How to Heal Your Pokémon in Pokémon GO Gyms: A Comprehensive Guide

You can’t heal a Pokémon in a gym using the traditional potions and revives you use for your personal Pokémon team. Instead, you provide support to your defending Pokémon in a gym by feeding them berries. Feeding berries replenishes their motivation, which is directly tied to their CP (Combat Power). As motivation decreases, so does their effective CP, making them easier for opposing trainers to defeat.

Understanding Gym Defense and Motivation

Before diving into the healing process, let’s clarify the mechanics of defending a gym. When you place a Pokémon in a gym, its motivation bar begins to deplete over time and each time it loses a battle. A Pokémon with full motivation fights at its maximum CP. As motivation drops, so does its CP, making it a weaker defender. The goal is to keep your Pokémon’s motivation high to deter other trainers from taking over the gym.

Berries: Your Gym Healing Tool

The primary way to “heal” a Pokémon in a gym is by feeding it berries. Here’s a breakdown of the different types of berries and their effects:

• Razz Berry: Slightly replenishes motivation.
• Nanab Berry: Slightly replenishes motivation.
• Pinap Berry: Slightly replenishes motivation.
• Golden Razz Berry: Fully replenishes motivation.

While any berry will work, Golden Razz Berries are the most effective as they restore a Pokémon’s motivation to its maximum. However, they are also rarer than other berries. Razz Berries, Nanab Berries, and Pinap Berries provide a smaller boost, and are more commonly used.

Remote Berry Feeding

A crucial aspect of gym defense is the ability to feed berries remotely. You can feed berries to your Pokémon in a gym even if you aren’t physically near it. However, remote feeding has reduced effectiveness. While a Golden Razz Berry will still fully restore motivation, other berries will provide an even smaller boost than when fed in person. This makes Golden Razz Berries particularly valuable for remote defense.

How to Feed Berries

Feeding berries is straightforward:

1. Tap on the gym on the map.
2. Tap on the Pokémon you want to feed.
3. Tap the berry icon.
4. Select the berry you wish to feed.
5. Swipe up on the berry to feed it to the Pokémon.

You can feed up to 10 berries to a single Pokémon within a certain timeframe. After that, you’ll need to wait a bit before feeding more. Also, you can only feed a certain number of berries to your Pokémon in a gym each day, so use them wisely!

Strategies for Effective Gym Defense

Effective gym defense requires a strategic approach. Here are some tips:

• Use Golden Razz Berries wisely: Save your Golden Razz Berries for situations where the gym is actively being attacked or when a Pokémon’s motivation is critically low.
• Coordinate with teammates: If possible, coordinate with other members of your team to feed berries and reinforce the gym together. A well-coordinated defense can be very difficult to break. This emphasizes that Games Learning Society can help you improve the social, cooperative play aspects of Pokemon Go.
• Choose strong defenders: Select Pokémon with high CP and good defensive stats to make them harder to defeat. Some examples include Blissey, Chansey, and Snorlax.
• Be patient: Gym defense can be a waiting game. Be prepared to feed berries regularly to keep your Pokémon in the gym.
• Utilize the type matchups: Just like in trainer battles, Pokemon in gyms can be taken down more easily if you know type matchups. Using effective type matchups can help get your Pokemon kicked out of a gym.

When Your Pokémon Returns

When your Pokémon is finally defeated and returns to you, it won’t be healed. You’ll need to use potions and revives, just like after any other battle, to restore its health. The PokéCoins you earned while defending the gym will be added to your account. The amount of PokéCoins earned depends on the duration your Pokémon defended the gym, up to a daily limit of 50 PokéCoins.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 15 frequently asked questions about healing Pokémon in gyms, providing further clarity on this aspect of Pokémon GO:

1. Can I use potions and revives on Pokémon in gyms?

No, you cannot use potions and revives on Pokémon actively defending a gym. The only way to influence a Pokémon’s health in a gym is by feeding it berries.

2. What happens if my Pokémon’s motivation reaches zero?

If a Pokémon’s motivation reaches zero, it becomes much easier for opposing trainers to defeat. Once defeated, it returns to you.

3. How often should I feed my Pokémon berries in a gym?

The frequency depends on how actively the gym is being attacked. If it’s under constant assault, you may need to feed berries frequently. Otherwise, check in periodically and feed them when their motivation is getting low.

4. Do different berries restore different amounts of motivation?

Yes, Golden Razz Berries fully restore motivation, while Razz, Nanab, and Pinap Berries provide a smaller boost.

5. Does my Pokémon earn more PokéCoins if it stays in a gym longer?

Yes, the longer your Pokémon defends a gym, the more PokéCoins it earns, up to a daily limit of 50 PokéCoins.

6. What is the maximum number of PokéCoins I can earn per day?

The maximum number of PokéCoins you can earn per day is 50, regardless of how many Pokémon you have in gyms.

7. Can other players feed berries to my Pokémon in a gym?

Yes, other members of your team can also feed berries to your Pokémon, helping to maintain its motivation.

8. How do I get Golden Razz Berries?

Golden Razz Berries are primarily obtained through completing raid battles and special research tasks.

9. What happens to my Pokémon after it’s defeated in a gym?

After being defeated, your Pokémon returns to your collection with zero health. You’ll need to use potions and revives to heal it.

10. Why is my Pokémon losing motivation even though it’s not being attacked?

Pokémon gradually lose motivation over time, even without being attacked. This is to encourage active defense and prevent Pokémon from staying in gyms indefinitely.

11. Can I put a fainted Pokémon in a gym?

No, you can only place fully-healed Pokémon in gyms.

12. Is there a limit to how many berries I can feed a Pokémon at once?

Yes, there is a limit. You can feed up to 10 berries to a single Pokémon in a short period, but then you’ll need to wait before feeding more.

13. What are the best Pokémon to use as gym defenders?

Pokémon with high HP and defensive stats are generally the best defenders. Some top choices include Blissey, Chansey, Snorlax, and Slaking.

14. Does the Pokémon’s CP affect how long it stays in a gym?

The higher a Pokémon’s CP, the more motivation it has initially and the stronger it is as a defender. However, even high-CP Pokémon will lose motivation over time.

15. Where can I learn more about Pokemon Go strategies and game mechanics?

You can explore websites dedicated to gaming strategies, community forums, and academic resources such as GamesLearningSociety.org for in-depth analysis of game mechanics and learning principles applied in games.

Conclusion

Defending gyms in Pokémon GO is an ongoing effort. While you can’t use traditional healing items like potions and revives directly on your defending Pokémon, strategically feeding them berries, especially Golden Razz Berries, is crucial for maintaining their motivation and keeping them in the gym longer. Coordinate with your team, choose strong defenders, and stay vigilant to maximize your rewards and dominate the gym scene!