Pokemon Unite Held Item Tier List

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Held Items are items that grant specific power-ups to your Pokemon. Each Held Item grants unique stats and passive effects that grant your Pokemon the edge it needs to dominate the battlefield.

There are three important reasons why you need to learn about the Held Items:

  1. Pokemon gets stronger by a signifiant amount if it uses the right Held Items. If two equally skilled trainers fight using the same mon, the one with the better Held Item set will win 100% of the time.
  2. The Pokemon has unlimited number of move and Held Item set combination. Familiarizing yourself with the Held Items will make it easier for you to know which combination is best FOR YOU.
  3. There are only a limited amount of Aeos Tickets for upgrading the Held items. You are losing precious resources that could only be acquired through time or money if you upgraded the wrong Held Item. Thank goodness, Pokemon Unite gave free tickets and three free level 30 upgrades for your Held Items. It would be a tragedy though, if you used it on the wrong Held Item. Let’s prevent that from happening, shall we?

This Held Item guide is made in the form of a tier list. Tier lists are an easy way of understanding how important a Held Item is compared to one item to another. Yes, there are no black and white when it comes to these Held Items and no two combinations are better as the final consideration for moves and Held Item sets, are your own playstyle.

So, instead of using S, A, B, etc. This Tier List is separated by God tier, Main Specific, Playstyle, and “Reconsider your life choices if you spent tickets for this.”.

God Tier Held Items

God Tier Held Items are items you can never go wrong with. Almost all Pokemon builds use one or more of these items. And usually, it synergizes with other items, taking it to a whole other level.

Investing in God Tier Held Items and leveling it up to at least level 20 (more on this later) is worth it regardless of your main Pokemon or preferred role. If you are on solo queue and your preferred role is taken, you’d never go wrong with using the God Tier Held Items for the mon you are reluctantly when playing a filled role.

Buddy Barrier

Stats

HP + 200~600

When the Pokemon uses its Unite Move, that Pokemon and the nearby ally Pokemon with the lowest HP are each granted a shield equal to (20/30/40)% of their max HP.

Why Buddy Barrier?

  • Highest HP bonus among all Held Items.
  • OP shielding effect. Unite moves are game changing moves that deals a lot of damage or has some other OP effects. The shielding effect widens the HP gap that your Unite move makes.
  • It applies to a nearby ally. Imagine this, if three or more of your team has Buddy Barrier, your whole team could be literally unkillable for the next four seconds.

Who Should use Buddy Barrier?

  • Buddy Barrier is a viable Held Item for all Pokemon.

Held Item Synergy

  • Score Shield – Increases shield amount. Shield amounts stacks and shield duration extends while attempting to score.
  • Focus Band – Increases healing amount.
  • Assault Vest – Increases Sp. shield amount.
  • Rocky Helmet – Increases passive proc damage.
  • Left Overs – Increases passive HP regeneration.

Score Shield

Stats

HP + 15~450

While the Pokemon is attempting to score a goal, it is granted a shield equal to (5/7.5/10)% of its max HP and its goals cannot be interrupted while it is shielded.

Cooldown: 5 seconds

Why Score Shield?

  • Scoring is the most important thing in Pokemon Unite. It is literally the thing that wins you games.
  • You become uninterruptible while scoring as long as you have a shield.
  • Stacks and extends shields from other sources.

Who Should use Score Shield?

  • Score Shield is best used by defenders, all-rounders, and supports since its shield is based on Max HP. It is also viable on other types of Pokemon if you are running Sp. Attack Specs/Attack Weight/Aeos Cookie.

Held Item Synergy

  • Buddy Barrier – Increases shield amount. Shield amounts stacks and shield duration extends while attempting to score.
  • Sp. Attack Specs/Attack Weight/Aeos Cookie – These Held Items stacks bonus stats when its user scores, the shielding effect from Score Shield makes it way easier to score. It allows the user to score small amounts during the laning phase even while being attacked.
  • Focus Band – Increases healing amount.
  • Assault Vest – Increases Sp shield amount.
  • Rocky Helmet – Increases passive proc damage.
  • Left Overs – Increases passive HP regeneration.

Focus Band

Stats

  • Defense +2~30
  • Sp. Defense +0~30

When the Pokemon drops to low HP, then each second for three seconds, it recovers (8/11/14)% of the HP it has lost.

