Are low-IV Pokemon useless in Pokemon GO battles?

Every day in Pokemon GO, trainers search for individual Pocket Monsters with the highest possible IV (Individual Value) stats to outfit their battle teams. The better the IVs, the better a Pokemon's performance in battle in many situations, but what about Pokemon whose IVs are far from perfect? Are they useless in battle? All things considered, the answer is no, not by a long shot.

Sure, a Pokemon with IVs that aren't at their maximum won't perform as well as an individual with perfect "100%" IVs, but they're far from useless. All in all, Pokemon GO trainers shouldn't let the perfect be the enemy of the good, and many lower-IV Pokemon still have value in battles even if they aren't the best performing.

Note: Part of this article is based on the author's opinion.

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Why lower-IV Pokemon are still worth using in Pokemon GO

Pokemon without perfect IVs can still perform well in Pokemon GO (Image via Niantic)

Sure, low-IV individuals in Pokemon GO aren't the best option for taking on Tier-5/Mega Raids in PvE or tackling the Ultra or Master League in PvP. IVs dictate a Pokemon's Combat Power (CP) as well as their damage output (Attack), resistance to damage (Defense), and overall health total (Stamina), but that doesn't mean a Pokemon with imperfect IVs is useless.

While low-IV Pokemon won't be ideal for high-end gameplay, they're still a great way for newer Pokemon GO players to make progress in the game by being used in gym attacks/defense, Team GO Rocket battles, and even the occasional low-end raid such as those found in Tier-1 and Tier-3. The latter is dependent on how low a Pokemon's IVs really are, but it's something for trainers to keep in mind.

Often, once a Pokemon GO trainer has their feet under them in Niantic's mobile title, they can overlook lower-IV Pokemon in the interest of "Hundos" or Pokemon with perfect 100% IV values in their Attack, Defense, and Stamina categories. While the pursuit of perfection is admirable, trainers shouldn't discount Pokemon with imperfect IVs.

Putting IVs aside for a moment, each Pokemon still has base stat values for their Attack, Defense, and Stamina. Even a Pokemon with terrible IVs can be a quality combatant if its base stat values are solid. For example, a Shadow Mewtwo with relatively poor IVs is still a quality Psychic-type attacker compared to those with lower base stats like an Alolan Raichu.

A legendary species with poor IVs can still be quite strong (Image via Niantic)

Even though trainers certainly want to strive for Pokemon with 100% IVs in Pokemon GO, there's nothing wrong with using those who have imperfect IVs if they get the job done in battle. From base stats to learnable movesets, there's a lot that low-IV Pokemon can offer even if their Individual Values aren't perfect.

If a trainer has a Pokemon that is performing well in PvE or PvP battles despite its lack of perfect IVs, there's nothing wrong with using it until a higher-IV individual comes along. Getting a full team of 100% IV Pokemon takes time and effort, and trainers shouldn't overlook their good Pokemon in pursuit of the perfect specimens.