"Niantic nerfed the rate into the ground": Pokemon GO players discuss Legendary encounter rates from GBL

In the Pokemon GO community, discussions around the Legendary encounter rates in the GO Battle League (GBL) have gained significant momentum. Reddit user u/MemeCroissant sparked a debate with a post expressing frustration over the lack of Legendary Pokemon encounters since the new GBL season began.

The post, along with the subsequent community responses, provides insight into players' experiences and opinions on this issue.

MemeCroissant's post read:

"When the new GBl season launched. I did my 25 battles everyday. On average I’m 3/5. After a few days I reached ranked 20. Still doing my sets everyday and still being 3/5 on average. I still have not gotten a legendary Pokemon encounter from the encounters. This is so frustrating. every time I click on the encounter spot. I always get some trash like a wingull"

Every battle since new season started byu/MemeCroissant inTheSilphRoad

The user detailed their persistent efforts in the new GBL season, consistently participating in 25 battles daily and achieving an average win rate of three out of five. Despite reaching rank 20 and maintaining this routine, they had yet to encounter a single Legendary Pokemon. Instead, they were repeatedly met with common Pocket Monsters like Wingull.

This led to a query about the current encounter rates for Legendary Pokemon in GBL and whether their experience was an anomaly or a reflection of broader trends.

Several community members weighed in on the possible encounter rates for Legendary Pokemon.

u/rwaterbender reminisced about the 2021-22 period when the encounter rates were significantly higher, ranging between 30-50%. During that time, players could farm numerous Mewtwo and Dialga encounters:

Comment byu/MemeCroissant from discussion inTheSilphRoad

u/nightfire36 speculated that the encounter rate might be around 2%, similar to the previous season:

Comment byu/MemeCroissant from discussion inTheSilphRoad

u/Staph_0f_MRSA proposed a theory that Niantic intentionally made catching certain Legendaries, like Landorus, challenging to drive up sales of remote raid passes. They noticed that once Landorus was out of rotation, encountering Legendaries like Yveltal became more feasible.

Pokemon GO players share inputs regarding the subject (Image via Reddit)

u/split_city reflected on the broader trend of Niantic introducing new features with substantial rewards, which were subsequently nerfed. They expressed frustration over player complaints about the rarity of certain items, which may have influenced Niantic's decision to reduce rewards.

A general disappointment is seen amongst the Pokemon GO community (Image via Reddit)

They emphasized that these hard nerfs diminished their motivation to play and spend money on the game, suggesting that player retention should be a priority for Niantic.

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Tips for setting up a Pokemon GO GBL team

Tips to set up a good Pokemon GO GBL team (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Creating a competitive GBL team in Pokemon GO requires a strategic approach to balance and type coverage. Here are some general tips to help set up a successful team:

1. Diverse typing: Ensure your team covers a wide range of types to handle various opponents. A well-rounded team usually includes a mix of attackers, defenders, and versatile Pokemon that can switch roles as needed.
2. Meta knowledge: Stay updated with the current meta and popular Pokemon in GBL. Understanding which Pokemon are commonly used can help you anticipate and counter your opponents' strategies.
3. Effective movesets: Choose movesets that provide coverage against multiple types. Having a combination of fast and charge moves that can hit various weaknesses will give you an edge in battles.
4. Energy management: Learn to manage your Pokemon’s energy efficiently. Building up energy for powerful charge moves while maintaining pressure with fast moves is crucial for winning battles.
5. IV optimization: While not always necessary, having Pokemon with optimal IVs can make a difference in close matches. Use tools and resources to find and power up Pokemon with strong IVs for GBL.
6. Practice and adaptation: Regularly practice with your team to understand its strengths and weaknesses. Be ready to adapt your strategy based on the opponents you encounter and the evolving meta.

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The discussions surrounding Legendary encounter rates in Pokemon GO's GBL highlight broader concerns about the game's evolving reward system and player satisfaction.

While players like u/MemeCroissant express frustration over reduced encounter rates, the Pokemon GO community's insights emphasize the need for balance between rewarding gameplay and maintaining game longevity.

By staying informed and strategic, players can continue to enjoy and excel in GBL despite these challenges.

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