Learn what IVs are in Pokemon GO, how they affect CP and performance, and how to calculate IV scores or use Hyper Training to build the strongest team.
IV stands for Individual Values. Every Pokemon has a hidden genetic makeup that slightly alters its stats, even among identical species. IVs determine Attack, Defense, and Stamina of your Pokemon, and they are added on top of the base stats that species of Pokémon has.
In short: not all Pidgeys and Mewtwos are created equal. Some hit harder. Some survive longer. The game doesn’t tell you this if you don’t appraise your Pokémon, but it’s there, behind every battle and CP number.
The Three IV Stats:
- Attack IV: Impacts how much damage your Pokemon deals.
- Defense IV: Affectes damage reduction
- Stamina IV: Affects HP and survivability.
Each IV stat ranges from 0 to 15. Together, they define your Pokemon’s “genetic” strength.
IVs vs. Base Stats
Base stats are tied to species. IVs are tied to individual Pokemon. Base stats change when a Pokemon evolves. IVs do not change. Ever. They are permanent from the moment you catch or hatch that particular Pokémon.
Why IVs Matter
- In Raids, a Pokemon with perfect IVs (15/15/15) can deal more damage and last longer in fights than a Pokémon with lower IVs. However, the difference is probably less important than you think it is. The difference between 0% and 100% IV is around 10% in CP and 5% in performance (damage output and survivability).
- In PvP, since most leagues are limited by CP, you want Pokémon with low attack and high Stamina/Defense IVs, since it allows you to “squeeze more stats” into a particular Pokémon. As you will see in the next section, the Attack IV contributes most to your Pokémon CP value
In practice, most casual players usually ignore IVs, but most of the hardcore players don’t.
IV Score is how close your Pokemon is to perfect. It’s a percentage from 0% to 100%, calculated based on the sum of Attack, Defense, and Stamina IVs:
- 100% IV = 15/15/15 (Perfect)
- 0% IV = 0/0/0 (Worst)
Sample IV Table
| Attack | Defense | Stamina | IV Sum | IV Max | IV Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 14 | 3 | 32 | 45 | 71.0% |
| 15 | 15 | 2 | 32 | 45 | 71.0% |
| 10 | 15 | 0 | 25 | 45 | 55.0% |
| 15 | 8 | 2 | 25 | 45 | 55.0% |
| 13 | 8 | 0 | 21 | 45 | 46.0% |
How IVs Affect CP
Combat Power (CP) is influenced by Attack, Defense, and Stamina—each affected by IVs. The CP formula looks like this:
CP = (Base Atk + Atk IV) * (Base Def + Def IV)^0.5 * (Base Stamina + Stamina IV)^0.5 * LevelMultiplier^2 / 10
Attack IV has the biggest impact on CP, since it is the only one that is not under a square root!
For quite some time, the game has a built-in appraisal system that gives you all the IV data for your Pokémon if you know how to read it. Here’s how to use it properly:
- Open your Pokémon storage.
- Select the Pokémon you want to evaluate.
- Tap the menu icon (three bars/hamburger icon in the bottom-right corner).
- Choose ‘Appraise.’
Your Team Leader will appear and give some text which can be freely ignored. Focus on the star rating and bars::
Star Rating – A Quick Estimate
- 0 Stars: 0–48.9% IV
- 1 Star: 51.1–64.4% IV
- 2 Stars: 66.7–80% IV
- 3 Stars: 82.2–97.8% IV
- 4 Stars (Red): 100% IV – perfect IVs. This is a “hundo.”
Stat Bars – The Real Numbers
- Under the stars, you’ll see three bars—Attack, Defense, and Stamina.
- Each bar runs from 0 to 15. Notches at 5 and 10 help you estimate. If a bar is full and glowing red, that stat is perfect (15).
Filtering Pokémon based on Appraisal
Use the in-game search bar to skip manual checks:
4*= Shows only 100% IV Pokémon.3*= Strong Pokémon with high IVs.0attack= Filters for Pokémon with 0 Attack IV (PvP specialists).defense15 & hp15= Pokémon with perfect DEF and STA.!4*= Everything that isn’t perfect.
As of the Ancients Recovered event, Trainers can now use Hyper Training to max out IV stats using a rare item called the Gold Bottle Cap. This lets you boost your Pokemon’s IVs to perfection—without relying on RNG.
What Is Hyper Training?
Hyper Training allows you to manually increase your Pokemon’s IV stats (HP, Attack, Defense). You’ll need a Gold Bottle Cap to start.
- Only available to Pokemon that are Good Buddies or higher
- You choose which stats to train
- Tasks are tied to specific activities:
- Attack: Battle with your Pokemon buddy
- Defense: Play and interact with your buddy
- HP: Explore and earn Buddy Candy
Once started, you have 365 days to complete the tasks. More stat points needed = more work.
How to Get Gold Bottle Caps
- Available only through the GO Pass Deluxe: Ancients Recovered ($19.99)
- Extremely rare and expire on July 6, 2025, 11:59 p.m. local time
Gold Bottle Caps let you max 3 IV stats. Silver Caps (when released) will only affect one.
Limitations
- Shadow Pokemon can’t be Hyper Trained
- Lucky, traded, and Mythical Pokemon are eligible
- IV changes from 0 to 15 are possible, but harder
Should You Care About IVs?
If you’re min-maxing, absolutely. If you just want to catch ‘em all and don’t care about gym control, raids, or PvP, skip it. But understand this: a perfect IV Gyarados will outperform a random wild-caught one. Now with Hyper Training, you no longer have to settle. If you’ve got a nearly perfect Legendary or rare hatch, push it to 100% with a Gold Bottle Cap.
