Y, Blastoise, Mimikyu, Mewtwo (Y), Dhelmise, and Scizor.

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The full patch notes can be read below:

Update Details​

• Treasure Chest Challenge updating soon!
  • Neo Guardian Style: Garchomp will be available!
• Shop Updates
• Event Updates
• Bug Fixes
• Text Fixes

To adjust the balance of Unite Battles, some Pokémon stats and moves have been changed.

Balance Adjustments​

Gardevoir​

Confusion

• Damage: 15% increase

Psychic

• Movement speed decrease: 50% → 60%

Moonblast

• Time opponent is left unable to act: 1.2s → 1.6s

Since all of Gardevoir's moves require targeting a specific location or direction, the hindrance effects of Psychic and Moonblast have been strengthened to match the risk of missing. Additionally, the damage of Confusion has been increased to improve stability in the early game.

Greninja​

Stats

• HP: 3000–5420 → 3200–6000
• Sp. Def: 30–149 → 64–240

Boosted Attack

• Damage: 8% increase

Bubble

• Damage: 10% increase

Smokescreen

• Cooldown: 13s → 12s
• Movement speed increase: 10% → 30%

Greninja's durability was extremely low, making it difficult to perform well, especially between levels 5 and 7. Stats have been improved to increase survivability so Greninja can actively participate even in chaotic team fights, and its mobility and damage from the mid-game onward have been raised.

Cinderace​

Ability: Blaze

• Damage: 17% increase

Boosted Attack

• Damage: 8% increase

Ember

• Damage: 15% increase

Low Sweep

• Cooldown: 7.5s → 7s

To allow Cinderace to better unleash its explosive power as an ace striker expected in the late game, the Pokémon's damage capabilities and mobility from the early to mid-game have been strengthened.

Latios​

Draco Meteor

• Damage of the second and subsequent meteors: 30% of the first meteor's damage → 50%

Unite Move: Infinite Strike

• Required Energy: 100,000 → 90,000 (10% decrease)

Even when accumulating a lot of Eon power on the Draco Meteor, the low damage of the second and subsequent meteors often resulted in situations where Latios could not perform well. The damage of the second and subsequent meteors has been increased to allow Latios to utilize its characteristic of infinite growth.

Garchomp​

Ability: Rough Skin

• Cooldown after triggering: 2s → 0.6s
• Reflected damage ratio: 30% → 12.5%

Dragon Rush

• Damage reduction effect: 30% → 45%

Unite Move: Livid Outrage

• Damage: 8% increase

Garchomp's durability when approaching opponents and its ability to finish them off have been strengthened. Furthermore, the effects of the Rough Skin have been enhanced to allow Garchomp to fight back better against melee Pokémon.

Sirfetch'd​

Stats

• Cooldown reduction: 0 → 5% (at Lv. 5), 0 → 10% (at Lv. 9)

Fury Cutter

• Mechanic Change: If interrupted, the remaining cooldown is now reduced by 50%.

Since the cooldown of Sirfetch'd's moves in the late game was long compared to other Pokémon, making it difficult to be effective, the cooldown reduction from its stats has been increased. Additionally, because the risk was extremely high when Fury Cutter was interrupted, an effect has been added to partially reduce the cooldown when interrupted.

Cramorant​

Ability: Gulp Missile

• Mechanic Change: Can now move while catching an Arrokuda.

Hurricane

• Mechanic Change: Added an effect that increases attack speed by 40% for 3 seconds after use.

Air Slash

• Damage: 10% increase
• Cooldown reduction on hit: 5% → 8%

Air Slash+

• Recovery amount: 10% increase

Unite Move: Gatling Gulp Missile

• Damage: 12% increase

As Cramorant's ability to deal damage to opponents was weak compared to other Attackers, leading to a continued lack of effectiveness in the current environment, its overall damage has been increased. Additionally, the vulnerability window when catching Arrokuda has been reduced.

Mega Gyarados​

Dragon Breath

• Basic attack damage after hitting: 10% decrease
• Attack speed increase: 40%/55%/70% → 30%/40%/50% (varies by number of targets hit)
• Automatic attack damage while Mega Evolved: 15% decrease

Waterfall

• Cooldown: 6s → 7s
• Damage: 15% decrease

Unite Move: Dragon Current

• Mega Evolution duration: 20s → 15s

To suppress Mega Gyarados's overwhelming power when Mega Evolved, its damage capabilities and the duration of the Mega Evolution have been reduced. Additionally, since its mobility, durability, and damage were all too strong even when not Mega Evolved, downward adjustments have been made focusing on the damage and usage frequency of Waterfall.

