'Pokémon Go' Gym Levels Chart: Study lists average CP points and position of top defenders
The last three opponents you face in a Pokémon Go gym battle will be the toughest. So you'd better know what kind of combat power — or CP — you'll need to beat them if you plan on taking over that gym.
If you want to be a successful gym battler in Pokémon Go, you need to be able to assess the strength of an enemy gym. One way to do so, as pointed out by Silph Road community member QuantumOverlord, is to figure out the average CP of the top Pokémon you see defending gyms in your area.
Pokémon Go gym analysis: Average CP for top three defenders
To gauge the toughness of your local Pokémon Go gym battling scene, compare the top CP of the Pokémon controlling gyms in your area to the top CP of Pokemon controlling gyms somewhere else.
QuantumOverlord, for instance, found that the average CP for a Pokémon in the top slot at a gym in his area was 3021. The average CP for a Pokémon in the number two slot was 2896, and the average CP for a Pokémon in the number three slot was 2783.
Those are the kinds of numbers you'll see at an actively-contested gym, where Pokémon Go players are jockeying for control on a regular basis. The more competition you see, the more players power up their Pokémon to remain competitive.
Pokémon Go gym analysis: The most common Pokémon in the top defender slots
QuantumOverlord not only noted the average CP for a Pokémon in each defender position, he also noted which Pokémon were most often found in which position.
Dragonite most often fell into the first or second position within a defender lineup, according to QuantumOverlord's data, with Gyarados appearing in positions three through five. Vaporeon and Gyarados make up the rest of the positions in the top 10, according to this informal study.
Compare the information on this chart to the Pokémon you find defending gyms in your area. If you see CPs approaching 3000, and a bunch of Dragonites and Gyarados taking over gyms, you may have some serious gym battlers in your area. Good luck!
More Pokémon Go guides, tips, tricks and updates
Check out Mic's Pokémon Go tips and tricks. Here are guides on how to get stardust, how to determine how long it will take you to reach Level 40, the kind of Pokemon you get from 10km eggs, how to create new PokéStops, how to maximize your chances of catching Pokémon and how PokéStops distribute Pokémon eggs. Also check out how to catch Gen 2 baby Pokémon, our analysis of post-balance update Chansey and Rhydon and everything you need to know about finding the long-awaited Pokémon Ditto.
