Can you retrieve your Pokémon from a Gym in Pokémon GO? Yes, you can take Pokémon out of gyms, but not in the way you might think. Unlike returning a Pokémon to your party in the main series games, in Pokémon GO, your Pokémon stay at the Gym until they are defeated by other Trainers or until you decide to use a specific item to recall them. This guide will walk you through the process of getting your Pokémon back and reclaiming your defenders.
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Taking Back Your Gym Defenders
When you place a Pokémon in a Gym, it becomes a defender. These Pokémon bravely fend off attackers from opposing teams. However, you can’t simply tell them to come back to your team at will. The primary way your Pokémon leave a Gym is by being defeated in battles.
How Pokémon Get Defeated
- Attacks from Opposing Teams: Trainers from other teams will battle Pokémon defending Gyms. If a defender loses enough battles, it will eventually be returned to you.
- Berries: If a Gym is your team’s color, you can feed your Pokémon there Berries. This helps them regain motivation (health) and stay in the Gym longer. However, you can also feed Golden Razz Berries to your own Pokémon to boost their motivation. This doesn’t directly remove them, but it keeps them there longer.
Retrieving Your Pokémon From Gyms
So, how do you actively remove Pokémon from gym locations if they aren’t being defeated? There’s a special item that allows you to retrieve Pokémon from gym locations instantly: the Golden Razz Berry.
Using the Golden Razz Berry to Get Pokémon Back
The Golden Razz Berry is your key to instantly get Pokémon back from gym locations. Here’s how it works:
- Open Your Pokémon GO App: Make sure you are logged in.
- Access Your Item Bag: Tap on the Poké Ball icon at the bottom of the screen, then tap on “Items.”
- Select the Golden Razz Berry: Find the Golden Razz Berry in your item list.
- Tap “Use”: This will open a view of Pokémon currently defending Gyms that are within range.
- Choose Your Pokémon: Tap on the specific Pokémon you wish to take back gym defenders. A list of your defending Pokémon will appear.
- Confirm: Once you select your Pokémon, you’ll need to confirm that you want to use the Golden Razz Berry to recall them.
What Happens When You Use a Golden Razz Berry?
When you use a Golden Razz Berry on one of your defending Pokémon, they are instantly returned to your Pokémon storage. They will have full motivation (health) and can be used immediately in battles or for other purposes. This is the fastest way to retrieve defender Pokémon.
Important Note: Using a Golden Razz Berry to remove your Pokémon from gym is a one-time action per Pokémon. Once they are recalled, you will need to wait for them to be automatically returned (if defeated) or use another Golden Razz Berry if you wish to recall them again later.
Why You Might Want to Remove Pokémon from Gyms
There are several strategic reasons why you might want to free Pokémon from gym locations:
1. To Use Them in Raids or Trainer Battles
Your Pokémon cannot participate in Raids or Trainer Battles while they are defending a Gym. If you desperately need a specific Pokémon for a high-level Raid or a PvP battle, you’ll need to take your Pokémon out of gym to make them available.
2. To Heal Them
Pokémon defending Gyms lose motivation over time and after battles. While feeding them Berries in your team’s Gyms can restore motivation, if they’ve been defending for a very long time or have taken many hits, you might want to recall them to heal them completely using Potions and Revives.
3. To Collect Your Daily Gym Bonus
You can only collect your daily Gym bonus for Pokémon that have been defending Gyms for at least 21 hours. If you have Pokémon in Gyms for longer periods, they will still contribute to your bonus collection, but you might want to rotate them out to ensure you’re consistently getting your rewards. Recalling them allows you to collect their bonus and potentially place them in new Gyms.
4. To Optimize Gym Placement
Sometimes, Gyms are in less strategic locations, or a Gym you placed your Pokémon in gets taken over by an opposing team and then immediately attacked. In such cases, you might want to release Pokémon from gym locations that are no longer beneficial and place them in more advantageous spots.
5. To Get Your Poké Coins
You earn Poké Coins for each Pokémon you have defending a Gym, up to a maximum of 50 coins per day. The coins are awarded when a Pokémon is defeated or when you manually recall them using a Golden Razz Berry. If you’ve hit the 50-coin limit, you might want to claim gym Pokémon to free them up and potentially collect coins from other defenders.
Strategies for Placing and Defending Gyms
The decision of when and where to place your Pokémon in Gyms, and when to take Pokémon out of gym, is a key part of Pokémon GO strategy.
Gym Control and Team Balance
- Team Up: Work with your teammates to take and hold Gyms. A well-defended Gym can be a significant source of Poké Coins and Stardust.
- Strategic Placement: Place Pokémon in Gyms that are less likely to be attacked frequently. Gyms in busy areas might be taken quickly, but they also mean your Pokémon will be challenged more often. Gyms in quieter spots might offer longer defense times.
Defender Pokémon Choice
- High CP Pokémon: Pokémon with high Combat Power (CP) are generally better defenders.
- Defensive Stats: Pokémon with high Defense and Stamina stats are crucial for long defenses.
- Type Matchups: Consider the types of Pokémon that are commonly used to attack Gyms in your area. Placing Pokémon with resistance to those types can make them harder to defeat.
