EVs and IVs, A Quick Explanation

[Plapti]

Credit for the original thread goes entirely to Jet
Additional credit help and information goes to Ruko, KoL, and Linkachu

First off, What is an IV?

An IV, or Individual Value, are stats that determine the growth of one particular stat. The higher the number, the higher the final stat will be. Starting from 0, it goes to 31, with 31 being the highest. For the old school players (R/B/Y and G/S/C) the IV range was from 0 to 15. Now, if You have an 31, your stat will be the highest number possible for that Pokemon. IVs can be bred, but mostly, they're randomly chosen by the game. Also, the characteristic listed on the Pokemon's profile tells us what the highest IV for your Pokemon is.

Hit Points

31-Often dozes off
30-Loves to Eat
29-Likes to Relax
28-Likes to scatter things
27-Often Naps
26-Often dozes off

Attack

31-Likes to thrash about
30-Proud of its Power
29-Quick Tempered
28-Likes to Fight
27-A little Quick Tempered
26-Likes to Thrash about

Defense

31-Capable of Taking hits
30-Sturdy Body
29-Good perseverance
28-Good Endurance
27-Highly Persistent
26-Capable of Taking Hits

Speed

31-Alert to sounds
30-Likes to run
29-Quick to flee
28-Somewhat of a clown
27-Impetuous and silly
26-Alert to sounds

Special Attack

31-Mischievous
30-Highly Curious
29-Very Finicky
28-Often lost in thought
27-Thoroughly cunning
26-Mischievous

Special Defense

31-Somewhat Vain
30-Strong Willed
29-Somewhat Stubborn
28-Hates to lose
27-Strongly Defiant
26-Somewhat Vain

Those numbers will loop continuously until it reaches 0.
If two IVs are the same, the one listed higher will take priority. For instance, if the Pokémon has a 31 IV in HP and Attack, the characteristic will be "Often Dozes off".

Also, the attack Hidden Power is based off of the calculation of IVs.
The best way to find out what a Pokemon's IVs are to give it Rare Candies until its level is around 10. Then use an IV calculator to find the IVs. If you don't have ready access to Rare Candies, another method is using the daycare to level them up, but you'll have to be careful about losing attacks you might not want to. The final and most difficult method is by battling. The last method is the most difficult because you must keep a strict record of what EVs you get from battle.

The calculators will only work if you know the Pokémon's EVs, which is why the first two methods [in which cases the Pokémon has no EVs] are recommended.

Pokécharms doesn't yet host an IV calculator, but here are a few good ones on other sites:
Legendary Pokemon [Basic]
Serebii [Advanced]
Metalkid [More Advanced]


What are EVs?

EVs are also known as Effort Values are obtained by defeating Pokémon. There are EVs for each stat. Depending on the Pokemon, it will give off different EVs. Now, the most a Pokemon can have in one stat is 255 and a grand total of 510. Every 4 EVs gives one more stat point at level 100, so the optimal amount should be divisible by four, so as to not waste extra EVs.
*EVs are also referred to as EPs [Effort Points] on some websites.

EV Training

The vitamins give 10 EVs per use and you can only use vitamins on one stat up to 10 times. Vitamins give an instant boost in your EVs, where as fighting for your EVs will be added after you level up a level. The vitamins only work if the EVs are under 91 because when the 10 EVs are added, they must not exceed over 100.

The Macho Brace doubles the amount of EVs gained from battle. The Pokérus also has the same effect as the Macho Brace. The Power Items are a bit tricky, as they give you 4 EVs to whatever stat they're for in addition to what you'd normally get from what you're fighting. Since no Pokémon gives more than 3 EVs, and the Macho Brace doubles what you'd normally get from them [will add 3 at most, but as little as 1]. The Power Items are better for training than the Macho Brace, but are also harder to come by. With the Pokérus and Power Items, it is possible to get 14 EVs per battle.

