Pokémon Go has multiple moving parts that make up its rotating seasonal content structure, including the Pokémon Go Battle League, which runs throughout every season. It can be a pain to keep up with the full schedule and its rewards, however, because it brings updated challenges to players nearly every week.
Whether it be the standard rotation between Great, Ultra, and Master Leagues or special challenges and Cups being held during other events, there is always some twist for you to enjoy when battling in the GBL.
Most of the time, the GBL has a set rotation that is locked as soon as a new season starts in Pokémon Go. That means you have three months to increase your rank and rating as much as possible and earn the best end-of-season rewards.
If you plan to compete in the Pokémon Go Battle League during Season 16, here is an overview we have compiled with a full schedule and reward list.
Pokémon Go Battle League: Full season 16 schedule and all rewards
Pokémon Go Battle League: season 16 start and end dates
Because each season of the Pokémon Go Battle League runs in tandem with a full seasonal rotation of content for the game, Niantic has lined up the start and end times for both sides.
For GBL Season 16, which is part of the Adventures Abound content rotation, it started on Sept. 1 and will end on Dec. 1.
For players competing in Season 16, that means you have until Dec. 1 to raise your Pokémon Go Battle League rank and rating before the end of the season. Your highest rank during that three-month span will decide what end-of-season rewards you receive.
Pokémon Go Battle League: Season 16 rules and regulations
The Pokémon Go Battle League has a number of rules and regulations you need to know before competing—though most of them are either easy to follow and generalized or only pertain to specific Leagues.
- Once you enter the GBL, you will play what is called a “set” of battles.
- This means you will play five matches, which is totaled as one set.
- Every day, you are limited to playing five sets for a total of 25 matches.
- This limitation is lifted for special events like Go Battle Weekends.
- Every League or Cup has its own limitations for what Pokémon can be on your team.
- Great League: 1,500 CP limit
- Ultra League: 2,500 CP limit
- Master League: Any CP allowed
- Cups/Special events: Rules are specified individually
- Regardless of League or Cup, you can only bring one of any Pokémon species per team. So you can’t run a team of all Lugia or the like.
How to access Pokémon Go Battle League
Once you open Pokémon Go, the Go Battle League is only a few taps away since it is featured on the main wheel of menu options alongside the Pokédex, Shop, and Item storage.
From there, you can compete in five sets of five battles per day. You can also use PokéCoins to upgrade to the Premium GBL track to improve your rewards and grab a free Battle League Timed Research Pass for Season 16 in the item shop.
Full Pokémon Go Battle League: Adventures Abound season event and league schedule (October 2023)
- Sept. 29 to Oct. 6
- Ultra League
- Sunshine Cup: Great League Edition
- Oct. 6 to 13
- Great League
- Ultra League
- Master League
- All Leagues will include 4x Stardust from win rewards during this period (not including end-of-set rewards.)
- Oct. 13 to 20
- Great League
- Sunshine Cup: Great League Edition
- Oct. 20 to 27
- Ultra League
- Halloween Cup: Great League Edition
- Oct. 27 to Nov. 3
- Master League
- Halloween Cup: Great League Edition
- All Leagues will include 4x Stardust from win rewards during this period (not including end-of-set rewards.)
- Nov. 3 to 10
- Great League
- Electric Cup: Great League Edition
- Nov. 10 to 17
- Ultra League
- Electric Cup: Great League Edition
- Nov. 17 to 24
- Catch Cup: Adventures Abound Edition
- All Leagues will include 4x Stardust from win rewards during this period (not including end-of-set rewards.)
- Catch Cup: Adventures Abound Edition
- Nov. 24 to Dec. 1 (End of Season)
- Great League
- Ultra League
- Master League
- All Leagues will include 4x Stardust from win rewards during this period (not including end-of-set rewards.)
All Pokémon Go Battle League: Adventures Abound season encounters and ranked rewards
As you climb the ranks in the Pokémon Go Battle League, you will have a chance to earn encounters and rewards. Some of those rewards are set, while others can be random.
We have compiled a full guide to what Pokémon you are guaranteed to encounter or have a chance to randomly see, along with the items you should get during your ranked climb.
All Pokémon Go Battle League rank encounters
Once you reach a specific rank in the GBL, you will have a guaranteed encounter with a specific Pokémon. Once you catch that Pokémon, you will then have a chance to encounter a number of others from a spawning pool that will be rolled each time you claim your set rewards.
Here is a full list of those encounters and what ranks you will start to see them at, with Pokémon capable of being encountered as a Shiny marked with an asterisk (*.)
- Rank 1+
- Guaranteed: Bisharp
- Marill*
- Sneasel*
- Meditite*
- Croagunk*
- Skwovet*
- Rank 6+
- Guaranteed: Carbink
- Frillish*
- Carbink
- Rank 11+
- Lickitung*
- Wobbuffet*
- Skarmory*
- Phantump
- Mareanie
- Rank 16+
- Scraggy
- Wooloo
- Falinks
- Rank 20+
- Encounter with active Legendary five-star Raid Boss
- Rank 21: Ace
- Guaranteed: Goomy*
- Goomy*
- Rank 22: Veteran
- Guaranteed: Gible*
- Gible*
- Rank 23: Expert
- Guaranteed: Jangmo-o
- Jangmo-o
- Rank 24: Legend
- Guaranteed: Pikachu Libre*
All Pokémon Go Battle League win rewards
When you finish a set in the GBL, you can claim rewards based on your performance from either the Basic or Premium tracks, though you have to use a Premium Battle Pass to receive the latter. Typically, the more wins you get, the better your rewards.
For the most part, these items include Stardust, Rare Candies, and Pokémon encounters from the above table depending on your rank—and you can view the rewards before you claim them, outside of the Pokémon encounters. Here is a general overview of what you can expect to see during Season 16.
- Stardust and Rare Candies
- Mystery Items
- Typically a Sinnoh Stone, TM, or rare Berry
- TMs
- Pokémon encounters
- Depends on your rank.
- You will always see guaranteed encounters first if applicable.
- Rank specific rewards
- This includes seasonal avatar items that are only available to claim at certain ranks.
All Pokémon Go Battle League rank rewards
As you rank up in the GBL, there are certain items you can only claim once you reach a high enough rank. These are typically season-exclusive tie-ins, such as avatar items and poses.
For Season 16, Niantic included four different avatar items themed around the Top Champion of Paldea, Geeta. These Scarlet and Violet goodies will require you to grind all the way to the highest level if you want to collect them all, however.
- Rank 21 – Ace
- Geeta-Style Gloves and Shoes
- The gloves were also available to players during this season’s Go Battle Weekend.
- Rank 22 – Veteran
- Geeta-Style Pants
- Rank 23 – Expert
- Geeta-Style Top
- Rank 24 – Legend
- Geeta-Style Pose
There is other content that can only be finished during the Adventures Abound season too, such as Paldean-themed research with limited-time rewards.
