In Pokémon Go, can you truly “make” a Pokémon Gym? While you can’t create a new Gym from scratch, you absolutely can influence which team controls it and reap significant rewards. This guide is your ultimate playbook for mastering Pokémon Go gym control and maximizing your gym bonuses. We’ll delve into everything from strategically placing your Pokémon to the best approaches for attacking and defending, ensuring you become a formidable force in the world of Gym battles.
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Mastering the Art of Pokemon Go Gym Control
Pokémon Gyms are the cornerstones of competitive play in Pokémon Go. They are the battlegrounds where teams clash for supremacy, and controlling them unlocks a treasure trove of in-game benefits. Achieving Pokémon Go gym control is about more than just winning battles; it’s about smart strategy, consistent effort, and a deep dive into the mechanics that govern these vital locations.
Securing Pokemon Gyms: Your First Steps to Dominance
Securing Pokémon gyms is the initial, crucial step towards asserting your team’s influence. A Gym that has been claimed by your team is a beacon of your power. The process itself is straightforward but requires a strategic approach.
- What is a Pokémon Gym? A Pokémon Gym is a special location in Pokémon Go, usually tied to real-world landmarks, where Trainers can battle each other and place their Pokémon to defend it for their team.
- How do you claim a Gym? If a Gym is neutral (white), you can place one of your Pokémon into it to claim it for your team. The first Pokémon placed determines the Gym’s color.
Placing Pokemon in Gyms: The Foundation of Defense
When it comes to placing Pokémon in gyms, think of it as laying the foundation for your defensive strategy. The Pokémon you choose and the order in which you place them can significantly impact how long your Gym remains under your team’s control.
Choosing the Best Pokemon for Gyms
Not all Pokémon are created equal when it comes to Gym defense. Certain Pokémon possess stats, types, and movesets that make them superior defenders. When selecting your best Pokémon for gyms, consider these factors:
- High Stamina (HP): Pokémon with high HP can withstand more battles before being knocked out, making them more persistent defenders.
- High Defense: A high Defense stat directly reduces the damage taken from attackers.
- Decent CP: While not the sole factor, a higher CP generally indicates a stronger Pokémon.
- Type Advantage: Consider the common attacking types in your area. Pokémon with defensive typing that resists popular attacking types are excellent choices.
- CP Cap: Pokémon placed in Gyms have their CP temporarily capped. This prevents exceptionally high-CP Pokémon from dominating too easily, encouraging a more diverse range of defenders. The cap is currently around 3000 CP for most Pokémon, though certain legendary Pokémon might have slightly different caps.
Here’s a look at some top-tier Gym defenders:
| Pokémon | Type | Key Defensive Strengths | Best Movesets (Defensive) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snorlax | Normal | High HP, good Defense, Normal typing resists Ghost | Zen Headbutt / Body Slam, Earthquake |
| Blissey | Normal | Extremely high HP, good Defense, Normal typing resists Ghost | Pound / Hyper Beam, Psychic, Dazzling Gleam |
| Chansey | Normal | Very high HP, decent Defense, Normal typing resists Ghost | Pound / Hyper Beam, Psychic, Dazzling Gleam |
| Umbreon | Dark | High Defense and Stamina, Dark typing resists Psychic | Snarl / Foul Play, Psychic, Last Resort |
| Metagross | Steel/Psychic | Excellent Defense, Steel resists many types | Zen Headbutt / Meteor Mash, Psychic, Earthquake |
| Melmetal | Steel | High Defense and Stamina, Steel resists many types | Thunder Shock / Superpower, Rock Slide, Rock Blast |
| Togekiss | Fairy/Flying | High HP, good Defense, Fairy typing resists Fighting, Dragon | Charm / Dazzling Gleam, Ancient Power, Flamethrower |
| Corviknight | Flying/Steel | Great Defense, Steel typing resists many types | Peck / Brave Bird, Iron Head, Body Slam |
Strategic Placement Order
The order in which you and your teammates place Pokémon can also make a difference. Generally, Pokémon with higher CP and excellent defensive stats are placed first to present an immediate challenge. However, spreading out defensive typings can also be effective against coordinated attack teams.
Defending Gyms: The Art of Endurance
Once a Gym is under your team’s control, the next critical phase is defending gyms in Pokémon Go. This is where your chosen Pokémon showcase their resilience. Gyms have a limited number of slots (typically 6), and once filled, they become harder for opposing teams to conquer.
Motivation and Berries
Pokémon in Gyms lose motivation over time and with each battle they endure. A demotivated Pokémon will perform poorly in battle and is more susceptible to being defeated.
