Pokemon Unite U-Impact: Release date, balance updates, and more

The new update for Pokemon Unite is coming with a rush of thrilling developments that seek to redefine the competitive scene. Titled the U-Impact update, this patch comes with massive list of balance changes, shop and event changes, and bug fixes to improve gameplay stability. Releasing on July 18, 2025, at 07:00 (UTC), the update will be live as of version 1.19.2.6.

Players are encouraged to restart the game if the update has not applied automatically. Temporary server issues can occur while the game is updating, but these should sort out soon after maintenance.

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Pokemon Unite U-Impact patch update: Balance changes overview

With this patch, some Pokemon have had their stats adjusted and moves tweaked to better perform and to introduce more variety to competitive play.

1) Charizard

Stats

• Defense: 70–350 → 70–400
• Sp. Def: 54–268 → 54–320

Basic Attack

Additional damage to burned opponents:

• Burst Flame: No change
• Flamethrower: 100% increase
• Fire Punch: 100% increase
• Unite Move - Seismic Slam: No change

Flamethrower

• Damage: 10% increase

Flamethrower+

• Burn damage: 20% increase

The additional basic attack damage dealt to burned opponents was set lower for some moves. This has been standardized to the higher damage value. Charizard's durability has been increased to match other All-Rounders, creating more opportunities for aggressive plays.

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2) Gyarados

Stats

• Defense: 80–400 → 80–450
• Sp. Def: 60–300 → 60–345

Bounce

• Shield duration: 3s → 5s

Aqua Tail

• Damage: 18% increase

Aqua Tail+

• Base damage: 8% increase
• Damage based on the opponent's missing HP (second hit): 15% → 20%

The durability and move performance for Gyarados have been improved, allowing Gyarados to overwhelm opponents more forcefully. In particular, the damage from Aqua Tail, which was previously lacking, has been significantly strengthened.

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3) Ho-Oh

Sacred Fire

• The move Fly has been changed to Sacred Fire.
• Cooldown: 8s → 12s
• Effects: Has the user shoot mystical fire of great intensity at the designated area, dealing damage to opposing Pokemon it hits, leaving them burned and unable to act. For a short time, the user flies high into the air, allowing it to move freely over walls and increasing its movement speed and Attack. After this move is used, the user’s next three basic attacks become boosted attacks.If this move is used again while the user is flying, the user lands on the ground.

Fire Spin

• Damage: 10% decrease
• Added effect: The emitted heat wave now makes opponents unable to act.

The move "Fly" has been changed to "Sacred Fire," enabling a new fighting style that hinders opponents while strengthening Ho-Oh itself. Fire Spin has been given a new hindrance effect, which was lacking for a Defender, and in exchange, Fire Spin's damage has been slightly reduced.

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4) Gardevoir

Stats

• HP: 3200–6320 → 3200–6700
• Defense: 35–225 → 35–280
• Sp. Def: 27–175 → 27–230

Psyshock

• Sp. Def reduction: 25% → 30%

Moonblast+

• Shield amount: 15% increase

Gardevoir often struggled due to low durability, so Gardevoir's stats and the shield amount from Moonblast+ have been improved. Additionally, the Sp. Def reduction from Psyshock has been increased, allowing Gardevoir to deal more damage to opponents with high Sp. Def.

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5) Crustle

Stats

• Defense: 97–580 → 97–640
• Sp. Def: 67–400 → 67–460

Crustle's signature high durability has been extended, allowing Crustle to more reliably fulfill the role of a Defender. A bug that allowed Pokemon to pass through the rocks from Rock Tomb has also been fixed.

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6) Slowbro

Stats

• HP: 3225–8900 → 3225–9350

Water Gun

• Movement speed decrease on self: 35% → 30%

Surf

• Movement speed decrease on opponents: 25% → 30%

Scald

• Damage: 10% increase

Slowbro's slightly lacking durability, hindrance effects, and damage have been supplemented to make Slowbro easier to use effectively.

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7) Snorlax

Stats

• Defense: 97–580 → 97–640
• Sp. Def: 70–440 → 70–490

Tackle

• Damage: 10% decrease

Heavy Slam

• Damage: 20% decrease

Flail

• Cooldown: 6.5s → 7s

Snorlax's ability to deal high damage while hindering opponents exceeded expectations for a Defender. Therefore, the damage of some moves has been reduced to better align with Snorlax's role. On the other hand, Snorlax's durability has been slightly increased, reinforcing its defensive characteristics.

