Summary
Gen 9Pokemongames were some of the most groundbreaking in the series, going above and beyond what their predecessors did in order to reshape the classic formula of the series, withPokemon Scarlet and Violetremoving tall grass battles and line-of-sight trainer battles, adding a move to revive critters, or making Professors the final bosses. There is more to Gen 9 than just tradition-breaking, though, asPokemon Scarlet and Violetfollowed in the footsteps of Gen 8 games when it comes to opening up new accessibility tools to foster competitive play. Modern games have been trying to slowly add new features that maketraining Pokemon for VGCtournaments a much easier task for all, and while Gen 9 is on the right path, there is something that Gen 10 still desperately needs.
One of the best changes withPokemon Scarlet and Violetis that players can now straight up purchase or even find both Bottle Caps and Mints, making the act of building a competitive team a breeze in comparison to past games. Not only that though, as multiple battle items are no longer gatekept behind endgame activities and The Teal Mask even added an item called Fresh Start Mochi to reset EVs on demand. Still, one function remains unavailable even now, and Gen 10 should do something about it.
Pokemon Gen 10 Needs an Item to Lower IVs
How IVs Complicate Shiny Hunting and Legendary Pokemon Stats
One of the biggest issues lamented by players who want their Pokemon to be perfect for when they bring them to the field in VGC competitions is that one can virtually change everything about a pocket monster, but their IVs remain untouchable. This can be a problem for various reasons, includingshiny hunting Legendary Pokemonand actual competitive battles, where IVs are a big part of why a given Pokemon team works or why it doesn’t.
While Pokemon found in the wild are common and can be bred down with given moves or stat values, possibly even finding new specimens with the IVs one needs, this isn’t applicable to every critter in the series. An example comes from Legendary Pokemon or unique encounters, such asBloodmoon Ursaluna in The Teal Mask DLC, or static encounters like Cresselia and Shaymin. These Pokemon often have IVs that vary each time they are encountered, and while low ones can be adjusted with Hyper Training, which can be done in Montenevera inPokemon Scarlet and Violet, high IVs cannot be lowered.
Why Pokemon Gen 10 Needs an Item to Lower IVs
This is a problem if players want a specific build on their Pokemon, such as minimum Speed for Trick Room or minimum Attack to reduce damage taken from Foul Play or self-hits while confused. Because not all Pokemon can be rerolled infinitely to get perfect IVs, and because some players rely on older critters fromPokemon Home, it would be amazing to see a feature that allows IVs to be decreased. An option would be to add something akin to a Bronze Bottle Cap, which would be “less valuable” than regularBottle Caps or Golden Bottle Caps inPokemongames, and that could be used to reduce a given stat’s IVs to 0.
A similar feature would be an incredible step toward competitivePokemonaccessibility, and one that feels only natural after all the recent changes in Gen 9 and the games before it.Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s competitive meta has been reshaped with each new regulation and DLC release, and some critters could benefit from a minimum IVs item. For example,Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Paradox Entei, Raikou, Cobalion, and Terrakion all come with 20 IVs in each stat, and they won’t change at any given time. This means that players can only Hyper Train them, but their IVs will never be 0.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
WHERE TO PLAY
The school that you’ve enrolled in as you playPokémon ScarletandPokémon Violethosts a special independent study project. The theme of this assignment is “A Treasure Hunt.” Explore the world and seek out your very own treasure!Three stories will be woven into your adventure while traversing the sprawling Paldea region. Along Victory Road, you will go to Gyms in different locations in order to to achieve Champion Rank. On the Path of Legends, you can join Arven in search of rare ingredients. And in ★ Starfall Street ★, you’ll challenge Team Star, a group of delinquents causing trouble for the school.These stories are set in an open world, so where you go is all up to you. A world teeming with Pokémon and people to meet is waiting for you—traverse the Paldea region wherever you heart desires.
