Noah★
Pokémon Ranger
I've been battling competitively for about 7-8 years now. One thing that has always been important is EV training. I made this guide a few years ago for the first Pokemon MMO I played (now long dead) that was also coincidentally set in the Johto region. It will need to be revised as this game is updated and more Pokemon are added.
What are EVs you ask? EV is short for Effort Value. You get effort values every time you gain experience from a pokemon. For every 4 EV points you have in a particular stat, you gain one extra point in that stat at level 100. e.g. let’s say for our purposes that if you got a Magikarp to level 100 using just Rare Candies, thus gaining no EVs, you would have an attack of 60. However if you had the same Magikarp gain 4 EVs in attack, once he is level 100 he would have an attack of 61, instead of an attack of 60.
In all statistics combined, you may have a total of 510 Evs. This means you can gain up to 127 points overall. In each individual statistic however, you may only have 255 EVs (Though you will only gain stat points up to 252 EVs). This means you can gain up to 63 extra points, in any given statistic.
A common EV Spread is 252/252/4 (which gives you 63/63/1 extra stat points) however many things are EV'd in a more precise spread to satisfy the requirements needed on that Pokémon.
Online, EV training is much harder, and much simpler than in the gameboy games. If you want to max out your EVs in a certain stat, you'll have to get 252 EVs in that stat without any held items or POKERUS infections. This means that if you want to max out your HP EVs, you'll have to fight 252 Woopers, or 252 of something else that gives 1 HP EV, or 126 of something that gives 2 HP EVs (like a Quagsire). Unfortunately, most things that you can find in any frequency will give not 2, but rather 1 EV in their stat.
Now admittedly, some people will not want to do this at all. It is hard and it is time consuming. But some people will, and for that reason Jacobe made this guide which gives, hopefully, the best locations in the current game to EV training in each stat, as well as a number of locations for EV training two stats at the same time. It also provides a (theoretically) helpful list of every pokemon in the game, organized by EVs given.
If there is anything you feel this guide needs to be top notch, feel free to give your contributions in a comment, and I will do my best to add them into the guide, if I judge them to be helpful.
HP
Pokemon that give HP EVs
The following currently catchable Pokemon give HP EVs:
Caterpie: 1
NidoranF: 1
Slowpoke: 1
Slowbro: 2
Lickitung: 2
Ditto: 1
HootHoot: 1
Noctowl: 2
Wooper: 1
Quagsire: 2
Wobbuffet: 2
Dunsparce: 1
Phanpy: 1
Places to do HP EV Training
One of the best places for HP EVs would be just inside Union cave, in the first little pool of water by the north entrance. Here, you can fight Woopers for 1 EV and Quagsires (at about 40% encounter rate) for 2 EVs. They will be level 15-24. This location goes slightly quicker than the Slowpoke well (listed below) because the quagsires give 2 HP EVs instead of just one, and it is closer to a Pokecenter.
Another very good place to get HP EVs in the current game is inside the slowpoke well in Azalea Town. Go there, surf on the water, and you shouldn't encounter anything but slowpokes from level 15-24, with the occasional higher level Slowbro. These guys give 1 and 2 HP EVs, respectively.
If you want to max out both your Sp. Def EVs and your HP EVs, you wouldn't find a better place than the ocean on east side of the route between Union cave and Violet City, where you can surf to find Tentacool/Tentacruel for Sp. Def EVs and Wooper/Quagsire for HP EVs. If you surf towards the bottom of this water, you will have the advantage of a very close Pokecenter, the same one that you would use to EV training inside of union cave.
If you can't surf but you are EV training, your best shot would probably be fighting HootHoot in the starting area, or fighting Noctowl below the Lake of Rage. I absolutely do not recommend either of these locations. You will go insane.
