Everything You Need to EV Train Your Pokémon in 'Scarlet' and 'Violet'
Published Dec. 14 2022, 4:57 p.m. ET
Despite most Pokémon games following the same formula for years, Game Freak finally decided to switch things up a bit with Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. The newest generation of Pokémon games introduce an open-world experience, and make certain aspects of the franchise, like Shiny hunting and EV training, easier than ever.
EV training is what has led some players to having incredibly stacked teams, but how do you reset your Pokémon's EVs?
What are EVs?
EVs, or Effort Values, are the stats located on your Pokémon's summary page. In total, a Pokémon's EVs can total 510 cumulatively, with each stat going no higher than 252. Because of this, you have to choose what EVs to invest in carefully.
To add to your Pokémon's EVs, you can use a variety of items that are available for purchase at certain shops in the Paldea region. Below is a chart of items that will increase EVs and what stats they affect.
| Item | Stat Boost |
|---|---|
| HP Up | Increases HP |
| Protein | Increases Attack |
| Iron | Increases Defense |
| Calcium | Increases Special Attack |
| Zinc | Increases Special Defense |
| Carbos | Increases Speed |
You can also EV train your Pokémon by battling wild Pokémon. The Pokémon in your party can increase their own EVs as they battle, and or you can choose which stats you want to work on by giving them different Power items. These items will decrease the Pokémon's stat temporarily, but also helps them grow it faster.
Here's a breakdown of the different Power items to help you in your EV training:
| Power item | EV effect |
|---|---|
| Power Bracer | Grows Attack EVs |
| Power Belt | Grows Defense EVs |
| Power Lens | Grows Special Attack EVs |
| Power Band | Grows Special Defense EVs |
| Power Anklet | Grows Speed EVs |
| Power Weight | Grows HP EVs |
How to reset your Pokémon's EVs in 'Scarlet' and 'Violet.'
If your Pokémon's EVs are already maxed out, then you'll have to reset them. You can do this using various berries located around the region; certain berries will lower a specific EV of your Pokémon, giving you a chance to train them and increase a different stat.
Berries are found all over the Paldea region. Unfortunately, you can't grow them like you could in previous games, so you'll just have to be diligent about picking up every sparkling item on the ground, as those are often berries.
Here's a breakdown of the different berries available to help your reset your Pokémon's EVs:
| Berry | EV |
|---|---|
| Pomeg Berry | Reduces HP |
| Kelpsy Berry | Reduces Attack |
| Qualot Berry | Reduces Defense |
| Hondew Berry | Reduces Special Attack |
| Grepa Berry | Reduces Special Defense |
| Tamato Berry | Reduces Speed |
Though EV training will require quite a bit of grinding to get right, if you're dedicated enough and want to truly build the strongest and best team in the game, this is the way to do it.
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are now available exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.