Is Using XP Candies Bad? A Comprehensive Guide
The short answer? No, using XP Candies isn’t inherently bad. They’re a fantastic tool for leveling up your Pokémon quickly and efficiently. However, like any powerful tool, they come with nuances that are crucial to understand to maximize your Pokémon’s potential. Let’s dive into the details and dispel some common myths!
Understanding XP Candies: A Deep Dive
XP Candies are consumable items in the Pokémon games that grant a specific amount of Experience Points (XP) to a Pokémon when used. These candies come in various sizes, each offering a different XP boost. From the humble Candy S offering a small bump, to the mighty Candy XL providing a substantial leap, there’s an XP Candy for every stage of your leveling journey.
The core purpose of XP Candies is to accelerate the leveling process, bypassing the traditional method of grinding through battles. This can be incredibly useful when you want to quickly bring a newly caught Pokémon up to par with the rest of your team or evolve a Pokémon that requires a specific level.
The Concerns and Misconceptions
Despite their convenience, XP Candies have been the subject of debate among trainers. The primary concern revolves around Effort Values (EVs). EVs are hidden stats that contribute to a Pokémon’s overall power. They are earned by battling specific Pokémon. The fear is that by solely relying on XP Candies, you’ll miss out on these crucial EVs, resulting in a weaker Pokémon in the long run.
This fear stems from the fact that EVs are traditionally gained through battling. However, the key takeaway here is that EVs can be obtained through other methods as well.
Dispelling the Myths: EV Training After Candies
The good news is that even if you level up your Pokémon entirely with XP Candies, you can still fully maximize their EVs later on. Here’s how:
- Vitamins: Items like Protein, Iron, Calcium, and Zinc directly increase specific EVs. These can be purchased in-game or obtained through various activities.
- EV Training Hotspots: Certain areas in the game feature wild Pokémon that consistently yield specific EVs upon defeat. This allows for targeted EV training.
- Power Items: These items, when held by a Pokémon during battle, increase the EVs gained from that battle.
Therefore, using XP Candies doesn’t permanently hinder your Pokémon’s potential. It simply shifts the focus of EV training to a later stage.
Rare Candies: The Special Case
Rare Candies are a unique type of candy that instantly levels up a Pokémon by one level, regardless of their current XP. They also come with a unique concern of being able to evolve at level 100! These are often considered “bad” due to the EV misconception, but as previously covered, that is not a good reason to avoid them.
The Strategic Use of XP Candies
The real value of XP Candies lies in strategic usage.
- Late-Game Leveling: They’re particularly useful for leveling Pokémon in the late game when XP requirements are high and grinding becomes tedious.
- Experimentation: They allow you to quickly test out different Pokémon and team compositions without spending hours on leveling.
- Evolution Trigger: Remember, using a Rare Candy on a level 100 Pokemon can trigger an evolution!
Ultimately, XP Candies are a valuable asset in the Pokémon trainer’s toolkit. Understanding their mechanics and the nuances of EV training is key to utilizing them effectively. Don’t fear the candy; embrace it!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About XP Candies
1. Is there a downside to using XP Candy?
The primary “downside” is missing out on EVs if you exclusively use candies. However, this is easily rectified through vitamins or targeted EV training after leveling. The Games Learning Society emphasizes the importance of understanding game mechanics to maximize enjoyment and success. Check out GamesLearningSociety.org for more.
2. Are Rare Candies bad?
No, Rare Candies are not inherently bad. The misconception arises from the fear of missing EVs, which, as discussed, can be addressed separately. Just ensure you understand EV training.
3. Is EXP Candy better than Rare Candy?
It depends on the situation. Rare Candies guarantee a level up, while EXP Candies might be overkill or insufficient depending on the Pokémon’s level and current XP. For level 90+, Rare Candies are often more efficient.
4. Do EXP Candies affect IVs?
No, EXP Candies do not affect Individual Values (IVs). IVs are determined when a Pokémon is generated and cannot be changed by leveling methods.
5. What happens if you use a Rare Candy on a level 100 Pokemon?
If the Pokemon is able to evolve it will trigger the evolution!
6. Do IVs matter at level 100?
Yes, IVs still matter at level 100, though their impact might be less noticeable than at lower levels. A Pokémon with perfect IVs will still have an advantage over one with lower IVs.
7. Does Lucky Egg affect EXP candy?
No, the Lucky Egg item increases experience gain from battles, not from EXP Candies. EXP Candies provide a fixed amount of experience regardless of whether a Lucky Egg is active.
8. How much XP is a Candy L?
A Candy L provides 10,000 experience points, while a Candy XL provides 30,000 experience points.
9. When should I use EXP Candies?
You can use them whenever you want to speed up the leveling process. It doesn’t matter if you use them before or after EV training. The effects are the same.
10. Does evolving Pokemon late make it weaker?
No, delaying evolution does not cause a stat loss. The stats a Pokémon gains upon evolution are based on its level and base stats, not when the evolution occurs.
11. Are Pokemon weaker if they evolve later?
Your Pokemon’s stats will not be hurt if you wait to evolve it.
12. Is it worth using rare candy?
It’s worth using Rare Candy if you understand how to EV train your Pokemon afterwards.
13. How much XP is XL Candy?
A Candy XL grants 30,000 experience points.
14. What level do we get XL candy?
You can only start receiving XL Candy once you are Trainer Level 31.
15. Can all 6 IVs be best?
Yes, it is possible to get Max IVs in all six stats in Pokemon!