Introduction
EV training in Black, White, Black 2, and White 2 has remained mostly identical to the fourth generation games save for a few small changes. The changes are comprised of a new mechanic, new items, and the return of a third generation mechanic regarding the EV reducing berries. The new mechanic is a change to when EVs are applied, with the Pokemon no longer having to level up for EVs to affect the stat. Wings make up the new set of items, giving 1 EV to a specific stat with each use. The fifth generation EV system certainly brought some interesting new tools to ease the odious task of EV training, but let's first revisit the basics of EV training.
How EVs Work
Effort Values, or EVs for short, allow you to further build upon your Pokemon's base stats. They are extremely important in the world of competitive Pokemon battling, as the more EVs you invest in a stat, the higher that Pokemon's stat 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 set of parentheses):
HP = ((2 * BaseHP + IV + (EV / 4)) * Level / 100 + Level + 10)
Stat = (((2 * BaseStat + IV + (EV / 4)) * Level / 100 + 5) * Nature)
Where:
BaseHP = The Pokemon's base HP
BaseStat = The 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's stat (anywhere from 0 to 255)
Nature = The nature modifier for the given stat (0.9, 1.0, or 1.1)
Level = The 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 Pokemon has in a particular stat, the stat is increased by one point.
This means that if you invest 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 using everyone's new favorite rodent, Victini.
Its base Attack stat is 100, so its maximum Attack at level 100 is 236 (assuming a neutral nature and 31 Attack IVs). However, throw in 252 Attack EVs, and that 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 an Attack-boosting nature (such as Adamant), you would multiply its 299 Attack stat by 1.1, bringing us to 328.8, which, after rounding down, becomes 328. Likewise, if we had an Attack-lowering nature (such as Modest), we would multiply the 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 are 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 stat can have a maximum of 255 EVs invested. Any Pokemon can only earn a maximum of 510 EVs.
Keep in mind that because EVs should always be divisible by four, the effective maximum you should 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 Pokemon. Different Pokemon give different EVs.
Each Pokemon you battle 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, and Rotation Battles. In double, triple, and rotation battles, all Pokemon that participate in the battle will earn EVs.
Of course, there is an exception to this rule: your Pokemon do not earn EVs in battles where they would not gain experience. This includes battles against other players via local wireless, IR, or Wi-Fi, the battle against Reshiram (Black) or Zekrom (White) at N's Castle, and battles against NPCs in the Battle Subway or Battle Institute.
Rule 5: A Pokemon starts gaining EVs from its very first battle.
This is perhaps the very most important rule of all. For every battle that your Pokemon participates in and gains experience, it will earn EVs. This includes using an Exp. Share as well as switching out without attacking!
It's vitally important that you are ready for EV training before you begin exposing your Pokemon to combat.
EV Training Tools
The following is a compendium of the various tools available to trainers to ease the burden of EV training. Once you are finished training, it may be helpful to compare the stats against a damage calculator to check your work.
Macho Brace and Power Items
The Macho Brace doubles the EVs earned from battle at the cost of halving your Pokemon's Speed while equipped. For example, a Pokemon that normally awards 1 Speed EV will award 2 Speed EVs if your Pokemon holds a Macho Brace. You can get one from a man in a baseball uniform at the eastern gate in Nimbasa City that leads to Route 16.
The Power Items reward an additional 4 EVs to their corresponding stat after each battle your Pokemon participates in at the cost of halving your Pokemon's Speed while equipped. Each Power Item will reward the corresponding EVs regardless of what you earn otherwise. The Power Items can be purchased for 16 BP each at the Battle Subway. It is recommended that you purchase all six (costing a total of 96 BP for the entire set). The list of Power Items includes:
Pokerus
A Pokemon that is infected by Pokerus or has been cured of Pokerus will earn double the EVs it normally would after a battle. This effect stacks with the boosts from Macho Brace and the Power Items. However, Pokerus does not double the EVs gained from Vitamins or Wings, which will be discussed later on.
