Pokemon Unite: All Status Conditions & What They Do
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Status Conditions have been an important mechanic in many video games over the years. They offer a genuine challenge to dealing with certain enemies and will force players to react to and adapt accordingly. In fast-paced MOBA games, these ailments can be used to greater effect than in single-player games, as events and situations unfold much quicker.
Those familiar with the Pokemon main-series games are likely very familiar with Status Conditions, however, these effects take on slightly different forms in Pokemon Unite in that they act quicker and have more significant real-time consequences for the afflicted. Currently, counting all main pokemon moves so far in the game, there are 6 different Status Conditions that players can take advantage of when using certain pocket monsters in battle.
Whether one should make use of a Status Condition on their build will depend on the desired outcome and one's strategic preferences. Status Conditions that immobilize and hinder targets are better on the defensive, support, and utility-oriented builds, while those that deal damage over time are better used by offensive builds aiming to take down enemies. There is some cross-over and overlap, due to the dynamic nature of the game and player preferences, but that general rule-of-thumb should help guide gamers toward putting together the best builds possible.
Poisoned
| Moves & Abilities That Poison Foes | Pokemon That Can Learn It |
| Sludge Bomb | Gengar & Venusaur |
Currently, Sludge Bomb is the only way in Pokemon Unite for players to actually apply the Poisoned Status Condition to opponents, however, multiple pokemon can learn it. Both Gengar and Venusaur are able to learn Sludge Bomb, though, there are differences between the effects depending on the pokemon that uses it.
Being Poisoned steadily decreases the afflicted pokemon's HP over time, but only for a few seconds. This damage over time effect is meant to pressure foes by slowly chipping away at them while the player uses other moves to deal the real damage. Players should use this Status Condition as part of a combo instead of expecting the damage over time to takedown adversaries by itself.
Gengar's Sludge Bomb
The Ghost-type pokemon's variant has a cooldown of 8 seconds and only applies Poisoned to those damaged by the move and nothing else.
Venusaur's Sludge Bomb
While Gengar's variant is much more infamous due to its combo with Hex, Venusaur's Sludge Bomb is objectively better. Firstly, it has a shorter cooldown of 6 seconds and, in addition to applying Poisoned to foes struck, it also decreases their movement speed and Special Defense for a time.
Frozen
| Moves & Abilities That Freeze Foes | Pokemon That Can Learn It |
| Snow Warning | Alolan Ninetales |
One of the two rarest Status Conditions in the game, the powerful ability to make enemies Frozen is locked to a single pokemon, and, furthermore, is not even tied to an active move. Alolan Ninetales' ability, Snow Warning, must slowly chill foes into a frigid state for this Status Condition to take effect.
Freezing an enemy will stop them dead in their tracks and will cause them to be helpless for a few seconds, which can be immensely hindering to the opposing team since this effect is a passive one that occurs by Alolan Ninetales simply being in the area. Furthermore, Snow Warning can affect more targets at a time than any other Status Condition-inducing ability as its range is naturally much greater, which means that Alolan Ninetales players can hinder opponents who are too far to strike back.
Asleep
| Moves & Abilities That Put Foes To Sleep | Pokemon That Can Learn it |
| Yawn | Snorlax |
| Sing | Wigglytuff |
| Dream Eater | Gengar |
Making adversaries fall Asleep is the most common way of immobilizing them by utilizing a Status Condition. While hindrance moves exist to snare foes, making them fall Asleep performs the same function but without forcing players to also lock themselves down partially while using a move. However, the sleeping period is quite short and foes will not take damage from dozing off, so players will need to take advantage of their enemy's immobility in some way to get the most use out of a sleep-inducing move.
Snorlax's Yawn
The most basic out of all the sleep-inducing moves, Yawn causes Snorlax to launch a cloud of gray haze that travels in a linear pattern. This fog puts foes Asleep instantly but has no other effects besides decreasing their movement speed after being upgraded.
Gengar's Dream Eater
In addition to putting foes to sleep, Dream Eater can be used a second time after its initial use to attack the sleeping target. This will restore some of Gengar's HP as well as reduce the cooldown on Sludge Bomb or Shadow Ball for great synergy on any Gengar build.
Wigglytuff's Sing
This move does not put foes to sleep right away, but will instead create an area of effect that will slow enemies passing through it, only putting them to sleep if they linger within the colored circle for too long. Additionally, those rendered inert by Sing's effect will have their Defense and Special Defense decreased for a time.
Burned
| Moves & Abilities That Burn Foes | Pokemon That Learn It |
| Pyro Ball | Cinderace |
| Blaze Kick | Cinderace |
| Flamethrower | Charizard |
| Fire Punch | Charizard |
Similar to being Poisoned, being Burned will cause afflicted pokemon to receive damage over time. The slow decrease of HP is the most common kind of effect for a Status Condition because it is something that is universally useful and encourages a more active approach to combat than effects that immobilize foes, despite the latter being a valid battlefield tactic.
Cinderace's Pyro Ball
As a simple ranged attack, Cinderace players will be able to kick a fireball at foes to scorch them from a distance. It's not fancy, but it is extremely effective at dealing damage as well as leaving targets Burned if they aren't knocked out.
Cinderace's Blaze Kick
This requires the player to be closer, however, this move is always a critical hit and also shoves enemies, making it arguably better than Pyro Ball. Those struck by this sure-hit move will be Burned and left reeling from the impact.
Charizard' Flamethrower
This plume of fire with affect adversaries in a cone-like area in front of Charizard, which will leave them Burned as well as will boost the user's movement speed for a time.
Charizard's Fire Punch
Similar in effect to Cinderace's Blaze Kick, this move also shoves foes before leaving them Burned, however, there is no guaranteed critical hit, making Fire Punch inferior to the aforementioned move.
Paralyzed
| Moves & Abilities That Paralyze Foes | Pokemon That Learn It |
| Electro Ball | Pikachu |
| Static | Pikachu |
Paralyzing enemies will leave them unable to act for a brief period, similar to the effects of Asleep and Frozen. However, unlike those two Status Conditions, making targets Paralyzed can be done with offensive builds a bit easier. It should be mentioned that even though Zeraora has no moves that make enemies Paralyzed, their Discharge move will pull in and deal bonus damage to pokemon afflicted by this Status Condition.
Pikachu's Electro Ball
Not only is this an excellent damage-dealing move, but it also leaves those struck Paralyzed for a few moments, allowing Pikachu to follow up this heavy-hitting move with a few basic attacks or another special move that deals damage. When timed properly, this sure-hit move can devastate the opposition, especially when noting that Electro Ball deals more damage the less HP foes have left, granting it great potential as a way to finish off weakened targets.
Pikachu's Static
Despite having the rare cooldown for an ability, Pikachu's Static is tremendously useful whenever it activates. This ability will instantly and automatically paralyze enemies near Pikachu when the player takes damage, making it excellent to use both offensively when pressing an attack or defensively while retreating.
Infatuated
| Moves & Abilities That Infatuate Foes | Pokemon That Can Learn It |
| Cute Charm | Wigglytuff |
While not one of the main Status Conditions, being Infatuated is still significant enough to take into consideration during battle. Just like it appears in the main series Pokemon games, this ailment will hinder enemies by forcing them to act against their will.
When on the battlefield of Pokemon Unite, those that get Infatuated by Wigglytuff's Cute Charm ability will be automatically and continuously drawn to the pink pocket monster for a few seconds after they deal damage to Wigglytuff. While this ability has a cooldown and cannot target the same opponent repeatedly, Cute Charm acts like a subtle and passive hindrance that will prevent enemies from going about their business as long as Wigglytuff is nearby.
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