Cooldown: 100/90/80 seconds

Why Focus Band?

  • It is the only Held Item that grants both Defense and Sp. Defense stat.
  • Its HP regen passive is nothing to scoff at, it heals a total of (24/33/42)%.
  • It will surprise most enemy trainers. Just when they think they’ll win, you’ll suddenly have the upperhand on clutch situations.

Who Should use Focus band?

  • Focus Band is viable on all types of Pokemon. It has the best synergy with Pokemon with passives or moves that activates or increases the damage of the Pokemon based on how low the HP of the user is. Some of those are: Greninja, Blastoise, Venusaur, Cinderace, Crustle, Lucario, and Snorlax.

Main Specific Held Items

Main Specific Held Items are those who you’d generally want when playing a certain Pokemon or certain types of Pokemon.

Main Specific Held Items are not as universal as the God Tier Held Items but they are very effective for the specific group of Pokemon they serve. So, once you have figured out who your favorite Pokemon is or when you figured out the role you prefer playing the most, you’d know Main Specific Held Items you’d have to invest in.

Muscle Band

Stats

Attack +1~15

Attack Speed + 0~7.5%

When basic attacks hit, the damage is increased by 1%/2%/3% of the opposing Pokemon’s remaining HP.

Why Muscle Band?

  • It adds a separate instance of damage that is based on the target Pokemon’s remaining HP. It is incredibly effective against high HP Pokemon.
  • It is the only Held Item that increases attack speed. So Pokemon that has attack modifiers similar to its effect benefits a lot from it.

Who Should use Muscle Band?

Held Item Synergy

  • Scope Lens/Razor claw – The increased attack speed indirectly increases the critical-hit rate of its user.

Wise Glasses

Stats

  • Sp Attack +10~39
  • Increases Sp Attack by (3/5/7)%.

Why Wise Glasses?

  • It grants the highest consistent Sp Attack bonus among all Held Items.
  • It increases both damaging moves and support moves of special attack type Pokemon. Curiously, it does not affect self-healing effects.

Who Should use Wise Glasses?

Held Item Synergy

  • Choice Specs – Increases bonus damage.
  • Shell Bell – Increases the Sp attack-based healing effect.

Choice Specs

Stats

Sp Attack +10~39

Increases the damage of moves by a minimum of (40/50/60 + 21%) when they hit. The higher the Pokemon’s SP. Atk. the more the damage is increased.

Why Choice Specs?

  • It grants the highest burst damage Sp Attack bonus among all Held Items.
  • The bonus damage only apply to one enemy Pokemon per move. This rule applies even with AoE damage moves.
  • It has an 8 second cooldown.

Who Should use Choice Specs?

  • Special attack type Pokemon who rely on moves to deal damage. These are Gardevoir, Alolan Ninetales, Pikachu, Venusaur, Mr. Mime and, Blastoise.

Held Item Synergy

  • Wise Glasses – Increases bonus damage.
  • Shell Bell – Increases the Sp attack-based healing effect.

Scope Lens

Stats

Critical Hit Rate +0.4~6%

Critical Hit Damage +0~12%

Increases damage dealt by basic attack critical hits. The higher the Pokemon’s Attack, the more the damage increases.

Why Scope Lens?

  • It grants the highest critical-hit rate bonus among all Held Items.
  • Not only does it increase the critical-hit rate, it also increases the critical-hit damage of its user.
  • It has a 1 second cooldown.
  • Due to curious reasons, it it best to put it in the left most side of the Held Item slot.

Who Should use Scope Lens?

Held Item Synergy

  • Razor Claw – The critical-hit rate stacks.
  • Muscle Band – The attack speed bonus indirectly increases the critical-hit rate of the user.

Razor Claw

Stats

  • Attack +1~15
  • Critical Hit Rate +0.6~2.1%

After the Pokemon uses a move, its next basic attack deals a minimum of (10/15/20 + 50% base attack) damage. The higher the Pokemon’s Attack, the more this damage increases. When this item is held by a melee Pokemon, this basic attack also decreases the movement speed of opposing Pokemon for a short time.

Why Razor Claw?