It's recommended that you infect the Pokemon you want to EV train with Pokerus to save you a significant amount of time spent EV training. Pokerus is very rare, randomly appearing on one of your Pokemon after a battle. If you keep it in your party, it will eventually infect the other Pokemon. If the infected Pokemon is in your party for 1-4 days (A day corresponds to when the in-game clock rolls over to the next day. There is no way to tell exactly how long the infection will last), it can no longer spread the virus to other Pokemon, but the doubling effect of Pokerus remains. Keeping the infected Pokemon in your box prevents it from wearing off, keeping the Pokemon “contagious” for future EV training projects.
The fastest EV training is done with a combination of Pokerus and a Power Item, earning EVs at this rate per battle:
(y + 4) * 2
where y is the amount of EVs you would earn alone.
Vitamins
Vitamins will grant your Pokemon 10 EVs to the corresponding stat until your Pokemon reaches 100 EVs in that stat. If the Pokemon already had 100 or more EVs in the stat the Vitamin boosts, it will have no effect. You can buy all of the Vitamins at Shopping Mall Nine located on Route 9 for 9800. You can also buy them in the Battle Subway for 1 BP each, or in the Pokemon World Tournament in Black 2 and White 2. The six Vitamins available are as follows:
The EV reducing berries are a set of berries introduced in Pokemon Emerald that reduce your Pokemon's EVs by 10 with every use and raise its happiness. The six berries cannot be obtained in-game in Black and White; they can only be be found in the Windswept Sky area in the Dream World. With the closure of the Dream World, the EV reducing berries are now unobtainable in Black and White unless you are able to trade locally with a Black 2 or White 2 game. Black 2 and White 2 have the luxury of making them purchasable on Route 5 or in the Join Avenue. The six berries include:
Because the berries are now difficult to obtain, it is recommended that you closely track your progress and save often when EV training. You may not have a way to reset the EVs if you make a mistake.
Fifth Generation Changes and Additions to the EV System
Application of EVs
Perhaps the biggest change in EV training since the entire EV system was changed with Gen 3 is a shift away from having to level up your Pokemon to view the effects of EVs.
After defeating a Pokemon and earning EVs, they are applied to your Pokemon's respective stat as soon as the battle ends or when said Pokemon levels up mid-battle. 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". Consequently, this means level 100 Pokemon can earn EVs through battle, as your Pokemon no longer needs to level up to reap the benefits of EVs. This development had the largest impact on Arceus, which can only be obtained at level 100 via events in both fourth and fifth generation games. Now, Arceus can be fully EVed in any stat instead of limiting itself to 100 EVs per stat from Vitamins.
Wings
The Wings are a set of items introduced in Pokemon Black and White that will grant your Pokemon 1 EV to the corresponding stat. They function similarly to the Vitamins, but can be used over the 100 EV limit set on Vitamins. In essence, you can completely EV train a Pokemon using Wings alone. Wings can be found in the shadowy patches that appear on Driftveil Drawbridge and Marvelous Bridge (along with wild Ducklett on Driftveil Drawbridge and Swanna on Marvelous Bridge). The six type of Wings are as follows:
The EV Checker
You can no longer earn an Effort Ribbon for reaching 510 EVs. However, you can still check to see if you have properly EV trained your Pokemon by visiting the EV checker in Opelucid City in Black and White. They are located in the small house directly north of the Pokemon Center. The EV checker is the woman in white walking walking around the first floor.
When you speak to the EV checker, she will give you one of two messages. If the Pokemon at the head of your party has fewer than 510 EVs, then she will tell you "Your <Pokémon>... looks like it can try harder." If it has 510 EVs, she will say "Your <Pokémon>... put in 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 <Pokémon>... 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 <Pokémon>... 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.
Similarly, calling Bianca on the Xtransceiver allows you to check the EVs on your Pokemon. She will say "...It seems like it can work a little harder. But I think it worked hard on its <stat>!" when a stat has at least 252 EVs but the Pokemon still has fewer than 510 EVs total. When the Pokemon has acquired all 510 EVs and has at least 252 EVs in a stat, she will say "...It has worked really hard, hasn't it? I think it worked hard particularly hard on its <stat>!". If your Pokemon has 252 EVs in multiple stats, she will indicate all of them at once.
EV Training Hotspots
Although you can get EVs from 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.
