Niantic's Pokemon GO is looking to close out their 2018 on a high note. The introductions of Community Day events, to Weekly Researches for rare and Mythical Pokemons, to their tie-in function with the hit
Nintendo Switch title(s),
Pokemon: Let's Go Pikachu! and
Let's Go Eevee!, there seems to be nothing slowing down this IP in the mobile market.
As first reported on
here by MattIsForReal,
Pokemon GO is looking at their last big update of 2018 to introduce something fans, or trainers, have wanted since the rumors of an AR Pokemon game--a PvP, or Player vs Player Battle System. When he had first reported on it, the only information known was that there would be three different levels, or leagues, to compete in (Great, Ultra, and Master Leagues).
Over the course of the last few days though, screenshots and datamines have been leaking around from various official Twitter and Reddit pages to give a much fuller picture of this new update on the horizon. Below is an amazing cheatsheet created by a user named
OrangeHeart2018 from the website Pokemon GO Hub.
(Pokemon GO Hub)
The main differences from battle system in place while raiding or taking gyms is the implementation of
Protect Shields, a new ability which completely negates all incoming damage for one attack (which trainers will use to block charged attacks), as well as the introduction of a
Second Charged Attack, as in the current battle systems in place, Pokemon only have one Fast and one Charged Attack.
It is unknown whether any part of this battle system will carry over to the current systems in place for Raiding or Gyms.
The current level cap for trainers and their monsters are 40, and there was word from Niantic that at this time there is no immediate plans to increase them.
There is also still
no word on the actual Release Date of the new PvP Battle system, but stay tuned here for any new Official updates come through!