If you are a competitive MOBA gamer, building your dream team from the best Pokémon Unite tier list and winning a few matches are not enough. You might be looking for something else to fire you up — recognition for your hard work or a bigger goal to keep playing. Thankfully, Pokémon Unite has a ranking system in place. And rising to its highest tier affirms that you are among the best players in the game.
Do you want to know more about the Pokémon Unite ranking system? If yes, this article is for you. Here, we explain all the Pokémon Unite ranks and how you can reach them. We will also answer the usual queries about rankings and matches.
Inside This Article
- How to Go from Unranked to Ranked in Pokémon Unite
- How Ranks Work in the Pokémon Unite Ranking System
- Can You Lose Master Rank in Pokémon Unite?
- Do Ranks Reset in Pokémon Unite?
- What Rank Rewards Do You Get in Pokémon Unite?
- Tips to Rank in Pokémon Unite
- What Is a Good Pokémon Unite Rank?
- Why Can’t I Play Pokémon Unite Ranked Matches?
- Why Can’t I Join or Compete with Friends in a Ranked Match?
How to Go from Unranked to Ranked in Pokémon Unite
Every Pokémon Unite player starts without a rank. Thus, you should first know how to progress from unranked to ranked. The key to experiencing the Pokémon Unite ranking system is your participation in Ranked Matches.
What are Ranked Matches, then? Ranked Matches are five-versus-five battles like in your typical MOBA game setup. They are further organized into “cups” for each Pokémon Unite season and pits players of the same skill level or rank. Their main difference with Standard Matches is that the wins and losses matter more; those outcomes propel you up or down the Pokémon Unite ranks.
To play Ranked Matches and get to the first tier of the Pokémon Unite ranking system, you must:
- Have at least five Pokémon you can rely on in matches, so you have alternatives if a teammate already chooses your favorite or go-to Pokémon
- Win Standard Matches until you hit Trainer Level 6
- Obtain five Pokémon Unite licenses, be they free or paid
- Avoid being AFK, a quitter, or a “dirty” player during matches to maintain at least 80 Fair Play Points
Fulfill all these conditions and you will be one step closer to dominating the Pokémon Unite ranking system.
How Ranks Work in the Pokémon Unite Ranking System
Now, it is time to know how many ranks are there, what they are, and how the ranking system work in Pokémon Unite. As of this writing, there are six Pokémon Unite ranks you should familiarize yourself with. Five are subcategorized into classes. The highest rank does not have categories.
For easy reference, here is a table showing the Pokémon Unite ranking system from its lowest to the highest tiers. It also lists how many classes you need to go through per rank, and the number of Ranked Match wins or victory points required for the next rank. The loading-screen frame colors for the Pokémon Unite ranks are specified too, for they show immediately how skilled your teammates are before a match.
Rank | Number of Classes | Ranked Match Wins/Points Needed to Move Up a Rank | Loading Screen Frame Color |
Beginner (lowest) | 3 Classes | 9 | Orange |
Great | 4 Classes | 12 | Blue with a red corner flap |
Expert | 5 Classes | 15 | Yellow with a cyan corner flap |
Veteran | 5 Classes | 15 | Purple-blue-cyan gradient |
Ultra | 5 Classes | 15 | Orange-yellow gradient |
Master (highest) | N/A | Players ranked according to total Ranked Match wins/points | Cyan-pink-yellow gradient |
As you can see, you can go up from a lower to a higher rank by progressing from Class 3, 4, or 5 to Class 1 in your current tier. And to move up from one class to another, you always need three Ranked Match wins or points.
The Master Rank no longer has classes; it only lists players according to their total Ranked Match wins. That is because of a past Pokémon Unite ranking system revamp. Even the class ranking got reversed during an anniversary update. Class 1 is the highest as of this writing, whereas it was Class 5 back in the early days of the MOBA game.
Master tier zeroing into the total number of wins accumulated is not bad, though. It is a way to showcase better the achievements of the best of the best Pokémon Unite players.
Can You Lose Master Rank in Pokémon Unite?
You can go up the Pokémon Unite ranking system and reach the Master Rank by winning more Ranked Matches. That said, can you lose Master Rank in Pokémon Unite when you lose Ranked Matches? Thankfully, you would not lose your Master Rank due to match losses. You do not get demoted to a lower rank because point reductions are not applicable in the highest tier.
What about in the other Pokémon Unite ranks? The same goes for the Beginner Rank or Cup. Even if you lose many Ranked Matches, you will not return to being unranked.
If you are in the Great to Ultra Ranks or Cups, though, you can lose a rank — especially if you lose too many Ranked Matches. A loss equates to one point deduction.
On the bright side, if you still have more wins than losses, demotion would not immediately occur. You can also avoid facing immediate demotion if you are in the lowest class of a rank, but recently got your Performance Points bar filled. Performance Points are rewards after each Ranked Match, and you can go up a class if you have a full bar for them. Hence, a full bar cancels out one class demotion. It may save you from moving down a rank from the lowest class.
Do Ranks Reset in Pokémon Unite?
If the ranking loss you are more curious about is rankings reset, know that it happens after each season. Thus, if you are in the Master Rank, those are only the times or reasons you can lose the rank. That said, there is no need to be disappointed about the reset. That is because you reap your rank rewards each time a season ends. We are going to tackle the rank rewards in this Pokémon Unite ranking system guide shortly.
