How do you know if IVs are good?

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How do you know if IVs are good

Understanding Pokémon IVs: How to Spot a Winner

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The burning question for any aspiring Pokémon master: How do you know if IVs are good? The answer, in short, is that good IVs are high IVs! In most Pokémon games, including the mainline series and Pokémon GO, Individual Values (IVs) are hidden stats that influence a Pokémon’s potential. Think of them as genetic potential. The higher the IVs, the stronger your Pokémon will be when fully trained. In Pokémon GO, perfect IVs mean an Attack, Defense, and Stamina stat of 15 each. In the core series, perfect IVs are represented by a value of 31.

Now, let’s dive deeper into the world of IVs and how to identify a truly powerful Pokémon.

Unlocking the Potential: What are IVs?

IVs, or Individual Values, are essentially a Pokémon’s genetic potential for strength. They’re hidden stats that range from 0 to 15 in Pokémon GO and 0 to 31 in the main series games. These values are added directly to a Pokémon’s base stats, meaning a Pokémon with higher IVs will have higher overall stats at any given level compared to a Pokémon with lower IVs of the same species. This is crucial for competitive battling, as even a slight stat advantage can make a difference in a tight match.

IVs vs. Base Stats vs. EVs

It’s essential to differentiate IVs from other stats.

  • Base Stats: These are species-specific. For example, all Pikachu will have the same base Attack stat.

  • IVs: These are individual to each Pokémon. Two Pikachu can have the same base Attack stat but different Attack IVs.

  • EVs (Effort Values): These are earned through battling and can be manipulated to further boost a Pokémon’s stats.

Think of it this way: Base stats are the Pokémon’s inherent abilities, IVs are their potential for growth, and EVs are the training that unlocks that potential.

Spotting Good IVs: Methods and Tools

The method of checking IVs varies depending on which Pokémon game you’re playing.

Pokémon GO

In Pokémon GO, the easiest way to get a general idea of your Pokémon’s IVs is to use the in-game appraisal system.

  1. Open the Pokémon’s page.
  2. Tap the menu button (the three horizontal lines).
  3. Select “Appraise.”

Your team leader will then give you a summary of the Pokémon’s strengths, including their best stat(s) and an overall rating. Pay attention to the phrases used. The exact wording changes depending on the team you chose (Valor, Mystic, or Instinct), but generally:

  • “Wonder” or similar: Indicates a high IV Pokémon.
  • “Best Attribute”: This stat has a perfect IV (15).
  • “Stats are great” or similar: Indicates a very good Pokémon.

For more precise IV calculations, many players rely on third-party apps like PokeGenie (for iOS and Android). These apps use screenshots to calculate a range of possible IVs. You’ll need to input your trainer level and the Pokémon’s stats, but the apps will then provide you with a percentage indicating the Pokémon’s overall IV potential.

Main Series Games (e.g., Pokémon Scarlet and Violet)

In recent mainline Pokémon games, you unlock the “Judge” function after progressing through the story.

  1. Usually, you have to complete part of the post-game to unlock it.
  2. Open your PC boxes.
  3. Select the Pokémon you want to check.
  4. Press the “+” button to activate the Judge function.

The Judge function will then display comments about each of the Pokémon’s IVs:

  • “Best”: Indicates a perfect IV (31).
  • “Great”: Indicates a very high IV.
  • “Pretty Good”: Indicates a decent IV.
  • “No Good”: Indicates a 0 IV.

For breeding purposes, understanding which IVs are “Best” is crucial for creating powerful competitive Pokémon.

What Makes IVs “Good”?

Generally, the higher the IVs, the better. However, what constitutes “good” IVs often depends on your goals.

  • Competitive Battling: For serious competitive battling, you’ll generally want Pokémon with as close to perfect IVs as possible. This can be achieved through breeding in the main series games or through sheer luck in Pokémon GO.
  • Raids and Gym Battles (Pokémon GO): High IVs are still desirable, but even Pokémon with decent IVs can be effective. The difference between a 0% IV and a 100% IV Pokémon is around 10% overall. So, a team of Pokémon with IVs in the 80-90% range can still be highly successful.
  • Casual Play: If you’re just playing casually, IVs are less critical. Focus on catching Pokémon you like and having fun!

