Pokemas LabPOKEMAS LAB · CIRCLE DURATION
Circle Duration Ranking
Choose a region and category to compare duration
To maintain a circle longer, choose the same region and physical, special, or defensive category. Check deployment uses and extension partners, then compare the same target for individual pairs and three-pair teams.
Compare your settings
Change target, time, and training, then inspect coverage
Change conditions here to calculate individual and three-pair candidates. Check the required grids, deployment and extension counts, action order, and gaps as well as the rank.
What are circles? Check both region and category
Circles are field effects that can increase applicable move and sync move damage or reduce received damage. Official descriptions explain that more allies with the specified tag increase their effects. This ranking compares the time the selected circle remains active rather than the strength of its bonus.
For example, Kalos Circle (Physical) and Kalos Circle (Special) are separate targets. Even for the same region, different categories are scored separately.
We do not sum the duration of every circle simply because several are active. This table checks when your chosen region and category are active.
Extend through matching skills and redeployment
| Factor | What to check |
|---|---|
| Applicable duration extension | Check that the extension skill covers your chosen region and category. |
| Deployments from moves | Check initial uses and recovery, as well as whether another move deploys the same circle. |
| Entry and post-sync effects | Include triggers beyond direct move use. If an effect consumes the original move’s MP, that consumption is counted. |
| Support for reaching sync moves | When a pair redeploys after a sync move, action order and countdown reduction can also affect coverage. |
This model updates the target’s expiration when the same region and category are redeployed. Different regions and categories are tracked independently, and only the selected target is scored. Normal-field extension rules for EX weather, terrain, and zones are not reused for circles.
Even with many deployments, using them all immediately may not be best. Inspect the timeline to see when the remaining uses are spent.
Example: count first success separately from the first time MP reaches zero
Arc Suit Korrina & Lucario: two deployments of the same circle category
Almighty Rock Smash sets Kalos Circle (Physical) on its first successful attack; Almighty Aura Sphere does the same for Kalos Circle (Special). With the matching grid tile, the same category is deployed once more when that buddy move’s remaining MP first reaches zero.
Count one first-success deployment plus one deployment from the matching grid tile when that buddy move’s MP first reaches zero. This is not MP recovery.Having three uses does not mean the buddy move deploys a circle on every attack. These buddy moves can be used only while the user is not in a pinch, so maintaining that condition is required.
With the matching Extension 3 tile, this reference model gives 110 seconds per deployment: 50 base seconds, 30 from the passive, and 30 from the grid. Using both deployments without overlap gives 220 seconds total for the same category (110 seconds × 2). Physical and Special are separate targets; their durations are not added into a 440-second score.
In this page’s 180-second comparison, using the buddy move three times close together can instead yield 148 active seconds because deployments overlap. The 220-second value is the exhausted total; 148 seconds describes the active intervals for that action spacing and evaluation window. They are different metrics.
The links below connect the matching first-MP-zero redeployment and Extension 3 tiles. Each build is available at move level 3 and uses 20/70 energy including paths. Seconds are not measured values; the shared unverified extension caps and clock behavior remain reference assumptions.
Choose duration ranking settings
The initial example is Kalos (Physical). Switch region and category to inspect candidates that can deploy or extend that target. A target with no candidate shows no results; we do not substitute another circle.
Sort by coverage percentage, then active seconds, shorter longest gap, earlier deployment, fewer deployment and extension events, and fewer actions. Identical scores share a rank.
Loading settings and rankings…
Three-pair recommendations: match roles to your target circle
Choose the region and category that fits your attacker or defensive plan. Then inspect three-pair candidates combining setters with matching extension or countdown support. The candidates below were calculated in the three-pair category.
Loading three-pair team candidates…
Three-pair scores prioritize maintaining the selected circle. They are not an overall ranking of circle strength, damage, or durability. Check the three pairs’ region tags and offensive and defensive roles before using a team.
Compare duration and gaps on the timeline
Comparing coverage for the same circle reveals differences between entry deployment and redeployment after sync moves. Check timeline gaps to see whether it remains active when you want to attack or defend.
