Game Mechanics
This page contains an overview of all game mechanics introduced to the mainline Pokémon games since their initial release in 1996. They range from stat enhancing natures, over ways to teach your Pokémon unattainable moves, and end with breeding mechanisms to rear the strongest Pokémon there ever was.
Breeding
Breeding Pokémon is quite simple: Hand over two compatible Pokémon to the Day Care, walk a specific set of steps, and receive an Egg containing your newly bred Pokémon. However, mastering the art of breeding Pokémon requires in-depth knowledge of how to properly inherit moves, Individual Values, Natures, and even Poké Balls. Therefore, we created an extensive report showcasing how to breed Pokémon properly and what is required to pass down specific traits.
Characteristics
Characteristics are a great feature to confuse many players as they, on a surface level, provide no information regarding their use. However, to the knowledgable player interested in raising capable, perhaps even competitively viable Pokémon, they offer a great insight into a Pokémon's potential. To explain this elusive feature, we compiled an overview showcasing all 30 Characteristics and their indications.
Effort Values (EVs)
Effort Values, or EVs for short, are values increasing a trained Pokémon’s power level tremendously. There are 63 stats to be gained in total, giving your Pokémon quite an edge in its battling capabilities. Being a complicated topic as is, we have compiled all necessary information regarding EV training your Pokémon, complete with all changes that took place over the generations and lists containing items that support EV training.
Individual Values (IVs)
Individual values, or IVs for short, are stat determinants that have a considerable impact on your Pokémon’s stat allocation. Therefore, we have summed up everything you need to know about individual values, ranging from mathematical equations that will help you determine your Pokémon’s IVs and showcasing you, how to inherit good IVs to their offspring.
Move Tutors
Move Tutors are unique NPCs scattered across the regions that will teach your Pokémon moves they are otherwise unable to learn. These moves are often not attainable through different means, making these Move Tutors essential for proper team building. In return for offering such valuable services, they often ask for Battle points or shards of various colors. However, some offer their services for free. Since these NPCs are useful for every player, we have compiled an overview of where to find them and what moves they will teach your Pokémon.
Natures
Natures are an essential component in forming a capable, perhaps even competitively viable Pokémon as a favorable Nature can improve a Pokémon's natural stat allocation significantly. In the best case, a pokémon possesses a Nature increasing its most viable stat while lowering an insignificant one. To learn more about the interplay of Natures and your Pokémon's stats, we organized everything we know about the 25 Natures that are currently available.