A Guide to EV Training with Hordes

Introduction

Hordes are a new type of battle introduced in Pokémon X and Y. These battles force the trainer to confront five wild Pokémon at a time instead of the usual one. Often, horde battles will contain five of the same Pokémon; however, there are certain areas which feature horde battles containing multiple species. While these battles can prove challenging during the main story, they serve as a quick means of EV training Pokémon in the post-game.

Horde Tips

• Use Sweet Scent or Honey to initiate a horde battle while standing in tall grass.
• Sweet Scent and Honey will fail if used on a route in which it is raining in Pokémon X and Y. However, both will work during weather in Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.
• Use a powerful spread move like Petal Blizzard or Surf to KO all five Pokémon at the same time!
• You gain EVs and experience for all five horde Pokémon defeated in battle.

EV Training Tips

• A Pokémon gains EVs when it gains experience.
• To wipe a Pokémon's EVs, use a Reset Bag from Super Training or a Perilous Soup made from a Kee Berry and Maranga Berry in the Juice Shoppe (XY only).
• Using a Reset Bag will tell you how many EVs were lost in a stat, allowing you to check if you performed the training correctly. Make sure to save beforehand so you don't lose your work!
• EV-reducing Berries can be used in a pinch to decrease EVs in a stat by 10. They are the Pomeg, Kelpsy, Qualot, Hondew, Grepa, and Tamato Berries for HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed, respectively.
• Pokérus doubles the number of EVs your Pokémon gains in battle.
• Macho Brace doubles the number of EVs your Pokémon gains in battle (stacks with Pokérus).
• Power Items (Brace, Anklet, etc.) grant an additional 4 EVs in a specific stat per Pokémon defeated.
• With Exp. Share ON, the entire party gains EVs.

Horde EV Math

You can calculate how many EVs you will gain from a horde battle by using the following formula:

EVs = (Total_Horde_EVs + 20 A)*B*C

• Total_Horde_EVs = EVs found on the far right of the tables below
• A = Power Item Stat (Not equipped = 0, Weight = HP, Bracer = Atk, Belt = Def, Lens = SpA, Band = SpD, Anklet = Spe)
• B = Pokérus (Not infected = 1, Infected = 2)
• C = Macho Brace (Not equipped = 1, Equipped = 2)

Example: A Pokémon with Pokérus defeats a Gulpin horde while holding a Power Weight.

EVs = (5 HP + 20 HP)*2*1

EVs = (25 HP)*2

EVs = 50 HP

Most-Efficient EV Training Routes

A Complete List of Horde Battles Per Route

XY

ORAS