Pokémon Legends: Z-A players have only a few days left to take advantage of one of the easiest opportunities to stock up on rare Poké Balls. Season 16 of Ranked Battles is currently handing out more than 130 special Poké Balls to players who climb from Rank Z to Rank A.
The rewards include Safari Balls, Beast Balls, Sport Balls, Dream Balls and several popular Apricorn-style Poké Balls. Normally, getting large quantities of these items can require considerably more effort.
There is one important catch: Season 16 ends on September 17, 2026.
Season 16 Is Giving Away Rare Poké Balls
Pokémon Legends: Z-A launched in 2025 and was followed by the Mega Dimension DLC, expanding the game with additional Mega Evolutions and content.
Several of those Mega Evolutions are now appearing in Pokémon Champions through seasonal updates. Mega Golisopod and Mega Baxcalibur recently joined the game, giving players another opportunity to experiment with Pokémon originally introduced or expanded upon through Legends: Z-A.
However, players who are still spending their time in Pokémon Legends: Z-A currently have another reason to return.
Season 16 of Ranked Battles offers rare Poké Balls as progression rewards.
Players begin at Rank Z and gradually work their way toward Rank A. The current reward structure means almost every step of that journey provides additional special Poké Balls.
Players who complete the entire climb can collect more than 130 rare Poké Balls.
Every Pokémon Legends: Z-A Season 16 Poké Ball Reward
The rewards improve as players reach higher ranks.
From Rank Y through Rank U, players receive Lure Balls and Moon Balls. Additional Poké Ball types are gradually added before the most valuable rewards become available during the final ranks.
The complete reward structure is:
- Ranks Y to U: Lure Ball and Moon Ball at every rank, providing five copies of each.
- Ranks T to P: Lure Ball, Moon Ball and Love Ball at every rank, providing five copies of each.
- Ranks O to K: Heavy Ball, Level Ball, Friend Ball and Fast Ball at every rank, providing five copies of each.
- Ranks J to F: Heavy Ball, Love Ball, Level Ball, Friend Ball and Fast Ball at every rank, providing five copies of each.
- Rank E: Two Beast Balls, Safari Balls, Sport Balls and Dream Balls.
- Rank D: Two Beast Balls, Safari Balls, Sport Balls and Dream Balls.
- Rank C: Three Beast Balls, Safari Balls, Sport Balls and Dream Balls.
- Rank B: Four Beast Balls, Safari Balls, Sport Balls and Dream Balls.
- Rank A: Five Beast Balls, Safari Balls, Sport Balls and Dream Balls.
For collectors, the final five ranks are particularly valuable.
Safari Balls and Beast Balls Are Usually Much Harder to Get
Poké Balls such as the Safari Ball, Beast Ball, Sport Ball and Dream Ball are not items players can simply purchase whenever they need another stack.
They are considerably rarer than ordinary Poké Balls and are primarily tied to specific reward systems.
The Mega Dimension DLC provides another method through Poké Ball-specific Donuts created by Ansha. A Tier 3 Poké Ball Donut can potentially provide around 30 to 40 Poké Balls.
However, creating the right Donut can be difficult, while its rewards are not guaranteed to provide the exact rare Poké Balls a player wants.
Ranked Battles offer a much more straightforward alternative during Season 16.
Reach the required rank, and the corresponding Poké Balls are awarded directly.
That makes the current season particularly useful for players who want rare Poké Balls for specific Pokémon or simply want to build a collection without repeatedly farming Donuts.
Getting to Rank A Can Be Surprisingly Quick
The amount of rewards may make reaching Rank A sound like a massive grind, but Season 16 can reportedly be completed much faster than some players might expect.
Active players can potentially climb from Rank Z to Rank A within one or two dedicated play sessions, although individual results will naturally depend on performance.
That makes the reward-to-time ratio particularly attractive.
Even players who normally avoid competitive Pokémon battles may find it worthwhile to spend some time in Ranked Battles before the season disappears.
Instead of spending considerably longer gathering resources and crafting Donuts, players can simultaneously participate in PvP and collect guaranteed rewards.
Season 16 Is All About Mega Evolutions
Season 16 also comes with a special restriction that changes how Ranked Battles are played.
Only Pokémon capable of Mega Evolution are allowed.
That dramatically reduces the available Pokémon pool and forces players to build teams around Mega-capable species rather than simply relying on their usual choices.
The restriction also gives players an opportunity to experiment with Pokémon and Mega Evolutions they might otherwise ignore.
Matches therefore offer something slightly different from the standard competitive experience while still providing a strong incentive through the rare Poké Ball rewards.
For players who enjoy Mega Evolution, the current season combines competitive battles with one of the better reward pools Pokémon Legends: Z-A has offered.
Pokémon Champions Is Expanding the Mega Evolution Lineup
The timing is also interesting because Mega Evolutions introduced through Pokémon Legends: Z-A continue to appear elsewhere.
Mega Golisopod and Mega Baxcalibur recently returned through a Pokémon Champions update.
Mega Golisopod in particular has already established itself as a potentially powerful option. Its boosted First Impression can benefit from Tough Claws, allowing it to deal significant damage immediately after entering battle.
Pokémon Champions is gradually providing another environment where these Mega Evolutions can be tested with their complete movesets and abilities.
However, some Mega Evolution content has previously required interaction with Pokémon Legends: Z-A. The Generation 6 starters, for example, required players to obtain their respective Mega Stones through Legends: Z-A before accessing them in Pokémon Champions.
Mega Baxcalibur does not carry the same requirement.
It is another sign that Pokémon Legends: Z-A continues to influence the wider Pokémon ecosystem even after its original 2025 launch.
There Are Only a Few Days Left
The most important detail for Pokémon Legends: Z-A players is the deadline.
Season 16 ends on September 17.
Once the season concludes, the current Ranked Battle progression rewards will no longer be available in their present form.
That leaves players with only a short window to collect the large number of rare Poké Balls currently on offer.
With more than 130 available during the climb to Rank A, the rewards are difficult to ignore. Safari Balls, Beast Balls, Sport Balls and Dream Balls alone make reaching the higher ranks worthwhile, while dozens of additional Moon, Love, Heavy, Level, Friend, Fast and Lure Balls can be collected along the way.
Players who have been saving rare Poké Balls or struggling to obtain enough of them through Mega Dimension therefore have a much easier alternative for the next few days.
The clock is already ticking.