Gyarados​

Dragon Breath

• Basic attack damage after hitting: 10% decrease
• Attack speed increase: 40%/55%/70% → 30%/40%/50% (varies by number of targets hit)

Waterfall

• Cooldown: 6s → 7s
• Damage: 15% decrease

Similar to Mega Gyarados, Gyarados's mobility, durability, and damage were all too strong overall, so downward adjustments have been made focusing on the damage and usage frequency of Waterfall.

Mega Charizard Y​

Flamethrower

• Movement speed increase while Mega Evolved: 15% → 10%

Unite Move: Earth Crusher

• Required Energy: 100,000 → 110,000 (10% increase)
• Mega Evolution duration: 20s → 15s
• Movement speed increase: 30% → 10%

Due to Mega Charizard Y's overwhelming mobility when Mega Evolved, its ability to deal damage one-sidedly from a safe distance was too strong. By lowering mobility, duration, and frequency while Mega Evolved, and limiting the time Mega Charizard Y can display this powerful performance, the balance between risk and return has been adjusted.

Blastoise​

Surf

• Damage: 15% decrease
• Shield amount: 15% decrease

Unite Move: Hydro Typhoon

• Required Energy: 80,000 → 90,000 (12.5% increase)

Blastoise's ability to deal significant damage to opposing Pokémon while gaining high durability was too strong, so downward adjustments have been made, primarily to Surf.

Mimikyu​

Stats

• HP: 3300–7800 → 3300–7200

Shadow Sneak

• Cooldown: 9s → 9.5s
• Additional damage: 6% of opponent's missing HP → 4%

Unite Move: Play with Me...

• Damage: 8% decrease

Due to Mimikyu's high mobility and powerful additional damage based on the opponent's missing HP, there were many situations where targeted opponents could not escape. Mimikyu's damage has been reduced, and its durability has also been lowered to create room for targeted opponents to counterattack.

Mewtwo Y​

Psystrike

• Damage: 10% decrease

Teleport

• Cooldown: 10s → 12s
• Movement speed increase: 30% → 15%

With outstanding mobility and high damage capabilities, Mewtwo Y continued to safely launch powerful attacks from a distance one-sidedly. By reviewing the mobility and cooldown of Teleport, an opening has been created to allow opposing Pokémon to counterattack, adjusting the balance between risk and return.

Scizor​

Dual Wingbeat (Scyther)

• Recovery amount: 15% decrease
• Additional damage of the second hit: 20% of opponent's missing HP → 15%

Unite Move: Green Star Dive (Scyther)

• Damage: 10% decrease

Scyther's one-sided KO capability through powerful burst damage was too strong, so adjustments have been made to slightly curb its damage.

Dhelmise​

Anchor Shot

• Mechanic Change: Changed so that it no longer leaves opponents in a Hindrance Resistant state unable to act, nor does it pull them.

Dhelmise's performance in being able to pull in opposing Pokémon even when they were in a Hindrance Resistant state was too strong, so this specification has been changed.

Zapdos​

Unite Move: High-Voltage Siege

• Number of lightning strikes: 10 → 7
• Interval between lightning strikes: 0.5s → 1s
• Damage per lightning strike: 120% increase

The frequency of lightning strikes from Zapdos's Unite Move was too high, making the ability to easily render goals defenseless too strong. The number and frequency of lightning strikes have been reduced, and adjustments have been made to keep the total damage—including that from the generated electric fields—consistent.

Bug Fixes​

The following bugs have been fixed.

• Fixed a bug where Zapdos's empowered Zap Cannon was dealing unintended damage.
• Fixed a bug where Umbreon would obtain a shield amount greater than the absorbed amount when using its Unite Move to absorb an opponent Pokémon's shield.
• Fixed a bug where Espeon's Stored Power empowered by Future Sight and normal Stored Power could be used simultaneously.
• Fixed a bug where the icon frames for Ranked Match Series 33 rewards and Ranked Match Series 34 rewards had the same design.
• Fixed a bug in Solo Mode's Boss Rush stage where the boss Pokémon would grow stronger every time the same stage was cleared.
• Fixed a bug in some Quick Battles where the "START" button could not be pressed, preventing battles from taking place.
• Fixed a bug in Tournament Mode where the move sets of Pokémon not owned could not be configured, even when the custom rule "Unlock All Unite Licenses" was set.
• [Fixed Feb 28] Fixed a bug on the Nintendo Switch version's Pokémon roster screen where changing Urshifu's move set was not immediately reflected.
• [Fixed Feb 28] Fixed a bug where the game would lag when the cream from Alcremie's Recover disappeared.
• [Fixed Feb 28] Fixed a bug where players would become unable to learn new moves during battle under certain conditions.