Attack:
Pokemon that Give Attack EVs
The following currently catchable Pokemon give Attack EVs:
Ekans: 1
NidoranM: 1
Paras: 1
Growlithe: 1
Bellsprout: 1
Weepinbell: 1
Farfetch'd: 1
Goldeen: 1
Seaking: 2
Tauros: 1 (Tauros also gives 1 speed point)
Gyarados: 1
Sentret: 1
Spinarak: 1
Ariados: 2
Snubbull: 1
Teddiursa: 1
Ursaring: 2
Swinub: 1
Donphan: 1 (Donphan also gives 1 Defense EV)
Stantler: 1
Doduo:1
Dotrio:2
Arbok:2
Places to do Attack EV Training
The best place to EV train in attack is route 26, the route right before the Pokemon league. Here you can find Doduo and ponyta for 1 point, and Dotrio and arbok for 2 points. During the day all of these pokemon are very common.
However, if you surf for Goldeens below the closed-off Mt. Mortar, you will do pretty well. Very rarely, you might also find a Seaking in the same location, which gives 2 points rather than just one. The encounter rate for Goldeens and Seakings here is somewhat annoyingly low, but all the same this is the best place to EV train attack, and works well when you are multi-tasking.
Or you can go to Tojho Falls where there are many goldeen and seaking
If you want to raise Attack and Speed EVs at the same time, go to the ice path. Swinubs will raise attack, while everhthing else except Jynx will raise speed, and you will only have to run away from the rare Jynx. The main frustration with the Ice Path is that, like the Goldeen pond, the Ice Path has a fairly low rate of encounter. You'll likely be doing more walking than fighting here. Route 26 is also useful for Attack and Speed since radiate, who gives 2 speed EVs, is also abundant there.
Another decent place to do Attack EV training is the grass patch just south of Blackthorn City. There, you can get EVs off of Teddiursa, and Donphan if you don't mind his Defense point as well. If you are doing both Attack and Defense training, this is a great place to go. However, you'll get quite a bit more defense than attack here, unless you keep careful track and run away from some of the geodudes and gravelers. I do not recommend this place since there are better places and it is a hassle to get here.
Defense:
Pokemon that give Defense EVs
The following currently catchable Pokemon give Defense EVs:
Metapod: 2
Kakuna: 2
Sandshrew: 1
Geodude: 1
Graveler: 2
Onix: 1
Koffing: 1
Weezing: 2
Tangela: 1
Skarmory: 2
Donphan: 1 (donphan also gives one attack point)
Gligar: 1
Miltank: 2
Places to do Defense EV Training
For a comparably shorter list, Defense offers many better locations than Attack for EV training.
Probably the best places to do Defense EV training is Union Cave. In Union cave, you can fight Sandshrew and Geodude, as well as the rare Onix, while running away from Zubat, Rattata and Wooper. However, the Sandshrews and Geodudes are so common that you'll be getting defense points rather quick, and the rate of encounter in this cave is pleasantly high. The levels of the mobs are also very low, meaning that you can cram a lot of defense points into only a few levels if, for whatever reason, you are EV training at the last minute. Finally, there is a Pokecenter right outside of the north entrance of the cave, which cuts the time you spend walking back and forth considerably. The only problem with this location is that encounters come so frequently that you might accidentally kill a Zubat or two. However, this could actually be a plus if, for whatever reason, you were training defense and speed at the same time.
If you don't like caves, you can also use the grass patch south of Blackthorn to boost Defense EVs. There, you can get 1 point from Geodude and Gligar and 2 from Graveler and the rare Skarmory. If you are also doing Attack EV training, you can fight Teddiursa for attack and Donphan for both defense and attack. As I mentioned above, this is the best place to do Defense training if you want to get some Attack EVs in as a bonus. Again, the Pokecenter is very close, but not as close as the one just outside of Union Cave.
Looking to train in an old rotten house? Look no further than the burned tower above Ecruteak! You'll be fighting only Koffing and weezing there. This is a great place to raise defense and speed at the same time by fighting rattata, Koffing and weezing. You can also look for a rare Magma while you EV train here. And of course, because this one is in a city, the Pokecenter is very close.
