Held Item Tier List: Best Held Items to Upgrade (May 2, 2022 Update) | Pokemon UNITE

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This is Game8's tier list for the best held items in Pokemon UNITE. Check here for our current rankings on the best Held Items as of May 2, 2022, which Items are the best to buy and upgrade, and the best Held Items for each pokemon and role!

Tier Lists
Pokemon Tier List	Low-Elo Tier List	Solo-Queue Tier List
Held Item Tier List	Battle Item Tier List	Free Character Tier List

List of Contents

Held Item Tier List (May 2, 2022 Update)
Held Item Tier List Explanations
Best Held Items for Each Pokemon
All-Rounder
Attacker
Defender
Speedster
Supporter
Best Held Items for Each Role
Tier List Criteria
Pokemon UNITE Related Guides

Held Item Tier List (May 2, 2022 Update)

List of Held Items and Effects

Held Item Tier List Updates (May 2, 2022)

Update Date	Pokemon	Summary
5/2	Attack Weight	to A Tier ・ Attack Weight proved to be an effective engine for granting Pokemon high amounts of power. Even without the shield support from Score Shield, the bonus stats it gives when stacking is worth playing around the item and scoring when there is an opportunity. Pokemon like Talonflame and Decidueye proved that getting enough bonus stacks can decimate targets in mere seconds.
5/2	Weakness Policy	to A Tier ・With the release of sturdy and high offense All-Rounders, Weakness Policy has been a staple for getting an edge while engaging in brawls with an opponent. It has been useful for Pokemon like Lucario and Aegislash, which greatly benefits from the item's effect since they are always on the frontlines. Additionally, the item's stats are appropriate for Pokemon that have melee.
5/2	Buddy Barrier	Stays to S Tier ・Although Buddy Barrier received a massive nerf in the 1.5.1.2 Update, it remains useful in the current meta since it's the only item that provides a decent shield that can be used during teamfights. Pokemon can still benefit from the HP boost and shield.
5/2	Score Shield	Stays in A Tier ・Score Shield has seen a significant rework that altered its usage and potential. Although the Buddy Barrier combos and quick scoring can no longer be abused, Score Shield is still a useful Held Item to have with its bonus shields for scoring clutch points and stacking bonuses from score related items.
5/2	Assault Vest	to B Tier ・The primary problem with Assault Vest is that it does not do well in the current meta since most team comps favor Atk. type Pokemon. Focus Band does a better job providing durability and survivability in the current meta since it gives both Sp. Atk Defense and Atk. Defense.
5/2	Energy Amplifier	to B Tier ・Although the damage increase from Energy Amplifier is high, Pokemon won't be able to use it that often due to two things: (1) Unite Moves will only be available when a Pokemon has fully evolved, and (2) the recharge rate of most Unite Moves take too long. Even with the faster recharge rate effect, only a few Pokemon can take full advantage of it. Lastly, since Buddy Barrier received nerfs, its viability shrunk with it.
5/2	Sp. Atk. Specs	to C Tier ・The problem with Sp. Atk. Specs is it isn't worth stacking to the fullest compared to Attack Weight in the current meta. Sp. Atk Pokemon are better off equipping any combination of Wise Glasses, Choice Specs, and Shell Bell to increase their damage, removing the extra work of scoring goals. Furthermore, since Score Shield's cooldown increased drastically due to the 1.5.1.2 Update, it's not possible to score in quick succession anymore, reducing its overall viability.

