Reddit has discovered several more details about the Pokemon Go beta, which was just updated to bring real-time gym battles into the mix. First up is that gym battles are not turn-based, but rather real-time battles. The combat for gyms works very much like capturing points in Ingress with a Pokemon theme.
When players claim a gym, they can select a Pokemon to defend it for them. In order to train, you fight your defending Pokemon with another of your own. According to the post, you’ll be able to dodge all attacks except for AoE attacks and dodging is done by swiping left or right. Attacks are a tap for a quick attack, or pressing and holding for a charged attack.
Here’s a quick summary of the new details we know about how gym combat works from this latest update:
- When you claim a Gym, you select your Pokemon to defend it. To Train, you fight that Pokemon with another one of your own Pokemon.
- Some testers have struggled to ‘train’ because they left their strongest Pokemon at the Gym – and none of their other Pokemon could beat their strongest! (d’oh! haha)
- When starting a training session, a random Pokemon in your team is selected to fight with, but you can change it by tapping on it in the screen before combat begins.
- In training combat, the opponent’s attacks are shown ‘targeting’ with a red crosshairs that closes in on your Pokemon. This appears to be so you can decide to ‘dodge’ or take the hit.
- Dodging is accomplished by swiping left or right. If you’re fast enough you can dodge all the way behind an opponents back.
- AoE attacks seem to ‘always’ hit – even when a Pokemon dodges.
- Attacking is accomplished by tapping (quick attack) or pressing and holding (for the charge attack)
- There is a ‘stamina bar’ (my term – not labeled in game yet) that is broken in two halfs, underneath your HP bar. It refills about 20% per second, and appears to be boosted forward when you are hit to refill faster. When executing a charge move, it appears to use up 50% of your stamina.
- The animations look great. SO much cooler than Ingress. Gah. For a mobile phone game, I’m happy with them.
- Types are affecting damage. “It’s not very effective” message above attacks when water vs. water, for example. Also “It’s super effective” when using a type advantage. (woot!)
- Individual Pokemon’s CP does not appear to be affected by combat at present.
- ‘Winning’ training (bringing the defending Pokemon to 0 HP) awards 50xp and the gym goes up 50 pts. in prestige.
- You can ‘Lose’ training when your Pokemon hits 0 HP and faints.
- You can also ‘exit’ training before your Pokemon faints like a dirty coward, but that saves you from having to use a Revive
- Damage done in training persists after training (even when exiting training before a KO). You need items to heal up (no PokeCenters to be seen in this game – items are how it’s done).
- If a Pokemon faints, a Revive or Max Revive is necessary to bring them back.
- Level 1 Gyms allegedly increase to Level 2 Gyms at 500 Prestige points. Level 2 Gyms are confirmed to increase to Level 3 Gyms at 1000 prestige points. Level 3 increase at 2000 Prestige points.
