Are IVs really necessary?

Are IVs necessary?

  • Yes

    Votes: 23 59.0%

  • No

    Votes: 16 41.0%
  • Total voters
    39

imnotdean

    • 6
    Posts
    11
    Years
    • Seen Dec 8, 2014
    I really don't like IVs. Not because of the pain I go through breeding pokemon (though that does play a small part) but MAINLY because in my opinion, it makes the game...less immersive.

    IVs have made me start seeing my pokemon as genetically inferior. I hate myself for storing my starter and all the pokemon I used to traverse regions in the PC. I hate myself for seeing my pokemon as numbers, rather than companions. And above all, I hate myself for having boxes and boxes of level 1 gibles and eevee simply because I need pokemon that are "competitively-viable".

    I've given it some thought, and I've only managed to think up two reasons for the existence of IVs. They are:
    1) To create diversity among pokemon of the same species
    2) To determine hidden powers

    However, I don't think IVs are a necessary evil. This is because:
    1) The diversity is hardly noticeable in normal playthrough, due to other factors such as level difference and natures being much more prominent. In competitive play, IVs are even more redundant, as everyone has 31 IVs in the stats they need to get a competitive edge(thus, no diversity).
    2) Hidden powers can be determined in a different way, perhaps a 1/18 chance for each type?

    So what do you guys think. Do you agree with me, or perhaps see it differently?
     
    Last edited:
    The concept of Individual Values has been in the series since the very beginning as a means of ensuring that no two pokémon of the same species are exactly the same. Yes, competitive battlers and breeders have found ways to abuse the system to make genetically superior 31/31/31/31/31/31 pokémon, but that doesn't mean the pokémon you raised during the game's plot were explicitly bad.
     
    To me, EVs and natures are way more important than IVs for competitive battling (statwise, anyway. you still need good abilities, moves, and some skill). IVs are just a nice little bonus. They don't effect the battles that much. So I don't breed for perfect IVs; its drives me nuts, even though its easier in X/Y than ever. If I must have perfect IVs, I go to Showdown.

    I do kinda wish the Hidden Power type was determined in a different manner, but I can't really think of a better way to do it.
     
    I'm never bothered with IVs, only natures and EVs. The only reason for me to care for IVs is the correct HP for Special-based Pokémon who need HP on their movesets for coverage (it took me three days to soft reset for a Modest Zapdos w/ HP Ice).


    No Chance Without Zekrom said:
    I do kinda wish the Hidden Power type was determined in a different manner, but I can't really think of a better way to do it.
    Click to expand...
    How about some NPC, who has the ability to change your Pokémon's HP, much like how the Name Rater can change your Pokémon's nickname.
     
    If you don't like IV's then you can safely ignore them. The edge gained from 31 IVs in any stat is negligible in competitive play if you apply skill.

    Personally I avoid the competitive side of Pokemon because they've drained the fun out of it. They drain out as much randomness and chance as they can by the rules they use, the way they train their Pokemon, and the way they play.
     
    Timbjerr said:
    The concept of Individual Values has been in the series since the very beginning as a means of ensuring that no two pokémon of the same species are exactly the same. Yes, competitive battlers and breeders have found ways to abuse the system to make genetically superior 31/31/31/31/31/31 pokémon, but that doesn't mean the pokémon you raised during the game's plot were explicitly bad.
    Click to expand...

    Yeah, of course I get that, all I'm saying is I just wish that I could use the pokemon I used in-game competitively without losing a competitive edge :p

    No Chance Without Zekrom said:
    To me, EVs and natures are way more important than IVs for competitive battling (statwise, anyway. you still need good abilities, moves, and some skill). IVs are just a nice little bonus. They don't effect the battles that much. So I don't breed for perfect IVs; its drives me nuts, even though its easier in X/Y than ever. If I must have perfect IVs, I go to Showdown.

    I do kinda wish the Hidden Power type was determined in a different manner, but I can't really think of a better way to do it.
    Click to expand...

    I do suppose IVs play a smaller role than most other factors. However, I would like perhaps for the mechanic to not exist at all, just for the sake of levelling the playing field. :P
     
    Perhaps the level playing field is something Nintendo and Game Freak are already working toward. With the way they have been easing the ability to be able to competitively train pokemon alongside hack checking pokemon, they will likely weed out all but the people who are willing to put the time and effort into their teams. I believe if it progresses, we may see less "perfect" pokemon in trade for more "usable" pokemon.

    Me, personally, as a casual player that has slowly worked my way into the competitive field, I can understand where your coming from, when you first start out, your pokemon will seem inferior compared to others. But at the same time, if you keep with it, you gain experience to not only make your pokemon stronger, but also to be a better player, something that I feel people who go only for perfects will lack, because they are going for a path that, in their mind, will just hand them the victory, rather truly understanding what they COULD be capable of.
     
    I personally don't like using IV's, simply because it was a pain to get a perfect IV Pokemon in previous gens. It's still annoying but I don't care for it. As long as I can properly EV train a Pokemon and have a good nature then I'm set.
     
    IVs (and natures) are the only way to have two Pokémon of the same species and level be different. I like that this can happen. I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with the idea of having IVs, or more generally, having differences between same species/level Pokémon.

    The problem comes from how people look at them. We all know how IVs work, and we know that higher numbers are generally better and stronger. That's the problem. We see the numbers rather than the Pokémon, and we can more easily see imperfections and know that one Pokémon is inherently worse than another (or worse than it could have been). That's not a problem with the game, though; it's a problem with knowing too much about how the game works.