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8) Alcremie

Decorate

• Cooldown: 8s → 8.5s
• Effect duration: 6s → 4s
• Shield amount: 25% decrease

Dazzling Gleam

• Damage: 12% decrease

Unite Move: Fluffy Cream Supreme

• Shield amount: 70% → 60% of max HP

Alcremie’s support capabilities, especially the ally-strengthening performance of Decorate, were extremely high and difficult to counter. The move's effect duration, shield amount, and cooldown have been adjusted, making it necessary to time shields on allies more carefully.

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9) Tsareena

Triple Axel

• Damage: 5% decrease

Stomp

• Damage: 10% increase

Unite Move: Queen Ascendant

• Damage: 8% decrease

The performance of Triple Axel, which combines high mobility and damage, has been slightly reduced. In its place, its other move, Stomp, has been strengthened to broaden the range of move choices.

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10) Clefable

Moonlight

• Cooldown: 8s → 8.5s

Unite Move: Metronome

• Required energy: 11% increase

Clefable has maintained a high win rate, and the healing from Moonlight, in particular, was greatly increasing team survivability. The balance has been adjusted by slightly increasing the move's cooldown.

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11) Garchomp

Dig

• Throw duration: 1s → 0.6s

Earthquake

• Damage: 10% decrease

Dragon Claw

• Damage: 10% decrease

Bulldoze

• Damage: 7%–9% decrease

The damage and hindrance effects of several moves were higher than anticipated. The overall offensive performance has been slightly reduced to adjust the balance.

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12) Cinderace

Blaze Kick

• Cooldown: 9s → 9.5s

Blaze Kick+

• Attack speed increase after use: 65% → 45%

The sustained attacks following the significant attack speed increase from Blaze Kick were powerful. The move's cooldown and the attack speed increase have been slightly reduced to create opportunities for opponents to counterattack.

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Pokemon Unite U-Impact patch update: Adjustments for the competitive environment

Pokemon that recieved few adjustments this Pokemon Unite update (Image via The Pokemon Company)

To create a battle environment where a greater variety of Pokemon can be active in tournaments, adjustments have been made centered on Pokemon with high usage rates in competitive play.

1) Inteleon

Ability: Sniper

Max critical counters before evolving have been reduced.

• Sobble: 3 → 1
• Drizzile: 3 → 2
• Inteleon: 3 (no change)

Fell Stinger

• Changed to be able to interrupt movement with a strong hindrance effect.

Snipe Shot

• Damage: 5% decrease

Acrobatics

• Damage: 15% increase
• Cooldown reduction for Liquidation: 2s → 40% of cooldown (approx.2.4s)

Inteleon's ability to KO wild Pokemon in the early game with the Sniper ability was high, allowing Inteleon to secure wild Pokemon KOs too consistently. The number of critical hit counters for Inteleon's pre-evolutions has been adjusted. Also, the damage of Inteleon's main move, Snipe Shot, has been slightly reduced, while the performance of Acrobatics has been improved to increase the variety of fighting styles.

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2) Psyduck

Psyshock

• Psychic area of effect: 2m → 1.7m radius

Surf

• Time until the second stage can be used: 0.4s → 0.6s

The area of effect for Psyshock was large and often difficult to avoid, so the move's range has been reduced. The time until Surf can be reused has been adjusted to create a window for opponents to react.

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3) Hoopa

Phantom Force

• Time remaining until the second use: 5s → 3.5s

The strategy of using Trick on a high-mobility Pokemon and then returning with Phantom Force, repeating ambushes and escapes, was powerful and extremely difficult to deal with. By shortening the time until the second use of Phantom Force is possible, the effective range of this strategy has been narrowed.

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Pokemon Unite U-Impact patch update: Bug fixes

Pokemon that recieved some needed bug fixes this Pokemon Unite update (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Several important bugs have been addressed:

• Crustle’s Rock Tomb collision on the right side of the screen is now fixed.
• Duraludon can now upgrade Stealth Rock properly.
• Zeraora's post-Unite attacks no longer affect airborne Ho-Oh.
• Slowbro’s Telekinesis now correctly interacts with airborne targets.
• Galarian Rapidash's Fairy Wind and Unite Move behave as intended in combo scenarios.
• Mew’s move reset is now available even under Darkrai’s Unite effect.
• Metagross' Unite wall now disappears completely.
• Buzzwole’s Smack Down no longer shortens throw duration when clashing with Alolan Raichu’s Surge Surfer.

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If you are interested in other topics related to Pokemon Unite, check out these articles:

• All Pokemon Unite First to 500 Aeos Technology, explained
• How to counter Alolan Raichu in Unite
• Pokemon Unite license tier list
• Unite Solo Queue licenses tier list
• Best Build for every Pokemon Unite license
• Best Boost Emblems in the game
• Held Item tier list
• Battle Item tier list