  • It increases both the burst damage and damage per second aspect of its user.
  • It is a must have for melee attackers since its slowing effect helps a lot with sticking to and for chasing enemy Pokemon.
  • It has a 2 second cooldown and it has to used within two seconds.

Who Should use Razor Claw?

Held Item Synergy

  • Scope Lens – The critical-hit rate stacks.
  • Muscle Band – The attack speed bonus indirectly increases the critical-hit rate of the user.

Exp Share

Stats

  • HP +16~240
  • Movement Speed +0~150

While the Pokemon has the fewest Exp. Points on the team, it gains (2/3/4) Exp. Points per second. In addition, when a nearby teammate defeats a wild Pokemon, that teammate gains slightly more Exp. Points.

Why Exp Share?

  • Levels is the only stat check on Pokemon Unite. If you are ahead in terms of level, you have the upper hand on most fights. The increased exp gain for both the user and its lane partner makes it easier to have the important level advantage against enemies.
  • It reinforces the healthy relationship of giving exp to your lane partner attacker or all-rounder.
  • The bonus movement speed is great for moving around the map, making it easier for rotations and for helping out other teammates.

Who Should use Exp share?

Held Item Synergy

  • Buddy Barrier – Increases the shield amount.
  • Score Shield – Increases the shield amount.
  • Assault Vest – Increases Sp shield amount.
  • Rocky Helmet – Increases passive proc damage.
  • Left Overs – Increases passive HP regeneration.

Float Stone

Stats

  • Attack +8~24
  • Movement Speed +0~120

While the Pokemon has this item, Increases movement speed by (10/15/20)% when the Pokemon is not in combat.

Why Float Stone?

  • Middle laners needs the mobility to increase the frequency of ganks to lanes. Having a faster movement speed means faster rotations to the top lane or the bottom lane while still having the time for taking buffs and other Wild Pokemon.
  • Due to middle laners being usually strong gankers and ahead in terms of levels, they usually have a large amount of Aeos energy with them. Sometimes, a large amount of Aeos energy could be hard to score, especially on low HP Pokemon who does not benefit as much from Score Shield. In this case, Float Stone is a good alternative as it will help its user do sneaky scores.

Who Should use Float Stone?

Playstyle Specific Held Items

Playstyle Specifc Held Items offers a different way of playing a Pokemon, either through leaning towards a specific playstyle on a certain moveset of a Pokemon or through Held Item synergies that can create large stat advantages.

Playstyle Specifc Held Items require knowledge on both your Pokemon’s moveset, the specific playstyle it caters, and its matchups and synergies. These Held Items are more situational but it can raise your gameplay to another level when used correctly.

Energy Amplifier

Stats

  • Unite Move Charge Rate +0.4~6%
  • Cooldown -0~4.5%

After the Pokemon uses its Unite Move, the damage the Pokemon deals is increased by (7/14/21)% for a short time.

Why Energy Amplifier?

  • Energy Amplifier increases the amount of times you can use your Pokemon Unite move. On average, it will give you 1 or 2 more Unite move casts.
  • This is best on Pokemon who relies on their Unite moves to turn around battles in key fights such as Drednaw and Zapdos fights.
  • The damage increase is overpowered on Pokemon who also have their own buff on their Unite moves.
  • The cooldown reduction stacks with cooldown reduction from other Held Items.

Who Should use Energy Amplifier?

Held Item Synergy

  • Buddy Barrier – The shield upon activation of the Unite move makes it easier to take advantage of the damage bonus passive from energy amplifier.
  • Shell Bell – The cooldown reduction stacks.

Score Stacking Held Items – Attack Weight/Sp Attack Specs/Aeos Cookie

Stats

Attack Weight – Attack +0.6~18

When the Pokemon scores a goal, its Attack increases by (6/9/12).

Sp Attack Specs – Sp. Attack +0.8~24

When the Pokemon scores a goal, its Sp. Attack increases by (8/12/16).

Aeos Cookie – HP +8~240

When the Pokemon scores a goal, its max HP increases by (100/150/200).

Why Score Stacking?

