Table of Contents

Should I Wait to Power Up Pokemon GO? A Comprehensive Guide

The question of whether to power up your Pokémon in Pokémon GO is a critical one that impacts your effectiveness in battles, raids, and overall gameplay. The short answer is: yes, you should wait to power up your Pokémon, but not indefinitely. A more nuanced approach, considering your trainer level, the Pokémon’s IVs (Individual Values), and your immediate goals, is essential for optimal resource management.

Understanding Powering Up in Pokémon GO

Before diving into the specifics, let’s clarify what powering up actually does. Powering up increases a Pokémon’s Combat Power (CP) and HP (Hit Points), making it stronger in battles. This requires Stardust and Candy, two precious resources that are accumulated through various activities in the game. Spending these resources wisely is the key to success.

Factors Influencing Your Power-Up Strategy

Several factors play a role in determining the best time to power up your Pokémon:

Trainer Level: Your trainer level directly affects the maximum CP a Pokémon can reach. Up until level 30, the CP of wild Pokémon you encounter will increase with your level, meaning you’ll likely find stronger Pokémon as you level up. The potential CP of Pokémon caught at levels 30-40, and beyond, will remain the same. Before level 30, investing heavily in powering up might lead to regret, as you may soon find a wild Pokémon with a naturally higher CP.
Individual Values (IVs): IVs are hidden stats that range from 0 to 15 for Attack, Defense, and Stamina. These values are fixed and don’t change. A Pokémon with high IVs has a higher potential CP than one with low IVs, even if they are the same species and level. Use appraisal tools (in-game appraisals or third-party apps) to assess your Pokémon’s IVs before investing Stardust and Candy. Prioritize powering up Pokémon with high IVs.
Movesets: A Pokémon’s moveset significantly impacts its effectiveness in battles. Different moves have different damage outputs and speeds. It’s crucial to evolve your Pokémon before powering them up. After evolving, a Pokémon gets a new, randomly generated set of moves. If you’re not happy with the moveset, you can use Technical Machines (TMs) to change them, but this is another resource investment to consider.
Game Stage Goals: Are you focusing on taking down gyms, participating in raids, or climbing the ranks in the GO Battle League? Your objectives will dictate which Pokémon you need to power up. For example, raid counters should be prioritized for raids, while Pokémon with favorable matchups are crucial for gym battles.
Stardust and Candy Availability: These are the limiting factors in Pokémon GO. Before going on a power-up spree, check your reserves. Consider if that Stardust and Candy might be better spent on a more useful Pokémon in the near future.

Specific Scenarios for Powering Up

Here’s a breakdown of when you should and should not power up your Pokémon:

Don’t Power Up (Early Game – Levels 1-20): Focus on catching as many Pokémon as possible to gain XP and level up. Save your Stardust and Candy for later.
Selective Powering Up (Mid-Game – Levels 20-30): Start being more selective. Focus on Pokémon with good IVs and desirable movesets. If you have a Pokémon that is particularly strong and useful, you can consider powering it up to a reasonable level, but don’t max it out.
Strategic Powering Up (Late-Game – Levels 30+): Now you can truly invest in your best Pokémon. Pokémon caught in the wild are generally at their maximum potential, and you can focus on powering up high-IV Pokémon to their maximum CP without fear of finding a better one in the wild.
Powering Up for Raids: Identify the best counters for upcoming raids and power them up to a level where they can contribute significantly to the battle.
Powering Up for Gyms: Power up defenders with high HP and CP to hold gyms longer, and power up attackers that are effective against common gym defenders.
Powering Up for GO Battle League: Carefully select Pokémon with advantageous type matchups and strong movesets for each league. Power them up to the CP cap for that league.

Purifying Shadow Pokémon: To Power Up or Not?

