Can you create a Gym in Pokémon Go? No, you cannot directly create a Gym in Pokémon Go. Gyms are pre-determined locations in the game world, typically tied to real-world landmarks, points of interest, or significant structures. However, you can influence which Pokémon are at a Gym and contribute to its control. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about Pokémon Go Gyms, from capturing them to defending them and everything in between.
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Fathoming Gym Capture and Control
The core of the Gym system in Pokémon Go revolves around Gym capture and maintaining Gym control. When you encounter a Gym that is neutral (grey), it’s ripe for the taking. This is your first step towards establishing your team’s presence.
Becoming the Gym Leader: The Capture Process
- Locate a Neutral Gym: These Gyms appear as grey structures on your in-game map. They don’t belong to any team yet.
- Engage in a Gym Battle: Approach the neutral Gym and tap on it. You’ll see the option to “Add Pokémon.”
- Select Your Pokémon: Choose one of your strongest Pokémon to place at the Gym. This Pokémon will be the first Gym defender.
- Claim the Gym: Once you place a Pokémon, the Gym immediately becomes yours (or your team’s, if you’re playing with others). You’ll see your team’s color and your Pokémon as the Gym’s protector.
Why Gym Control Matters
Controlling Gyms is crucial for several reasons:
- Coin and Stardust Acquisition: When your Pokémon are defending a Gym, you earn coins and Stardust for each Gym your team holds at the end of a 21-hour period. The more Gyms you control, the more rewards you get.
- Gym Badge Progression: Holding Gyms and battling at them contributes to your Gym Badges. Higher-level badges offer bonuses when interacting with those specific Gyms.
- Raid Access: Gyms are where Raids occur. To participate in a Raid, your team must control the Gym, or you need a Raid Pass to join regardless of team control.
The Art of Gym Battle
Once a Gym is claimed, it becomes a battleground. Gym battle is a fundamental mechanic for challenging opposing teams and increasing your team’s influence.
Attacking an Opposing Gym
- Find an Enemy Gym: Identify Gyms colored with the opposing team’s insignia.
- Tap and Engage: Approach the Gym and tap on it. You’ll see the Pokémon currently defending it.
- Choose Your Attackers: You can bring up to six Pokémon to battle. Select Pokémon that have a type advantage against the defending Pokémon.
- The Battle:
- Tapping: Rapidly tap the screen to perform fast attacks.
- Swiping: Swipe left or right to dodge incoming charged attacks from the defending Pokémon. Timing is key!
- Charged Attacks: Fill your charged attack meter by performing fast attacks. Tap and hold the screen to unleash a powerful charged attack.
- Defeating Defenders: You must defeat all the defending Pokémon to weaken the Gym.
Defeating the Gym
After defeating all Pokémon at an enemy Gym, the Gym’s Gym prestige will decrease significantly. Eventually, if enough Pokémon are defeated, the Gym will turn neutral again, allowing your team to claim it. This is known as a Gym takeover.
Maintaining Gym Defender Status
Placing your Pokémon as a Gym defender is more than just leaving a Pokémon there; it’s an active part of the game’s strategic depth.
Choosing the Right Gym Pokémon
The best Pokémon for defending Gyms are those with high stamina (HP) and good defensive stats. They should also have moves that can effectively counter common attacking Pokémon.
Here are some top-tier Gym defenders:
| Pokémon | Type | Best Defensive Moveset | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snorlax | Normal | Zen Headbutt / Body Slam | High HP and good bulk. |
| Blissey | Normal | Charm / Psychic | Immense HP, making it very hard to take down. |
| Chansey | Normal | Charm / Psychic | Lower CP than Blissey but still a great defender. |
| Umbreon | Dark | Snarl / Foul Play | Great defensive typing and good bulk. |
| Metagross | Steel/Psychic | Zen Headbutt / Meteor Mash | Excellent typing and strong attacks. |
| Togekiss | Fairy/Flying | Charm / Ancient Power | Strong against Dragon types. |
| Lapras | Water/Ice | Ice Shard / Ice Beam | Good defensive typing and powerful Ice moves. |
| Dragonite | Dragon/Flying | Dragon Breath / Dragon Pulse | Good HP and strong against Dragon types. |
Golden Razz Berries and Other Berries
You can use Berries to heal your defending Pokémon.
- Razz Berry: Restores a small amount of HP.
- Pinap Berry: Doubles the candy you get from catching Pokémon. (Not for defense)
- Nanab Berry: Slows down a Pokémon’s movements during capture. (Not for defense)
- Oran Berry: Restores a moderate amount of HP.
- Sitrus Berry: Restores a significant amount of HP.
- Golden Razz Berry: Fully restores a Pokémon’s HP. This is your most valuable tool for keeping a strong Gym defender in place.
Using Golden Razz Berries strategically can deter attackers and help you maintain Gym control.
CP Decay and Motivation
Defending Pokémon gradually lose motivation over time, which reduces their combat effectiveness (CP). You can restore their motivation by feeding them Berries. The higher the CP of the Pokémon, the more motivation it loses. Pokémon with 3000+ CP will lose motivation faster than lower CP Pokémon.
