The latest addition toPokemon Unite’s playable roster, Zacian, has quickly become one of the game’s most powerful characters. As a Legendary fromPokemon SwordandShield, it’s no surprise that Zacian would be one of the strongest competitors inPokemon Unite, but it’s almost too overpowered in its current state, defining the meta and becoming a necessity for any competitive team. This isn’t anything new for Zacian, as it was a major player in the VGC meta for Gen 8 and thePokemon TCG.
Pokemon Uniteis in the difficult position of having to balance all of its playable monsters against one another, even when some are Legendaries likeUrshifuand Zacian against canonically weaker monsters like Pikachu and Comfey. While this balancing act leaves most creatures fairly equal depending on player skill, Zacian quickly became a standout as far more powerful than other choices upon its recent launch. Despite a bug fix that decreased Zacian’s potential damage output, the monster still remains at the top due to its unique passive ability and dangerous attack choices.
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Zacian Has a History as a Top-Tier Monster
What makes theFairy/Steel-type Zaciansuch a great pick inPokemon Uniteis its passive ability Intrepid Sword, which allows players to charge Aeos energy and boost the power of its basic attacks for a short time, alongside two of its potential moves. Zacian’s Agility and Sacred Sword allow it to move quickly while dealing damage in a wide radius and slowing down opponents, making them easy prey for follow-up attacks. Slowed opponents hit with basic attacks boosted by Intrepid Sword are easy to finish off after being hit with Sacred Sword.
Fans who follow thePokemonfranchise across its different games and other media ventures won’t be surprised that Zacian is once again a meta-defining monster. Both the mainline games and the card game have had to deal with this behemoth in the past. The Zacian V card from the originalPokemon SwordandShieldset of thePokemon TCGhas been responsible for numerous tournament victories, and has consistently appeared in top players' decks as a result.
Prior to the launch ofPokemon ScarletandViolet, Zacian was similarly one of the most used team members forPokemon SwordandShieldVGC battles. In its Crowned Sword form, Zacian had a blistering 148 Speed and 170 Attack, making it a threat as a powerful physical sweeper - especially after its Ability Intrepid Sword boosts its Attack further upon enterting battle. It’s Fairy/Steel typing gave it a huge advantage over other common mons in the Gen 8 meta like Incineroar and Grimmsnarl, and its signature move Behemoth Blade was perfect for felling Dynamax monsters.
It seems like no matter which game this monster is featured in, Zacian finds a way to stand out as one of the strongest contenders in its class. While the bug that was fixed in anupdate toPokemon Uniteresulted in a decrease to Zacian’s overall strength, it may still require further fine-tuning to bring this creature down to the level of other playable characters. Until Zacian sees a rebalance,Pokemon Uniteplayers will have to formulate strategies around dealing with this overpowered Legendary.
Pokemon Uniteis available now for Mobile and Switch.
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