Individual values: Difference between revisions

Individual values, also known as determinant values (both often shortened, respectively, to IVs and DVs), are the Pokémon analogue to genes. They are instrumental in determining the differing stats of Pokémon, most specifically of the same species.

Overview

There are six IVs, one for each of the basic stats: HP, Attack, Defense, Speed, Special Attack and Special Defense. Previously, there were only five, with Special Attack and Special Defense both being determined by the "Special" IV, though this is no longer the case in games produced after Generation II.

Differences between generations

Generation I

During Generation I games, IVs can be any number from 0 to 15 (binary: 0000-1111) inclusive in each stat, which are determined when a Pokémon is first encountered. In this generation, the IVs do nothing more besides determining the stats of the Pokémon.

IVs for all stats except HP can be determined by a player first by determining the maximum and minimum possible stats, then finding how far off the stat on a specific Pokémon happens to be. For every two points off from the maximum the stat is, the IV is one lower, meaning one Pokémon with an IV of 0 and another Pokémon of the same species with an IV of 15 in the same stat will have a difference in that stat of 30 points.

For example, Dragonite has a maximum Attack stat of 366 at level 100, and a player has a level 100 Dragonite with 360 Attack. Since the stat is 6 off, the Dragonite's Attack IV is 12.

The IV for HP is different, and is determined by the IVs of the other four stats:

• If a Pokémon has an odd number for its Attack IV, 8 is added to the HP IV.
• If a Pokémon has an odd number for its Defense IV, 4 is added to the HP IV.
• If a Pokémon has an odd number for its Speed IV, 2 is added to the HP IV.
• If a Pokémon has an odd number for its Special IV, 1 is added to the HP IV.

In the same way, the HP IV can range from 0 to 15.

Generation II

In Generation II, IVs were put to use in another manner besides determining stats. While this was, of course, their major function, other things determined by the IVs of a Pokémon included the type and power of Hidden Power, a Pokémon's gender (if it had one), and whether or not it was a shiny Pokémon. As in Generation I, each IV is randomly picked between 0 and 15 at the time of encounter. While there are six stats, instead of the five there were in Generation I, both Special Attack and Special Defense are determined by one IV for Special, facilitating compatibility with Generation I. IVs can be determined by the player in the same way they could be during Generation I.

Gender was determined by IVs in Generation II, more specifically by the Attack IV of the Pokémon in relation to its maximum value, with the higher IVs making for a male Pokémon, and lower ones making for a female. A female Typhlosion, whose species has a gender ratio of 7♂:1♀, would have only 0 or 1 as her Attack IV, while a female Golduck, whose species has a gender ratio of 1♂:1♀, would have an Attack IV of any value from 0-7. Males of both would be designated for the other IVs.

A Pokémon's status as a shiny Pokémon will be determined based on specific values that its IVs take. A Pokémon will be shiny if its IVs are the following:

• Attack: 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, or 15
• Defense: 10
• Speed: 10
• Special: 10
• HP: 0 or 8

If the IV for Attack is 2, 6, 10, or 14, the IV for HP is 0, while if it is 3, 7, 11, or 15, the IV for HP is 8. All other IVs are the same for each and every shiny Pokémon: 10.

Due to this constricted set of IV values for a shiny Pokémon, any shiny Pokémon that knowns Hidden Power in Generation II will use it as a Template:Type2 or Template:Type2 move.

Generation III

The system was completely overhauled in Generation III, with IVs now ranging from 0-31 (binary: 00000-11111) in each stat. For each Pokémon, they are stored as a packed bitfield and take up a doubleword and are thus harder to change individually.

HP now has its own value while alternate coloration and gender are now determined by the newly-introduced personality value instead of a calculation made on the other values. All that remains dependent on IVs besides the stats themselves is the type and power of Hidden Power.

Generation IV

As Generation II remained similar to Generation I, Generation IV remains much the same as Generation III.

See also

• EVs
• Pokémon data structure:
  • in GB games
  • in GBC games
  • in GBA games
  • in DS games

External links

• IV calculator at veekun.com