How to Get and Use the Buddy Barrier in Pokemon Unite

Jeremy Kanjanapangka

Published: Aug 3, 2021 06:31 pm

The Buddy Barrier is a Held Item in Pokémon Unite, the new Pokémon-themed MOBA for Nintendo Switch and later mobile devices. Held Items are—as the name implies—items that you can give to your Pokémon for them to hang onto, which grants them bonuses during battles. Today, we’ll show you how to get and use the Buddy Barrier in Pokémon Unite!

How to Get the Buddy Barrier

The Buddy Barrier, like most Held Items in Pokémon Unite, is purchased from the Aeos Emporium, under the items section. The Buddy Barrier costs either 1,000 Aeos Coins or 625 Aeos Tickets. There may also be special events where you can receive one for free, so keep an eye out for active events!

How to Use the Buddy Barrier

Once you own the Buddy Barrier, you can give it to any Pokémon you want in the Battle Prep menu, which can be accessed from the sidebar menu.

You will automatically gain a temporary shield equal to 20% of your maximum HP whenever you use a unite move with the Buddy Barrier equipped. Additionally, a nearby ally will also gain the shield, prioritizing the ally with the lowest HP. The Buddy Barrier is the perfect held item for Pokémon that have unite moves that dive them into the enemy team, as it can give you a bit of unexpected sturdiness. The Buddy Barrier also passively increases your maximum HP.

Level 1: shield strength equal to 20% of max HP
Level 10: shield strength equal to 30% of max HP
Level 20: shield strength equal to 40% of max HP

Notice that the strength of the shield is directly equal to how much HP your Pokémon has. This means that the Buddy Barrier’s shield is much stronger on defender type Pokémon, as they have naturally high maximum HP.

The Buddy Barrier really shines when your team has unite moves that synergize well together. Expert players will usually be able to target who is the most dangerous Pokémon on your team, and when you dive into fights with the Buddy Barrier, you can keep your allies protected. It’s also great on unite moves that require the Pokémon to be somewhat stationary, like Mr. Mime’s or Snorlax’s.

That’s all you need to know about the Buddy Barrier in Pokémon Unite. Are there any other strategies you have? Let us know in the comments below!

Author

Jeremy Kanjanapangka

Jeremy is a Content Writer for Touch, Tap, Play, and has been writing in the games journalism industry for almost a decade now. With a degree in English and a passion for games, he loves to talk and write about all kinds of games. While you can find him covering the latest and greatest games, there is a special place in his heart for RPGs, action-adventure games, fighting games, and anything Nintendo related.