If a Pokemon receives experience from a battle, it will also receive EVs regardless of whether it actually took part in the battle or received the Exp.Points via EXP.Share.

For suggested locations to EV train in a specific stat, see the post directly below this one or simply click HERE.

The EV lowering Berries lower the EVs of a stat by 10 points if the total EVs is under 100. If the total EVs is over 110, a single berry would reduce it to 100 exactly. They're good for reseting the EVs of a Pokémon.

The berries are as follows:

- No. 21 Pomeg - Lowers HP EVs
- No. 22 Kelpsy - Lowers Attack EVs
- No. 23 Qualot - Lowers Defense EVs
- No. 24 Hondew - Lowers Special Attack EVs
- No. 25 Grepa - Lowers Special Defense EVs
- No. 26 Tamato - Lowers Speed EVs


To check if you have 510 EVs, go to Sunnyshore City or Slateport City, and a woman will give you the Effort Ribbon once the Pokémon has 510 EVs. The Slateport woman is located on the west side of town where all of the mercantile people are. The Sunyshore woman is located in the large stone building that you get seals from.

There is also a way to EV train Level 100s. If you get 4 EVs in one stat, go to the PC and deposit the Pokémon and then withdraw it. The stats will be modified. The only downside is that it has to be done after every 4 EVs. Vitamins will still have their usual effect on Level 100 Pokémon. 10 EVs per vitamin, but you can't exceed 100 EVs per stat.

 

[Linkachu]

"Suggested" is the keyword here. Most experienced EV trainers will have found their own locations to best suit their training needs, but for anyone unfamiliar with the more favored locations these are just some ideas to get you started.

Anyways...

Suggested Locations for EV Training​

Diamond & Pearl Locations (Suggested by KoL)

HP Training: Bidoof is the easiest for this, and tons of them can be found at Route 201.

Attack Training: Route 202 is widely considered to be the best for Attack training - I find this to be the case only if you happen to have a FireRed cartridge so you can dongle Growlithe into Route 202 along with Shinx, and if you don't have the Pokerus as well. Otherwise, Route 210 generally does the job quicker - with Pokerus and an Exp.Share, the numerous Machop, Machoke and Bibarel get the job done pretty quickly. Basically, Route 202 if you have FireRed or don't have Pokerus (or don't have Exp.Share for that matter either,) Route 210 otherwise.

Defense Training: Iron Island wins here - dozens of Graveler around. Comically, if you are underlevelled for fighting them, Protect works well due to their tendency to Selfdestruct. Exp.Share works well again - it's semi-mandatory for EV training.

Sp.Attack Training: Old Chateau blows away every other location in the game. The only Pokemon that show up are all from the Gastly evolution line, meaning Sp.Attack EVs from everything you KO. KO'ing Rotom for EV training is just...yeah, don't do it.

Sp.Defense Training: Tentacruel on Route 223 are the best for this. They're a high level though, so Exp.Share once again is likely necessary.

Speed Training: Starly, on the same route as Bidoof is, and with the same level of effectiveness.

 

[Linkachu]

Okay. A number of edits now.

First, I've updated the entire EV/IV thread with a version Ruko, KoL, and me had worked on ages back but kept getting distracted with. As stated at the top of the post, all credit goes to Jet for writing up the original post but additions and tweaks were made by us three (mostly Ruko).

Second, as I mentioned earlier, I've added a second post after the initial EV/IV post with suggested EV training locations (complete credit goes to KoL). Once HG/SS are out in English and more people have tested EV training on 'em, we'll add locations in for them too.

I also cleaned up all of the old comments from this topic, but that doesn't mean you can't keep asking questions. Feel free to ask, and we'll do our best to answer.

And, that's that for now

 

[Blisk]

Do EVs exist in Generation I? The games are very simplistic and there's no Pokerus or hold items.

 

[Xatu]

They do, but the system is different. The current system was implemented in Generation III.

More Info. Enjoy.