Along with the entry of Dynamax and their associated raid battles, Pokémon Go also had a few changes applied to its other, existing battles. Now, ordinarily as through previous start-of-season updates, such changes would be directed at PvP, mostly involving the addition of new moves and expansion of Pokémon species that can learn moves, both new and old. However, this time the changes are far-reaching beyond PvP and extremely significant, which means that they qualify for and need to be made into a discussion, appropriately during this "big" week of posts on "big" topics.
For starters, the changes involve PvP (and associated battles) as expected. The biggest change is that the time between successive switching of Pokémon is reduced from 60 seconds to 50 seconds, which obviously has a profound effect on certain switch strategies. The number of changes to moves and their effects, as well as the Pokémon that can learn them, is also lengthy and numerous, with many changes to attack strengths and effects. Due to these changes, even the next stage of the new team competitions as furnished by Battle Frontier had to be delayed while the changes were being evaluated into the structure of current formats, which have made for some fascinating changes, including an almost entirely open Great League closely resembling official competitive play. While the switch time change (and to some extent the move changes as usual) are evaluative for this season, there's always the possibility that some of them will persist to certain benefit or detriment.
Meanwhile, over in raids and Gym battles, they've been made (substantially) more challenging by changing the frequency that moves, particularly Charged moves, are unleashed during the battles involving both circumstances. This happening certainly unleashes the demons of rapid HP depletion as well as increased item usage, both of which have happened in Raid Hours over the past few weeks. One Trainer I am acquainted with very well describes the change as making these battles more fundamentally similar to PvP battles, although it seems to be more intense than that. Even Niantic has acknowledged that there have been changes, in a way confirming the intents for such changes, although the extreme quality was also admitted and the changes are to be toned down slightly.
Something that ties into some of these changes is another kind of change, specifically the timings of moves. This has been demonstrated with some observations and calculations, which has determined that some Pokémon may actually benefit from a move that they didn't benefit from before (as some Dragon-type Pokémon now with Draco Meteor vis-a-vis Outrage). The calculations are a bit complex to follow - even for me, though I'm a math geek myself - but they demonstrate that fundamental changes have occurred in some timings, making them even more or even less effective than they were. It seems rather unfortunate but can only be contended with for now.
It seems that as Trainers in Pokémon Go are wrangling the really "big" thing that is Dynamax and the stuff that follows from it, they also have to wrangle the subtle (or not-so-subtle) changes in the battle systems, which have been shown to have major outcomes, particularly who are majorly involved in them. It's yet another "big" way to start this month and season, though the directions may be all over the place; the only hope is that they can all point in the way of the next "big" thing, for which an expected one is success.
One year ago: Emily Rudd and Her Pokémon Links
Two years ago: Delivering an Authentic Experience
Three years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 9/19/2021
Four years ago: On the Transcription of Pokémon Things
Five years ago: Taking Sides on Shiny Pokémon
Six years ago: Raid Time Length Change
Seven years ago: Competitive Stages in Shuffle
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