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Pokémon Scarlet & Violet

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EV Training Guide for Scarlet & Violet

By
Vincent Lau

This is a guide for EV training in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet.

What are EVs?

EVs (short for Effort Values) are hidden values that slightly affect a Pokémon’s stats. They reflect the hard work and training put in by your Pokémon.

(1 of 2) Regular stat display.

Regular stat display. (left), Stat display showing EVs. (right)

Similar to IVs, each Pokémon has an EV in each of the six key stats (HP through Speed). To begin with, EVs are set to 0 in all stats (although there are exceptions).

As your Pokémon battles and defeats other Pokémon, your Pokémon will gradually gain EVs depending on the species of Pokémon defeated. Weak Pokémon generally award 1 EV in a certain stat, while stronger ones can award 2 or even 3 EVs.

EVs can be gained at any time, even if a Pokémon is Level 100. However, EVs cannot be endlessly gained. Pokémon can gain a maximum of 252 EVs in a single stat and, on top of that, each Pokémon is restricted to a total of 510 EVs spread between all stats.

At Level 100, a Pokémon gains 1 stat point for every 4 EVs accumulated (while at lower levels, the gain is proportionally smaller). Since a Pokémon can gain up to 252 EVs in one stat, that equates to a maximum stat boost of 63 in a single stat.

How to EV Train Pokémon

The typical way to increase EVs is by battling many, many wild Pokémon that grant the EVs in the stat you want.

Before you begin, decide which stat you want to target. It’s easier if you focus on a single stat at a time, so you don’t lose track of progress.

Recommended EV Training Spots

Since you need to defeat a lot of Pokémon, here are some places where you can easily find lots of Pokémon that award EVs in a particular stat.

(1 of 2) The most important thing is that the wild Pokémon are common.

The most important thing is that the wild Pokémon are common. (left), It also helps if they’re weak, so you can quickly KO them. (right)

Stat Location Wild Pokémon (EVs gained)
HP Casseroya Lake Dondozo (+3), "Slowpoke" IconSlowpoke (+1)
Attack Bamboo Grove in North Province (Area Two) "Luxray" IconLuxray (+3), "Bisharp" IconBisharp (+2), "Heracross" IconHeracross (+2), Lokix (+2), "Scyther" IconScyther (+1), "Pawniard" IconPawniard (+1).
Defense Asado Desert "Hippowdon" IconHippowdon (+2), "Sandaconda" IconSandaconda (+2), Orthworm (+2), "Silicobra" IconSilicobra (+1), "Hippopotas" IconHippopotas (+1), Rellor (+1)
Sp. Atk River near the Fairy Crew "Golduck" IconGolduck (+2)
Sp. Def The land around Casseroya Lake "Sliggoo" IconSliggoo (+2), "Altaria" IconAltaria (+2), "Goomy" IconGoomy (+1), "Swablu" IconSwablu (+1)
Speed The beach south from Poco Path Lighthouse "Wingull" IconWingull (+1), "Buizel" IconBuizel (+1), "Magikarp" IconMagikarp (+1), "Arrokuda" IconArrokuda (+1)

How to Speed Up EV Training

Since you need 252 EVs to max one stat, it’ll probably take absolutely ages… without any help, that is.

(1 of 2) The Power items are a must for EV training!

The Power items are a must for EV training! (left), Have the Pokémon hold onto the Power item that matches the stat you’re training. (right)

To speed things up, make sure to buy the Power items from any branch of Delibird Presents. They will be found in the General Goods section. Each of these costs 10,000 Poké Dollars.

Item Effect
"Power Weight" iconPower Weight Halves Speed while equipped, but grants an additional 8 HP Evs.
"Power Bracer" iconPower Bracer Halves Speed while equipped, but grants an additional 8 Attack Evs.
"Power Belt" iconPower Belt Halves Speed while equipped, but grants an additional 8 Defense Evs.
"Power Lens" iconPower Lens Halves Speed while equipped, but grants an additional 8 Sp. Atk Evs.
"Power Band" iconPower Band Halves Speed while equipped, but grants an additional 8 Sp. Def Evs.
"Power Anklet" iconPower Anklet Halves Speed while equipped, but grants an additional 8 Speed Evs.

When held by a Pokémon, Power items temporarily halve the Pokémon’s Speed, but grants an extra 8 EVs in the corresponding stat. So when fighting a wild Pokémon that grants 1 EVs in HP, you could gain 9 EVs instead.

