IVs and Breeding For Competitive Play

Started by KittenKoder November 13th, 2013 12:48 PM
  • 2136 views
  • 30 replies
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What do you breed for when considering competition play?

Age 48
Female
Seattle
Seen January 31st, 2014
Posted December 28th, 2013
311 posts
9.6 Years
I could not find a recent thread on this subject, and some people tend to get annoyed with necro-posting, but I'd really like to know. This is about breeding for competitive teams, specifically, not breeding in general. What and how do you breed for?

Also, if you feel like it, list specific examples of what you have bred when applicable, and why. Just to add something to discuss.
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Pilkie

Pokémon Breeder

Age 28
Male
New Jersey, United States
Seen May 3rd, 2014
Posted December 21st, 2013
96 posts
9.6 Years
Whenever I breed Pokémon for competitive teams, the only things I focus on are getting people a pokémon with the right IVs and right nature. Moves make the process a lot longer then I like, so I make it a point that I will give them the pokémon they want with the nature and IVs they want, but they will have to breed any moves in. It's not hard once you have the 5IV pokémon and a destiny knot, it's just a lot more time than I like to/can afford to spend on breeding.
Currently Breeding: 5 IV Tyrunts
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LoudSilence

more like uncommon sense

Male
US
Seen August 7th, 2016
Posted March 17th, 2014
583 posts
9.5 Years
I'e only just started breeding for a "perfect" Pancham, but I take IVs and natures into account, definitely. With the everstone and destiny knot, it'd be silly not to since it's so easy.

I don't really focus on egg moves unless it's one of those "make or break" type moves, it seems like a hassle with regards to time (breeding for stats takes long enough as it is).

I also always try to use Pokemon/moves that I like. I know that doesn't fit in with the whole competitive mindset, but quite frankly it's boring to follow cookie-cutter builds that people post with only victory in mind. Pokemon is about enjoying the ride with your favourites, I feel like.

To each his own though.
この世界は素晴らしい。

Ooka

Cosmic

Age 30
Challenging The E4
Seen September 15th, 2022
Posted January 18th, 2020
2,621 posts
15.7 Years
This gen makes it easier than ever, so I definitely go for everything.

Griffinbane

I hate Smeargle.

Age 35
Female
Pennsylvania, US
Seen November 28th, 2019
Posted February 19th, 2017
1,293 posts
15.2 Years
I go for everything as well. First is nature, then egg moves, then IVs. Screw shiny, it's just a hassle.
Terriermon and Lopmon

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Age 29
Female
TN
Seen February 9th, 2018
Posted February 4th, 2016
180 posts
14.4 Years
I breed for IVs and natures, usually. I'll only breed for egg moves if they're important enough, otherwise forget it. I try to use the Pokemon with the best IVs of the bunch overall, but usually I'm not breeding for all 6 flawless IVs, just in the stats I need the most.
CHARMELEON! WAR-TOR-TLE
Male
Maryland
Seen November 10th, 2014
Posted October 22nd, 2014
270 posts
12 Years
While IV's are important, Ev's and natures are more so, as they determine stats more than IV's. When i IV breed i normally shoot for 3-5 flawless to near flawless IV's in the stats i feel are the most important/utilized by that particular pokemon.

EDIT: something to keep in mind with IV breeding is that it is intimidating when you first start out, but 6th gen made Iv breeding a lot easier. However, IV breeding is pretty tedious and at times frustrating, but all in all it is not that difficult.
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LoudSilence

more like uncommon sense

Male
US
Seen August 7th, 2016
Posted March 17th, 2014
583 posts
9.5 Years
While IV's are important, Ev's and natures are more so, as they determine stats more than IV's. When i IV breed i normally shoot for 3-5 flawless to near flawless IV's in the stats i feel are the most important/utilized by that particular pokemon..
Well, I dunno if you can really say more or less important...a range from 0-31 more in a stat is a big enough of a deal that people should care if they're going to take the competitive scene seriously, you know?
この世界は素晴らしい。
Male
Maryland
Seen November 10th, 2014
Posted October 22nd, 2014
270 posts
12 Years
Well, I dunno if you can really say more or less important...a range from 0-31 more in a stat is a big enough of a deal that people should care if they're going to take the competitive scene seriously, you know?
Yeah I understand. I guess it all depends on how they are going to use the pokemon, competitively or casually. I wasn't discounting IV's as they are important, just that nature and EV's have the highest influence on a stat, i feel
I may be bad, but i'm perfectly good at it.
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Ooka

Cosmic

Age 30
Challenging The E4
Seen September 15th, 2022
Posted January 18th, 2020
2,621 posts
15.7 Years
EVs change a stat by a total of 63, IVs change them by a total of 31 (At level 100). That said, EVs randomly placed in different stats still help the Pokemon, even if it isn't the optimal way. A 0 stat in an IV doesn't help any of it's other stats at all.

