Skip to main content

Here’s the low down on how ‘Pokémon Go’ trainer battles and PVP work

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Niantic shared with us new details on the newly announced Trainer Battles feature that will be rolling out to Pokémon Go worldwide later in December. Players will soon be able to participate in type-based three-on-three trainer battles with friends, nearby opponents, and artificial intelligence Team Leaders.

Recommended Videos

Related

How to start a Trainer Battle in Pokémon Go

To commence a battle, trainers can challenge nearby opponents using the new Battle Code invitation system. This is done by looking under the Nearby tab and then physically scanning their QR code. A screen will then pop up prompting the opposing trainer with “Let’s do it!” or “No, thanks.”

Players can challenge online friends remotely as long as they’ve reached the Ultra friendship level or higher. Battling can also increase your friendship level with other trainers.

A.I. Team Leaders are available for Solo Battles as well, which may be a suitable option for younger trainers since Niantic has said that you must be older than 13 years old to participate in Trainer Battles.

Battles are not turn-based but unfold in real time, requiring trainers to tap on their screens to launch Fast Attacks that power up Charged Attacks. Once a charged ability is full, tapping on it will start a mini-game where trainers use rhythmic taps to their screen to build up the power of the attack.

The cadence of the taps will dictate the amount of damage done, amping up the intensity of battle as players decide whether to block an opponent’s upcoming attack using a Protect Shield. Each trainer only has three shields available per battle.

Each Trainer Battle has a time limit of about four minutes but Niantic has said this could be subject to change depending on player feedback. Niantic has also confirmed that the Charged Attack pool will remain the same during the Trainer Battle feature launch, but players can unlock an extra Charged Attack that can be used across Trainer Battles, Raids and Gym Battles.

Trainer Battle leagues and rewards in Pokémon Go

Each Trainer Battle requires trainers to select a league. There are three leagues players can choose from that are defined by CP limits. Great League has a limit of 1,500, Ultra League has a limit of 2,500, and Master League has no limit. Niantic has expressed that Master League may be of particular interest to trainers that want to use their legendary Pokémon during battle.

Players can assemble their preferred roster of Pokémon for each league prior to battle but instead of the classic team of six, battles will be played with teams of three. Swapping Pokémon out of your teams will have a cooldown so trainers are advised to choose their Battle Parties wisely. 

Both winners and losers will earn a reward for participating in a battle, with the primary reward being Stardust and Candy. We also saw Sinnoh Stones shown as a possible reward during our preview, though Niantic confirmed it will maintain the same rarity it presently has and that the reward table will likely change over time.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Rewards are limited to three per day for trainer vs trainer battles and one per day for Team Leader battles, though trainers can participate in as many battles as they’d like.

Trainers that battle against Team Leaders can work towards an Ace Trainer badge, and can additionally earn badges for achievements made while battling in the three Battle Leagues.

Battle-themed field researches will not be part of the Trainer Battles launch but could be a possibility in the future, as well as other more complex mechanics. When asked if any new shinies would be added alongside the Trainer Battles launch, Niantic responded with no comment.

Trainer Battles will be arriving to Pokémon GO later this month, and at the moment, there is no confirmed launch date. We do know that it will be rolled out in a similar style as previous features, starting with level 40 trainers first.

Felicia Miranda
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Born in '89 and raised through the 90s, I experienced what I consider to be the golden age of video games. At an early age, I…
Pokémon Go studio cancels four titles, including its Transformers game
pokemon go developer introduces ar pet game peridot

Niantic, the hitmaker behind Pokémon Go and Pikmin Bloom, is buckling up for some hard times. The company announced it has canceled the production of four games and laid off 8% of its staff.

According to a report from Bloomberg, Niantic CEO John Hanke wrote a companywide email saying that around 85 to 90 employees were getting laid off. Hanke explained that the company has been "facing a time of economic turmoil" and has resorted to "reducing costs in a variety of areas." That meant canceling four games, including Transformers game, Heavy Metal, and Hamlet.

Read more
Pokemon Go developer introduces AR pet game Peridot
pokemon go developer introduces ar pet game peridot

Niantic, the developer of Pokemon Go, has announced Peridot, a new AR pet simulator that revolves around raising, caring for, and breeding the titular creatures. It's the company's first original AR game since 2014's Ingress, and it's practically a combination of Neopets and Tamagotchi — which many of us grew up carrying around in the early aughts.

In the game, Peridots (or Dots, for short) wake up to a world that is vastly different from their own after sleeping for thousands of years and need the player's help to save them from the edge of extinction. Much like Pokemon Go, Peridot encourages players to step outside their comfort zone and explore the world with their cute, mystical pets and learn more about them as they experience life from birth to adulthood.

Read more
How Pokédex research tasks work in Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Pokémon Legends: Arceus promo imaage featuring two trainers and their parties looking out towards a mountain.

Almost every mainline Pokémon title has had the same main plot of collecting all the gym badges, becoming the league champion, and thwarting some nefarious team or organization along the way. That tried and true formula has been tossed to the wayside for Pokémon Legends: Arceus, which takes us back to the distant past of the Pokémon world where the relationships between wild monsters and trainers were still being figured out. Gyms haven't been established yet, let alone any organized leagues for battling. Instead, the entire plot of this game is all about studying and researching Pokémon.

The ultimate goal for your trainer in Pokémon Legends: Arceus is to help gather enough data to create the very first Pokédex. This legendary tool has been a part of the Pokémon world since the first game, helping you keep track of all the different monsters you've encountered, details on their stats, lore, and anything else you would want to know about them. Because you're building it for the first time, just encountering a Pokémon won't automatically fill in the entire Pokédex. You will need to complete research tasks, but this system has a few layers that may not be apparent right away. Here's a full breakdown of how research tasks work in Pokémon Legends: Arceus so you can make history by completing the very first Pokédex.

Read more