In Black and White:
Victini | 15 | Liberty Island | 100%, only if Victini has not been captured and you have access to Liberty Gardens. | 3
Tranquill / Druddigon / Mienfoo | 31-33 | Dragonspiral Tower - Outside / Entrance (Single Grass) - Spring / Summer / Autumn | 30% / 30% / 30% |
Tranquill / Sawsbuck / Druddigon / Mienfoo | 34-37 | Tower - Outside (Double Grass) - Spring / Summer / Autumn | 30% / 30% / 10% / 30% | 2 / 2 / 2 / 1
Sawsbuck / Beartic / Mienfoo | 30-33 | Dragonspiral Tower - Outside/Entrance (Double Grass) - Winter | 30% / 10% / 30% | 2 / 2 / 1
Druddigon / Golett / Mienfoo | 30-33 | Dragonspiral Tower - 1F | 30% / 50% / 20% | 2 / 1 / 1
Golett | 30-33 | Dragonspiral Tower - 2F | 100% | 1
Sandslash / Cofagrigus / Onix | 47-50 | Relic Castle - B6F | 30% / 20% / 15% | 2 / 2 / 1
Sewaddle / Venipede | 14-17 | Pinwheel Forest (Inner area) | 35% / 15% | 1 / 1
Litwick / Elgyem | 26-29 | Celestial Tower - 3F to 5F | 85% (4F: 70%) (5F: 50%) / 15% (4F: 30%) (5F: 50%) | 1 / 1
Claydol | 47-50 | Relic Castle - Maze End (Volcarona's Chamber) | 100% | 2
For Black 2 and White 2:
Grimer | 15-17 | Castelia Sewers (Surf) - Spring / Summer | 100% | 1
Stunfisk | 45-60 | Icirrus City (Surf) | 100% | 2
Audino | various | almost everywhere - Shaking Grass | -- | 2
Sandile / Darumaka / Scraggy | 14-17 | Route 4 | 35% / 35% / 5% | 1 / 1 / 1
Mienshao / Druddigon / Golurk | 55-58 | Dragonspiral Tower - 1F | 20% / 30% / 50% | 2 / 2 / 2
Golurk | 55-58 | Dragonspiral Tower - 2F | 100% | 2
Banette / Golurk | 47-50 | Victory Road - Entrance | 70% / 30% | 2 / 2
Druddigon / Zweilous | 47-50 | Victory Road - Northeast Cave | 80% / 20% | 2 / 2
Patrat / Lillipup / Pidove / Riolu | 4-7 | Floccesy Ranch | 10% / 40% / 5% / 5% | 1 / 1 / 1 / 1
Patrat | 2-4 | Route 19 | 50% | 1
Sandshrew / Yamask | 18-21 | Relic Castle - 1F to 1BF | 20% / 40% | 1 / 1
Nosepass / Ferroseed / Klink | 26-28 | Chargestone Cave - 1F | 10% / 20% / 24% (Increase all odds with Magnet Pull) | 1 /1 /1
Litwick | 27-30 | Celestial Tower - 1F | 100% | 1
Frillish | 7-15 | Virbank City (Surf) | 100% | 1
Baltoy | 27-30 | Relic Castle - Volcarona's Room | 100% | 1
Purrloin | 2-4 | Route 19 | 50% | 1
Basculin | 5-15 | Route 19 (Surf) | 100% | 2
Rattata / Zubat | 14-17 | Castelia Sewers | 45% / 45% | 1
EVing for Level 50
If you plan on battling on one of the lines in the Battle Subway or playing ranked battles over local Wi-Fi, this section contains a few important exceptions you should be aware of before EVing your Pokemon. The following rules are here to guide you so that you don't waste EVs when you EV train your Pokemon for formats that use Flat Battle rules (All Pokemon have their levels reduced to 50).
First, 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
while 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.
Essentially, at level 50 it takes 8 EVs to equal one stat point. This statement may lead one to think that instead of having your EVs divided by 4 at all times, you should have your EVs divided by 8 at all times. Therefore, only 248 EVs would have to be invested to maximize a stat. That's not entirely true, though, as you'll see after reading the next rule.
