Broadly, it's just a representation of your character's relationship with the world of Pokemon and how successful they are! It's mostly for flavour, but there are a few mechnical rewards - and in addition, there may (very occasionally and when appropriate) be extra plot opportunities for higher-ranked characters. If an NPC needs help tracking down a Legendary Pokemon, are they going to ask any random trainer off the street, or the Master Rank Pokemon Professor who specializes in Legendaries?

Here are some general guidelines to what each rank means, as well as the actual rewards:

Rank	Rough IC Guidelines	Rewards
Normal	A character is starting on advancing in their class, but cannot support themself fully with it (for example, a Trainer doing battles), and must do odd jobs or find some other way to fill in the rest. Prestigious academic/apprenticeship-based careers which require schooling (such as Pokemon Professor or Pokemon Doctor) are generally just getting started as students at this rank.	Pokemon can gain 6 levels/week
Great	With sufficient effort, a character can support themself with their class, but only barely. Sometimes it might be easier to do some other work anyway! Academic careers are generally still students at this rank, but may be finding work as interns, assistants, medical residents, and so on.	Pokemon can gain 7 levels/week 1 free shiny roll
Ultra	A character can comfortably support themself with their class. For less academic classes, a character may optionally be picking up a reputation as being good at what they do... but mostly at a local scale, or within their community (such as a Breeder being known mostly among other Breeders). Academic careers are considered to have graduated at this rank. (Or the equivalent for characters not undergoing traditional schooling!)	Pokemon can gain 8 levels/week "Breeding" shiny requests unlocked 1 free shiny roll
Master	A character is extremely successful! This can mean someone who is outright famous, like a Contest Coordinator who draws fans in every city, or someone who's usually a hermit but still exceptionally good at what they do, like an Ace Trainer who can crush the Elite Four. It's all up to you!	Pokemon can gain 8 levels/week "Breeding" shiny requests unlocked 1 shiny Pokemon of your choice* 1 item from home of your choice**

* The shiny Pokemon must be one that is available in the wild in VR, or one that you (or another player) can breed. But you'll get to choose exactly what you get!
**Arceus is leaving you a little surprise for being so successful! General guidelines for items from home: no weapons, no technology beyond what exists in VR, any magical effects are gone, and no creatures. Size wise, it should roughly fit in a suitcase, though something slightly larger may be negotiable.

Literally anything you can think of, as long as you can justify it and it fits the setting! (So, for example, you couldn't be a Shinra SOLDIER... but in general, the sky's the limit, and it doesn't even have to be explicitly Pokemon-related as long as it fits the setting! Try us.)

Here are some example classes:

Normal	Great	Ultra	Master
Trainer	Trainer	Trainer	Trainer
Rookie Trainer	Trainer	Ace Trainer	Gym Leader
Rookie Breeder	Breeder	Breeder	Expert Breeder
Contest Rookie	Contest Coordinator	Contest Coordinator	Contest Coordinator
Trainer	Medical Student	Assistant Pokemon Doctor	Pokemon Doctor
Student	Student	Assistant Pokemon Professor	Pokemon Professor
Entrepreneur	Entrepreneur	Entrepreneur	Entrepreneur

As you can see, you may absolutely change your class title partway through as long as it's a logical progression, or you can keep the same title and rely on your Rank to show where you are.

Similarly, if you've already hit Master Rank, but you'd like to change your job title slightly in a way that makes sense (such as changing from Ace Trainer to Gym Leader), that's very possible. If something isn't a logical progression (such as Bug Catcher to CEO)... well, in that case you may have to start from scratch. For more details, see "Form" section.

If you're still struggling to pick a class... take a look at the list of Trainer classes! But plain old "Trainer" is generally a safe starting bet; it's possible to specialize into most Pokemon-related classes starting as a Trainer.

And what about the more unusual classes, like Curmudgeon? Those are valid options too! But then it'll be up to you to figure out what a Master Rank Curmudgeon would be renowned for.

Nope, it's totally optional!

You may engage in all other mechanics (such as badges, breeding, etc) without a related class. A related class is only relevant if you want your character to be known for something! (For example, if your character has a business but you want them to be actually known for being a Fairy-type Trainer - then the latter is what their class should be related to!)

Yes, but:

• 2 classes are the maximum
  
• Only one class can reach Master Rank; the other will cap at Ultra. (There's only so many hours in the day!)
  
• There are no extra rewards for ranking up on a second class. (No more shinies!)

In short: the second class is for flavor and representing character progression (and potentially opening more options for plot interactions), not for more rewards!

