EVs and IVs Explained: How Pokémon Stat Training Works

EVs (effort values) and IVs (individual values) are two hidden numbers behind every Pokémon's stats. IVs are fixed at birth and range from 0 to 31 per stat. EVs are earned through training, with a cap of 252 in one stat and 510 in total. At level 100, every 4 EVs add 1 point to a stat, and each IV point adds 1. Here's how both work in Scarlet and Violet and the other current games, based on Serebii's EV research and PokéAPI's data.

Last checked: November 9, 2026.

EVs vs IVs at a glance

Both matter most at high levels. At level 50, which is the level used in most online battles, the bonus is about half of the level 100 figure.

Natures add a third layer, raising one stat by 10% and lowering another. See our Pokémon nature chart for all 25.

How EVs work

Every time your Pokémon defeats a wild or trainer Pokémon in a battle that gives experience, it earns EVs. Each species gives a fixed amount in one or more stats. A Yungoos, for example, gives 1 Attack EV.

The limits:

• 252 per stat. Older games allowed 255, but only 252 count, because 4 EVs make 1 stat point. Since Sun and Moon, the cap is 252.
• 510 in total. That's enough to max out two stats (252 + 252) with 6 left over. Most players put 4 of those 6 into a third stat, since the last 2 do nothing.

A fully trained stat ends up 63 points higher at level 100 than an untrained one. That's why EV training matters for battles and for postgame content.

Fastest ways to earn EVs

Vitamins are the quickest route. Before Sword and Shield, they stopped working at 100 EVs in a stat. In the current games, you can use them all the way to 252.

EV training in Scarlet and Violet

Scarlet and Violet change a few things:

• No Pokérus. It isn't in these games, so you can't double EVs that way.
• Auto battles don't count. EVs only come from real battles, not the Let's Go auto battles.
• There's an EV graph. You can view it on your Pokémon's summary screen, and a trainer in Levincia gives an Effort Ribbon to a Pokémon with maxed EVs.

These Pokémon each give 1 EV in a single stat, and Serebii lists them as good training spots:

Hold a power item for that stat and each battle gives 9 EVs instead of 1.

How to reset EVs

Six Berries lower EVs in one stat each: Pomeg (HP), Kelpsy (Attack), Qualot (Defense), Hondew (Sp. Atk), Grepa (Sp. Def) and Tamato (Speed). Each lowers its stat's EVs by 10. They're the standard way to fix a mistake without restarting.

How IVs work

IVs are set when you catch or hatch a Pokémon and run from 0 to 31 in each of the six stats. A 31 in a stat is called a perfect IV. At level 100, each IV point adds 1 to the stat, so a Pokémon with 31 instead of 0 has 31 more points.

How to check IVs

Most recent games unlock a Judge function in your boxes at some point, which rates each stat's IV with a word:

Pokémon HOME also has a Judge function, but only with the paid Premium Plan.

How to improve IVs

• Hyper Training. Trade a Bottle Cap to raise one stat's IV to the maximum, or a Gold Bottle Cap to raise all six. In Scarlet and Violet, you do this with the man by the Pokémon Center in Montenevera, and your Pokémon only needs to be level 50 or higher. In Sun and Moon, where Hyper Training started, it had to be level 100.
• Breeding. A parent holding a Destiny Knot passes down more of its IVs to the egg, which is how players breed Pokémon with several perfect IVs.

Hyper Training changes the stat, not the underlying IV. That matters for breeding: a Hyper Trained parent still passes on its original IVs.

When to bother with EVs and IVs

For the main story, you don't need to. Regular battles give your team plenty of EVs without planning, and IVs make only a small difference. They matter when you want to:

• play online ranked battles or Pokémon Champions,
• take on the hardest postgame fights,
• outspeed a specific threat by a point or two.

When you do train, decide on a spread first. The most common one gives 252 EVs to the main attacking stat, 252 to Speed or HP, and the remaining 4 to a third stat.

Planning a team around type matchups as well? Our Pokémon type calculator shows every weakness and resistance for any type pairing.

Frequently asked questions

What is the max EVs a Pokémon can have?

510 EVs in total, with no more than 252 in one stat. That lets you max out two stats and put the last 4 points into a third.

What is a perfect IV?

A perfect IV is 31, the highest value a stat's IV can have. The Judge function rates a 31 as "Best."

Do EVs and IVs matter in the story?

Not much. They add up to a noticeable boost at level 100, but you can finish every main story without planning them. They matter most in competitive and postgame battles.

How do you reset EVs?

Feed your Pokémon the matching EV-lowering Berry: Pomeg for HP, Kelpsy for Attack, Qualot for Defense, Hondew for Sp. Atk, Grepa for Sp. Def or Tamato for Speed. Each Berry lowers that stat's EVs by 10.

What level do you need for Hyper Training?

In Scarlet and Violet, level 50 or higher. When Hyper Training was introduced in Sun and Moon, it required level 100.

Is there Pokérus in Scarlet and Violet?

No. Pokérus isn't in Scarlet and Violet, so the fastest ways to earn EVs there are vitamins, feathers and power items.

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