Can You Get 0 IV Legendary Pokemon? The Quest for the Elusive Nundo

Yes, you absolutely can obtain a 0 IV Legendary Pokemon, but the path to doing so is paved with challenges and a considerable amount of luck, especially in games like Pokemon GO. While perfect IV legendaries are rare, a “nundo” (a legendary with all IVs at 0) is even rarer. Their acquisition is primarily tied to the trading mechanic within the game. Prepare for a deep dive into the world of Individual Values and the pursuit of the ultimate “anti-perfect” Pokemon.

Understanding Individual Values (IVs)

Before we delve into the specifics of obtaining a 0 IV Legendary Pokemon, let’s clarify what IVs are. Individual Values, often abbreviated as IVs, are essentially a Pokemon’s genes. They are hidden stats that contribute to a Pokemon’s overall power. Each Pokemon has six IVs, corresponding to its six base stats: HP (Hit Points), Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed. Each IV can range from 0 to 31. A higher IV in a particular stat means that Pokemon will have a slightly higher value for that stat compared to another Pokemon of the same species and level with a lower IV in that stat.

The Rarity of a 0 IV Legendary

A 0 IV Legendary Pokemon represents the absolute bottom of the IV spectrum. It’s a Pokemon with 0 IVs in HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed. While this might seem undesirable from a competitive standpoint, the sheer rarity of such a Pokemon makes it a highly sought-after trophy for collectors.

The reason for their rarity boils down to how legendaries are typically encountered. In many Pokemon games, including Pokemon GO, legendaries obtained through raids, research breakthroughs, or special events are guaranteed to have minimum IVs. This means a 0 IV is impossible to receive from these types of encounters. This is particularly true in core series games like Pokemon Sword and Shield where wild legendaries may have guaranteed perfect IVs as well.

The Trading Gambit in Pokemon GO

The primary way to obtain a 0 IV Legendary Pokemon is through trading with another player in Pokemon GO. However, there’s a catch: Pokemon GO’s trading system has mechanics that usually increase the IVs of traded Pokemon. The extent of the increase depends on the friendship level between the two players involved in the trade. Higher friendship levels result in higher minimum IVs.

Therefore, to have the best shot at getting a 0 IV Legendary Pokemon, you’d ideally want to trade with a “Good Friend,” the lowest friendship level, or better yet, trade with a stranger as stated in our article’s premise. Even then, the odds are still extremely low. The IVs are re-rolled during the trade, and each stat has a 1/16 chance of being 0, resulting in a 1/4096 chance of a 0% IV.

Why Seek a Nundo Legendary?

While a 0 IV Legendary Pokemon might seem like a useless addition to your collection, several reasons exist for wanting one:

• Rarity: As mentioned earlier, their rarity is the primary appeal. They’re harder to obtain than even a “hundo” (a perfect IV Pokemon).
• Collection Value: Collectors often seek out unique and rare Pokemon, and a 0 IV Legendary fits the bill perfectly.
• Novelty: Some players simply enjoy the challenge of obtaining such an unlikely Pokemon.
• Niche Competitive Uses: In very specific competitive situations, a low Attack IV can be beneficial to minimize confusion damage. (Though less likely you’d use a Legendary this way.)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions related to 0 IV Legendary Pokemon and IVs in general:

1. Is a 0% IV Pokemon rare?

Yes! A fully 0% IV Pokemon is extremely rare, especially when compared to their 4-star/Perfect IV counterparts. You may want to keep it just for the rarity alone.

2. Can a Pokemon have an IV of 0?

Yes, a Pokemon can have an IV of 0 for each of its stats (HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed). In the core series and Pokemon GO, it is part of the possible random number spread.

3. Do all Legendaries have perfect IVs?

No. Only some wild Legendaries in certain games may have a minimum of 3 perfect IVs, but typically Legendaries do not all have perfect IVs.

4. Do Legendaries have guaranteed IVs?

In some games, yes. In Gen 6, all legendaries have 3 perfect IV’s guaranteed. This encourages players to soft reset the game until they get a desirable IV spread.

5. How rare is a 100% IV Pokemon?

The chance to get a 100% IV (15/15/15) Pokemon in Pokemon GO is 1/4096, or approximately 0.0244%. In core series games, there is a chance of receiving perfect IV Pokemon, but it is also slim.

6. How rare is a hundo legendary?

Getting a hundo legendary depends on how you obtain it. If wild, the odds are 1 in 4096. The odds are improved depending on if the Pokemon is weather-boosted, or acquired through research or raids.

7. What is the max possible IVs Pokemon?

The max possible IV for any single stat in a Pokemon game is 31. In some contexts such as in Pokemon GO, the max is 15.

8. How rare is a Max IV Pokemon?

There’s a one in 4,096 chance, or 0.0244% probability, of finding perfect IVs from a wild catch. There are certain modifiers that can change the probabilities.

9. Is 0 IV more rare than 100?

Yes. A 0% pokemon is even rarer than 100% pokemon, since the former can never come from raids, eggs, research tasks or trades.

10. Is a 0 0 0 rare in Pokemon go?

Yes, a 0% Pokemon is far, far rarer than a 100% Pokemon. It’s quite simple actually. There’s no realistic way to catch Pokemon and check every single one.

11. Why are 0 IVs important?

Any special attacker wants a 0 Attack IV to reduce confusion damage, though this is such a specific edge case that it’s rarely bred for. In particular examples, like Aegislash, having a 0 IV in speed helps it out greatly. It depends on the game.

12. How rare is a 0 percent Pokémon?

The only way to get a 0% legendary is through trading, probably only with strangers (if minimum IVs go up with friendship), and there’s only a 1/4096 chance of rolling it. Compared to the 1/216 odds of rolling a 100% in raids, plus a roughly 50-50 chance of actually catching it, that’s almost 10 times as rare.

13. Are perfect IV Pokémon legal?

Perfect IVs are legal, but highly unlikely to be legitimate if all 6 stats are maxed out. In some cases, they’re either manipulating RNG or edited in a save editor in most cases. The game can and will legitimately generate pokes with IVs across the board.

14. Can a Pokémon have 5 perfect IVs?

Pokemon caught from six-star Tera Raid battles are guaranteed to have five perfect IVs and have a 1/32 chance of having perfect IVs across the board.

15. Are nundos rarer than hundos?

Nundos can only be caught in the wild. They cannot be hatched; caught from a raid; or reward encounter; or get from a trade. They’re more rare than hundos because you could get a hundo from all those ways.

Conclusion

Obtaining a 0 IV Legendary Pokemon is a testament to a trainer’s dedication and luck. While not competitively valuable in most cases, their extreme rarity makes them a prized possession for collectors. Understanding the intricacies of IVs and the limitations of the trading system is key to embarking on this challenging quest. So, if you’re feeling lucky, start trading and see if you can snag that elusive nundo legendary!

For more information on game-based learning and how games can impact education, visit the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org. Learning about the math and stats in games like Pokemon is a fun way to build analytical thinking skills.