Learn how Individual Values are inherited and how to breed Pokemon with 5 or 6 perfect IVs.
Last updated: 2026-06-03
Individual Values, or IVs, are hidden stats that determine a Pokemon's potential in each of the six stat categories: HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed. Each IV ranges from 0 to 31, with 31 being the highest possible value (often called "perfect" or "best" IV). At level 100, a Pokemon with 31 IVs in a stat has 31 more points in that stat compared to a Pokemon with 0 IVs. For competitive play, 5 perfect IVs (missing the attacking stat the Pokemon does not use) or 6 perfect IVs are the standard goal.
IVs are determined at the moment an Egg is created and cannot be changed through normal training. Hyper Training, introduced in Generation 7 and available at level 50 or higher in later games, allows you to artificially max out IVs using Bottle Caps. However, Hyper Trained stats do not pass down through breeding, so breeding for natural perfect IVs remains the method of choice for creating competitive breeding stock.
The Destiny Knot is the most important item for IV breeding. Normally, an Egg inherits 3 random IVs from both parents combined (out of 12 total IVs across both parents). When one parent holds a Destiny Knot, the Egg inherits 5 random IVs instead. This dramatically improves your chances of producing offspring with high overall IV quality. With two 6-IV parents and one holding a Destiny Knot, each Egg has a 1-in-32 chance of being 6-IV (the one non-inherited IV rolls randomly between 0 and 31).
To maximize the Destiny Knot's effectiveness, both parents should have high IVs. In practice, you start with a 4-IV or 5-IV Ditto (obtainable through max raids in Sword and Shield or Tera Raids in Scarlet and Violet) and breed it with the Pokemon you want to perfect. Replace the non-Ditto parent with each superior offspring, gradually increasing the IV floor. Within 15 to 30 Eggs, you will typically produce a 5-IV Pokemon. Getting a 6-IV Pokemon is a matter of luck, with approximately 1-in-64 odds when using two 6-IV parents with Destiny Knot.
The Power items -- Power Weight (HP), Power Bracer (Attack), Power Belt (Defense), Power Lens (Special Attack), Power Band (Special Defense), and Power Anklet (Speed) -- each guarantee that the corresponding IV is passed down from the holder to the offspring. This is useful for fixing a specific stat early in the breeding process. However, Power items conflict with the Destiny Knot's 5-IV inheritance, so you typically use Power items only in the initial stages and switch to Destiny Knot once you have a decent IV parent.
A common strategy for starting from scratch: give a 0-IV Pokemon a Power item matching its best stat and breed with a high-IV Ditto. The Power item guarantees that one specific high IV passes down. After hatching, check the offspring and replace the parent with the best child. Once you have a parent with 3 or more perfect IVs, switch to Destiny Knot for faster progress. This iterative replacement method, sometimes called "chain breeding," produces a 5-IV competitive Pokemon reliably within an hour of dedicated breeding.
The Judge function, unlocked after hatching 20 Eggs and speaking to the Battle Tower staff, allows you to evaluate a Pokemon's IVs directly from the box screen. In Generation 8 and 9, you can check IVs by pressing the Judge button in the PC box view. The Judge rates each IV with descriptors: "No Good" (0), "Decent" (1-10), "Pretty Good" (11-20), "Very Good" (21-25), "Fantastic" (26-29), and "Best" (31). "Fantastic" is visually close to perfect but still leaves 2 stat points on the table at level 100.
For efficient breeding, hatch Eggs in groups of 5 (a full party excluding the Flame Body carrier). Check each offspring with the Judge function immediately. Mark perfect IVs with symbols (Heart for HP, Square for Attack, etc.) using the marking system in the PC. This visual system helps you quickly identify which offspring to keep as parents and which to release or trade. Marking is especially useful when breeding multiple Pokemon, as you can instantly see a Pokemon's IV quality without re-checking the Judge screen.
Some competitive strategies require specific IV combinations beyond "all 31." Pokemon using Hidden Power (Generations 2 through 6) need specific IV spreads to achieve the desired type. For example, Hidden Power Ice requires IVs of 30 or 31 in specific stats. This makes Hidden Power breeding significantly more challenging than standard perfect IV breeding. Trick Room teams require Pokemon with 0 Speed IVs to move first in reversed turn order. Breeding for 0 Speed IVs requires giving one parent a Power Anklet and carefully checking offspring until one inherits 0 Speed.
Special attackers often prefer 0 Attack IVs to minimize damage from confusion (which uses self-inflicted physical attack) and from Foul Play (which uses the target's Attack stat). Breeding for a specific 0 IV while maintaining 5 perfect IVs in other stats requires patience. Start with a parent that has 0 IVs in the desired stat (captured from a wild Pokemon with low stats), give it a Power item for that stat, and breed until you produce offspring with 0 in the desired stat plus high IVs elsewhere. After Generations 3 through 5, Hidden Power is no longer used, simplifying breeding for modern competitive formats.