Loading coverage for comparison…
When changing the evaluation from 180 to 270 seconds or another duration, keep training, recovery scenario, and search scope equal. Different search budgets prevent attributing a rank change only to battle time.
Calculation conditions and limitations
Displayed values are reference results from the action orders found among the candidates under these conditions. Match the recovery scenario and training, then check the interval you need.
- Target region, category, and ally side:Only the ally-side circle matching the selected region and physical, special, or defensive category is scored. Overlap with other circles is not added to produce coverage above 100%.
- Circle reference rules:This model refreshes the expiration for the same region and category, while different targets remain independent. Base seconds, exact redeployment behavior, and the clock during animations have not been confirmed by measurement.
- Data and initial settings:Uses saved data dated October 21, 2026. Initial settings are 180 seconds, move level 5, 6★ EX and EX Role enabled, Superawakening disabled, and a 70-energy Sync Grid budget. Check displayed settings after making changes. This is not a fresh collection of every implementation available on October 23.
- Individual contribution plus two neutral slots:The evaluated pair is accompanied by two slots that only provide standard countdown reduction through normal actions. They supply no fields, extra countdown reduction, sync moves, or stat boosts. This does not recreate the clock of entering battle with one pair alone.
- Teams use actual members:Candidates include setters, extension partners, and countdown support. Replay includes all three members’ moves, buddy-move preparation, sync moves, forms, and entry order. Preparation uses an action slot, and sync moves require a countdown of zero. This approximate clock excludes sync animation time.
- One successful random MP recovery:The initial scenario assumes one successful recovery at the first eligible opportunity for each supported skill and affected move. It is neither guaranteed nor an expected value. Compare it separately with “No extra random MP recovery.” Deterministic MP recovery applies in both scenarios.
- Coverage uses active intervals:We sum non-overlapping active intervals within the evaluation window, then divide by its duration. Replacement, removal, expiration, and the interval from the last action to the evaluation end are included.
- Limited candidate search:Grid candidates are checked for connecting paths, move level, and energy. A beam search keeps promising action branches. Rankings are not exhaustive across all pairs, grids, teams, and action orders. Inspect the result details for candidate counts, search limits, and unevaluated cases.
- Approximate seconds:The reference model uses a 50-second base duration, 10 seconds per extension rank, and a 50-second first-deployment bonus where the Field role applies. These are not established universal in-game constants or bonuses added to every effect.
- Not a measured clock:This does not fully simulate animations, clocks during sync or max moves, gauge waits, HP changes, incoming hits, survival, or extension caps and exceptions. Academy pairs are excluded because unique training resources and completed-board compatibility are unverified. These values do not guarantee the same duration in battle.
Result details retain the original move and skill descriptions, native IDs, selected grid, and conditions. Unverified extension values and conditions are not guessed from names alone.
We compare real sync pairs’ original move and skill descriptions with the calculated behavior. Arc Suit Silver’s buddy move sets EX sunny weather only when three uses remain at selection. Hilda (Champion)’s buddy move redeploys only the currently active terrain type. Checking these conditions is separate from measuring in-game seconds; durations remain reference values.
For a circle overview, see the official Producer Letter 54. Examples of extension and effects after sync moves also appear in Letter 88、Letter 86、Producer Letter 93. These official descriptions do not establish a 50-second base duration or 10 seconds per extension rank.
Related articles and tools to try next
Normal and EX rankings score different intervals; circle rankings also require a matching target. Choose the table that fits your purpose.
- Weather, Terrain, and Zone Duration Ranking: Switch normal and EX targets and compare setters and extension partners.
- Circle Duration Ranking: Compare by region and physical, special, or defensive category.
- Sync Countdown Reduction Ranking: Check countdown reduction options for reaching sync moves.
- Debuffer Ranking: Find candidates for lowering stats before attacking.
After choosing duration candidates
Compare damage and the whole team
Duration rankings alone do not determine damage or durability. The damage calculator and team search can examine attackers and supports with a different objective.
These are general links to each tool. They do not automatically restore this page’s duration-specific action order and Sync Grid. Change duration conditions and recalculate in this page’s ranking.