WhilePokemon Uniteisn’t necessarily a more technically-intensive MOBA unlike the likes ofLeague of LegendsandDOTA 2, there’s a certain technical finesse required when dealing with extremely fast-paced encounters and strategizing against specific kinds of foes. And for players who love to be in a position of long-ranged supremacy, then perhapsDuradulonmight be an excellent choice for a Ranged Attacker.
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Compared to other Attackers in thePokemon Unite, Duradulon has a keen priority in striking from a distance. However, players do need to grapple with this Pokemon’s lack of mobility and defenses. While this can make Duradulon a less than ideal option for hardcore players, there are ways of ensuring this Pokemon is able to contend with various opponents. However, just how should players maximize Duraludon’s strengths and compensate for its inherent weaknesses?
Duraludon: The Essentials
Compared to other availablePokemoninPokemon Unite, Duraludon is one that players may consider a hard Attacker. While not necessarily predictable, the slower nature of Duraludon makes it an easy target for most opponents. However, when built correctly, this kind of underestimation is precisely what Duraludon needs, as its long-ranged specialization makes it perfect for enemies to taste a mean Dragon Pulse when they get close enough.
General Strengths
Similar to other Ranged Attackers among the roster ofPokemon UniteMOBAcharacters, Duraludon boasts quite the slate of long ranged attacks. Even its standard attacks are fairly quick, making it a rather reliable Pokemon in heated engagements. Moreover, its strong AOE toolkit makes it a decent contender against multiple opponents.
General Weaknesses
Being a long-ranged Attacker, Duraludon suffers heavily from its lack of defenses. Moreover, its lack of proper mobility makes Duraludon rather fragile in face of real danger. Lastly, its Unite Move takes a bit to fully activate. In turn, players of Duraludon need to get their timing in check, or it will definitely spell trouble for them.
Relevant Characteristics
Being an Attacker, Duraludon excels in long-ranged incursions and dominating enemies from afar. With the right assist, its Physical Ranged prowess can easily make quick work of opponents. However, its lack of defenses and rather subpar speed make him a rather unideal choice for the solo player, and the rather position-intensive nature of its kit can make Duraludon a rather tricky Pokemon to master.
Relevant Statistics
Despite its stats making Duraludon hard set to become an Attacker, its lack of defenses and mobility options make it extremely vulnerable. Fans ofPokemon Unitegameplayneed to ensure Duraludon is able to compensate for its lack of speed with items that allow it to escape or a means to eliminate enemies quickly.
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The Best Duraludon Build: Secure Burst Damage For The Kills
When making a Duraludon build inPokemon Unite, it’s important to understand its strength in slowly building damage through its toolkit. Its Dragon Pulse is easily its best asset, and being able to curate builds to accommodate the continuous activation of this ability. Players should always find ways to be able to strike and mark opponents quickly so Dragon Pulse meets maximum DPS, while at the same time being fast enough to avoid retaliation.
Dragon Pulse Domination
Fans ofPokemon Unitegameplay need to remember that Duraludon plays with special mechanics that boost its performance depending on the number of marks in an area. Key to this moveset are Stealth Rock and Dragon Pulse, with the former enabling Duraludon to spread marks across opponents much faster while having Dragon Pulse unleash a devastating AOE finish to pummel them as much as possible. An integral component here isn’t to make Duraludon the primary damage dealer, but an AOE DPS to remove as much HP as possible so the rest of the team can finish off the opposing team.
Must-Have Items: Prioritize Speed Compensation
Duraludon’s lack of speed and defenses means Items it possesses must compensate for this glaring flaw. Players should use Battle Items that can give Duraludon opportunities to make quick exits, while Held Items should at least enable Duraludon to eliminate opponents inPokemon Unitegameplayfast enough that they don’t get to strike a counter.
Due to Duraludon’s lack of movement options, it makes sense for its support items to be designed specifically to help him compensate for this glaring weakness. This comes in the form ofX Speed, a Battle Item that precisely increases Duraludon’s movement speed to help it get a bit of an edge in engagements where both timing and aiming are necessary.
Given Duraludon’s nature as a heavy long-ranged attacker, punishing opponents who have low HP can be a helpful asset to ensure Duraludon finishes off enemies before they even get a chance to strike back.Muscle Bandworks in this regard as a Held Item, especially since basic attacks get 1-percent to 3-percent boost depending on the opposing Pokemon’s remaining HP. This is on top of Stat Boosts that improve Duraludon’s attack and attack speed.
Alternate Duraludon Builds
Different takes on the Duraludon build in theirPokemongameplaystill capitalizes on the Pokemon’s ability to stay put and provide pressure to opponents. Key here is for players to give their Duraludon room to maneuver, especially given its fragile nature. Some build examples here incentivize Duraludon staying put or making quick work of leveling up in the Jungle - both of which should allow it to eventually have what it takes to take on opponents near the endgame.
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Flash Cannon Turret
While Duraludon specializes in becoming an AOE behemoth against opponents, it can very well become a devastating turret when positioned correctly. This build capitalizes on this pattern, wherein Duraludon is positioned properly with Dragon Tail, with Flash Cannon becoming a single-target devastator. Since Duraludon trades off its AOE competence with that of single-target destruction, the team needs to compensate by having a separate AOE specialist.
Jungle Speedster
It’s granted that Duraludon can deal mean damage provided it’s able to hit enemies accurately - something its low mobility can make rather tricky to pull off. This is where the build comes in, wherein Duraludon relies on Dragon Tail for both decent damage and repositioning, and then getting that aim right via the devastating AOE of Dragon Pulse. The build deals decent damage, but is a rather sub-par middle line between high-AOE damage Dragon Pulse Domination and positioning-heavy Flash Cannon Turret.
Playstyle: Pressure But Avoid Being Pressured
Using Duraludon as aPokemon Unitecharacter is a double-edged sword, especially since it’s efficiency in pressure opponents out of defensive locations and chokepoints is only as effective until enemies get the jump on it and corner it. Duraludon is naturally weak to bursts and crowd control, meaning it’s highly recommended for Duraludon to eliminate foes quickly by marking them and using Dragon Pulse to eliminate them as fast as possible. When aided by another Pokemon, Duraludon can at least wait for its companion to whittle the life of the enemy before rushing in for a Dragon Pulse finish.
Lane Recommendations: Protect The Points
While not necessarily a tank, Duraludon’s potential as a turret means it’s likely more effective in defending positions instead of going straight for the attack. That means Duraludon is better positioned in either the Top Lane or the Bottom Lane, both of which have a number of spots that it can protect and easy access for retreat.
Leveling Approach: Slow But Steady
Given Duraludon’s rather weak constitution as aPokemoncharacter, its more optimal leveling strategy has to do with playing it safe and only rushing for the kill whenever it’s safe to do so. This might mean players don’t see action quickly, but leveling Duraludon in an efficient manner can easily let them participate in battles much earlier. Recommended strategies include:
Matchup Considerations: Support Is King
Regardless of what kind of matchups Duraludon has inPokemon Unitegameplay, it’s advisable for players to have Duraludon followed by an ally and avoid foes that can call for backup. Duraludon is proof that there’s success in numbers, and being able to have an ally that can take on foes or aid via heals and buffs can make Duraludon a more effective combatant.
Pokemon Uniteis available for the Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android