Rule 2: IV/2 + EVs/8 must be a whole number.
If IV/2 + EV/8 is not a whole number, you have not invested enough EVs!
Alternatively, this rule can be written as "IV + EV/4 must be an even number".
Due to the way 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 divisible by two when combined. 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 using Thundurus.
With a base 125 Special 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 125 for base Special Attack, 31 IV, and 248 EV (248 is divisible by 8), and see what we get:
Stat = (125 + 0.5 * 31 + 0.125 * 248 + 5) * Nature
Stat = (100 + 15.5 + 31 + 5) * Nature
Stat = (176.5) * Nature
Now, after rounding, we get 176*Nature. Essentially, we have not invested enough EVs into Special Attack to reach its maximum.
Lets bump our EVs up to 252.
Stat = (BaseStat + 0.5 * IV + 0.125 * EV + 5) * Nature
Stat = (125 + 0.5 * 31 + 0.125 * 252 + 5) * Nature
Stat = (125 + 15.5 + 31.5 + 5) * Nature
Stat = (177) * Nature
Because 152 is a whole number, no rounding is necessary, getting 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 a whole number (46), no EVs are wasted. Unfortunately, as expected, we can't reach Thundurus's maximum Special Attack with 30 IVs.
EV training in Black, White, Black 2, and White 2 has remained mostly identical to the fourth generation games save for a few small changes. The changes are comprised of a new mechanic, new items, and the return of a third generation mechanic regarding the EV reducing berries. The new mechanic is a change to when EVs are applied, with the Pokemon no longer having to level up for EVs to affect the stat. Wings make up the new set of items, giving 1 EV to a specific stat with each use. The fifth generation EV system certainly brought some interesting new tools to ease the odious task of EV training, but let's first revisit the basics of EV training.
How EVs Work
Effort Values, or EVs for short, allow you to further build upon your Pokemon's base stats. They are extremely important in the world of competitive Pokemon battling, as the more EVs you invest in a stat, the higher that Pokemon's stat 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 set of parentheses):
HP = ((2 * BaseHP + IV + (EV / 4)) * Level / 100 + Level + 10)
Stat = (((2 * BaseStat + IV + (EV / 4)) * Level / 100 + 5) * Nature)
Where:
BaseHP = The Pokemon's base HP
BaseStat = The 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's stat (anywhere from 0 to 255)
Nature = The nature modifier for the given stat (0.9, 1.0, or 1.1)
Level = The 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 Pokemon has in a particular stat, the stat is increased by one point.
This means that if you invest 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 using everyone's new favorite rodent, Victini.
Its base Attack stat is 100, so its maximum Attack at level 100 is 236 (assuming a neutral nature and 31 Attack IVs). However, throw in 252 Attack EVs, and that 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 an Attack-boosting nature (such as Adamant), you would multiply its 299 Attack stat by 1.1, bringing us to 328.8, which, after rounding down, becomes 328. Likewise, if we had an Attack-lowering nature (such as Modest), we would multiply the 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 are 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 stat can have a maximum of 255 EVs invested. Any Pokemon can only earn a maximum of 510 EVs.
Keep in mind that because EVs should always be divisible by four, the effective maximum you should 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 Pokemon. Different Pokemon give different EVs.
Each Pokemon you battle 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, and Rotation Battles. In double, triple, and rotation battles, all Pokemon that participate in the battle will earn EVs.
Of course, there is an exception to this rule: your Pokemon do not earn EVs in battles where they would not gain experience. This includes battles against other players via local wireless, IR, or Wi-Fi, the battle against Reshiram (Black) or Zekrom (White) at N's Castle, and battles against NPCs in the Battle Subway or Battle Institute.
Rule 5: A Pokemon starts gaining EVs from its very first battle.
This is perhaps the very most important rule of all. For every battle that your Pokemon participates in and gains experience, it will earn EVs. This includes using an Exp. Share as well as switching out without attacking!
It's vitally important that you are ready for EV training before you begin exposing your Pokemon to combat.
EV Training Tools
The following is a compendium of the various tools available to trainers to ease the burden of EV training. Once you are finished training, it may be helpful to compare the stats against a damage calculator to check your work.
