Can you add any Pokémon to a gym? Yes, you can add a Pokémon to a friendly gym that you are a part of, as long as there are open slots and the gym isn’t full. This guide will walk you through the entire process of adding Pokémon to a gym, from basic mechanics to advanced strategies for holding your territory.
Adding a Pokémon to a gym is a fundamental action in Pokémon GO, crucial for claiming and maintaining Gym control. It’s not just about placing any creature; it’s about strategic placement and smart defense. This guide will delve deep into the gym mechanics and teach you how to master the art of Gym placement and Gym defense.
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The Basics of Gyms in Pokémon GO
Gyms are special locations on the in-game map where Trainers can battle and place their Pokémon to defend them. There are three main types of gyms:
- Friendly Gyms: These are gyms that are controlled by your team (Valor, Mystic, or Instinct). You can add your Pokémon to these gyms.
- Enemy Gyms: These gyms are controlled by opposing teams. You must battle and defeat the Pokémon in these gyms to turn them into neutral gyms before you can place your own.
- Neutral Gyms: These are gyms that have no Pokémon defending them. They typically appear after a raid or after being defeated by an opposing team. You can add your Pokémon to a neutral gym instantly.
How to Add a Pokémon to a Gym
The process of adding a Pokémon to a gym is straightforward once you’ve located a gym controlled by your team or a neutral gym.
- Approach the Gym: Walk to the gym’s location on your in-game map.
- Tap the Gym: Interact with the gym icon on your screen.
- Check Gym Status: You’ll see information about the gym, including the current defending Pokémon, their health, and the gym’s team color.
- Look for Open Slots: If the gym is controlled by your team, you’ll see a “+” icon or a “Add Pokémon” button if there are available Gym slots.
- Select Your Pokémon: Tap the “Add Pokémon” button. A screen will appear showing your Pokémon collection.
- Choose Wisely: Select the Pokémon you wish to place. Consider its Pokémon CP, type, and potential role in defending the gym.
- Confirm Placement: Once you’ve chosen, confirm your selection. Your Pokémon will then be added to the gym.
Strategic Considerations for Gym Placement
Simply filling up Gym slots isn’t always the best approach. Effective Gym placement involves thinking about your Pokémon’s strengths and weaknesses and how they contribute to overall Gym defense.
Maximizing Pokémon CP
A higher Pokémon CP (Combat Power) generally means a stronger Pokémon. When placing Pokémon in a gym, prioritizing those with higher CP can make them more formidable opponents. However, CP isn’t everything, and we’ll explore that further.
Type Effectiveness
Each Pokémon has a type or types, which determine its strengths and weaknesses against other types. When defending a gym, you want Pokémon that can resist common attacking types or have strong offensive typing against Pokémon likely to be used by attackers.
- Example: A Water-type Pokémon like Vaporeon is strong against Fire-type attackers but weak against Grass and Electric-type attackers. If an opponent frequently uses Fire-type Pokémon, placing a Water-type defender can be effective.
Defensive Capabilities
Some Pokémon are naturally better at defending than others. Pokémon with higher Stamina and Defense stats tend to last longer in Gym battles. They can absorb more damage, giving your team more time to respond or discouraging attackers from attempting to take the gym.
Gym Rotation and Motivation
Pokémon in gyms lose motivation over time. When their motivation is low, their CP decreases, making them easier to defeat. Feeding Berries to your Pokémon in gyms can restore their motivation and keep their CP high, improving their Gym defense.
The Art of Defending a Gym
Defending a gym is more than just placing a strong Pokémon. It’s about making it as difficult as possible for opposing teams to take control. This involves a combination of smart placement, maintaining motivation, and understanding the flow of Gym battles.
Motivation Mechanics
When a Pokémon is placed in a gym, it starts with full motivation. As it stays in the gym, its motivation depletes. When its motivation drops to zero, it faints and returns to your inventory.
- CP Decay: A Pokémon’s CP drops as its motivation decreases.
- Berry Feeding: You can feed Berries to your Pokémon in gyms from your inventory. Golden Razz Berries are the most effective for fully restoring motivation. Each Berry fed increases motivation.
