How To Get Pokemon Back From Gym: Easy Steps
Can you get your Pokémon back from a Gym? Yes, you can! When your Pokémon are defending a Gym, they aren’t actively with you, but they are still yours. They stay in the Gym until they are defeated or you decide to remove them. This guide will walk you through the simple process of getting your Pokémon back from a Pokémon GO gym.
The Basics of Gym Defense
In Pokémon GO, Gyms are key locations where Trainers can battle and place their Pokémon to defend them. When you place a Pokémon in a Gym, it becomes a Gym defender. This Pokémon will automatically battle any opposing teams that try to take over the Gym. While your Pokémon is defending, it won’t be available for use in other battles, raids, or as your buddy. It remains in the Gym until it’s knocked out by another team or you decide to recall it.
Why Pokémon Get Stuck in Gyms
There are a few common reasons why your Pokémon might be “stuck” in a Gym:
- Long-Term Defense: You might have placed a strong Pokémon in a Gym that hasn’t been challenged for a long time.
- Strategic Placement: You could have deliberately left a Pokémon in a Gym to gain the daily Pokémon GO Gym bonus.
- Forgotten Locations: Sometimes, you might forget which Gyms your Pokémon are defending, especially if you travel often.
Retrieving Your Pokémon: Simple Steps
Getting your Pokémon back is a straightforward process. The primary way to get your Pokémon back is by having them defeated in a Gym battle. However, you also have the option to recall them yourself.
Method 1: Being Defeated in a Gym Battle
This is the most common way your Pokémon returns to you.
- Gym Battle: When another Trainer from an opposing team battles the Gym you are defending and wins. They will need to win multiple Gym battles to defeat your Pokémon.
- Defeat: Once your Pokémon loses enough battles and its motivation is depleted, it will be returned to your Pokémon storage. You’ll receive a notification when this happens.
- Daily Bonus: You will also receive Gold Coins for your Pokémon’s defense time. The maximum you can earn per Pokémon is 50 Gold Coins per day, and you can earn coins from multiple Pokémon defending different Gyms.
Method 2: Recalling Your Pokémon
You can also choose to recall your Pokémon manually. This is useful if you need your Pokémon back quickly, or if the Gym is rarely attacked.
- Open Pokémon GO: Make sure your game is updated to the latest version.
- Access the Gym: Tap on the Gym icon on your map.
- View Defender Details: In the Gym screen, you’ll see your Pokémon listed as a defender. Tap on your Pokémon.
- Recall Button: You will see a “Recall” button. Tap this button.
- Confirmation: The game will ask for confirmation. Confirm that you wish to recall your Pokémon.
- Return: Your Pokémon will immediately be returned to your Pokémon storage.
Important Note on Recalling: When you recall a Pokémon yourself, you do not receive any Gold Coins for their defense time. This is the main trade-off for getting them back instantly.
Understanding Motivation and Berries
When your Pokémon defends a Gym, its motivation decreases over time and each time it battles.
Motivation Decay
- Time: Pokémon lose motivation gradually over time.
- Battles: Each time a defending Pokémon is part of a Gym battle and is defeated, its motivation drops significantly.
Berry Feeding
You can feed your Pokémon Berries remotely to increase their motivation and help them stay in a Gym longer.
- Golden Razz Berry: This is the most effective Berry for restoring motivation, often bringing it back to full.
- Razz Berry & Nanab Berry: These restore a smaller amount of motivation.
- Berry Feeding Limit: You can feed Berries to Pokémon defending Gyms, even if they are not yours, but there’s a limit to how many Berries you can feed in a 30-minute period to Pokémon you don’t own. Feeding your own Pokémon has no such limit.
Gym Mechanics and Strategies
To effectively manage your Pokémon in Gyms, it’s helpful to understand how Gyms work.
Gym Colors
Gyms in Pokémon GO are color-coded based on the team that controls them:
- Blue (Mystic)
- Red (Valor)
- Yellow (Instinct)
When a Gym is controlled by your team, you can place a Pokémon in it.
Taking Over a Gym (Retake Gym)
To retake a Gym controlled by another team:
- Battle: Tap on the Gym and then tap “Battle”.
- Select Pokémon: Choose a team of Pokémon to battle the defending Pokémon.
- Win Battles: You’ll need to win multiple battles against the Pokémon defending the Gym.
- Knock Out Defenders: Each win reduces the motivation of the defending Pokémon. Once all defenders are defeated, the Gym’s color changes to your team’s color.
- Place Your Pokémon: You can then place one of your Pokémon in the newly captured Gym.
Defending a Gym
To defend a gym effectively:
- High CP Pokémon: Place Pokémon with high Combat Power (CP).
- Type Advantage: Use Pokémon that have type advantages against common attackers.
- Berry Feeding: Regularly feed Berries to your defenders to keep their motivation high. This makes them harder to defeat.
- Multiple Defenders: Have multiple Pokémon in a Gym if possible, as this increases the number of battles an attacker needs to win.
Gym Badge Progression
Participating in Gyms contributes to your Gym Badge progress.
- Battling: Winning Gym battles, whether attacking or defending.
- Defending: Having your Pokémon stay in a Gym.