  • Score Stacking Held Items has potentially the highest amount of stat bonus in the game.
  • Attack Weight can give a maximum of 90 Attack. Sp Attack Specs can give a maximum of 120 Sp Attack. Aeos Cookei can give a maximum of 1,440 HP.
  • Score Shield is a must when using the Score Stacking Held Items.
  • Could easily backfire if enemies has a lot of damage per second based laners like Cinderace and Garchomp because Score Shield has a cooldown.
  • The best way to stack the bonus stat is to score little amounts of Aeos energy multiple times in the early game.

Who Should use Score Stacking Held Items?

Held Item Synergy

  • Score Shield – The shielding effect of this Held Item will make it way easier to stack the bonus stats.

Shell Bell

Stats

  • Sp. Attack +1.6~24
  • Cooldown -0~4.5%

Recovers a minimum of (45/60/75) HP when a move hits an enemy. You will recover more HP if your Sp Attack stat is higher.

Why Shell Bell?

  • Shell Bell is great for Pokemon who deals Sp Attack damage but fights like an all-rounder. The healing effect is a clutch effect for long fights.
  • The healing effect has a cooldown of 10 seconds and it will only activate on damaging moves.

Who Should use Shell Bell?

Held Item Synergy

  • Energy Amplfier – The cooldown reduction stacks.

Rocky Helmet

Stats

  • HP +18~270
  • Defense +0~42

When the Pokemon receives a certain amount of damage, damage is dealt to nearby opposing Pokemon equal to (3/4/5)% of those Pokemon’s max HP.

Why Rocky Helmet?

  • Rocky Helmet is a Held Item that specifically counters melee physical Pokemon.
  • It grants some more melee AoE damage to defenders and all-rounders.
  • The passive activates when its user loses 10% of its max HP, damage everyone at melee range then goes into cooldown for about 3 seconds.

Who Should use Rocky Helmet?

Held Item Synergy

  • Buddy Barrier – Increases the shield amount of Buddy Barrier and the passive damage of Rocky Helmet.
  • Score Shield – Increases the shield amount of Score Shield and the passive damage of Rocky Helmet.
  • Weakness Policy – Increases the passive damage of Rocky Helmet.

Weakness Policy

Stats

  • HP +70~210
  • Attack +0~15

When the Pokemon receives a certain amount of damage, damage is dealt to nearby opposing Pokemon equal to (3/4/5)% of those Pokemon’s max HP.

Why Weakness Policy?

  • Weakness Policy incentivices being hit by enemy. This is best for Pokemon who loves long fights.

Who Should use Weakness Policy?

Held Item Synergy

  • Rocky Helmet – Increases the passive damage of Rocky Helmet.

Assault Vest

Stats

  • HP +18~210
  • Sp Defense +0~42

When the Pokemon is not in combat, it is granted a shield that nullifies Sp. Atk damage equal to (9/12/15)% of its max HP.

Why Assault Vest?

  • Assault Vest is by far the best Held Item to counter burst damage Special Attackers.
  • The Shield from its passive should be broken first before it resets to its full amount.

Who Should use Assault Vest?

  • Defenders, all-rounders, and supports are the best holders of Assault Vest because their high HP will naturally give a bigger shield.

Held Item Synergy

  • Buddy Barrier – Increases the shield amount of both Held Items.

Leftovers

Why Not Leftovers?

  • Fights happen often enough in Pokemon Unite that you’d almost never make use of the bonus passive HP regeneration. You are better off recalling to base instead of waiting for the passive HP regeration.

Level 20 VS. Level 30 Held Items

The passive effects of the Held Items are maxed at level 20. Are the items even worth maxing to level 30? Luckily, Pokemon Unite gave all of us three Super Item Enhancer for free so that all Pokemon Unite players can easily have three level 30 items. This is a huge deal for us since leveling up Held Items to level 30 would otherwise take a lot of time or money.

And once again, luckily, a Redditor u/CIeaverBot has presented an easy to understand infograph on the difference between level 20 and levle 30 of all the Held Items.

Ideally, you’d want the God Tier items and the Held Items for your main leveled up to 20. Some Held Items are worth maxing out to level 30 more than others. On what Held Items are those, I’ll leave it up to you, the trainer to choose what is the stat you prefer to max out for your main Pokemon.

Summary

Hopefully this guide helped you to understard Held Items and I do hope that it helped you choose the Held Items for your main Pokemon and preferred role. If you still have trouble deciding, check out our guides so you can know the best Held Item combinations for your favorite Pokemon!

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