A Guide to EV Training with Hordes

I dunno if anyone else has noticed this but since I havn't seen anyone mention it, I thought i might as well post on it.
You can use the power items to change what EVs you get from each horde.
For example, say you want to EV train your pokemon in 252atk/252spe so you head on over to route 19 for the atk EVs.
You follow the steps to max out the atk to 252 (pokerus, power bracer, etc)
The next step is the interesting part: simply change your power item to power anklet in this case (or w/e EV you want) and kill ONLY the hordes that give you the atk EVs (in this case, weepinbells and arboks)
For whatever the reason, after you max out one of your EVs, the EVs you get for that stat (maxed atk EVs then fight another atk boosting horde) convert to EVs that match the power item held.
So if your pokemon is equipped with power anklet, all of the atk EVs you gained are actually put into speed.
This does not work (atleast from my tests) if your pokemon is not maxed out in the EV the horde gives (so accidentally killing a gligar horde would end up giving EVs in defense despite holding power anklet)
I've trained multiple pokemon in different stats (gible, ferrothorn, tyrannitar, etc) so I'm pretty sure it should work for all stats and pokemons.
I find this much easier than having to switch locations and having to deal with dumb geodudes with sturdy or wingulls (no earthquake trololo D:) so I hope this speeds up EV training for you guys.
 
I dunno if anyone else has noticed this but since I havn't seen anyone mention it, I thought i might as well post on it.
You can use the power items to change what EVs you get from each horde.
For example, say you want to EV train your pokemon in 252atk/252spe so you head on over to route 19 for the atk EVs.
You follow the steps to max out the atk to 252 (pokerus, power bracer, etc)
The next step is the interesting part: simply change your power item to power anklet in this case (or w/e EV you want) and kill ONLY the hordes that give you the atk EVs (in this case, weepinbells and arboks)
For whatever the reason, after you max out one of your EVs, the EVs you get for that stat (maxed atk EVs then fight another atk boosting horde) convert to EVs that match the power item held.
So if your pokemon is equipped with power anklet, all of the atk EVs you gained are actually put into speed.
This does not work (atleast from my tests) if your pokemon is not maxed out in the EV the horde gives (so accidentally killing a gligar horde would end up giving EVs in defense despite holding power anklet)
I've trained multiple pokemon in different stats (gible, ferrothorn, tyrannitar, etc) so I'm pretty sure it should work for all stats and pokemons.
I find this much easier than having to switch locations and having to deal with dumb geodudes with sturdy or wingulls (no earthquake trololo D:) so I hope this speeds up EV training for you guys.
Actually, you're wrong.

This is what really happens. See, the Power Items all have an effect. They give +4 EVs in whatever stat they do, such as Lens = SpAtk. So for example, I put a Power lens on a mon and kill a horde of Vanillite. Each Vanillite gives 1 SpAtk EV, and the Power Lens gives 4 SpAtk EVs added on to whatever I killed, giving me a total of 1+4 SpAtk EVs multiplied by 5 for a total of 25 EVs.

Now what happens when I still have a Power Lens on, but I kill a horde of Gligar, which gives Def EVs? 5 Gligar means 5 Def EVs. However, the mon holding the Power Lens will still get +4 SpAtk EVs added onto the EVs from whatever mon I kill. So, I will gain +5 Def EVs and 20 SpAtk EVs. I tried EVing a mon in Speed and SpAtk. In a route where Wingulls (Spe) and Mareep (SpAtk) both appear, if I'm holding the Power Anklet (+ Speed EVs) and kill a horde of Mareep, I will gain SpAtk EVs and Speed EVs thanks to the Power Anklet. The reason you are getting EVs from a non +Atk power item when killing Atk EV mons is because of the properties of the Power items. They always give you +4 EVs in whatever stat they give, no matter what EVs the mons you defeat give.
 
Actually, you're wrong.

This is what really happens. See, the Power Items all have an effect. They give +4 EVs in whatever stat they do, such as Lens = SpAtk. So for example, I put a Power lens on a mon and kill a horde of Vanillite. Each Vanillite gives 1 SpAtk EV, and the Power Lens gives 4 SpAtk EVs added on to whatever I killed, giving me a total of 1+4 SpAtk EVs multiplied by 5 for a total of 25 EVs.

