This guide provides information on how to EV Train your Pokemon efficiently, and how to reset unwanted EVs in the games Pokemon Sword and Shield. Read on for information about how to acquire and remove EVs, as well as an explanation of EV Training.

What are EVs?

EVs, or Effort Values, are hidden stats which add points to each of a Pokemon's six main stats (HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed). Pokemon acquire EVs naturally by battling other Pokemon throughout the game, but for trainers who want to maximize their Pokemon's power by focusing EVs in specific stats, this guide is for you.

Pokemon can acquire a total of 508 EVs, with a maximum of 252 EVs in each stat. For information on breeding the ideal Pokemon for EV Training, check the complete guide below for further details.

How to Breed & Train Pokemon Like a Pro

How to EV Train Fast

Buy your way there with Vitamins

Vitamins like Protein and Carbos, available from the Wyndon City Pokemon Center and the Battle Tower, are the quickest way to increase a Pokemon's EVs. Each Vitamin boosts a Pokemon's EVs in a given stat by 10. In previous games, the use of Vitamins was limited to the first 100 EVs acquired in a stat, but that restriction has been removed in Pokemon Sword and Shield, and now players can use Vitamins until the maximum EV value of 252.

How to Get Vitamins (Nutritious Drinks)

Vitamins cost a lot of money

If time is of the essence, Vitamins are the best way to EV train fast, but to fully complete EV training for a Pokemon from zero to max (508 total EVs), you'll need a drop a fat 530,000 Poke Dollars. To EV train an entire party, be sure to get your wallet ready first by taking advantage of fast-cash techniques throughout the game.

How to Get Money Fast

Let your EVs increase automatically

Send your Pokemon to a seminar

Under the Poke Jobs menu at the Rotomi terminal in any Pokemon Center, you can send your Pokemon to seminars at Hammerlocke University to increase their EVs in a given stat.

Up to 10 Pokemon can be selected and sent to a seminar at a time. You can choose how long your Pokemon will study for, ranging to a full day at maximum. The longer your Pokemon are at the seminar, the more their EVs will increase, but you won't be able to use those Pokemon during that time, so be careful about your timing in sending Pokemon to a seminar.

Note that the effects of seminars are boosted by Pokerus and Power Items, so it's recommended to prepare these before starting your training to save time.

Rates of EV acquisition from seminars

How to reset EVs

Lady Clear (The Isle of Armor DLC only)

Players who have purchased The Isle of Armor DLC can easily reset the EVs of a single Pokemon down to zero. A character named Lady Clear in the Workout Sea area will change a Pokemon to a blank slate in exchange for ten pieces of Armorite Ore. This can be a hefty fee when doing so for multiple Pokemon, but this seems to be the most efficient method for resetting EVs available in the series so far.

How to Get Armorite Ore Fast

Use Berries

If a Pokemon has appeared in battle before and received EXP, they will have already acquired some EVs. If you'd like to start from scratch, and EV train from zero with no unwanted EVs in the way, you can use Berries to reduce a Pokemon's EVs in a given stat.

There are six Berries which, when given to a Pokemon, will reduce a given stat's EVs by 10. They will come in handy for any mistakes made during EV training.

Obtainable in the Wild Area

These berries are obtainable from shaking trees found in the Wild Area, or as the rewards obtained from Max Raid Battles.

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