[Guide] - How to Breed and Raise Strong Pokemon v2.00

Forward: No cute title, no charming little inserts, just information. Enjoy.

--------------------- Introduction - Definitions ---------------------


Visible Stats:

Level: This is a decoration and has nothing to do with your pokemon's potential. It just divides your stats by some formula depending on your current level.

Main Stats: HP, Attack, Defense, Sp.Attack, Sp.Defense, Speed. Self-explanatory.

Gender: Genders are used for breeding and personal preference. They do not affect main stats.

Natures: Each pokemon has a fixed personality when created. Your pokemon's nature contributes to your pokemon's main stat growth. If a main stat is colored on the status screen it means there's a nature modifier dependent on your nature. (Blue = x0.9, Red = x1.1, No color = 1.0)

English and Japanese nature list: http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Nature


Invisible Stats:

Base stats = Static numbers assigned uniquely to each pokemon species. (ex:Jolteon has 130 base speed). They help determine visible stat growth, and can't be changed.

Individual Values (IVs) = Numbers 0~31 assigned to each main stat of a pokemon. They are determined when the pokemon is created and can't be changed. Each IV point translates to 1 visible stat point at lv100.

Effort Values (EVs) = Numbers you gain when defeating pokemon. They fall into the six visible stats, and have a total limit of 510, with a maximum of 255 in one stat. Every 4 EV points translates to 1 visible stat point at lv100.

Egg Group: The group of pokemon a pokemon can breed with. Full list here: http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Egg_groups
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--------------------- Section 1.1 - Basic Breeding - Why and How ---------------------


Main stats are affected by a combination of Base stats, Natures, IVs, and EVs. Out of these, we can manipulate Natures, IVs, and EVs. Since IVs and natures are generated when the pokemon is created, we'll have to worry about those two before EVs. To do this, instead of catching hundreds of pokemon to try and find a good combination, you breed to increase your odds.

To breed, you deposit a male pokemon and female pokemon of the same egg group to produce an egg. The egg will be of the same species as the mother. Using a ditto will produce an egg of the other pokemon.

The old man at the daycare will call to you when the egg is ready. The chance of finding an egg after a certain amount of steps (said to be 256) is as follows:

Same Species / Different Trainer IDs: 70% (Get along very well)
Same Species / Same Trainer IDs: 50% (Get along)
Different Species / Different Trainer IDs: 50% (Get along)
Different Species / Same Trainer IDs: 20% (Don't seem to like each other)
Different Groups (No egg group) / Same Genders: 0%

Once you receive the egg, the pokemon inside it will be set in terms of IVs and Nature.

Nature: Have one parent hold an "everstone" while in the daycare for a 50% chance to pass down their nature. (ex: male Jolly Growlithe (everstone) + Ditto = 50% chance for Jolly Growlithe). It doesn't matter if the parent holding it is a male, female, or ditto.

Abilities: Dream world / Hidden abilites can be passed down. The hidden ability carrier must be female, and the male must be a pokemon in the same egg group (no ditto). Using an everstone does not increase the chance of the dream world ability passing down. (Said to be a 60% chance)

IVs: Three main stat IVs are inherited by the parents at random. You can set one of the IVs passed down by having one parent hold a power item (Not 100%, but very high chance). Having both parents hold different power items will not lock two IVs for the offspring.

Power items can be purchased for 16BP at the subway:
HP - Power Weight
Attack - Power Bracer
Defense - Power Belt
Sp. Attack - Power Lens
Sp. Defense - Power Band
Speed - Power Anklet


Dittos: Catch lots of them, or have a friend give you one with many 31s. At the very least six dittos with 31 in corresponding main stats. (one ditto with 31 HP, a different ditto with 31 Attack, etc.). They will make breeding much easier for you. If you can't use a ditto, you'll have to count on getting 31s in offspring and partners the long way, which is much, much longer...
I also recommend you catch dittos of every nature to speed up breeding. Check out the Synchronize ability to make the task easier: "...if the Pokémon with this ability is leading the party, Synchronize gives a 50% chance of encountering a wild Pokémon with the same nature."