Top Defensive Pokémon Recommendations
| Pokémon | Type | Key Strengths |
|---|---|---|
| Snorlax | Normal | High HP and Defense, good CP |
| Blissey | Normal | Extremely high HP, excellent stamina |
| Umbreon | Dark | High Defense and Stamina, good typing |
| Garchomp | Dragon/Ground | High CP and Attack, good bulk |
| Metagross | Steel/Psychic | High Defense and Attack, resistances |
| Dragonite | Dragon/Flying | High CP and Attack, good overall stats |
| Togekiss | Fairy/Flying | High Defense and Special Attack, good typing |
Motivation System Explained
When your Pokémon defends a Gym, its motivation (represented by a heart icon) decreases over time and with each battle it participates in. A Pokémon with low motivation has reduced CP, making it easier for attackers to defeat.
- Full Motivation: Your Pokémon fights at its maximum CP.
- Low Motivation: Your Pokémon’s CP is significantly reduced.
- Zero Motivation: The Pokémon is defeated and returned to you.
How to Restore Motivation
- Berries: You can feed your Pokémon Berries when they are defending a Gym of your team’s color.
- Razz Berry, Nanab Berry, Pinap Berry: Restore a small amount of motivation.
- Golden Razz Berry: Restores a large amount of motivation, bringing the Pokémon back to full strength. This is also the item used to take your Pokémon out of gym locations.
The 21-Hour Rule for Daily Bonuses
To collect your daily Gym bonus, your Pokémon must have been defending a Gym for at least 21 hours. You can have up to 10 Pokémon defending Gyms simultaneously contributing to your bonus.
How to Claim Your Gym Bonus:
- Tap on the Poké Ball icon.
- Tap on “Pokémon.”
- You will see an indicator on Pokémon that have been defending for 21 hours or more.
- Tap on a defending Pokémon, then tap “Collect Bonus.”
This process does not remove your Pokémon from gym but simply allows you to collect the coins and Stardust they have earned.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Here are answers to common questions about retrieving your Pokémon.
Q1: Can I lose my Pokémon if I don’t take them out of a Gym?
No, you will not lose your Pokémon permanently. They will always be returned to your collection once they are defeated or if you use a Golden Razz Berry to recall them.
Q2: How do I get my Pokémon back if they are in a Gym controlled by another team?
If your Pokémon is in a Gym controlled by an opposing team, you cannot directly interact with it to recall it. Your Pokémon will only be returned to you if it is defeated by attackers in that Gym.
Q3: What happens to my Pokémon’s CP when it defends a Gym?
When a Pokémon is placed in a Gym, its CP is effectively capped, and its motivation level determines how well it fights. Low motivation means lower effective CP.
Q4: Is there a limit to how many Pokémon I can recall using Golden Razz Berries?
There is no limit to how many Golden Razz Berries you can use to claim gym Pokémon or how many Pokémon you can recall. However, you are limited by the number of Golden Razz Berries you possess.
Q5: If I use a Golden Razz Berry to recall a Pokémon, does it get healed?
Yes, when you use a Golden Razz Berry to free gym Pokémon, they are returned to your party with full motivation, essentially fully healed for immediate use in battles or other activities. They will not have HP missing, but they will not have any status effects like Poison or Paralysis.
Q6: Can I place a Pokémon in a Gym if I have reached the 50 Poké Coin daily limit?
Yes, you can still place Pokémon in Gyms even if you have reached your daily Poké Coin limit. However, any Pokémon placed after hitting the limit will not earn you additional coins until the next day.
Q7: How many Pokémon can I have defending Gyms at once?
You can have a maximum of 10 Pokémon defending Gyms across the map at any given time. Each Pokémon in a Gym counts towards this limit.
Q8: What is the best way to remove Pokémon from gym if I need them urgently?
The quickest and most effective way to remove Pokémon from gym is by using a Golden Razz Berry. This item immediately recalls your Pokémon to your storage.
Q9: Can I feed my own Pokémon Berries in my team’s Gym to make them stay longer?
Yes, feeding your Pokémon Berries (Razz, Nanab, Pinap, or Golden Razz) will restore their motivation, making them fight better and stay in the Gym longer. This is a good strategy to keep Gyms of your color strong.
Q10: What if I want to release Pokémon from gym entirely without using an item?
The only way to have a Pokémon leave a Gym without using a Golden Razz Berry is for them to be defeated by opponents. This can take time and depends on how actively other players challenge the Gym.
Q11: How can I retrieve defender Pokémon if I’ve forgotten which Gym they are in?
You can check which Gyms your Pokémon are defending by going to your Pokémon list, tapping on a specific Pokémon, and then tapping on the “Defending” tab. This will show you the Gym they are currently at.
By following these steps and strategies, you can effectively manage your Pokémon’s presence in Gyms, ensuring they are available when you need them most and contributing to your team’s dominance. Whether you need to take Pokémon out of gym for a crucial raid or simply want to collect your daily bonus, knowing how to retrieve Pokémon from gym is a vital skill in Pokémon GO. Remember to utilize your Golden Razz Berries wisely to free your gym Pokémon and get them back into your active roster.