Looking to get the best Pokémon Unite Sylveon build around? She's arrived and she is strong. Announced alongside the imposing Mamoswine, Sylveon is one of the first two post-release Pokémon Unite characters revealed since before it launched on Nintendo Switch in July. This all-new ranged attacker brings another instance of pink to the game, wrecking foes with popular Fairy-type moves.
In Pokémon Unite, Sylveon is a ranged attack that uses the Sp. Atk stat. That means you'll want to avoid any Held Items that increase the Attack stat. You can read more about the reasons why in our detailed Pokémon Unite Physical vs Special Attack explainer.
Before we dive deep into the best builds for this new Pokémon, why not refresh your Pokémon Unite knowledge? For those who came in fresh to the mobile version, you'll want to memorize the game's Held Items and Battle Items first. For both sides of the playerbase, learning the intricate details of the New Held Items is pivotal as well. They've shaken up the meta since their introduction in September.
The Best Pokémon Unite Sylveon Build Options
Quick Builds
Strategy | Items | Moves |
|---|---|---|
Jungle Plays | Eject Button, Buddy Barrier, Choice Specs, Wise Glasses | Swift, Baby-Doll Eyes, Hyper Voice, Calm Mind |
Top Lane Aggression | Eject Button, Score Shield, Focus Band, Sp. Atk Specs | Baby-Doll Eyes, Swift, Mystical Fire, Draining Kiss |
Here's a quick rundown of the two Pokémon Unite Sylveon build options detailed below. If you're not fond of reading the minute details, just know that the Jungle and Top Lane builds are two of the best picks around right now. Read on for the finer details, or just work them out for yourself using the shells above.
Pokémon Unite Sylveon Build - Calm Before the Scream
Best Items | Best Moves |
|---|---|
Eject Button | Lv. 1: Swift |
Buddy Barrier | Lv. 2: Baby-Doll Eyes |
Choice Specs | Lv. 4: Hyper Voice |
Wise Glasses | Lv. 6: Calm Mind |
Best for: Jungle Showdowns
Through its Pixilate ability and it's multi-hit move Hyper Voice, Sylveon can rapidly scale its stats. It reaches this point very early into the match as well, ensuring a good Sylveon player can upset the opposing team sooner, slowing their own growth or putting an stop to one that may be outpacing the rest.
Due to Calm Mind, Sylveon is in a unique position to completely obliterate Pokémon Unite's known assassins before they can become a threat. If timed just as one attempts to start its potent combo, Sylveon can negate the damage and buff itself in the process, using Hyper Voice when they're short of mobility to land multiple hits and scale its stats further.
Due to its rapid leveling, Sylveon can quickly peak in the Jungle, then moving into the opposing side to stop the enemy jungle from scoring any early kills.
Once it hits this point at level 6, Sylveon will become quite situational. With a buff on a long cooldown in one slot and a move that needs to land in sequence to deal the most damage, you'll need to pick and choose your battles. There's a great gameplay hint baked into Hyper Voice for this reason: the further away your target is, the more damage it will deal. Like at the start of the match, this Pokémon Unite Sylveon build expects you to stick with the critter's ranged prowess.
As for items, Buddy Barrier extends Sylveon's powerful and self-supporting Unite Move to its teammates, helping ensure they stick around to help the HP-siphoning Fairy stick the landing. Wise Glasses and Choice Specs are there to amplify its already constantly increasing Sp. Atk stat.
Pokémon Unite Sylveon Build - Tough Love
Best Items | Best Moves |
|---|---|
Eject Button | Lv. 1: Baby-Doll Eyes |
Score Shield | Lv. 2: Swift |
Focus Band | Lv. 4: Mystical Fire |
Sp. Atk Specs | Lv. 6: Draining Kiss |
Best for: Clingy Top Lane Aggression
Taking Baby-Doll Eyes over Swift early one won't be a make-or-break thing, but having a way to slow and reduce the power of top-lane brawlers can give your team an early advantage. Try not to be too aggressive, though. Just get in, fire, and get out. Eevee is squishy. You won't be doing increased damage with Adaptability stacks if you're knocked out trying to get them.
