Appendix:Pokémon GO Player's Guide/Gyms: Difference between revisions

The {{OBP|Pokémon|species}} [[Gym]] challenge has been the core of the Pokémon narrative for over twenty years now, and as such the Gym mechanic of [[Pokémon GO]] is arguably the most complex and nuanced feature of the game. Before Trainers can even begin claiming Gyms in Pokémon GO they must have reached Trainer Level 5. If you are not yet Level 5, you are encouraged to get back out there and catch every Pokémon you see and visit every PokéStop you can. Before long you’ll be ready to begin battling Gyms and claim them for your own.  

Upon reaching Trainer Level 5 you’ll be prompted to choose one of three teams.

* Team Instinct is represented by {{p|Zapdos}} and led by [[Professor Willow#Assistants|Spark]]. They value Pokemon breeding and state that there’s no losing if you trust your instincts.

* Team Mystic is represented by {{p|Articuno}} and led by [[Professor Willow#Assistants|Blanche]]. They value Pokemon evolution and state that calm analysis is the key for victory.

In Pokémon GO, like the core series games, players can challenge Pokémon Gyms, which are shown on the map as large towers. If a tower is visible on your screen it can be selected from any distance away and its information can be scouted. The Gym screen will always show the Pokémon stationed there, the Pokémon’s CP, the Trainers who have claimed the Gym (if any), the Trainer’s level, and the battles won by the victorious Pokémon. Once the Pokémon is defeated it will be removed from the Gym and its stats will disappear.

If the tower is colorless, it means that the Gym is without an owner at the moment. You can give it a Pokémon so that you can gain control of the Gym immediately. Gyms automatically begin at level 2, allowing up to two Pokémon to be stationed there. A Pokémon placed in a Gym cannot be removed until it is defeated by a challenging Trainer, at which point the Pokémon will return to your collection so you can use it again. This Pokémon will return at 1 HP, so remember to use healing items to restore your Pokemon’s health.

However, if the tower is colored red, yellow, or blue it means that one or more Trainers have claimed the location for their team. Trainers on the same team can use their team’s Gyms to train or fortify the Gym itself. Trainers on opposing teams will be prompted to challenge the Gym, potentially even to claim it in their team’s color.

Let’s create a short scenario: You are a Trainer aligned with Team Mystic and across the street from your house is a Gym that has also been claimed by Team Mystic. This Gym can be used as a training spot for your own Pokémon. Defeating the defending Pokémon will make earn experience for both Pokémon and Prestige points for the Gym. Don’t worry, you don’t have to defeat all Gym defenders to earn experience and Prestige. Each Pokémon you defeat will yield at least some rewards. In addition, your Pokémon cannot faint during training battles, instead remaining at a minimum of 1 HP.

Raising Prestige points for the team will increase the Gym’s overall level and will allow more friendly Trainers to defend it from being claimed by rival teams. Currently, the maximum level and amount of Pokémon that can be stationed at a Gym is 10.  

Pokemon that are stationed at Gyms will be ordered by CP with the weakest being fought first and the strongest being fought last. In addition, the strongest Pokemon in the Gym will be marked with a crown icon on the Gym home screen, signifying that they are the ''Gym Leader''.

You may need to battle a Gym multiple times in order to fully claim it. Gyms will lose approximately one level for each time you defeat its full compliment of defenders. As a Gym loses levels it will also lose defending Pokemon. If you can get a Gym down to Level 1 with a prestige of 0 you will have defeated the Gym completely.  

As stated previously, when challenging an enemy Gym, you can choose up to six Pokémon; when you are training in a friendly Gym, you can only choose one. Look at which types of Pokémon you’ll be battling and pick your team accordingly, bearing in mind the type of Pokémon and whether its type is super effective or not. Type matchups have not changed from the core series.

Another important aspect of choosing your team, is to look at the Pokémon’s CP. The bigger the CP is, the stronger the Pokémon will be. However, don’t always focus entirely on a Pokemon’s CP. Although difficult, it’s possible for a Pokémon even six hundred points weaker to overpower its opponent through type effectiveness alone.

