OK, we’ve no confirmation of the new season’s name or theme, but we do have huge tells that it will be-- er-- should be… Galar-centric. Anyway, hello again! I’m sure we’re all expecting a really interesting meta shift for the next in-game season that will probably be themed around Galar as well as the 2025 Play! Pokémon tournaments that will be happening until summer 2025.
With that said, here are a few changes I hope to see it happening sooner rather than later. Niantic has no reason not to go all out after this season concludes. Let’s hope for some much needed positive changes in terms of new moves, updates, new Pokémon, new features, and most importantly, communication. Cheers!
P.S. Niantic, Please, enough with the water updates. After Popplio CD, just stop until 2025 at least. Thanks!
NOTE: These updates and wishful thoughts go beyond the next season. They’re all ideas I’d just like to see happen eventually. Also, apologies in advance if some requests seem off since I’m not an MSG player.
MOVEPOOL UPDATES
Ursaring - Night Slash
Ampharos - Dragon Tail
Gengar, Dusclops, Dusknoir - Dynamic Punch
The following have additional move ideas in the NEW MOVES section below
Blaziken, Ferrothorn - Shadow Claw (or a new non-STAB fast move of equal or similar proportions)
Mawile - Crunch
Dragalge, Lopunny - Shadow Ball
Weavile, Electabuzz - Ice Punch
Honchkrow - Aerial Ace
MOVE UPDATES
Fast Moves
Ember - 5-6D/8E
Bug Bite, Fury Cutter - 3D/4E
Thundershock - 6D/8E
Leafage - 7D/7E
Charge Moves
Play Rough - 45-50E/85D
Dazzling Gleam - 50E/95D
Bone Club - 35E/50D
Wild Charge - 40E/70D (Remove user debuff entirely. Electric types are too fragile to suffer from such a critical decrease in defense).
Night Slash - 35E/55D (Reduce boosted damage from 2 stage increase to 1 stage increase when activated).
NEW MOVES
New Fast Moves
Misty Terrain; fairy fast move, 8D/7E/2T - Mawile, Primarina, Zacian
Babydoll Eyes; fairy fast move, 7D/7E/2T - Togetic, Lopunny
Light Screen; psychic fast move, 5D/8E/2T - Delphox, Luxio, Luxray
Confuse Ray; ghost type fast move, 4D/8E/2T - Lapras, Magneton
Scale Shot; dragon fast move, 4D/8E/2T - Sceptile, Dragalge, Tyrunt, Tyrantrum
Coaching; fighting fast move, ?D/?E/3T - Zamazenta
Rock Polish; rock fast move, 4D/8E/2T - Gigalith
Astonish+; 10D/10E/3T - Exploud, Amoonguss
Feint Attack+; 5D/8E/2T - Shiftry, Weavile
Sucker Punch+; 5D/8E/2T - Honchkrow
Low Kick+; 7D/7E/2T - Gallade, Emboar, Chesnaught, Pangoro?, Quilladin
Psywave+; 3D/4E/1T - Mismagius, Malamar
Charm+; 10D/10E/3T - Wigglytuff
New Charge Moves
Kinesis; psychic type charge move, 35E/50D - Kadabra, Alakazam
Focus Punch; fighting type charge move, 35E/55D - Blaziken, Lopunny
Body Press; fighting charge move, 45E/40D - Zamazenta, Magneton (guaranteed to boost user’s defense by one stage)
Crafty Shield; fairy charge move, 50E/95D - Cofagrigus, Runerigus
Curse; ghost type charge move, 35E/50D - Gengar, Banette, Chandelure, Gigalith (this move has a 1/8 (12.5%) chance to lower the attack/defense of the target by one stage when used by a ghost type and has a 1/8 chance to increase the attack/defense of the user by one stage when used by a non-ghost type)
Electro Ball, 35E/55D - Luxio, Magneton, Electabuzz
Fling; dark charge move, 45E/90D - Wigglytuff, Togetic
Thunder Wave; electric charge move, 40E/70D - Raichu, Electivire, Luxray, Magnezone, Golem-Alola, Electrode-Hisui, Dedenne, Togedemaru
Draining Kiss+, 35E/55D - Togetic
Disarming Voice+, 40E/70D - Primarina?, Exploud, Lapras
Night Shade+, 40E/65D - Ariados, Cofagrigus
Superpower+, 40E/70D - Malamar, Gigalith, Tyrantrum
X-Scissor+, 35E/55D - Crustle, Lokix
Breaking Swipe+, 35E/50D - Rayquaza, Haxorus, Heliolisk?
Seed Bomb+, 40E/65D - Trevenant, Whimsicott
Psyshock+, 40E/70D - Delphox
NEW MECHANICS
Play! Pokémon Rules (show 6/pick 3, open team sheets, etc.)
:45 Switch Timer
Mega and Primal forms allowed in Master League
Slight pause if an immediate switch is made at the initial start of battle.
Name and flag of country you’re currently in displayed on queue screen (optional)
Elo increases per match instead of set
Other ways to gain elo for overall battle performance (baiting, catching moves, no faints, shield flex, etc.)
HP total displayed under HP bar during battle
Checkpoints for elo ranges that prevent you from tanking at certain thresholds.
Ability to contact opponents via Campfire (optional)
Better ways to obtain Rare Candy XL (LOL)
Move change visibility feature that shows what requires an Elite TM and a regular TM
Interchangeable feature that lets you re-slot charge moves