You can train EVs by defeating specific Pokémon in battle either in the wild or against trainers. Pokémon who participated in the fight can earn 1-3 EV points per Pokémon battle. 4 EV points can raise a Pokémon’s stat to 1, so follow this guide to maximize training your Pokémon’s EVs.
All About EVs
EVs or “Effort Values” are invisible point systems that make up a Pokémon’s key stats. Each Pokémon has 6 key stats that increase each time it wins a battle and levels up. These are HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense and Speed.
You can train a specific key stat by earning more EV points for it. 4 EVs increase the key stat by 1 point. You can get a maximum of 510 EVs across all 6 key stats, or target specific key stats by earning a maximum of 252 EVs per stat. Should you want to train the the HP stat for example, earning 252 EVs for it would net you a total of +63 points to HP.
Casual players may or may not know too much about EVs and EV training, but they can prove useful in maximizing a Pokémon’s full potential. Raichu for example, comes with a high Speed stat from its evolution from Pikachu. By targeting its EV training to the key stat Speed, you can get a Raichu that will always be the first hitter in every battle and every turn.
How to Train EVs
As mentioned, you can train EVs by defeating specific Pokémon in battle. It does not matter whether the battle is against wild Pokémon or against trainers as the EV payout will be dependent on the Pokémon and not the type of fight.
You need 4 EV points to increase a key stat point to 1. Let’s say for example a Caterpie provides 1 EV for the HP stat, so you need to beat 4 Caterpies to get the 4 EVs to raise the HP stat by 1 point.
Most Pokémon that provide stat-specific EVs have higher base points on that key stat. Caterpie provides HP EVs because it has a higher than normal HP base stat than other Pokémon.
Keep reading to know the specific Pokémon that provide EVs for the key stats and where to find them.
HP Training
Hit Points or HP is simply the health bar of your Pokémon. A higher HP stat means more health for your Pokémon, making it endure hits longer before fainting in battle.
Pokémon that provide EVs for HP are Caterpie, Clefairy, Dunsparce, Snorlax and Slowpoke. Caterpie, Dunsparce and Slowpoke (LeafGreen only) provide 1 EV that counts for the HP stat, while Clefairy and Snorlax provide 2 EVs.
EV points do not change regardless of where you encounter the Pokémon – either in the wild or against a trainer, but the locations listed below are hotspots where you can easily farm your encounters with these Pokémon for their EVs.
Clefairy only has a 5% encounter rate in Mt. Moon so an alternative is battling Lass Julia in Route 8. She has two Clefairy which can net you 4 HP EVs per battle. You can use the VS Seeker against her to continue your HP EV farming.
Attack Training
Most Pokémon giving out Attack EVs are Fighting and Poison-type Pokémon, namely the following:
Nidoran’s male evolution Nidorino provides 2 Attack EVs, but they can only be found in the Safari Zone. You can’t earn EVs from Pokémon in the Safari since you can’t do battle anyway. Youngster Dave in Route 11 has a Nidorino that you can repeatedly fight with instead of poking around in the wild.
Defense Training
Rock and Ground-type Pokémon commonly provide Defense EVs.
There are some other types with a high Defense base stat that provide it too, like Tangela and Weezing. You can farm for these Pokémon in the locations below:
Special Attack Training
The Special Attack stat deals with the damage done by type and elemental moves. These are the Pokémon that provide Special Attack EVs, as well as the best locations to look for them.
Magneton’s EVs can also be farmed by repeatedly battling with Engineer Bernie on Route 11. Use the VS Seeker on him to fight his 3 Magnetons. This nets you 6 Special Attack EVs per battle!
Special Defense Training
Special Defense points on the other hand deal with how well your Pokémon can withstand type, elemental and special attacks. The following Pokémon provide Special Defense EVs and can be found in the hotspots listed below.
Bellossom is another Pokémon that provides Special Defense EVs (3 EVs!) but it cannot be found in the wild. You can fight Aroma Lady Miah at Seven Island’s Canyon Entrance for her two Bellossoms, netting you 6 Special Defense EVs per battle.
Speed Training
Pokémon with a high base stat in Speed provide Speed EVs. You can find them in the following locations:
Pidgeot and Raichu provide 3 Speed EVs but you won’t find them in the wild. Picknicker Susie on Route 13 has a Raichu and a Pidgeot you can battle multiple times using the VS Seeker. Her Pokémon party in later rematches now has Raticate and 2 Persians for a total of a whopping 12 Speed EVs!
Items for EV Training
There are also items in-game that can help EV training go faster. A Macho Brace doubles the number of EVs obtained by the Pokémon holding it.
An Exp. Share on the other hand shares not only experience points but also EVs with the holder, even if it did not participate in the fight.
There are also vitamins that you can give to your Pokémon to increase their EVs. Each vitamin dose grants 10 EV points for your Pokémon. You need an HP Up for HP EVs, Protein for Attack EVs, Iron for Defense EVs, Calcium for Special Attack EVs, Zinc for Special Defense EVs and Carbos for Speed EVs.
You can buy all of these vitamins in Celadon’s Department Store for 9,800 Poké Dollars apiece.
While EV training can be tedious and time-consuming, it can definitely pay off when you play on the strengths of your Pokémon. Give EV training a try and see just how OP your Pokémon can get!
