Pokémon Effort Values (EVs) - Pokémon Database

What are Effort Values?

As Pokémon battle, in addition to gaining experience points they also obtain Effort Values (usually referred to as EVs), which are special hidden values in each stat (HP, Attack and so on). Each Pokémon you battle against gives off EVs in one or more stats.

Generally, this relates to the Pokémon's strongest stat - for example, if you battle a Geodude your Pokémon will get one EV in the Defense stat. If you fight a Gengar, you will get three Special Attack EVs. (See the pages to the left to see which Pokémon give off which EVs.)

Newly-hatched eggs and Pokémon caught in the wild - regardless of level - have no EVs and thus act as a blank sheet for EV training. Any Pokémon that has gained experience points from battling will have gained some EVs.

Every 4 EVs obtained in a particular stat equals one more point for that stat, by the time that Pokémon reaches level 100. At low levels you may not see all the points added straight away. If your Pokémon is at a high level you will see a lot of additional points going on to the appropriate stats at each level up.

In total a Pokémon can gain 510 EVs, but only 255 in one stat. Since 4 EVs equals one stat point, if you want to max out a particular stat it's only useful to get 252 EVs (63 points). The last 3 EVs would be wasted. However, in practice it's a chore to count exactly how many EVs you have obtained (there's no other way to tell) so you may wish to simply max out a particular stat and forego a point or two.

When you have reached those 510 EVs, you can earn an Effort Ribbon in Diamond/Pearl/Platinum by visiting the woman in the Sunyshore City market. If you have lost count with some stats, this is obviously useful for knowing when to stop EV training!

EV-boosting items

Battling 252 Bidoofs to max out your HP would be a bit of a bore, no? Luckily, there is an array of items that can help you reach your goal much quicker.

Vitamins

These items, purchaseable from the big department store in each game (Veilstone/Lilycove/Golenrod/Celadon), give your Pokémon 10 EVs in the corresponding stat. Vitamins are not affected by any of the other items below or Pokérus.

There is a limit of 10 per stat, however they only work on the first 100 EVs. If you already gained 90 Attack EVs by battling, you can only use one Protein, not 10. Each costs $9800 in the shops or 1 BP (Battle Point) at the Battle Park. The vitamins are as follows:

• HP Up (HP)
• Protein (Attack)
• Iron (Defense)
• Calcium (Sp. Attack)
• Zinc (Sp. Defense)
• Carbos (Speed)

Wings

Introduced in Black/White, the Wing items raise the corresponding EV by 1 point. However, they are not subject to the same limit as vitamins and can be used for the full 255 EVs if you had that many. The Wings are:

• Health Wing (HP)
• Muscle Wing (Attack)
• Resist Wing (Defense)
• Genius Wing (Sp. Attack)
• Clever Wing (Sp. Defense)
• Swift Wing (Speed)

Macho Brace

The Macho Brace lowers a Pokémon's speed in battle while held, but doubles the amount of EVs gained. A Starly normally provides 1 Speed EV, but with your Pokémon holding the Macho Brace, it will receive 2 Speed EVs.

Power Items

Power Items are hold items that will increase the amount of EVs gained per battle. Each relates to a specific stat and will give you 4 additional EVs in that stat. You can get these for 16 BP at the Battle Park.

• Power Weight (HP)
• Power Bracer (Attack)
• Power Belt (Defense)
• Power Lens (Sp. Attack)
• Power Band (Sp. Defense)
• Power Anklet (Speed)

Battling a Squirtle, for example, normally yields 1 Defense EV. Holding the Power Belt, this is increased to 5. If holding the Power Band, you receive 1 Defense EV and 4 Special Defense EVs.

Exp. Share

Since any Pokémon gaining experience points gains EVs, the Exp. Share item allows Pokémon to gain EVs without battling. It will gain the same base EVs that the Pokémon in battle gains. The Pokémon holding Exp. Share will benefit from its own Pokérus (see below), but not from the item or condition of the Pokémon in battle.

Pokérus

Not an item as such, but a so-called Pokémon Virus. However, this virus is actually beneficial! The chances of catching Pokérus are quite low, and it's not something you can affect yourself. If your Pokémon get the virus, the nurse at the Pokémon Center will inform you and there will be a purple PKRS on their info screen.

The virus spreads to other Pokémon in your party as they battle, but it will disappear after a Pokémon has been in your party for around 24 hours. Pokémon stored in the PC will keep Pokérus indefinitely.

All Pokémon with Pokérus will receive double EVs, after other calculations with items are taken into account. Even after the virus has gone, the Pokémon will still receive these beneficial effects! (Pokémon who have overcome the virus have a smiley face on their info screen.)

As an example, battling a Luxio gives you 2 Attack EVs. With the Pokérus this is doubled to 4. If it is holding the Macho Brace, this is quadrupled to 8. If it's holding the Power Weight, you'd normally gain 4 HP and 2 Attack EVs, but with Pokérus this is doubled to 8 HP and 4 Attack. And of course, if it was holding the Power Bracer you'd net a huge 12 EVs for one battle!

EV-reducing berries

There are also a set of berries that will reduce your Pokémon's EVs. They are useful if you miscount EVs or simply want to change the EV distribution.

• #21 Pomeg Berry (HP)
• #22 Kelpsy Berry (Attack)
• #23 Qualot Berry (Defense)
• #24 Hondew Berry (Sp. Attack)
• #25 Grepa Berry (Sp. Defense)
• #26 Tamato Berry (Speed)

If you have over 100 EVs in a stat, the first berry will reduce them to 100, while further berries will decrease the EVs by 10. Therefore if you want to remove all EVs you will need 11 berries for the stat.