Special Attack:
Pokemon that give Special Attack EVs
The following currently catchable Pokemon give Special Attack EVs:
Oddish: 1
Venomoth: 1 (Venomoth also gives a speed EV)
Psyduck: 1
Golduck: 2
Abra: 1
Magnemite: 1
Gastly: 1
Horsea: 1
Jynx: 2
Magmar: 2
Mareep: 1
Sunkern: 1
Girafarig: 2
Places to do Special Attack EV Training
The psyduck pond above Goldenrod City is by far the best place to train Special Attack EVs. But how do you get there? First, go to the route north of Goldenrod City. On the left of the screen is a pond that you can access by going to the top of the route, going to the left past a juggler, and going back down south through the grass. In this pond, there is nothing but psyducks from level 15-24, with the occasional Golduck as well. The encounter rate here is not as high as it is in Union Cave or the Poliwag Pond (see speed below), but it is also not as low as it is in the Goldeen Pond. The only major disadvantage of this location is that you will have to walk all the way back up and down every time you want to go back and refresh your PP at the Pokecenter. Offset this somewhat by bringing a pokemon with a lot attack PP and shadow-leveling the pokemon you are EV training.
If you want to raise a pokemon's speed as well as its special attack, you might prefer to go to the sprout tower and fight Gastlies and Rattatas there at the same time. You will get more speed than Special attack here, so when you finish the speed portion of the training you might want to move to the psyduck pond and finish your special attack there. The pokemon's levels here are very low, so if you need to do a lot of Special attack at once, this is a great place to go. However, like in many other places, the encounter rate is somewhat low.
Special Defense:
Pokemon that give Special Defense EVs
The following currently catchable Pokemon give Special Defense EVs
Venonat: 1
Tentacool: 1
Tentacruel: 2
Drowzee: 1
Ledyba: 1
Ledian: 2
Hoppip: 1
Mantine: 2
Places to do Special Attack EV Training
The best place for Special Defense EVs is the ocean between Cianwood City and Olivine City. There, you will encounter nothing but Tentacool and the occasional Mantine/Tentacruel. Tentacools will give you 1 EV, while Tentacruel and Mantine will both give you 2. I would suggest surfing right next to the Olivine Pokecenter at the very beginning, or the Cianwood Pokecenter at the very end, but if you get bored you could go back and forth between the two. Just be sure to watch out for the trainers! The encounter rate here is medium, but not so excruciating that you will find yourself counting the steps between each encounter.
As I mentioned above, if you want to do HP EVs and SP DEF EVs at the same time, you can surf off the coast between Violet City and Union Cave for Tentacool/Tentacruel and Wooper/Quagsire, with a pokecenter nearby.
Speed:
Pokemon that give Speed EVs
Weedle: 1
Pidgey: 1
Pidgeotto: 2
Rattata: 1
Raticate: 2
Spearow: 1
Vulpix: 1
Zubat: 1
Golbat: 2
Venomoth: 1 (Venomoth also gives a Special attack EV)
Meowth: 1
Poliwag: 1
Poliwhirl: 2
Tauros: 1 (Tauros also gives an attack EV)
Magikarp: 1
Yanma: 1
Sneasel: 1
Delibird: 1
Places to do Speed EV Training
In my opinion the best place to do Speed EV training is a very small pond near the top of Ecruteak City. There, you can surf to find nothing but Poliwag and the occasional Poliwhirl. These will give 1 and 2 speed EVs, respectively. You can find similar ponds in a lot of locations, but there are two major advantages of this particular (albeit tiny) Poliwag pond. First, the poliwags will come at you at an almost staggering encounter rate. While surfing there, I usually encounter one, on average, every 3 steps. Second, the location is in a city, and thus very close to a PokeCenter.
A lot of people do Speed EV training via Magikarp slaying in the Lake of Rage or the Dragon Cave. If you want to look for Gyarados or Horsea while you are training, these can be decent locations, but if not you will be better off EV training at one of the poliwag ponds. The poliwag ponds are closer to Pokecenters, so you save a lot of time walking back and forth. They also have more common encounter rates.
As I said above, you can raise speed and Defense at the same time by training in either Union Cave or the Burned Tower. See the defense section for more details.
