Pokemon Sword & Shield Series 8 Ranked Battles: Everything you need to know

❘ Published: 2021-03-01T14:57:30

Game Freak

Pokemon Sword & Shield’s Series 8 Ranked Battles have begun and a new set of rules has been introduced alongside them. Without further ado, let’s check out everything you need to know.

The beginning of March means the arrival of Sword & Shield’s Series 8 Ranked Battles and a host of exciting changes. Although trainers can jump into Ranked right away, if you’re looking to get off to a good start, it’s vital you familiarize yourself with the new rules.

Although we’ve not quite reached the controversial Series 9, which is set to take away the ability for players to use restricted Legendary Pokemon, it’s key you’re aware of the Series 8 rule changes.

Series 8 has introduced a number of rule changes.

When do Sword & Shield Series 8 Ranked Battles start?

The Series 8/Season 16 Ranked Battles are live, having started on March 1, 2021.

Series 8 will run all the way up until March 31, with the new ruleset continuing all the way up until the end of April.

What are the new rules for Series 8 Ranked Battles?

According to Serebii, Series 8 will follow a similar double battle format to the previous Season where each player picks a set of six Pokemon which are shown to their opponent. Then, each player will take turns to pick four of those six Pokemon to take into battle with them.

Read More: Which Pokemon are in Max Raid Battle?

Keep in mind the size of your team can vary depending on whether you’re playing Singles or Doubles.

Restricted Legendary Pokemon

The significant change that arrived with Series 8 is the player’s ability to add one restricted Legendary Pokemon to their team. This is a game-changer for Ranked play as this has never been permitted before in Sword & Shield.

You can check the available restricted Legendary Pokemon below:

Mewtwo
Lugia
Ho-Oh
Kyogre
Groudon
Rayquaza
Dialga
Palkia
Giratina
Reshiram
Zekrom
Kyurem
Xerneas
Yveltal
Zygarde
Cosmog
Cosmoem
Solgaleo
Lunala
Necrozma
Zacian
Zamazenta
Eternatus
Calyrex

Players will be limited to one restricted legendary Pokemon per team.

It’s worth noting that Game Freak has already revealed that the addition of restricted Legendary Pokemon will be disappearing in Series 9. So, if you’re a fan of the changes, make the most of them while they’re still here.

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Finally, players can make use of Pokemon from the Galar Pokedex, the Ilse of Armor Pokedex, and the Crown Tundra Pokedex.

What are the time limits in Sword & Shield Ranked Battles?

It’s easy to lose track of time whilst you’re in a Ranked Battle, so knowing exactly how long you have can be useful. Check out the specific time limits below:

Battle Time: 20 minutes
Team Preview: 90 Seconds
Turn Time: 45 Seconds

Hopefully, this has given you a better idea of what to expect in your Series 8 Ranked Battles. Remember, make the most of those restricted Legendary Pokemon as they won’t be around for very long in Ranked.