A crowd favorite, everyone’s favorite fire breathing dragon has made it to Pokemon Unite as a playable Pokemon.

At present, Charizard is possibly the toughest novice Pokemon to master due to his weak early game.

Though a little challenging to pick up in Pokemon Unite, if you follow all our tips, tricks, and suggestions, you’ll be blazing through your games in no time.


Charizard’s skills in Pokemon Unite

Pokemon Unite, Charizard basic attack
Screenshot by Danelie Purdue/ONE Esports

Basic Attack

  • Charizard fires a constant stream of flames at a target Pokemon.
  • Deals increased damage to burned Pokemon.
  • Attack range increases each time Charizard evolves.

Passive Ability

  • When Charizard is at half health or less, his critical-hit rate is increased.
Pokemon Unite, Flame Burst
Screenshot by Danelie Purdue/ONE Esports

Basic Skill 1 – Flame Burst

  • Fires off a small fireball that explodes and applies burn when it hits an opposing Pokemon or upon reaching maximum range.
  • Charizard’s movement speed is temporarily increased after using this move.
Pokemon Unite Flamethrower
Screenshot by Danelie Purdue/ONE Esports

Skill 1 Upgrade – Flamethrower

  • Fires off a huge stream of flames that applies burn to all Pokemon hit.
  • Charizard’s movement speed is temporarily increased after using this move.
  • Upgrade: Increases Flamethrower’s initial damage and the damage caused by burning.
Pokemon Unite, Fire Punch
Screenshot by Danelie Purdue/ONE Esports

Skill 1 Upgrade – Fire Punch

  • Charizard quickly punches in the targeted direction, all Pokemon hit will be pushed in front and receive a burn.
  • Upgrade: Basic attacks reduce Fire Punch’s cooldown.
Pokemon Unite, Fire Spin
Screenshot by Danelie Purdue/ONE Esports

Basic Skill 2 – Fire Spin

  • Fires off a small fireball that turns into a pool of fire on the ground, deals continuous damage and slows any Pokemon who stand in it.
Pokemon Unite, Fire Blast
Screenshot by Danelie Purdue/ONE Esports

Skill 2 Upgrade – Fire Blast

  • A larger and deadlier version of Fire Spin.
  • Upgrade: Increases damage dealt by this move.
Pokemon Unite, Flare Blitz
Screenshot by Danelie Purdue/ONE Esports

Skill 2 Upgrade – Flare Blitz

  • Charizard charges forward and pushes all Pokemon hit by this move.
  • A shield is granted after using this move.
  • Upgrade: Pokemon hit by Flare Blitz will be slowed for a short time.
Pokemon Unite, Seismic Slam
Screenshot by Danelie Purdue/ONE Esports

Unite Move: Seismic Slam

  • Charizard gains flying movement and is unstoppable whilst Seismic Slam is active.
  • Basic attack damage is increased and applies burn onto any Pokemon hit.
  • Damage done to opposing Pokemon will restore Charizard’s own health.
  • Using Seismic Slam again on a nearby opposing Pokemon will have Charizard grab and slam the Pokemon into the ground.
Pokemon Unite, Charizard, all-rounder
Credit: Nintendo

Why you should pick Charizard in Pokemon Unite

As an all-rounder in Pokemon Unite, Charizard’s above average stats and flexible skill kit allows players to adapt in every match.

He isn’t limited to hitting the jungle or staying in lane, since he excels at clearing wild camps and controlling chokepoints in Pokemon Unite.

He’s an awesome roamer if he can secure early levels after a jungle rotation, and is fantastic at securing objective Pokemon such as Zapdos, thanks to his natural bulk and consistent damage output.

Dare to disable Pokemon with Fire Punch and Flare Blitz, or burn them to smithereens with Flamethrower and Fire Blast. Charizard comes to life when he uses his Unite Move which turns him into a terrifying health stealing fire breathing monster!


Best held items for Charizard

Pokemon Unite, Energy Amplifier
Credit: Nintendo

Energy Amplifier

He is already threatening when his Unite Move is active, and even more so with Energy Amplifier, which further boosts Charizard’s total damage output for the first four seconds of Seismic Slam. It is a must-buy item if you desire a damage-centric build.

Pokemon Unite, Buddy Barrier
Credit: Nintendo

Buddy Barrier

Since he has a fair amount of natural bulk, Charizard benefits from any bonus shielding, particularly if he finds himself constantly in the middle of the action.

This item, on top of his Unite Move’s bonus, gives him more opportunities to dive the opponent’s squishy backline since he can tank more damage.

Pokemon Unite, Focus Band
Credit: Nintendo

Focus Band

Synergistic with his passive, Focus Band gives Charizard players a second wind when their health drops low, thus allowing for more bonus crit-rate uptime. Definitely a scary item when used by experienced players.

Pokemon Unite, Muscle Band
Credit: Nintendo

Muscle Band

Muscle Band isa basic damage item that helps Charizard dish out bonus damage consistently throughout the match.

Pokemon Unite, Float Stone
Credit: Nintendo

Float Stone

The bonus movement speed from Float Stone mainly comes into play when you rotate for major objectives such as Drednaw, Rotom, Zapdos, and even last minute scoring.

This is a valuable item that helps you get to key points as quickly as possible, since games in Pokemon Unite last only 10 minutes.


