Trainer Battles (Japanese: トレーナーバトル Trainer Battle) are a feature in Pokémon GO that allow players to challenge other players to a 3-on-3 battle. This feature was first introduced on December 12, 2018, and received a major update on July 19, 2019. On January 28, 2020, the GO Battle League was launched to introduce competitive, online Trainer Battles.
Battle Challenge
Players can challenge any player in close proximity by scanning another player's Battle Code from the Battle screen. These Battle Codes are different to the QR codes used to add Friends, with a new one being generated every time the player signs into the game.
Players can also remotely challenge Ultra Friends and Best Friends by sending a Battle Challenge through the Friends List. The Battle Challenge feature can be disabled via the settings page. Battling also counts as a daily activity that may increase Friendship level.
Leagues
Each player selects three Pokémon to battle with. Pokémon will automatically be recommended based on their CP in relation to a League's CP limit. Preset teams can also be made for each League from the Party screen. Ditto and Shedinja cannot be used in Trainer Battles, although they can fight Team GO Rocket.
Players can choose to battle from three different Leagues:
| League | Max CP per Pokémon | Unlock requirements |
|---|---|---|
Great League |
1,500 | None |
Ultra League |
2,500 | 3 Pokémon with CP 1,500+ |
Master League |
No limit | 3 Pokémon with CP 2,500+ |
In addition to the above, in GO Battle League, the Little Cup, or a variant of it, may be available to challenge, with a CP limit of only 500.