- Motivation Mechanic: A Pokémon’s motivation is represented by its current HP. As it takes damage, its motivation decreases. When motivation drops to zero, it can be defeated and returned to the Trainer.
- Golden Razz Berries: These are your most powerful tool for reviving motivation. Feeding a Golden Razz Berry to a Pokémon in a Gym fully restores its motivation.
- Other Berries: Razz Berries and Nanab Berries also restore a portion of motivation, though less than Golden Razz Berries.
Key to sustained defense: Consistently feeding berries to your Pokémon in Gyms is vital for keeping them motivated and resilient against attacks. Coordinate with your teammates to share berry-feeding duties.
Gym Decay
Pokémon in Gyms also automatically lose a small amount of motivation over time, even without battling. This gradual decay means that Pokémon will eventually become vulnerable if not reinforced with berries.
Attacking Pokemon Gyms: Breaking Down Defenses
Attacking Pokémon gyms is the core of competitive play. When a Gym is held by an opposing team, your goal is to defeat all the defending Pokémon to claim it for your team.
The Battle Mechanics
- Battle System: Gym battles are real-time encounters where you use your Pokémon to attack and dodge incoming attacks from the defender.
- Damage Calculation: Damage is influenced by your Pokémon’s attack stat, the opponent’s defense stat, STAB (Same-Type Attack Bonus), and type effectiveness.
- Dodging: Timing your dodges is crucial. Dodging the opponent’s Charged Attacks can significantly prolong your Pokémon’s survival.
Coordinated Attacks
Raiding gyms in Pokémon Go isn’t always a solo endeavor. Often, the most efficient way to take down a Gym, especially one heavily defended by high-CP Pokémon, is through coordinated group attacks.
- Teamwork: Rally your teammates to attack the Gym simultaneously. This allows you to cycle through attackers faster and overwhelm the defenders.
- Switching Pokémon: If your Pokémon is heavily damaged, switch it out for a fresh one to maintain offensive pressure.
Attacking Strategy: Exploiting Weaknesses
When attacking Pokémon gyms, your strategy should revolve around exploiting the weaknesses of the defending Pokémon.
- Identify Defenders: Observe the Pokémon currently defending the Gym.
- Counter Selection: Choose Pokémon with types that are super-effective against the defenders.
- Moveset Matters: Prioritize Pokémon with fast and powerful Charged Attacks that match their offensive typing.
Example Attack Scenario:
If a Gym is defended by a Snorlax (Normal type), you’d want to use Pokémon with Fighting-type attacks, as Fighting-type moves are super-effective against Normal-type Pokémon. A Machamp with Counter and Dynamic Punch would be an excellent choice.
The Benefits of Pokemon Gym Control: Gym Bonuses Explained
Achieving Pokémon Go gym control and holding these locations for your team unlocks a range of valuable gym bonuses in Pokémon Go. These bonuses are a primary motivator for Trainers to engage in Gym battles.
Daily Defender Bonus
The most significant and frequently claimed bonus is the Daily Defender Bonus.
- How it works: For each Pokémon you have defending a Gym, you receive 5 PokéCoins and 100 Stardust per Pokémon, up to a maximum of 10 Pokémon. This means you can earn a maximum of 50 PokéCoins and 5,000 Stardust per day from defending Gyms.
- Claiming the Bonus: You can claim your Daily Defender Bonus by tapping the Poké Ball icon in the bottom right of the Gym screen. This bonus resets daily.
To maximize your Daily Defender Bonus:
- Control Multiple Gyms: Aim to have Pokémon in at least 10 different Gyms to get the maximum daily payout.
- Longer Defenses: The longer your Pokémon remain in Gyms, the more opportunities you have to claim the bonus.
Gym Badges: A Mark of Achievement
Every time you interact with a Gym – whether by defending it, attacking it, or spinning its PokéStop – you earn progress towards a gym badge Pokémon Go. These badges are a testament to your dedication and prowess at specific Gym locations.
- Badge Tiers: Gym Badges have several tiers:
- Beginner
- Novice
- Ace
- Great
- Ultra
- Master
- Elite
- Earning Progress:
- Placing a Pokémon: 100 Badge XP
- Defending a Pokémon (per minute): 1 Badge XP
- Battling a Pokémon: 100 Badge XP
- Spinning the Gym (if it’s a PokéStop): 100 Badge XP
- Feeding Berries: 25 Badge XP
- Benefits of Higher Tiers: As you earn higher tiers for a Gym Badge, you receive bonuses when interacting with that Gym:
- Increased Item Drops: Higher badge levels can lead to more items when spinning the Gym’s PokéStop.