Macho Brace and Power Items
The Macho Brace doubles the EVs earned from battle at the cost of halving your Pokemon's Speed while equipped. For example, a Pokemon that normally awards 1 Speed EV will award 2 Speed EVs if your Pokemon holds a Macho Brace. You can get one from a man in a baseball uniform at the eastern gate in Nimbasa City that leads to Route 16.
The Power Items reward an additional 4 EVs to their corresponding stat after each battle your Pokemon participates in at the cost of halving your Pokemon's Speed while equipped. Each Power Item will reward the corresponding EVs regardless of what you earn otherwise. The Power Items can be purchased for 16 BP each at the Battle Subway. It is recommended that you purchase all six (costing a total of 96 BP for the entire set). The list of Power Items includes:
- 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 after a battle. This effect stacks with the boosts from Macho Brace and the Power Items. However, Pokerus does not double the EVs gained from Vitamins or Wings, which will be discussed later on.
It's recommended that you infect the Pokemon you want to EV train with Pokerus to save you a significant amount of time spent EV training. Pokerus is very rare, randomly appearing on one of your Pokemon after a battle. If you keep it in your party, it will eventually infect the other Pokemon. If the infected Pokemon is in your party for 1-4 days (A day corresponds to when the in-game clock rolls over to the next day. There is no way to tell exactly how long the infection will last), it can no longer spread the virus to other Pokemon, but the doubling effect of Pokerus remains. Keeping the infected Pokemon in your box prevents it from wearing off, keeping the Pokemon “contagious” for future EV training projects.
The fastest EV training is done with a combination of Pokerus and a Power Item, earning EVs at this rate per battle:
(y + 4) * 2
where y is the amount of EVs you would earn alone.
Vitamins
Vitamins will grant your Pokemon 10 EVs to the corresponding stat until your Pokemon reaches 100 EVs in that stat. If the Pokemon already had 100 or more EVs in the stat the Vitamin boosts, it will have no effect. You can buy all of the Vitamins at Shopping Mall Nine located on Route 9 for 9800. You can also buy them in the Battle Subway for 1 BP each, or in the Pokemon World Tournament in Black 2 and White 2. The six Vitamins available are as follows:
- HP Up - 10 HP EVs
- Protein - 10 Attack EVs
- Iron - 10 Defense EVs
- Calcium - 10 Special Attack EVs
- Zinc - 10 Special Defense EVs
- Carbos - 10 Speed EVs
The EV reducing berries are a set of berries introduced in Pokemon Emerald that reduce your Pokemon's EVs by 10 with every use and raise its happiness. The six berries cannot be obtained in-game in Black and White; they can only be be found in the Windswept Sky area in the Dream World. With the closure of the Dream World, the EV reducing berries are now unobtainable in Black and White unless you are able to trade locally with a Black 2 or White 2 game. Black 2 and White 2 have the luxury of making them purchasable on Route 5 or in the Join Avenue. The six berries include:
- Pomeg Berry - Removes 10 HP EVs
- Kelpsy Berry - Removes 10 Attack EVs
- Qualot Berry - Removes 10 Defense EVs
- Hondew Berry - Removes 10 Special Attack EVs
- Grepa Berry - Removes 10 Special Attack EVs
- Tamato Berry - Removes 10 Speed EVs
Because the berries are now difficult to obtain, it is recommended that you closely track your progress and save often when EV training. You may not have a way to reset the EVs if you make a mistake.
Fifth Generation Changes and Additions to the EV System
Application of EVs
Perhaps the biggest change in EV training since the entire EV system was changed with Gen 3 is a shift away from having to level up your Pokemon to view the effects of EVs.
After defeating a Pokemon and earning EVs, they are applied to your Pokemon's respective stat as soon as the battle ends or when said Pokemon levels up mid-battle. 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". Consequently, this means level 100 Pokemon can earn EVs through battle, as your Pokemon no longer needs to level up to reap the benefits of EVs. This development had the largest impact on Arceus, which can only be obtained at level 100 via events in both fourth and fifth generation games. Now, Arceus can be fully EVed in any stat instead of limiting itself to 100 EVs per stat from Vitamins.
