Most Pokemon GO players know that a Hundo — a Pokemon with perfect 15/15/15 IVs — is something to chase. But here’s the twist: in the most popular PvP format, a Hundo is actually suboptimal. The “perfect” Pokemon for Great League has a 0 in Attack IVs, not a 15.
If you’ve been staring at the appraisal screen wondering what those bars and stars actually mean, or debating whether to bother with IV calculator apps, this guide covers it all. You’ll learn what IVs are, how to read appraisals in-game, when exact IV numbers matter, and a practical framework for deciding what’s worth keeping — matched to how you actually play. For a deeper look at how CP interacts with your Pokemon’s power ceiling, check out our CP explained guide.
What Are IVs in Pokemon GO?
IVs — Individual Values — are hidden stat bonuses that sit on top of every Pokemon’s base stats. There are three of them: Attack, Defense, and HP (also called Stamina). Each one ranges from 0 to 15, giving you a combined maximum of 45. [1]
Here’s the part most guides skip: IVs are added to base stats, not multiplied. That distinction matters a lot. A Machamp with 0 Attack IV will still tear apart a Magikarp with 15 Attack IV, because Machamp’s base Attack stat is in a completely different league. Base stats are the foundation — IVs are just the finishing coat.
That said, IVs do matter when you’re comparing two Pokemon of the same species. For high-investment picks like a raiding Mewtwo or a PvP Medicham, those extra points genuinely add up. But for most of your collection? Don’t stress the numbers too hard. A 3-star Pokemon with near-perfect stats is functionally excellent in virtually every context.
Two terms you’ll hear constantly in the community, but almost no guide bothers to define:
- Hundo — a Pokemon with 15/15/15 across all three IVs (100%). Shows as four stars with a red background in the appraisal screen.
- Nundo — a Pokemon with 0/0/0 across all three IVs (0%). Rare, useless in most formats, but weirdly prized as a collector’s item.
One more thing worth knowing: unlike the mainline games, Pokemon GO has no Nature or EV system. IVs are the only hidden stat modifier — simple, but easy to overlook if you’re coming from the Switch games.
How to Check Your IVs In-Game
When I first started playing, the appraisal screen made no sense to me — I just saw bars and vague compliments from my team leader. Here’s what it’s actually telling you.
To access it: tap any Pokemon → hit the three-line menu in the bottom-right corner → select Appraise. Your Team Leader will rate the Pokemon and show you three individual bars for Attack, Defense, and HP. Each bar has notch markers at 5 and 10. A fully filled, glowing bar means that stat is exactly 15. [2]
The overall star rating is based on your total IV score out of 45:
| Stars | Total IV Score | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 0 stars | 0–22 | 0–49% |
| 1 star | 23–29 | 51–64% |
| 2 stars | 30–36 | 67–80% |
| 3 stars | 37–44 | 82–98% |
| 4 stars (red banner) | 45 | 100% — Hundo |
Two search shortcuts worth bookmarking: type 4* in the Pokemon search box to instantly filter all your Hundos. Type 3* to see everything rated 3 stars and above — essential for managing a large collection without individually appraising every catch.
For most decisions — whether to power up, transfer, or trade — the in-game appraisal gives you everything you need. If you want the exact IV numbers rather than just the star rating, IV calculator apps reveal the precise spread.
IV Calculator Apps: Calcy IV vs PokeGenie
The in-game appraisal system gives you star ratings and bar indicators, but it won’t tell you the exact numbers — there’s a real difference between 14/15/15 and 15/14/15 depending on what you’re doing with that Pokemon. That’s where IV calculator apps come in. [3]
Calcy IV (Android only) runs as a live overlay — a floating button that sits on top of the game. While you’re viewing a Pokemon’s appraisal screen, long-press the button and it instantly reads the exact IV spread, PvP league rank, and raid usefulness. If you’re bulk-scanning a box of 50 Machop after a Community Day, Calcy IV is unbeatable for speed.
PokeGenie (iOS and Android) works differently — it’s screenshot-based. Take a screenshot of the Pokemon’s stat screen, import it into PokeGenie, and it returns the exact IVs and PvP rankings. It’s the only real option for iOS users since Apple doesn’t allow live overlays the way Android does.
Both apps are ToS-safe. Neither requires your account credentials — they do read-only screen analysis only, so you’re not risking a ban by using them.
Bottom line: Calcy IV is faster if you’re on Android; PokeGenie covers both platforms if you need iOS support or cross-device consistency.
Which IVs Matter — PvP, Raids, and Gyms
This is where a lot of players get tripped up — the ideal IV spread is completely different depending on the game mode.
Raids and Gym Battles: go for 15 Attack
There’s no CP cap in raids. Higher Attack IV means higher direct damage output, full stop. A 15/15/15 Hundo is genuinely optimal here — every stat point translates directly into performance. Gym defence works the same way; there’s no ceiling, so raw stats win. For full raid team recommendations, see our raid guide.
