As of 1900 EST (Midnight GMT) on January 16th, 2017, Battle Spot Season 1 will be over. This coincides with the routine Pokémon Global Link maintenance for this week, and as soon as that is complete (around 2300 EST or 0400 GMT), Season 2 will begin.

Season 2 will run until March 19th, 2017 and battles will take place through Pokémon Sun and Moon.

The rules of the “Special Battle” format for Season 2 are a lot like those from Season 1. It allows one of the cover legendaries or Mythicals (or Mewtwo/Cosmog/Cosmoem/Phione) to be in your party.

Format: Single Battles
Pokémon Restrictions: National Pokédex.
Banned Pokémon: Only one of the following can be used per team: Mewtwo, Mew, Lugia, Ho-Oh, Celebi, Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza, Jirachi, Deoxys, Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Phione, Manaphy, Darkrai, Shaymin, Arceus, Victini, Reshiram, Zekrom, Kyurem, Keldeo, Meloetta, Genesect, Xerneas, Yveltal, Zygarde, Diancie, Hoopa, Volcanion, Cosmog, Cosmoem, Solgaleo, Lunala, Necrozma, Magearna

The other standard rules apply, including all set to Level 50 if above that, and you choose 3 Pokémon out of your 6, and you cannot have two Pokémon holding the same hold item. Mega Evolutions and Primal Reversions are not specifically banned, but there is still no way to obtain Mega Stones for Pokémon not in the Alola Pokédex (that we know of).

“I’m sorry, did you say NATIONAL POKÉDEX?” Why yes, yes I did. Pokémon obtained in X, Y, Omega Ruby, or Alpha Sapphire that are summoned to Sun and Moon via Pokémon Bank are confirmed to be able to partake in this season’s chaos. Pokémon brought from past generations via Poké Transporter are also eligible to battle. Will this mean that these functions will be enabled at some point so the meta can shape up? We don’t know. Note that this does not affect official live tournaments, as those use the unchanged VGC format.

What do you think of the decision to allow Bank’d Pokémon to partake in Special Rating Battles? Tell us somewhere in the comments!