GO Battle League Season 24 Move Updates (Tales of Transformation)

Trainers, the eagerly-awaited PvP moveset shakeup in Tales of Transformation GO Battle League has made landfall in Pokémon GO, and it has been more impactful than anyone imagined! Dragons have been hit hard, and the dreaded Charm has finally been tamed. Many Pokémon have gained cheaper Charged Attacks, leading to a spammy new meta.

Fast Attack pressure is now lower than ever, and players have to fear Charged Attacks hitting more frequently than ever. It really is a perfect storm that has got even veterans on the edge of their seats!

With that said, let’s take a look at how the new stats of these updated moves turned out to be, how hard some monsters have plummeted, and then some of the threats you’ll have to watch out for.

All Move Reworks in GBL Season 24

Move	Pokémon
Aura Sphere	Energy cost 55 → 40 Power 100 → 80
Body Slam	Power 50 → 55
All Weather Ball	Power 55 → 60
Charm	Energy generation 6 → 8 Power 15 → 13
Confusion	Energy generation 12 → 14
Breaking Swipe	Energy cost 35 → 50 Guaranteed debuff of opponent’s Attack by 1 stage
Dragon Breath	Energy generation 3 → 4 Power 4 → 3
Dragon Claw	Energy cost 35 → 50 Power 50 → 80
Dragon Pulse	Energy cost 60 → 55
Dragon Tail	Energy generation 9 → 12 Power 13 → 9
Aerial Ace	Energy cost 40 → 45 Power 55 → 60
Drill Peck	Power 65 → 70
Peck	Energy generation 5 → 8
Sky Attack	Energy cost 55 → 50 Power 85 → 75
Ember	Energy generation 7 → 9 Power 7 → 4
Flame Wheel	Energy cost 55 → 45 Power 60 → 80
Gyro Ball	Energy cost 60 → 50
Steel Wing	Energy generation 6 → 5
Leafage	Energy generation 7 → 8
Seed Bomb	Energy cost 45 → 40 Power 65 → 55
Rock Slide	Power 65 → 75
Smack Down	Power 11 → 12
Scorching Sands	Opponent Attack debuff chance 30% → 10%
Volt Switch	Power 12 → 14
Water Pulse	Energy cost 55 → 50

Attack Availability Updates

Move	Pokémon
Brutal Swing	Salamence Incineroar Turtonator
Crunch	Shelgon Salamence
Breaking Swipe	Garchomp
Dragon Claw	Turtonator
Flame Wheel	Torkoal
Flamethrower	Altaria
Metal Sound	Empoleon Kommo-o
Drill Peck	Fearow
Peck	Dodrio Xatu Togekiss
Air Cutter	Charizard
Psyshock	Alola Raichu Xatu Galarian Slowking Victini Delphox Aromatisse
Rock Tomb	Druddigon Tyrunt Tyrantrum Hakamo-o
Rock Wrecker	Crustle
Sand Tomb	Flygon Krookodile
Mud Slap	Nidoqueen Torterra
Hyper Fang	Pachirisu
Swift	Kingdra
Trailblaze	Dodrio
Upper Hand	Kommo-o
Aura Sphere	Raikou Celebi Latias Latios Jirachi
Drain Punch	Slowbro Galarian Slowbro Gengar Quagsire Sableye Toxicroak Mienfoo Mienshao Incineroar Passimian
Sludge	Venusaur
Thunder Punch	Dragonite

Impact of GBL Season 24 Move Shakeup

Dragon Breath & Dragon Tail

• Dragon Breath now has [3 DPT/4 EPT] with its classic 1-turn cooldown (0.5s), making it perhaps the silver lining of the moveset changes. Dragon Tail is now just a worse Dragon Breath, sporting the same [3 DPT/4 EPT] but with a painful 3-turn cooldown (1.5s). 
• Previously, while Dragon Breath did have an edge for being smoother to use, Dragon Tail was competitive due to its higher damage output. Now, for Pokémon that learn both, Dragon Breath is the clear, undisputed choice. 

Breaking Swipe

• Breaking Swipe previously cost 35 energy with a 50% chance to debuff the opponent’s ATK. Before that, Steelix’s shenanigans in the Ultra League had forced Niantic to take out the guaranteed debuff chance, and now, the guaranteed debuff is back but with an ugly twist: Breaking Swipe is now more expensive, at 50 energy.
• This is a huge nerf for the cheapest Dragon Charged Move in the game (alongside Dragon Claw), lowering the spice value of mons like Rayquaza, Dragapult, and Haxorus, and throwing premier threats like Steelix and Rhyperior out of the bus.
• Steelix and UL Zygarde will be in check, with the former making Thunder Fang and Earthquake tempting. Rhyperior is severely affected, losing out on one of its main weapons.

