Are Pokémon Weaker If You Wait To Evolve Them? A Comprehensive Guide
The short answer is a resounding no. In the core Pokémon games, waiting to evolve your Pokémon does not inherently make them weaker in terms of their final stats. However, the nuances lie in move learning and strategic team building, and especially in games like Pokémon GO, there are additional factors to consider. Let’s delve deeper.
The underlying mechanics dictate that a level 100 Pokémon, regardless of when it evolved, will have the same stats as another level 100 Pokémon of the same species, provided their Individual Values (IVs) and Effort Values (EVs) are identical. The level dictates stats, not the evolution level. The real consequences involve the moves your Pokémon learns.
The Movepool Conundrum
The primary reason to delay evolution revolves around movepools. Unevolved forms often learn moves at earlier levels than their evolved counterparts. This is a crucial consideration, especially in the main series games where Technical Machines (TMs) have limited uses or availability.
Imagine a Pikachu learning a powerful Electric-type move like Thunderbolt at level 30, while Raichu only learns it at level 50 (or perhaps not at all through leveling up). Delaying Pikachu’s evolution allows it to learn Thunderbolt earlier, giving you a competitive edge during the main storyline.
However, this comes with a trade-off. Evolved Pokémon generally have better base stats. This means that while your Pikachu might have Thunderbolt earlier, a Raichu with weaker moves will still likely be more powerful due to its superior stats. It’s a balancing act, and the optimal decision depends on the specific Pokémon, its movepool, and your strategic needs.
Stone Evolutions: A Word of Caution
Certain Pokémon, such as those that evolve via evolutionary stones (like Eevee evolving into Flareon, Jolteon, or Vaporeon), often cease learning moves through leveling up after evolution. In these cases, carefully plan when to use the stone, ensuring your Pokémon has learned all the desired moves beforehand. Evolving them too early might leave them with a limited and less effective movepool.
Pokémon GO: A Slightly Different Landscape
While the core principle remains the same – evolution doesn’t affect the potential Combat Power (CP) or stats – Pokémon GO introduces some variations. Here, the main reason to evolve a Pokémon is to increase its CP for battles in raids, gyms, and the GO Battle League.
The CP of a Pokemon is determined by its base stats, its level, and its Individual Values (IVs). Evolving a Pokémon only changes the base stats, not the level or IVs, so it doesn’t matter if you power up a Pokemon before evolving or after, the end CP will be the same.
Shadow and Purified Pokémon
Shadow Pokémon possess a significant attack boost but take more damage. Purifying them removes this boost, improves their IVs slightly, and changes their moveset, specifically replacing Frustration with Return.
Delaying evolution for Shadow Pokémon can be crucial if you’re waiting for a specific event to remove the move “Frustration” (usually via a Charged TM), allowing you to teach them a more powerful move later.
Specific Scenarios: When Delaying Can Be Beneficial
- Learning Specific Moves: As mentioned, this is the most common reason. Check the level-up movepool of both the unevolved and evolved forms.
- Breeding: In games with breeding mechanics, holding an Everstone prevents a Pokémon from evolving. Also, giving a Pokémon an Everstone in the daycare can pass its nature onto its offspring.
- Strategic Battling (Competitive): Sometimes, an unevolved form with a specific movepool and item (like an Eviolite, which boosts the Defense and Special Defense of unevolved Pokémon) can be surprisingly effective in competitive battles.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the decision to evolve your Pokémon early or late is a strategic one. It doesn’t affect the maximum potential stats, but it significantly impacts movepool and team composition. Consider the specific Pokémon, its available moves, and your overall game plan before making a choice. Understanding these intricacies is key to becoming a truly proficient Pokémon Trainer. Remember the fun of Pokemon games also lies in strategy, as illustrated by resources found at the Games Learning Society which shows how games can provide rich learning environments, at GamesLearningSociety.org.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify the nuances of Pokémon evolution:
1. Does evolving a Pokémon increase its IVs?
No, evolving a Pokémon does not change its Individual Values (IVs) in the core series games. In Pokémon GO, purifying a Shadow Pokémon will increase IVs slightly, but standard evolution does not.
2. Does evolving a Pokémon change its nature?
No, a Pokémon’s nature is determined at the moment it is generated and remains unchanged throughout its evolution.
3. Is it better to evolve a Pokémon early or late in Pokémon GO?
It doesn’t inherently matter for CP. Powering up before or after evolution results in the same final CP, assuming the Pokémon reaches the same level. However, delay evolution if waiting for a specific Community Day move for Shadow Pokémon.
4. Does the level I evolve my Pokémon affect its final stats?
No. The level you evolve your Pokémon at has no bearing on the stats that the evolved Pokémon will have once both are at the same level.
5. What is the Eviolite item, and why is it useful?
The Eviolite is an item that boosts the Defense and Special Defense of unevolved Pokémon. It can make certain unevolved forms surprisingly bulky and viable in battle.
6. Can I unevolve a Pokémon?
No, you cannot unevolve a Pokémon in any of the main series games or Pokémon GO. Once a Pokémon has evolved, that change is permanent. However, you can breed the evolved form to obtain the unevolved form.
7. Are Shadow Pokémon always better than regular Pokémon?
Not always. Shadow Pokémon have a significant attack boost but take more damage. This makes them powerful offensive options, but glass cannons. Standard or purified Pokémon can be more durable and strategically versatile.
8. What is the point of purifying a Shadow Pokémon?
Purifying a Shadow Pokémon increases its IVs, replaces Frustration with Return, and reduces the cost of powering it up. However, it also removes the attack boost, making it less powerful offensively.
9. What happens if I cancel a Pokémon’s evolution?
Canceling an evolution does not permanently halt it. The Pokémon will attempt to evolve again upon leveling up (unless it’s holding an Everstone or is at maximum level).
10. Does evolution affect a Pokémon’s growth rate?
No, a Pokémon’s growth rate (how quickly it gains experience) remains the same throughout its evolutionary line.
11. Is it bad to evolve stone evolution Pokémon early?
It can be. Stone evolutions often stop learning moves via leveling up after evolution. Ensure they’ve learned the desired moves before using the stone.
12. What is Frustration and why do I want to remove it?
Frustration is a Charged Attack that Shadow Pokémon have. It’s generally a weak move. Trainers often use a TM to replace it with a more powerful move, specifically during special events.
13. What are Individual Values (IVs)?
Individual Values (IVs) are hidden stats that affect a Pokémon’s potential. Each stat (HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, Speed) has an IV ranging from 0 to 31. Higher IVs mean a Pokémon will have better stats at each level.
14. Does evolution affect the power of Hidden Power?
The Hidden Power type is determined by a Pokémon’s IVs. Since evolution doesn’t change IVs (in the main series), it will not affect the type of Hidden Power.
15. Are there any Pokémon that are better unevolved?
Yes, there are several Pokémon that can be strategically useful in their unevolved forms, especially when equipped with an Eviolite. Examples include Chansey (before evolving into Blissey) and Dusclops (before evolving into Dusknoir). Some Pokémon are even better unevolved based on the available moves, such as Wynaut and Cosmog.