Here are the notes and updates for Pokémon UNITE Patch 1.6.1.2

Pokémon Unite is celebrating its first anniversary with more than a month of new events, content, and updates dropping for players across Nintendo Switch and mobile. And, just like with every big update, the developers have included a sizable balance patch to try and adjust a few elements of the core gameplay.

Outside of the patch that went live when UNITE launched on mobile last September, this might be the most important update the game has ever had. It adds in a new core mechanic with the Boost Emblems, reworks multiple Pokémon, and a new Boss Rush game mode. 

To start, Glaceon has been added to the game as a playable Pokémon, Absol got nerfed after dominating at various levels over the last month since it was buffed, and Azumarill got some much-needed buffs. 

Boost Emblems coins with art of various Pokémon on them that are split into classifications and colors that impact different stats on a new table that can be used to further modify core gameplay. This results in color effects, which will stack the more you use emblems of the same color, and boost stats like Attack and Defense or effects such as movement speed or basic attack speed boosts.

Related: Everything you need to know about Pokemon UNITE’s Boss Rush mode 

As for the Boss Rush mode, players will now get to team up and take on a set of three Boss Pokémon in a row, with reworked mechanics and abilities. Several UI improvements and bug fixes are also live to improve player experience.

Here are the full patch notes for UNITE version 1.6.1.2.

Full Pokémon UNITE Version 1.6.1.2 patch notes

General

• Glaceon added as playable Pokémon 
• Ranked Season 5 begins
  • This will be the final Ranked Season featuring a Holowear reward
  • Ranked Seasons have been shortened to one-and-a-half months
• Max Trainer Level increased to 50
  • Battle Point system has been reworked slightly
• New Boss Rush event added
• Boost Emblem system added
• Improved system to detect players abandoning matches
• Bug fixes
• Text fixes
• Event updates
  • 1st Anniversary event

Balance adjustments

• Absol
  • Night Slash damage decreased
    • Bug fix for range of attack
  • Psycho Cut deals damage decreased
• Delphox
  • Mystical Fire bug fix that caused critical hits after having a specific effect
  • Fire Blast bug fix that caused critical hits after having a specific effect
  • Fire Spin damage and hindrance duration decreased
  • Flame Charge duration adjusted and range increased
• Zeraora
  • Discharge damage and cooldown increased
  • Unite Move: Plasma Gale is now unlocked at level nine, not 10
• Blissey
  • Safeguard cooldown increased and shield effect decreased
  • Egg Bomb damage decreased and effect duration on enemies reduced
• Azumarill
  • HP stat increased
  • Bubble damage increased
  • Play Rough cooldown reduced
  • Aqua Tail damage and HP recovery increased, cooldown reduced

There are also reports that Decidueye’s Spirit Shackle was quietly reworked, decreasing the number of arrows a player can store in exchange for increased damage, arrow speed, and a reduced cooldown. Cramorant’s dive also appears to have been reworked to feature better collision detection.

Neither of these were included in the official patch notes but are currently being tested by players in-game.