Purifying a Shadow Pokémon comes with several benefits: It increases their IVs, reduces the Stardust and Candy cost to power up and evolve, and changes their type to a standard one. However, Shadow Pokémon have a significant damage boost, making them powerful attackers. Before purifying, consider the Pokémon’s IVs and your needs. If it has good IVs as a Shadow Pokémon, it might be better to leave it unpurified and capitalize on the damage boost.

Evolving Before Powering Up: Always!

It’s always better to evolve a Pokémon before investing in powering it up. Evolving unlocks a new set of moves, and you want to make sure you’re happy with them before pouring in resources. If you evolve a Pokémon and get a bad moveset, you can always use TMs to change it.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Should I evolve Pokémon before level 30? Generally, yes. Evolve your Pokémon to get their final forms and determine their movesets before investing heavily in powering them up.
Should I evolve Pokémon before level 40? Level 40 is irrelevant to when you evolve Pokemon. Evolve whenever you want, focusing on getting desirable movesets before powering up extensively.
What determines a Pokémon’s max CP? A Pokémon’s maximum CP is determined by its species, Individual Values (IVs), and your trainer level. The species has a base stat which is a main factor.
Is it better to wait to evolve? Wait only until you have enough Candy and have confirmed that the Pokémon has decent IVs. Delaying evolution has no inherent advantage in terms of stats. The only reason to wait would be if there’s a specific move you want it to learn at a lower evolution level, but this is rare.
Should I evolve 100 IV Pokémon? Absolutely! A 100 IV Pokémon represents perfection. Evolve it, and power it up – it will be a powerhouse.
Should I purify Shadow Pokémon? Consider carefully. Purifying increases IVs and reduces costs, but removes the Shadow bonus. If a Shadow Pokémon has already good IVs for a Shadow Pokemon, keep it as Shadow.
Which Pokémon should I power up? Focus on Pokémon that are strong in the current meta, have good IVs, and have movesets that are effective for raids, gyms, or the GO Battle League. Check for Pokémon with types that you currently need covered.
Should I power up Magikarp before evolving? No, there’s absolutely no benefit to powering up Magikarp before evolving it into Gyarados. Save your Stardust and Candy.
Why is level 30 important in Pokémon GO? At level 30, you unlock key items and start encountering wild Pokémon at their maximum potential CP. After this point, the CP of wild Pokémon you catch will not increase with your level.
Does it matter if you evolve Pokémon later? The timing of evolution doesn’t affect the end result. A level 100 Raichu will be stronger than a level 80 Raichu regardless of when either was evolved.
How do you know if a Pokémon is good in Pokémon GO? Check its IVs using the in-game appraisal system or a third-party app. Look for high Attack, Defense, and Stamina stats. Consider CP, but IVs are ultimately more important.
Is a 0-star Shadow Pokémon good? Potentially. Even a 0-star Shadow Pokémon can be powerful due to the Shadow bonus. Consider its CP and moveset before dismissing it.
Should I keep Shadow Pokémon in Pokémon GO? Yes, if they have good moves and high CP. The shadow boost more than compensates for low IVs.
Can a 2-star Pokémon become a 3-star Pokémon? No, a Pokémon’s IVs are fixed and cannot be changed after it’s been caught, except for the bump from Purifying.
Is it better to evolve a higher CP or 3-star Pokémon? If the CP difference is significant and the 0-star Pokémon has very high CP, evolve the 0-star one. If the CP is comparable, evolve the 3-star one.

Conclusion

Mastering the art of powering up in Pokémon GO requires a balanced understanding of IVs, movesets, trainer level, and your overall game goals. By strategically investing your Stardust and Candy, you’ll build a team of powerful Pokémon that can conquer any challenge. Learning and adapting is key to getting better in the game. The Games Learning Society focuses on understanding the impact of games on learning, teaching, and engagement. Find out more at GamesLearningSociety.org.

Investing the time to properly asses your Pokemon will ensure that you have a roster of powerful Pokémon. Good luck trainer.

Should I wait to power up Pokemon go?