Held Item Tier List Explanations

S Tier Held Items

Item	Summary
Buddy Barrier	Buddy Barrier is a defensive Held Item that grants large amounts of shields for its wearer and a low-HP ally whenever the wearer activates its Unite Move. Its effect is so impactful that it feels like having a second battle item. This is a particularly powerful pickup for Pokemon who utilize their Unite Moves to get into the frontlines of a fight so they can stay alive longer while also providing some support to their other allies.
Focus Band	Focus Band is a great item to bolster overall survivability. This item grants you Defense and Special Defense, and a burst of health regeneration whenever your HP falls too low. Extremely effective on All-Rounders and Defenders who can't get bursted down easily to maximize its critical HP regen effect.
Wise Glasses	Wise Glasses is a straightforward but effective item for boosting Special Damage and is a must-have for Special Attack type Pokemon such as Gengar and Gardevoir.
Scope Lens	Scope Lens is the only item that grants Critical Rate and Critical Damage. This is an amazing item for most Attackers, Speedsters, All-Rounders. Even Defenders such as Crustle and Snorlax benefit from this Held Item if the proper moveset is used.
Muscle Band	Muscle Band provides solid Attack and Attack Speed. It also grants wearers further attack boosts based on the target's current HP, which is extremely useful for tanky targets like Defenders. This is great for the current metagame since most top-tier Pokemon deal Physical Damage.
Choice Specs	Choice Specs is a solid SP. Atk item that can give the same amount of damage that Wise Glasses does. It works in tandem with SP Attack Specs and Wise Glasses as the bonus damage it gives scales off your SP Atk stat even if it forces you to wear 3 glasses at once.

A Tier Held Items

Item	Summary
Attack Weight	Attack Weight is a held item that increases your Attack Damage whenever you score a goal, making it incredibly useful for physical damage dealers like Machamp and Cinderace. Similar to Sp. Atk. Specs, this item's effectiveness is held back by how often the wearer can score goals.
Razor Claw	Razor Claw provides solid Attack and Critical Hit Rate. It also grants you a damage bonus to your next standard attack if you used a move beforehand, so it's a particularly useful item for Pokemon who can chain low cooldown skills and standard attacks together like Cinderace.
Score Shield	Score Shield is a niche item that can be extremely useful for certain playstyles, particularly in aggressive goal scoring. It is also an effective item for diving if your team is sieging the enemy goal post as you can score a goal in the middle of a fight to dodge attacks and recover HP.
Weakness Policy	Weakness Policy is an item thats focused on All-Rounders due to its damage oriented effects that needs you to take damage first. Unfortunately, it's not too reliable in its current form and the number of Pokemon that can use it is limited.

B Tier Held Items

Item	Summary
Assault Vest	Assault Vest is a solid defensive Held Item that helps you withstand attacks from Special Attack type Pokemon such as Gengar and Alolan Ninetales. Aside from granting wearers Sp. Def and HP, this item also grants a shield that nullifies a certain amount of Special Damage as well!
Energy Amplifier	Energy Amplifier is a solid item for bolstering damage through correct Unite Move usage. With players learning to play their Unite Move around Objectives, the item's value just goes higher. The cooldown reduction from the item is also a nice bonus.
Exp. Share	Exp Share is a solid item that grants comfortable stats such as HP and Movement Speed. Its special effect also allows your laning buddy to gain a levels and become stronger faster.
Shell Bell	Shell Bell is another item catered for Special Damage Pokemon. Aside from boosts to Cooldown Reduction and Special Attack, this item also grants you the ability to heal some HP whenever you hit targets with Special Damage moves.

C Tier Held Items

Item	Summary
Aeos Cookie	Aeos Cookie is a Held Item that rewards you with increased HP every time you score a goal. This isn't really efficient as an item in the current metagame since there are better goal-centric options that reward you with better stats.
Float Stone	Float Stone is a nice pickup for Physical Damage dealers who prefer to roam the map such as Machamp and Garchomp. Other than the movespeed bonus, the item doesn't really offer any stats or effects that would be useful in a teamfight.
Rocky Helmet	Rocky Helmet is an amazing tank item. It falls lower on our tierlist due to its effect needing an instant burst amount of damage instead of gradual making its return damage non-existent. Its stat boosts are still great and can be useful for defenders.
Leftovers	Leftovers is a straightforward item that grants you passive HP regeneration when out of combat. While nice at the start, this Held Item starts to lose its appeal as you unlock better and more efficient alternatives later on.
Sp. Atk. Specs	Sp. Atk. Specs is a great item for scaling Special Damage into the later stages of a match. However, it isn't worth the extra work of scoring goals in the current meta. Equipping any combination of Wise Glasses, Choice Specs, and Shell Bell is a better option for boosting damage from start to finish without the need the extra work. Furthermore, since Score Shield's cooldown increased drastically due to the 1.5.1.2 Update, it's not possible to score in quick succession anymore, reducing its overall viability.

