Best Speedster builds
If you've played other MOBAs, Speedsters are essentially the 'Junglers' of Pokémon Unite. Use your high damage and incredible mobility to collect the buffs from various wild Pokémon in the center path while simultaneously bouncing between top and bottom paths to score KOs. This is arguably the most complex role in Pokémon Unite and requires a great deal of practice to perfect.
Gengar (Special Melee Attacks)
Gengar is one of the most terrifying playable characters in Pokémon Unite, and it's not because they're a ghost, either. Gengar is fast, powerful, and can pick off solo Pokémon with ease. While not a great pick for beginners, a Gengar in the hands of a seasoned player is deadly.
| Gengar | Best build |
|---|---|
| Moves | ○ Shadow Ball (Lv 5): Throws a damaging ball of dark energy at an enemy, decreasing their movement speed and Sp. Defense for a short time.○ Dream Eater (Lv 7): Hitting a Pokémon with the attack puts it in a Sleepy Stage. If the attack hits again, the Pokémon sneaks up behind the enemy and attacks, doing damage and healing the user. |
| Held Items | ○ Wise Glasses: Wise Glasses boost Gengar's Sp. Atk.○ Shell Bell: Increases Sp. Atk damage, decreases cooldowns, and recovers health when damaged.○ Scope Lens: Boosts Critical-Hit Damage and Critical-Hit Rate for basic attacks. |
| Battle Item | X Attack: Sets up huge burst damage by temporarily boosting Sp. Atk. |
| Path | Middle: Focus on obtaining buffs from wild Pokémon and assisting between top and bottom paths. |
Absol (Physical Melee Attacks)
Much like Gengar, Absol is an incredibly technical and dominant Speedster. With remarkable mobility and aggressive lunge attacks, enemy players will have a hard time escaping your clutches. This is a solid choice for players who enjoy stalking their prey.
| Absol | Best build |
|---|---|
| Moves | ○ Pursuit (Lv 5): Charge towards an opposing Pokémon and strike with a basic attack. If this move hits from behind, it does increase damage and reduces its cooldown.○ Psycho Cut (Lv 7): A large slashing attack that damages the enemy and decreases their movement speed. It also increases the power of your next three basic attacks. |
| Held Items | ○ Muscle Band: Increases Absol's Attack and Basic Attack Speed.○ Attack Weight: Boosts Pokémon's attack and increases Attack after scoring a goal.○ Scope Lens: Boosts Critical-Hit Damage and Critical-Hit Rate for basic attacks. |
| Battle Item | Eject Button: Allows the user to dash forward in the target direction. Makes it nearly impossible to escape from Absol. |
| Path | Middle: Focus on obtaining buffs from wild Pokémon and assisting between top and bottom paths. |
Talonflame (Physical Melee Attacks)
Talonflame is the ideal choice for players new to the Speedster role. With solid attack, mobility, and opportunities for escape, this firebird is a well-balanced, easy-to-use Pokémon. Your boosted movement speed allows for quick lane assists as well.
| Talonflame | Best build |
|---|---|
| Moves | ○ Flame Charge (Lv 5): Fly in the designated direction cloaked in flame, damaging any enemy Pokémon caught in the path. This also boosts Talonflame's movement speed.○ Brave Bird (Lv 7): Jump to an opponent, dealing massive damage. Also inflicts damage on the user. Using a boosted attack shortly after this resets the cooldown for Flame Charge. |
| Held Items | ○ Muscle Band: Increases Talonflame's Attack and Basic Attack Speed.○ Float Stone: Increases movement speed by 15% when outside of combat and increases Talonflame's base Attack.○ Scope Lens: Boosts Critical-Hit Damage and Critical-Hit Rate for basic attacks. |
| Battle Item | X Speed: Grants the user a temporary speed boost. |
| Path | Middle: Focus on obtaining buffs from wild Pokémon and assisting between top and bottom paths. |
Zeraora (Physical Melee Attacks)
This Speedster is an absolute speed demon. Zeraora sacrifices some attack-centric abilities for one of the most mobile kits in Pokémon Unite. Some of the chase abilities are certainly tougher to master, but with a little practice, you'll be a consistent MVP.
| Zeraora | Best build |
|---|---|
| Moves | ○ Spark (Lv 6): An electric pouncing attack that can be used three times before it goes on cooldown. Deals damage if it connects with an enemy.○ Wild Charge (Lv 8): Jump onto an enemy to unleash a devastating combo attack. Hitting the opposing Pokémon with Spark before this attack increases the length of the combo. |
| Held Items | ○ Muscle Band: Increases Zeraora's Attack and Basic Attack Speed.○ Float Stone: Increases movement speed by 15% when outside of combat and increases Zeraora's base Attack.○ Leftovers: Grants health regen when outside of combat. |
| Battle Item | X Attack: A powerful tool that boosts Attack and Sp. Atk damage for a short time. |
| Path | Middle: Focus on obtaining buffs from wild Pokémon and assisting between both lanes. |
Dodrio (Physical Melee Attacks)
Dodrio puts the “speed” in Speedster. With the exceptional Run Away passive ability that allows the Pokémon to gain momentum while moving, Dodrio is easily the fastest combatant in Pokémon Unite. The three-headed bird can also score goals in segments of three, allowing for sneaky smaller goals without the risk of losing the entire haul.
| Dodrio | Best build |
|---|---|
| Moves | ○ Drill Peck (Lv 5): The user moves forward while attacking with its beak. When the sprint gauge is full, the user charges forward hitting multiple times..○ Jump Kick (Lv 7): Dodrio jumps over an enemy while kicking. If the jump attack hits an enemy or obstacle, Dodrio will leap over it and stomp the ground dealing damage. |
| Held Items | ○ Muscle Band: Increases Dodrio's Attack and Basic Attack Speed.○ Float Stone: Increases movement speed by 15% when outside of combat and increases Dodrios's base Attack.○ Scope Lens: Drastically increases the damage of basic attack critical hits as well as improving your Critical-Hit Rate. |
| Battle Item | X Speed: Increases movement speed and prohibits crowd control effects for a short period of time. |
| Path | Middle: Use Dodrio’s speed to control the middle area and score goals. |
Share your thoughts!
What are your favorite builds? Which characters are you playing most in Pokémon Unite? Let us know in the comment section below! If you're looking for even more details on the best Pokémon in the game, be sure to check out our Pokémon Unite tier list. And if you're in the mood for something new, why not browse our list of the best games on Nintendo Switch?
