Evolving Perfection: What Happens When You Evolve a 100 IV Pokémon in Pokémon GO?
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The burning question on every dedicated Pokémon GO trainer’s mind: What happens when you evolve a 100 IV Pokémon? Absolutely nothing changes except its form and stats! Your perfect, painstakingly acquired 100% IV Pokémon will retain its pristine IVs throughout the evolution process. The IVs, or Individual Values, which determine a Pokémon’s potential in Attack, Defense, and HP, are locked in from the moment you catch it. Evolution simply enhances the Pokémon’s base stats based on its species and level, but the underlying IVs remain constant. Think of it like upgrading your car’s engine – the car itself (the Pokémon) is still fundamentally the same, just more powerful.
This means that if you’ve invested the time and resources to obtain a Pokémon with perfect IVs, you can confidently evolve it, knowing that you won’t lose that precious perfection. You’ll end up with a stronger, evolved Pokémon that still boasts those incredible stats. This is a cornerstone of strategic Pokémon GO play, as a 100 IV Pokémon at its final evolution is a force to be reckoned with in raids, gyms, and PvP battles.
Understanding IVs and Evolution
To fully appreciate the significance of this, let’s briefly recap what IVs are and how they interact with evolution. IVs are hidden stats, ranging from 0 to 15, assigned to each Pokémon upon generation. They contribute to the Pokémon’s overall stats, alongside its base stats (which are species-specific) and level (which is determined by how much you’ve powered it up). A Pokémon with 15 Attack, 15 Defense, and 15 HP IVs is considered a 100 IV, or perfect, Pokémon.
Evolution, on the other hand, is the process of transforming a Pokémon into a more powerful form using candies. This transformation increases the Pokémon’s base stats and often grants it access to new moves. However, evolution does not affect the IVs of the Pokémon.
The Importance of Perfect IVs
A 100 IV Pokémon represents the absolute peak of its potential. While it may not always be noticeable at lower levels, the difference between a perfect IV Pokémon and one with lower IVs becomes increasingly significant as you power it up. This is especially true at higher levels, where every point of Attack, Defense, and HP can make a crucial difference in battle.
Knowing that evolution preserves these IVs allows trainers to make informed decisions about which Pokémon to invest in. It encourages players to actively seek out high-IV Pokémon, knowing that they’ll be rewarded with a powerful and consistent combatant in the long run. The team at GamesLearningSociety.org knows how much players love their 100 IVs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about IVs and Evolution in Pokémon GO
Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify the relationship between IVs and evolution in Pokémon GO:
1. Can IVs change after catching a Pokémon?
No, a Pokémon’s IVs are set at the moment it’s generated (caught, hatched, or obtained through research) and cannot be changed, except through trading or purification (more on those later).
2. Does powering up a Pokémon affect its IVs?
No, powering up a Pokémon increases its level and Combat Power (CP), but it doesn’t alter its IVs.
3. If I evolve a low-IV Pokémon, will it suddenly become perfect?
Unfortunately not. Evolving a Pokémon does not change its IVs. A low-IV Pokémon will remain a low-IV Pokémon, even after evolving.
4. What happens to a Shadow Pokémon’s IVs when it is purified?
Purifying a Shadow Pokémon increases its IVs. Each IV stat (Attack, Defense, and HP) receives a +2 boost. This can potentially turn a mediocre Shadow Pokémon into a more competitive one, and even potentially achieve the coveted 100% IV status.
5. Does trading a Pokémon affect its IVs?
Yes! Trading is the only in-game mechanic that rerolls a Pokémon’s IVs entirely. This makes trading risky if you’re trying to keep a high-IV Pokémon, but it can also be an opportunity to potentially improve a Pokémon’s IVs. However, you cannot trade Mythical Pokémon, shadow Pokémon, or traded Pokémon, for example.
6. What is a Lucky Pokémon, and how are its IVs determined?
Lucky Pokémon are Pokémon that have been traded and have guaranteed high IVs. They also cost less Stardust to power up. When a trade results in Lucky Pokémon, both players receive a notification that the trade was lucky.
7. Is it better to purify a Shadow Pokémon before or after evolving it?
Generally, it’s recommended to purify a Shadow Pokémon before evolving it, as it will reduce the candy cost to evolve the purified version. However, shadow pokemon are generally better.
8. Can a purified Pokémon have perfect IVs?
Yes, a Shadow Pokémon purified can achieve perfect IVs after purification if its pre-purification IVs are close enough. Remember, each IV stat increases by +2 when purified.
9. Do weather boosts affect a Pokémon’s IVs?
No, weather boosts affect a Pokémon’s level and CP when encountered in the wild, but they do not influence its IVs. It’s always a good idea to catch Pokémon in weather-boosted conditions to save on Stardust costs later.
10. How rare is it to find a 100 IV Pokémon in the wild?
The base chance of finding a 100 IV Pokémon in the wild is 1 in 4096 (0.0244%). Weather boosts improve your odds to 1 in 1728.
11. Are there any ways to guarantee a 100 IV Pokémon?
While you can’t guarantee a 100 IV Pokémon, certain methods improve your chances. These include:
- Lucky Friends: When you reach Best Friend status with another player, you have a chance to become Lucky Friends. The next trade you make with a Lucky Friend is guaranteed to result in Lucky Pokémon.
- Research Tasks: Certain research tasks may reward encounters with Pokémon that have higher IV floors.
- Raids: Pokémon encountered after raids have higher IV floors than wild encounters.
12. Should I prioritize evolving a high-IV Pokémon over a high-CP Pokémon?
Generally, yes. CP can be increased through powering up, but IVs are permanent. A high-IV Pokémon will always have higher potential than a low-IV Pokémon, even if the latter has a higher CP initially.
13. Does evolving a Pokémon change its moveset?
Yes, evolving a Pokémon will reroll its moveset. This means that the moves your Pokémon had before evolving will be replaced with new moves upon evolution. It’s important to consider the potential movesets of the evolved form before evolving, especially for competitive play.
14. Is there any advantage to powering up a Pokémon before evolving it?
From a pure stat perspective, no. The cost to power up and evolve a Pokémon, regardless of the order, will be the same. However, powering up after evolving allows you to see the new moveset and CP gain, informing your decision on further investment.
15. What is the highest possible CP a Pokémon can have in Pokémon GO?
The maximum CP a Pokémon can achieve depends on its species, IVs, and level. As of October 2024, Mega Rayquaza can reach the highest CP in the game reaching 6,222.
In summary, evolving a 100 IV Pokémon is a smart move. Enjoy your perfect Pokemon!