Trainers, GO Battle League: Shared Skies is almost here! Get ready for another thrilling season of battles with the 19th official GO Battle League Season. In this announcement, we’ll break down all the details, including new attack changes, cups, rewards, and more!
Let’s dive right into the specifics so you don’t miss any important information.
Date, Time, Rank Resets & Rewards
GO Battle League: Shared Skies will commence on Saturday, June 1, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. PDT (GMT −8).
Here’s what to expect at the beginning of the season:
- End-of-Season rewards will be available on the battle screen.
- Your GO Battle League rank will be reset.
- Rank-up requirements will remain unchanged from the previous season.
The new season brings a fresh start with a rank reset, giving everyone an equal opportunity to climb the ranks. End-of-season rewards will be available, maintaining the excitement and competitive spirit of the GO Battle League.
GO Battle League: Shared Skies Schedule
The following leagues will begin and end at 1:00 p.m. PDT (GMT −8) on the dates listed below:
| Dates | Active Leagues and Cups |
|---|---|
| June 1 – June 7 |
|
| June 7 – June 14 |
|
| June 14 – June 21 |
|
| June 21 – June 28 |
|
| June 28 – July 5 |
|
| July 5 – July 12 |
|
| July 12 – July 19 |
|
| July 19 – July 26 |
|
| July 26 – August 2 |
|
| August 2 – August 9 |
|
| August 9 – August 16 |
|
| August 16 – August 23 |
|
| August 23 – September 3 |
|
*4× Stardust from win rewards (this does not include end-of-set rewards)
The season schedule includes a mix of leagues and special cups, with Great League featured prominently to ensure accessibility for all players. The inclusion of 4× Stardust rewards in specific weeks provides additional incentives for battlers to participate.
GO Battle Week: Shared Skies
Date: Friday, August 16, 2024, at 12:00 a.m. to Tuesday, August 20, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. local time
Bonuses:
- 4× Stardust from win rewards. (This does not include end-of-set rewards.)
- The maximum number of sets you can play per day will increase from five to 20—for a total of 100 battles—from 12:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. local time.
- Free battle-themed Timed Research will be available. Rewards include a wig avatar item inspired by Lana.
- Pokémon encountered via GO Battle League rewards will have a wider variance of Attack, Defense, and HP.
GO Battle Week: Shared Skies offers a great opportunity to earn extra Stardust and participate in more battles than usual. The special Timed Research and unique rewards, such as the Lana-inspired wig, add an extra layer of excitement to this event.
GO Battle League: Shared Skies Rewards
Guaranteed Rank-Up Encounters
You can encounter the following Pokémon once per season at the designated ranks:
| Rank | Guaranteed reward |
|---|---|
| Rank 1 |
Wingull
|
| Rank 6 |
Scraggy
|
| Ace Rank |
Deino
|
| Veteran Rank |
Goomy
|
| Expert Rank |
Jangmo-o
|
| Legend Rank |
Pikachu
Libre
|
Standard Encounters
You can encounter the following Pokémon in reward encounters throughout the season at the ranks shown below:
Rank 1+
Rank 6+
Rank 11+
Rank 16+
Rank 20+
Active Raid Boss in five-star raids
Ace+
Veteran+
Expert+
Legend
GO Battle League Timed Research Pass
For our most dedicated battlers, a pass to access battle-themed Timed Research will be available in the in-game shop at no cost once GO Battle League: Shared Skies begins.
This Timed Research will keep track of your victories throughout the Season.
Each research page will require 100 wins to complete, and doing so will award Stardust and items such as Rare Candy XL, an Elite Fast TM (at 400 wins), and an Elite Charged TM (at 500 wins). Keep at it throughout the Season to see how far you can get!
The GO Battle League Timed Research Pass offers dedicated battlers an additional avenue to earn rewards and showcase their dedication throughout the season.
Avatar Items and Other Rewards
Trainers will be able to earn the following avatar items, which are all inspired by Lana, the Trial Captain of Akala Island’s Brooklet Hill, from the Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon video games! At Ace rank, you’ll receive a wig inspired by Lana. At Veteran rank, you’ll receive shoes inspired by Lana. At Expert rank, you’ll receive an outfit inspired by Lana. At Legend rank, you’ll receive a pose inspired by Lana. The wig inspired by Lana is a reward currently exclusive to Shared Skies and will not be generally given for GO Battle League Rank rewards after the Season ends.
Lana is a skilled Trial Captain from the Pokémon Sun and Moon series, known for her expertise in Water type Pokémon battles on Akala Island’s Brooklet Hill.
GO Battle League Season 19 Cups
You can look forward to the following cups this season:
- Ultra Premier: Pokémon must be at or below 2,500 CP to enter. Legendary Pokémon, Mythical Pokémon, and Ultra Beasts are not eligible.
- Summer Cup: Great League Edition: Pokémon must be at or below 1,500 CP to enter. Only Normal, Fire, Water, Grass, Electric, and Bug type Pokémon are eligible.
- Master Premier: No CP Limit. Legendary Pokémon, Mythical Pokémon, and Ultra Beasts are not eligible.
- Great League Remix: Pokémon must be at or below 1,500 CP to enter. The 20 Pokémon that are most used by Trainers ranked Ace and above in the Great League are not eligible.The following Pokémon are not eligible.
- Fantasy Cup: Great League Edition: Pokémon must be at or below 1,500 CP to enter. Only Dragon, Steel, and Fairy type Pokémon are eligible.
- Fossil Cup: Great League Edition: Pokémon must be at or below 1,500 CP to enter. Only Water, Rock, and Steel type Pokémon are eligible.
- Catch Cup: Shared Skies: Great Edition: Pokémon must be at or below 1,500 CP to enter. Only Pokémon caught during the Shared Skies Season are eligible.*The diverse cups featured this season, including the Summer Cup, Fantasy Cup, and Fossil Cup, offer unique challenges and strategic opportunities that will provide a wide range of battling styles and preferences.
Attack Changes
The following changes to attacks will go live on Monday, June 3 at 10:00 a.m. PDT:
- Scald: Chance to lower the opposing Pokémon’s Attack is decreased.
- Spark: Trainer Battles: 6 → 5 power.
- Seed Bomb: Trainer Battles: 60 → 65 power.
- Swift: Trainer Battles: 60 → 55 power. Energy cost decreased.
The attack changes this season are significant, especially the nerf to Scald. This move has been a powerhouse for two seasons due to its 50% chance to lower the opponent’s Attack. With the chance now reduced, battles will become more balanced, addressing long-standing community feedback and encouraging more skilful gameplay tactics rather than luck.
Additionally, the small nerf of Spark will impact Lanturn, one of the most popular Electric types in the Great League. This nerf will make Lanturn less dominant, opening up opportunities for other Electric types to shine and diversifying the meta even further.
Attack Availability Updates
Several Pokémon will now be able to learn new attacks:
Thunder Punch (Charged Attack)
Counter (Fast Attack)
Powder Snow (Fast Attack)
Dragon Claw (Charged Attack)
Swift (Charged Attack)
Fly (Charged Attack)
Parting Words
Overall, this season is shaping up to be an exciting one, featuring significant attack adjustments, enticing rewards, diverse cups, and more. Although the changes might seem minimal, remember that the 2024 World Championship will operate with these updates. I believe these changes will help balance the meta and represent a positive shift toward prioritising skillful gameplay over luck.
