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Pokemon GO's season of Timeless Travels has been announced by Niantic, along with Season 17 of GO Battle League. This cycle will go into effect on December 1, 2023, at 1 pm PT (GMT -8) and will end on March 2, 2024, at the same time. As usual, a new season of GBL means a host of changes to available moves, as well as critters getting new attacks.
These are known to have a huge impact on the GO Battle League meta in Pokemon GO. To that end, his article outlines all the balance changes coming to trainer battles in the upcoming season.
Note: Some parts of this article are subjective and reflect the author's opinion.
All balance changes coming to Pokemon GO Battle League Season 17
Fast Attacks
- Mud Slap: Energy generation rate increased for trainer battles.
- Fire Spin: Damage increased from 9 to 10 for trainer battles.
- Incinerate: Damage increased from 15 to 20 for trainer battles.
- Iron Tail: Damage increased from 9 to 10 for trainer battles. Energy generation rate also.
- Steel Wing: Energy generation rate increased for trainer battles.
- Astonish: Damage increased from 5 to 9 for trainer battles.
- Bubble: Damage increased from 7 to 8 for trainer battles.
Charged Attacks
- Blaze Kick: Damage increased from 55 to 60.
- Breaking Swipe: The chance to lower the target's Attack is no longer guaranteed.
- Scald: Damaged increased from 80 to 85. Also, there is an increased chance to lower the target's Attack by one stage
- Psychic: Damaged decreased from 85 to 75.
All Pocket Monsters getting new moves in Pokemon GO Battle League Season 17
Starting December 1, 2023, the following critters will be able to earn these moves in Pokemon GO:
Icy Wind
- Wigglytuff
- Poliwrath
- Abomasnow
- Avalugg
- Hisuian Avalugg
- Figibax
- Arctibax
Triple Axel
- Articuno
- Delibird
- Frosslass
- Cryogonal
Parabolic Charge
- Dedenne
Trailblaze
- Alolan Raichu
- Raichu
- Alolan Meowth
- Alolan Persian
- Ariados
- Cacnea
- Cacturne
- Orangaru
- Greedent
- Nymble
- Lokix
- Smoliv
- Doliv
- Arboliva
Aerial Ace
- Aerial Ace
Fly
- Delibird
- Starly
- Staravia
- Staraptor
- Rufflet
- Braviary
- Hisuian Braviary
- Fletchling
- Fletchinder
- Talonflame
- Vikavolt
Scald
- Slowbro
- Galarian Slowbro
- Politoed
- Slowking
- Galarian Slowking
- Qwilfish
- Suicune
- Lotad
- Lombre
- Ludiculo
- Wailmer
- Wailord
- Barboach
- Whiscash
- Cophish
- Crawdaunt
Rock Slide
- Vigoroth
Astonish
- Palossand
Shadow Ball
- Toxicroak
Potential impact of these changes on the Pokemon GO Battle League meta in Season 17
Attack changes
The increased energy generation of Mud Slap, Iron Tail, and Steel Wing may make them more competitively viable. Mud Shot has reigned supreme as the better of the only two Ground-type Fast Attack options in the game for a long time. With this boost, the difference between the two moves will most likely be lowered, making the choice more similar to the one between Dragon Breath and Dragon Tail.
As far as Iron Tail and Steel Wing are concerned, the former will probably remain a second (or third, where applicable) choice for most trainers. Steel Wing with more energy generation might bring back Skarmory into play.
The changes to the Fire-type attacks will also have relatively less impact in the meta. The biggest modification has to be Incinerate's damage increase, which has gone from a 3 DPT attack to one that deals 4 DPT, while still generating 4 energy per turn. The biggest winners of this change are Skeledirge, Talonflame, and Typhlosion.
Astonish has finally received a much-needed change. It has gone from being a 1.66 DPT attack to a 3 DPT attack, effectively making it the second-best Ghost-type Fast Attack in the game. As for Bubble, the only meaningful impact of the buff would be on Azumarill, whose damage output held it back a lot in the last season.
Coming to Charged Attack changes in Pokemon GO Battle League Season 17, Breaking Swipe not guaranteeing an Attack drop will be a welcome shift as users of this move, especially Steelix in the Ultra League, had become a thorn in many players' backs.
The buffs to Scald are likely to push critters like Poliwrath and Tentacruel in the meta. Scald Whiscash or Scald Politoed might also be interesting picks, while Scald Suicune could perform well in the Master League.
Lastly, the nerf to Psychic is directed towards curtailing the power of Medicham in the Great League meta, where it has been reigning supreme for a while. Hopefully, with this change, the Great League meta will see some much-needed variety.
Attack availability updates
The most impactful changes to movesets appear to be the following:
- Wigglytuff, Poliwrath, Avalugg, and Arctibax getting Icy Wind.
- Ariados and Greedent getting Trailblaze.
- Staraptor and Talonflame getting Fly.
- Suicune, Whiscash, and Politoed getting Scald.
- Articuno and Froslass getting Triple Axel.
You can check out the biggest winners and losers of these balance changes in the upcoming Pokemon GO Battle League season.
