Pokémon UNITE Ranks Explained: Every Rank from Beginner to Legend

Since December 2025, Pokémon UNITE ranked matches have seven ranks: Beginner, Great, Expert, Veteran, Ultra, Master and, at the very top, Legend. The first five ranks are split into classes, and Class 1 is always the highest. You climb with a rank point gauge; in Master and Legend only a rating counts.

This guide covers every rank in order, how rank points and performance bonuses work, what you need to unlock ranked, and when the current series ends. Accurate as of 24 October 2026, based on Pokémon Support and official update notices.

All Pokémon UNITE ranks in order

Beginner is the lowest rank, Legend the highest. The names are the official English ones from Pokémon Support and the update notices.

1. 07 Legend no tiers
2. 06 Master no tiers
3. 05 Ultra 5
4. 04 Veteran 5
5. 03 Expert 5
6. 02 Great 4
7. 01 Beginner 3

If you play with German friends: the German client calls Expert Hyper and Veteran Elite, which is easy to mix up.

Class 1 is the top, not the bottom

Since Season 5 (21 July 2022), Class 1 is the highest class in each rank. You start at, say, Expert Class 5 and work up to Expert Class 1, then move on to Veteran Class 5. It was the other way round in the first four seasons, so older videos and guides sometimes show the wrong direction.

How to unlock ranked matches

According to Pokémon Support, you need two things:

1. Trainer level 6 or higher.
2. At least 80 fair-play points.

Fair-play points reflect your conduct in battle. You start at 100 points (the maximum). You lose points for:

• Abandoning a matchmade team: −1
• Idling in a battle for a short time: −2
• Idling in a battle for a long time: −5
• Idling with malicious intent: −8
• Reports from other players: up to −10 in total

Playing normally earns points back, for example +2 per ranked match or random match, up to 5 points per day. Below 90 points you no longer earn points back from normal play. Below 80 you are locked out of ranked matches, and below 60 out of random matches too. You can check your score in your Trainer profile under Fair-Play Points.

Trial licenses from UNITE Club and trial Holowear can't be used in ranked matches. You need your own Unite licenses for the Pokémon you want to play.

The rank point gauge: how you climb

The 4 December 2025 update replaced the old system of win medals and performance points. From Beginner to Ultra it now works like this:

• Every class has a rank point gauge.
• After each ranked match you gain or lose rank points based on the result.
• When the gauge is full, you move up one class.
• If it drops below zero, you move down one class.
• After Class 1 of a rank, you move into the lowest class of the next rank.

Rank points as an entry cost

The new part: you spend rank points to enter a ranked match. The higher your rank, the higher the cost. The results screen shows what you spent and earned.

The old rank protection cards were replaced by rank point protection cards. With one, you play a ranked match without paying the entry cost. Save them for a bad run.

Performance bonuses

Wins aren't the only source of points. Whoever leads their team in certain stats earns a title and extra rank points. Examples from the official notice:

• most KOs
• most damage taken
• most goals interrupted
• most critical hits
• most Berries picked up

The 26 February 2026 update added 19 new bonus types and raised the limit to 3 bonuses per battle. Entry costs and result points were adjusted at the same time, and according to the notice, earning multiple gold bonuses now makes ranking up easier than before.

In practice, defenders and supporters can climb by playing their role well. You don't need the most KOs.

Master and Legend

From Master onwards there are no classes and no gauge. You have a Master rank rating that rises with wins and falls with losses, and Master players compete based on that rating.

Legend is the new top rank above Master:

• At a certain Master rating, you are promoted to Legend.
• If your rating drops below a certain point, you return to Master.
• Legend players get matchmaking priority against each other.

The developer doesn't publish a fixed rating for Legend. Any number you see on other sites is not officially confirmed.

Series, reset and rewards

Pokémon UNITE calls a ranked season a Ranked Match Series. Since June 2026, every series ends on the last day of the month at 23:30 UTC, so a series lasts about a month.

• Series 40 started on 1 October 2026 and ends on 31 October 2026 at 23:30 UTC (1 November, 00:30 in Germany). Battles take place on Theia Sky Ruins in its Groudon version.
• After the switch you need to log in again for the new series to show up in the game.

What happens at the reset

At the end of a series you are not sent back to Beginner; you drop part of the way. The official notice for the December 2025 change says the reset follows the same general reduction pattern as earlier series. Higher ranks drop further than lower ones. According to Game8, Master players landed in Veteran in earlier seasons.

Rewards

You get rewards as soon as you reach a rank, not at the end of the series. Each reward can be received once per series, up to your highest rank reached. If you drop afterwards, you keep them. The exact rewards for the current series are shown in the game: select your current rank on the Unite Battle screen.

Tips for climbing

• Protect your fair-play points. Once you fall below 90, you only win points back slowly. Stay until the match ends.
• Play for bonuses. With up to three bonuses per battle, interrupting goals, taking damage and collecting Berries count for more than before.
• Use protection cards wisely. Skipping the entry cost pays off most during a losing streak or right before a demotion.
• Know the series end. Rewards arrive instantly, so if you're close to the next rank near the end of the month, use those last days.

Recommended hardware

Pokémon UNITE runs on Nintendo Switch, on Switch 2 according to the Nintendo store, and on smartphones. These guides help with your setup:

• Switch 2 controller buying guide
• Mobile controller buying guide
• Gaming earbuds buying guide

Two example products (manufacturer specs, not our own tests):

Example model

For Switch 2 on the TV: Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller

Compatible with

Nintendo Switch 2 only

Extras

C Button, mappable GL/GR Buttons, 3.5 mm jack

Rumble / sensors

HD Rumble 2, accelerometer and gyroscope

Battery

1,070 mAh, approx. 40 hours

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Example model

For ranked on your phone: Anker Zolo Power Bank 20000mAh 45W

Several ranked matches in a row drain the battery. Specs from the Amazon product page:

Capacity

20,000 mAh

Output

up to 45 W

Ports

2 built-in USB-C cables, 1× USB-C, 1× USB-A

Size and weight

12 × 7.3 × 3.1 cm, 364 g

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FAQ

What is the highest rank in Pokémon UNITE?

Legend. It was added with the 4 December 2025 update and sits above Master. You reach it with a high Master rating and can drop back to Master.

Is Class 1 or Class 5 better?

Class 1 is the highest class in each rank. That has been the case since Season 5 in July 2022.

What level do I need for ranked matches?

Trainer level 6, plus at least 80 fair-play points.

Can you demote in Pokémon UNITE?

Yes. If your rank point gauge drops below zero, you lose a class, including across rank boundaries. Legend players fall back to Master if their rating drops.

Why does a ranked match cost points?

Since December 2025 you spend rank points before every ranked match, more at higher ranks. Rank point protection cards waive the cost for one match.

When does the current series end?

Series 40 ends on 31 October 2026 at 23:30 UTC. Since June 2026, every series ends on the last day of the month at 23:30 UTC.

Sources

• Pokémon Support: Changes to the class system in ranked matches
• Pokémon Support: Why can't I join ranked matches?
• Pokémon Support: Fair-play points
• Pokémon Support: Ranked match rewards
• Pokémon Support: Trial licenses in ranked matches
• Pokémon Forums: Additional Information on the December 4 Update
• Pokémon UNITE Asia: 26 February 2026 update details
• Pokémon UNITE Asia: 17 June 2026 patch notes (series end time)
• Pokémon UNITE Asia: Ranked Match Series 40
• Game8: Ranked season reset
• Nintendo: Pokémon UNITE in the Nintendo store