'Pokemon Go' Players Are Finding Ways to Deal With the Potion Shortage

Pokemon Go players are getting thrifty with their potions.

Earlier this month, we reported that Pokemon Go had changed what items are given out when players spun PokeStops and gyms. PokeStops had largely stopped handing out potions and revives, leaving a lot of players with a shortage of healing items for their Pokemon.

While players are still waiting for an official explanation for the change, a few Pokemon Go players have come up with an inventive solution around the potion shortage. A player on /r/TheSilphRoad detailed their new strategy for battling in gyms without wasting potions or other healing items on their Pokemon.

Instead of relying on a team of high level optimized attackers to clear out gyms, the player instead uses the Level 30 Pokemon he's recently caught. After evolving them to maximize their stats, the player simply uses the recently caught Pokemon as cannon fodder to clear out gyms, and then transfers them after they've fainted. This allows the player to keep their best Pokemon healthy for raids, while finding a use for Pokemon that would have been transferred anyways.

The player notes that this also adds a bit of intrigue to his daily grind, since they can't rely on overpowered Pokemon like Dragonite to anchor their team. Pokemon like Parasect and Pidgeot are given new life by this method, even if they still inevitably get transferred away after a handful of battles.

Of course, this solution requires players to catch a ton of Pokemon a day to replace the Pokemon that get discarded after battle. However, it's still a better solution than hunkering down at gyms in order to get enough potions to heal your Pokemon.

Pokemon Go has promised a new update announcement later this week, so hopefully we hear about what their plans are for dealing with this sudden healing shortage.