"Being the villain once again is fun": Pokemon Unite player humorously points out Darkrai being broken
The latest addition to the Pokemon Unite roster, Darkrai, was released on October 17, 2024, and initially left players feeling underwhelmed. This brand-new Speedster struggled with low pick and win rates, leading to an emergency buff a few days later. This buff effectively doubled its presence in the game, with players now finding themselves on the receiving end of what some are calling an overpowered and broken Pokemon.
A humorous post by Reddit user XFlame05 captured the community’s sentiment:
"Being the villain once again is fun"
The post featured an image of Darkrai with the caption, "Be the reason someone uninstalls Pokemon Unite." It did not take long for the thread to explode with players agreeing that Darkrai's buffs may have made it more formidable than anticipated.
The post quickly sparked a flurry of reactions from players, many of whom pointed out the state of balance in the game.
One Reddit user, u/Baja_Boom, chimed in by sarcastically calling Darkrai a "funny shaped Pikachu." This comparison highlighted how Pikachu itself has been viewed as overpowered in the recent meta.
Other players eagerly jumped in to name additional Pokemon they feel are broken, including Comfey, Zoroark, Armarouge, Ceruledge, and Mimikyu - showing that the conversation about balance stretches beyond the recently released Darkrai in Pokemon Unite.
u/HollowAndPathetic added their own take, mentioning that they consider their experience playing Decidueye more "anti-hero" than villainous.
This comment touched on the importance of strategic choices, such as Held Items. Despite this, players often overlook optimal setups, further complicating the perceived power level of certain Pokemon and disrupting team balances.
Meanwhile, u/SheZowRaisedByWolves vented their frustration by sharing:
"Wigglytuff sing plus a Slowbro Telekenesis had me almost break my switch in half"
This comment humorously underscored how team composition can make even the toughest opponents feel overwhelming, highlighting the synergy between Pokemon rather than just raw power.
u/Classic_Spread_3526 voiced their concerns over Darkrai’s ultimate move, questioning why its damage-over-time (DoT) effect could seemingly one-shot even tanky Pokemon.
User u/ShopkeeperKeckleon pointed out how Darkrai’s ability to stack Bad Dreams damage with its ultimate creates an almost inescapable situation, where even in the brief moment both Darkrai and the target are immobilized, the damage keeps piling up.
Also read: Galarian Rapidash's movesets leaked
Is Darkrai the best Speedster in Pokemon Unite?
While some might argue that Darkrai is the best Speedster in the current meta, it's important to recognize that there's no definitive "best" Pokemon.
Meta-performance is influenced by many factors, including Held Items, Battle Items, Emblem setups, team composition, and, most crucially, the player’s skill in controlling the Pokemon and synergizing with teammates.
With all of these factors working in harmony, even Pokemon considered weaker in the meta can achieve victory.
That said, Darkrai has quickly risen to the top tier of speedsters since its buff, joining the ranks of other high-performing Pokemon such as Meowscarada, Leafeon, Zoroark, and Absol.
Whether Darkrai will remain in this position is up to future balance updates, but for now, it seems to be the "villain" that players love and hate.
Also read: Tinkaton's movesets leaked
Darkrai's rapid rise from an underwhelming release to a near-unstoppable force has added both excitement and frustration to Pokemon Unite’s competitive scene. While being the villain might be fun, it’s clear that players are already eager for the next round of balance changes to even the playing field.
Check out other Pokemon Unite-related articles here:
- Everything to know about Darkrai in Pokemon Unite
- Pokemon Unite Darkrai - Best movesets, builds, items, and more
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- Unite v1.16.2.6 Freezing Rush: Winners and losers
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- Everything to know about the Goal Hacker
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- Unite license tier list
- Unite Solo Queue licenses tier list
- Best Build for every Unite license
- Best Boost Emblems in Pokemon Unite
- Held Item tier list
- Battle Item tier list