Pokemon GO: Are IVs important for Dynamax attackers?

Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokemon are the newest gimmicks in Pokemon GO. They introduce the signature battle feature used in the eighth generation of the mainline franchise. For fans who have not played Pokemon Sword and Shield, these new creatures can initially seem a bit complicated and confusing.

Given that the player's Dynamax Pokemon can achieve this state in battle and access some new moves, some may not think a creature's particular IVs make a difference in assigning their stats, unlike other monsters in Pokemon GO. However, IVs are arguably some of the most important values in the Pokemon franchise when determining a monster's power.

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What are IVs in Pokemon GO?

IVs are randomized values that help determine a creature's stats (Image via The Pokemon Company)

IVs, or individual values, are set numbers every Pokemon spawns with in Pokemon GO. Three of these numbers are given to each creature, with each correlating to each of the three stats: Attack, Defense, and Stamina. In GO, these numbers are between 0 and 15.

Players can select the "Appraise" option on the monster's stat screen once they reach level 10 and join one of the three-player teams To see a Pokemon's IVs. Once a team is selected, their leader will show the player their creature's IVs while commenting on other aspects like its size or if any of its IVs are at its max 15 value.

Creatures spawned in the wild will have random IVs, but monsters seen through hatching eggs, completing research tasks, and beating raids have a much better chance of having maxed-out IVs. This extends to Max Battles and Gigantamax Battles, meaning all Dynamax Pokemon in the game have a high chance of possessing these high IVs.

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How do IVs impact Dynamax Pokemon in Pokemon GO

Dynamax Pokemon are impacted by IVs just the same as regular creatures (Image via The Pokemon Company)

IVs impact Dynamax Pokemon similarly to how they would a regular creature. No particular stat is more important than another, particularly for Dynamax Pokemon. While the main series sees Dynamax Pokemon doubling their HP stat, no similar upgrade is done for Dynamax Pokemon in Pokemon GO.

Most, if not all, of the power players associated with Dynamax Pokemon comes from the base power of their new Max Moves rather than the stats of the Dynamax Pokemon itself. With this in mind, one could say that attack is the most important stat, as a creature with higher Attack IVs can better leverage the higher damage provided by Max Moves.

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For more information on the game, check out the articles below:

• Ditto disguises
• Sierra counters
• Cliff counters
• Arlo counters
• Giovanni counters
• Team GO Rocket Grunts