Pokemon GO Trainer Battles Have Finally Been Detailed

After some cryptic teases and scattered tweets, Niantic has finally detailed the upcoming addition of trainer battles to Pokemon GO.

Over the past weekend, Niantic released a slew of images teasing what we now know to be trainer battles. After officially announcing that trainer battles were coming to the popular AR Pokemon game, the official Pokemon GO Twitter account slowly trickled information about how battles would work, leaving fans confused and wanting more.

Information has finally come in the form of a blog post published today on the official Pokemon GO website. Beginning this month, trainer battles will allow players to challenge friends and strangers alike at any time. To do so, simply scan the Battle Code of the player you wish to challenge.

Then, both players will need to assemble a team of three Pokemon before duking it out. These battles will work as a hybrid between what fans of the Pokemon series have come to know and love and the way battles work in Pokemon GO.

During a trainer battle, Pokemon will be able to use their Fast Attack and their Charged Attack moves and they do so in real-time. Fans of battles in Pokemon GO will be familiar with the real-time action while fans of the handheld Pokemon games might have the upper hand in determining type advantage when using moves.

Regardless, both players will be able to deploy a Protect Shield that can block a Pokemon from taking on critical damage. It’s important that this Protect Shield is deployed at the right time, though, in order to be effective.

Niantic said that to maintain fairness, opposing trainers must be in the same Trainer Battle League.

“In order to ensure an even playing field, trainers must compete in the same Trainer Battle League, which determines the CP limit for the participating Pokemon,” the blog post reads. “Strength alone will not ensure victory! Whether you’re battling with a Caterpie or a Mewtwo, the cleverer and more strategic trainer will have an advantage.”

Such strategy might consist of the use of Stardust or Candy to unlock a bonus Charged Attack for your Pokemon before the battle begins, according to the blog post.

Trainers wishing to challenge each other must be in close proximity, but Ultra Friends and Best Friends can challenge each other from any distance.

When trainers have completed battles, both participants will receive great rewards, including a chance at rare evolution items, reads the blog post.

While there is no official launch date for trainer battles in Pokemon
GO, the blog post does say that trainer battles will be coming to the game this month.