Let's Get Started!
So you have at least started a game or are thinking about starting a new file... But this time you're going to play for real! Well good for you! However the game was originally meant to be played as though you are a beginner, picking the Pokemon that look the coolest or the most epic. But that never stopped a large portion of the Pokemon community. Here we will discuss Abilities, Natures, EV training, Stats, Breeding, IV's, and how to craft the best Pokemon possible as a result. With that said, let's go!
Stats and Statuses
The two sound similar but are extremely different because Stats is short for Statistics and Status means... well... status or condition. For Status there are 5 lasting statuses and MANY non-lasting statuses that only last while the Pokemon is in battle. For the big 5 statuses there are Burn, Poison (Toxic), Paralyze, Sleep, and Frozen.
Stats:
- HP: Health Points or Hit Points. This is your Pokemon's health meter. When it reaches 0, the Pokemon will faint.
- Attack: This is a number attributed with the Pokemon's power when it hits an opponent physically. Originally (Gen 1-3) Attack was attributed with a group of Pokemon Types.
- Defense: This is the counterpart to Attack. It is how well a Pokemon can take physical damage.
- Special Attack: This is like Attack, but it is with respect to non-physical attacking moves. Same as Attack, this was originally attributed with a group of Pokemon Types until Gen. 3.
- Special Defense: This is the counterpart to Special Attack. This is how well a Pokemon can take non-physical damage.
- Speed: This is how fast your Pokemon is. This is the factor that decides who attacks first in battle.
In Gens. I-III all the attacks of each type corresponded to a specific stat. (Attack or Special Attack)
- Attack - Special Attack
- Normal - Fire
- Fighting - Water
- Flying - Grass
- Rock - Electric
- Ground - Ice
- Bug - Psychic
- Poison - Dragon
- Ghost - Dark
- Steel
Statuses:
Major These status conditions will stick around after battle and cannot be cured by switching. These appear beside the Pokemon's HP bar.
- Normal: The Pokemon is fine and is not suffering from one the major statuses.
- Burn: This effect cannot occur for fire-type Pokemon. It slowly eats away at your Pokemon's HP by 12%. This also cuts the burned Pokemon's attack in half.
- Poison: Being poisoned slowly eats away at your Pokemon's HP by 12%. When a Pokemon is poisoned via Toxic or two layers of Toxic Spikes, the Pokemon takes double the damage from the Poisoning it did last turn. Poison type Pokemon cannot be poisoned. Steel types can still be poisoned with Poisonpowder, Poison Point, etc.
- Paralyze: This reduces the speed of the paralyzed Pokemon to 25% of it's speed as well as does not allow the paralyzed Pokemon to attack 25% of the time. As of Generation VI, Electric type Pokemon cannot be paralyzed.
- Sleep: This move makes the Pokemon unable to move, unless a move such as Sleep Talk or Snore is used.
- Frozen: This renders a Pokemon unable to do anything. There is a 20% chance that the Pokemon will thaw out. Ice type Pokemon cannot be frozen.
Minor These status conditions can be cured by switching and do not continue after battle. These statues do not appear beside the Pokemon's HP bar.
- Confusion: Pokemon has a 50% chance of hitting itself with a 40 base power typeless physical move. Lasts two to five turns.
- Infatuation: Pokemon has a 50% chance of being to "love struck" to attack. Only affects Pokemon of the opposite gender.
- Taunt: Causes Pokemon to only use attacking moves. Lasts three turns.
- Torment: Prevents the Pokemon from using the same move twice in a row.
- Disable: Prevents the Pokemon from using the disabled move.
- Leech Seed: 1/8 of max HP is lost. Opponent recovers the same amount.
- Flinching: Renders the Pokemon unable to do anything for the rest of that turn.
Stats:
- HP: Health Points or Hit Points. This is your Pokemon's health meter. When it reaches 0, the Pokemon will faint.
- Attack: This is a number attributed with the Pokemon's power when it hits an opponent physically. Originally (Gen 1-3) Attack was attributed with a group of Pokemon Types.
- Defense: This is the counterpart to Attack. It is how well a Pokemon can take physical damage.
