Pokémon Go update makes gym battles more strategic with analysis by Team Leaders

Pokémon Go just updated to version 0.35.0 for Android smartphones and version 1.5.0 for iOS devices. The updated version of the game can be downloaded from the Play Store and the App Store. https://twitter.com/PokemonGoApp/status/767881639045238784 The biggest change in the update is an appraisal system by the team leaders. The feature is only available to trainers who have crossed level 5, as that is when trainers can choose a team to be a part of. Every Pokémon has individual attacks and defences. The capacity for attack is measured with the combat power. The hit points show how much damage the Pokémon can take during a battle. Some Pokémon are oversized when it comes to weight, height, or both, and are marked with an XL tag next to these parameters. All of this affected the performance of a Pokémon in gym battles.  The update makes it easier to understand these statistics, and also helps trainers choose better Pokémon for engaging in battles. For example, an attacking Pokémon may be better to take over a gym, but a defensive Pokémon with a high capacity for tanking maybe better at preventing a gym from being owned by another team. Now, when a Pokémon is selected, a third option appears in the menu. This option is called “Appraise”.  The Appraise option shows your team leader giving you a run down of the fitness of a Pokémon for battle. The leaders are Candela for Valor, Blanche for Mystic and Spark for Instinct. The team leader speaks about the specific strengths and weaknesses of a Pokémon. The strongest feature is noted, along with comments on the stats. If the Pokémon is big or small, that is mentioned as well. The appraisal does not include any specific stats itself, so new trainers can get a sense of what the Pokémon can do, without having to interpret any of the numbers.  The patch notes promise several new and exciting features lined up for the future. There are minor fixes that were not documented in the patch notes.