Sprocket
P(n) = 1 - (1 - P(1))^n
Status: Finished, ready for QC and GP.
Changes from Fourth Generation
If you are familiar with Fourth Generation EV Training, then EV training in Fifth Generation is largely the same with a couple differences.
EVs are applied immediately after Combat
This is the biggest change in EV training since the entire EV system was changed with Gen 3.
In Gen 5, after defeating a Pokemon and earning EVs, they are applied immediately to your Pokemon when the combat ends, or you level up mid-combat. This means you can see the fruits of your labor immediately, without having to wait for your Pokemon to level up, and without having to resort to such things as the "Box Trick".
This also leads to the next major change.
Level 100 Pokemon can earn EVs through combat.
That's right! Pokemon who can only be acquired at level 100 --- such as Arceus --- can now be properly EV trained! This also means that you can re-train your prized level 100 Pokemon if you so desired.
Wings can be used to go over the 100 EV limit that Vitamins cannot.
On Driftveil Drawbridge and the Marvelous Bridge, you can acquire different Wings that work like mini-Vitamins. There are two major differences:
First, these Wings only grant 1 EV, not 10 like Vitamins.
Second, they are not subject to the 100 EV limit that Vitamins are.
This means that using Wings, you can theoretically EV train your Pokemon all the way to 510 EVs without ever engaging in combat, if you so desired.
Effort Ribbon
In Black and White, you can no longer earn an Effort Ribbon for reaching 510 EVs. You can still check to see if you have properly EV trained, however.
How EVs Work
Effort Values, or EVs for short, allow you to further build upon your Pokemon's basic stats. They are extremely important in the world of competitive Pokemon battling. The more EVs you invest in a stat, the higher that Pokemon's stats will be.
To really understand EVs, you have to know more about how a Pokemon's stats are calculated. The following two formulas determine your Pokemon's stats (round down after every parenthesis)
HP = ((2 * BaseHP + IV + (EV / 4)) * Level / 100 + Level + 10)
Stat = (((2 * BaseStat + IV + (EV / 4)) * Level / 100 + 5) * Nature)
Where
BaseHP = your Pokemon's base HP
BaseStat = your Pokemon's base stat for your given statistic (Attack, Defense, etc)
IV = the IV value of your Pokemon's stats (anywhere from 0 to 31)
EV = the amount of EVs you invested into your Pokemon (anywhere from 0 to 255)
Nature = Nature modifier for the given stat (0.9, 1.0, and 1.1)
Level = Your Pokemon's current level.
There are five basic rules that must be followed and remembered:
Rule 1: At level 100, for every 4 EVs that a Pokémon gains in a particular stat, the stat is increased by one point.
This means that if you had 252 EVs into Attack (the maximum effective amount of EVs, more on that later), your Pokemon's Attack stat will go up by 63.
Here's an example. Let's take everyone's new favorite rodent, Victini.
It's base Attack stat is 100, so it's maximum Attack at level 100 is 236 (Assuming a Neutral nature and 31 Attack IVs). However, throw in 252 Attack EVs, and it's maximum Attack goes up to a whopping 299.
Stat = (((2 * BaseStat + IV + (EV / 4)) * Level / 100 + 5) * Nature)
Attack = (((2 * 100 + 31 + (252 / 4)) * 100/100 + 5) * 1.0)
Attack = (((231 + 63) * 1 + 5) * 1.0)
Attack = ((294 * 1 + 5) * 1.0)
Attack = ((299) * 1.0)
Attack = 299
You should also keep in mind that Natures affect stats after EVs are figured in. So if our Victini had a +Attack nature (such as Adamant), you would multiply our 299 Attack stat by 1.1, which brings us to 328.8 (Rounding down, it becomes 328). Likewise if we had a -Attack nature (such as Modest), we would multiply our 299 Attack stat by 0.9, which brings us to 269.1 (Or after rounding, 269).
In general it's a bad idea to invest EVs in stats negatively affected by Nature, since it undermines much of the EV work that you do in the first place.