To reach the cap of 252 EVs will require 22 to 28 battles, which is still a lot, but far less than 84 to 252.

EV Training Method

In general, it’s best if you battle using a strong Pokémon that you’re not intending to EV train. They should have max EVs already or it doesn’t matter what EVs they gain.

(1 of 2) Here, we’re battling with our Pawmot from our playthrough.

Here, we’re battling with our Pawmot from our playthrough. (left), Meanwhile, Flutter Mane is gaining EVs in the background. (right)

Meanwhile, the Pokémon being EV trained can sit in your party. This is useful especially if the Pokémon being EV trained is holding a Power item, which halves their Speed, making them harder to use in battle.

When defeating a wild Pokémon, all Pokémon in your party will gain EVs, on top of the usual experience points. Also, unlike experience points, the amount of EVs is the same whether the Pokémon participated or not.

Since all Pokémon gain the same amount of EVs, to save even more time, you may want to EV train multiple Pokémon at once.

To keep track of EVs, you could do it the old fashioned way and use pen and paper. Also, if you forget, you could use your Pokémon’s PP to keep track, especially if you always one-shot the wild Pokémon. You’d still need to remember which Pokémon you fought though, if they give different EV amounts.

How to Instantly Gain EVs

Alternatively, you can directly increase EVs by using vitamin items, available from a Chansey Supply shop, after obtaining 3 badges.

(1 of 2) You can buy vitamins from a !Chansey Supply shop.

You can buy vitamins from a !Chansey Supply shop. (left), Vitamins are extremely efficient, but very expensive. (right)

Item Effect
"HP Up" iconHP Up Increases HP EVs by 10.
"Protein" iconProtein Increases Attack EVs by 10.
"Iron" iconIron Increases Defense EVs by 10.
"Calcium" iconCalcium Increases Sp. Atk EVs by 10.
"Zinc" iconZinc Increases Sp. Def EVs by 10.
"Carbos" iconCarbos Increases Speed EVs by 10.

Vitamins cost 10,000 Poké Dollars a pop. Since you need around 25 to max one stat, that’ll cost you a whopping 250,000 Poké Dollars. We wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re swimming in cash.

In addition, you could use the feather items that you can find in the sparkling spots around Casseroya Lake.

Item Effect
"Health Feather" iconHealth Feather Increases HP EVs by 1.
"Muscle Feather" iconMuscle Feather Increases Attack EVs by 1.
"Resist Feather" iconResist Feather Increases Defense EVs by 1.
"Genius Feather" iconGenius Feather Increases Sp. Atk EVs by 1.
"Clever Feather" iconClever Feather Increases Sp. Def EVs by 1.
"Swift Feather" iconSwift Feather Increases Speed EVs by 1.

Feathers only increase EVs by 1, so they’re kind of useless for maxing out EVs. Unless you play for ages and accumulate loads of them. However, they can be useful for finishing off builds. Eg. if you’re at 250 EVs from vitamins and need 2 more.

How to Remove EVs

Sometimes, you may want to get rid of EVs.

For example, you miscalculated and added too many EVs. Or you changed your mind and want to invest in a different stat. Or maybe you want to salvage the Pokémon used during your playthrough (we don’t recommend this, but hey, it’s your call).

(1 of 2) There’s a group of berries used for reducing EVs.

There’s a group of berries used for reducing EVs. (left), Whoops, we didn’t really need Sp Def. (right)

In which case, you’ll want to use the following berries:

Item Effect
"Pomeg Berry" iconPomeg Berry Decreases HP EVs by 10.
"Kelpsy Berry" iconKelpsy Berry Decreases Attack EVs by 10.
"Qualot Berry" iconQualot Berry Decreases Defense EVs by 10.
"Hondew Berry" iconHondew Berry Decreases Sp. Atk EVs by 10.
"Grepa Berry" iconGrepa Berry Decreases Sp. Def EVs by 10.
"Tamato Berry" iconTamato Berry Decreases Speed EVs by 10.

You can obtain these berries randomly from sparkling spots on the ground. It might take a while to forage enough berries though. When you have spare time, you could try stalking the auction houses at Porto Marinada. Sometimes, they sell bulk amounts of the berries.

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Guide Information
  • Publisher
    Nintendo, Pokemon Company International
  • Platforms,
    Switch
  • Genre
    RPG
  • Guide Release
    17 November 2022
  • Last Updated
    3 January 2024
    Version History
  • Guide Author

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