The recently released Pokemon Sword and Shield allow hardcore and casual fans alike an expansive world of exploration with interesting new additions to the massive roster of creatures. The newest addition to the long-standing franchise is the first example of a mainline Pokemon title being brought onto a major Nintendo console. As players navigate the expansive Galar region they will encounter a breadth of returning creatures and newly created basts that will put their long-developed skills to the test. One of the returning systems in Sword and Shield is the lesser-known “EV” system which affects a creature’s stats in a less explicit way.
These EVs have been in Pokemon games for an incredibly long time. And for being such a prevalent feature, most players have never heard, or do not understand, exactly what the system does. Given its impact on a player’s pokemon, you would think the system would be on the front of every tutorial related to the long-running franchise. This guide will illustrate the importance of EVs on a player’s experience and the best way to utilize the system within the Galar region of Sword and Shield
What are EVs in Pokemon Sword and Shield
EV is an acronym for the term “effort values” in regards to a Pokemon. EVs were a term that represented a hidden stat boost provided to Pokemon after defeating Pokemon in the wild or during a trainer battle. This system is a little complex but with some explanation, its impact on a player’s time in Sword and Shield will be clear.
A Pokemon receives an EV after defeating a Pokemon connected to a particular stat. For example, let’s use the Galar Zigzagoon as a means to dissect how EVs operate. After a player’s Pokemon defeats a wild or trainer caught Zigzagoon, that Pokemon will gain 1 Speed EV. This Speed EV affects the Speed stat of a particular Pokemon. After defeating 4 Zigzagoons and gaining 4 Speed EVs a player’s Pokemon will gain 1 stat boost in their Speed stat.
Each Pokemon in the Galar region is connected to a particular EV. The list is too expansive to detail but with research, it is easy to find out which Pokemon’s EVs are connected to which stat. With this information in mind, shouldn’t every Pokemon have incredibly high stat values by farming EVs of each type? The reality is that Game Freak has inserted a hard limit to the amount of EVs a Pokemon can have.
A Pokemon is limited to 510 EVs spread throughout his stat pools. A particular stat can only be given 252 EV points or 61 additional points to that stat. So let’s use our Zigzagoon example again if farmed enough times a Zigzagoon will provide 252 EVs to the player and add an extra 61 points to that Pokemon’s speed stat. Given the 510 EV cap, it is important that players are wise in how they divide their Pokemon’s EV pool to build an optimal Pokemon.
How To Start Training EVs in Pokemon Sword and Shield
Training EVs in Pokemon is a time-consuming task. Being able to dedicate the time to farm and defeat a large number of creatures to level up a seemingly hidden stat is a difficult obstacle to climb. There are certain prerequisites before a player can start farming EVs effectively.
The first being to make sure that your Pokemon has not already received EVs from enemies already. The best way to ensure this reality is to start EV farming with a freshly hatched Pokemon. Pokemon that have been bred are starting at the bare minimum of stats available. Their starting level being 1 allows the newly hatched creatures to be the perfect candidate to start farming EVs and building an optimal Pokemon.
If you wish to start EV training a particular Pokemon be sure to limit it’s EV stats to 0 utilizing the variety of EV removing berries in the game. There is a variety of stat decreasing Berries in the game that will decrease a Pokemon’s EV provided statistics allowing that Pokemon to effectively “start fresh” in regards to training.
The Best Ways to Train EVs in Pokemon Sword and Shield
There is a multitude of ways to train EVs in Sword and Shield some of which being new additions to the system and others being tried and true methods. Choose whichever option you believe would be enjoyable and start the farming process.
The first method and by far the easiest is by purchasing and using the stat increasing items, Vitamins. These items such as Zync and Protein will increase a Pokemon’s stats that would be increased by EVs. This method requires 26 of a particular vitamin to max out that Stats EV limit. So you would need 26 Protein to max out a Pokemon’s attack stat. This method requires very little in-game grinding to max out stats, but it is an incredibly costly method to level up EVs. Each vitamin costing around 10,000 of in-game currency to buy, this method will require a vast sum of money to utilize.
The second method is the original way of leveling EVs and that is to fight the Pokemon associated with that stat. This method requires extensive knowledge of each Pokemon’s EV stat and the best places to encounter these particular Pokemon. Alongside this knowledge, players must defeat a vast number of the Pokemon associated with that stat in order to meet the minimum requirements for an optimal amount of EVs. However, with the inclusion of the useful “power” items in Sword and Shield players can lower the time spent using this method to level up EVs. If a Pokemon fights the previously mentioned Zigzagoon with the Speed Power item on, the Zigzagoon will provide an additional 8 EV’s to the standard 1. These items can be purchased in the PokeCenter in Hammerlock by using BP. This makes the farming process trivial and makes this method the most optimal way to farm EVs within Pokemon Sword and Shield.
More: Pokémon Sword and Shield: Guide to Catching Shiny Pokémon
Pokemon Sword and Shield are available now on the Nintendo Switch.
