How to dominate in Pokémon Unite with the best Blastoise builds

One of the most powerful turtles in all of Pokémon has finally come to Pokémon Unite, but what’s the best way for trainers to handle their Blastoise if they’re lucky enough to capture one?

Pokémon Unite is a MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) game similar to League of Legends or Dota 2, so the playable characters can make or break a team — and each match. Blastoise has been a Water-type staple since the very first Pokémon games, so chances are high that it’ll be worth investing in here.

For anyone looking to incorporate Blastoise into their Pokémon Unite team after its September 1 release, here’s a look at one of the best builds.

How to get Blastoise in Pokémon Unite

Like so many other Pokémon in the game, you just have to obtain a Blastoise license to unlock it. To start, select “Pokémon” from the main menu.

You can browse here to see all of the Pokémon, in the game. Select Blastoise, and you’ll be taken to a Unite Battle Committee screen.

Like Gardevoir before it, Blastoise can be purchased for 460 Aeos gems (circa $8) or 8,000 Aeos coins. Aeos Gems are purchased with real money, but Aeos Coins are earned just by playing the game. There’s also some very dapper “Fashionable Blastoise” holowear that’s available for 400 Aeos Gems as well.

Best Blastoise builds in Pokémon Unite

Perhaps thanks to his large shell and stocky build, Blastoise falls squarely in the Defender archetype, functioning as the team anchor and tank with high defense. Snorlax, Slowbro, and Crustle are the other Defenders, so Blastoise joins a very small group of options. Blastoise excels at Endurance with Support as a close second, and they’re also a ranged attacker.

You’ve really got two options: Control or Offensive. In other words, do you want a beefy boy that messes with enemies and controls the battlefield at large? Or do you want a chunky turtle muscling his way towards goals?

Blastoise Moveset

Levels 1-3

Blastoise will start out as Squirtle in the early levels. Their basic attack will decrease the movement speed of enemies every third attack, which is where the crowd control begins.

Water Gun will shove an enemy from afar and decrease their movement speed whereas Skull Bash will ram an opponent at close range and render them stunned. Water Gun is the better option, but in the early game, you’ll have to settle for both.

Level 5

Wartortle (Squirtle’s first evolution at level 5) has access to Hydro Pump, which deals damage and shoves an enemy. This is definitely the better choice. It’ll be your ranged staple until the end of the match.

Water Spout essentially douses an area, reducing the movement speed of enemies who move through the area. If you’re going for a more offensive build, you might consider this, but it can lead to chaotic results.

Level 7

At level 7, Surf becomes a must-use move, essentially combining Skull Bash with Hydro Pump to surf forward, crash into an opponent, and stun them. Upgrading this move grants a shield on hits. Rapid Spin is a less enticing option. It makes Wartortle (or Blastoise) spin around in circles which fundamentally changes how ranged moves work.

Offensive builds can set up a nice combo with Water Spout and Rapid Spin to slow and then attack groups. But a more balanced build focusing on control will opt for Hydro Pump and Surg.

Level 10

Blastoise’s Unite Move is Hydro Typhoon. combining almost every move effect to spin around, spewing water, and throw enemies all over the place all while increasing Blastoise’s shields.

Best Battle Items for Blastoise

You can only equip a single Battle Item at once but they can be used repeatedly after their respective cooldowns expire.

Eject Button, which quickly moves a Pokémon to a designated location, is universally useful as a battle item. With it, you can quickly teleport Blastoise to a place where he can better control your enemies. Blastoise will be a frontline fighter, so he’ll be taking a lot of damage. This can also get him out of a tough spot.

For similar reasons, Full Heal is a good option. It removes all status conditions and makes Blastoise immune to hindrances for a short time. This will prevent Blastoise from being stunned as he dives into the fray in the hopes of doing the same to enemies.

Best Held Items for Blastoise

Buddy Barrier is the best choice here. Blastoise’s Unite Move Hydro Typhoon gives him multiple shields that stack. Buddy Barrier activates a shield equal to 40 percent of a Pokémon’s HP whenever it uses a Unite Move — and it applies to the nearby ally with the lowest HP.

Here’s where we deviate:

Control builds should opt for Wise Glasses to boost Special Attack and Energy Amplifier to boost attack by 14 percent after using a Unite Move. This will effectively balance out some of Blastoise’s weaknesses.

Offensive builds, however, need to worry more about keeping Blastoise alive. Focus Band gives Blastoise a bit more survivability in the moment-to-moment combat, replenishing a portion of HP once it drops into the low HP range while boosting Defense and Special Defense. Shell Bell grants 60 HP recovery when you dish out an attack, so between the two of these and Blastoise’s big health pool, he should stay alive long enough in any scenario.