PvP (Great League ≤1500 CP, Ultra League ≤2500 CP): low Attack IVs are actually better
This surprises most new players, but Hundos are suboptimal for Great and Ultra League. Here’s why.
The CP formula treats Attack differently from Defense and HP — Attack is the only stat that isn’t under a square root. That means every +1 Attack IV pushes CP up much faster than +1 Defense or HP. The consequence: a Pokemon with 0 Attack IV hits the CP cap at a higher level than the same species with 15 Attack. A higher level means higher Defense and HP, which both scale with level. The result is a bulkier Pokemon sitting under the same CP ceiling — a higher “stat product.” [4]
Stat product is the community shorthand for ranking PvP IV spreads. Higher stat product means more combined bulk, which usually means more wins in a capped league. The ideal spread for most Great and Ultra League Pokemon is 0–1 Attack / 15 Defense / 15 HP, though the exact optimum varies by species. [5]
Master League: Hundo wins again
No CP cap means Attack IVs translate directly into damage, so a 15/15/15 is exactly what you want here.
| Game Mode | Ideal Attack IV | Ideal Def/HP IV | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raids & Gyms | 15 | 15 | No CP cap — raw damage wins |
| Great League | 0–1 | 15 | More bulk under CP cap |
| Ultra League | 0–1 | 15 | Same reason |
| Master League | 15 | 15 | No cap — Hundo is optimal |
For the full breakdown of species-specific ideal spreads and how to evaluate your catches for PvP, see our dedicated PvP IV guide.
Should You Keep It or Transfer It?
Most players don’t need to agonise over IVs. Here’s a simple framework to make the call fast.
- For raids: Keep anything 3-star or above (≥82% IV). A 3-star Machamp out-damages a 1-star by a meaningful margin in long raids — it adds up across a full lobby.
- For PvP: Star rating is nearly meaningless here. What matters is whether the IV spread produces good stat product for the specific CP cap. Use Calcy IV or PokeGenie to check PvP rank — anything in the top 10% (rank 1–100 in most tools) is worth holding onto.
- For your Pokédex: Keep one of every species regardless of IVs. You can always power up a better one later — you can’t un-transfer.
- General rule: Don’t transfer a 3-star or 4-star until you have a confirmed better replacement. Storage upgrades are cheap with Pokécoins.
- Nundos (0/0/0): Worth keeping. They’re rarer than Hundos in the wild, have niche PvP applications, and are a legitimate collector’s trophy.
Lucky Trades: The Fastest Way to Improve IVs
If you’re chasing better IVs on a specific Pokemon, trading is your most powerful lever — especially Lucky trades.
Lucky Pokemon have a guaranteed minimum of 12 in each IV stat, meaning the floor is 12/12/12, which already clears 80%. The odds of hitting a Hundo from a Lucky trade are 1/64 (~1.6%), since each stat independently rolls 12–15 (4 options per stat: 4 × 4 × 4 = 64 combinations). Compare that to roughly 1/4,096 from a wild catch — Lucky trading is about 64× more likely to produce a Hundo. [6]
Here’s how to land Lucky trades:
- Random Lucky: Any trade has roughly a 5% base chance. Older Pokemon in the trade increase those odds.
- Guaranteed Lucky: Trade with a Lucky Friend (requires reaching Best Friend status), or trade a Pokemon originally caught in 2020 or earlier.
Practical tip: if you’re hunting a Hundo of a specific species, stockpile spare catches and save them for a Lucky Friend trade session — it’s the most reliable shot you’ve got.
Understanding IVs transforms how you evaluate your Pokemon — not as a chase for perfection, but as a set of trade-offs matched to how you actually play. A 3-star raider is excellent. A 0 Attack PvP pick beats a Hundo in Great League. And a Nundo? Worth more to collectors than most 2-stars.
Trading is also the fastest way to improve IVs — especially Lucky trades. Our Pokemon GO trading guide covers Lucky Pokemon mechanics, stardust costs, and the full trade evolution list.
Stardust is what powers up your Pokemon — and it runs out fast. Our stardust farming guide covers the fastest methods and the Star Piece strategy that maximises every session.
Egg hatches give random IVs within a range — understanding how IVs work helps you evaluate what you get. Our guide to hatching eggs faster covers every egg type and the incubator strategy that speeds things up.
Ready to build a team? Our Great League teams guide covers the current meta picks and 3 beginner-friendly team compositions.
Another way to boost a Pokemon is through the Best Buddy system — our buddy guide explains the CP boost and which Pokemon are worth the investment.
Once you know your Pokemon has the right IVs, check our power up guide to learn when to power up and how to make the most of your stardust.
I've been playing video games for over 20 years, spanning everything from early PC titles to modern open-world games. I started Switchblade Gaming to publish the kind of accurate, well-researched guides I always wanted to find — built on primary sources, tested in-game, and kept up to date after patches. I currently focus on Minecraft and Pokémon GO.