Now what happens when I still have a Power Lens on, but I kill a horde of Gligar, which gives Def EVs? 5 Gligar means 5 Def EVs. However, the mon holding the Power Lens will still get +4 SpAtk EVs added onto the EVs from whatever mon I kill. So, I will gain +5 Def EVs and 20 SpAtk EVs. I tried EVing a mon in Speed and SpAtk. In a route where Wingulls (Spe) and Mareep (SpAtk) both appear, if I'm holding the Power Anklet (+ Speed EVs) and kill a horde of Mareep, I will gain SpAtk EVs and Speed EVs thanks to the Power Anklet. The reason you are getting EVs from a non +Atk power item when killing Atk EV mons is because of the properties of the Power items. They always give you +4 EVs in whatever stat they give, no matter what EVs the mons you defeat give.
Ahh, that makes sense. I did think I was getting less EV using power items on the wrong horde but was never really able to check the numbers since I don't have the berries I need for the reset juice nor any of the reset bags. Thanks for the correction.
 
hm... so I thought I'd finish off my Volcarona to perfection in the frost cavern, but it's been about 10 minutes and I'm getting the strong feeling that cubchoo is common, not vanillish. Perhaps it's because i'm standing near the entrance? Are the encounter rates different elsewhere in the cave?

Also, in case nobody knew you can use punching bags while riding your bike. I'll sometimes get a few evs while breeding pokemon.
 
lol when I went to frost cavern I found maybe 1 in every 5 horde wa a cubchoo one and that wa right in front of the entrance so you've jut been unlucky
 
So this means that, if I have Pokerus and the specific Power item attached to a Pokemon, and I battled only 4 out of 5 of the horde mons. Will i get 40 EVs?
 
Hello everyone! I'm a Newb. Simple as that. I have never done EV training before, but I understand (to a degree) what it's about and why it's useful.

Would anyone be so kind as to point me in the direction of a thread explaining the ins and outs, the good and the bad, the rules and all that other stuff I might need to know about EV training? I haven't played Pokemon competitively since Blue Version. All the help I can get is what I'm after.
 

Stellar

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Hello everyone! I'm a Newb. Simple as that. I have never done EV training before, but I understand (to a degree) what it's about and why it's useful.

Would anyone be so kind as to point me in the direction of a thread explaining the ins and outs, the good and the bad, the rules and all that other stuff I might need to know about EV training? I haven't played Pokemon competitively since Blue Version. All the help I can get is what I'm after.
This guide should help you. It was made for Black and White, but it is essentially as applicable to XY--the only major difference being the introduction of Horde Battles and Super Training (the former of which is covered in this thread). If you have any more questions, just post them in this topic and someone should be able to address them.
 
Does Wingull give 1 Spe EV FOR SURE? Cause the EVs on my Talonflame are off (I maxed out before I thought I should've) and right now while training a Gible, I maxed out when I thought I was at 200 Speed EVs. I know I maxed out cause I saw my stat distribution on the Super Training app was a bit high for having what I thought was 200 but I went to do super training and it said I was already a master of speed.

I thought I had just lost track of the EVs the first time around on my Talonflame but now that this happened again with Gible I think I either might be doing something wrong or that Wingull hordes give out more than 50 EVs per horde.

I'm using PokeRus with Power Items to EV train with the Exp Share on.

EDIT: Last time I trained was in 4th gen but I did follow this guide to make sure I had accounted for any changes in EV training. But if anyone hears of a mistake that 4th gen peeps in particular are committing a lot then let me know.

EDIT 2: I just redid the speed EV training on Murkrows and I got the right numbers. Well, it looks correct based on the graph in the super training app.
 
Last edited:

Stellar

of the Distant Past
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Admin Alumnusis a Top Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Discord Contributor Alumnusis a Researcher Alumnusis a CAP Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis an Administrator Alumnusis a Past SPL Champion
Does Wingull give 1 Spe EV FOR SURE? Cause the EVs on my Talonflame are off (I maxed out before I thought I should've) and right now while training a Gible, I maxed out when I thought I was at 200 Speed EVs. I know I maxed out cause I saw my stat distribution on the Super Training app was a bit high for having what I thought was 200 but I went to do super training and it said I was already a master of speed.

I thought I had just lost track of the EVs the first time around on my Talonflame but now that this happened again with Gible I think I either might be doing something wrong or that Wingull hordes give out more than 50 EVs per horde.

I'm using PokeRus with Power Items to EV train with the Exp Share on.

