Hi there! As a fellow Pokemon Go enthusiast, I know how exciting it is to catch different Pokemon and power them up. You may be wondering, should I bother catching or keeping Pokemon with low CP or not? Let‘s take a deep dive into the pros and cons.
What CP actually measures
First, it helps to understand what CP (Combat Power) actually represents. CP is calculated using the Pokemon‘s base stats, IVs, and level. So it reflects the Pokemon‘s current battling prowess.
However, CP doesn‘t tell the whole story. A Pokemon‘s potential is better indicated by its IVs, short for Individual Values. Every Pokemon has IVs ranging from 0 to 15 for Attack, Defense, and Stamina. The higher the IVs, the better the Pokemon‘s stats can become at maximum level.
So a Pokemon with low CP but strong IVs still has great potential! With enough investment of candies and stardust, you can power up those IVs over time.
When low CP Pokemon are preferred
For PvP battles in Go Battle League, CP caps exist. The maximum CP is 1500 for Great League and 2500 for Ultra League. This means generally you want lower level Pokemon who fit under those caps.
A maxed out 4* Pokemon is useless in Great League if it far exceeds 1500 CP at level 40. But a low level specimen could still perform well when powered up a bit.
In fact, 0% IV Pokemon have a niche in PvP. A 0% Azumarill maxes out below 1500 CP while 100% IV Azu cannot make the limit. Despite worse overall stats, that extra level provides an advantage.
Should you keep Shadow Pokemon?
Now you may be wondering – what about Shadow Pokemon? Team Rocket Grunts can challenge you and leave behind a Shadow version of the Pokemon they used.
Shadow Pokemon deal 20% more damage with their fast and charge moves. This gives them significant raid advantages. However, they cost more to power up and can‘t reach as high CP as a regular or purified version.
Purifying a Shadow Pokemon raises its IVs and makes powering up cheaper. But you‘ll lose that sweet damage boost. It‘s a trade-off between power and longevity.
Here‘s a quick pros and cons breakdown:
Pros of keeping as Shadow:
- 20% more DPS output
- Outperform non-Shadow variants in raids/gyms
- Rarer collector‘s item
Cons of keeping as Shadow:
- Costs more resources to power up
- Unable to reach max CP potential
- Takes 20% extra damage in raids/gyms
So consider carefully if you want to keep a Shadow in its rare but glass cannon state, or purify it for well-rounded stats.
How common are perfect 0% IV Pokemon?
Pokemon with 0% IVs are incredibly rare – you only have a 1 in 4096 chance of encountering one in the wild! Some players seek out these novelty "nundo" Pokemon specifically because they are so uncommon.
Research shows that wild spawns have around a:
- 1 in 4096 chance of having 0% IVs
- 1 in 216 chance of having 100% IVs
That‘s over 19 times rarer! If you manage to catch a 0% IV Pokemon, hold onto it as a collector‘s item. Just don‘t expect it to compete well in battle.
Motivation decay explained
When you assign a Pokemon to an open gym slot, its motivation will slowly decay over time, lowering its CP. The rate of decay depends on the Pokemon‘s max CP:
| Max CP | Loss per hour |
|---|---|
| <3000 | 1% CP lost |
| ≥3000 | 10% CP lost |
So Slaking and other bulky Pokemon with super high max CP will decay very quickly. But a lower leveled Pokemon can last much longer with minimal decay.
Don‘t worry, you can restore the Pokemon to full motivation by feeding it berries or using potions/revives. The CP only temporarily decreases while defending the gym.
Evolving before or after powering up
Should you evolve a Pokemon first or power it up first? The answer is it makes no difference!
A Pokemon‘s CP is determined by its level, IVs, and base stats. Powering up increases level. Evolving only changes the base stats.
The final max CP will be the same whether you power up before or after. However, it‘s smarter to evolve first. That way, if the Pokemon gets poor moves, you can try evolving again for something better.
If you get the ideal moveset on the first go, then you can comfortably invest candy and dust into powering it up.
What level of CP or IVs should you aim for?
I hope this advice has been helpful for you! Let‘s recap quickly:
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For raids and gyms: Seek high CP and IVs for maximum power.
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For PvP: Lower CP and IVs can meet league limits. Movesets and typing tend to be more important.
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For collection: Zero IVs are incredibly rare, keep them as novelty finds.
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For training gyms: Use high CP Pokemon that you don‘t mind their CP decaying.
Power up your favorites first and remember movesets matter most! But don‘t transfer that low CP hidden gem until you‘ve checked its IVs. It could have great potential with enough investment.
Let me know if you have any other Pokemon Go questions! I‘m always happy to help a fellow trainer.
