The Final Steps: EV Training, Leveling and Friendship

EV Training - Going from Well-Bred Babies to Trained Killers

After breeding, EV training is the final step before a Pokémon becomes competitive. Here are some quick facts about EVs:

• The lead Pokémon in a party gains EVs when a foe is knocked out.
• Each Pokemon species yields a set number of EVs.
• At level 100, four EVs equals one stat point.
• Invest EVs only in multiples of four in each stat.
• You should never have more than 252 EVs in one stat.
• A Pokémon can gain 510 EVs total.

Training Efficiently

The most efficient way to train EVs is through horde encounters, using a designated hitter, training a Pokémon afflicted with Pokérus holding the Power Item that corresponds to the stat being trained. Let's break that down.

Horde Encounters

Oddish is the most common Sweet Scent user

Using Sweet Scent where wild Pokémon can be found will trigger a horde battle, so long as the overworld weather is clear.

A horde battle summons five Pokémon, usually of the same type. Each Pokémon in the horde yields EVs as if it was a encountered alone. Attacks like Earthquake and Surf will hit all the horde Pokémon at once.

Not all hordelings are the same

Designated Hitter

This is simply a strong Pokémon that knows a field-hitting move like Surf or Earthquake. Lead with the Pokémon you are training, and then switch into the designated hitter for the knock out.

Pokérus

Pokérus, short for "Pokémon Virus," is a very useful and rare condition that doubles the amounts of EVs gained after the effects of held items.

A Pokémon catches the virus by:

• encountering wild Pokémon also afflicted with it, or
• residing in the same party as a afflicted Pokémon during a battle

The virus stops being contagious after up to four days spent outside the PC. Pokémon kept in the PC will stay contagious indefinitely. The EV-doubling benefit of Pokémon remain after the Pokémon is no longer contagious.

Power Items

A Macho Brace doubles the amount of EVs a Pokémon would otherwise gain before Pokérus. However, this is not nearly as useful as Power Items. These add 4 EVs to the amount otherwise gained, before Pokérus, in the stat that matches the item. For example, earning 1 HP EV while holding the Power Weight would yield 5 EVs, or 10 with Pokérus. 

Which Pokémon to Fight - X&Y

HP - Gulpin (Route 5)

Attack - Bellsprout (Route 14)

Defense - Nosepass (Route 10)

Sp. Attack - Vanillite (Frost Cavern)

Sp. Defense - Hoppip (Route 7)

Speed - Wingull (Route 12)

Which Pokémon to Fight - ORAS

HP - Whismur (Rusturf Tunnel)

Attack - Shuppet (Mt. Pyre)

Defense - Sandshrew (Route 111)

Sp. Attack - Oddish (Route 119)

Sp. Defense - Swablu (Route 115)

Speed - Zigzagoon (Route 104)

The Cycle

1. Gather all the resources: Power Items, Pokérus, Sweet Scent, a designated hitter and a untrained Pokémon.
2. Give the training Pokémon the Power Item that corresponds to the stat you are training.
3. Place the training Pokémon in the lead spot.
4. Go to where the EV-yielding Pokémon is most commonly found.
5. Save.
6. Use Sweet Scent.
7. If the horde contains five of the desired EV-yielding Pokémon, switch into the DH and use knock out the horde. If not, choose whether to knock out the individual Pokémon or run.
8. Either way keep track of what you knock out. Write it down. 
9. Repeat 6-8 until you have trained as much as you want.
10. Give the training Pokémon another Power Item and repeat.

Each Pokémon listed above will yield 10 EVs [(1 base + 4 Power Item) * 2 Pokérus)]. So, each horde of five will yield 50 EVs. Kill five hordes, remove the Power Item, and knock out one more of the same Pokémon to get 252 EVs (5*50 horde + 1*2 Pokérus).

Fast Leveling

Equipping low-level Pokémon with the Lucky Egg will award them 150% of the experience they would normally gain, even from Exp. Share. So, after your Pokémon have been fully EV-trained, take them into Cafe le Wow with high-level battlers out front, turn on your highest Exp. Point O-Power, and level your newborns using Exp. Share.

You can get more Lucky Eggs by capturing Chansey in the Friend Safari, at an encounter rate of 5%.

Fast Affection Building

Hmm...I think you have a lot of time ahead of you to get to know one another better

Reaching the highest level of affection using Pokémon Amie gives a Pokémon:

• Increased Critical Hit Ratio
• Chance to endure a hit that would otherwise knock it out
• Chance to shake off status conditions
• Twenty percent more experience it will gain from battle
• Chance to avoid attacks, even with 100% accuracy

To cap a Pokémon's friendship quickly:

1. Rub (with the stylus) your Pokémon in its preferred place, as shown by its countenance, and the sounds it makes, until a music note replaces the hearts released.
2. Feed it the highest-quality PokéPuffs (swirly frosting with a topping) until it refuses to eat more. Doing well in the minigames awards better PokéPuffs.
3. Play the Head It minigame on Unlimited difficulty (must be unlocked) until you reach 100 points. Stop at 100 points, since nothing is gained by continuing. Play this twice, which will reset your Pokémon's hunger, and repeat from step 1. 

If done correctly, this cycle should yield about 45 hearts each time. It takes 250 hearts for a Pokémon to reach maximum affection.

IMPORTANT

The affection you gain in Pokémon Amie is not the same as the friendship required to evolve Pokémon, or to affect the power of Return or Frustration. 

This metric is raised swiftest by cycling around Centrigo Plaza with the Befriending O-Power Lv. 3 and a Soothe Bell assigned to the target Pokémon. Every 128 steps equals about +2 friendship. About 10 minutes of cycling should be enough to raise it all the way. 

In Laverre City and Verdanturf Town there is a female Pokémon Breeder who will judged a Pokémon's friendship. Based on the friendship level, she will say:

250+ "It's amazingly friendly toward you! It must be so happy spending every day with you!"

"It's extremely friendly toward you. It couldn't possibly love you more. It's a pleasure to see!"

200-249 "You must really like your and always keep it by your side!"

"It seems to be very happy. It's obviously friendly toward you."

150-199 "Well, I think you and ____ will be an even greater combo someday!"

"It's quite friendly toward you. It seems to want to be babied a little."

100-149 "It's a little bit Friendly to you... Something like that."

"It's getting used to you. It seems to believe in you."

50-99 "Hmm...I think you have a lot of time ahead of you to get to know one another better."

"It's not very used to you yet. It neither loves nor hates you."

1-49 "Don't tell me! Are you just letting it get knocked out in Pokémon battles?!"

"It's very wary. It has a scary look in its eyes. It doesn't like you much at all."

0 "What's this? Are you a disciplinarian? Or do you plan to use the move Frustration?"

"This is a little hard for me to say... Your Pokémon simply detests you. Doesn't that make you uncomfortable?"