Rule 2: EVs invested should always be divisible by four
Due to how statistics are calculated, this is one very important rule you must follow. Any leftover EVs after you divide them by four is wasted.
For example, if you earned 253 Attack EVs, 253 divided by 4 = 63.25, which is rounded down to 63. Those 0.25 stat points are completely wasted.
Using our formula, we will look at the important part of the equation:
Stat = (((2 * BaseStat + IV + (EV / 4)) * Level / 100 + 5) * Nature)
(EV / 4) = (253 / 4) = (63.25)
And remember to round down, so 63.25 = 63.
Rule 3: Each EV can have a maximum of 255 points invested. You can at most have 510 total EVs earned.
Keep in mind that, because EVs should always be divisible by four, the effective maximum you can invest is 252 EVs.
Because 510 EVs is the absolute maximum, and 252 is the effective maximum per stat, that means you can --- at most --- max out two stats, leaving you with 6 EVs left over. This allows you to invest 4 EVs into one more stat, and you will always be left with 2 EVs left over no matter what.
Rule 4: You gain EVs by defeating in-game Pokémon. Different Pokémon give different EVs.
Each Pokemon you fight in-game awards a different amount of EVs. For example, Patrat will award 1 Attack EV, while Blitzle will award 1 Speed EV.
This includes not just wild Pokemon battles, but Trainer Battles, Double Battles, Triple Battles, Rotation Battles, and even Legendary Pokemon such as Reshiram and Zekrom. In Double, Triple, and Rotation battles, all Pokemon that participate in the battle will earn EVs.
One important exception: You do not earn EVs in battles against other players, nor do you earn EVs in the Battle Subway.
Rule 5: - A Pokémon starts gaining EVs from its very first battle.
This is perhaps the very most important rule of all. Every battle that your Pokemon participate in, it will earn EVs. This includes using an Exp. Share, and includes switching out of combat without attacking!
It's vitally important that you are ready for EV training before you begin exposing your Pokemon to combat.
EV Training Hotspots
Although you can train your EVs off of Pokemon anywhere you want, there are certain ideal locations in-game where you can train your Pokemon in the fastest possible manner, and with the least effort.
Stunfisk | 15-35 | Route 8 / Icirrus City (Surf) | 2
Victini | 15 | Liberty Island | 3*
* NOTE: Only if Victini has not been captured, and you have access to Liberty Island.
Attack
Patrat / Lillipup | 2-4 | Route 1 | 1
Tranquill / Druddigon / Mienfoo | 31-33 | Dragonspiral Tower - Outside/Entrance (Single Grass) - Spring/Summer/Autumn | 2 / 2 / 1
*Note: Only a 70% chance of encounter*
Tranquill / Sawsbuck / Druddigon / Mienfoo | 34-37 | Dragonspiral Tower - Outside (Double Grass) - Spring/Summer/Autumn | 2 / 2 / 2 / 1
Sawsbuck / Beartic / Mienfoo | 30-33 | Dragonspiral Tower - Outside/Entrance (Double Grass) - Winter | 2 / 2 / 1
*Note: Only a 70% chance of encounter*
Druddigon / Golett / Meinfoo | 30-33 | Dragonspiral Tower - 1F | 2 / 1 / 1
Golett | 30-33 | Dragonspiral Tower - 2F | 1
Defense
Roggenrola | 10-13 | Wellspring Cave | 1
*NOTE: Only has a 50% chance of encounter*
Sandslash / Cofagrigus / Onix | 47-50 | Relic Castle - B4F | 2 / 2 / 1
*NOTE: Only has a 65% chance of encounter*
Sewaddle / Venipede | 14-17 | Pinwheel Forest (Inner area) | 1 / 1
*NOTE: Only has a 50% chance of encounter*
Special Attack
Litwick | 26-29 | Celestial Tower - 2F | 1
Litwick / Elgyem | 26-29 | Celestial Tower - 3F to 5F | 1
Special Defense
Frillish | 5-15 | Route 4 / 17 / 18 / Driftveil City (Surf) | 1
Claydol | 47-50 | Relic Castle - Maze End | 2
Speed
Basculin | 5-15 | Route 1 / 3 / 6 / Striaton City (Surf) | 2
Macho Brace and Power Items
The Macho Brace doubles EVs earned from combat, at the cost of halving your in-combat speed while equipped. For example, a Pokemon that normally rewards 1 Speed EV will reward 2 Speed EVs if your Pokemon wore a Macho Brace. You can get one from a man at the eastern gate in Raimon City.
