As a MOBA game, Pokémon Unite also features different roles or battle types that players can play. One of those types is the Defender, a role more suited for players who prefer initiating the fight and defending teammates. The defender is the Pokémon that has high endurance and is good at providing support. They can take on the damage dished out by enemies, while also using skills that provide crowd control.
To learn more about defender Pokémon, continue reading this Pokémon Unite defender guide. We’ll provide more information about the role, as well as the best Pokémon to use here.
An Overview of the Defender Role
The defenders, as the name suggests, are the Pokémon whose primary role is to soak up damage and protect teammates. As mentioned above, they are Pokémon that have high endurance, allowing them to take on damage and survive longer. But aside from protecting teammates, defenders can also provide support during battle. They usually have skills that come with crowd control.
This can be very helpful, if used correctly, in setting up the enemies for teammates to attack and defeat. Though defenders Pokémon have high endurance and can survive longer during battle, don’t expect them to deal high damage. Defenders are not really known for their offensive prowess since that’s not their role.
The Role of A Defender in Pokémon UNITE
As the defender, your primary role is to protect your teammates during fights. Whether it’s against a wild Pokémon or an enemy Pokémon, you have to be at the center. You need to be the one soaking up most of the damage so other Pokémon with weak endurance and low HP can survive longer. They’re what you would call the tanks if you’ve played other MOBA games before.
Protecting is important, especially early on when attackers are weak and can die easily. You need to make sure all attention should always on you during fights. This also means you need to be present in most team fights, as much as possible. You should utilize the crowd control (CC) skills that defender Pokémon usually have to provide support. You can use the CC skills to render enemies helpless, setting them up for your teammates to attack and defeat.
Once your attackers are strong enough, another role that you can do is to hold the lane. When an enemy starts to push a lane, you need to defend it and prevent its advance. This is where the CC skills can come in handy since they can help slow down enemies long enough for your attackers to arrive and finish them off.
As a defender, you mustn’t solo. Yes, you might be hard to kill, but you deal so little damage that you won’t be able to kill enemies. You should always go with other Pokémon, preferably with the attackers since your role is to protect them. For the lanes, aside from roaming, the top or bottom lanes are the ones that you usually go to. Preferably, it’s the lane where your attackers will be.
The Best Defenders Available in Pokémon UNITE
Though there are still a few Pokémon available in Pokémon UNITE, the defenders have the luxury of providing many options. There are currently 7 defenders available and they are Blastoise, Snorlax, Greedent, Crustle, Mamoswine, Slowbro, and Trevenant.
Blastoise
Among these defenders, the best one available would have to be Blastoise. He may have the lowest endurance compared to other defenders in the game, but he makes up for that with good CC and relatively decent damage.
But what really stands out above is his CC using the Surf and Hydro Pump combo. These two skills can displace enemies, allowing you to push them out of position. His Unite move can also provide a shield to the teammate with the lowest HP.
Trevenant
This spooky Ghost/Grass Pokemon has a very interesting mechanic that revolves around its HP. The more damage it takes, the more damage it can retaliate against opponents. Its skills also make it surprisingly durable during fights, which is what Defenders are supposed to do. However, Trevenant is a bit reliant on team composition to maximize its tankiness and skill synergy – its crowd control needs to have a strong follow-up to finish the job, and more experienced players can bait out Trevenant’s engagement and punish it outright once its skills are on cooldown.
Greedent
Greedent is a great hybrid defender/fighter in the game. He has good burst damage and good durability, making him a problem during fights. He does have complex skill sets, making him hard to use and master.
Snorlax
As far as sheer HP is concerned, Snorlax is the defender with the highest endurance. This will allow you to easily withstand enemy attacks, thus providing better protection. He can also deal decent damage and has displacement CC, similar to Blastoise. His Heavy Slam will throw enemies around hit by it while also dealing good damage.
Mamoswine
Mamoswine is another good alternative that can deal decent damage and provide good CC. All of his skills have CC, which includes slowing them down and displacing their position. His Unite move can deal good damage while also making him immune to hindrances. He doesn’t scale well in the endgame, so try to finish fights quickly.
Slowbro
Slowbro is a defender/support type, providing great support while also protecting teammates. He can slow down enemies with his skills, and his high endurance makes him hard to kill. He is good at protecting lanes and teammates on top of suppressing single targets with his Telekinesis and Slow Beam UNITE move.
Crustle
Crustle is another defender/support type. His ability, Rock Tomb, will be his most annoying skill since it creates a physical barrier, preventing enemies from passing through. The issue with him is he is very slow, making it hard to move around.
Tips to Playing as Defender in Pokémon UNITE
A defender plays many roles in Pokémon UNITE, which makes them one of the difficult classes to be good at. In this section, we’ll provide helpful tips to improve your defender gameplay.
- Learn how to hold a lane on your own
- Help your attacker in leveling up in the early game
- Master using your crowd control skills
- Always stick with a teammate to help you level up and push
- Participate in all of the team fights as much as possible
- Always be at the frontline during fights and protect teammates
- Watch and protect your team’s goal zones
- Follow your attacker when you’re in doubt
Similar to Supporters, Defenders can either go to the Top or Bottom Lane. During the laning phase, your job is to always be in the front line and keep an eye out on the opposing team. If they choose to engage, you have to protect your lane partner and provide the necessary Crowd Control to your opponents.
Being the beefiest type, typically you are also tasked to collect as many points as you can and dunk them on the goals whenever it’s advantageous. Your extra HP, defenses, and Crowd Control are essential when you or your team plan on pressuring lanes, dunking goals, and securing objectives – so long as you land your skills. Remember, you either initiate, suppress, or keep your main damage dealers alive so that they can sweep the opposing team.
Now that you know everything about defenders, it’s time to play the game! Get it for free on PC if you download Pokémon UNITE here at Games.lol.
