Z-A is Going to Be a Whole New Game on July 15

Pokemon Legends: Z-A is about to get a new update that completely changes gameplay, and it’s happening as soon as July 15. Despite some criticisms on launch in October 2025, Pokemon Legends: Z-A is a great way for players to go back to the region of Kalos and experience a new story that also acts as a sequel to Pokemon X and Y. The game got a rather big DLC in December 2025 and has since expanded on its gameplay potential with frequent new updates.

Typically, each new update in Pokemon Legends: Z-A changes how the game is played in Ranked Battles, but the changes to the roster and rewards are often minimal. There have been exceptions, such as how players could only use Pokemon with Mega Evolutions in Pokemon Legends: Z-A in Season 8, which dramatically shifted the meta for that season and forced players to skip all non-Mega Stone held items. Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s new season launches on July 15, and it’s a game-changer, even more than Season 8 was.

Say Hello to Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s New Gameplay

Image via Pokemon

• Season 13 ends on July 15, 2026, at 6:59 pm PDT/9:59 pm ET
• Season 14 starts on July 15, 2026, at 11:00 pm PDT/July 16, 2026, at 2:00 am ET

One of the main points of interest in the game is Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s Mega Evolutions, which finally returned to the mainline series after years. While Mega Evolutions do matter in Ranked Battles, they are not the sole focus of Season 14.

Eligible Pokemon in Pokemon Legends: Z-A Season 14

• Lumiose Pokedex:
  • Fletchling
  • Fletchinder
  • Talonflame
  • Pidgey
  • Pidgeotto
  • Pidgeot
  • Gyarados
  • Swablu
  • Altaria
  • Dragonite
  • Charizard
  • Delibird
  • Scyther
  • Emolga
  • Hawlucha
  • Noibat
  • Noivern
  • Aerodactyl
  • Skarmory
  • Salamence
  • Yveltal
• Hyperspace Pokedex:
  • Farfetch’d
  • Rotom (Fan Rotom only)
  • Flamigo
  • Rookidee
  • Corvisquire
  • Corviknight
  • Starly
  • Staravia
  • Staraptor
  • Squawkabilly
  • Zubat
  • Golbat
  • Crobat
  • Rayquaza

Of these Pokemon, players can only use one between Yveltal and Rayquaza, as they are restricted Pokemon in Pokemon Legends: Z-A. Strangely, though, the list doesn’t include all Flying-type Pokemon, with Vivillion being excluded. At the same time, Pokemon that are notoriously tied to the skies and flying, such as Latios and Latias, are also banned.

Considering that the list includes pre-evolutions that wouldn’t really do well in Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s Ranked Battles, the actual list of usable Pokemon is much shorter. It includes:

• Talonflame (cannot Mega Evolve)
• Pidgeot (can Mega Evolve)
• Gyarados (can Mega Evolve)
• Altaria (can Mega Evolve)
• Dragonite (can Mega Evolve)
• Charizard (can Mega Evolve)
• Delibird (cannot Mega Evolve)
• Scyther (cannot Mega Evolve)
• Emolga (cannot Mega Evolve)
• Hawlucha (can Mega Evolve)
• Noivern (cannot Mega Evolve)
• Aerodactyl (can Mega Evolve)
• Skarmory (can Mega Evolve)
• Salamence (can Mega Evolve)
• Yveltal (cannot Mega Evolve)
• Fan Rotom (cannot Mega Evolve)
• Flamigo (cannot Mega Evolve)
• Corviknight (cannot Mega Evolve)
• Staraptor (can Mega Evolve)
• Crobat (cannot Mega Evolve)
• Rayquaza (can Mega Evolve)

Of these Pokemon, the strongest might be Dragonite, Fan Rotom, Skarmory, and Rayquaza. This is because Dragonite has great stats and types, and it learns a lot of coverage moves to deal with the other Pokemon on the list. On top of that, it has a Mega Evolution, but it can also forego it to focus on physical attacks. Fan Rotom naturally resists all Flying moves and deals supereffective damage to most Pokemon on the list with its STAB Electric moves. Skarmory has been proven time and again to be one of the best Pokemon to use in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, both with and without its Mega.