- Better Pokémon in Gyms: As you increase your badge level, the CP of Pokémon you place in that Gym will be slightly boosted, making them tougher defenders. This CP boost increases with each badge tier.
Pro Tip: Actively engage with Gyms in your neighborhood to level up your Gym Badges. This not only grants bragging rights but also tangible in-game advantages.
Raid Passes and Premier Balls
While not a direct daily bonus from controlling a Gym, Gyms are also the central hubs for Raid Battles. Participating in Raids is crucial for obtaining powerful Pokémon and valuable items.
- Free Raid Pass: You receive one free Raid Pass per day by spinning a Gym’s PokéStop.
- Premier Balls: After successfully completing a Raid, you receive Premier Balls to attempt to catch the Raid Boss. The number of Premier Balls you receive is influenced by your Gym Badge level at that Raid location, your team’s control of the Gym during the Raid, and whether you used a Golden Razz Berry to help your team win the Raid.
Therefore, maintaining control of Gyms can indirectly lead to more Premier Balls for catching Raid Bosses, making it easier to acquire rare and powerful Pokémon.
Gym Training in Pokemon Go: A Deeper Dive
Gym training Pokémon Go refers to the process of battling your own team’s Pokémon at a friendly Gym to increase their motivation and CP boost for defending. This is a less common but still viable strategy, especially for experienced players.
Why Train Your Own Gyms?
- Boosting CP: When you defeat your own team’s Pokémon at a Gym, it increases their motivation. As motivation rises, so does their CP boost, making them more formidable defenders.
- Earning Badge XP: Battling friendly Pokémon at a Gym also earns you Badge XP, helping you level up your Gym Badges faster.
- Strategic Reinforcement: If an opposing team is making inroads to a Gym your team controls, training your own Pokémon can add a final layer of defense before they can be defeated.
How to Train Your Gyms
- Ensure it’s Your Team’s Gym: You can only train at Gyms controlled by your own team.
- Initiate a Battle: Tap on the Gym and then tap the battle button.
- Select Your Team: Choose a team of Pokémon that will be super-effective against the defender you wish to train against.
- Battle and Win: Defeat the defending Pokémon. You can battle the same Pokémon multiple times until its motivation is maxed out.
Important Note: If you defeat an opposing team’s Pokémon at a Gym, you will be credited with a battle, but you cannot “train” them to boost their stats.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pokemon Gyms
Q1: Can I have Pokémon in Gyms from different teams at the same time?
No. A Pokémon Gym can only be controlled by one team at a time. If a Gym is controlled by Team Valor, only Team Valor members can place Pokémon there.
Q2: What happens to my Pokémon when they are defeated in a Gym?
When your Pokémon are defeated in a Gym battle, they are returned to your inventory with 0 HP. You will need to use a Potion and a Revive (or a Max Potion/Max Revive) to bring them back to fighting condition.
Q3: Is there a limit to how many Pokémon I can defend in Gyms?
Yes, there is a limit of one Pokémon per Gym, and a maximum of 10 Gyms you can have Pokémon defending simultaneously. This is tied to the Daily Defender Bonus.
Q4: Can I get my Pokémon back from a Gym if I need it for a Raid or battle?
Yes, you can manually retrieve your Pokémon from a Gym by going to the Gym screen and tapping the Pokémon. However, this will obviously result in your team losing control of that Gym slot. You cannot retrieve a Pokémon if it has been defeated in battle by an opposing team.
Q5: How long do Pokémon stay in Gyms?
Your Pokémon will stay in a Gym indefinitely until they are defeated by an opposing team or you manually recall them.
Q6: Does the CP of my Pokémon matter when placing it in a Gym?
Yes, your Pokémon’s CP contributes to the Gym’s overall defense. Pokémon with higher CP and better defensive stats are generally more effective at holding Gyms. Additionally, as mentioned, your Gym Badge level can provide a CP boost to your defending Pokémon.
Q7: How often can I collect the Gym Defender Bonus?
You can collect the Gym Defender Bonus once every 24 hours.
Q8: Can I attack a Gym that my own team controls?
No, you cannot attack a Gym that is currently controlled by your own team. You can only battle at Gyms controlled by opposing teams. You can, however, “train” at your own team’s Gyms by battling your own Pokémon to boost their motivation.
Mastering the intricacies of Pokémon Gyms in Pokémon Go is a rewarding journey. By understanding the strategies for securing Pokémon gyms, excelling at defending gyms in Pokémon Go, and effectively attacking Pokémon gyms, you can significantly enhance your gameplay experience. Remember to choose your best Pokémon for gyms, utilize berries wisely, and coordinate with your teammates. The gym bonuses and the satisfaction of Pokémon Go gym control are well worth the effort!