Wings
The Wings are a set of items introduced in Pokemon Black and White that will grant your Pokemon 1 EV to the corresponding stat. They function similarly to the Vitamins, but can be used over the 100 EV limit set on Vitamins. In essence, you can completely EV train a Pokemon using Wings alone. Wings can be found in the shadowy patches that appear on Driftveil Drawbridge and Marvelous Bridge (along with wild Ducklett on Driftveil Drawbridge and Swanna on Marvelous Bridge). The six type of Wings are as follows:
- Health Wing - 1 HP EV
- Muscle Wing - 1 Attack EV
- Resist Wing - 1 Defense EV
- Genius Wing - 1 Special Attack EV
- Clever Wing - 1 Special Defense EV
- Swift Wing - 1 Speed EV
The EV Checker
You can no longer earn an Effort Ribbon for reaching 510 EVs. However, you can still check to see if you have properly EV trained your Pokemon by visiting the EV checker in Opelucid City in Black and White. They are located in the small house directly north of the Pokemon Center. The EV checker is the woman in white walking walking around the first floor.
When you speak to the EV checker, she will give you one of two messages. If the Pokemon at the head of your party has fewer than 510 EVs, then she will tell you "Your <Pokémon>... looks like it can try harder." If it has 510 EVs, she will say "Your <Pokémon>... put in 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 <Pokémon>... 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 <Pokémon>... 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.
Similarly, calling Bianca on the Xtransceiver allows you to check the EVs on your Pokemon. She will say "...It seems like it can work a little harder. But I think it worked hard on its <stat>!" when a stat has at least 252 EVs but the Pokemon still has fewer than 510 EVs total. When the Pokemon has acquired all 510 EVs and has at least 252 EVs in a stat, she will say "...It has worked really hard, hasn't it? I think it worked hard particularly hard on its <stat>!". If your Pokemon has 252 EVs in multiple stats, she will indicate all of them at once.
EV Training Hotspots
Although you can get EVs from 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.
In Black and White:
Pokemon | Levels | Location | Appearance Rate | EVs Given
HP
Stunfisk | 15-35 | Route 8 / Icirrus City (Surf) | 100% | 2HP
Victini | 15 | Liberty Island | 100%, only if Victini has not been captured and you have access to Liberty Gardens. | 3
Attack
Patrat / Lillipup | 2-4 | Route 1 | 50% / 50% | 1 / 1Tranquill / Druddigon / Mienfoo | 31-33 | Dragonspiral Tower - Outside / Entrance (Single Grass) - Spring / Summer / Autumn | 30% / 30% / 30% |
Tranquill / Sawsbuck / Druddigon / Mienfoo | 34-37 | Tower - Outside (Double Grass) - Spring / Summer / Autumn | 30% / 30% / 10% / 30% | 2 / 2 / 2 / 1
Sawsbuck / Beartic / Mienfoo | 30-33 | Dragonspiral Tower - Outside/Entrance (Double Grass) - Winter | 30% / 10% / 30% | 2 / 2 / 1
Druddigon / Golett / Mienfoo | 30-33 | Dragonspiral Tower - 1F | 30% / 50% / 20% | 2 / 1 / 1
Golett | 30-33 | Dragonspiral Tower - 2F | 100% | 1
Defense
Roggenrola | 10-13 | Wellspring Cave | 50% | 1Sandslash / Cofagrigus / Onix | 47-50 | Relic Castle - B6F | 30% / 20% / 15% | 2 / 2 / 1
Sewaddle / Venipede | 14-17 | Pinwheel Forest (Inner area) | 35% / 15% | 1 / 1
Special Attack
Litwick | 26-29 | Celestial Tower - 2F | 100% | 1Litwick / Elgyem | 26-29 | Celestial Tower - 3F to 5F | 85% (4F: 70%) (5F: 50%) / 15% (4F: 30%) (5F: 50%) | 1 / 1
Special Defense
Frillish | 5-15 | Route 4 / 17/ 18 / Driftveil City (Surf) | 100% | 1Claydol | 47-50 | Relic Castle - Maze End (Volcarona's Chamber) | 100% | 2
