Can You Change Pokemon Go Teams? | Team Medallion Rules

You picked a team at Level 5 and, at the time, it felt like a vibe choice. Then you hit the real game: gyms in your area always flip to one color, your raid group leans the other way, or you start caring about gym badges and coin flow. That’s when this question stops being casual.

Team switching is real, it’s built into the game, and it’s not something you want to do on impulse. A team change can reshape how easy it is to hold gyms, who you can battle beside at a crowded raid hour, and how smoothly you stack daily PokéCoins from defenders.

Can You Change Pokemon Go Teams? What Changes And What Doesn’t

Your team affects gym ownership, gym battles, and some social friction in local play. Your team does not rewrite your account. You keep your Trainer level, your Pokémon storage, your Pokédex progress, your items, and your friend list.

What really changes is the “color math” around you. If your area is heavy Mystic, switching to Mystic can mean fewer gym battles and steadier coin days. If your area is packed with one team and you enjoy battling, switching away can mean more action and more turnover.

Also, the change isn’t a toggle you can flip back and forth. Team switching runs through a paid item and a waiting period between purchases, so you want a plan that fits how you actually play.

How Team Changing Works In Pokémon GO

Pokémon GO uses an item called the Team Medallion to switch teams. You buy it in the in-game Shop, then activate it from your Item Bag to start the team-selection flow. Niantic describes the Team Medallion as one-time use and limits purchases to once every 365 days. That waiting period is the part that catches people off guard when they regret the switch a week later.

The original rollout also set expectations on pricing and frequency: the Team Medallion is sold for 1,000 PokéCoins and is intended for team changes on a once-per-year cadence. That pricing and cadence shape the real decision: you’re not just picking a new color, you’re buying a full year of living with that choice.

If you want the official wording on the process and timing rules, Niantic’s help article on
how to change your team
is the cleanest reference.

What You Need Before You Switch

Before you spend the coins, make sure your reasons are concrete. “My friends are on Valor” is a real reason. “I’m bored” usually isn’t. You’ll feel that boredom again, and then you’re stuck waiting out the cooldown.

• Enough PokéCoins. The Team Medallion is a major coin spend, so plan around item storage upgrades, raid passes, and event boxes.
• A calm gym moment. If you’re defending gyms, think about whether you want those defenders to return first so you can bank coins cleanly.
• A clear goal. Easier gyms, better raid coordination, more battles, or matching friends. Pick one as your main reason.

Fast Steps To Switch Teams

1. Open Pokémon GO and tap the Poké Ball menu.
2. Go to the Shop and find the Team Medallion (often listed under upgrades).
3. Buy the Team Medallion with PokéCoins.
4. Open your Item Bag and tap the Team Medallion to use it.
5. Follow the prompts, choose your new team, and confirm.

Once confirmed, the change takes effect right away. That’s great if you’re ready. It’s rough if you didn’t think through gyms, coins, and what you’re giving up in the short term.

Changing Pokemon Go Teams After Level 5: What You Gain And Lose

This is the heart of the decision. A team change is mostly about gym life and social coordination, not about raw power. A stronger roster still matters more than your team color in raids and PvP.

Gains That Usually Matter

• More stable gym access. If your area swings hard toward one team, joining that team can make it easier to place defenders and stay in gyms longer.
• Smoother raid coordination. Many groups casually cluster by team color for gyms and meetups. Matching friends can reduce friction.
• Less wasted time. If you’re constantly battling to place a defender, the switch can turn daily play into quick check-ins.

Losses And Trade-Offs People Notice Later

• A full-year lockout. The 365-day purchase limit can feel long if your local gym scene changes or your play group shifts.
• Gym routines may break. If you have a set path of same-team gyms you rotate through, switching can turn that path into a battle route.
• Short-term coin disruption. Your coin flow can dip for a while if you switch into a crowded gym scene where spots fill fast.

One more subtle trade: your identity inside the game changes in a way you feel every day. That can be fun. It can also feel weird if you cared about your old team leader, your old badge vibe, or the way your local area reacts to your name on gyms.

Before-You-Switch Checks That Save Regret

Most regret comes from switching at a messy moment. A few simple checks can make the change feel clean and intentional.

Check Your PokéCoin Plan

If you’re close to a storage upgrade you’ve been meaning to buy, do that first. Storage upgrades stay valuable forever. A team change is a lifestyle purchase. If the upgrade will remove daily friction, it usually wins.

Check Your Gym Defenders

If you have Pokémon sitting in gyms, think about your goal for the day. If you’re already at your daily coin cap, pulling defenders back first can make the switch feel smoother. If you still need coins, you may want to wait until you’ve had a clean coin day before you change anything.

Check Your Raid Circle

If you raid with a consistent group, ask one simple thing: “Do you care what team I’m on?” Many groups don’t. Some do, mainly for gym control before raid starts. If their answer is “it makes things easier,” that’s useful data.

Check Your Motivation

Write your reason in one line. If you can’t, wait. A year is a long time to live with a vague decision.

