Pokemon Unite Slowbro mains divided over confusing ability nerf

Pokemon Unite has been rolling out constant updates with buffs and nerfs to different fighters, but Slowbro mains have not been very grateful following the latest tweaks. 

Slowbro is one of the game’s Defenders, and ranks pretty much in the middle of the pack for pro tier lists.

On August 18, the game’s developers confirmed a fresh patch would be changing two key details for the character, and it’s not the only one. Buffs and nerfs were rolled out for several Pokemon, including Crustle, Garchomp, Snorlax, Greninja, Wigglytuff, Cinderance, and more.

While many weren’t very happy with the Snorlax tweaks, it seems like the Slowbro changes have also not been well received.

Pokemon Unite Slowbro changes in August 18 update

Many Slowbro mains have taken to Reddit to explain their confusion with the patch, claiming they actually don’t make sense for a defender Pokemon.

In the patch, the following changes have been made:

• Surf: Duration of effects on opposing Pokémon decreased.
• Scald: Damage dealt to opposing Pokémon increased

Slowbro mains split down the middle

After spotting the patch notes, one post on Reddit has been pushed right up towards the top of the Unite subreddit.

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It says: “A Defender isn’t picked for damage dealing, they’re picked for their tankiness and utility. So why in the world is this change going against the literal concept of his role?”

The post has received hundreds of upvotes and comments since.

One of the top replies in the thread, from user FurTrader58, explained the purpose of the changes – and how it actually could help.

“By buffing the damage and making it interact with oblivious properly, you get a move that now does initial damage and heals you, applies a DOT which also helps heal you and keeps damage sustained, and you drop their special defense with it, making that opponent more susceptible to being killed. To top it off, scald also slows them,” they posted.

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“You aren’t meant to get in a kill with it, but its ability to keep you alive, zone with the vapor AOE, lower opponents stats, and set up your team for an advantage in a fight makes it a viable option now.”

Whether or not this will prove to be a positive or negative set of changes for Slowbro in Pokemon Unite remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain… Not everyone is convinced just yet.