The Power Items reward 4 EVs to their corresponding stat after each combat your Pokemon participate in, at the cost of halving your in-combat speed while equipped. Each Power Item will reward the corresponding EVs regardless of what you earn otherwise. You need to spend BP in the Battle Subway to purchase each Power Item, and it's recommended you purchase all six. Each Power Item costs 16 BP (for a total of 96 BP for all six). The list is:
Pokerus
A Pokemon that is infected by Pokerus, or has been cured of Pokerus, will earn double the EVs it normally would. This stacks with the Macho Brace and the Power items.
It's recommended that you infect the Pokemon you want EV trained with Pokerus, to save you a significant amount of time EV training.
The very fastest EV training is with Pokerus and a Power Item, earning EVs at this rate per combat:
(y + 4) * 2
where y is the amount of EV you would earn alone.
Vitamins and Wings
Vitamins will grant your Pokemon 10 EVs to the corresponding stat, until your Pokemon reaches 100 EV in that stat.
In Black and White you can buy each of the Vitamins at Shopping Mall R9, located on Route 9 for 9800 Poke-dollars. You can also buy them in the Battle Subway for 1BP each. They are as follows:
The Wings will grant your Pokemon 1 EV to the corresponding stat, but can be used over the 100 EV limit. You can acquire them on Driftveil Drawbridge and the Wonder Bridge. They are as follows:
EV Erasing Berries
If for some reason you need to undo your EV training, you can use six special berries that reduce your Pokemon's EVs by 10 per usage. They are as follows:
Also, if your Pokemon has over 100 EVs already invested, consuming one of these berries will drop you down to 100 EVs exactly, regardless of how many you already had! So to completely erase your invested EVs, you need 11 Berries.
Unlike previous generations, acquiring these berries is not easy in-game, as you have no way of growing berries in-game. The only easy way you can acquire them is through the Dream World. If you don't have the ability to connect to the Dream World, then you will need to be very careful about your EV training!
EVing for Level 50
If you plan on battling using the Flat Battle rules, in the Battle Subway, or at the VGC, then this section contains a few important exceptions.
The following rules are here to guide you so that you don't waste EVs when you EV train your Pokemon.
The HP formula at level 50 simplifies to the following:
HP = (2 * BaseHP + IV + (EV / 4)) * Level / 100 + Level + 10
HP = (2 * BaseHP + IV + (EV / 4)) * 50/100 + 50 + 10
HP = (2 * BaseHP + IV + (EV / 4)) * 0.5 + 60
HP = BaseHP + 0.5 * IV + 0.125 * EV + 60
The Stat formula at level 50 simplifies to the following:
Stat = ((2 * BaseStat + IV + (EV / 4)) * Level / 100 + 5) * Nature
Stat = ((2 * BaseStat + IV + (EV / 4)) * 50/100 + 5) * Nature
Stat = ((2 * BaseStat + IV + (EV / 4)) * 0.5 + 5) * Nature
Stat = (BaseStat + 0.5 * IV + 0.125 * EV + 5) * Nature
Essentially it means that the effectiveness of IVs and EVs is halved, which brings us to the first rule:
Rule 1: Stat Gains for EVs are Halved
At level 50, it essentially takes 8 EVs to equal one stat point. So instead of having your EVs divided by 4 at all times, you should have your EVs divided by 8 at all times, right? This limits us to 248 EVs in a given stat, right?
Well, not so fast! See rule number two.
