Monday, August 14, 2023

The Matter of Playable Legendaries in Unite

Several months ago, Pokémon Unite took the radical yet innovative step of including Legendary Pokémon not only on its maps as a "boss", but also in and as a part of Trainer teams - in other words, "playable". And the first candidate for this was Zacian, clearly indicating that the effort is earnest. Yet it also came with its own slew of problems, the major one being that it was just too strong, and therefore adjustments had to be made so it can work and play well with others - and now it has, given its permitted usage in the World Championships. Of course, this does suggest a quandary regarding the situation, especially as it's likely to be repeated if more of them come into play... and that has become the case.

The next Pokémon to receive this treatment was none other than the venerable Mewtwo, which came along with the second anniversary celebration of the game, further with its Mega X form, yet another breakthrough - but one to be discussed separately. It also voids my theorized concept map involving it, but that's beyond the point. What is the point is that the situation repeated itself, and Mewtwo required adjustments on its initial appearance, within a day no less. At present, the situation has somewhat normalized, but the fact remains that the Legendary Pokémon had to go through a process to make it viable for play, and that's something to consider along with future developments.

It is evident that the first two chosen Legendary Pokémon for this purpose were those of the "uber" variety, which also explains the spate of problems that were had. While the effort and results are certainly welcomed, it might also be wise to dial things back the next time and include a Legendary Pokémon not of the "uber" variety, likely something along the lines of the three beasts of Johto - even if they are potential fodder for a future map. While the same issues may or may not come up, they could at least be easier to deal with.

Meanwhile, with Zacian and Mewtwo already in, more Legendary Pokémon are sure to come. When that happens, Trainers might seek ways to include them in play, or even ways to avoid them. Including ways to do so during map selection might be an idea, while Draft Pick could have an additional ban directed at a Legendary Pokémon. The former might prove harder to implement than the latter, but any solution seems viable enough once considered deeply, especially in this case with playable Legendary Pokémon.

Having Legendary Pokémon become playable in Pokémon Unite is a novel step, but it's not without its consequences, as detailed above. With the door having been opened, it's only natural to expect more of them, while keeping in mind that any potential problem with them has to be resolved for the good of all those that unite in Unite.

Four years ago: Who's That...
Five years ago: Worldly Reverence
Six years ago: All in Good (Life)Time

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