Finally, Rayquaza not only has amazing stats and moves but can also Mega Evolve without a held item. To get Mega Rayquaza in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, fans do need to complete the DLC, but it’s well worth it to have this powerful Pokemon ready to use. And to Mega Evolve it, players simply need to teach it Dragon Ascent. Yveltal is also very powerful, but if it has to contend with the restricted slot with Rayquaza, the latter is more likely to become a meta threat.

Close Enough Pokemon Legends: Z-A Season 14, Welcome Back Sky Battles

This is the first time ever that Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s Pokedex is reduced to just a handful of Pokemon available to use, and even in Season 8, players could still choose between double the number of Pokemon. Even more, counting the fact that this list includes not fully evolved critters, whereas Season 8’s didn’t.

For example, Pokemon Legends: Z-A banned 25 Pokemon in Season 13, but that’s nowhere near the number of banned critters in Season 14. Interestingly, though, Season 14 is labeled “Sky Battles,” which is a gimmick introduced with Pokemon X and Y and never featured again. Similarly, it only allowed players to use Flying-type Pokemon or creatures with Levitate. A funny side effect is that Haunter was allowed because of Levitate, but Gengar’s ability was Cursed Body, so it couldn’t be used.

Another strange phenomenon is that Gen 6 allowed all Rotom forms in Sky Battles because they naturally have Levitate as their ability, but since Pokemon Legends: Z-A cut abilities, only Fan Rotom is allowed. Throughout Gen 6, players would encounter Sky Trainers and start Sky Battles, but these were optional. In the case of Pokemon Legends: Z-A, these battles are also optional, but they are the only available way of playing Ranked Battles in Season 14.

• Season 1: All base game Pokemon allowed, minus Xerneas, Yveltal, and Zygarde.
• Season 2: All base game Pokemon allowed, minus Zygarde and Mewtwo.
• Season 3: All base game Pokemon allowed. One restricted Pokemon per team. Diancie was considered a restricted Pokemon.
• Season 4: Most Legendary and Mythical Pokemon banned, including restricted Pokemon.
• Season 5: Restricted Pokemon not allowed. Made most Legendaries and Mythicals usable for the first time.
• Season 6: All Pokemon eligible, but only one restricted Pokemon allowed.
• Season 7: All Pokemon eligible, but only two restricted Pokemon allowed.
• Season 8: Only Pokemon capable of Mega Evolution allowed.
• Season 9: Most Legendary and Mythical Pokemon banned.
• Season 10: Restricted Pokemon not allowed.
• Season 11: All Pokemon eligible, but only one restricted Pokemon allowed.
• Season 12: All Pokemon eligible, but only two restricted Pokemon allowed.
• Season 13: All Legendary and Mythical Pokemon banned.

All Rewards For Pokemon Legends: Z-A Season 14

Season 14 runs from Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at 11:00 pm PDT/Thursday, July 16, at 2 am ET to Wednesday, August 5, 2026, at 6:59 pm PDT/9:59 pm ET. As usual, Season 15 will follow on the same day Season 14 ends. In Season 14, players can expect different rewards in Pokemon Legends: Z-A compared to last season, but this time they have nothing to do with special Poke Balls or rare items.

• Rank A
• Rank B to E
• Rank F to R
• Rank S and below

This is arguably a step-down compared to normal rewards, which can include Gold Bottle Caps and Nuggets. By comparison, if players reach Rank A, they will get the equivalent of 150,000 PokeDollars. Normally, players get two Gold Bottle Caps, three Bottle Caps, two Seeds of Mastery, and two Nuggets. These are less valuable combined if players wanted to just sell them, but they are better rewards overall.

All the various Ranked-exclusive Mega Stones in Pokemon Legends: Z-A are also available again. The rewards by rank are:

• Rank Y – Greninjite
• Rank X – Delphoxite
• Rank W – Chesnaughtite
• Rank V – Baxcalibrite
• Rank U – Sceptilite
• Rank T – Swampertite
• Rank S – Blazikenite

It seems that players will get a variety of Feathers when ranking up, but the exact rewards have yet to be announced. Also, as usual, players will have their rank reset to Rank Z. Those who played Season 13 can redeem their end-of-season rewards on the Ranked Battles screen.

Systems

Released

October 16, 2025

ESRB

Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, In-Game Purchases