After days of waiting for the gym rework, Pokemon Go new gym system is finally here! Trainers should see the brand new gym interface on your map and also find that some Pokestops have also been converted to gyms. If you have not been playing for a while, it is time to update the app with the brand new loading screen below. In this post, we are here to explain everything you need to know about the new gym rework – Pokemon Motivation, Battles, Gym Badges, Bonus and some additional tips to ace your gym experience. You may want to read our post on Everything You Need To Know About Raids In New Pokemon Gyms too!
1. Assemble Your Gym Mates
Pokemon Gyms have undergone huge changes. There will no longer be Levels, Prestige or the 10 Pokemon Limit. They are replaced by ‘motivations’ which I will explain in further details in Point 2. You can assemble a team of 6 from the same team but note that you only can have one Pokemon from each species. Gone are the days of a full Blissey team!
2. Motivation – The New Gym Mechanic
Pokemon champions defending each gym will now have a new stat called “Motivation.” As your champion get attacked, even if they are not knock off from their throne, they will gradually lose Motivation over time. Even if they are not attacked, Motivation also lowers naturally over time and lowers faster for Pokémon with higher CP. Niantic sees this as a natural balancing method to stop stronger Pokémon from dominating the gyms.
More importantly, Motivation also affect’s a Pokémon’s effective CP while it’s in the Gym, like a temporary modifier. The lower the Motivation, the lower the Pokémon’s CP, which means Pokémon will get easier and easier to defeat each time you win against them in battle.
When your Pokemon CP is red, your rivals are able to knock it out with one more victory. This means that losing all Motivation alone naturally is not enough to be removed. Your whole team need to be defeated to lose your place in the gym.
3. Keeping Your Pokemon Motivated!
Thankfully, you and your gym buddies can replenish your Pokemon’s motivations with berries. For your efforts, you’ll be able to earn gym badges, which you can level up to potentially get better items at PokeStops and gyms. On top of all that, gyms are getting spinnable “photo discs” (ala PokeStops) in order to hopefully alleviate some of the problems faced by players in less densely populated locations.
4. Berries Feeding Perks
Giving Berries to Pokemon defenders at the Gym not only gives you a small amount of Badge XP and Stardust, but also a small chance for some Candy from the particular Pokémon in return!
With Gyms typically hosting some of the rarest Pokémon in the game, that means Berry-feeding is one of the most effective ways to get that Chancey, Dratini, and Larvitar Candy for those extra-strong evolutions! Feeding berries to teammates will also get you Stardust and Candy rewards, so don’t be stingy.
5. Defender Rewards
By placing a Pokémon as a gym defender, you will get two types of Bonuses outside of Raids – Gym Badges XP and PokeCoins.
5a. Gym Badges
The more you battle and hold a Gym, the more Badge experience you earn, allowing you to then receive more items when spinning the photo disc. Every tier adds another item, and you also receive another item if your Team is currently holding it. To earn badges, you need to spin the Photo Disc on top of the gyms.
Gym Badges also act as a management screen for Gyms, allowing you to see where your defending Pokémon are, Pokemon defenders currently inside the Gym, from the time it’s been in there, to the number of victories and treats you have provided.
5b. Earn PokeCoins!
As a defender, you will earn a reward of 1 PokéCoin per hour or so that it stays there, which is now automatically claimed when your Pokémon returns (either after you take it out or it’s returned automatically by reaching zero Motivation). The cap on this reward stays at 100 PokéCoins per day, but with Gyms previously awarding 10 PokéCoins per 21 hours, it’s a significant bonus.
6. Levelling Up Gym Badges
You can level up your Gym Badges by performing the following activities
- Battling at Gyms (CP of Pokemon defeated divided by 10)
- Adding Pokémon to the Gym (+ 100 Badge XP)
- Holding a creature at the Gym (+1 Badge XP per minute)
- Giving Berries to Pokémon held at the Gym (+ 10 Badge XP, as well as 20 Stardust and a possibility of Candy)
The tier requirements have yet to be confirmed. It is believed to be 500 Badge XP for Bronze and 2500 Badge XP for Silver.
7. Battle & Damages Changes
To combat at a rival Gym, get close enough to it in the real world to activate it, then tap the icon to enter the Gym. Next, select up to six Pokémon to battle, and press the Battle button. It is now more fun with multiple trainers and Teams battling a Gym at once. So if you are on Team Valor, you can pair up with trainers from Team Mystic to take on Team Instinct, for example.
Unlike the past, Trainers can choose to stop battling after each Pokémon, rather than having to battle your way through all of those posted in the Gym to defend it. Some damage mechanics also have changed now. For example, “Super Effective” moves now deals 140% damage, while same-type-attack-boost (STAB) moves have been toned down to 120%. Pokemon with double weaknesses defending gyms are going to be particularly hurt by this change.
8. What Is A Raid & How Does It Work?
For that you have to read our post on Everything You Need To Know About Raids In New Pokemon Gyms.
9. Immunity To Cheaters
If you have a cheat Pokemon, you will not be able to damage gym defenders. So, don’t cheat!
We hope you find the above information useful. You may want to read our post on Everything You Need To Know About Raids In New Pokemon Gyms too! Do share with other fellow trainers and have fun at the gym!