In other words, EVs put in the wrong places can still help Pokemon in odd ways, like letting it survive random moves or move faster than random things. But IVs being wrong doesn't do anything for a Pokemon.

That said, EVs are very important, and need to be in the right spot, and IVs are very important and need to be as high as possible where they're needed. Imo anyways. xD
Male
Seen February 8th, 2014
Posted February 8th, 2014
18 posts
12.2 Years
Not to thread jack, but does anyone have any tips on how to breed IVs in the beginning? Taking into account that you don't have a flawless ditto or anything. Example: If you want a 5 or better IV'ed axew.
What you would have to start with, what items would have to be used, and how you switch in different mons' to bump up the IVs to the next egg.
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Route 49
Seen February 7th, 2016
Posted June 21st, 2015
612 posts
10.5 Years
I usually breed for moves if I want to do the Battle Subway for example. Getting perfect IVs (And I mean on every stat) is very unlikely and thus a too frustrating a task for me to attempt to accomplish.
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Griffinbane

I hate Smeargle.

Age 35
Female
Pennsylvania, US
Seen November 28th, 2019
Posted February 19th, 2017
1,293 posts
15.2 Years
Ehh, I don't do flawless either. They pop up upon occasion when breeding a pair of quints (I had 2 pop up, yay!) but I usually leave out one of the attacking stats and/or speed. It's too much of a hassle to go for PERFECTION.
Terriermon and Lopmon

White: 1463 5558 5309
X: 2208 5685 5454
- - - -

Ooka

Cosmic

Age 30
Challenging The E4
Seen September 15th, 2022
Posted January 18th, 2020
2,621 posts
15.7 Years
Not to thread jack, but does anyone have any tips on how to breed IVs in the beginning? Taking into account that you don't have a flawless ditto or anything. Example: If you want a 5 or better IV'ed axew.
What you would have to start with, what items would have to be used, and how you switch in different mons' to bump up the IVs to the next egg.
Basically if you don't have a Ditto safari, you should put off breeding until you do. Otherwise, head to the Pokemon Village and catch yourself 200-300 Dittos and start IV checking them.

As far as passing IVs, you can force them with the Power items from the Battle Maison, or just keep hatching eggs until the right values pass. I don't use the RNG method but it works just fine too.
Male
Seen November 22nd, 2013
Posted November 22nd, 2013
2 posts
9.5 Years
For me personally, I want the best team I can possibly make.
First I breed my pokemon and ditto to get a correct nature, then breed pokemon and a 4IV Ditto to work on IV's until I can get a 5IV Pokémon that I'm looking for.









One example is my Perfect Cloyster.
I bred a female cloyster with its hidden ability with a male corsola that knew Rock blast to set up a powerful sweeper.


Then it's just the matter of breeding it correctly to get HP ATT DEF SPDEF and SPD IV's. So far I am at 112 Eggs, best being shellder almost perfect Male, all IVs needed except Speed. Need that. Anyways I ramble... haha

s0nido

turn up the engine

Age 28
Male
Laverre City
Seen December 30th, 2022
Posted December 9th, 2014
1,590 posts
14.9 Years
I'll only try to breed egg moves onto a Pokemon if they're absolutely integral to that Pokemon's role. Maximised IV spreads are a must, though. Besides, it's not too hard, even though it's time-consuming.
A question - is it possible to breed a Pokemon with 6 perfect IVs?
Queensland, Australia
Seen June 6th, 2016
Posted December 9th, 2014
1,830 posts
15.8 Years
Not to thread jack, but does anyone have any tips on how to breed IVs in the beginning? Taking into account that you don't have a flawless ditto or anything. Example: If you want a 5 or better IV'ed axew.
What you would have to start with, what items would have to be used, and how you switch in different mons' to bump up the IVs to the next egg.
I'd suggest simply Wonder Trading. I have received so many decent parents (3/4 IV's) from Japanese players it's ridiculous. I've very rarely received anything outside of a Fletchling or Bidoof from American players however *cough*

The Bank Vault - An XY Trade Thread

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Sopheria

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深き海の彼方
Seen July 19th, 2022
Posted December 17th, 2017
4,904 posts
9.5 Years
It's too much trouble to breed for perfect IV's, at least in Gen IV. I've heard things have changed in X and Y. When I breed it's usually for moves. Some Pokemon learn some really good moves through breeding, like Mawile learning all the elemental fang attacks--especially poison fang (bad poison for the win).

Another example is my Kingdra that knows Octazooka. Really good move in the right situations.
Paired with Dragon and Koakuma

Male
Philippines
Seen December 31st, 2014
Posted December 3rd, 2014
195 posts
9.7 Years
Meh, just 4 IVs are enough for me, I only breed for 5 if it's necessary like Aegislash.

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