If you want to raise Attack and Speed EVs at the same time, go to the ice path. Swinubs will raise attack, while everything else except Jynx will raise speed, and you will only have to run away from the rare Jynx (or just catch it).
What are EVs you ask? EV is short for Effort Value. You get effort values every time you gain experience from a pokemon. For every 4 EV points you have in a particular stat, you gain one extra point in that stat at level 100. e.g. let’s say for our purposes that if you got a Magikarp to level 100 using just Rare Candies, thus gaining no EVs, you would have an attack of 60. However if you had the same Magikarp gain 4 EVs in attack, once he is level 100 he would have an attack of 61, instead of an attack of 60.
In all statistics combined, you may have a total of 510 Evs. This means you can gain up to 127 points overall. In each individual statistic however, you may only have 255 EVs (Though you will only gain stat points up to 252 EVs). This means you can gain up to 63 extra points, in any given statistic.
A common EV Spread is 252/252/4 (which gives you 63/63/1 extra stat points) however many things are EV'd in a more precise spread to satisfy the requirements needed on that Pokémon.
Online, EV training is much harder, and much simpler than in the gameboy games. If you want to max out your EVs in a certain stat, you'll have to get 252 EVs in that stat without any held items or POKERUS infections. This means that if you want to max out your HP EVs, you'll have to fight 252 Woopers, or 252 of something else that gives 1 HP EV, or 126 of something that gives 2 HP EVs (like a Quagsire). Unfortunately, most things that you can find in any frequency will give not 2, but rather 1 EV in their stat.
Now admittedly, some people will not want to do this at all. It is hard and it is time consuming. But some people will, and for that reason Jacobe made this guide which gives, hopefully, the best locations in the current game to EV training in each stat, as well as a number of locations for EV training two stats at the same time. It also provides a (theoretically) helpful list of every pokemon in the game, organized by EVs given.
If there is anything you feel this guide needs to be top notch, feel free to give your contributions in a comment, and I will do my best to add them into the guide, if I judge them to be helpful.
HP
Pokemon that give HP EVs
The following currently catchable Pokemon give HP EVs:
Caterpie: 1
NidoranF: 1
Slowpoke: 1
Slowbro: 2
Lickitung: 2
Ditto: 1
HootHoot: 1
Noctowl: 2
Wooper: 1
Quagsire: 2
Wobbuffet: 2
Dunsparce: 1
Phanpy: 1
Places to do HP EV Training
One of the best places for HP EVs would be just inside Union cave, in the first little pool of water by the north entrance. Here, you can fight Woopers for 1 EV and Quagsires (at about 40% encounter rate) for 2 EVs. They will be level 15-24. This location goes slightly quicker than the Slowpoke well (listed below) because the quagsires give 2 HP EVs instead of just one, and it is closer to a Pokecenter.
Another very good place to get HP EVs in the current game is inside the slowpoke well in Azalea Town. Go there, surf on the water, and you shouldn't encounter anything but slowpokes from level 15-24, with the occasional higher level Slowbro. These guys give 1 and 2 HP EVs, respectively.
If you want to max out both your Sp. Def EVs and your HP EVs, you wouldn't find a better place than the ocean on east side of the route between Union cave and Violet City, where you can surf to find Tentacool/Tentacruel for Sp. Def EVs and Wooper/Quagsire for HP EVs. If you surf towards the bottom of this water, you will have the advantage of a very close Pokecenter, the same one that you would use to EV training inside of union cave.
If you can't surf but you are EV training, your best shot would probably be fighting HootHoot in the starting area, or fighting Noctowl below the Lake of Rage. I absolutely do not recommend either of these locations. You will go insane.
