Can you add any Pokemon to a Gym? Yes, you can add any eligible Pokemon you own to a Gym, provided the Gym is not at its maximum capacity and it belongs to your team.
Adding Pokemon to a Gym is a core part of the Pokemon Go experience, especially for players looking to earn rewards and assert their team’s dominance. It’s not just about putting your strongest fighters in; there’s strategy involved. This guide will walk you through the entire process, from picking the right Pokemon to understanding the nuances of Pokemon gym placement.
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The Basics of Pokemon Gyms
Gyms are special locations in the Pokemon Go world. They are often found at landmarks, parks, or significant places. When you reach Trainer Level 5, you can choose one of three teams: Mystic (Blue), Valor (Red), or Instinct (Yellow). Your goal is to help your team control these Gyms.
Pokemon Gym Status
Gyms can be in several states:
- Neutral: A Gym that no team currently controls. These are easy to take over.
- Friendly: A Gym controlled by your team. You can add Pokemon to these.
- Enemy: A Gym controlled by an opposing team. You need to battle these to take them over.
How Gyms Work
When you add a Pokemon to a friendly Gym, it begins defending it. The more Pokemon defending a Gym, the harder it is for other teams to conquer. Each Pokemon defending a Gym adds to its overall motivation.
Adding Pokemon to a Gym: The Process
So, you’ve chosen your team and found a Gym controlled by them. Now, how do you get your Pokemon in there?
Steps to Assigning Pokemon to Gyms
- Locate a Gym: Spin your map and look for Gym icons. These are typically larger than PokeStops.
- Check Gym Control: Approach the Gym. If it’s your team’s color, you can add Pokemon. If it’s another color, you’ll need to battle it first.
- Interact with the Gym: Tap on the Gym icon on your map.
- Add Pokemon: If it’s a friendly Gym, you’ll see a button that says “Add Pokemon.” Tap this button.
- Select Your Defender: A list of your Pokemon will appear. You can only add Pokemon that are not currently assigned to another Gym and are not in your battle party or currently recovering from battle.
- Choose Wisely: Select the Pokemon you wish to place.
- Confirm: Tap “Add” to confirm your selection. Your Pokemon will then be placed as a Pokemon guarding the gym.
What Prevents You From Adding a Pokemon?
There are a few reasons why you might not be able to add a Pokemon:
- Gym is Full: Gyms have a limited number of slots. Most Gyms can hold up to six Pokemon.
- Pokemon Already Defending: You cannot assign a Pokemon that is already defending another Gym.
- Pokemon in Use: If your Pokemon is currently in a battle party or has recently participated in a Gym battle and hasn’t recovered, you can’t assign it.
- Your Team Doesn’t Control It: You can only add Pokemon to Gyms controlled by your own team.
Pokemon Gym Placement Strategy
Simply adding any Pokemon you have isn’t the best approach. Strategic Pokemon gym placement can make a big difference in how long your defenders hold out.
Best Pokemon for Gyms
When choosing Pokemon for defending gyms, consider these factors:
- High Defense Stat: Pokemon with naturally high Defense tend to last longer.
- Good HP: Higher HP means your Pokemon can take more hits before fainting.
- Resistances to Common Attack Types: Pokemon that resist the types of attacks frequently used by opposing trainers will perform better.
- Unique Typing: A mix of Pokemon types can make it harder for opponents to find a single strategy that counters all your defenders.
- Lower CP (Sometimes): While it might seem counterintuitive, sometimes lower CP Pokemon are better for holding a Gym for longer, especially in a “chaining” strategy. This is because they lose motivation (and thus CP) faster when attacked, making them vulnerable to being knocked out quickly and allowing other Pokemon to take their place. However, for sheer bulk and resistance, higher CP defenders are still valuable.
Here’s a look at some generally strong defenders:
| Pokemon | Type 1 | Type 2 | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snorlax | Normal | – | High HP, good Defense, resists Ghost | Fighting |
| Blissey | Normal | – | Extremely high HP and Defense, Normal typing is defensive | Fighting |
| Chansey | Normal | – | Very high HP, decent Defense | Fighting |
| Umbreon | Dark | – | Great bulk, resists Psychic, Ghost, Dark | Fighting, Bug, Fairy |
| Skarmory | Steel | Flying | Resists many types (Bug, Dragon, Grass, Normal, Psychic, Flying, Steel, Fairy, Ground), high Defense | Fire, Electric |
| Metagross | Steel | Psychic | Resists many types, strong Attack | Fire, Ground, Ghost, Dark |
| Gardevoir | Psychic | Fairy | Resists Fighting, Dragon, Psychic, Dark | Poison, Ghost, Steel |
| Togekiss | Fairy | Flying | Resists Fighting, Bug, Grass, Dragon, Dark | Poison, Steel, Electric, Ice, Rock |
| Milotic | Water | – | High HP and Defense, resists Fire, Ice, Steel, Water | Grass, Electric |
| Dragonite | Dragon | Flying | Good all-around stats, resists Grass, Fighting, Bug, Fire, Water, Ground | Ice (x4), Rock, Dragon, Fairy |
Note: This table is a general guide. The “best” Pokemon can depend on the current meta and what other players in your area are using.
Understanding Pokemon Motivation
Pokemon defending Gyms lose motivation over time and when they are attacked. When a Pokemon’s motivation is low, its CP decreases, making it easier for opponents to defeat. You can feed Berries to your Pokemon to restore their motivation.
- Golden Razz Berries: Fully restore motivation and increase the chance of earning candy.
