As Pokémon Go takes over your life, be sure you're talking the lingo with your fellow trainers. Here are the important terms that are used throughout the Pokémon Go universe.
- Battle
- Combat Power (CP)
- Defender Bonus
- Eggs
- Evolution
- Candy
- Experience Points (XP)
- Fainted Pokémon
- Gyms
- Hit Points
- Incense
- Incubator
- Lure Module
- Lucky Egg
- Medals
- Poké Balls
- PokéCoins
- Pokédex
- PokéStops
- Potions
- Power-Up
- Prestige
- Razz Berry
- Sightings
- Stardust
- Training
- Trainer
- Wild Pokémon
Battle
A battle is a fight between your Pokémon and a wild, rival, or friendly Pokémon. In Pokémon Go, you can only battle at Gyms.
When you reach a rival gym, you have the chance to battle other teams' (blue, yellow, or red) Pokémon for an opportunity to claim the Gym itself.
For every rival Pokémon you defeat in battle, you lower the Gym's Prestige and once you reduce it to zero, you can capture the Gym for yourself and your team!
Combat Power (CP)
A Pokémon's Combat Power will determine how strong it is during a battle against another Pokémon. This is how you measure a Pokémon's attack strength.
Defender Bonus
A Defender Bonus is a daily reward you can get for defending a Gym. You can get rewards like PokéCoins and Stardust. These Defender Bonuses can be claimed at the shop in the game.
Eggs
Eggs are items that you can find throughout the game that will hatch into Pokémon. Pokémon Eggs can be found at PokéStops, and once you walk a certain distance with the egg in an incubator, the egg will hatch into a Pokémon!
Evolution
Evolution is what happens when your Pokémon levels up and becomes a stronger version of itself!
By using Candy, you can evolve and change your Pokémon into a more advanced species of Pokémon.
Candy
Candy is important! It can be used to evolve and strengthen your Pokémon throughout your adventures!
You can get your Candies by transferring Pokémon to Professor Willow, by catching Pokémon, or by hatching Pokémon Eggs.
Experience Points (XP)
Your Experience Points (XP) is how your progress is measured throughout your Poké-venture. By upping your XP, you can advance to higher Trainer levels.
Fainted Pokémon
When a Pokémon is completely depleted of Hit Points (HP), it will faint. You can use Revive or Max Revive to bring your fainted Pokémon back into the game.
Gyms
Gyms are specific locations where you can go and battle the Pokémon of rival teams. You can also go to Gyms owned by your team to train your Pokémon by battling against the Pokémon assigned there by other members of your team.
When you're playing, you'll see that Gyms belonging to your team are known as "friendly" Gyms, while Gyms that have been claimed by other teams are known as "rival" Gyms. Gyms that have not been claimed, however, are known as open Gyms – so what are you waiting for? Go claim a Gym!
Hit Points (HP)
Hit Points are how a Pokémon's health is measured. When a Pokémon has zero HP, it faints and can no longer be used in battle until you revive it with a Revive or Max Revive item.
Incense
Incense will attract wild Pokémon to your location because of its aroma.
At the beginning of your adventure, you are given two. You can also buy one incense in the shop for 80 PokéCoins.
Incubator
Once you get an Egg, you place it into an incubator. This will let it hatch into a Pokémon as you walk.
You can upgrade your incubators as you play, which will decrease the total distance it takes to hatch an egg.
Lure Module
Lure Modules work like a stronger version of Incense by coaxing Pokémon to your location. All players can see a Lure Module, and everyone can take advantage of an active one, even if they aren't the original person to set it up.
By using a Lure Module, you can attract wild Pokémon to a PokéStop for a limited time. Then all you have to do is catch them!
Lucky Egg
Lucky Eggs can double the amount of XP you earn for all actions for around 30 minutes.
You can either buy Lucky Eggs in the shop, or you can receive them as a reward while you level up. For example, getting to level 9 will earn you a Lucky Egg.
Medals
You get awarded medals as you get gameplay achievements throughout your adventures. There are a few different types you can get, including...
- Jogger: Walk x kilometers
- Kanto: Register Pokémon
- Collector: Capture Pokémon
- Scientist: Evolve Pokémon
- Breeder: Hatch Eggs
- Backpacker: Visit PokéStops
- Battle Girl: Win Gym Battles
- Ace Trainer: Train x times
- Pikachu Fan: Catch Pikachu
- Fairy Tale Girl: Catch fairy Pokémon
- Black Belt: Catch fighting Pokémon
- Punk Girl: Catch poison Pokémon
- Schoolkid: Catch normal Pokémon
- Bird Keeper: Catch flying Pokémon
- Dragon Tamer: Catch dragon Pokémon
- Hiker: Catch Rock Pokémon
- Ruin Maniac: Catch ground Pokémon
- Psychic: Catch psychic Pokémon
- Hex Maniac: Catch ghost Pokémon
- Bug Catcher: Catch bug Pokémon
- Swimmer: Catch water Pokémon
- Gardener: Catch grass Pokémon
- Kindler: Catch fire Pokémon
Poké Balls
Poké Balls are what you use to catch wild Pokémon! They can be picked up at the shop or found at PokéStops.
There are different types of Poké Balls throughout the game. Great Balls, Ultra Balls, and Master Balls are high performance Poké Balls with a better chance of catching wild Pokémon.
PokéCoins
PokéCoins are the currency in the Poké-world! Trainers can exchange coins for premium items in the shop. People can also buy PokéCoins in the shop.
Pokédex
The ultimate Pokémon guide! The Pokédex is where you will find information about all the Pokémon you have caught or encountered in your adventures!
PokéStop
PokéStops are specific locations that you can go to gather items like Poké Balls, Eggs, and Potions.
A PokéStop will change its shape when you get close to it. To interact with a PokéStop, simply touch it and spin the Photo Disc to get items.
Potions
Potions are used to heal your Pokémon. When you use a Potion, you restore your Pokémon's Hit Points (HP) so they can battle again.
Power-Up
By using a Candy and Stardust, Trainers can power up their Pokémon. This will increase their CP and HP.
Prestige
Prestige is how a Gym's progress is measured as different teams try to claim it. Prestige is earned when Pokémon train at the Gym.
To advance a certain Gym to higher levels, you have to increase a Gym's Prestige. The higher a Gym's Prestige, the more Pokémon can be added to defend it.
Razz Berry
While Razz Berry's cannot be purchased and can only be found at PokéStops, you can feed them to wild Pokémon to make them easier to catch. Razz Berry's will appear in later levels of the game when more difficult Pokémon begin to appear.
If a wild Pokémon has a high CP level or is rare, the player can use a Razz Berry to increase the chances of the Pokémon actually staying caught in a Poké Ball.
To see what Pokémon you currently are able to find around you, tap the strip in the bottom right corner of the screen. This will open the Sightings menu, which shows you what Pokémon are within 70 meters of your current location.
Stardust
You get Stardust by hatching Eggs, catching Pokémon, and earning the daily Defender bonus. It can be used to Power Up your Pokémon.
Training
When you're at a friendly Gym, A.K.A. a Gym run by your team, Trainers can battle Pokémon that have been assigned there by other members of their team. This will increase the Prestige of the Gym and their Experience Points.
Trainer
Trainers are the people who adventure, explore, play, and battle in the world of Pokémon Go: You!
Wild Pokémon
Pokémon that have not been caught are called wild Pokémon.
How do you play?
How far along are you in Pokémon Go? What's your favorite part of the game? Sound off in the comments below!