Attack:
Pokemon that Give Attack EVs
The following currently catchable Pokemon give Attack EVs:
Ekans: 1
NidoranM: 1
Paras: 1
Growlithe: 1
Bellsprout: 1
Weepinbell: 1
Farfetch'd: 1
Goldeen: 1
Seaking: 2
Tauros: 1 (Tauros also gives 1 speed point)
Gyarados: 1
Sentret: 1
Spinarak: 1
Ariados: 2
Snubbull: 1
Teddiursa: 1
Ursaring: 2
Swinub: 1
Donphan: 1 (Donphan also gives 1 Defense EV)
Stantler: 1
Doduo:1
Dotrio:2
Arbok:2
Places to do Attack EV Training
The best place to EV train in attack is route 26, the route right before the Pokemon league. Here you can find Doduo and ponyta for 1 point, and Dotrio and arbok for 2 points. During the day all of these pokemon are very common.
However, if you surf for Goldeens below the closed-off Mt. Mortar, you will do pretty well. Very rarely, you might also find a Seaking in the same location, which gives 2 points rather than just one. The encounter rate for Goldeens and Seakings here is somewhat annoyingly low, but all the same this is the best place to EV train attack, and works well when you are multi-tasking.
Or you can go to Tojho Falls where there are many goldeen and seaking
If you want to raise Attack and Speed EVs at the same time, go to the ice path. Swinubs will raise attack, while everhthing else except Jynx will raise speed, and you will only have to run away from the rare Jynx. The main frustration with the Ice Path is that, like the Goldeen pond, the Ice Path has a fairly low rate of encounter. You'll likely be doing more walking than fighting here. Route 26 is also useful for Attack and Speed since radiate, who gives 2 speed EVs, is also abundant there.
Another decent place to do Attack EV training is the grass patch just south of Blackthorn City. There, you can get EVs off of Teddiursa, and Donphan if you don't mind his Defense point as well. If you are doing both Attack and Defense training, this is a great place to go. However, you'll get quite a bit more defense than attack here, unless you keep careful track and run away from some of the geodudes and gravelers. I do not recommend this place since there are better places and it is a hassle to get here.
Defense:
Pokemon that give Defense EVs
The following currently catchable Pokemon give Defense EVs:
Metapod: 2
Kakuna: 2
Sandshrew: 1
Geodude: 1
Graveler: 2
Onix: 1
Koffing: 1
Weezing: 2
Tangela: 1
Skarmory: 2
Donphan: 1 (donphan also gives one attack point)
Gligar: 1
Miltank: 2
Places to do Defense EV Training
For a comparably shorter list, Defense offers many better locations than Attack for EV training.
Probably the best places to do Defense EV training is Union Cave. In Union cave, you can fight Sandshrew and Geodude, as well as the rare Onix, while running away from Zubat, Rattata and Wooper. However, the Sandshrews and Geodudes are so common that you'll be getting defense points rather quick, and the rate of encounter in this cave is pleasantly high. The levels of the mobs are also very low, meaning that you can cram a lot of defense points into only a few levels if, for whatever reason, you are EV training at the last minute. Finally, there is a Pokecenter right outside of the north entrance of the cave, which cuts the time you spend walking back and forth considerably. The only problem with this location is that encounters come so frequently that you might accidentally kill a Zubat or two. However, this could actually be a plus if, for whatever reason, you were training defense and speed at the same time.
If you don't like caves, you can also use the grass patch south of Blackthorn to boost Defense EVs. There, you can get 1 point from Geodude and Gligar and 2 from Graveler and the rare Skarmory. If you are also doing Attack EV training, you can fight Teddiursa for attack and Donphan for both defense and attack. As I mentioned above, this is the best place to do Defense training if you want to get some Attack EVs in as a bonus. Again, the Pokecenter is very close, but not as close as the one just outside of Union Cave.
Looking to train in an old rotten house? Look no further than the burned tower above Ecruteak! You'll be fighting only Koffing and weezing there. This is a great place to raise defense and speed at the same time by fighting rattata, Koffing and weezing. You can also look for a rare Magma while you EV train here. And of course, because this one is in a city, the Pokecenter is very close.