Rule 2: IV/2 + EVs/8 must be a whole number
This is a very important rule! If IV/2 + EV/8 is not a whole number, then you will waste EVs!
Alternatively, this rule can be written as "IV + EV/4 must be an even number".
Because of how stats are calculated (After adding IV and EV gain, you round down), if your Pokemon has an odd IV (such as 31), then the total stat gain from EVs (that is, EV/4) should also be odd, so that they are both divisible by two. If your Pokemon's IV is even (such as 30), then the total EV gain (EV / 4) should also be even.
To show you what I'm talking about, let's take an example, again using our Victini.
With a base 100 Attack, the stat formula at level 50 becomes:
Stat = (BaseStat + 0.5 * IV + 0.125 EV + 5) * Nature
Now, you would think that you would want your EVs to be 248 since it is divisible by 8, right? Let's plug in 100 for base Attack, 31 IV, and 248 EV (248 is divisible by 8), and see what we get:
Stat = (100 + 0.5 * 31 + 0.125 * 248 + 5) * Nature
Stat = (100 + 15.5 + 31 + 5) * Nature
Stat = (151.5) * Nature
Now because of rounding, we must round 151.5 down to 151. Essentially, we just wasted 4 EVs! We could save those EVs if we just make IV/2 + EV/8 a whole number.
Lets bump our EVs up to 252.
Stat = (BaseStat + 0.5 * IV + 0.125 * EV + 5) * Nature
Stat = (100 + 0.5 * 31 + 0.125 * 252 + 5) * Nature
Stat = (100 + 15.5 + 31.5 + 5) * Nature
Stat = (152) * Nature
Because 152 is a whole number, no rounding is necessary. And we got maximum effectiveness out of our EVs.
Now what do we do if our IV is 30 instead of 31? In that case, we should lower our EVs in the stat to only 248, so that we don't end up with a decimal point.
Stat = (BaseStat + 0.5 * 30 + 0.125 * 248 + 5) * Nature
Stat = (BaseStat + 15 + 31 + 5) * Nature
Since 15 and 31 both add up to whole numbers (46), no EVs are wasted.
Effort Lady
In Opelucid City, in a house directly north of the Pokemon Center, is a lady that will tell you if you have completely EV trained your Pokemon.
When you talk to her, she will examine your lead Pokemon in your party, and will say how much effort your Pokemon has put in.
If your Pokemon has 0 to 509 EV points, she will say:
"Your <Pokemon>...
looks like it can try a little harder."
If your Pokemon has 510 EV points (the maximum), she will say:
"Your <Pokemon>...
has put in a great effort!"
You can conveniently use her to verify that you have properly EV trained your Pokemon. Here's how:
1. Earn precisely 508 EVs (the effective maximum)
2. Talk to her. She should say "Your <Pokemon>...looks like it can try a little harder."
3. Use one Wing of your choice.
4. Talk to her. Her message should not have changed.
5. Use one more Wing of your choice.
6. Talk to her. Her message should now say "Your <Pokemon>...has put in a great effort!"
If you don't have two feathers to use, you can also earn exactly 2 EVs of your choice and talk to her to see if your message changes.
If for some reason you receive the "great effort" message before you expect to, then you have improperly EV trained, and you should probably reset and start over, or use EV-erasing berries.
Credits
The authors of the 4th Gen EVing Manual, for which this 5th Gen Manual is modeled after.
Arseus, for the Stats in DP guide.
Ditto, for compiling the B/W EV Training Hotspots, and for the Battle Mechanics at Level 50 guide.
Changes from Fourth Generation
If you are familiar with Fourth Generation EV Training, then EV training in Fifth Generation is largely the same with a couple differences.
EVs are applied immediately after Combat
This is the biggest change in EV training since the entire EV system was changed with Gen 3.
In Gen 5, after defeating a Pokemon and earning EVs, they are applied immediately to your Pokemon when the combat ends, or you level up mid-combat. This means you can see the fruits of your labor immediately, without having to wait for your Pokemon to level up, and without having to resort to such things as the "Box Trick".