Best Held Items for Each Pokemon

All-Rounder

Pokemon	Best Held Items
Aegislash	Focus Band Scope Lens Muscle Band Razor Claw Weakness Policy
Azumarill	Attack Weight Score Shield Buddy Barrier Energy Amplifier Focus Band Scope Lens Muscle Band Weakness Policy
Charizard	Buddy Barrier Energy Amplifier Focus Band Scope Lens Muscle Band
Dragonite	Buddy Barrier Focus Band Scope Lens Muscle Band Razor Claw Weakness Policy
Garchomp	Buddy Barrier Focus Band Scope Lens Muscle Band
Lucario	Attack Weight Score Shield Buddy Barrier Focus Band Muscle Band Razor Claw Weakness Policy
Machamp	Energy Amplifier Focus Band Scope Lens Muscle Band Razor Claw
Tsareena	Buddy Barrier Focus Band Scope Lens Muscle Band Razor Claw Weakness Policy

Attacker

Pokemon	Best Held Items
Alolan Ninetales	Exp. Share Buddy Barrier Focus Band Wise Glasses Muscle Band Choice Specs
Cinderace	Attack Weight Buddy Barrier Scope Lens Muscle Band
Cramorant	Buddy Barrier Energy Amplifier Wise Glasses Shell Bell Choice Specs
Decidueye	Attack Weight Score Shield Float Stone Focus Band Scope Lens Muscle Band
Duraludon	Attack Weight Buddy Barrier Focus Band Scope Lens Muscle Band
Espeon	Buddy Barrier Energy Amplifier Focus Band Wise Glasses Choice Specs
Gardevoir	Sp. Atk. Specs Energy Amplifier Wise Glasses Shell Bell Choice Specs
Greninja	Buddy Barrier Focus Band Scope Lens Muscle Band
Pikachu	Buddy Barrier Energy Amplifier Wise Glasses Shell Bell Choice Specs
Sylveon	Buddy Barrier Focus Band Wise Glasses Choice Specs
Venusaur	Assault Vest Sp. Atk. Specs Buddy Barrier Focus Band Wise Glasses Muscle Band Choice Specs

Defender

Pokemon	Best Held Items
Blastoise	Score Shield Buddy Barrier Focus Band Wise Glasses Muscle Band Choice Specs
Crustle	Attack Weight Score Shield Float Stone Focus Band Weakness Policy
Greedent	Assault Vest Attack Weight Score Shield Buddy Barrier Energy Amplifier Focus Band Muscle Band
Mamoswine	Score Shield Buddy Barrier Focus Band Muscle Band Weakness Policy
Slowbro	Exp. Share Buddy Barrier Energy Amplifier Focus Band Wise Glasses Shell Bell Choice Specs
Snorlax	Aeos Cookie Score Shield Buddy Barrier Energy Amplifier Focus Band Scope Lens Muscle Band
Trevenant	Rocky Helmet Score Shield Buddy Barrier Focus Band Weakness Policy

Speedster

Pokemon	Best Held Items
Absol	Attack Weight Score Shield Buddy Barrier Focus Band Scope Lens Muscle Band Razor Claw
Gengar	Sp. Atk. Specs Buddy Barrier Wise Glasses Shell Bell Choice Specs
Talonflame	Attack Weight Buddy Barrier Focus Band Scope Lens Muscle Band Razor Claw
Zeraora	Attack Weight Score Shield Buddy Barrier Scope Lens Muscle Band Razor Claw

