Pokemon Go! is rocking and rolling in Saratoga Springs! We have learned some things about the game that we want to share with other Trainers in the area.
Power Drains Quickly, Plan Ahead
Pokemon Go is an awesome App and great fun to play. And because of that, it drains your battery very quickly. Carrying a fully charged power brick with you as you play is a great way to keep your phone on while you’re walking around. You can buy extra batteries for some devices and switch them out as they get low. Get a good car charger and charge while you are driving to favorite Pokestop or while sitting in the car.
Up Your Trainer Level
As you gain XP you will level up your Trainer level. You can get XP in different ways:
- Each Pokestop gives you 50xp, even if your backpack is full
- Each Pokemon you catch gives you 100 XP
- You can get extra XP for skillful throws (nice, great, curve ball)
- If the Pokemon you catch is new to your Pokedex you get more XP
- Each Pokemon you Evolve gives you 500 XP
Getting Stardust
- Each time you catch a Pokemon you gain 100 Stardust
- Different Pokemon require different amounts of Stardust to level up
- Gain Stardust from Evolving Pokemon and Hatching Eggs
- Gain Stardust from Battling Gyms
- Stardust is universal and is used on any Pokemon
Poke Gyms will be 1 of 4 colors
- Blue – the Gym is owned by Trainers in Team Mystic
- Yellow – the Gym is owned by Trainers in Team Instinct
- Red – the Gym is owned by Trainers in Team Valor
- Gray – the Gym is unowned or just been beaten
- you can try to get one of your Pokemon in the Gym quickly and take it over
Training your Pokemon
If you are on the team of the Gym color you can go into your gym and train. This means you get to battle against the Pokemon placed in the gym. Battling the Pokemon in your gym will not hurt them or reduce their HP. It will, however, reduce yours. Be sure to use a potion after training in a gym to keep your Pokemon at full health. Training in a gym of your color will help the gym become stronger.
If there is space in your gym, place one of your favorite or powerful Pokemon in there. You will get 10 coins for placing a Pokemon, pick those up by clicking the Shop and clicking the shield in the top right corner. You can only collect coins every 21 hours.
Battling your Pokemon
If you find a Gym that is NOT your color, you can hop in and battle. When you begin the battle the game will automatically choose your 6 highest level Pokemon. You can change them if you want. Then press GO and start your battle. You will battle each Pokemon in the Gym. If one of your Pokemon faints, the next in the list will automatically jump in.
If you defeat all the Pokemon in the Gym you can claim the Gym as your own. You need to place a Pokemon with FULL HEALTH in the Gym. If your most powerful Pokemon just did the battling, go to your items, choose a potion and click the Pokemon with low health until it is full again. Then you can place it in the Gym.
Pink Confetti Means the Pokestop is Lured
Lures can only be placed on a Pokestop. The idea is that for 30 minutes Pokemon will be drawn to that Pokestop. Hang out by a Lured Pokestop and wait to see who appears. The Pokemon being Lured will not show in the Nearby Window but just appear. You can place one of your Lures or enjoy the benefits of someone else’s Lure.
Walk Around to get the most from an Incense
You can enable an Incense which will draw Pokemon to you and you alone. The best way to utilize an Incense is to walk around. If you just stand still it doesn’t seem to bring the Pokemon to you as well as when you walk. We have not found any benefit to hanging out near a Lured Pokestop while Incensed.
Broadway and Congress Park area Poke-Heaven for Trainers in Saratoga Springs! There seems to always be Lured Pokestops in downtown Saratoga as well as multiple Gyms to try your skills or train your Pokemon. Check out our other posts about the Best Places to Find Pokemon and what Pokemon Go is like in downtown Saratoga Springs.
Thanks for reading! I hope this helps! :o)