Bear a behemoth blade with Zacian in Pokémon UNITE! Charge up your attacks with Aeos energy and cut the opposition down to size with Legendary power. This powerful Pokémon from the Galar region makes its debut on Aeos Island this Pokémon Day as part of a special event: Adventure in Zacian’s Weald. In this event, Zacian can be obtained without spending Aeos coins or Aeos gems.

The Adventure in Zacian’s Weald event will be held in Pokémon UNITE until Sunday, March 26, at 4:59 p.m. PDT. Players can obtain dice by logging in (and other means) and then roll them to advance squares on a board. As players advance squares, they can complete missions to earn adventure coins and then exchange those coins for Zacian’s Unite license.

To commemorate Pokémon Day and Zacian’s introduction to Pokémon UNITE, players can use the gift code POKEMONDAY to redeem a gold Zacian Pokémon boost emblem, which has useful effects in battle. This gift code is redeemable until Sunday, March 26, 2023, at 4:59 p.m. PDT. To redeem this gift code, follow these steps:

• Launch Pokémon UNITE on mobile or Nintendo Switch.
• Select the events icon on the right side of the main menu.
• Select the Daily Events tab.
• Scroll down and select Gift Exchange.
• Select Exchange and then enter the gift code on the page that appears.

Read on to learn more about everything Zacian has to offer in Pokémon UNITE’s latest update and to pick up some tips before battling with this Warrior Pokémon.

Zacian Basics

If Zacian’s basic attacks are performed consecutively within a set time, the effects of the second and subsequent basic attack stages will change. (When Zacian is using a move, this set time is extended.) For stage two, Zacian deals damage to opposing Pokémon and decreases their movement speed. For stage three, Zacian deals damage to opposing Pokémon while restoring its own HP. For stage four, Zacian quickly draws near an opposing Pokémon and deals damage to it. Also for stage four, all of Zacian’s move cooldowns are reduced.

Zacian has the Intrepid Sword Ability. If the goal scoring button is held down, Zacian has its sword charged with Aeos energy, and for a short time, Zacian’s basic attacks become boosted attacks. In addition, during the effect duration, Zacian can use a boosted version of one of its moves once. The longer the goal scoring button is held down, the more Aeos energy is charged into the sword, lengthening the duration of the boost effect on basic attacks and moves. Intrepid Sword goes on cooldown after it’s triggered.

Boosted basic attacks have an increased area of effect and deal additional damage proportional to the opposing Pokémon’s HP. When Zacian knocks out or assists in knocking out a Pokémon on the opposing team, that Pokémon will drop more Aeos energy than it normally would.

Lv. 1 & 3 Moves

Slash

Zacian deals damage to an opposing Pokémon and deals a small amount of damage to nearby opposing Pokémon. When Slash is boosted with Aeos energy, its area of effect is increased, it deals increased damage, and it also decreases opposing Pokémon’s movement speed for a short time.

Quick Attack

Zacian charges in the designated direction, stops in place when it hits an opposing Pokémon, and deals damage to it. When Quick Attack is boosted with Aeos energy, it also leaves opposing Pokémon unable to act for a short time.

Lv. 5 Moves

Metal Claw

Zacian releases a shock wave in the designated direction, dealing damage to opposing Pokémon it hits and decreasing their movement speed. As the shock wave moves forward, it negates projectile attacks from opposing Pokémon it hits. After releasing the shock wave, Zacian also charges and deals damage to opposing Pokémon. If this charge hits an opposing Pokémon, Zacian’s basic attack speed is increased for a short time. When Metal Claw is boosted with Aeos energy, the shock wave’s size and travel distance are increased. Also, the movement speed of opposing Pokémon hit by the shock wave is further decreased. Metal Claw can be upgraded to reduce its cooldown.

Sacred Sword

Zacian slashes around itself as if drawing a circle with the tip of its sword, dealing damage to opposing Pokémon in the area of effect and decreasing their movement speed. Zacian then unleashes a slashing attack inside the circle, dealing damage to opposing Pokémon it hits and leaving them unable to act. After this move hits an opposing Pokémon, Zacian’s Attack is increased for a short time, and damage dealt by Zacian’s moves and basic attacks partially ignores the opposing Pokémon’s Defense. When Sacred Sword is boosted with Aeos energy, its area of effect is increased, and the time until the slashing attack is unleashed is reduced. Sacred Sword can be upgraded to reduce the time until the slashing attack is unleashed.

Lv. 7 Moves

Agility

Any hindrances applied to Zacian are removed, and Zacian’s movement speed is greatly increased. After a short time, the movement speed increase weakens and stays that way for a set amount of time. The effect duration is increased if Zacian is in combat with Pokémon from the opposing team. When Agility is boosted with Aeos energy, Zacian’s movement speed is further increased, and Zacian is also granted a shield. Agility can be upgraded to further increase the movement speed boost.

Play Rough

Zacian leaps in the designated direction, dealing damage to an opposing Pokémon it hits and leaving them unable to act. For a short time after Zacian lands, Zacian takes reduced damage from the opposing Pokémon it dealt damage to. When Play Rough is boosted with Aeos energy, Zacian leaps further and will no longer stop in place when hitting an opposing Pokémon, and all opposing Pokémon hit along the leap’s path will receive damage and be left unable to act. Play Rough can be upgraded to increase the length of time opposing Pokémon are left unable to act.

Zacian’s Unite Move, Sovereign Sword

Zacian readies its giant sword, charges the sword with Aeos energy, and then slashes in front of itself. Zacian becomes immune to hindrances while the Unite Move button is held down and Zacian is in its ready stance. The longer Zacian is in this stance, the more Aeos energy is charged into the sword, and the more damage Sovereign Sword deals. If a set amount of Aeos energy or more is charged into the sword, the Unite Move becomes boosted, and the slash’s area of effect increases. This boosted Unite Move deals increased damage to opposing Pokémon it hits who have been buffed by their own Unite Move.

Metagame Watch

Melee All-Rounders are often powerful Pokémon that deal plenty of sustained damage at the cost of low range, making positioning and mobility-focused moves important. Zacian’s Intrepid Sword Ability and the boosted versions of Play Rough and Agility make it possible for Zacian to keep up with speedy, ranged targets, but Zacian will still require some help from teammates to take down key targets.

Strong Against: Zoroark

Zoroark is a powerful Speedster that can knock out key targets in the blink of an eye, but it can be punished with strong hindrances. Since Zoroark needs to get into melee range to deal its damage, Zacian’s Sacred Sword can quickly ruin Zoroark’s day by leaving it unable to act and giving Zacian an angle to counterattack. In games in which Speedsters like Zoroark are running wild, players using Zacian should use Sacred Sword to shut them down.

Weak Against: Delphox

Zacian can counter powerful ranged Pokémon with Metal Claw’s projectile blocking, but Delphox has plenty of ranged tools to keep it at bay, such as Mystical Fire, Fire Spin, and its Unite Move, Fanciful Fireworks. Players using Zacian will want to keep all of these major cooldowns in mind, since it’s unlikely Zacian will be able to deal with Delphox unless all of Delphox’s cooldowns have been expended. Players using Zacian will also want to make sure they use Agility or Play Rough to close the gap to Delphox when the time is right.