Supporter

Pokemon	Best Held Items
Blissey	Exp. Share Buddy Barrier Focus Band Wise Glasses Muscle Band
Eldegoss	Exp. Share Buddy Barrier Focus Band Wise Glasses Choice Specs
Hoopa	Score Shield Buddy Barrier Energy Amplifier Focus Band Wise Glasses Muscle Band Choice Specs
Mr. Mime	Assault Vest Exp. Share Sp. Atk. Specs Wise Glasses Choice Specs
Wigglytuff	Exp. Share Buddy Barrier Focus Band Wise Glasses Choice Specs

Best Held Items for Each Role

Attackers	Speedsters	All-Rounders
Defenders	Supporters

Attackers

Item	Summary
Scope Lens	Scope Lens significantly increases Physical Damage via Critical Rate and Damage.
Muscle Band	Muscle Band is an effective item to further boost basic attack damage. This item is especially useful against tanky targets such as Defenders.
Attack Weight	Attack Weight is a solid pickup for Physical Damage Attackers such as Cinderace. This held item improves your attack everytime you score a goal, allowing you to scale well into the late game.
Energy Amplifier	Energy Amplifier increases overall damage whenever you activate your Unite Move. This is great for players who use their Unite Move with great timing and positioning.
Shell Bell	Shell Bell is a very versatile item which bolsters a Pokemon's Special Damage moves by increasing their damage, reducing their cooldown, and healing you for a certain amount whenever they hit.
Sp. Atk. Specs	Sp. Atk. Specs lets your Special Damage scale even higher whenever you score a goal. This is great for Pokemon such as Alolan Ninetales and Pikachu.
Wise Glasses	Wise Glasses is a straightforward held item that increases your Special Damage by a certain amount.
Float Stone	Float Stone is a solid pick up for Physical Damage Attackers such as Cinderace and Greninja.
Choice Specs	Choice Specs works similar to Wise Glasses but with the added bonus of increasing your moves' damage output by a flat amount. This is perfect for Sp. Atk. Attackers like Gardevoir, Pikachu, and Venusaur.

Attacker Guide: How to Play Attackers

Speedster

Item	Summary
Scope Lens	Scope Lens significantly increases phsyical Pokemon's damage via Critical Rate and Damage.
Muscle Band	Muscle Band is an effective item to further boost basic attack damage. This item is especially useful against tanky targets such as Defenders.
Attack Weight	Attack Weight is a solid pickup for Physical Damage Speedsters such as Absol and Zeraora. This held item improves your attack everytime you score a goal, allowing you to scale well into the late game.
Energy Amplifier	Energy Amplifier increases overall damage whenever you activate your Unite Move. This is great for players who use their Unite Move with great timing and positioning.
Shell Bell	Shell Bell is a very versatile item which bolsters a Pokemon's Special Damage moves by increasing their damage, reducing their cooldown, and healing you for a certain amount whenever they hit.
Float Stone	Float Stone is a solid pick up to bolster Physical Damage. The added movement speed is also great for Speedsters since they prefer to start in the jungle and gank lanes afterward.
Razor Claw	Razor Claw is another damage item suitable for Speedsters. The bonus attack damage after using a move fits a Speedster's aggressive playstyle, not to mention its 2-second cooldown. Also, the movement speed reduction is perfect for Speedsters since all of them are melee.

