Pokémon Legends: Z-A’s Mega Dimension DLC launched roughly a month ago, bringing with it a wave of new content that dramatically reshaped how the game is played. From roguelike-inspired Hyperspace Areas with randomized, time-limited encounters to generous distributions of Legendary and Mythical Pokémon, the expansion has been anything but subtle. While its design choices—especially the RNG-heavy progression—remain divisive, there’s no denying the DLC injected new life into the game.
However, for players who care about Ranked Battles and seasonal rewards, participation is no longer optional. To earn everything Pokémon Legends: Z-A has to offer, players must compete in every ranked season—and Season 5 may be the most oppressive one yet.
Thanks to how the DLC integrates with ranked play, the structure of seasonal legality, and the sudden influx of powerful Legendary and Mythical Pokémon, Season 5 threatens to turn competitive battles into a nightmare—quite literally.
Mega Darkrai and the Rise of a Legendary-Dominated Meta
At the center of Season 5’s chaos is Mega Darkrai, the embodiment of nightmares and a major narrative focus of the Mega Dimension DLC. In battle, it is just as terrifying as its lore suggests, boasting an absurd 165 base Special Attack alongside 130 Defense and Special Defense, making it both devastating and difficult to remove.
Season 5 also dramatically expands the pool of legal Pokémon, allowing most Legendary and Mythical Pokémon into ranked play. Newly legal Pokémon include:
- Mega Sceptile
- Latias and Mega Latias
- Latios and Mega Latios
- Heatran and Mega Heatran
- Darkrai and Mega Darkrai
- Cobalion
- Terrakion
- Virizion
- Keldeo
- Meloetta
- Genesect
- Hoopa
- Volcanion
- Magearna and Mega Magearna
- Marshadow
- Zeraora and Mega Zeraora
- Meltan
- Melmetal
For players hoping to unlock Mega Sceptile, there’s no workaround—Ranked Battles in Season 5 are mandatory. That means consistently using or facing teams packed with Legendary and Mythical Pokémon.
RNG, Accessibility Issues, and Shiny Hunting Frustrations
One of Season 5’s biggest issues lies in accessibility. Several of the newly legal Pokémon rely heavily on pure RNG acquisition, as players have no way to manipulate special scan results. If you’re unlucky, you may not obtain certain Pokémon before—or even during—Season 5.
This becomes even more frustrating for shiny hunters. Pokémon like Latias, Latios, Cobalion, Terrakion, and Virizion can require days of grinding with no guarantees, putting casual and time-limited players at a severe disadvantage.
All Returning Legendary and Mythical Pokémon in Season 5
Between the base game and the Mega Dimension DLC, Pokémon Legends: Z-A now features 25 Legendary and Mythical Pokémon. However, not all of them are legal in Season 5.
Not Legal in Season 5
- Xerneas
- Yveltal
- Zygarde
- Diancie
- Mewtwo
- Kyogre
- Groudon
- Rayquaza
Legal in Season 5
- Heatran
- Volcanion
- Cobalion
- Terrakion
- Virizion
- Keldeo
- Meloetta
- Genesect
- Hoopa
- Marshadow
- Meltan
- Melmetal
- Darkrai
- Latias
- Latios
- Magearna
- Zeraora
According to The Pokémon Company, only Pokémon with Lumiose Pokédex numbers 1–227 and Hyperspace Pokédex numbers 1–127, plus entries 131 and 132, are permitted. This rules out several of the franchise’s most infamous powerhouses—but still leaves plenty of dominant threats.
Season 5’s Ranked Meta Is a Competitive Nightmare
Many of the Pokémon legal in Season 5 have a long and proven history of competitive dominance:
- Terrakion – A top-tier Focus Sash user with Swords Dance, strong STAB options, and flexible coverage.
- Latias and Latios – Their Mega forms combine immense offensive power with low cooldowns due to Speed mechanics.
- Genesect – One of the best typings in the series, likely replacing Golisopod entirely.
- Darkrai – Both base and Mega forms counter Armarouge extremely well while remaining bulky, fast attackers.
- Magearna – Already notorious for its Steel/Fairy typing, Mega Magearna pushes it firmly into overpowered territory.
History Repeats Itself in Legends: Z-A
The biggest issue with Season 5 is meta stagnation. These Pokémon are so strong that they will almost certainly appear on nearly every competitive team, drastically reducing diversity. Players are no longer encouraged to experiment—instead, they are forced to build teams specifically to counter a small group of dominant threats.
Terrakion and Magearna, both vulnerable to Ground-type attacks, are expected to define the season. As a result, Pokémon like Garchomp will remain meta staples, recreating the same competitive loop seen in Seasons 2 and 3, when Xerneas and Mewtwo dictated team composition.
In trying to escalate excitement with more Legendary and Mythical Pokémon, Pokémon Legends: Z-A may have unintentionally cornered itself into an unhealthy competitive cycle—one where nightmares aren’t just thematic, but structural.
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