Special Attack:
Pokemon that give Special Attack EVs
The following currently catchable Pokemon give Special Attack EVs:
Oddish: 1
Venomoth: 1 (Venomoth also gives a speed EV)
Psyduck: 1
Golduck: 2
Abra: 1
Magnemite: 1
Gastly: 1
Horsea: 1
Jynx: 2
Magmar: 2
Mareep: 1
Sunkern: 1
Girafarig: 2
Places to do Special Attack EV Training
The psyduck pond above Goldenrod City is by far the best place to train Special Attack EVs. But how do you get there? First, go to the route north of Goldenrod City. On the left of the screen is a pond that you can access by going to the top of the route, going to the left past a juggler, and going back down south through the grass. In this pond, there is nothing but psyducks from level 15-24, with the occasional Golduck as well. The encounter rate here is not as high as it is in Union Cave or the Poliwag Pond (see speed below), but it is also not as low as it is in the Goldeen Pond. The only major disadvantage of this location is that you will have to walk all the way back up and down every time you want to go back and refresh your PP at the Pokecenter. Offset this somewhat by bringing a pokemon with a lot attack PP and shadow-leveling the pokemon you are EV training.
If you want to raise a pokemon's speed as well as its special attack, you might prefer to go to the sprout tower and fight Gastlies and Rattatas there at the same time. You will get more speed than Special attack here, so when you finish the speed portion of the training you might want to move to the psyduck pond and finish your special attack there. The pokemon's levels here are very low, so if you need to do a lot of Special attack at once, this is a great place to go. However, like in many other places, the encounter rate is somewhat low.
Special Defense:
Pokemon that give Special Defense EVs
The following currently catchable Pokemon give Special Defense EVs
Venonat: 1
Tentacool: 1
Tentacruel: 2
Drowzee: 1
Ledyba: 1
Ledian: 2
Hoppip: 1
Mantine: 2
Places to do Special Attack EV Training
The best place for Special Defense EVs is the ocean between Cianwood City and Olivine City. There, you will encounter nothing but Tentacool and the occasional Mantine/Tentacruel. Tentacools will give you 1 EV, while Tentacruel and Mantine will both give you 2. I would suggest surfing right next to the Olivine Pokecenter at the very beginning, or the Cianwood Pokecenter at the very end, but if you get bored you could go back and forth between the two. Just be sure to watch out for the trainers! The encounter rate here is medium, but not so excruciating that you will find yourself counting the steps between each encounter.
As I mentioned above, if you want to do HP EVs and SP DEF EVs at the same time, you can surf off the coast between Violet City and Union Cave for Tentacool/Tentacruel and Wooper/Quagsire, with a pokecenter nearby.
Speed:
Pokemon that give Speed EVs
Weedle: 1
Pidgey: 1
Pidgeotto: 2
Rattata: 1
Raticate: 2
Spearow: 1
Vulpix: 1
Zubat: 1
Golbat: 2
Venomoth: 1 (Venomoth also gives a Special attack EV)
Meowth: 1
Poliwag: 1
Poliwhirl: 2
Tauros: 1 (Tauros also gives an attack EV)
Magikarp: 1
Yanma: 1
Sneasel: 1
Delibird: 1
Places to do Speed EV Training
In my opinion the best place to do Speed EV training is a very small pond near the top of Ecruteak City. There, you can surf to find nothing but Poliwag and the occasional Poliwhirl. These will give 1 and 2 speed EVs, respectively. You can find similar ponds in a lot of locations, but there are two major advantages of this particular (albeit tiny) Poliwag pond. First, the poliwags will come at you at an almost staggering encounter rate. While surfing there, I usually encounter one, on average, every 3 steps. Second, the location is in a city, and thus very close to a PokeCenter.
A lot of people do Speed EV training via Magikarp slaying in the Lake of Rage or the Dragon Cave. If you want to look for Gyarados or Horsea while you are training, these can be decent locations, but if not you will be better off EV training at one of the poliwag ponds. The poliwag ponds are closer to Pokecenters, so you save a lot of time walking back and forth. They also have more common encounter rates.
As I said above, you can raise speed and Defense at the same time by training in either Union Cave or the Burned Tower. See the defense section for more details.
If you want to raise Attack and Speed EVs at the same time, go to the ice path. Swinubs will raise attack, while everything else except Jynx will raise speed, and you will only have to run away from the rare Jynx (or just catch it).
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