This also leads to the next major change.
Level 100 Pokemon can earn EVs through combat.
That's right! Pokemon who can only be acquired at level 100 --- such as Arceus --- can now be properly EV trained! This also means that you can re-train your prized level 100 Pokemon if you so desired.
Wings can be used to go over the 100 EV limit that Vitamins cannot.
On Driftveil Drawbridge and the Marvelous Bridge, you can acquire different Wings that work like mini-Vitamins. There are two major differences:
First, these Wings only grant 1 EV, not 10 like Vitamins.
Second, they are not subject to the 100 EV limit that Vitamins are.
This means that using Wings, you can theoretically EV train your Pokemon all the way to 510 EVs without ever engaging in combat, if you so desired.
Effort Ribbon
In Black and White, you can no longer earn an Effort Ribbon for reaching 510 EVs. You can still check to see if you have properly EV trained, however.
How EVs Work
Effort Values, or EVs for short, allow you to further build upon your Pokemon's basic stats. They are extremely important in the world of competitive Pokemon battling. The more EVs you invest in a stat, the higher that Pokemon's stats will be.
To really understand EVs, you have to know more about how a Pokemon's stats are calculated. The following two formulas determine your Pokemon's stats (round down after every parenthesis)
HP = ((2 * BaseHP + IV + (EV / 4)) * Level / 100 + Level + 10)
Stat = (((2 * BaseStat + IV + (EV / 4)) * Level / 100 + 5) * Nature)
Where
BaseHP = your Pokemon's base HP
BaseStat = your Pokemon's base stat for your given statistic (Attack, Defense, etc)
IV = the IV value of your Pokemon's stats (anywhere from 0 to 31)
EV = the amount of EVs you invested into your Pokemon (anywhere from 0 to 255)
Nature = Nature modifier for the given stat (0.9, 1.0, and 1.1)
Level = Your Pokemon's current level.
There are five basic rules that must be followed and remembered:
Rule 1: At level 100, for every 4 EVs that a Pokémon gains in a particular stat, the stat is increased by one point.
This means that if you had 252 EVs into Attack (the maximum effective amount of EVs, more on that later), your Pokemon's Attack stat will go up by 63.
Here's an example. Let's take everyone's new favorite rodent, Victini.
It's base Attack stat is 100, so it's maximum Attack at level 100 is 236 (Assuming a Neutral nature and 31 Attack IVs). However, throw in 252 Attack EVs, and it's maximum Attack goes up to a whopping 299.
Stat = (((2 * BaseStat + IV + (EV / 4)) * Level / 100 + 5) * Nature)
Attack = (((2 * 100 + 31 + (252 / 4)) * 100/100 + 5) * 1.0)
Attack = (((231 + 63) * 1 + 5) * 1.0)
Attack = ((294 * 1 + 5) * 1.0)
Attack = ((299) * 1.0)
Attack = 299
You should also keep in mind that Natures affect stats after EVs are figured in. So if our Victini had a +Attack nature (such as Adamant), you would multiply our 299 Attack stat by 1.1, which brings us to 328.8 (Rounding down, it becomes 328). Likewise if we had a -Attack nature (such as Modest), we would multiply our 299 Attack stat by 0.9, which brings us to 269.1 (Or after rounding, 269).
In general it's a bad idea to invest EVs in stats negatively affected by Nature, since it undermines much of the EV work that you do in the first place.
Rule 2: EVs invested should always be divisible by four
Due to how statistics are calculated, this is one very important rule you must follow. Any leftover EVs after you divide them by four is wasted.
For example, if you earned 253 Attack EVs, 253 divided by 4 = 63.25, which is rounded down to 63. Those 0.25 stat points are completely wasted.
Using our formula, we will look at the important part of the equation:
Stat = (((2 * BaseStat + IV + (EV / 4)) * Level / 100 + 5) * Nature)
(EV / 4) = (253 / 4) = (63.25)
And remember to round down, so 63.25 = 63.
