Individual Values (IVs)

Learn about Individual Values (IVs) in pokemon sword and shield. Max IVs are 31, and can be influenced by breeding, Max Raid Battles, and Hyper Training.

While not essential for the main story, understanding IVs can be crucial for optimizing your Pokémon in high-level play. At Level 100, IVs provide a stat boost, with the difference between a 0 IV and a 31 IV stat being 31 points. This difference is proportionally smaller at lower levels. IVs are fixed when you obtain a Pokémon, but can be influenced through several methods.

Ways to Influence IVs:

• Breeding: Offspring inherit 3 random IVs from their parents. If one parent holds the Destiny Knot item, the offspring inherits 5 IVs. By strategically swapping parents, you can achieve offspring with 5 or 6 perfect IVs.
• Max Raid Battles: Pokémon caught in Max Raid Battles can have up to 5 perfect IVs on the highest difficulty, and potentially 6 if you are lucky. Some gift Pokémon also come with 3 or more perfect IVs. Notably, the Gigantamax Pikachu and Eevee have 6 perfect IVs and are excellent for breeding.
• Hyper Training: Introduced in Sun and Moon, Hyper Training allows you to effectively increase your Pokémon’s IVs. This feature is available after reaching the post-game Battle Tower. Your Pokémon must be Level 100, and you need to use a Bottle Cap for each stat you wish to increase, or a Gold Bottle Cap for all 6 stats.

Determining IVs:

Precisely evaluating IVs down to the number typically requires an online IV calculator compatible with pokemon sword and shield. It's best to use these calculators on higher-level Pokémon, as low-level Pokémon can have a wide range of possible IVs, making precise determination difficult.

Once you reach the post-game, you can obtain the Judge function for your Boxes by reaching Rank 4 in Wyndon City’s Battle Tower. This function helps you assess your Pokémon's IVs without needing an external calculator. You can use your Legendary Pokémon (Zacian, Zamazenta, and/or Eternatus) if you need assistance reaching Rank 4.

After unlocking the Judge function, navigate to your Boxes and press the + or - Button to change the display window on the right. Instead of stats, you will see statements like “Decent” or “Pretty Good” for individual stats, and “Good stats” or “Amazing stats!” for the total IV sum.

These statements provide an indirect assessment of your Pokémon’s IVs. The key values to focus on are 0, 30, and 31. A 31 IV is the best, while a 30 IV often has the same effect as 31 if you do not invest EVs. A 0 Speed IV is beneficial for Trick Room strategies, and a 0 Attack IV can reduce damage taken from confusion.

The following table outlines the IV ranges for each statement:

The following table shows the IV total ranges for the overall statements: