Pokémon Unite Snorlax Build - Best Items and Moves

What is the best Pokémon Unite Snorlax build? Pokémon Unite players may focus on its long list of high-damage characters, but its growing roster of defenders is carving out a dangerous meta in the background. The lovable oaf Snorlax, despite its tendancy to sleep all day, is one of the game's best, and our favourite Pokémon Unite Snorlax build options will show just how easily the big bear can turn the tide of battle.

Snorlax is a melee defender that uses the Attack stat. Bear that in mind if you switch out any of the items below to suit your personal preference. You can read more about the Pokémon Unite Physical vs Special attack split by following the link.

If you're relatively new to Pokémon Unite or just have a few lingering questions, there's a chance that we've covered them in the past. Be sure to check out what those Pokémon Unite medals mean, or even how to cancel abilities. We also have explainers on Held Items and Battle Items if you'd find those handy. Memorizing those can help you spot the enemy strategy right from the loading screen.

Stats related to each Pokémon Unite Snorlax build.
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The Best Pokémon Unite Snorlax Build Options

Pokémon Unite Snorlax Build - Bouncy Boy

Best Items
Best Moves
Eject Button
Lv. 1: Tackle
Leftovers
Lv. 3: Rest
Assault Vest
Lv. 4: Heavy Slam
Rocky Helmet
Lv. 6: Yawn

Best for: Disruptive defense

This particluar Pokémon Unite Snorlax build is the one you're most likely to see in battle. It uses the sudden strike of Body Slam in tandem with Yawn to repeatedly pin the enemy team in place. It's built for harassment and objective stealing, but there isn't much stopping old Snorlax here from taking on whole teams with the right mindset.

Things start relatively slow with Snorlax, but Tackle and Rest can make it a playful bruiser with plenty of harassment. Just poke the enemy top-laners back and keep levelling up, using Rest simply to heal up between fights. When you can, use your high HP to steal objectives like Rotom. This will typically be your main focus throughout the match.

Once you unlock Snorlax's main skillset, your role stays very much that of a defender, but you'll have a much easier time initiating battles thanks to Body Slam.

Whether you land it on one Pokémon or the whole team, follow it up by quickly repositioning to land Yawn on the lot, extending the time your own team has to pick up a few kills before speedsters break free and wreak havoc.

You're going to be relying on this Pokémon's double effectiveness from berries when it comes time to heal up, but Leftovers (or Focus Band) will keep you coming back for more whether you grab a snack or not.

Assault Vest can help you avoid high-damage strikes from Pokémon like Pikachu and Venusaur, leaving Rocky Helmet to deal additional pain before the team inevitably turns on you following a powerful Body Slam.

Yawn can be swapped out for Block. It's 100% more fun to play with once you learn how to reliably push whole teams away from goals and objectives, but there's a serious learning curve to doing it well. And without skilled teammates who know your grand plan, you'll likely only bring swift death upon yourself in the process.

Snorlax in Pokémon Unite.
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Pokémon Unite Snorlax Build - Hangry Boy

Best Items
Best Moves
Potion
Lv. 1: Tackle
Focus Band
Lv. 3: Rest
Muscle Band
Lv. 4: Flail
Assault Vest
Lv. 6: Yawn

Best for: Heavy offense

If bouncing straight into battle isn't your style, another way to build Snorlax is to turn him into a mean punching machine. This requires careful HP management on your part, but learn to trust this Pokémon's tanky tummy and you'll see its damage scale well while maintaining relatively solid crowd-control.

Rather than focus on Snorlax's popular mobility, area damage, and crowd control strategy, this build turns the teddy bear into a one-man army. Flail and Yawn allow Snorlax to fearlessly drop down to low HP, converting what was lost into more powerful Basic Attacks that can sustain it seemingly forever.

Of course, Snorlax will struggle against the game's ranged characters with a build like this. It can take too much Sp. Atk damage while trying to get close enough to begin its assault, but that's where Assault Vest comes in.

With the Pokémon Unite meta relying more on melee attackers right now, however, swapping this out for Aeos Cookie can help Snorlax bulk up further if you suspect you'll be scoring enough goals to make it worthwhile.

Whichever way you take it, Muscle Band ensures Snorlax's main purpose on the field is to punch the opponents into oblivion, yawning on the herd it riles up and leaving them wide open for a Talonflame or Venusaur to finish off.

Get low, and trust your Focus Band to let you Flail, punch, punch, punch, Yawn, and punch some more. Make a break for the goal at this point or use your Unite Move on entire teams to pin them in place one last time. Just pop that potion if things are looking sketchy.

The progression screen showing when Pokémon Unite Snorlax evolves.
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When Does Snorlax Evolve in Pokémon Unite?

Although Snorlax technically has a baby form with Munchlax, this isn't available in Pokémon Unite. Snorlax begins each match as Snorlax. It can't evolve beyond that.

What Counters Snorlax in Pokémon Unite?

Pokémon
Reason
Cinderace
Cinderace's long range attacks can blow through Snorlax before it gets close enough to fight back. It only takes a quick Feint to avoid its eventual Body Slam as well.
Alolan Ninetales
While it probably won't defeat Snorlax, it can slow it enough to allow the team to fight around it. Ignorance is bliss.
Machamp
Machamp can remove Snorlax from the battle entirely by taking it head on. Submission will keep it pinned and Machamp's Close Combat barrage will have it rethinking its strategy in no time.

Snorlax is an aggressive defender that thrives off being attacked. That's what it wants. Its goal in Pokémon Unite is to protect its teammates, and its unusually large stature and health pool means many flock to do so: but only a few should.

What Is the Best Pair for Snorlax in Pokémon Unite?

Pokémon
Reason
Lucario
This Pokémon high burst and mobility can get it in and out of combat easily enough, but Snorlax's pins and blocks can fix Lucario's flaws.
Cinderace
Cinderace has high damage potential, but its max range means it often starts an attack to early and baits itself into overextending to finish the job. That's dangerous. Snorlax can help lunge in to defend it, prevent the issue from occurring entirely, and even use its crowd control and blocking abilities to help Cinderace retreat.

Snorlax dominates the top lane with its stuns and slams. It's great for defending goals and blocking the enemy's attempt to claim objectives like Rotom. But it needs a high-damage ally to make up for its own lack of serious burst.

How to obtain Snorlax in Pokémon Unite.
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How Do I Unlock Snorlax in Pokémon Unite?

Snorlax is a fully paid unlockable character in Pokémon Unite. To add its Unite License to your account, you'll need to fork out a reasonable 6,000 Aeos Coins or 385 Aeos Gems. It's not the most expensive character unlock around, but if you've already spent your launch week coins, it might be some time before you'll be playing with this one.

Read more: Pokémon Unite Tier List

If you're struggling to get much from Snorlax, you may be better suited to other defenders like the defensive Slowbro or powerful Crustle. If damage is more your style, think about trying a tanky all-rounder like Garchomp or Machamp instead.