Rule 3: Each EV can have a maximum of 255 points invested. You can at most have 510 total EVs earned.
Keep in mind that, because EVs should always be divisible by four, the effective maximum you can invest is 252 EVs.
Because 510 EVs is the absolute maximum, and 252 is the effective maximum per stat, that means you can --- at most --- max out two stats, leaving you with 6 EVs left over. This allows you to invest 4 EVs into one more stat, and you will always be left with 2 EVs left over no matter what.
Rule 4: You gain EVs by defeating in-game Pokémon. Different Pokémon give different EVs.
Each Pokemon you fight in-game awards a different amount of EVs. For example, Patrat will award 1 Attack EV, while Blitzle will award 1 Speed EV.
This includes not just wild Pokemon battles, but Trainer Battles, Double Battles, Triple Battles, Rotation Battles, and even Legendary Pokemon such as Reshiram and Zekrom. In Double, Triple, and Rotation battles, all Pokemon that participate in the battle will earn EVs.
One important exception: You do not earn EVs in battles against other players, nor do you earn EVs in the Battle Subway.
Rule 5: - A Pokémon starts gaining EVs from its very first battle.
This is perhaps the very most important rule of all. Every battle that your Pokemon participate in, it will earn EVs. This includes using an Exp. Share, and includes switching out of combat without attacking!
It's vitally important that you are ready for EV training before you begin exposing your Pokemon to combat.
EV Training Hotspots
Although you can train your EVs off of Pokemon anywhere you want, there are certain ideal locations in-game where you can train your Pokemon in the fastest possible manner, and with the least effort.
HPPoke | Levels | Location | EVs Given
Stunfisk | 15-35 | Route 8 / Icirrus City (Surf) | 2
Victini | 15 | Liberty Island | 3*
* NOTE: Only if Victini has not been captured, and you have access to Liberty Island.
Attack
Patrat / Lillipup | 2-4 | Route 1 | 1
Tranquill / Druddigon / Mienfoo | 31-33 | Dragonspiral Tower - Outside/Entrance (Single Grass) - Spring/Summer/Autumn | 2 / 2 / 1
*Note: Only a 70% chance of encounter*
Tranquill / Sawsbuck / Druddigon / Mienfoo | 34-37 | Dragonspiral Tower - Outside (Double Grass) - Spring/Summer/Autumn | 2 / 2 / 2 / 1
Sawsbuck / Beartic / Mienfoo | 30-33 | Dragonspiral Tower - Outside/Entrance (Double Grass) - Winter | 2 / 2 / 1
*Note: Only a 70% chance of encounter*
Druddigon / Golett / Meinfoo | 30-33 | Dragonspiral Tower - 1F | 2 / 1 / 1
Golett | 30-33 | Dragonspiral Tower - 2F | 1
Defense
Roggenrola | 10-13 | Wellspring Cave | 1
*NOTE: Only has a 50% chance of encounter*
Sandslash / Cofagrigus / Onix | 47-50 | Relic Castle - B4F | 2 / 2 / 1
*NOTE: Only has a 65% chance of encounter*
Sewaddle / Venipede | 14-17 | Pinwheel Forest (Inner area) | 1 / 1
*NOTE: Only has a 50% chance of encounter*
Special Attack
Litwick | 26-29 | Celestial Tower - 2F | 1
Litwick / Elgyem | 26-29 | Celestial Tower - 3F to 5F | 1
Special Defense
Frillish | 5-15 | Route 4 / 17 / 18 / Driftveil City (Surf) | 1
Claydol | 47-50 | Relic Castle - Maze End | 2
Speed
Basculin | 5-15 | Route 1 / 3 / 6 / Striaton City (Surf) | 2
Macho Brace and Power Items
The Macho Brace doubles EVs earned from combat, at the cost of halving your in-combat speed while equipped. For example, a Pokemon that normally rewards 1 Speed EV will reward 2 Speed EVs if your Pokemon wore a Macho Brace. You can get one from a man at the eastern gate in Raimon City.
