Can You Auto Battle for EVs? A Comprehensive Guide to Effort Value Training
The short answer is: no, you cannot reliably gain Effort Values (EVs) through auto-battling in most Pokémon games. While your Pokémon may gain experience points (EXP) through auto-battles and thus level up, the crucial EV gains needed for competitive training typically require manually battling specific Pokémon species. This is because EVs are awarded based on the Pokémon you defeat or catch, and auto-battling mechanics often don’t consistently target the specific Pokémon you need for optimal EV training.
Understanding EVs: The Secret Sauce of Pokémon Strength
Effort Values (EVs) are the unseen, yet immensely powerful, points that determine your Pokémon’s stats. Unlike Individual Values (IVs), which are fixed at birth (or when generated in the game), EVs can be actively trained. Each Pokémon can accumulate a maximum of 510 EVs, distributed across six stats: HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed. Critically, a single stat can only hold a maximum of 252 EVs. This means smart allocation is key to creating a powerhouse team. A typical competitive build often involves maximizing two stats with 252 EVs each, and then placing the remaining 4 EVs into a third stat.
Think of EVs as the gym workouts for your Pokémon. You wouldn’t expect your body to bulk up randomly; you need a targeted routine. Similarly, to optimize your Pokémon’s stats, you need to battle specific Pokémon that yield particular EVs. For instance, if you want to boost your Pokémon’s Attack stat, defeating a Pokémon that provides Attack EVs, like a Shinx, is the most efficient method.
Why Manual Battles Reign Supreme for EV Training
While auto-battling has become a feature in some modern Pokémon games like Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, its effectiveness for EV training is limited. Here’s why:
- Targeted Training is Essential: EV training requires focusing on specific Pokémon species to gain desired stat boosts. Auto-battling, driven by AI, often lacks the precision required for this targeted approach. You might end up defeating random Pokémon that don’t contribute to your desired EV spread, wasting valuable time.
- Control Over EV Distribution: Manual battles allow precise control over which Pokémon are defeated, ensuring you maximize your EV gains in the correct stats.
- Item Synergy: EV-enhancing items like the Macho Brace or Power Anklet are essential for efficient training. You need to actively equip these items and ensure your Pokémon is participating in battles to receive their benefits. Auto-battling often bypasses the strategic use of these items.
- Experience Share Considerations: While EXP Share distributes experience points (EXP) to the entire party, it also shares EVs. Therefore, you might inadvertently distribute EVs to Pokémon you don’t want to train if you leave EXP Share on while auto-battling.
Maximizing EV Training Efficiency
While you can’t rely solely on auto-battling for EVs, here are some key tips for maximizing your EV training efficiency:
- Research EV Yields: Before you begin, research which Pokémon yield the EVs you need. Websites like Serebii.net provide comprehensive lists of Pokémon and their corresponding EV yields.
- Utilize Power Items: Power items like the Power Bracer, Power Belt, Power Lens, Power Band, Power Anklet, and Power Weight significantly boost EV gains for specific stats. These items can often be purchased from Delibird Presents shops.
- Consider the Macho Brace: The Macho Brace doubles all EV gains but reduces your Pokémon’s Speed in battle. While effective, the speed reduction can be a significant drawback.
- Track Your Progress: Keep track of your EV gains to ensure you don’t exceed the maximum of 252 per stat and 510 overall.
- EV-Reducing Berries: If you accidentally over-train a stat, you can use EV-reducing berries like the Pomeg Berry, Kelpsy Berry, Qualot Berry, Hondew Berry, Grepa Berry, and Tamato Berry to lower EVs in specific stats. These berries are typically found by shaking trees or participating in Max Raid battles.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About EV Training
Here are some common questions and answers about EV training:
1. Does the Pokémon have to participate in the battle to get EVs?
Yes. If a Pokémon gains experience, it gets EVs. If it doesn’t, then no. So if you want to avoid a Pokémon getting EVs, just make sure you don’t use it and keep experience share turned off.
2. How do you manipulate EVs in Pokémon?
Use items and battles strategically. There are a variety of items that you can equip on your Pokémon to make them gain EV points faster, such as the Macho Brace or the Power items. Deliberately battle specific Pokémon known to give the EVs you want. If you make a mistake, use EV-reducing berries.