Dragon Claw

• Dragon Claw now costs 50 energy but does +30 DMG, now at 80 DMG.
• While it is a disappointing energy debuff of sorts, those with Dragon Breath can manage the pace and salvage the higher 80 DMG. It’s definitely not as bad as the embarrassing Breaking Swipe. It’s weird, though, that for PvP usage, you’d rather want Claw over Breaking Swipe now, so if you were using Haxorus for fun, you won’t get the same results. Then again, Hax should be used in PvE.
• With this change, the cheapest non-exclusive Dragon type Charged Attack (obviously not considering Dragon Energy and Dynamax Cannon) in Pokémon GO is 50 energy! High time to bring in newbies like Scale Shot and Dual Chop?

Dragon Pulse

• Dragon Pulse now costs 55 energy, making it an Earth Power clone stat wise. While 50 energy would have been better, it’s not too bad and an option for those who have it.
• Hydreigon is now a bit stronger, and Giratina Origin has an option. Again, there’s nothing spectacular about Dragon Pulse, but it’s now a fun move to run, maybe even with Shadow Alolan Exeggutor (who’d also enjoy a cheaper Seed Bomb, at only 40 energy).

Charm

• Charm goes from [5 DPT/2 EPT] to [4.33 DPT/2.66 EPT]. Honestly, 9 energy instead of the current 8 would have been nicer, which would have given it 3 EPT, but that would have made Wigglytuff bonkers.
• To give you a perspective, Charm is now a harder-hitting Waterfall.
• With Charm, Togekiss comes to mind, who might have lost its charm (hehe), but it now has a new toy at its disposal, one that changes its playstyle entirely: Peck.

Peck

• Ah, Peck. The [3 DPT/2.5 EPT] Fast Attack has transcended to another level, with its offensive profile now being [3 DPT/4 EPT], a Shadow Claw/Acid clone! Now, that’s a massive upgrade and puts Togekiss at the forefront.
• Togekiss now learns the 40 energy, 80 DMG Aura Sphere, and coupled with another 40 energy move in Psyshock (70 DMG), it has become a spammy and powerful attacker, instead of being its older slugging self. Togekiss has a crazy moveset, and its stocks are going to rise big time!
• The evergreen Altaria would also love to run Peck, and so does the unconventional Seaking.

Aura Sphere

• With 40 energy and 80 DMG, Aura Sphere is now a Hydro Cannon clone!
• Togekiss is undoubtedly the biggest benefactor, and good ol’ Lucario is really going to flex this in PvP and Team GO Rocket battles alike. Four Force Palms do an Aura Sphere!
• The Lati twins, Raikou, and Celebi can bring some Aura Spice in limited metas.

Drill Peck

• Boosted to 70 power, Drill Peck brings attention to Empoleon, who now also has the 4 EPT Metal Sound. Empoleon is one of the biggest winners of this update, shelling out 40 energy Drill Peck and Hydro Cannon with utmost efficiency. This thing is going to terrorize the Ultra League.

Upper Hand

• Discussing Metal Sound puts the spotlight on its other recipient: Kommo-o, who also learns Upper Hand. While Metal Sound sounds fun, the added energy generation of Dragon Tail (plus STAB) gives this Pseudo Legendary a top game with the 40 energy Upper Hand (has a 30% chance to drop the opponent’s DEF) and the insanely powerful Clanging Scales (at 45 energy).

Sky Attack

• Should have been 45 energy, but we got 50. Pretty disappointing, and with Steel Wing also got nerfed, Skarmory is in a sticky spot.

Air Cutter

• Holy Charizard! Dragon Breath + Air Cutter (only 35 energy) and Blast Burn is going to be a menace. 

Other good changes include:

• Rock Tomb to Tyrantrum
• Sludge is amazing for Venusaur
• Mud-Slap Torterra and Nidoqueen
• For PvE, Breaking Swipe Mega Garchomp and pure Dark Mega Salamence

What changes are you most excited for? As the fresh new meta develops, some of these updates might end up being more potent. In the meantime, expect to see Pokémon like Empoleon, Charizard, Venusaur, Togekiss, Lucario, Kommo-o, etc., more often than ever.

This has been a thrilling update, one that has certainly disrupted the meta in more ways than expected or imagined. All the best for Season 24, trainers!