You may swap which of your character's two classes are at Master Rank if you find your character focusing on the newer class more. You will still have to justify the rank up, and provide a downgrade description for the previous Master Rank class. For more details, see "Form" section.

As a general rule, we'll be looking at participation in game and justification for why that participation involves your character's class path.

We have two "categories" of evidence we accept. Primary evidence is required - you will need at least some of it - but secondary evidence is also helpful to have!

Types of evidence that can be used as primary evidence:

• event threads
  
• TDM threads
  
• log/network posts
  
• log/network threads
  
• quest board quests/threads
  
• player plots*
  * If you are the one running a player plot, as this is high-intensity participation, you are allowed to handwave how your character participated. However, if you wish to use it, this handwaved activity must still be related to their class like with all the other evidence!

Some general guidelines for primary evidence threads:

• Threads should be substantial: we're not requiring specific amounts of comments or comment lengths; we mostly care that a thread has something meaningful occur! But as a general rule, threads with only two comments/where all responses are five words long won't fly.
  If you have an important event top level that never ended up getting tagged into, or a spammy comedy thread that nevertheless had something interesting happen, go ahead and include it! But those should be a minority.
  
• Threads should be somewhat spread out, with at least one recent one: we're looking for some level of consistent activity. Missing a couple months is absolutely no problem, but we don't want only ancient threads from five years ago or only threads you've done in the past few days.
  We do require at least one substantial thread somehow relevant to the class from within the last 2 months for a submission.
  
• Threads should involve a variety of CR: your threads don't have to all be different people! But if you submit five threads, and four of the five are with the same person, we will be scrutinizing your submission much more heavily.

Types of evidence that can be used as secondary evidence:

• AC check-in summaries (particularly useful for demonstrating that a character has been working on something over a long period of time)
  
• badges/JKBA ranks/Aurora League gym ownership/other mechanical participation
  
• OOC participation in events (i.e. stuff like submitting contest entries)
  
• new info pages for your character's business/IC projects
  
• updated CR charts or Pokemon rosters (with notes relevant to the class)
  
• "here's a sketch I drew and shared of a scene that happened offscreen with my character and their CR"
  
• in general, you're welcome to be creative here!

There is no specific exact requirement for each Rank - we'll let you know if we want to see more, though expect higher ranks to require more participation. But here is an example for setting expectations (all bolded sections in the example would be links, and assume that "..."s would be filled in with more justifications):

(Yes, high ranks require pretty sizable proofs - these are meant to be very long term goals!)

Rank	Title	Justification	Recommended Time in Game*
Normal	Trainer	TDM thread from January 2020 - Ache Ketchup first learns how to battle thread from February 2020 - Ache Ketchup gets a lesson from Luke Skywalker about how to better get along with his Mimikyu February 2020 AC summary - background training that Ache was doing	1 month
Great	Student	event thread from March 2020 - Ache Ketchup runs into Professor Yoke and gets inspired to become a Pokemon Professor thread from March 2020 - Ache studies in the Goldenrod Library event thread from May 2020 - ... thread from May 2020 - ... thread from June 2020 - ... thread from July 2020 - ... Earning Zephyr Badge, Hive Badge - Ache uses his studies to get some Gym battle victories March 2020 AC summary, April 2020 AC summary, May 2020 AC summary, July 2020 AC summary - evidence that Ache is taking online classes in the background	6 months
Ultra	Assistant Professor	network post from August 2020 - Ache Ketchup, now officially on the track to professorship, starts figuring out what he wants to specialize in event threads x 2 - ... logs/threads x 8 - ... quest board quest completed - ... OOC event participation - Ache places second in the Swinub Scurry thanks to using his studies on Ghost Pokemon to pick ones that handle snow well More badges x8 - ... AC summaries x6 - evidence that Ache is working on self-motivated research projects in the background, studying first the Mimikyu line, then the Duskull line	1.5 years
Master	Pokemon Professor	event top level October 2021 - new assistant professor Ache saves the day when ghosts swarm event threads x 4 - ... logs/threads x 10 - ... Player plot - I ran this player plot; Ache accidentally caused it by pissing off Lavender Town's entire Ghost population. During the plot he did XYZ. Aurora League gym - Okay so, yes, Ache is a Professor, not a Gym Leader... but it's a Gym specializing in Ghost types! He'd never have been able to open it if not for his studies (let alone beat the Elite Four), and he's using it to continue his research on why Ghost types are super-effective against each other! AC summaries x10 - ...	3 years

* These recommended times in game are not hard requirements! If you are super active and engaged, maybe you can rank your character to Ultra Rank in under a year. If you have long periods of inactivity, 3 years may not be enough time to get your character to Master Rank.