Understanding Gym Prestige and Levels
Each Gym has a Gym prestige value, which determines its level and how many Pokémon it can hold.
Gym Prestige Tiers
| Level | Pokémon Slots | Required Prestige |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1,000 |
| 2 | 2 | 6,000 |
| 3 | 3 | 16,000 |
| 4 | 4 | 32,000 |
| 5 | 5 | 50,000 |
Increasing Gym Prestige
- Adding a Pokémon: Adds 2,000 prestige to a neutral Gym.
- Battling an Opposing Gym: Winning a battle against a defending Pokémon increases the Gym’s prestige by a variable amount (higher for defeating stronger Pokémon or those with higher motivation).
- Feeding Berries: Feeding berries to your team’s defending Pokémon increases the Gym’s prestige. Each berry fed contributes a small amount of prestige.
Decreasing Gym Prestige
- Defeating Defending Pokémon: When you battle and defeat a defending Pokémon in an opposing Gym, its prestige decreases. The amount of prestige lost depends on the defending Pokémon’s CP and how many battles it has already endured without being healed.
- Berries: Defenders in your own team’s Gym can be “feeder” by other teammates with berries, which boosts their motivation and thus their defensive capabilities.
The Role of Gym Locations
The Gym location is paramount to its strategic value. Certain Gyms are more contested due to their accessibility or proximity to other Gyms.
Strategic Gym Placement
- High Traffic Areas: Gyms located in busy public spaces, parks, or shopping centers are often more valuable as they are frequently visited by players of all teams.
- Choke Points: Gyms that are isolated or in areas where travel is restricted can be difficult to attack or defend, making them less desirable for prolonged control.
- Synergy with Other Gyms: Controlling a chain of Gyms or a cluster of them can make it easier to earn your daily bonuses and maintain territory.
Gym Raids: Collaborative Challenges
Gym raids are a core endgame feature that allows players to team up and battle powerful Raid Bosses.
Accessing Gym Raids
- Raid Eggs: Raid Eggs appear above Gyms. They hatch into Raid Bosses after a set period.
- Raid Bosses: Once hatched, the Raid Boss is available for a limited time. You need a Raid Pass to participate.
- Teamwork: Raids require multiple players to defeat the Raid Boss. Communication and choosing Pokémon with type advantages are key to success.
Raid Rewards
Upon defeating a Raid Boss, you receive rewards such as:
- Rare Candies
- TMs (Fast and Charged)
- Revives and Potions
- Stardust
- Pokémon encounters (often rare or powerful Pokémon)
Tiered Raids
Raids are categorized into tiers, indicated by the color of the Raid Egg:
- Tier 1: Easier to solo, often features a single-stage evolution Pokémon.
- Tier 2: Can be soloed by some players, but often requires a strong Pokémon.
- Tier 3: Generally requires at least two strong players.
- Tier 4: Usually requires three or more players.
- Tier 5 (Legendary Raids): The most challenging, requiring a significant number of players (often 5-10+) and careful Pokémon selection.
- Mega Raids: Involve Mega Evolved Pokémon and require a good group to defeat.
Gym Badges: A Mark of Dedication
Your Gym badge serves as a testament to your engagement with the Gym system.
Earning Gym Badges
Gym Badges are earned by performing specific actions at Gyms:
- Battling: Winning battles at a Gym increases your badge score for that Gym.
- Defending: Placing Pokémon in a Gym and having them stay there for extended periods contributes to your badge score.
- Feeding Berries: Feeding berries to Pokémon at your team’s Gym also earns you points.
- Spinning PokéStops: If a Gym is also a PokéStop, spinning it earns you badge points.
Gym Badge Tiers
There are several tiers of Gym Badges, each with increasing requirements:
- Beginner: Earned by performing any of the above actions once.
- Novice: Requires a moderate amount of activity.
- Trainer: Requires more significant engagement.
- Ace: Demonstrates consistent interaction.
- Bronze: A good level of commitment.
- Silver: Shows substantial dedication.
- Gold: Achieved through extensive interaction with a Gym.
- Platinum: The highest tier, requiring extraordinary dedication and often involving numerous battles and lengthy defenses.
Benefits of Higher Badge Tiers
As your Gym Badge level increases, you receive bonuses when interacting with that specific Gym:
- Increased Item Drops: Spinning a PokéStop associated with a higher-tier Gym yields more items.
- Higher CP Boost: Pokémon you place in a higher-tier Gym receive a slight CP boost, making them slightly more effective defenders.
Popular Gym Strategies for Dominance
Achieving and maintaining Gym control often involves employing smart strategies.
The “Golden Razz Wall”
This strategy involves multiple players from the same team coordinating to continuously feed Golden Razz Berries to their defending Pokémon in a Gym. This makes it incredibly difficult and time-consuming for an opposing team to defeat the defenders, effectively creating a “wall” that deters attackers.
The “Golden Razz Lock”
Similar to the Golden Razz Wall, this strategy focuses on keeping a high-CP Pokémon like Blissey or Snorlax motivated and at full health. If an attacker starts a battle, a teammate can immediately feed the defender a Golden Razz Berry to restore its HP, often making the attacker waste their effort and potentially forcing them to retreat.
