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Do Pokémon Appraisals Change in Pokémon GO? A Comprehensive Guide

Yes, Pokémon appraisals can change under specific circumstances in Pokémon GO. While certain actions, such as evolving or powering up a Pokémon, will not alter its appraisal, purifying a Shadow Pokémon or trading with another player will. The core concept to understand is that a Pokémon’s Individual Values (IVs) – Attack, Defense, and Stamina – are the underlying factors that determine its appraisal. These IVs are generally fixed, but some actions can modify them, leading to a change in the appraisal. Let’s explore the nuances in detail.

Understanding Pokémon Appraisals

Pokémon appraisals, as delivered by your team leader (Candela, Blanche, or Spark), provide a quick assessment of a Pokémon’s potential. These appraisals are based on the Pokémon’s IVs, which range from 0 to 15 for each stat. A higher IV generally translates to a stronger Pokémon, capable of reaching higher Combat Power (CP) when powered up.

The appraisal system uses a star rating to visually represent the Pokémon’s overall IV quality:

0 stars: Low IVs.
1 star: Decent IVs.
2 stars: Good IVs.
3 stars: Great IVs.
4 stars (3 stars with a red background): Perfect IVs (all stats at 15/15/15).

Factors That Do Not Change Appraisals

Several actions in Pokémon GO do not affect a Pokémon’s appraisal:

Evolving: Evolving a Pokémon only changes its species, moveset, and CP. The underlying IVs remain the same. Therefore, if a 4-star Pokémon is evolved, it remains a 4-star Pokémon.
Powering Up: Powering up a Pokémon increases its CP and HP, but it does not affect its IVs. The appraisal will remain constant, regardless of how many times you power up a Pokémon.

Factors That Do Change Appraisals

Now, let’s delve into the factors that can actually change a Pokémon’s appraisal:

Purifying Shadow Pokémon: Shadow Pokémon, obtained from Team GO Rocket encounters, initially have a Shadow Bonus. Purifying a Shadow Pokémon not only removes the Shadow Bonus but also grants a +2 bonus to each of its IV stats. This can drastically improve its appraisal. A 0-star Shadow Pokémon could potentially become a 2-star or even a 3-star Pokémon after purification.
Trading Pokémon: Trading Pokémon is the most common way an appraisal will change. When you trade a Pokémon, its IVs are re-rolled entirely. The new IVs are influenced by your friendship level with the trading partner. Higher friendship levels guarantee better minimum IVs:
- Good Friend: Minimum IV of 1.
- Great Friend: Minimum IV of 2.
- Ultra Friend: Minimum IV of 3.
- Best Friend: Minimum IV of 6. This means a 0-star Pokémon could become a 3-star Pokémon after a trade, but conversely, a 4-star Pokémon could end up being a 0-star Pokémon.

The Importance of Appraisals

Understanding appraisals is crucial for making informed decisions about which Pokémon to invest in. While a high CP is important, a Pokémon with high IVs will ultimately be stronger at maximum level. Appraisals provide a convenient way to identify Pokémon with the most potential for battles, raids, and gym defense.

Prioritizing Pokémon

While appraisal and CP matter, it is also important to acknowledge that you can’t catch them all!

High CP vs. High Stars: If a 0-star Pokémon has a significantly higher CP than a 3-star Pokémon of the same species, it might be worth evolving the higher CP one, especially if you’re short on Candy and Stardust.
Evolution: If both Pokémon have low CP, it’s generally better to evolve the 3-star Pokémon.
Perfect IVs: Pokémon with perfect IVs are extremely rare and highly sought after. A 4-star appraisal means the Pokemon has perfect IVs. These should be prioritized for powering up and evolving.
Trading: Be very careful before trading a 4-star Pokémon. Due to the IV re-roll, it is very likely you will end up with a lower rated Pokémon.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions about Pokémon appraisals in Pokémon GO:

1. Will evolving a Pokémon improve its appraisal?

No, evolving a Pokémon does not change its IVs or its appraisal. The star rating will remain the same.

2. Does powering up a Pokémon change its appraisal?

No, powering up a Pokémon only increases its CP and HP. It does not affect its IVs or appraisal.

3. Can a 2-star Pokémon become a 3-star Pokémon?

Yes, a 2-star Pokémon can become a 3-star Pokémon if it is a Shadow Pokémon that is purified. This improves all the IVs by 2 points, which could improve the appraisal rating.

4. Why do appraisals change when you trade Pokémon?

When you trade a Pokémon, its IVs are randomly re-rolled. This is what affects the appraisal.

5. Is it worth keeping 0-star Pokémon?

It depends. If you don’t have another of the same species, it might be worth keeping until you find a better one. Also, 0-star Pokémon are rare and some players collect them as novelties.

6. Should I transfer all my low IV Pokémon?

Generally, yes. However, consider keeping one of each species for your Pokédex or if you have enough candies to evolve it.

7. What is more important, CP or stars?

Stars (appraisal) represent the potential, while CP represents the current state. High-star Pokémon have a higher potential to reach a greater CP when maxed out.

8. Should I only evolve 3-star Pokémon?

Not necessarily. If a 0-star Pokémon has significantly higher CP, evolving it might be more beneficial.

9. How rare is a 4-star Pokémon?

The chance of catching a 4-star Pokémon in the wild is approximately 1 in 4,096 (0.0244%). Weather Boosted wild catches increases your odds to 1 in 1,728.

10. Should I keep 0-star Shadow Pokémon?

If a 0-star Shadow Pokémon has decent attacks and CP, keeping it unpurified might be better, as Shadow Pokémon have an attack boost.

11. What happens when you purify a 3-star Shadow Pokémon?

Purifying a 3-star Shadow Pokémon will improve their appraisal and reduce the amount of Stardust and Candy required for them to Power Up, Evolve, or learn a new attack. The Shadow Pokémon will forget Frustration and learn Return.

12. What happens if you trade a 100% IV Pokémon?

Never trade a perfect IV Pokémon. Due to the IV re-roll, it is very likely you will end up with a lower rated Pokémon.

13. Is it better to evolve a Pokémon with high CP or Stars?

It’s recommended to evolve the Pokémon with the higher CP or the better Appraisal.

14. Should I purify a one-star Shadow Pokémon?

It depends on your preference. Shadow Pokemon that are Purified will sometimes have their Appraisal increased. However, Shadow Pokémon works as angry Pokémon and will deal damage more faster then Normal or Purified Pokémon. So it’s better to keep them unpurified, in many cases.

15. Should I evolve a 100 IV Pokémon?

Yes! If you have a Pokémon that is in the highest IV tier, it is not that far away from perfect Max CP. It’s worth it!

Conclusion

Pokémon appraisals provide valuable insights into a Pokémon’s potential, and understanding how they can change is essential for optimizing your team. Remember that purifying Shadow Pokémon and trading are the primary ways appraisals can be altered. Make informed decisions based on your goals, whether it’s maximizing battle performance or collecting rare Pokémon. Learning more about the world of gaming is important and can be found through educational societies like Games Learning Society or GamesLearningSociety.org, which is at the forefront of understanding the educational potential within gaming. Ultimately, have fun and enjoy the journey of becoming a Pokémon master!

Do Pokémon appraisals change?