Best battle items for Charizard

Pokemon Unite, Eject button
Credit: Nintendo

Eject Button

Eject Button should be picked up in 99% of Charizard’s matches. The ability to blink helps out with his horrendous early game mobility, allowing for quick getaways or to chase down fleeing Pokemon. When in doubt, always pick Eject Button.

Pokemon Unite, X Speed
Credit: Nintendo

X Speed

An alternative item if you don’t have access to Eject Button yet.

Pokemon Unite, X Attack
Credit: Nintendo

X Attack

Ideally you should only choose X Attack if you’re building around Charizard’s offensive capabilities.



Pokemon Unite Charizard tips and tricks

Pokemon Unite, Charizard Evolutions
Screenshot by Danelie Purdue/ONE Esports

1. Charizard is a late-game Pokemon

Unlike faster evolving Pokemon, he is a late bloomer in Pokemon Unite. He is rather weak until fully evolved. Focus on levelling up by clearing wild camps and scoring points when it’s safe to do so.

2. Basic attacks can splash onto other Pokemon

Charizard’s basic attack hits all targets in range for full damage. Use this to your advantage and position yourself so that multiple Pokemon are hit with your basic attack. This also applies to his basic attacks during Seismic Slam.

3. Travel over walls with Fire Punch and Flare Blitz

Make for some sneaky ganks or goals by travelling over non-traversable terrain and walls with Charizard’s basic skills. Keep in mind Flare Blitz will only work this way if there is a targetable Pokemon within range on the other side.

4. Stack shields from Flare Blitz and Seismic Slam

Since his basic skills become disabled during Seismic Slam, use Flare Blitz before triggering his Unite Move. The bonus shields from Flare Blitz and Seismic Slam stack allow you to absorb even more damage in team fights.


Best builds for Charizard in Pokemon Unite

Big dive Charizard build

Difficulty: Medium

  • Skills: Fire Punch + Flare Blitz
  • Held items: Buddy Barrier + Energy amplifier + Float Stone
  • Battle item: Eject Button

This is a fun Pokemon Unite build that allows Charizard to become active on the map since he can initiate fights with Fire Punch, and sustain with Flare Blitz’s shield.

Unless your team is running early game Pokemon such as Zeraora who needs the jungle, you ideally want to take both jungle buffs early on, and farm up wild camps until you unlock Fire Punch.

Once you have it, hit one of the lanes and land a surprise knock out.

It’ll be all on you to control enemy Pokemon at Drednaw and Zapdos fights, since everyone will tend to clump up. Your job is to act as a wall between your team and enemy Pokemon. Try to hit the squishy backline if an opportunity presents itself.

Keep in mind that you sacrificed some damage for gap closing and sustain with this build, so you want to avoid going for solo kills on tankier Pokemon who can survive your combo.

Roam around the Pokemon Unite map and aim to knock out squishies even if they have an escape mechanism. Very few Pokemon can escape a melee Charizard constantly shoving into them.

Pure damage Charizard build

Difficulty: Hard

  • Skills: Flamethrower + Fire Blast
  • Held items: Buddy Barrier + Focus Band + Muscle Band or Energy Amplifier
  • Battle item: Eject Button or X Attack

This Pokemon Unite build centers around dishing out as much damage as possible from a distance.

If your team can’t spare the jungle for you, you’ll want to head into the Drednaw lane and farm up as much as possible until Drednaw spawns. Only play aggressively if you feel you and your lane partner can comfortably pressure your opponents.

Once Drednaw spawns, your role is to control the fight with well placed Fire Spins or Fire Blasts. The damage over time and slow will deter your opponents from freely initiating. Don’t forget to chip their health away with Flamethrower from a distance.

Keep clearing Pokemon camps, but stay close to the team, for this build doesn’t provide any hard disables outside of Seismic Slam, which you don’t want to use without purpose. You need to rely on your allies to help set up any knockouts.

When it spawns, treat Zapdos like Drednaw. Use Fire Blast at chokepoints or on stunned Pokemon, and keep firing away with Flamethrower.


Best Pokemon Charizard can combo with in Pokemon Unite

Pokemon Unite, Snorlax
Credit: Nintendo

Snorlax

Charizard and Snorlax are like two peas in a pod in Pokemon Unite. Charizard’s biggest problem is being kited and Snorlax patches that problem up.

Absorbing a lot of the incoming damage, Snorlax helps to set up for easy knock outs with slows and sleeps whilst pulling attention to himself and away from teammates.

What’s more terrifying than seeing a Charizard and Snorlax run at you in a team fight? We all know how that ends…

Pokemon Unite, Eldegoss
Credit: Nintendo

Eldegoss

Oh sweet, sweet healing.

Eldegoss is the perfect lane companion for Charizard when he’s still an itty bitty Charmander. Healing, shields, slows, you name it. Though she doesn’t provide much offense herself, Eldegoss is a real mean enabler who can get Charizard through even the toughest of games.

Don’t underestimate Eldegoss, it’s usually the cute ones who are the real killers.

Pokemon Unite, Wigglytuff
Credit: Nintendo

Wigglytuff

Another support Pokemon on the list, Wigglytuff enables Charizard to play much more aggressively thanks to her skill kit.

Sing can help lock Pokemon down for Charizard to finish off, whilst her Unite Move can be used either to get Charizard out of a sticky situation or excel in fights around an objective.

What’s worse than one tuff cookie? Two tuff cookies!

READ MORE: Pokémon Unite update 1.1.1.4 patch: Charizard buffed, Cinderace nerfed