- Team Member Support: Fellow team members can also feed Berries to Pokémon in your team’s gyms, helping to keep them motivated and strong.
Strategic Defensive Pokémon
Certain Pokémon excel at Gym defense. These often include:
- High HP and Defense: Pokémon with naturally high HP and Defense stats can endure more attacks.
- Good Type Matchups: As mentioned, Pokémon that resist common attacking types are valuable.
- Unique Movesets: Sometimes, a Pokémon with a defensive fast move and a powerful charged move can surprise attackers.
Here’s a table showcasing some excellent gym defenders (note: this can change with game updates and new Pokémon releases):
| Pokémon | Type(s) | Strengths for Defense | Weaknesses for Defense |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blissey | Normal | Extremely high HP and Defense, good HP regeneration. | Weak to Fighting-type Pokémon. |
| Snorlax | Normal | High HP and decent Defense, can have diverse movesets. | Weak to Fighting-type Pokémon. |
| Chansey | Normal | Very high HP, similar to Blissey but lower CP. | Weak to Fighting-type Pokémon. |
| Wobbuffet | Psychic | Unique counter-attacking ability, high HP. | Vulnerable to Dark and Ghost types, slow to recharge. |
| Milotic | Water | High HP and good Defense, resists Fire and Ice. | Weak to Grass and Electric-type Pokémon. |
| Umbreon | Dark | High Defense and HP, resists Psychic and Ghost. | Weak to Fighting, Bug, and Fairy-type Pokémon. |
| Bastiodon | Rock/Steel | Very high Defense, resists many types. | Double weak to Fighting and Ground, weak to Water. |
Important Note: The effectiveness of a Pokémon also depends on its moveset. For defense, fast moves that charge energy quickly and charged moves that deal significant damage are preferred.
Dealing with Blissey and Snorlax Walls
Blissey and Snorlax are often the top defenders due to their bulk. However, they have weaknesses.
- Blissey: Weak to Fighting-type Pokémon. Machamp, Hariyama, and Conkeldurr are excellent counters.
- Snorlax: Also weak to Fighting-type Pokémon. Again, Machamp and its ilk are your best bet.
Keeping Your Gym’s Prestige High
Gym prestige is a measure of a gym’s strength and the number of Pokémon it can hold. When you add a Pokémon, the gym’s prestige increases. When other teams battle and defeat Pokémon in a gym, its prestige decreases. If a gym’s prestige drops to zero, it becomes neutral.
- Maxing Gym Slots: A gym can hold up to six Pokémon. To maximize its defensive potential, you want to fill all six Gym slots.
- Higher CP Defenders: Placing higher CP Pokémon generally contributes more to the gym’s prestige.
- Berries for Motivation: Keeping your Pokémon motivated effectively increases their CP, which in turn helps maintain the gym’s prestige and makes it harder to defeat.
Holding a Gym: Long-Term Strategies
Holding a gym for an extended period requires consistent effort and teamwork. It’s a game of attrition and strategic reinforcement.
Rotating Defenders
Don’t leave the same Pokémon in a gym indefinitely. If a Pokémon has been defending for a long time, its motivation might be low, and it might be a predictable target. Rotating your defenders can help keep the gym fresh and challenging for attackers.
Berry Management
Effective berry management is key. Always keep a good supply of Golden Razz Berries to quickly boost the motivation of your defending Pokémon. Coordinate with your team members to ensure that berries are being used strategically across multiple gyms.
Gym Control and Teamwork
Gym control is often a team effort. If your team is working together, you can:
- Reinforce Gyms: Multiple trainers from the same team can add Pokémon to a gym simultaneously, making it harder to take down quickly.
- Communicate: Use team chats or local community groups to coordinate attacks on enemy gyms or defenses of friendly gyms.
- Target Priority: Decide as a team which gyms are most important to hold and allocate resources accordingly.
Attacking Enemy Gyms to Create Opportunities
Sometimes, the best way to secure your own gym is to weaken or take down nearby enemy gyms. This can draw attention and resources away from your territory.
