Help me Bake some victories...
So I've been playing the Pokemon games since their birth. Played every game available (Of course referring to RBG/GSC/RS/DPP/BW)
I've always enjoyed playing them purely in game, I have never battled over Wi-Fi competitively, but I've gotten to a point where playing BW a lot recently where I figure I would like to give competitive battling a try. But if I am going to do so, I want to know what the heck I'm doing.
It's not that I need help with battling well per say, my problem lies in the fact that I have next to no idea what things like EV training are.
I started my research only the other day, and (Noob Alert) I didn't even know that different natures meant for different additions/subtractions from stats. Purely because I had never researched into it, I just figured it was just a random feature added to the game (Again, yes I know noob alert but there you go)
I also until the other day didn't have a clue what EV training was, I always figured that when a PKMN evolved it had a set amount of point that were added to each stat, I had no idea that these were influenced by the type of Pokemon you battled throughout the EXP of that level.
I have researched Serebii and various sites to learn more about EV training, but I'm still a little confused.
Firstly;
To get the best possible Pokemon, do you need to be EV training and taking on onlly certain Pokemon right from level 1? Or can I still get their stats just as good from starting to EV train from one of my Pokemon that is say level 50?
On top of that question, does anyone have any tips for the best way to EV train? Usually when I want to train a low level Pokemon I just chuck an EXP share on it and do the Pokemon leage a few times until it is ready to fend for itself.
Also;
Obviously a lot of people use multiple items such as Leftovers and certain berries, and my question is - Do people get multiples of these items just by cloning? Or is there a more efficient way to do so?
I know a lot of these questions may seem stupid and simple to a lot of people, but remember, we all have to start somewhere!
Any help people can give me would be greatly appreciated =)
(In case it is relevant to anyones advice, I have two DS's and the games I currently have access too (Haven't lost) are Platinum, Soul Silver, White, & Black)
Also I apologise is this is in the wrong section...