Once you evolve, you'll gain access to Mystical Fire, giving Sylveon the means to dash in and toward a low-mobility target. Each hit will decrease the time it takes to cast the next, but it'll also trigger Pixilate, making subsequent uses stronger and Sylveon bulkier. You'll want to think about keeping extra uses ready for a quick escape until you get to level six.
With your final main move, Draining Kiss, it becomes essential that you keep using Mystical Fire not just for damage, but for a dash. Draining Kiss falls off if you get too far from your opponent. With HP siphoning from Draining Kiss and Sp. Def scaling with damage you deal and receive, the longer you can keep up in your target's face, the more powerful you'll become.
You'll want to prioritize harassing other Sp. Atk Pokémon like Venusaur, Blastoise, Alolan Ninetales, and Pikachu first, using your growing Sp. Def to shrug off their attacks and eliminate a highly damaging target from the equation. After that, you can start to use your offensive stats to cut through bulkier targets like Slowbro.
If you're looking to use your mobility to score goals, items like Sp. Atk Specs and Score Shield will work great. For more firepower, stick with Wise Glasses and Choice Specs. The one constant is Focus Band. With how close you'll be to the action, having a way to hold on while Draining Kiss tops you up is essential.
When Does Sylveon Evolve in Pokémon Unite?
Although the trailers never showed it, Sylveon does in fact start each match as a little Eevee. Rather than use a convoluted evolution method like in the main games, however, it evolves into Sylveon simply by hitting the low, low level of four.
What Is the Best Sylveon Counter in Pokémon Unite?
Counter | Reason |
|---|---|
Crustle | X-Scissor will tear through Sylveon's lacking physical defense. And it doesn't matter if it's far away—Shell Smash will get it there in no time. Even Rock Tomb can be used to block a physical Sylveon from making its mark. |
Wigglytuff | Wigglytuff's high mobility can get engage and disengage Sylveon with ease, cutting off Draining Kiss or limiting the power of Hyper Voice. It won't take much damage, either. |
Talonflame | Talonflame can drop in unannounced, slamming Sylveon with immense physical damage before it has a chance to evade with Calm Mind. |
Sylveon tries very hard to boost its Sp. Def, going so far as to get bulkier this way each time it hits or gets hit. Pokémon like Gardevoir and Pikachu will struggle to counter it later in the match, but physical Pokémon, those who use the Attack stat, will have a much easier time. Provided they can get close enough, at least.
What Is the Best Sylveon Pair in Pokémon Unite?
Pokémon | Reason |
|---|---|
Wigglytuff | Wigglytuff's high mobility is one thing, but its stuns and infatuation passive can help keep targets close, but not too close, to Sylveon. |
Snorlax | Snorlax can launch itself into the heat of battle, peeling targets away from Sylveon and making aiming at one just that little bit easier. |
Whether you're going for melee-style aggression or long-range attacking, the Pokémon that will work well with Sylveon is largely the same. Mamoswine and Snorlax work well to their numerous slows and stuns. They're good for peeling a target away from the less defensive Sylveon as well.
How Do I Unlock Sylveon in Pokémon Unite
Right now, Sylveon can only be unlocked through the Aeos Emporium. You need to buy the Sylveon Unite License in the Unite Battle Committee screen. This costs 10,000 Aeos Coins or 575 Aeos Gems. It's the most expensive new Pokémon Unite character to date.
- Read more: Use the latest Shindo Life codes to boost your character
Before you go buying Sylveon, make sure to try it out in the practice arena beforehand. And if you have yet to taste the Ranged Attacker role, use the week's free rotation to try out a character like Gardevoir or Alolan Ninetales first. They are similar in the way they work.