Patch Review, Ranked Meta & NAIC Stats
Patch Review, Ranked Meta & NAIC Stats
Well well, we got a new patch two weeks ago, and with that, some very interesting stats! We've got updates from the Ranked meta of Pokémon UNITE, and since NAIC just concluded, we also have stats from the event. So, let’s go through everything.
Credits to https://x.com/mOYmirko for the Graphics & Ranked Stats & https://x.com/Dr_P0K3R for the NAIC Stats!
Lucario
One of the most surprising changes—definitely unexpected—was Lucario. Bone Rush and Extreme Speed, along with its Unite Move and passive, got buffed.
Lucario ended up in the top 6 most-picked Pokémon in Ranked, with a finally positive win rate of 50.01%.
At NAIC, there were only 14 Lucario picks, but it had a 57.14% win rate. These stats tell us Lucario is definitely a solid pick—but it requires high skill to play well.
It was mainly buffed because of the new Golden Tier Holowear. Do you think Lucario will get buffed again in the next patch?
Greedent
The squirrel strikes again?! Even after the buffs, Greedent didn’t see much action in Ranked.
At NAIC, it was only played by Nouns Esports' player Ghatlue, and that too against a team competing just for fun.
Bullet Seed got an effect change – it can’t be hindered now.
Belch, surprisingly the better move, got nerfed in damage, though its animation speed was reduced.
Do you think Greedent will ever return to the meta?
Mew
Oh boy, here we go again. Mew got patched for what feels like the 100th time (obviously joking!)—but yeah, it saw both buffs and nerfs. This Pokémon is just hard to balance.
Its first moveset’s damage increased by 5%
A few small buffs when used with Light Screen
How did this impact Ranked and NAIC?
15% pick rate in Ranked, with a 49% win rate
At NAIC, it had a decent pick rate, but again, the win rate wasn’t impressive.
So, did they finally balance Mew—or does it still need tweaks?
Sylveon
The only buff that really mattered? A 12% increase per hit on Mystical Fire.
Looking at the stats:
Pick rate jumped to 34.5%, but win rate stayed low
This week, pick rate dropped 13%, win rate still around 48%
Sylveon feels like a niche pick—not suitable for every matchup. ADESu played it on stage at NAIC, but outside of that, it wasn’t even in the top 30 picks.
Rapidash
Rapidash’s pick rate has gone up drastically since the buffs. Even the win rate is strong, but since it’s hard to control, its pick rate isn’t as high as it could be.
At NAIC, it was banned two days before the event due to a bug.
Cinderace
Solo queue players love this Pokémon—even though it’s not that great overall.
26% pick rate in Ranked, with a positive win rate
Pyro Ball’s attack animation was shortened, but the change seems negligible
At NAIC:
Picked 12 times, but only 42% win rate
Cinderace remains a niche pick, in my opinion.
Rayquaza HP Buff
One of the most interesting changes this patch was the Rayquaza HP buff. People thought it would shift the meta—but it was just a 3,000 HP increase. Flips? Still very possible.
Experience System Adjustment
For the first minute of battle, bonus experience based on team level difference won’t be granted.
This change was made to stop early exploits. Teams were gaining XP in the first minute without actually falling behind. This tweak brings a more balanced early-game, affecting junglers like Leafeon and Glaceon who rely on early ganks.
Umbreon
Umbreon—arguably one of the most broken defenders—got hit hard.
Unite Move got nerfed big time
26% pick rate in Ranked, but win rate dropped to 50%
At NAIC? Barely picked, didn’t even crack the top 30 most-picked Pokémon
Suicune
Another strong Pokémon that got nerfed:
Reduced freeze duration
Longer cooldown on Whirlpool
Still,
23% pick rate in Ranked (down 2% from last week)
Win rate is decent but definitely requires team coordination
At NAIC?
Picked 36 times, with an insane 64% win rate!
Safe to say—it works very well in a coordinated team comp.
Hoopa
Hoopa’s nerfed moveset isn’t very viable in solo queue, but it's still used a lot in competitive—especially with Talonflame and other dive comps.
8% pick rate in Ranked, with a positive win rate
The nerfed moveset isn’t as impactful, as most players prefer Trick, which is harder to play but better
At NAIC:
2nd most-picked Support, with a 65% win rate
Psyduck
Yes, Psyduck—the craziest support right now. Its stun duration and cooldown were nerfed, but it still has one of the most broken movesets.
11% pick rate in solo queue
52% win rate
At NAIC:
2nd most-picked Pokémon, with a 53.53% win rate
Yeah, I think it’s safe to say—it needs nerfs.
Pikachu
Pikachu got yet another Volt Tackle nerf—I mean, it was getting pretty annoying, not gonna lie 😅
Still high pick rate in Ranked
But negative win rate at 49%
That’s probably why it wasn’t even in the top 30 at NAIC.
Pikachu shines in a speedster meta, but the current brawl meta makes it hard to fit into comps.
Snorlax
Oh boy, I wasn’t expecting this! The only nerf was to sleep duration, but honestly, all of Snorlax’s movesets are still broken.
4th most-picked in Ranked, with a 29.33% pick rate and 50% win rate
At NAIC: Most played Pokémon, with a 78.57% pick rate and 52.27% win rate
Its easy-to-use kit makes it extremely popular.
Mewtwo X & Y
This was a weird one. They reduced the throw duration of Psystrike—makes sense for Mewtwo Y, but Mewtwo X? That was unexpected, considering it's already underperforming.
Mewtwo Y: 24 picks, 58.33% win rate
Other Notable Changes
Inteleon's Snipe Shot got a change—some say buff, some say nerf. Now when you aim, your vision expands automatically, so no need to pan the map manually.
At NAIC:
36.61% pick rate, with a 60.98% win rate