How to Participate in Pokémon Legends: Z‑A Ranked Battles

Looking to participate in Pokémon Legends: Z-A Ranked Battles? This guide will tell you how to join, what the rules are, and more.

In Pokémon Legends: Z-A Ranked Battles, four Trainers and their Pokémon move around the battlefield simultaneously in real time to test their skills against one another.

There are 26 ranks, ranging from Z to A, which indicate your strength as a Trainer. You can move through the ranks based on the results of your battles. Make full use of a variety of Pokémon moves and get the drop on your opponents to defeat them. As you take part in more battles, you may also receive useful items for your Pokémon, such as Mega Stones, Exp. Candies, and more.

First, you need to put together a Battle Team. From the main menu, go to your Boxes, then press the X Button twice to switch from Current Party to Battle Teams. Form your Battle Team for Ranked Battles by selecting three Pokémon from your Boxes. You cannot select Pokémon currently in your party, so make sure to move any Pokémon you want to use in Ranked Battles to your Boxes beforehand.

Make sure your Pokémon are holding any Mega Stones or other items they might need!

To participate in Ranked Battles, open the main menu, then select Link Play, and then select Ranked Battles. An internet connection is required, so please make sure you can connect to the internet beforehand.

On the Z-A Battle Club screen, you’ll have one more chance to edit your team, and then you can press the A Button to get ready for battle. After you select your team, matchmaking will begin to search for opponents around your rank.

• Battles have a time limit of three minutes.

• When one of your Pokémon faints, you will be returned to your starting point on the battlefield, then you’ll reenter battle with all your Pokémon fully recovered.

• You can switch your active Pokémon only three times. This limit is reset when one of your Pokémon is knocked out.

At the end of a battle, Trainers are ranked from 1st to 4th based on the number of opposing Pokémon each Trainer defeated. You can also get points by performing specific actions during battle. Together, these two factors determine your total points. Once you reach the maximum points for your current rank, you will be promoted to the next rank.

At the beginning of each season, you start at Rank Z and can compete to climb the ranks all the way to the ultimate Rank A. Your rank will not decrease during the season.

You can earn more points by performing specific actions during battle.

• Dealt first attack: Granted to the player who is the first to deal damage to an opposing Pokémon during the battle.

• Dealt last attack: Granted to the player who is the last to deal damage to an opposing Pokémon during the battle.

• First to Mega Evolve: Granted to the player who uses Mega Evolution first during the battle.

• First to claim an item: Granted to the player who picks up an item first during the battle.

• Scatter attacker: Granted to a player when they have defeated at least one Pokémon belonging to each of their opponents.

• Supereffective attacker: Granted when a player has used moves that are supereffective five or more times.

• Mega Evolution destroyer: Granted when a player has defeated a Mega-Evolved Pokémon.

• Most active attacker: Granted to the player who lands the most attacks in battle.

• Fresh opponent hunter: Granted to the player who attacks opposing Pokémon that are at full health the most number of times.

• Mega-Evolving master: Granted when a player defeats an opposing Pokémon with a Mega-Evolved Pokémon.

• Flawless survivor: Granted when a player makes it through the battle without a single one of their Pokémon fainting.

• [Number]-Pokémon defeater: Granted based on the number of Pokémon the player defeated, with more points being awarded for more knockouts.

As you can see, there are all kinds of ways to earn points. Watch out for opportunities to get more points and climb the rankings!

You may find glowing items on the ground during battles. The effect they have depends on the color of the glow.

• Green: Restore HP for all Pokémon in your party.

• Red: Temporarily boost the Attack and Sp. Atk of all Pokémon in your party.

• Blue: Temporarily boost the Defense and Sp. Def of all Pokémon in your party.

• Mega Power orbs: Gain Mega Power.

Keeping an eye out for these items in the heat of battle could lead you to victory!

• Multiplayer battling is possible between players playing Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, and Pokémon Legends: Z-A with the upgrade pack applied.

• A paid Nintendo Switch Online membership is required to participate in battles via the internet.

• To enjoy online play, you will need to have downloaded the latest update data.