EDIT: Last time I trained was in 4th gen but I did follow this guide to make sure I had accounted for any changes in EV training. But if anyone hears of a mistake that 4th gen peeps in particular are committing a lot then let me know.

EDIT 2: I just redid the speed EV training on Murkrows and I got the right numbers. Well, it looks correct based on the graph in the super training app.
I always use Wingull and my EVs have never been off. The discrepancy in your stats probably stems from simple human error.
 
If we were picky about splitting EVs instead of just straight up maxing them, do you get the appropriate EV gains if you kill, say, 3/5 of the enemies in the horde and then run from battle?
 
Been using this method for the past few weeks. Totally beats Super Training, which takes 45-60 minutes and can be quite painful on my wrist (especially with the punchbag tapping). Heard it's awful for left handed people, too.
I use the Power Items + Pokerus and Gengar with Dazzling Gleam to knock out all 5 Pokemon at once, and I get a trained Pokemon in 10 minutes.
If I need a peculiar amount of EVS (like 32 Sp. Def on Skarmory), I just use Super Training for that one stat, easier to keep track of.
 
Some sites are claiming the existence of Gurdurr hordes in Victory Road, but I have personally never encountered one. Can anyone affirm their existence?
Uh hey guys, I did in fact run into a Gurrdurr horde in Victory Road but only one time. They seem to be quite rare. Just wanted to confirm that they do exist. I remember thinking "that's weird" then I just ran away cuz I didn't feel like watching them use bulk up a zillion times. In my opinion, horde battles are agonizingly slow (especially early game when they all use negative buffing moves) and I am so glad multi-hit moves hit them all and not just the most adjacent ones.
 

Stellar

of the Distant Past
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Admin Alumnusis a Top Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Discord Contributor Alumnusis a Researcher Alumnusis a CAP Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis an Administrator Alumnusis a Past SPL Champion
Uh hey guys, I did in fact run into a Gurrdurr horde in Victory Road but only one time. They seem to be quite rare. Just wanted to confirm that they do exist. I remember thinking "that's weird" then I just ran away cuz I didn't feel like watching them use bulk up a zillion times. In my opinion, horde battles are agonizingly slow (especially early game when they all use negative buffing moves) and I am so glad multi-hit moves hit them all and not just the most adjacent ones.
Which room in Victory Road were you in when you encountered the horde?
 
Which room in Victory Road were you in when you encountered the horde?
I think it may have been the room where its a cave and directly north is a boulder that can only be pushed from the top down and water to the right. Cuz I was on my way back.

EDIT: water to the left
 
I want to ask, do power items double power items? a 2 EV mob will turn into 2(2+4) = 12. Or is it 2(2) + 4 = 8? Just wanted to get a clarification for when I EV train pokemon with things like 88 attack.
 
About the special attack training, I think training on Spinda hordes in route 21 is better than in the frost cavern which is listed in the OP simply because Spinda hordes are funny because they look like drunktards bring pretty good xp for a horde.
 
About the special attack training, I think training on Spinda hordes in route 21 is better than in the frost cavern which is listed in the OP simply because Spinda hordes are funny because they look like drunktards bring pretty good xp for a horde.
Spinning all dei... *insert music here*

Seriously though, while I do love Spinda's animations think Spinda gives better EXP, the point of Horde training is to find the most efficient area to get EVs, not EXP. Frost Cavern is listed as the best place for SpA because it has both Vanillite hordes and Smoochum hordes. Route 21 only has Spinda.
 
Spinning all dei... *insert music here*

Seriously though, while I do love Spinda's animations think Spinda gives better EXP, the point of Horde training is to find the most efficient area to get EVs, not EXP. Frost Cavern is listed as the best place for SpA because it has both Vanillite hordes and Smoochum hordes. Route 21 only has Spinda.
That's a good point but Smoochum hordes are rare and the exp is significant enough, particularly when training for the Battle Maison so the Spinda horde should be mentioned.
 
That's a good point but Smoochum hordes are rare and the exp is significant enough, particularly when training for the Battle Maison so the Spinda horde should be mentioned.
EXP is piss easy to get in the game, really. All you need to do is get your EXP O-Power and go to the 3 star hotel in Rotation battles. I've trained multiple mons at once for the BM this way. And yes, Smoocum are rare, but that's the point. You come in expecting Vanillite hordes, and you can get either Cubchoo (don't care) or Smoochum (oh hey SpA too) instead. For the Spinda area, the other hordes don't give SpA so you're wasting time if they pop up instead.
 

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