Speedster Guide: How to Play Speedsters

All-Rounder

Item	Summary
Scope Lens	Scope Lens significantly increases phsyical Pokemon's damage via Critical Rate and Damage.
Muscle Band	Muscle Band is an effective item to further boost basic attack damage. This item is especially useful against tanky targets such as Defenders.
Focus Band	Focus Band is a great defensive pickup to increase overall survivability in the middle of fights, a place where All-Rounders want to be.
Energy Amplifier	Energy Amplifier is a great pickup for boosting damage via proper Unite Move usage and timing. This is especially effective for All-Rounders who can activate their Unite Moves twice like Machamp and Charizard.
Rocky Helmet	Rocky Helmet is another good pickup to improve survivability in teamfights. This held item unleashes an AoE damage whenever you receive enough damage, which synergizes perfectly with an All-Rounder's in-your-face playstyle.
Assault Vest	Assault Vest is a solid defensive pickup. This held item grants you a shield that negates a certain amount of Special Damage.
Weakness Policy	Weakness Policy enhances an All-Rounder's playstyle of tanking and doing damage simultaneously via its stacking damage increase. It's quite easy for an All-Rounder to stack the damage increase since they like to be in the middle of fights to soak damage.

All-Rounder Guide: How to Play All-Rounders

Defender

Item	Summary
Rocky Helmet	One of the best pickups for Defenders. Rocky Helmet bolsters your defense and lets you reflect damage after you receive a certain amount, making you an even tougher target to take down.
Assault Vest	Assault Vest bolsters your Special Defense, which is great for tanking the front lines against pokemon such as Gengar and Alolan Ninetales.
Buddy Barrier	Buddy Barrier is a solid pickup for improving your HP. The main reason to get this item is for its special effect, which grants you and a low-HP ally a massive shield upon activating an Unite Move.
Focus Band	Focus Band is a nice pickup that improves overall survivability. This held item also grants you a sudden burst of HP regeneration whenever you fall too low.
Exp. Share	Exp. Share is a niche pickup, but one that can be useful in certain scenarios and matchups. Aside from the HP and movement boosts, you also gain passive exp gain whenever you're the lowest on the team in terms of level. This allows you to funnel all of the last hits to your Attackers instead, which can lead to lane domination early on.
Score Shield	Another niche pickup, Score Shield makes your goal attempts uninterruptible. This can be extremely useful for certain scenarios and close matches.

Defender Guide: How to Play Defenders

Supporter

Item	Summary
Rocky Helmet	A supporter's goal is to survive as long as possible to bolster their teammates. Rocky Helmet is a great way to increase your HP and Defense, while turning you into a difficult target to take down due to its special effect.
Assault Vest	Assault Vest grants you a barrier that negates a certain amount of Special Damage, improving overall survivability.
Buddy Barrier	Buddy Barrier grants you and a low-HP ally a massive shield whenever you pop a Unite Move. This is extremely useful for keeping yourselves alive in dire situations and can be the difference between victory and defeat.
Focus Band	Focus Band is another solid item that improves overall survivability. Its special effect grants you a burst of HP regeneration once you drop too much HP, potentially giving you enough time to turn things around for you and your team.
Wise Glasses	Wise Glasses is a straightforward item that increases Special Damage. This is a great pickup for Supporters since they primarily deal Special Damage.
Shell Bell	Shell Bell is another great pickup for Supporters because it improves Special Damage, reduces move cooldowns, and lets them regenerate HP whenever their moves hit a target.
Exp. Share	Exp. Share is a decent pickup with great stats for Supporters. Its special effect lets Supporters funnel exp towards their teammates instead, which usually leads to a smooth and dominant laning phase.

Supporter Guide: How to Play Supporters

Tier List Criteria

Full Criteria

Criteria
Item Stats	Effect Impact	Accessibility	Rank Usage

Each of these factors determine the Held Item's place within the tier list. Read on to learn what they refer to exactly:

Item Stats: We looked at the Held Item's basic stats and how efficient they are within the current metagame.
Effect Impact: Determines the overall power level of the Held Item's special effect and its scaling — How powerful is this effect overall and how does instrumental it is for a Pokemon's success?
Accessibility: Determines how useful the Held Item is across multiple Pokemon, regardless of role.
Rank Usage: We gauged the Held Item's performance in high-ranked matches to get a better glimpse at its overall effect in high-level scenarios and play.

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Pokemon UNITE Tier Lists per Role
Attacker Tier List	Speedster Tier List
All-Rounder Tier List	Defender Tier List
Supporter Tier List

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