Speed
Basculin | 5-15 | Route 1 / 3 / 6 / Striaton City (Surf) | 100% | 2For Black 2 and White 2:
Pokemon | Levels | Location | Appearance Rate | EVs Given
HP
HP
Grimer | 15-17 | Castelia Sewers (Surf) - Spring / Summer | 100% | 1
Stunfisk | 45-60 | Icirrus City (Surf) | 100% | 2
Audino | various | almost everywhere - Shaking Grass | -- | 2
Attack
Sandile / Darumaka / Scraggy | 14-17 | Route 4 | 35% / 35% / 5% | 1 / 1 / 1
Mienshao / Druddigon / Golurk | 55-58 | Dragonspiral Tower - 1F | 20% / 30% / 50% | 2 / 2 / 2
Golurk | 55-58 | Dragonspiral Tower - 2F | 100% | 2
Banette / Golurk | 47-50 | Victory Road - Entrance | 70% / 30% | 2 / 2
Druddigon / Zweilous | 47-50 | Victory Road - Northeast Cave | 80% / 20% | 2 / 2
Patrat / Lillipup / Pidove / Riolu | 4-7 | Floccesy Ranch | 10% / 40% / 5% / 5% | 1 / 1 / 1 / 1
Patrat | 2-4 | Route 19 | 50% | 1
Defense
Sandshrew / Yamask | 18-21 | Relic Castle - 1F to 1BF | 20% / 40% | 1 / 1
Nosepass / Ferroseed / Klink | 26-28 | Chargestone Cave - 1F | 10% / 20% / 24% (Increase all odds with Magnet Pull) | 1 /1 /1
Special Attack
Litwick | 27-30 | Celestial Tower - 1F | 100% | 1
Special Defense
Frillish | 7-15 | Virbank City (Surf) | 100% | 1
Baltoy | 27-30 | Relic Castle - Volcarona's Room | 100% | 1
Speed
Purrloin | 2-4 | Route 19 | 50% | 1
Basculin | 5-15 | Route 19 (Surf) | 100% | 2
Rattata / Zubat | 14-17 | Castelia Sewers | 45% / 45% | 1
EVing for Level 50
If you plan on battling on one of the lines in the Battle Subway or playing ranked battles over local Wi-Fi, this section contains a few important exceptions you should be aware of before EVing your Pokemon. The following rules are here to guide you so that you don't waste EVs when you EV train your Pokemon for formats that use Flat Battle rules (All Pokemon have their levels reduced to 50).
First, 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
while 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.
Essentially, at level 50 it takes 8 EVs to equal one stat point. This statement may lead one to think that instead of having your EVs divided by 4 at all times, you should have your EVs divided by 8 at all times. Therefore, only 248 EVs would have to be invested to maximize a stat. That's not entirely true, though, as you'll see after reading the next rule.
Rule 2: IV/2 + EVs/8 must be a whole number.
If IV/2 + EV/8 is not a whole number, you have not invested enough EVs!
Alternatively, this rule can be written as "IV + EV/4 must be an even number".
Due to the way 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 divisible by two when combined. 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 using Thundurus.
With a base 125 Special 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 125 for base Special Attack, 31 IV, and 248 EV (248 is divisible by 8), and see what we get:
Stat = (125 + 0.5 * 31 + 0.125 * 248 + 5) * Nature
Stat = (100 + 15.5 + 31 + 5) * Nature
Stat = (176.5) * Nature
Now, after rounding, we get 176*Nature. Essentially, we have not invested enough EVs into Special Attack to reach its maximum.
Lets bump our EVs up to 252.
Stat = (BaseStat + 0.5 * IV + 0.125 * EV + 5) * Nature
Stat = (125 + 0.5 * 31 + 0.125 * 252 + 5) * Nature
Stat = (125 + 15.5 + 31.5 + 5) * Nature
Stat = (177) * Nature
Because 152 is a whole number, no rounding is necessary, getting 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 a whole number (46), no EVs are wasted. Unfortunately, as expected, we can't reach Thundurus's maximum Special Attack with 30 IVs.
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