ZA officially bans 25 Pokemon

Pokemon Legends: ZA is about to ban a total of 25 Pokemon from battles. Pokemon Legends: ZA has received updates every three weeks since its release, and while the amount of new content has slowed to a standstill, there are plenty of reasons to keep coming back to the game eight months after launch. An important part of the updates that Pokemon Legends: ZA get is a seasonal change that brings new rewards for players and new rule sets for ranked battles.

Of its many functions, all Pokemon Legends: ZA Mega Evolutions remain the game's main attraction, as the gimmick returned after a long hiatus starting with Gen 8 in 2019. The move to a completely different battle system without moves and abilities and instead with real-time movements is a compelling choice, but it didn't sit well with all fans. Still, Ranked Battles became sort of mandatory as they were and still are the only source for some Mega Stones like Gen 6 and Gen 3 starters as well as Baxcalibur.

Pokemon Legends: ZA officially has three new threats

Pokemon Legends: ZA players can say hello to three powerful new Pokemon coming to the game with Season 2.

It's the end of an era for Pokemon Legends: ZA

Pokemon Legends: ZA's Season 13 launches on June 25th, and the new Ranked Battle ruleset completely bans all Legendary and Mythical Pokemon in one go. It's not the first time Pokemon Legends: ZA it bans Legendary and Mythicals, as happens cyclically every few seasons. However, following the banning of these Pokemon in the past along with the release of additional content such as Mega Stones for Sceptile, Swampert, and Blaziken, Legendaries and Mythicals were expected to stay longer in ranked battles.

Scratch & Peek

Identify the cover and scrape off as little of the foil as possible.

Scratch & Peek

Identify the cover and scrape off as little of the foil as possible.

EasyMediumHardPermadeath

Instead of after Pokemon Legends: ZA making limited Pokemon available in Season 12 with very little restrictions, the game is back to square one. This includes several Pokemon that received their Mega Evolution for the first time Pokemon Legends: ZAsuch as Mega Heatran and Mega Zeraora, so fans who want to use them in Ranked won't be able to for at least a season or two. The following Pokemon will no longer be available for use in battle:

Lumiose Pokedex, numbers 228-232
- Xerneas
- He howled
- Zygard
- Diancia
- Mewtwo
Hyperspace Pokedex, numbers 113-132
- Heatran
- Volcanion
- Cobalion
- Terrakion
- Virizion
- Keldeo
- Meloetta
- Genesct
- Whoops
- Marshadow
- Meltan
- Melmetal
- Darkrai
- Latias
- Latios
- Kyogre
- Groudon
- Rayquaza
- Magearna
- Zeraora

This may sting even more when we consider that the Pokemon is available in Pokemon Champions in Regulation MB they also exclude Legendary and Mythicals. Normally, mythic pokemon aren't allowed in VGC anyway, but legendaries are, either as regular unlimited pokemon or as a set of restricted pokemon that can only be used in a limited amount on a team, like one or two. This no longer applies in Pokemon Legends: ZASeason 13 and players will not be able to use any of these 25 Pokemon.

Considering how fun season 8 was when Pokemon Legends: ZA only allowed Pokémon capable of Mega Evolution, it would be interesting to see future seasons do something similar instead of back and forth on bans. However, if the current pattern continues, fans can expect some of these 25 banned Pokemon to return in Season 14, most or all of them in Season 15, then the more restricted Pokemon in Season 16, and so on.