What Rank Rewards Do You Get in Pokémon Unite?
Did you know that climbing the Pokémon Unite ranking system is not only for bragging rights? You get rewards after finishing each season with a rank. They may be in-game cosmetics (e.g Holowear aka Pokémon skins or costumes) or functional items. And more importantly, they change per season to keep the excitement going. One exception, which is a consistent reward, is Aeos Tickets.
The Aeos Tickets let you redeem various things in the game. For example, you can exchange them for Pokémon, held items and their enhancers, trainer skins, point boosters, and more. How many Aeos Tickets you get depends on the rank you achieved at the end of the season. Here is a complete reference:
Final Rank | Aeos Tickets |
Beginner (lowest) | 2,000 |
Great | 4,000 |
Expert | 6,000 |
Veteran | 10,000 |
Ultra | 15,000 |
Master (highest) | 20,000 |
Tips to Rank in Pokémon Unite
To be atop the Pokémon Unite ranking system and bag the best rewards, win more Ranked Matches. However, that is easier said than done, especially for anyone new to the best MOBA games. As you go up the Pokémon Unite ranks, the tougher enemies become. Of course, your opponents are putting in hard work to improve their offensive and defensive strategies, too. Moreover, there is no single best formula for winning more matches.
Nonetheless, if you follow these tips that work on Standard and Ranked Matches, you already have some foundations for winning:
1. Familiarize yourself with the game’s important phases
Know what happens minute-by-minute in battles. For example, when boost-granting wild Pokémon appear and how players deal with the said Pokémon while fighting other teams. Beating wild Pokémon for individual or group status effects sometimes dictates who wins the game.
2. Take your time developing strategies and practicing them
Do not lose patience if you have not yet moved up another tier in the Pokémon Unite ranking system. Everyone improves at their own pace, and you should continue doing the same. If you are in the lower Pokémon Unite ranks where you do not get demoted, you can use the actual matches to try new tactics. If you are in the higher Pokémon Unite ranks, you can practice in other game modes to get better without risking your rank. Remember this famous saying: practice makes perfect.
3. Do not go AFK or quit too often
You might have previously met the Fair Play Points mark to qualify for Ranked Matches. But note that Fair Play Points can still be deducted if you go AFK or quit Ranked Matches. Frequently going AFK or quitting limits you from gaining rewards. Going way below the 80 Fair Play Points, meanwhile, blocks you from playing Ranked Matches. If you need to quit, and that is fine with all five team members, you can all leave the game by surrendering after the five-minute mark. That would not incur penalties.
What Is a Good Pokémon Unite Rank?
Reaching any rank in the Pokémon Unite ranking system is already an achievement because that means progress. But which rank is good to be in, you ask? Technically, the Expert to Master Ranks are the good Pokémon Unite ranks to be in. As the rank names imply, reaching the said tiers means you are already a Pokémon Unite expert or master.
That said, high rankings are not always good for everyone. Some players express in online forums that they want to go down from Master Rank to a lower rank during a season. That is because they prefer the level of competitiveness or type of players they are often matched with.
Unfortunately, as we have said, the Pokémon Unite ranking system does not demote players from Master Rank while a season is still on. Players can only wait for the Pokémon Unite rankings reset to occur, and then try to maintain the rank they prefer in the next season. Given that, it is your choice whether you want to rank higher or stay at a lower rank that lets you enjoy the game best.
Why Can’t I Play Pokémon Unite Ranked Matches?
If you cannot join Ranked Matches in Pokémon Unite, it may be because you have not met the requirements for unlocking them. Simply head back to the first section of this Pokémon Unite ranking system guide to check whether you forgot something on the list or not.
If you fulfilled the conditions yet are prevented from accessing Ranked Matches, there might a bug in the game. To fix the error, restart Pokémon Unite or update its mobile app.
The underlying problem could also be that the Pokémon Unite server is down. Wait for server restoration, and if it is taking too long, you can check out the other best Pokémon games in the meantime.
When the error seems to not go away on its own, you may contact the Pokémon Unite support team via their official web page. On the page, fill out your email address, name, language, region, and app and device version. Also, elaborate on the concern. It is best if you can provide some screenshots showing the problem, too. That way, the waiting time for the support team’s response might be shorter; they might understand your concern better through the file attachments.
Why Can’t I Join or Compete with Friends in a Ranked Match?
You might not be able to join or be joined by your friends in a Ranked Match due to the Pokémon Unite matchmaking system. As mentioned, it currently matches players that are nearly the same level. That may be for the better good, though. If you did not know yet, unbalanced matchmaking was a chief complaint of Pokémon Unite players before the matchmaking system revamp.
It is also possible that your friends have not met the requirements for accessing Ranked Matches. So, feel free to share this Pokémon Unite ranking system guide with them if they are not ranked yet.
Become a Master in Pokémon Unite Now
Understanding the Pokémon Unite ranking system is important, even before engaging in Ranked Matches. Doing so is one way to prepare for the more intense competitions you will be facing. At the same time, it helps you avoid mistakes that can get you demoted. Combine the know-how on Pokémon Unite ranks with the best tips for winning matches, and you will find yourself at the top of the rankings in no time. Start your journey to become a master in Pokémon Unite today!