Also, get a Volcarona. It has flame body which reduces the amount of steps it takes to hatch an egg, and it can also learn fly, making it the ideal breeding support pokemon. Skyarrow Bridge is the longest straight path to run on, making it a great spot to hatch eggs.
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--------------------- Section 1.2 - Referring to IVs (optional) ---------------------


HABCDS V

It's pretty cumbersome to type out each main stat's name when you're breeding a lot, and as a result there are shortcuts in referring to IVs. Japanese players use a HABCDS V system, for example. I prefer to use a mix of the Japanese system and an implied system, like this:

Pichu [21] [12~13] [24] [31] [25~26] [31]

It's implied that it goes in the order of Hp, Attack, Defense, Sp.Attack, Sp.Defense, Speed.
Using the HABCDS V system, I'd say "Pichu CSV" - the person I'm trading with immediately knows the sp.attack and speed are 31.

Another example: every time I hatch a batch of 5 pokemon, I go to the judge and write down the IVs that are 31. If the judge says attack, defense, and speed can't be better, I write "ABS". When you do that for 50~100 pokemon, it starts to save quite a bit of time.

When trading, you can describe a pokemon's stats quickly using this system as well, like "Chimchar AS" or "Chimchar 2V". You can tell it has 31 in attack and speed, or that it has two stats that are 31. Compare it with "Chimchar with perfect attack and speed"... if you're listing a bunch of pokemon for trade, it would get tiring to type it out each time, let alone read it once you have.

So yeah, it's basically an optional shortcut to save time.

Marking

If you ever noticed the marking feature while using the PC, you'll notice there are exactly six shapes to mark, which conveniently corresponds with the six main stats. It is customary to mark the symbols where a main stat is 31, in the order of Hp, Attack, Defense, Sp.Attack, Sp.Defense, and Speed.

*For some reason it seems the marking feature reverses colors during GTS trades.
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Pokemon White: 4856 - 2487 - 7265

--------------------- Section 2 - Breeding - Getting Good Eggs ---------------------

Remember that 3 of 6 IVs of the offspring are generated randomly, while the other 3 are passed down from the parents at random. What this means is you need good IVs for the parents in areas you want to pass down. I believe an example would show you more than trying to describe it: Say you have a Jolly meowth, and a HASV ditto. In this example remember that:

H = Hp
A = Attack
B = Defense
C = Sp.Attack
D = Sp.Defense
S = Speed

V = 31 IV

1) Meowth 1 (no 31s, Jolly w/everstone) + Ditto (HASV, w/power ankle) = 50% of Meowth 2 (Jolly, SV).

2) Meowth 2 (Jolly, SV, w/everstone) + Ditto (HASV, w/power bracer) = Since both parents have 31 in speed, there's a decent chance of Meowth 3 (Jolly, ASV).

3) Meowth 3 (Jolly, ASV, w/everstone) + Ditto (HASV, w/power weight) = Both parents have 31 in attack and speed, so there's a decent chance Meowth 4 will have HASV and a Jolly nature.

Once you're that far, you have a good pokemon on hand. If you want to keep breeding to see if you can get a 4V or higher one, go ahead, but there's no easy way to control it after 3V, because the other 3 are generated randomly.

So basically the idea is to lock in the nature with an everstone, and then set up to three main stat IVs as 31 on the parents for a good chance to pass down an offspring with at least 3V and a good nature. As you can imagine, having a perfect 6V ditto would speed this up considerably. And again, a power item held by a parent locks in an IV for that category, but is not always 100%; it can miss on very rare occasions.

It probably won't go this smoothly, but stay persistent and you'll see results. And speaking of results, here is how to check your offspring's IVs. There are a number of ways:

--- Method 1 ---
Nimbasa City has a Judge in the subway (post E4) who will rate your pokemon. He adds up all six IVs and describes your pokemon's potential accordingly:

0~90 - Decent
91~120 - Above Average
121~150 - Relatively Superior
151~186 - Outstanding

He then describes your highest IV(s):
0~15 - Rather Decent
16~25 - Very Good
26~30 - Fantastic
31 - Can't Be Better

So if he mentions several main stat categories and then says can't be better, it means all categories he mentioned are 31.

--- Method 2 (again, post E4) ---

Take up to three newly hatched lv1 pokemon to Nimbasa City. Enter the building to the left of the pokemon center. Save before talking to the npc inside and agree to battle. The battle that takes place will auto-level your pokemon to lv50 during the match even if they are under lv50.

Write down the visible main stats that you see, and plug them into an online IV calculator, such as this one: http://www.legendarypokemon.net/javacalc.html

The results should be quite accurate, if not a point or two off. Combine method 1 and method 2 to check 31s and general IVs for best results.
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--------------------- Section 3.1 - EV Training ---------------------

EV Training:

You should now have a pokemon with a nature and IV spread you're happy with. This takes us to the last invisible stat we can manipulate, EVs. You obtain EVs for defeating pokemon, and the amount and category of EV point(s) you obtain depends on the pokemon you defeat. Every pokemon that earns exp during the battle earns the full amount of EV points given by the opponent (items that enhance EVs/Pokerus are calculated individually, however).