Dodging can prove vital to prolonging a low-powered Pokémon's fight against a high-powered opponent! When a Pokemon is about to use its secondary attack a message will appear above its head. Do your best to avoid these attacks.

When your team has a Gym, plenty of Trainers are required to work together so as to build up the Gym’s defense. Upon challenging a friendly Gym, you are helping it build their Prestige level up, so that more Pokémon can be used to defend the Gym.

Battles in a friendly Gym are similar to those fought in a rival one, although neither the Gym’s Pokémon nor Prestige level will be damaged. However, your Pokémon will be damaged, so you will need to heal them through items obtained at PokéStops.

While Pokémon GO does not currently feature any direct connection between players’ devices, there are still ways for players to interact at Gyms. If a tower on the map has explosions and battle signs, it means that the Gym is being challenged by other Trainers. You may choose to assist the challenger, even if they are on a different team. Joining a battle will allow both Trainers’ Pokémon to appear on each other’s screens and both Pokémon will be able to team up to defeat the defending Pokémon. Remember though that defeating a Gym leaves in its neutral stage. If you’re fighting alongside an opposing team member, you’ll have to be quick if you want to claim the Gym for yourself.  

As Pokémon Trainers, you should always practice good sportsmanship when interacting with others playing the game, especially when it comes to Gyms. Although we laugh and make jokes about the turf-war nature of teams controlling Gyms, they should never come at the expense of anyone’s enjoyment of the game. Here are a few tips for sportsmanship and Gym challenges.

* New players join the game every day and are not always able to understand the battle mechanics. If a Trainer challenges your Gym while you are present and asks you questions about how to play, don’t ignore them. Let them experience the thrill of defeating a Gym. Remember, Gym Leaders originally existed to give out Badges upon a loss and were expected to lose.

* Don’t hang around a Gym that is being taken and then rush in to claim it without participating in the battle. It’s not fair to the players who had to battle the Gym to not get to benefit from it.  

* When you claim a new Gym consider training there for a bit to raise its Prestige level. This will allow other members of your team to quickly place other Pokemon in the Gym without having to defeat your strongest Pokémon and leveling Prestige themselves.  

* Many Gyms are at locations such as churches, hospitals, and cemeteries. In some cases they may also be located at a place of residence, or in an area protected by a homeowner’s association or gated community. Always be aware of where Gyms are located and do not trespass. If asked by security, neighborhood watch, or local police to leave the premises, always be polite and comply. If a resident asks you to leave their property, apologize and comply.  

When you fight on Gyms, you will earn experience points, but you also win a daily reward for leaving a Pokémon on a Gym’s team.

The most common bug is usually encountered in the final stage of a Gym battle, though it can sometimes occur earlier. When a Pokémon, usually the final defender, reaches 1 HP, it will be unable to lose any more hit points and the Gym will be unable to be defeated. While there has been no official explanation of the problem, it’s likely that this remains a server connection failure. The Gym is possibly attempting to update itself with the Pokémon GO servers and is unable to do so. In the event that you encounter this bug, it is possible to continue battling until a connection is reestablished, at which point Pokémon will be able to faint once more. If the glitch persists for more than 15 seconds, it is recommended that you close and reload Pokemon GO and attempt the battle again. Remember to check your Pokémon’s health before going into the battle. It’s possible that the last fight will still have been recorded and your team will require healing.

Another common bug occurs at the beginning of Gym battles. Sometimes, when the word “GO!” appears at the start of a match the battle will reset itself back to the main Gym screen. This sequence will continue in a never ending loop so long as the Trainer continues to attempt to challenge the Gym. While there is again no official explanation for this glitch we have personally experienced it most often when there are multiple users interacting with the same Gym. We suggest closing and reloading Pokemon GO as soon as you experience the glitch. Once you have returned to the overworld screen, begin walking away from the Gym until it returns to its collapsed tower form. Approach the Gym and attempt the battle again. We cannot guarantee 100% success with this method, but positive results have been repeatedly observed.