    Perhaps it would be better if each Pokémon had a fixed number of IV points to distribute amongst its stats when it's generated, rather than a plain random value chosen for each stat. Of course, the problem then would simply shift over to min-maxing, where people decide what the best IV distribution is for a give Pokémon/nature/ability/moveset.

    In the end, if people know how the system works, they're not going to (easily) be able to see anything other than the numbers. IVs themselves aren't the problem; it's our knowledge of them that is. Knowing about them and being in an environment where they matter (competitive battling) is even worse.
     
    The answer is yes and no. Yes for competitive play, no for casual play. Natures, IV's, and EV's don't really matter to me. I want to make it known that it's not a laziness thing, it's just that I simply don't want to. I've tried it before and the outcome is outweighed by the amount of time and effort it takes. This is why I'm not that big of a competitive player, but when I do win it's all the more satisfying because I won more on skill and strategy and not just perfect stats.
     
    I find IV's to be important, both in competitive battling and giving a Pokemon even more character.

    Let me start off by saying that my playthrough team is important, they are not EV trained nor IV bred, but they are my companions to the end. Just want to put it out there.

    IV's to me, besides giving you a much more competitive Pokemon, is like showing the potential in a young one, to show their talent early in what they might strive for. Yes people have hordes of Pokemon, that happens, but when you see that one that is yours, he/she is yours, your new companion to travel with you through your countless online battles. That's how I see IV's at least.
     
    EVs and Natures are definitely more important than IVs for those who don't have time/ don't want to bother breeding for perfect Pokemon, or for those who just want to train their favorite quest Pokemon that just happened to have the right Nature.
    That being said, there is a certain stat that is vitally important even then: Speed. Without perfect Speed IVs you risk being outsped in Wi-fi battles by things that normally don't outspeed you, like for example Alakazam outspeeding a Greninja that doesn't have perfect speed and OHKOing it with Energy Ball, or Dazzling Gleam.
     
    To me, IVs only give a small boost in each stat.
    EVs and natures are way more important.
    You can ignore IVs and go with EVs and natures if you want.

    EVs give the highest boost in stats, making it very important in competitive battling.
    I honestly go with having perfect IVs because flawless Pokemon are fun to use.

    A Pokemon with perfect IVs, the right nature and the right EVs in-game is definitely a symbol of your hard work in getting it.
     
    It's interesting how everyone is only talking about how IVs alter stats. That's what IVs do but that's not what they're for. They're to provide "genetic" differences between two Pokémon, and for that reason alone, I'd say they are necessary.
     
    How are Natures more important than IV? I don't understand that even a little bit. A given Nature only boosts 10%. An IV can boost by 31 points. On many Pokémon this is much more significant. If their stats at level 100 are 310 then a Nature gives the same amount as perfect IV. A lot of Pokémon have lower stats than that.

    In short IV are actually far more important than Natures. Am I missing something that most other people posting know?

    This is disregarding the fact that Natures only effect 2 stats at max and IV effect all stats.
     
    Last edited:
    iAzire said:
    How are Natures more important than IV? I don't understand that even a little bit. A given Nature only boosts 10%. An IV can boost by 31 points. On many Pokémon this is much more significant. If their stats at level 100 are 310 then a Nature gives the same amount as perfect IV. A lot of Pokémon have lower stats than that.

    In short IV are actually far more important than Natures. Am I missing something that most other people are posting know?
    Click to expand...

    Because a bad nature is generally a little bit more of a hinderance than poor IVs. Let's say you have a Greninja with a Relaxed nature. That nature drops its Speed by 10%, while boosting its Defense by 10%. Greninja is so naturally frail that boosting its Defense is worthless. A lot of Pokemon use a Speed boosting nature. So there's actually more like a 20% difference in your Speeds, and you're giving a boost to a stat that's not really helping.

    It's also far easier to get the right nature on a Pokemon than to breed for perfect IVs, so why not get the right nature(s)? Not everyone has the patience to breed a perfect IV poke (yes, I understand that IV breeding is easier in X/Y. It still bores me to tears and takes longer than I care for).

    This is disregarding the fact that Natures only effect 2 stats at max and IV effect all stats.
    Click to expand...

    IVs CAN effect all stats, but that doesn't mean that they WILL. Not all pokes have perfect IVs in all 6 stats. And like I said before, breeding for a 5 or 6 IV poke can be terribly boring and time-consuming.
     
    My point was if you focus on the correct Nature and I decide to breed all Serious (neutral nature) Pokémon my Pokémon could outspeed yours. Even with the proper Nature, without the best IV you're still in trouble. Using your example you will still be outsped even with the proper Nature if you don't breed IV.

    Then IV are stupid easy to breed. It took me 40 eggs to get from 0IV to 5IV with the proper spread Kangaskhan. Sadly there is no Kanga Safari so I had to start with 0IV and not 2IV like any Safari Pokémon.

    To put this into perspective, I have bred 60 Porygon (two boxes) without getting Timid. Without the proper Ditto, Natures are hard to get. Without the proper Syncronizer, Ditto is hard to get.

    That being said, I am literally breeding 5IV Porygon while still trying to get the proper Nature.

    Of course luck factors into both.
     
    I voted no. I'm okay with EVs, but IVs are just another way to force players to spend ridiculous amounts of time on the games for a tiny amount of difference that still matters.
     
    Competitive wise = yes

    Yes, IVs might add little stats but every point counts no matter how small.
     
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