Optimizing EVs

Learn how to efficiently train your Pokémon's EVs in Pokemon Sword and Shield using Power Items, Pokérus, Poké Jobs, and Vitamins. Maximize your Pokémon's stats!

Under normal conditions, increasing a Pokémon’s EVs (Effort Values) takes a long time. However, there are ways to speed things up in Pokémon Sword and Shield.

Preparations:

Firstly, make sure to buy one of each “Power” item (eg. Power Bracer) from the BP Shop in the first Hammerlocke Pokémon Center. There are 6 in total, one for each stat and they cost 10 BP each. To earn BP, you must fight in the post-game Battle Tower or by participate in online battles/tournaments. If you don’t have enough BP for all 6, prioritize the items that correspond to the stats that you need.

When a Pokémon holds a Power item, they will gain 8 additional EV in the corresponding stat (eg. Attack for the Power Bracer). However, note that the Pokémon’s Speed will be temporarily reduced. Although this usually doesn’t matter as the Pokémon holding it won’t be fighting.

Next, if you can, try to procure the Pokérus virus. You can obtain this yourself by coming into contact with a Pokérus-infected wild Pokémon, but the chance is tiny. Your best bet is to ask someone for a Pokémon infected with Pokérus, as it spreads easily to party members. A Pokémon infected with Pokérus will gain double the amount of EVs. Once a Pokémon’s been infected, it will be cured of Pokérus after a number of days pass, but it will always benefit from doubled EV gain. Cured Pokémon cannot spread Pokérus. You can “freeze” Pokérus by depositing a Pokémon in your boxes. Don’t worry if you can’t find somebody to give you Pokérus–it’s a luxury, not a necessity.

There are three main ways to increase a Pokémon’s EVs: battling wild Pokémon, Poké Jobs, and Vitamins.

EV Training by Battling Wild Pokémon:

The traditional method is to repeatedly make your Pokémon fight wild Pokémon. Each wild Pokémon defeated will yield 1 to 3 EVs in a particular stat. Lead with a Pokémon that already has max EVs or wants to gain the wild Pokémon’s EVs. Place the Pokémon that want to gain EVs in your party, while holding the relevant Power item. All other Pokémon that don’t want to gain EVs should be boxed.

Assuming they’re holding a Power item, to max your Pokémon’s EVs, you need to do 28 battles if the wild Pokémon gives 1 EV, 26 if they give 2 or 23 if they give 3. Halve these numbers (and round up) if your Pokémon is infected with or has cured Pokérus.

Here are some wild Pokémon that could be fought:

• Skwovet — Route 1 or 2 (+1 HP)
• Perrserker — Route 7 (+2 Attack)
• Rolycoly — Galar Mine (+1 Defence)
• Pelipper — Route 9 (North) (+2 Defence)
• Oddish — Dappled Grove (+1 Sp. Atk)
• Gastly — Watchtower Ruins (+1 Sp. Atk)
• Vanillite — Many Wild Area zones when snowing (+1 Sp. Atk)
• Impidimp — Glimwood Tangle (+1 Sp. Atk)
• Gossifleur — Route 3 (+1 Sp. Def)
• Rookidee — Route 1 or 2 (+1 Speed)
• Mr. Mime — Route 10 (+2 Speed)

EV Training with Poké Jobs:

After obtaining the 4th Gym badge, a set of 6 seminars will be added to the bottom of the list of Poké Jobs when using a PC. Each seminar focuses on improving EVs for a specific stat. You can send up to 10 Pokémon on a seminar for up to 24 hours and they’ll gain 4 EVs per hour. This is useful if you want to be hands-off.

Ideally, when sending a Pokémon on a seminar, you should make them hold the corresponding Power item. That way, they’ll gain 12 EVs per hour, reaching max EVs in 24 hours. If they also have Pokérus (or cured Pokérus), they will reach the maximum in 12 hours instead, so remember to adjust the time accordingly.

EV Training with Vitamins:

The final method is by using performance-enhancing drugs. You can purchase vitamins such as Protein from the right Poké Mart clerk in the first Wyndon Pokémon Center for 10,000 Poké Dollars apiece. Or you can get them for 2 BP each from the BP Shop in the first Hammerlocke Pokémon Center.

These vitamins will boost a Pokémon’s EVs by 10 in the corresponding stat (eg. Protein gives 10 Attack EVs). There is no additional limit to how many vitamins you can use on a Pokémon. So you can max a Pokémon’s EVs with just vitamins!

This is the quickest and easiest way, if you have money (or BP) to spend. To max one stat, you’ll need at least 25 of one vitamin, so that’s 250,000 Poké Dollars or 50 BP.