Pokémon UNITE – How to play Snorlax

As Pokémon UNITE keeps gaining traction, let’s take a look at one of the biggest and tankiest Pokémon in the game: Snorlax.

Snorlax’ style of play

Upon first glance it’s already clear what Snorlax is all about. He’s here to take hits and protect his teammates, basically functioning as a meatshield to absorb damage while enabling his teammates to dish it out. That doesn’t mean tanking damage is the only thing Snorlax can do however, as with some good timing and some clever choices, Snorlax can effectively support as well when needed.

His unique abilities play very well into this playstyle. Gluttony allows him to get increased effect from the berries he consumes, while every third Basic Attack is empowered and slows enemies. All in all, Snorlax does have a quite strong basic attack in his arsenal.

While playing Snorlax what you’ll be looking to do is protect the carries on your team, which are often very frail Pokémon that are big damage dealers and have a lot of speed under their belt, such as Zeraora and Gengar. Using your supportive moves effectively will allow you to push back, block and slow your opponents at just the right time, so make sure you’re positioned on the front lines when necessary.

Best held items for Snorlax

Let’s first get the battle item out of the way, because for Snorlax Eject Button is a pretty obvious choice. First and foremost, Snorlax has almost no mobility in any shape or form (as expected). Having an option to get yourself out of a sticky situation after being ganged up on or after overcommitting to a fight is pretty nice.

For held items, there’s two ways to go about it. Your first option is Focus Band, Buddy Barrier and Assault Vest. Focus Band is a great way to recover health, while Buddy Barrier pairs very nicely with Snorlax’ Unite move (discussed below). Assault Vest is a staple on Snorlax and should almost always be in your set of held items. The other option is to go for Rocky Helmet, Leftovers and Assault Vest, which is more individually oriented and allows you to reflect some damage. If you’re going top, the first option might be the better one, while the other functions better in other areas.

Best move choices for Snorlax

Starting out:

Tackle (6 second cooldown): Brief forward charge, dealing damage. Available at Level 1.
Rest (10 second cooldown): Fall asleep and restore HP while blocking enemy Pokémon. Available at Level 3.

Level 6:

At Level 6 you’ll be able to upgrade tackle into either Heavy Slam or Flail. Heavy Slam (11 second cooldown) is an AOE ability, which throws enemies you’re able to hit. Flail on the other hand has a 6.5 second cooldown and lets you deal damage based on your HP, dealing more damage when low. If you’re looking to pump out 1 on 1 damage, Flail should be your go-to, but if your team needs support and CC, opt into Heavy Slam.

Level 8:

Rest can be upgraded at level 8, resulting in either Block or Yawn. Block has a 11 second cooldown and allows you to set up a wall and shield, with enemies being pushed back as they’re unable to pass. Yawn has a 12 second cooldown and can put your enemy to sleep, granting a big slow. Again, you’ll have to look into what your team needs. Block can be pivotal around a big objective such as Zapdos, while Yawn can be very effective in picking off high-profile carry targets on the opposing team.

Unite move:

Finally there’s Power Nap, Snorlax’ Unite move, which is available at Level 9. Power Nap sees Snorlax go to sleep, while he starts snoring as well. While napping Snorlax deals AOE damage and throws enemies, all while his HP is being restored. Power Nap executed at the right time can be devastating, especially if you can get in behind enemies.

Also read:

• Pokémon UNITE – How do Goal Zones work?
• Pokémon UNITE – How to play Absol

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Image Credit: Pokémon / Nintendo