- Feeding Berries: Giving Berries to Pokémon in Gyms.
A higher-level Gym Badge can provide bonuses, such as increased chances to receive items when spinning Gym Photo Discs.
Common Scenarios and Solutions
Let’s look at some specific situations:
Scenario 1: I placed a Pokémon in a Gym yesterday, but I can’t find it on the Gym map.
Explanation: Your Pokémon was likely defeated by another player and has already been returned to your storage. Check your Pokémon list. You should have received a notification about it being defeated and earned some Gold Coins if it defended for a significant time.
Scenario 2: My Pokémon is stuck in a Gym far away, and I need it back for a raid.
Solution: The quickest way to get your Pokémon back is to recall it manually. Go to your Pokémon storage, find the Pokémon, and tap the “Recall” button. Remember, you won’t get any Gold Coins for this. Alternatively, you can ask a friend on your team to battle and defeat the Gym, which will return your Pokémon to you and potentially earn you coins.
Scenario 3: I’ve been feeding my Pokémon Berries, but it’s still not back.
Explanation: Feeding Berries increases motivation, making your Pokémon harder to defeat. It doesn’t directly bring them back unless you recall them. Your Pokémon will only return to your storage if it is defeated in a Gym battle or if you manually recall it.
Scenario 4: How long can a Pokémon stay in a Gym?
Explanation: A Pokémon can stay in a Gym indefinitely as long as it is not defeated in battle and its motivation is maintained. However, the game limits the Gold Coins you can earn from a single Pokémon to 50 per day. You also receive coins for the first 10 Pokémon that are defeated from Gyms each day.
Tracking Your Defending Pokémon
Keeping track of which Pokémon are defending which Gyms can be challenging, especially in busy areas.
- Pokémon Storage: You can easily see which Pokémon are currently defending Gyms by going to your Pokémon storage. They will have a Gym icon next to their name, and tapping on them will show which Gym they are in.
- Notifications: You will receive notifications when your Pokémon is defeated and returned, or if the Gym it’s in changes hands.
Maximizing Your Gym Rewards
- Strategic Placement: Place Pokémon in Gyms that are less frequently attacked if you want them to stay longer and earn coins. Conversely, place them in high-traffic Gyms if you’re aiming for quick returns and daily coin bonuses.
- Diverse Pokémon: Don’t put all your best Pokémon in Gyms. Keep some strong attackers and defenders available for raids and Team GO Rocket battles.
- Berry Management: Use Golden Razz Berries strategically for Pokémon you want to stay in Gyms for a long time, or for when you’re actively defending a Gym against an attacker.
Gym Battle Tactics
When you’re the attacker trying to defeat a Gym defender:
- Type Matchups: Always aim for type advantages. For example, Water-type Pokémon are strong against Fire-types.
- Dodging: Learn to dodge your opponent’s Charged Attacks. This significantly reduces the damage your Pokémon takes, allowing them to last longer in battles.
- Charge Attacks: Use your Charged Attacks as soon as they are ready.
- Team Composition: Bring a full team of six Pokémon. If your first Pokémon faints, switch to the next in your team.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Can I get my Pokémon back from a Gym instantly?
A1: Yes, you can recall your Pokémon directly from the Gym screen in your Pokémon storage. However, doing so means you won’t earn any Gold Coins for its defense time.
Q2: Do I get Gold Coins when my Pokémon is defeated?
A2: Yes, when your Pokémon is defeated in a Gym battle, it is returned to you, and you earn Gold Coins based on how long it defended. You can earn up to 50 Gold Coins per Pokémon per day, and up to 100 Gold Coins total from multiple Pokémon each day.
Q3: What happens if I recall my Pokémon from a Gym before it’s defeated?
A3: Your Pokémon is immediately returned to your storage. You will not receive any Gold Coins for the time it spent defending the Gym.
Q4: How can I check which Gyms my Pokémon are defending?
A4: Open your Pokémon storage. Any Pokémon currently defending a Gym will have a Gym icon next to their name. Tapping on the Pokémon will show you which Gym it is defending.
Q5: Can I remove my Pokémon from a Gym if I’m on the same team?
A5: Yes, you can recall your Pokémon manually at any time, regardless of whether it’s been defeated.
Q6: What are the benefits of having my Pokémon defend a Gym?
A6: The primary benefits are earning Gold Coins and Stardust for the time your Pokémon spends defending. It also contributes to your Gym Badge progress.
Q7: Does berry feeding help my Pokémon return faster?
A7: No, Berry feeding helps your Pokémon stay in a Gym longer by restoring its motivation. It does not cause your Pokémon to return to you faster. It makes them harder to defeat.
Q8: What is Prestige in the context of Pokémon GO Gyms?
A8: Prestige was a mechanic in older versions of Pokémon GO that determined a Gym’s level and the number of Pokémon it could hold. This mechanic has been replaced. Now, Gyms have a “Motivation” system for defending Pokémon, and the number of Pokémon a Gym can hold is fixed at six.
By following these steps and strategies, you can effectively manage your Pokémon’s presence in Gyms and ensure they are always available when you need them, while also maximizing your rewards in Pokémon GO!