Characters apped in as Rockets, or those who join the Rockets later*, may immediately submit for Normal rank as a Rocket Grunt, with no evidence/justification required. In fact - they MUST do this if they have or want any second class. As long as they're a Rocket, one of their two classes must be in Team Rocket!

(However, their Team Rocket class does not have to be the one maxed out to Master Rank - that's up to you!)

In addition, Rocket ranks have set titles:

For regular field agents: Grunt ('Agent') > Private > Beta > Alpha
For lab workers: Grunt ('Technician' in the lab, 'Agent' on the field) > Researcher > Division Head > Lab Head (for a whole base)
(The next two ranks up are Admins and the Boss, but those are restricted to NPCs!)

In character, Rockets can engage in a second "normie" class as long as they fulfill Rocket requirements... and are not exposed as a Rocket! Exposed Rockets will have very limited career options aside from being full-time Team Rocket members. Otherwise, someone who is still a Grunt/Normal Rank as a Rocket, but very prestigious in their second class, may start experiencing pressure from leadership to do bigger Rocket activities and get promoted... but it's up to you if they actually do!

*See the Team Rocket 101 for more info.

It depends!

Rank: There's no direct, in-character awareness of ranks - they're meant to be an OOC representation of status, not an IC one! So there's no actual line on your Trainer ID that lists that you're "Great" rank. However, characters will obviously be aware of broadly how prestigious they're known to be. It's also fine for characters to notice that, say... they used to not be able to breed shinies and are now able to.

Class: This one depends a lot more! Obviously characters who are Rockets or Gym Leaders will be aware of it, and have official titles (even if Rockets aren't spreading that around). Other options, like Curmudgeon or Enterpreneur, are much less likely to be "official." While characters will probably be vaguely aware of what they're known for, it's completely fine for them not to know the actual name of their class. (A Laprasaholic will likely notice that people come to them for anything Lapras-related, but they don't have to have an IC title of Laprasaholic.)

If players wish, for classes where it makes sense to have an "official" title, characters may have it printed on their Trainer ID.

Characters who re-apply and re-join the game have a few options:

• If your character was Normal Rank, it's recommended to just restart from scratch.
  
• If your character was Great or higher, you can reclaim your previous rank after 3 months in game. Reclaiming will require just 1 recent, substantial thread relevant to the class. For more details, see "Form" section.
  
• Alternatively, you may choose to restart from scratch. HOWEVER: unless you gave up your previous Pokemon/items when re-joining the game, you will not get the one-off shiny and item rewards for ranks again. (We're trusting players to be honest about this!)

Characters who were in the game before September 7, 2025 can choose to skip ranks and apply directly to a higher rank.

Even grandfathered-in characters will need to submit a justification/evidence for their target rank - they just get to skip intermediate ranks. In addition, if you skip intermediate ranks, you will not get the one-off rewards for those ranks. (I.e. you won't get stuff like the free shiny rolls that you skipped.) Be sure that's what you want!

(We will additionally be slightly more lenient on requirements for anyone who submits before October 7, 2025. We will still require a. at least 1 recent (i.e. within the last 2 months) substantial thread, relevant to the class somehow, and b. at least some additional justification for higher ranks like Ultra and Master.)

If you are at Master Rank and would like to update your class title to something very similar but more fitting: note down in "Other" that you're updating a class title, and in justification, provide one substantial thread from within the last 2 months relevant to the new title.

If you would like to downgrade your Master Rank class to Ultra, and upgrade your second class to Master: note down in "Other" which class you're downgrading, and which class you're upgrading. Additionally, in "Class description," provide upgraded descriptions for both classes. In "Justification", provide justification for the class getting upgraded to Master, as normal.

If you would like to drop a class entirely, or swap it for a new one: (such as for joining or leaving Rockets, etc) note down in "Other" that you are dropping a class and which one it is. If you were Ultra Rank or higher, provide a description for why the old class is no longer ICly relevant to your character (and provide a description of the new class, if you are swapping). If swapping, in "Justification", provide justification for the new class. (Or for joining the Rockets, no justification is needed for Normal Rank.)

If you re-apped and are reclaiming your class title/rank: note down in "Other" that this is a re-app and that at least 3 months have passed since you were re-accepted into the game. In "Previous Rank Submission Comment," link to the original acceptance for the rank you are reclaiming. In justification, provide one substantial thread from within the last 2 months relevant to the title.

If you are grandfathered in and wish to skip ranks: note down in "Other" that you're grandfathered in and are jumping to (whichever appropriate) rank. In "Justification", provide justification for said rank, as normal.