The Hunt for Perfection: Is It Worth It?

Chasing perfect IVs can be time-consuming and frustrating. Whether it’s worth it depends on your commitment to the game. For competitive players, it’s often a necessity. For casual players, it might be more enjoyable to focus on other aspects of the game.

One important consideration is the availability of Hyper Training in recent main series games. Hyper Training allows you to artificially max out a Pokémon’s IVs, effectively turning a Pokémon with less-than-perfect IVs into a competitive powerhouse. This makes the hunt for perfect IVs less critical in those games, though breeding for the right Nature and Ability is still important.

FAQs About IVs

Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify the concept of IVs:

  1. What are the odds of finding a perfect IV Pokémon in the wild in Pokémon GO? The chance of finding a perfect IV Pokémon (15/15/15) in the wild is approximately 1 in 4,096 (0.0244%). Weather Boosts can improve these odds.

  2. Can IVs be changed after catching a Pokémon? Generally, no. Once a Pokémon is caught, its IVs are fixed. However, there are exceptions:

    • Trading (Pokémon GO): IVs are re-rolled upon trading.
    • Purification (Pokémon GO): Shadow Pokémon have their IVs improved when purified.
    • Hyper Training (Main Series): Artificially maximizes stats, as described above.

  3. What does “No Good” IV mean? “No Good” means the IV for that stat is 0, the lowest possible value.

  4. What’s the difference between IVs and EVs? IVs are inherent, like genetics, while EVs are earned through training.

  5. Do IVs matter at level 100? Yes! IVs have a cumulative effect, so their impact is most noticeable at higher levels.

  6. Is it better to have high or low IVs? Generally, higher IVs are better. But, in very specific competitive scenarios, a lower Speed IV might be desirable for certain strategies in main series games.

  7. What do the appraisal terms mean in Pokémon GO? These vary slightly depending on your team, but generally indicate the quality of the Pokémon’s IVs. Look up team-specific charts for the exact meanings.

  8. Can you breed two Dittos together? No, Ditto cannot breed with another Ditto.

  9. What is the best way to get a 6IV Ditto in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet? Six-star Tera Raid battles offer the best opportunity to find a 6IV Ditto.

  10. What are the chances of getting a perfect IV from an egg? In the main series games, the odds improve drastically when using a Destiny Knot during breeding. The Destiny Knot guarantees that five IVs from the parents are passed down to the offspring.

  11. What is a Destiny Knot? A held item that passes down 5 IVs to their child in breeding in the Main Series games.

  12. How much difference do IVs actually make? In Pokémon GO, a 100% IV Pokémon is approximately 10% stronger than a 0% IV Pokémon.

  13. What is Hyper Training? A mechanic in more recent Main Series games that allows you to maximize (or bottle cap) one or all the IVs of a specific Pokemon.

  14. Where is the IV Judge located? In modern Main Series games, the IV Judge usually appears after the main story completion, often at a Battle Tower or Battle Tree.

  15. Are perfect IV Pokemon rare? Yes, perfect IV Pokemon are rare. In Pokemon GO, perfect wild catches have a 1 in 4096 chance. In the main series games, breeding is used to increase those odds.

Conclusion: Mastering the IV Game

Understanding IVs is a crucial step in becoming a true Pokémon master. By knowing how to identify and utilize Pokémon with high IVs, you’ll be well on your way to building powerful teams and dominating the competition. Whether you’re striving for perfection in competitive battling or simply aiming to catch the strongest Pokémon possible, mastering the art of IV evaluation is a valuable skill. Don’t forget that communities like the Games Learning Society offer resources and discussions on game mechanics and learning. Visit GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more. Now get out there and catch ’em all – the best ones, that is!

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