- Razz Berries: Partially restore motivation.
- Nanab Berries: Make Pokemon less likely to move erratically, useful for catching.
- Pinap Berries: Double the candy you get when catching.
Feeding Berries is crucial for keeping your Pokemon strong defenders. You can only feed Berries to Pokemon defending Gyms that belong to your team.
Pokemon Gym Battles: The Counterpart to Defense
While this guide focuses on adding Pokemon, it’s essential to know about Pokemon gym battles from an offensive perspective. This knowledge helps you choose better defenders.
How to Take Over a Gym
To take over an enemy Gym, you need to battle the Pokemon currently defending it.
- Approach the Gym: Go to an enemy Gym.
- Start Battle: Tap the Gym and then the “Battle” button.
- Choose Your Team: Select a team of six Pokemon to battle against the defenders.
- Battle Through Defenders: You’ll battle the defending Pokemon one by one. Defeat them to progress.
- Deplete Gym Morale: Each time you defeat a defending Pokemon, the Gym’s “morale” or overall strength decreases.
- Defeat All Defenders: Once you defeat all defending Pokemon, the Gym becomes neutral.
- Add Your Pokemon: Immediately after the Gym becomes neutral, you can add one of your own Pokemon to claim it for your team.
The Importance of Type Matchups
In Pokemon gym battles, exploiting type advantages is key. Knowing which Pokemon are weak to which types will inform your defensive choices. For example, if many opponents in your area are using Fire-type Pokemon, placing a Water-type defender is a good idea. Conversely, you wouldn’t want to place a Grass-type Pokemon against a Gym likely to be attacked by many Fire-types.
Advanced Gym Mechanics
There are a few finer points to consider regarding Pokemon gym mechanics.
Gym Berry Feeding Limits
You can feed a maximum of 10 Berries to any single Pokemon per 30 minutes. After feeding 10 Berries, there’s a cooldown period before you can feed that specific Pokemon again. This limit applies per Pokemon, not per account.
Golden Razz Berry Cooldown
If you feed a Pokemon a Golden Razz Berry, you cannot feed any Pokemon in any Gym a Golden Razz Berry for a 30-minute cooldown period. This means you need to be strategic about when you use your valuable Golden Razz Berries.
Daily Gym Badge Progress
Each Gym you interact with (by battling, feeding berries, or placing a Pokemon) contributes to your Gym Badge progress. Higher Gym Badge levels unlock bonuses, such as increased Berry feeding limits or better rewards from Gyms.
Earning Coins and Stardust
Pokemon defending Gyms earn coins and stardust for your account. You receive these rewards when your Pokemon is eventually defeated and returns to you, or when your team is eventually overthrown from the Gym. You can collect up to 50 coins per day from defending Gyms.
Key Points for Earning Rewards:
- You earn 1 coin for every 10 minutes a Pokemon stays at a Gym.
- There’s a maximum of 50 coins you can earn per day.
- The maximum number of Pokemon you can have defending Gyms at any one time is 20.
This encourages you to spread out your Pokemon across multiple Gyms to maximize your daily coin income.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Can I put the same Pokemon in multiple gyms?
No, a Pokemon can only defend one Gym at a time. Once you assign a Pokemon to a Gym, it will be unavailable for other Gyms or battles until it returns to you.
Q2: How many Pokemon can a gym hold?
A Gym can hold a maximum of six Pokemon. Neutral Gyms will have no Pokemon, while friendly Gyms will have Pokemon from your team, and enemy Gyms will have Pokemon from opposing teams.
Q3: What happens to my Pokemon when a gym is taken over?
If an enemy team defeats all the Pokemon in a Gym you are defending, your Pokemon will be returned to you. They will be fainted and will need to be revived using Potions and Revives.
Q4: How do I get my Pokemon back from a gym?
Your Pokemon will automatically return to you once they are defeated in a battle. This happens when an opposing team successfully attacks the Gym and knocks out your defenders.
Q5: Can I feed berries to Pokemon in enemy gyms?
No, you can only feed berries to Pokemon defending Gyms that belong to your team. This is a way to support your team’s defenses and keep your Pokemon motivated.
Q6: Does CP matter when defending a gym?
While CP is a general indicator of a Pokemon’s strength, defensive stats (Defense and HP) are often more crucial for long-term gym defense. A Pokemon with high Defense and HP can withstand more attacks, even if its CP is lower than a purely offensive Pokemon.
Q7: How long do Pokemon stay at a gym?
Pokemon will stay at a Gym until they are defeated in battle by an opposing team, or until you decide to use a Potion on them to make them faint and return to you (though this is rarely done). They do not leave on their own unless defeated.
Q8: What is the best way to power up Pokemon for gyms?
Focus on Pokemon with good defensive stats and useful typings. Powering them up using Stardust and Candy will increase their HP and Defense, making them more effective defenders. Researching which Pokemon are strong against common attacking types in your area is also beneficial.
Q9: Can I remove my own Pokemon from a gym?
You cannot directly remove your own Pokemon. The only way to get your Pokemon back is if it is defeated by an opposing team.
Q10: How does Pokemon gym placement affect my team’s control?
Strategic Pokemon gym placement, using a variety of strong defenders, makes it significantly harder for opposing teams to take over Gyms. A well-defended Gym will deter attackers and help your team maintain control for longer periods, increasing your chances of earning daily rewards.
By carefully selecting your Pokemon and understanding the dynamics of Gym battles and defense, you can become a formidable force for your team, earning valuable rewards and contributing to your team’s overall success in Pokemon Go.