Pokémon GO Battle League Adventures Abound Season updates & highlights

Trainers, the air is thick with anticipation as we inch closer to the launch of the GO Battle League: Adventures Abound Season. We’re talking fresh leagues, tantalizing bonuses, and rewards that’ll make you do a double take. Mark your calendars for Friday, September 1, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. PDT (GMT −7) because that’s when the magic happens. And don’t worry, the rank-up requirements are staying the same as last season. So, no curveballs there.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, you might want to know that your current rank will be reset. A clean slate, folks. The end-of-season rewards will also be ready and waiting for you on the battle screen as soon as the new season kicks off.

Alright, let’s jump into the schedule because there are some noteworthy changes and events you won’t want to miss. First off, the schedule will now be conveniently visible on the in-game GO Battle League Page, so you can easily keep tabs on what’s coming up. We start with the Great League and Element Cup Remix: Little Edition running from September 1 to September 8. After that, the Ultra League and the Element Cup Remix: Little Edition take the stage until September 15.

Not a fan of the Ultra League? No worries. The Master League and Psychic Cup: Great League Edition are up next, running from September 15 to September 22. Pay close attention because wins during this week will net you 4x Stardust. The Great League and Psychic Cup will then return for another run until September 29.

But hey, if you’re someone who thrives on variety, the schedule brings us the Sunshine Cup in the Ultra League from September 29 to October 6, followed by the Halloween Cup in the Ultra League from October 20 to October 27. Just a heads-up, the weeks offering 4x Stardust from win rewards have asterisks next to them in the schedule. So keep an eye out for those because who doesn’t like extra Stardust?

Now, let’s talk about events, specifically the GO Battle Weekend: Adventures Abound. From Saturday, October 7, 2023, at 12:00 a.m. to Sunday, October 8, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. local time, prepare for an action-packed weekend. The number of sets you can play per day will jump from five to a whopping 20. Do the math, and you’ll see that’s a total of 100 battles in just one weekend.

As for rewards, well, there’s a mouth-watering list that includes everything from Carbink to Pikachu Libre. If you’ve got a sharp eye, you might even snag yourself a Shiny. Elite Fast TMs, Elite Charged TMs, and Rare Candy XL are all up for grabs if you complete the battle-themed Timed Research. And if you’re looking to spoil your friends (or yourself), tickets for battle-themed Timed Research can be purchased for a single US dollar. Not a bad deal, if you ask me.

Next thing we have new Cups this Season. Whether you’re a Great League savant or an Ultra League enthusiast, there’s something for everyone. For the newcomers, the Element Cup Remix with a 500 CP limit is a great place to start. But take note – only Fire, Water, and Grass types that can evolve but have never evolved are eligible. That means Pokémon like Chinchou and Cottonee are out of the picture.

If Psychic Pokémon are more your style, you can test out your skills in the Psychic Cup with a 1,500 CP limit. However, Mew isn’t allowed – sorry, Mythical lovers. And for those who can’t get enough of the Halloween spirit, there’s a Halloween Cup allowing only Poison, Bug, Ghost, Dark, and Fairy types, again with a 1,500 CP cap.

Oh, and if you’re a fan of Electric Pokémon but tired of getting zapped by Stunfisk, rejoice. The Electric Cup won’t allow Stunfisk, Heliolisk, Charjabug, or Vikavolt. Finally, the Catch Cup: Adventures Abound Edition requires that you only use Pokémon caught during the season. Mythicals need not apply.

Let’s shift gears and talk about the move changes, shall we? Spark is getting a power increase from 4 to 6, but at the cost of some energy generation. Astonish will see an increase in energy generation, which could shake things up for Ghost types in particular.

Then we have the adjustments to Psychic, X-Scissor, and Aerial Ace, among others. Overall, the changes are pretty balanced and aim to create a fresher meta.

Fancy some new toys? Three new moves are coming to Pokémon GO. Trailblaze is a Grass-type Charged Attack with a power of 65 and the ability to boost your Pokémon’s Attack by one stage in Trainer Battles. Scorching Sands is a Ground-type Charged Attack with 80 power and a chance to lower the opponent’s Attack by one stage. Lastly, we have Triple Axel, an Ice-type move also at 65 power but with the same Attack boosting capability as Trailblaze.

A laundry list of Pokémon will now be able to learn new Fast and Charged Attacks, and yes, it’s quite the list. From Volt Switch being added to the Magnemite family and Regieleki, to Mud Shot coming to the likes of Swalot and Greedent. Even legacy Pokémon like Onix and Steelix are getting some love with the addition of the Charged Attack Breaking Swipe. This massive change is bound to affect team compositions and strategies moving forward.

In summary, the upcoming season promises to be one of the most dynamic yet. Between the specialized cups and the significant movepool changes, this is shaping up to be a meta-shifting update that could reshape the competitive landscape of Pokémon GO.

What’s your take? Excited, overwhelmed, or strategizing already? Let’s talk in the comments below.