Quick Gym Takeover
When targeting an enemy Gym, players can coordinate to defeat the defending Pokémon rapidly. This often involves using multiple accounts or a coordinated group to ensure the Gym is quickly weakened and turned neutral, allowing for an immediate recapture by their team.
Sniping Gyms
This refers to attacking a Gym just before your team is scheduled to receive their daily bonus for Gym control. The goal is to claim the Gym in the last moments to secure the bonus without having to defend it for long.
Leveraging Type Advantages
Always consider the type matchups when selecting your attacking Pokémon. For example, using a strong Electric-type Pokémon against a Water-type defender is highly effective.
Type Effectiveness Chart (Simplified)
| Attacking Type | Effective Against Types | Weak Against Types | Resists Types | Weak Against Types |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire | Grass, Ice, Bug, Steel | Water, Ground, Rock | Fire, Grass, Ice, Bug, Steel, Fairy | Water, Ground, Rock |
| Water | Fire, Ground, Rock | Grass, Electric | Fire, Water, Ice, Steel | Grass, Electric |
| Grass | Water, Ground, Rock | Fire, Ice, Poison, Flying, Bug | Water, Electric, Grass, Ground | Fire, Ice, Poison, Flying, Bug |
| Electric | Water, Flying | Ground | Electric, Flying, Steel | Ground |
| Ice | Grass, Ground, Flying, Dragon | Fire, Rock, Fighting, Steel | Ice, Grass | Fire, Fighting, Rock, Steel |
| Fighting | Normal, Ice, Rock, Dark, Steel | Flying, Psychic, Fairy | Fighting, Poison, Rock | Flying, Psychic, Fairy |
| Poison | Grass, Fairy | Ground, Psychic | Grass, Fighting, Poison, Fairy | Ground, Psychic |
| Ground | Fire, Electric, Poison, Rock, Steel | Water, Grass, Ice | Poison, Rock | Water, Grass, Ice |
| Flying | Grass, Fighting, Bug | Electric, Ice, Rock | Grass, Fighting, Bug | Electric, Ice, Rock |
| Psychic | Fighting, Poison | Bug, Ghost, Dark | Fighting, Psychic | Bug, Ghost, Dark |
| Bug | Grass, Psychic, Dark | Fire, Flying, Rock | Grass, Fighting, Ground | Fire, Flying, Rock |
| Rock | Fire, Ice, Flying, Bug | Water, Grass, Fighting, Ground, Steel | Fire, Flying, Normal | Water, Grass, Fighting, Ground, Steel |
| Ghost | Psychic, Ghost | Ghost, Dark | Poison, Bug | Ghost, Dark |
| Dragon | Dragon | Ice, Dragon, Fairy | Fire, Water, Electric, Grass | Ice, Dragon, Fairy |
| Dark | Psychic, Ghost | Fighting, Bug, Fairy | Ghost, Dark | Fighting, Bug, Fairy |
| Steel | Ice, Rock, Fairy | Fire, Ground, Fighting | Normal, Ice, Rock, Flying, Psychic, Bug, Steel, Grass, Dragon, Fairy | Fire, Ground, Fighting |
| Fairy | Fighting, Dragon, Dark | Poison, Steel | Fighting, Bug, Dragon, Dark | Poison, Steel |
| Normal | – | Fighting | – | Fighting |
Note: This table is simplified. Some Pokémon may have secondary types that influence their resistances and weaknesses.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How many Pokémon can be at a Gym?
A Gym can hold a maximum of six Pokémon. Once a Gym reaches its maximum capacity, you must defeat one of the defending Pokémon to create an open slot.
What happens to my Pokémon when it’s defeated at a Gym?
When your Pokémon is defeated at a Gym, it returns to your inventory with very low HP and will be fainted. You will need to use a Revive and Potions to bring it back into fighting condition.
Can I have my Pokémon at more than one Gym at a time?
Yes, you can have your Pokémon defending multiple Gyms simultaneously, as long as you have enough Pokémon to place.
How often do I get coins from Gyms?
You receive coins and Stardust once every 21 hours for each Gym your team controls. The maximum number of coins you can earn per day is 50.
What is Gym control?
Gym control refers to a Gym being occupied by Pokémon from your team. The color of the Gym on your map indicates which team has control.
How do I start a Gym takeover?
A Gym takeover begins when you successfully battle and defeat all the Pokémon in an opposing team’s Gym, causing it to turn neutral. You can then immediately place one of your Pokémon to claim it for your team.
What is Gym prestige?
Gym prestige is a value associated with each Gym that determines its level and how many Pokémon it can hold. Higher prestige means a higher level and more defender slots.
What is a Gym raid?
A Gym raid is a special event where a powerful “Raid Boss” appears at a Gym, and multiple players must team up to defeat it within a time limit.
Can I create a Gym at any location?
No, Gyms are pre-determined locations in Pokémon Go. You cannot create new Gyms; you can only interact with existing ones.
This comprehensive guide should equip you with the knowledge to effectively navigate and dominate the Gym system in Pokémon Go. Happy battling and defending!