Pokémon Go Guide: Learn More About Go Battle League And Ranks

When Pokémon Go was first released, there was a lot of excitement as this gave many players and fans the chance to do what they've wanted, and this is to catch them all. However, interest started to wane a bit as in addition to catching Pokémon, Trainers also wanted to battle each other as well.

Eventually Pokémon Go launched Trainer Battles last year. Just this January, the game added a new feature which was the Go Battle League. The Go Battle League now allows Trainers to battle opponents anywhere in the world through online matches.

Today we dive a bit deeper into this new feature and look particularly at how ranking works.

Let's start with how to enter a battle. All that you need to do is tap the Main Menu button and then tap Battle.

Of course, it isn't as easy that. To be able to actually take part in the Go Battle League, you first need to unlock the Go Battle League set, which gives you access to play a series of five matches. While the set can be unlocked for free, future sets will need to be unlocked by walking 5 km.

Here's the thing, though. You don't actually need to walk all the way as long as you have PokéCoins. Once you've managed to walk 2 km, a Battle Button appears. This gives you the choice to unlock a set using PokéCoins. The nearer you are to 5 km, the lower the amount of PokéCoins you need to spend.

Rewards

Winning a match in Go Battle League gives out a particular reward. Subsequent wins in a single set lets you unlock different rewards. However, before you choose a set, be sure to make a decision on what type of reward you want before looking for a match. It's important to note that if you want Premium Rewards, you need to exchange a Premium Battle Pass for it.

Battling Other Trainers

Once you select a battle party, Pokémon Go matches you with another trainer that's also looking for a fight. If you intentionally exit a match, it results in an automatic loss for you. Now suppose the app crashes or you lose internet connection, there's still a chance to rejoin the battle by simply rebooting the app. However, your current opponent can continue to attack your Pokémon. This means you want to always be sure to have a strong connection before starting any battle.

Seasons

The Go Battle League is going to offer seasons where ranks and ratings are reset. For each season, Trainers progress through Great, Ultra, and Master League battles. However, only one league is going to be available at a time.

Ranks and Ratings

Trainers who take part in Go Battle are given a rank. This is based on how many matches have been played or matches won. Trainers who end the season with a higher rank get better end-of-season rewards. The good news is that once you get a new rank, you can't drop below it for the rest of the season.

A player's Go Battle League Rank is only computed when battling through the Go Battle League global matching system. Rank is not affected when battling Trainers though Battle Code, training with Team Leaders, or battling Friends through the Friends list.

Overall there are 10 possible ranks in Go Battle league:

• Ranks 1–3
  • For this rank, you can improve by playing matches, whether you win or lose.
• Ranks 4–6
  • In this rank, you can improve by winning battles. Don't worry too much, as losses don't count against your progress.
• Ranks 7–9
  • Once you reach these ranks, you'll be able to see your rating.
  • Your rating is your performance in the Go Battle League relative to other Trainers.
  • Once you reach this rank, you're going to be matched with other Trainers based on their current rating. This should allow for matches to be more competitive.
  • In order to reach higher ranks, you need to increase your matchmaking rating.
  • While losses won't lower your rank, it does lower your rating.
  • Be sure to have a good win-loss ratio to increase your rank.
• Rank 10
  • This is the highest rank possible.
  • If you reach rank 10, you need to continue defeating other Trainers in order to increase your matchmaking rating.

Hopefully with this you'll be more ready to fight. How’s your performance in the Go Battle Leagues so far?