How Long Does It Take for Pokémon to Run Out of Motivation?
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The question of how long a Pokémon can defend a Gym before its motivation dwindles is a common one for Pokémon Go trainers. The short answer is: it varies significantly based on a Pokémon’s CP (Combat Power) and whether it is defeated in battles. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown to understand how long your Pokémon might last in a Gym.
Motivation Decay Over Time
CP Matters: The Key to Longevity
The speed at which a Pokémon loses motivation is primarily dictated by its Combat Power. There’s a crucial threshold at 3000 CP:
- Pokémon with 2999 CP or lower: These Pokémon lose motivation at a relatively slow rate, with a decrease of 1% of their maximum motivation per hour.
- Pokémon with 3000 CP or higher: These Pokémon experience a much faster decline in motivation, losing a whopping 10% of their maximum motivation per hour.
This stark contrast means a high-CP Pokémon will deteriorate much faster than a lower-CP one.
Motivation Depletion: A Battle Scenario
Aside from the gradual decline over time, each time a Pokémon is defeated in battle, it loses a significant portion of its motivation. Specifically, a Pokémon generally loses about 20 percent of its motivation every time it is defeated. This means it should take approximately five defeats for a Pokemon to completely lose all motivation and return to its trainer.
Combining Time and Battle Effects
The combination of these two factors determines how long a Pokémon will remain in a Gym. Consider the example of a 3000 CP Snorlax. At full motivation it has a 3000 CP ‘motivation capacity’. If left in an unchallenged gym, it will lose 10% of its current CP per hour due to the high-CP decay penalty. After 45 hours, its motivation will be reduced to 1500 CP, and in 90 hours its motivation will reach zero. If that same Snorlax is also being challenged in battle, its motivation will decline much more rapidly.
Understanding Motivation and CP
What is Motivation?
In Pokémon Go, “motivation” is the in-game mechanic representing a Pokémon’s willingness to defend a Gym. When a Pokémon’s motivation is high, its CP (Combat Power) is at its peak. As motivation decreases, the CP temporarily decreases, making the Pokémon weaker in battle. Once a Pokémon’s motivation reaches zero, it will be automatically defeated in the next battle and will return to its trainer.
The Impact of Decreased CP
The decreased CP that accompanies a drop in motivation makes the Pokémon easier to defeat. This introduces a strategic element to the game: trainers must decide whether to power up their Pokémon with Berries to maintain their strength or accept that their Pokémon’s tenure in the gym may be limited. The key to keeping your Pokémon in a gym for longer periods is to feed your Pokémon Berries to restore their motivation and their CP.
The Indefinite Defender
The Ideal Gym Scenario
A Pokémon will stay in a Gym until its motivation hits zero, or until it is knocked out by a trainer from a different team. However, there’s a scenario where a Pokémon can remain in a Gym indefinitely. If you can find an unpopular Gym with minimal nearby trainers, and if you place a strong defender in that Gym, and diligently feed it Golden Razz Berries, your Pokémon may remain there for a very long time. This highlights the importance of both strategic selection of gyms and active maintenance of Pokémon that are defending gyms.
Golden Razz Berries: The Key to Staying Power
Golden Razz Berries are critical for defending a Gym for a prolonged period. They completely restore a Pokémon’s motivation and CP. By regularly feeding your Pokemon Golden Razz Berries, you can counteract the natural motivation decay and battle-related motivation losses, prolonging your Pokemon’s time in the gym.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Why does my Pokémon’s CP decrease when it’s in a gym?
When a Pokémon’s motivation decreases, so does its CP (Combat Power). This is a temporary reduction to make the Pokémon easier for other trainers to defeat. Motivation decreases gradually over time and more quickly when the Pokémon loses a battle.
2. Do lower CP Pokémon last longer in gyms?
Generally, yes. Because of the rate at which motivation decreases with higher CP Pokemon, lower CP Pokémon can last longer in gyms when they are not being defeated. They lose motivation slower over time. However, all Pokémon take 3 defeats to be knocked out of a gym regardless of CP, so higher CP Pokemon still have an advantage in holding a gym initially.
3. How can I extend the time my Pokémon is in a gym?
You can extend a Pokémon’s stay in a Gym by feeding it Berries to restore its motivation. Golden Razz Berries are the most effective, completely refilling the motivation bar.
4. How many coins can I earn from defending a gym?
You earn PokéCoins for the time your Pokémon spends in a Gym. However, there’s a daily limit of 50 PokéCoins. Even if your Pokémon stays for multiple days, you will only receive a maximum of 50 coins when it returns to you.
5. Why do people put low CP Pokémon in Gyms?
Placing a low CP Pokémon in a gym can be a strategic choice. Lower CP Pokémon decay slower, making them slightly harder to clear out in situations where there are not many trainers around to battle the gym. Also, it requires the opposing trainer to battle the Pokemon 3 times to remove it from a gym, which can be annoying and time consuming.
6. Is it worth putting high CP Pokémon in Gyms?
Yes, but with a caveat. High CP Pokémon are better as an initial gym defender due to their high attack power. However, their motivation depletes much faster. They are more suited for gyms that are being actively contested rather than a gym that may not see a challenger for hours at a time.
7. What happens when a Pokémon’s motivation reaches zero?
When a Pokémon’s motivation reaches zero, it becomes weak and can be defeated easily in the next battle. The Pokémon will return to its Trainer after that battle.
8. How often should I feed my Pokémon in a gym?
The frequency of feeding depends on how active the Gym is. If your Pokémon is frequently challenged, you’ll need to feed it more often. If the gym is quiet, you can feed your Pokémon whenever you think it may need a boost in motivation.
9. Does training my Pokémon make it stronger in a Gym?
Training will raise a Pokémon’s CP, making it stronger in battles, but it does not affect the rate of motivation decay.
10. Why do people put Magikarp in gyms?
Putting a Magikarp in a Gym is often done for the benefit of fellow trainers in the local community. If other players feed the Magikarp with berries, there is a small chance of getting extra candy. This is helpful because Magikarps are generally hard to come by outside of raids.
11. Can a Pokémon be kicked out of a gym with one battle?
No. A Pokémon must lose three battles to be defeated and returned to their trainer, regardless of the Pokemon’s CP.
12. What is a 0% IV Pokemon, and is it rare?
A 0% IV Pokémon is a Pokémon with the lowest possible individual values across the three stats. These are extremely rare, and many trainers will keep them due to their rarity.
13. Why does motivation fade in real life?
Motivation fades in real life due to boredom, stress, burnout, feeling overwhelmed, and lack of clear goals. These human factors are similar to the in-game mechanic in Pokémon Go of declining motivation in a gym.
14. How has Pokémon Go changed over the years?
Pokémon Go has seen a variety of changes over the years including a peak in 2016 with 232 million users down to 71 million users in 2021. The game has faced challenges with its communication and some controversial game updates that have seen a decline in popularity over the years.
15. Is Pokémon Go safe for children?
Pokémon Go is generally rated for users 9 years or older. However, like any game, there are pros and cons, so parents should be aware and potentially set some boundaries for game use.
Understanding how Pokémon motivation works in Pokémon Go will help you to effectively defend gyms and earn PokéCoins. Whether you are a casual player or a dedicated trainer, this comprehensive guide will improve your ability to strategically participate in the game’s gym system.