Fathoming the Battle Dynamics in Gyms
Gym battles are a core element of gym gameplay. When an attacker challenges a gym, they must defeat the defending Pokémon one by one.
- Battle Order: Attackers face defending Pokémon in the order they were placed in the gym, with the oldest Pokémon being fought first. However, the “order” can feel a bit fluid based on how motivation is tracked.
- Fainting: Once a Pokémon’s HP reaches zero, it faints and is removed from the gym.
- Attacker Limits: An attacker can only battle a limited number of Pokémon in a gym before they must exit and re-enter the battle. This is a crucial aspect of defending a gym as it slows down attackers.
- Returning Pokémon: When a Pokémon is defeated, it returns to its trainer’s inventory with 1 HP. They can be revived and healed using Potions and Revives.
The Role of Golden Razz Berries During Battles
As an attacker battles, a defender can strategically use Golden Razz Berries to revive their fainting Pokémon and restore its motivation. This can make a significant difference in the outcome of a Gym battle, potentially frustrating attackers and forcing them to retreat.
Advanced Tactics for Gym Dominance
Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can explore more advanced strategies to ensure your team’s Gym control.
Optimal Defensive Pokémon Movesets
The moves a Pokémon has equipped can drastically impact its defensive capabilities. Generally, you want fast moves that are difficult to dodge and charged moves that deal high damage or have quick charge times.
- Example: For Blissey, a fast move like Pound (Normal) and a charged move like Hyper Beam (Normal) or Psychic (Psychic) can be effective.
Gym “Locking”
This refers to a strategy where a team fills all six Gym slots with Pokémon that are difficult to defeat quickly or have high CP. This makes the gym a formidable obstacle for opposing teams, encouraging them to focus their efforts elsewhere.
Timing Your Placements and Battles
- Placement Timing: Consider placing Pokémon in gyms just before or during peak play times when your team might be more likely to reinforce it.
- Battle Timing: Attacking an enemy gym when the opposing team is less active can increase your chances of success.
Common Questions About Adding Pokémon to Gyms
Here’s an FAQ section to address some of the most frequent queries:
FAQ
Q1: Can I add a Pokémon to a gym of my team if it’s full?
A1: No, you cannot add a Pokémon to a gym that already has six Pokémon defending it. You’ll need to wait for a Pokémon to be defeated and return to its trainer.
Q2: How many Pokémon can I have in gyms at once?
A2: You can have a maximum of 10 Pokémon in gyms at any given time. Each Pokémon that gets defeated and returns to you will free up a slot, allowing you to place another one.
Q3: What happens if my Pokémon is defeated in a gym?
A3: When your Pokémon is defeated in a gym battle, it will faint and return to your inventory with 1 HP. You will need to use a Potion and a Revive to heal it before it can be used again. You also receive a notification on your screen that your Pokémon has been defeated.
Q4: How long does a Pokémon stay in a gym?
A4: A Pokémon stays in a gym until it is defeated by an opposing team, or until you choose to recall it (though this is rarely done unless it’s a specific strategy). There’s no time limit on how long a Pokémon can stay, but their motivation decreases over time, making them weaker.
Q5: Can I add a Pokémon to a gym that my friend is also defending?
A5: Yes, as long as the gym is controlled by your team and has an open Gym slot, any player on your team can add their Pokémon to it. Teamwork is key!
Q6: Does the Pokémon CP affect Gym prestige?
A6: Yes, while any Pokémon added contributes to prestige, higher CP Pokémon contribute more to a gym’s overall prestige. This makes them tougher opponents and helps the gym reach higher levels, potentially holding more Pokémon.
Q7: What is the best way to defend a gym?
A7: The best way to defend a gym is to have a mix of high CP Pokémon with good defensive stats and type matchups. Regularly feeding them Berries to keep their motivation high is crucial for sustained Gym defense. Teamwork and communication also play a significant role in holding a gym.
By following these guidelines and strategies, you can effectively add Pokémon to gyms, strengthen your team’s presence on the map, and become a formidable force in your local Pokémon GO community. Master the art of Gym placement and defending a gym, and enjoy the rewards of Gym control!