The Power Items reward 4 EVs to their corresponding stat after each combat your Pokemon participate in, at the cost of halving your in-combat speed while equipped. Each Power Item will reward the corresponding EVs regardless of what you earn otherwise. You need to spend BP in the Battle Subway to purchase each Power Item, and it's recommended you purchase all six. Each Power Item costs 16 BP (for a total of 96 BP for all six). The list is:
- Power Weight - 4 HP
- Power Bracer - 4 Attack
- Power Belt - 4 Defense
- Power Lens - 4 Special Attack
- Power Band - 4 Special Defense
- Power Anklet - 4 Speed
Pokerus
A Pokemon that is infected by Pokerus, or has been cured of Pokerus, will earn double the EVs it normally would. This stacks with the Macho Brace and the Power items.
It's recommended that you infect the Pokemon you want EV trained with Pokerus, to save you a significant amount of time EV training.
The very fastest EV training is with Pokerus and a Power Item, earning EVs at this rate per combat:
(y + 4) * 2
where y is the amount of EV you would earn alone.
Vitamins and Wings
Vitamins will grant your Pokemon 10 EVs to the corresponding stat, until your Pokemon reaches 100 EV in that stat.
In Black and White you can buy each of the Vitamins at Shopping Mall R9, located on Route 9 for 9800 Poke-dollars. You can also buy them in the Battle Subway for 1BP each. They are as follows:
- HP Up - 10 HP EVs
- Protein - 10 Strength EVs
- Iron - 10 Defense EVs
- Calcium - 10 Special Attack EVs
- Zinc - 10 Special Defense EVs
- Carbos - 10 Speed EVs
The Wings will grant your Pokemon 1 EV to the corresponding stat, but can be used over the 100 EV limit. You can acquire them on Driftveil Drawbridge and the Wonder Bridge. They are as follows:
- Health Wing - 1 HP EV
- Muscle Wing - 1 Strength EV
- Resist Wing - 1 Defense EV
- Genius Wing - 1 Special Attack EV
- Clever Wing - 1 Special Defense EV
- Swift Wing - 1 Speed EV
EV Erasing Berries
If for some reason you need to undo your EV training, you can use six special berries that reduce your Pokemon's EVs by 10 per usage. They are as follows:
- Pomeg Berry - Removes 10 HP EVs
- Kelpsy Berry - Removes 10 Strength EVs
- Qualot Berry - Removes 10 Defense EVs
- Hondew Berry - Removes 10 Special Attack EVs
- Grepa Berry - Removes 10 Special Defense EVs
- Tamato Berry - Removes 10 Speed EVs
Also, if your Pokemon has over 100 EVs already invested, consuming one of these berries will drop you down to 100 EVs exactly, regardless of how many you already had! So to completely erase your invested EVs, you need 11 Berries.
Unlike previous generations, acquiring these berries is not easy in-game, as you have no way of growing berries in-game. The only easy way you can acquire them is through the Dream World. If you don't have the ability to connect to the Dream World, then you will need to be very careful about your EV training!
EVing for Level 50
If you plan on battling using the Flat Battle rules, in the Battle Subway, or at the VGC, then this section contains a few important exceptions.
The following rules are here to guide you so that you don't waste EVs when you EV train your Pokemon.
The HP formula at level 50 simplifies to the following:
HP = (2 * BaseHP + IV + (EV / 4)) * Level / 100 + Level + 10
HP = (2 * BaseHP + IV + (EV / 4)) * 50/100 + 50 + 10
HP = (2 * BaseHP + IV + (EV / 4)) * 0.5 + 60
HP = BaseHP + 0.5 * IV + 0.125 * EV + 60
The Stat formula at level 50 simplifies to the following:
Stat = ((2 * BaseStat + IV + (EV / 4)) * Level / 100 + 5) * Nature
Stat = ((2 * BaseStat + IV + (EV / 4)) * 50/100 + 5) * Nature
Stat = ((2 * BaseStat + IV + (EV / 4)) * 0.5 + 5) * Nature
Stat = (BaseStat + 0.5 * IV + 0.125 * EV + 5) * Nature
Essentially it means that the effectiveness of IVs and EVs is halved, which brings us to the first rule:
Rule 1: Stat Gains for EVs are Halved
At level 50, it essentially takes 8 EVs to equal one stat point. So instead of having your EVs divided by 4 at all times, you should have your EVs divided by 8 at all times, right? This limits us to 248 EVs in a given stat, right?