Area Of The Game	What Happens When You Switch	What To Do Before You Confirm
Team Selection	You choose a new team through the Team Medallion flow.	Be sure the new team fits your local gym scene and friends.
Purchase Limits	You can only buy the Team Medallion once every 365 days.	Pick a time of year when your play routine is stable.
Gym Access	Friendly gyms become opposing gyms and vice versa.	Check your usual gyms and who holds them most days.
PokéCoin Routine	Your coin flow may change based on how crowded gyms are for your new team.	Plan for a few days of adjustment while you learn new patterns.
Defenders In Gyms	Any defenders placed under your old team can feel awkward during the transition.	Consider waiting for defenders to return if you want a clean break.
Gym Badges	Badge history stays tied to your account, but your daily gym interactions change.	Finish any badge pushes that rely on friendly gym access.
Raids With Friends	Team color can affect gym control before raids, not raid damage.	Match your raid group if gym control is a shared routine.
Daily Play Feel	Your map experience shifts based on gym color around you.	Watch your area for a week so you know what you’re buying into.

Cost, Cooldown, And The Fine Print That Matters

The Team Medallion is not cheap in PokéCoins. A lot of players treat it like a one-time correction, not a recurring purchase. That mindset helps, because the cooldown makes “switching back” a slow idea.

For the original official announcement on pricing and the once-per-year cadence, the Pokémon GO blog post titled
Team Change with the Team Medallion
lays out the intent behind the feature.

When The Price Is Worth It

The price makes sense when it removes daily friction. If you can’t place defenders because your team is rare in your area, your coin days can feel random. A switch can turn that into a routine.

The price also makes sense when it improves your social play. If you raid or do gym battles with the same people weekly, matching them can reduce the number of “we’re fighting our own gym again” moments.

When The Price Isn’t Worth It

If you mostly play solo and you already get coins most days, the switch may feel like a cosmetic spend. You’ll still battle gyms. You’ll still raid. Your Pokémon won’t hit harder because your team changed.

If your reason is a short-term trend, like a local gym wave that may fade in a month, hold your coins. Local patterns shift when people move, when seasons change, and when new players show up.

Best Times To Switch Teams

Timing is the difference between a smooth change and a messy one. The best timing is personal, but a few patterns help.

Switch After A Clean Coin Day

If you care about daily PokéCoins, switch after you’ve already hit your cap for the day and your defenders have returned. That way, you start your new team life without feeling like you left coins on the table.

Switch When Your Area Is Predictable

If your neighborhood gyms rotate wildly, you may not know what you’re buying into. Watch your usual gyms for several days and see which colors hold them most of the time. A stable pattern is easier to plan around.

Switch Before A New Routine Season

Lots of players change how they play with school schedules, weather, or a new job rhythm. Switching right as your routine changes can make it hard to tell if the team change helped. Switch when the rest of your play pattern is steady.

Common Problems And Clean Fixes

You Don’t See The Team Medallion In The Shop

This is usually not a bug. The most common reason is the purchase cooldown. If you bought one within the last 365 days, it may not be available yet.

You Switched And Gym Play Feels Worse

Give it a week. You’re learning a new set of “friendly” gyms and a new set of gyms that take extra work to hold. Also, your new team might be crowded in your area, which can mean more competition for spots. That isn’t a failure, it’s just the local math.

You Miss Your Old Team Identity

This one surprises people. Team choice can feel like part of your in-game personality. If you switched for practical reasons and still miss the old vibe, lean into what you gained: steadier gyms, smoother raids, less friction. The feeling usually fades as the routine gets easier.

A Simple Decision Filter Before You Spend 1,000 Coins

If you want a quick way to decide, use three questions:

• Will this save me time most days? If yes, the purchase makes more sense.
• Will this make raids or gym play smoother with my usual people? If yes, the social benefit is real.
• Am I fine living with this choice for a year? If no, don’t buy it yet.

Reason You Want To Switch	Good Time To Do It	Trade-Off To Accept
Your area is dominated by one team	After you’ve watched local gyms for several days	More competition for gym slots if the new team is crowded
Your friends raid and hold gyms together	Before a season of frequent meetups or events	You may lose easy access to gyms you used to treat as “home”
You want steadier daily PokéCoins	Right after a clean coin day and defender return	Coin flow can dip while you learn new gym routes
You enjoy battling and want more gym fights	When you have time for a more active play style	More time spent battling for placement and upkeep
You chose the “wrong” team years ago	When your current routine is stable	The year-long cooldown means you can’t undo a rushed choice
Your local gym scene changed recently	After the pattern holds steady for at least a week	Short-term swings can trick you into a switch you won’t like

What To Do Right After You Switch

Once you’ve switched, give yourself a short reset week. Don’t judge the change based on the first day. Your map will look different and your instincts will be off.

• Mark your new “easy gyms.” Find two or three gyms your new team holds often and make those your regular defender spots.
• Build a new coin rhythm. Try placing defenders at different times of day until you find a pattern that works.
• Adjust your expectations. If you switched into a crowded team, expect faster turnover and more competition for slots.

After a week, the switch usually feels normal. After a month, most players stop thinking about it at all. That’s a good sign. It means your daily play friction dropped, which is the main reason to spend 1,000 coins in the first place.