Pokémon Legends: Z-A Introduces Major Rule Changes This Week

Pokémon Legends: Z-A is shaking things up again with its online battle rules. Season 14 limited teams to only Flying-type Pokémon, while the previous season focused solely on Water-types.

Starting Thursday, Season 16 brings a fresh ruleset into play. Only Pokémon capable of Mega Evolution will be eligible for Ranked Battles, and Mega Stones will be the exclusive holdable items allowed.

Mega Evolution serves as the core battle mechanic in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. By equipping their specific Mega Stones, certain Pokémon can temporarily transform in battle, changing their appearance and enhancing their stats. Only the final Pokémon in an evolution line can Mega Evolve, but not every final form has a Mega Stone available yet.

This latest season sees the return of several Mega Evolution forms from the franchise’s past, alongside a host of new ones. Some, like Mega Starmie, are quite unsettling, while others, such as Mega Victreebel, are simply stunning.

Despite the new ruleset narrowing down the options for Ranked Battles to a select few Pokémon, fan favorites like Charizard, Gengar, and Lucario will still be in the mix. Pokémon introduced in the Mega Dimension DLC, including Tatsugiri, will also be available for battle. Check out our guide on Mega Evolutions and Mega Stones to see the full roster for Season 16 and learn how to obtain their Mega Stones.

In Pokémon Legends: Z-A’s Ranked Battles, four trainers face off using the game’s unique real-time mechanics. Each trainer fields a team of three Pokémon, earning points for every opponent’s Pokémon they knock out. Team levels won’t matter, as all Pokémon will be set to level 50.

Similar to last season, Season 16 will reward players with Greninjite, Delphoxite, Chesnaughtite, Baxcalibrite, Sceptilite, Swampertite, and Blazikenite stones for climbing the ranks from Rank Y to Rank S.

You can start Mega Evolving your Pokémon for ranked battles when Season 16 kicks off on August 27, running until September 17. This month has been exciting for Pokémon fans, with the release of Pokopia’s Bubbly Basin expansion, a wealth of free giveaways for Pokémon Worlds, a new collaboration with Polaroid, and a delightful donut frenzy.