Well, not so fast! See rule number two.
Rule 2: IV/2 + EVs/8 must be a whole number
This is a very important rule! If IV/2 + EV/8 is not a whole number, then you will waste EVs!
Alternatively, this rule can be written as "IV + EV/4 must be an even number".
Because of how stats are calculated (After adding IV and EV gain, you round down), if your Pokemon has an odd IV (such as 31), then the total stat gain from EVs (that is, EV/4) should also be odd, so that they are both divisible by two. If your Pokemon's IV is even (such as 30), then the total EV gain (EV / 4) should also be even.
To show you what I'm talking about, let's take an example, again using our Victini.
With a base 100 Attack, the stat formula at level 50 becomes:
Stat = (BaseStat + 0.5 * IV + 0.125 EV + 5) * Nature
Now, you would think that you would want your EVs to be 248 since it is divisible by 8, right? Let's plug in 100 for base Attack, 31 IV, and 248 EV (248 is divisible by 8), and see what we get:
Stat = (100 + 0.5 * 31 + 0.125 * 248 + 5) * Nature
Stat = (100 + 15.5 + 31 + 5) * Nature
Stat = (151.5) * Nature
Now because of rounding, we must round 151.5 down to 151. Essentially, we just wasted 4 EVs! We could save those EVs if we just make IV/2 + EV/8 a whole number.
Lets bump our EVs up to 252.
Stat = (BaseStat + 0.5 * IV + 0.125 * EV + 5) * Nature
Stat = (100 + 0.5 * 31 + 0.125 * 252 + 5) * Nature
Stat = (100 + 15.5 + 31.5 + 5) * Nature
Stat = (152) * Nature
Because 152 is a whole number, no rounding is necessary. And we got maximum effectiveness out of our EVs.
Now what do we do if our IV is 30 instead of 31? In that case, we should lower our EVs in the stat to only 248, so that we don't end up with a decimal point.
Stat = (BaseStat + 0.5 * 30 + 0.125 * 248 + 5) * Nature
Stat = (BaseStat + 15 + 31 + 5) * Nature
Since 15 and 31 both add up to whole numbers (46), no EVs are wasted.
Effort Lady
In Opelucid City, in a house directly north of the Pokemon Center, is a lady that will tell you if you have completely EV trained your Pokemon.
When you talk to her, she will examine your lead Pokemon in your party, and will say how much effort your Pokemon has put in.
If your Pokemon has 0 to 509 EV points, she will say:
"Your <Pokemon>...
looks like it can try a little harder."
If your Pokemon has 510 EV points (the maximum), she will say:
"Your <Pokemon>...
has put in a great effort!"
You can conveniently use her to verify that you have properly EV trained your Pokemon. Here's how:
1. Earn precisely 508 EVs (the effective maximum)
2. Talk to her. She should say "Your <Pokemon>...looks like it can try a little harder."
3. Use one Wing of your choice.
4. Talk to her. Her message should not have changed.
5. Use one more Wing of your choice.
6. Talk to her. Her message should now say "Your <Pokemon>...has put in a great effort!"
If you don't have two feathers to use, you can also earn exactly 2 EVs of your choice and talk to her to see if your message changes.
If for some reason you receive the "great effort" message before you expect to, then you have improperly EV trained, and you should probably reset and start over, or use EV-erasing berries.
Credits
The authors of the 4th Gen EVing Manual, for which this 5th Gen Manual is modeled after.
Arseus, for the Stats in DP guide.
Ditto, for compiling the B/W EV Training Hotspots, and for the Battle Mechanics at Level 50 guide.