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Which Pokémon Should I Evolve? Your Ultimate Evolution Guide

So, you’re staring at a screen full of Pokémon, wondering which one deserves the honor of evolving? It’s a question every serious Pokémon Go trainer asks themselves. The short answer is: prioritize Pokémon with high IVs (Individual Values), even if their CP (Combat Power) is initially lower. IVs are permanent and determine the Pokémon’s potential, while CP can be increased through powering up. Ideally, you want a combination of both high IVs and high CP, but IVs should be your primary focus. This guarantees the strongest possible Pokémon in the long run. Make sure to check what the evolved form of your Pokémon does; some Pokemon evolve in multiple directions, and knowing the options is important.

Understanding the Core Concepts

Before diving into specifics, let’s clarify some key terms:

CP (Combat Power): A measure of a Pokémon’s strength in battle. It’s influenced by base stats, IVs, and the Pokémon’s level.
IVs (Individual Values): Hidden stats that range from 0 to 15 for Attack, Defense, and HP. These are fixed and cannot be changed (without specific in-game mechanics like trading with a best friend or purifying a shadow Pokemon).
Appraisal: The in-game method of assessing a Pokémon’s IVs, using a team leader’s evaluation. Look for phrases indicating high stats (“wonder”, “amazing”, “best attribute,” etc.).
Stardust & Candy: Resources used to power up and evolve Pokémon.
Move Set: The combination of Fast Attack and Charged Attack a Pokémon has.

Prioritizing Pokémon for Evolution: A Step-by-Step Guide

IV Assessment is Critical: Always check the IVs of your Pokémon before evolving. Use the in-game appraisal feature or a third-party IV calculator app. Aim for Pokémon with IVs in the highest or second-highest tier (80% or higher, 3-star or 4-star). Remember, IVs are a long-term investment.
Consider Pokémon Rarity: Rare or hard-to-find Pokémon with decent IVs (even 2-star) might be worth evolving, especially if you don’t have many opportunities to catch them. Legendaries and Mythicals often fall into this category. Also be aware of regional Pokemon, which are only available in certain parts of the world.
Move Sets Matter: Before investing Stardust, always check the evolved form’s move set. Some moves are significantly better than others for both attacking and defending in Gyms/Raids. Use online resources and community guides to determine the best move sets for your Pokémon.
Don’t Power Up Before Evolving: It’s generally recommended not to power up a Pokémon before evolving it. This allows you to see the evolved form’s move set before committing Stardust. CP gains from powering up are the same whether you do it before or after evolving, but evolving first is recommended.
Evolve for Meta Relevance: Consider which Pokémon are currently strong in the meta (the most effective Pokémon for battling in raids, gyms, and PvP). Evolving Pokémon that have powerful evolved forms relevant to the meta will be more beneficial.
Purify Strategically: Purifying a Shadow Pokémon does increase its IVs and reduce the Candy cost to evolve it. However, Shadow Pokémon also receive a significant attack bonus, making them incredibly powerful attackers (but weaker defenders). Weigh the benefits of the increased attack versus the higher IVs and lower Candy cost before purifying.
Pay Attention to Event Bonuses: Special events often offer bonuses like increased Candy or Stardust gains, special moves for evolved Pokémon, or increased spawn rates for certain species. Plan your evolutions around these events to maximize your benefits. Some special events also allow you to use Elite TMs to get special moves after evolving.
CP is important, but Secondary: High CP is useful, particularly when defending a gym. However, CP can always be increased with Stardust after evolution. IVs, on the other hand, are fixed and will determine the maximum potential CP your Pokemon can have.

Specific Pokémon Worth Considering

Starters (e.g., Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle): High IV starters are always worth evolving, especially during Community Days when they learn exclusive moves.
Eevee: Eevee has multiple evolutions, so IVs are even more important. Research each evolution’s strengths and weaknesses before committing. It also can give a special name to the Pokémon before evolving.
Feebas: Feebas evolves into Milotic, which gains a massive CP boost upon evolution, making high IVs extremely desirable.
Pokémon with Mega Evolutions: If a Pokémon has a Mega Evolution, high IVs are essential, as Mega Evolutions amplify their base stats even further.

Pokémon to Think Twice About

0-Star Pokémon: Unless it’s a very rare or otherwise unobtainable Pokémon, 0-star Pokémon are generally not worth keeping.
Pokémon with Poor Stats: Some Pokémon, regardless of IVs, have inherently low stats and are not useful in battle. Refer to community tier lists and rankings.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is it better to evolve higher CP or IV?

IVs are more important than CP. CP can be changed by powering up the Pokémon, but IVs are fixed. A Pokémon with high IVs will always have a higher potential CP than one with low IVs, and they will be more efficient with stardust when powering up.

2. Should I max CP before evolving?

No, it doesn’t matter if you max CP before evolving. Evolving changes the base stats, not the level or IVs. The CP it gets to won’t change.

3. Is it better to purify Shadow Pokémon before evolving?

It depends. Purifying increases IVs and reduces Candy cost, but it removes the Shadow bonus which makes the Pokémon more powerful. If you need a strong attacker, keep it as a Shadow.

4. What are the best IV spreads to keep, evolve, and power up?

Ideally, you want a Pokémon with 3-star or 4-star IVs (80% or higher). A 4-star Pokémon has perfect IVs.

5. Which Pokémon are not worth keeping?

Pokémon with very low stats that are unlikely to be useful in battle, regardless of their IVs. Consider transferring Pokémon like Sunflora, Castform, and Dudunsparce unless you need them for specific research tasks.

6. Is it worth keeping 2-star Pokémon in Pokémon Go?

Yes, some are worth keeping. Especially if they’re rare, have special moves, or you don’t have better alternatives.

7. Why did CP go down after evolving?

This is rare, but it means the Pokémon lost too much Attack and only gained a little bit in its other stats. The CP formula puts more weight into Attack than HP or Defense.

8. Are Pokémon with higher CP better?

Generally, yes, but it’s not the only factor. IVs, move sets, and the Pokémon’s type all play a role. A high CP Pokemon with bad IVs can be worse than a lower CP Pokemon with higher IVs.

9. How rare is a 3-star Pokémon?

A 3-star Pokémon has IVs between 82.2% and 98%.

10. Are 4-star Pokémon the best?

Yes, 4-star Pokémon have perfect IVs and are the best possible.

11. Are shiny Pokémon stronger?

No, shiny Pokémon are not stronger. Their shininess is purely cosmetic.

12. Are Lucky Pokémon always 3-stars?

Not always, but they have a minimum IV floor of 12/12/12, which is likely to result in a 3-star rating.

13. When should I evolve my Pokémon?

Before you power them up, to ensure they have the most damaging moveset. Evolved forms can learn different moves than their unevolved forms.

14. Which Pokémon gains the most CP when evolving?

Some Pokemon such as:

Feebas to Milotic
Vigoroth to Slaking
Kirlia to Gardevoir/Gallade
Eevee to Espeon
Gabite to Garchomp
Metang to Metagross

15. Should I evolve all my Pokémon?

No, consider the pros and cons. Evolved Pokémon learn more powerful moves, but sometimes you might want to keep an unevolved Pokémon for a specific move or for collection purposes.

Final Thoughts

Evolving Pokémon is a core part of the Pokémon Go experience. By understanding the importance of IVs, move sets, and meta relevance, you can make informed decisions and build a powerful team. Happy evolving, Trainer!

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Which Pokémon should I evolve?