Can Pokemon defending Gyms be recalled in Pokemon GO?

Pokemon GO offers a new way to experience the iconic monster catcher franchise. Being a GPS-driven AR game, players are motivated to explore real-life locations with an engaging coat of paint. This includes Gyms, which are locales where factions can assign creatures to guard them and fight other teams for control.

This near-constant tug of war means players' monsters often find themselves on the frontline against assault from opponents. However, one element to consider is that Pokemon will remain there indefinitely. So is there a way for Pokemon GO players to call back their creatures when and if needed?

---

Pocket Monsters defending Gyms in Pokemon GO cannot be recalled

For whatever reason, Niantic has not included a Recall button in Pokemon GO, so players cannot get Pokemon defending Gyms back on their roster.

This can be especially problematic when the Gym that the monster has been assigned to is very far away from the player's usual location. Since the only way to get them back is by defeating them, trainers may find their Pokemon stuck in the Gym for some time. This is especially true if the location rarely sees engagement from other faction players.

This means Pokemon GO trainers will be unable to use the monsters for anything else during that period (no walking, no battles, and so on). One of the main reasons for assigning Pokemon to Gyms is to collect coins that can be traded for useful items in the shop.

Players will only earn up to 50 coins maximum per day. On top of that, the coins will not be redeemed unless the Pokemon is back with its trainer. This means that players will not earn extra coins for the extra days that the creature stays locked away, as they must wait before assigning once again.

For example, a Tepig that is defending a Gym for a month will return with just 50 coins. They cannot be swapped out for another from the player's collection, either.

Overall, it is hard to say why such a decision was made, but it could be due to balancing problems. Having a recall button could see one faction dominate entirely by constantly swapping out low HP monsters for new, healthy ones. Additionally, it could also lead to more empty or neutral Gyms on average.

Then again, there are workarounds for this issue. These include employing cooldown periods for recall and maybe extending the cooldown period every time a trainer swaps one creature for another at the Gym.

If readers have their critters stuck at a Gym they can no longer go to, the only solution available is to ask someone in that area to defeat their Pokemon.

---

What else can players do at a Gym?

Besides defending the glory of their faction, Gyms also host raid battles in Pokemon GO. In such battles, powerful boss monsters spawn in these locations, and trainers must take them down within the time limit using an optimal party. It should be noted that players will need a raid pass to participate in these activities.