Niantic
- After two and a half years, Pokémon Go players finally have the ability to battle each other, thanks to a long-awaited new update.
- The update literally changes the game: It introduces a revamped battle system that lets Pokémon learn a third attack, introducing a whole new layer of strategy.
- The fights themselves let trainers take a team of three Pokémon into battle, with otherwise hard-to-find items as a possible prize for the victor.
- To start a battle, you’ll generally need to be close enough to your would-be opponent to scan a QR code on their phone — a mechanic designed to encourage real-world interaction.
- Here’s how it all works.
Developer Niantic has finally given Pokémon Go players the ability to battle their fellow Pokémon trainers — a feature that’s been in hot demand since the game first launched in the summer of 2016.
Starting late Wednesday evening, the update started going out to Pokémon Go players. As is usually Niantic’s way, it started going out to high-level players first, but it’s spreading fast. So if you don’t see the option right away, just give it a little bit and try again to see if it’s reached you.
It’s already clear that the addition of player-versus-player (PvP) battles is slated to completely change the game. And I mean that literally: Among many other things, the trainer battle update adds the ability for your Pokémon to learn a third attack, beyond the two that they already know. The game’s battle system itself is getting tweaked slightly, such that you’re rewarded for tapping rhythmically to charge up certain attacks in combat.
Much of it builds on the game’s new social features, which were introduced a few months ago alongside the also-much-requested Pokémon trading feature. While you can battle strangers, there are a few advantages to fighting your friends.
Here’s how Pokémon Go trainer battles will work:
The first thing you gotta know is that Pokémon Go battling is sorted into leagues. When you challenge another trainer, you decide ahead of time which league’s rules you’ll fight under.
Niantic
Different leagues have different caps on the strength of the Pokémon you can use to battle. The highest-level league, the Master League, takes off (almost) all the limits: You can use any Pokémon, at any level, including so-called Legendaries.
Niantic
The one caveat are that you can’t use Ditto or Shedinja, two weird cases in the larger Pokémon canon, in any kind of player-versus-player battles, including Master League.
If you want to battle another trainer, you’ll use your phone’s camera to scan their unique QR code. You’ll only be able to battle remotely with your Ultra Friends and Best Friends, as a perk for IRL besties.
Niantic
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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SEE ALSO: This is how Pokémon trading works in Pokémon Go
