Here are the best skills, items for Talonflame in Pokemon Unite

Talonflame stood among the worst Pokemon available when Pokemon Unite launched but the first major balance patch was a major improvement for the fire-type bird Pokemon. 

Talonflame is still an awkward Pokemon at its core, serving as a squishy initiator. But the first balance patch improved Talonflame’s damage to the point where opponents need to take it seriously. Alongside its DPS, Talonflame also has a powerful Unite move for the Zapdos pit that is capable of brushing away enemy players in order to allow teammates to secure the kill and set up a game-winning push. 

Here’s how to make the most of Talonflame in Pokemon Unite.

Best moves for Talonflame in Pokemon Unite

Talonflame can actually be built in a number of different ways to prioritize mobility, DPS, or mixes both. This makes Talonflame one of the few Pokemon where pretty much any combination of moves is viable to some degree. For this guide, the focus will be on damage output but getting a move like Fly isn’t a bad idea as it can set up a perfect Unite move.

Acrobatics (level one)

Acrobatics is the preferred level one move for Talonflame players. Though it’s not radically better than Peck, it does offer a blink that lets Fletchling reach the jungle a bit more quickly. Peck follows at level three, with the combo letting Fletchling clear out camps fairly quickly.

Aerial Ace (level five)

Flame Charge offers a bit more mobility than Aerial Ace but doesn’t offer the straight DPS of Aerial Ace. Aerial Ace hits for solid damage and empowers the next attack delivered by Talonflame. It’s a decent move on its own, but it’s made deadly when combined with Brave Bird.

Brave Bird (level seven)

Brave Bird hits hard on its own but its real power lies in the fact that it also resets the cooldown of Aerial Ace or Flame Charge. When the two abilities are combined, it gives Talonflame enormous burst damage potential. Aerial Ace, empowered attack, Brave Bird, Aerial Ace, and one more empowered attack is a deadly combination that can nuke an opponent. 

Flame Sweep (level nine)

Talonflame’s Unite move doesn’t do that much more damage than Brave Bird but its real value lies in its ability to drag enemy Pokemon across great distances. In theory, this allows Talonflame to set up huge teamfights. In practice, it’s mostly used for dragging opponents away from Zapdos in order to let teammates secure the kill.

If players are working with a team and actually coordinating, it might actually be worth getting Fly to set up bigger team fights. But for solo queue games, this is the best way to use the move.

Best Pokemon Unite items for Talonflame

• Score Shield
• Attack Weight
• Float Stone
• Eject Button

Talonflame is a glass cannon and players need to have the cannonballs count. The best way to do that is itemizing for maximum damage, which can be done in a few different ways. Giving Talonflame Muscle Band, Float Stone, and Scope Lens does work but Talonflame is a high-risk, high-reward pick in the first place. Why not itemize around that?

The combination of Score Shield and Attack Weight allows Talonflame to snowball based on scoring goals while offering a flat HP and attack boost. Attack Weight lets Talonflame quickly raise its attack power by scoring goals and does not consider the number of points scored. This encourages an aggressive play style where Talonflame pops in and out of the jungle to score smaller goals, rather than grinding away and leaving points on the ground. 

Float Stone completes the build and gives Talonflame extra movement speed. This stacks with the Gale Wings passive, which is critical for this build to let Talonflame close the gap without the option of blinking in with Flame Charge. After six goals are scored, Talonflame gets about a 15% boost in attack damage, which makes Aerial Ace combos hit especially hard.