Summary
Pokemon Uniteis getting an unexpected but iconic addition to the game in the form of Magikarp. While it might not seem like the pathetic fish Magikarp would be a good contender for a playable mon inPokemon Unitedue to the fast-paced MOBA gameplay of the title, its evolution into Gyarados makes this critter a potentially fearsome threat. It appears that Magikarp and Gyarados will be introducing new mechanics to the game as well, as information fromPokemon Unite’s Public Test server reveals the movesets for these new mons.
One way Magikarp is switching up thePokemon Uniteexperience is through the way it evolves into Gyarados, as for the first time, one of theplayable characters inPokemon Uniteis able to evolve without the specific level requirements that most other mons must follow to reach their final evolutionary stage. Instead, Magikarp will evolve into Gyarados when its effort gauge is full, and this gauge can be filled through actions like using basic attacks and Magikarp’s moves. In theory, a Magikarp can go through the entire match without evolving, but by simply playing normally, players should fill the effort gauge fairly quickly.
Passive
Rattled
Pokemon’s Magikarpis infamous for being one of the weakest critters in the series, only being able to learn a handful of attacks before it evolves. This pathetic status makes Magikarp almost seem like a joke character inPokemon Unite, as it is quite weak until it is able to evolve into Gyarados. However, it still has a few tricks up its sleeve to survive the time it takes for players to fill up its effort gauge and evolve Magikarp into its far superior version.
It wouldn’t be Magikarp if the mon didn’t have its iconicSplash move available inPokemon Unite, but like its appearance in otherPokemontitles, this move does no damage and simply launches Magikarp a short distance forward. For damaging moves outside of its basic attack, Magikarp does get the move Flail which deals more damage the lower its HP is. Additionally, Magikarp has the Passive Rattled, which increases its movement speed when it takes damage, giving this mon at least some survivability before it is able to evolve.
Dragon Current
N/A
Having overcome the struggles of playing as a Magikarp at the start of the match, players whoevolve the Pokemon into Gyaradoswill be treated with a powerful new mon with a solid movepool. The first choice of moves players get when playing as Gyarados is between Dragon Breath and Aqua Tail. Dragon Breath deals damage in a line and paralyzes opponents, while Aqua Tail allows players to hold down the move button to deal continuous waves of damage until interrupted or the button is released.
The second set of moves players can choose from onceMagikarp has evolved into Gyaradosincludes Bounce, which has players charge the move before leaping into the air and traveling a distance before landing and damaging opponents, and Waterfall, which has the player dash forward three times, dealing damage to enemies caught in the path. Gyarados also has the Passive Moxie which reduces the cooldowns for its moves when knocking out an opponent or getting an assist. Its Unite Move Dragon Current seems to be potentially very powerful as it allows the player to dive underwater before emerging and dealing AoE damage that is stronger the longer the player stays underwater.
