Best ways to quickly rank up in Pokemon GO Battle League

Pokemon GO offers different ways for trainers to battle with their favorite Pocket Monsters. They can take on Team GO Rocket, battle in raids, and attack or defend gyms for their teams. However, there may be no tougher battle arena than the GO Battle League PvP formats, where players face off against one another and climb the rankings.

Ranking up in Pokemon GO can be an arduous journey, to say the least. While the first few rank upgrades come easy, things get tougher as trainers progress until they end up facing some of the best PvP battlers around the world.

While there are no real shortcuts to ranking up quickly in Pokemon GO's Battle League, there are a few things to consider that may help rank progression in a given season.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the opinions of the writer

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Tips to help rank up fast in Pokemon GO's Battle League

Running Shadow Teams

Shadow Pokemon are something of a mixed bag in Pokemon GO due to their increased offensive potential but reduced durability. Despite this fact, the one major upside of Shadow species is that they tend to speed up matches substantially. Granted, a team full of shadows won't always win, but trainers will get to the results quickly.

This can help players progress through as many matches as possible, including breezing through the earlier ranks that simply require participation. However, these teams are essentially boom or bust, so they're not really conducive for higher-rank battles.

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Build to counter the meta

It's no secret that Pokemon GO has a heavily-developed metagame, with Pocket Monsters that tend to outperform their counterparts. Be that as it may, there are plenty of under-the-radar creatures that can simultaneously perform well in PvP and directly counter the darlings of the meta.

This isn't to say that meta choices are completely off-limits in team building, simply that using unorthodox picks can yield surprising results and help stem the tide against teams that lean heavily on meta choices. If trainers counter what they see often, they can have success from season to season, depending on the ebb and flow of the overall meta.

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Count fast moves

Each moveset in Pokemon GO consists of a Fast Move and one to two Charged Moves. The former generates energy so that the latter can be used. It's highly recommended to determine early how many Fast Moves need to be used until a Charged Move is ready to go. With this information, trainers can make informed decisions.

By knowing how much energy is left to fire off a Charged Move, Pokemon GO players can determine whether they need to cut bait and switch to another creature or if they can fire off the Charged Move as needed. This tactic also comes in very helpful when a trainer can also keep track of an opponent's shields.

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Play the MMR system

Although it's frowned upon by many members of the Pokemon GO community, it's technically possible to exploit the matchmaking system by "tanking" or losing several matches in sequence. Since ranking down doesn't exist each season, trainers can throw sequential matches until the matchmaking system pairs them with opponents of lower quality.

Once players have lost several matches in a row, they can feast upon lower-ranked opponents and quickly rack up the necessary wins. Again, it's not a tactic that every trainer will feel great about using, but it isn't considered illegal, so it remains on the table for those who have no qualms about tanking.

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Take advantage of the end of the season

Pokemon GO's ranked PvP is segmented into seasons, and trainers only have so long before their overall rank resets at each season's conclusion. Be that as it may, the end of each season tends to be an excellent time to rack up wins and climb the rankings. This is due in part to many of the best players having already reached their max rank, allowing them to move on to other parts of the game.

With a thinned pool of opponents, the grind to rank up can be easier for some players, even if this tactic is far from guaranteeing reaching Legend rank. Nonetheless, the final days of each PvP season are a prime opportunity to snag some quick ranks with a quality team.

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Keep calm and keep pushing

Pokemon GO's PvP isn't easy for most trainers. It's grindy, and it can be pretty frustrating when players aren't making good progress. Still, if trainers remain tenacious and keep pushing through the pain, the matchmaking can occasionally work in their favor and help them go on a winning streak to help their ranking.

It's also very important to keep a level head. Getting angry can only lead to more losses. Seasons are long-tailing events in Pokemon GO, so if players need to take a break, they can always return after a few days and resume their push to the top.