3. How can I get Speed EVs fast?
Players can efficiently farm Speed EVs by defeating certain Pokemon while equipping their own party with the Power Anklet item. Power Anklets can be purchased very early in the game from the Delibird Presents locations in Mesagoza. Every species of Pokémon yields a certain number of EVs. Look for Pokemon that give 1-2 EVs and are common like Rookidee.
4. Is it possible to max out all EVs?
No. A Pokemon can only hold a maximum of 510 EVs, and each stat can hold a max of 252. So a min-max build would be something like 252 Attack, 252 Speed, 4 HP, or something. Otherwise they can be spread out however you’d like.
5. Can you have 252 EVs in every stat?
No. Each stat that each individual Pokémon has starts at 0 EVs in it and can have a maximum of 255 EVs (or 252 EVs starting with X & Y). The total number of EVs across all six of the Pokémon’s stats cannot exceed 510.
6. Can a Pokemon have 6 max EVs?
No. Every Pokémon can attain up to 510 EVs, with a max of 252 in any one stat.
7. What item resets EVs?
To reset EVs, players can find EV berries scattered around in the wild area. When the player shakes trees, berries will fall and they can use these to reduce EVs for certain Pokemon. Players can also be given these berries for participating in Max Raid battles.
8. What Pokemon to knock out for EVs?
The main Pokémon you’ll want to focus on for this low-level Attack EV Pokémon is Shinx, although in the recommended location for it, you’ll also find a few Yungoos around, and they both give 1 base Attack EV, meaning you’ll earn a total of 9 Attack EVs per fight if you have the Power Bracer equipped.
9. Is it better to EV train from Level 1?
It doesn’t matter what level you EV train at. Most people just do it first so they don’t have to worry about accidentally screwing up the EVs later on. Well you can’t ev train later on unless you catch a wild pokemon already at a higher level.
10. Does EXP Share work for EVs?
Yes, EXP Share does share EVs with the whole party. This is important to remember when deciding whether to manually or auto-battle. Be careful and always pay attention to which pokemon are in your party when EV training.
11. Does EV training matter?
EV training is only important if you want to actively compete against other players. If you are someone who buy’s the game, plays the story, completes the pokedex, and only connects with friends/ the occasional online battle, then you shouldn’t worry about the gritty details.
12. What are perfect EVs?
The max points we can get in total for a single Pokémon is 510 EVs to share among the 6 stats (HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense and Speed) however we decide but, always, without exceeding 252 EVs in each one.
13. Are perfect IV Pokemon legal?
Perfect IVs are legal, but highly unlikely to be legitimate. They’re either manipulating RNG or edited in a save editor in most cases. 510 EVs total is the legal maximum for EVs (255 in one stat), if he has more he cheated. The game can and will legitimately generate pokes with 31 IVs across the board.
14. Are EVs Cheaper over time?
But EVs may be a better financial deal for consumers over the long haul. That’s because maintenance, repair and fuel costs tend to be lower than those for gas cars. The average owner might save more than $6,000 over an EV’s lifespan relative to a traditional car, Consumer Reports found. There are many caveats, though. This has nothing to do with pokemon EVs, but its interesting non the less.
15. Are EVs bad for road trips?
Yes, you can use an electric vehicle for long highway trips. Charging is more frequent than gasoline fill-ups, but it added less time than I expected — probably less than an hour over more than 570 miles in my one-day return home. Many more DC fast chargers are needed. This also has nothing to do with pokemon EVs, but its interesting non the less.
The Future of EV Training
While auto-battling isn’t currently a viable method for precise EV training, future Pokémon games may introduce more sophisticated AI that allows for targeted EV farming. Imagine setting specific EV training goals and having your Pokémon automatically battle the appropriate wild Pokémon, all while considering item usage and EXP Share settings. For now, however, manual battles remain the most reliable path to creating a competitive Pokémon team.
Understanding the mechanics of gaming and learning through play is increasingly important. Organizations like the Games Learning Society (GamesLearningSociety.org) explore the educational potential of games and how they can be used to enhance learning experiences. As technology advances, the integration of educational elements into games, like Pokémon, will continue to evolve, potentially streamlining complex processes like EV training.
By understanding EVs, mastering the art of manual EV training, and staying informed about the latest advancements in gaming technology, you can unlock the full potential of your Pokémon team and dominate the competition. Happy training!