- Special Attack: This is like Attack, but it is with respect to non-physical attacking moves. Same as Attack, this was originally attributed with a group of Pokemon Types until Gen. 3.
- Special Defense: This is the counterpart to Special Attack. This is how well a Pokemon can take non-physical damage.
- Speed: This is how fast your Pokemon is. This is the factor that decides who attacks first in battle.
In Gens. I-III all the attacks of each type corresponded to a specific stat. (Attack or Special Attack)
- Attack - Special Attack
- Normal - Fire
- Fighting - Water
- Flying - Grass
- Rock - Electric
- Ground - Ice
- Bug - Psychic
- Poison - Dragon
- Ghost - Dark
- Steel
Statuses:
Major These status conditions will stick around after battle and cannot be cured by switching. These appear beside the Pokemon's HP bar.
- Normal: The Pokemon is fine and is not suffering from one the major statuses.
- Burn: This effect cannot occur for fire-type Pokemon. It slowly eats away at your Pokemon's HP by 12%. This also cuts the burned Pokemon's attack in half.
- Poison: Being poisoned slowly eats away at your Pokemon's HP by 12%. When a Pokemon is poisoned via Toxic or two layers of Toxic Spikes, the Pokemon takes double the damage from the Poisoning it did last turn. Poison type Pokemon cannot be poisoned. Steel types can still be poisoned with Poisonpowder, Poison Point, etc.
- Paralyze: This reduces the speed of the paralyzed Pokemon to 25% of it's speed as well as does not allow the paralyzed Pokemon to attack 25% of the time. As of Generation VI, Electric type Pokemon cannot be paralyzed.
- Sleep: This move makes the Pokemon unable to move, unless a move such as Sleep Talk or Snore is used.
- Frozen: This renders a Pokemon unable to do anything. There is a 20% chance that the Pokemon will thaw out. Ice type Pokemon cannot be frozen.
Minor These status conditions can be cured by switching and do not continue after battle. These statues do not appear beside the Pokemon's HP bar.
- Confusion: Pokemon has a 50% chance of hitting itself with a 40 base power typeless physical move. Lasts two to five turns.
- Infatuation: Pokemon has a 50% chance of being to "love struck" to attack. Only affects Pokemon of the opposite gender.
- Taunt: Causes Pokemon to only use attacking moves. Lasts three turns.
- Torment: Prevents the Pokemon from using the same move twice in a row.
- Disable: Prevents the Pokemon from using the disabled move.
- Leech Seed: 1/8 of max HP is lost. Opponent recovers the same amount.
- Flinching: Renders the Pokemon unable to do anything for the rest of that turn.
Abilities
Abilities were a mechanic introduced in gen 3. Abilities are a Pokemon's special little something-something that can give it an edge in battle. However, not all abilities are a savior. Some abilities have major draw backs such as Truant which only allows a Pokemon to attack every other turn, or Dry Skin which harms the user in sunlight. For a more comprehensive list of abilities, check out any of the resources listed such as Pokemon Database, Smogon, or Serebii.
EV's and IV's
IV's are initial values which are stats bonuses that occur randomly in all Pokemon. Some times the Pokemon will have amazing IV's others will have none. It is like with humans and their genes; some have a genetic trait that makes them able to stay in better shape easier. IV's also determine what type the move Hidden Power will be.
EV's are effort values. **EV's will be further discussed later.
EV's are effort values. **EV's will be further discussed later.
Natures
Natures are like IV's. Some natures raise one stat and lower another, while others don't affect stats at all. Natures are another factor that can give you that little edge in battle. Sometimes a little goes a long way.
Breeding
Pokemon are divided into Egg Groups which are basically the groups that Pokemon can interbreed in. To breed, the must be a male and female from the same egg group (Or Ditto). The two will produce an egg which, when hatched, will have the basic form of the mother's species and may receive some moves from the father. Ditto can function as either parent and will only produce a Pokemon of the same species as the other Pokemon. There is a lot of calculating that can go into breeding so that you can get a Pokemon with a move it can't normally learn. Breeding is highly beneficial if you have the patience.