Also, EV totals are calculated at the end of a battle in B/W instead of during a level up, meaning you can still EV train a lv100 pokemon and see results. There is a girl in Opelucid City who will check if a pokemon has maxed out on EVs.

It's also worthwhile to mention that instead of maxing one EV stat out at 255, it's more efficient to stop at 252. Reason being every 4 EVs = 1 main stat point, so the last 3 points won't count for anything, while you would otherwise have 6 points left over by going 252, enough to increase a third category's main stat by 1.

There are ways to enhance EV training:

Items:
Macho Brace = Doubles EV points gained. (x2) (Nimbasa City)
Held Power Items = Adds four EV points in corresponding category. (+4)

Other:
Pokerus = Doubles EV points gained. There is a 3/65536 or so chance to get this virus after a battle, and it will show up as a purple symbol on your pokemon's status screen. I highly recommend trading for it instead of trying to find it yourself.

Notes about pokerus:

- It is active and contagious when it's purple. If it switches to a smiley face, you cannot transfer the virus to other pokemon.
- The in-game check which cures pokerus is made around midnight. Always keep pokemon with active pokerus in the PC around that time unless you don't mind it being cured.
- You can pass pokerus to other pokemon by battling wild pokemon. The pokemon next to the infected member on the party menu has a 1/3 chance to catch it after each battle.

The most efficient way to gain EV points is to use a combination of Pokerus and power items. example: You defeat one Patrat (worth 1 attack EV). Without pokerus and the power bracer, you gain 1 point. With them, it's 1 + 4 (power bracer) = 5, and then with pokerus it's 5 x 2 = 10, so you gain 10 points instead of 1.
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Pokemon White: 4856 - 2487 - 7265

--------------------- Section 3.2 - EV Training ---------------------


EV Training Hot Spots:

HP - Icirrus City surfing - Stunfisk (2) ----- also Victini (3)
Attack - Route 1 - Lillipup (1) and Patrat (1)
Defense - Pinwheel Forest - Sewaddle (1) Swadloon (2) Venipede (1) and Whirlipede (2) *others appear*
Sp.Attack - Celestial Tower - Litwick (1) and Elgyem (1)
Sp.Defense - Ocean within Driftveil City - Frillish (1)
Speed - Route 3 surfing - Basculin (2)

There are also supplementary items that help with EV training as well:

Vitamins: Every use increases EV points by 10. Can be used until desired category's EVs hit 100. They are mainly used as a head start if you have the funds.

HP Up - HP
Protein - Attack
Iron - Defense
Calcium - Sp.Attack
Zinc - Sp.Defense
Carbos - Speed

Feathers/wings: Every use increases EV points by 1. No limit, found randomly on bridges.

HP - Health Wing (Yellow)
Attack - Muscle Wing (Red)
Defense - Resist Wing (Blue)
Sp.Attack - Genius Wing (Light Blue)
Sp.Defense - Clever Wing (Purple)
Speed - Swift Wing (Green)

EV reducing berries: Lowers EV points by 10. Useful for redistributing EVs.

HP - Pomeg Berry
Attack - Kelpsy Berry
Defense - Qualot Berry
Sp.Attack - Hondew Berry
Sp.Defense - Grepa Berry
Speed - Tamato Berry

*The only currently known method to obtain these berries is to participate in a multi-player mini-game called "Egg Spin Trade" in the Union Room. When you play the mini-game with 5 people, you have a chance to receive one berry at random, including the EV reducing berries.
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Pokemon White: 4856 - 2487 - 7265

------------------- Section 4 - Egg Moves and Hidden Power -------------------------------

Egg Moves:

Each pokemon has a set of moves called "Egg moves" which can only be obtained through breeding. Only male pokemon can pass down moves to its offspring. The idea is to look up a pokemon's egg moves, select a combination that is possible within the egg group, and breed different pokemon in the same egg group for results.

*Egg groups are groups of pokemon who can breed with each other. A list like this helps quite a bit:
http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Egg_group

*This page also makes it easy to search for attacks and pokemon who share the attack:
http://www.serebii.net/attackdex-bw/

Let's look at Joltik, for example. It has the following egg moves:
Pin Missile
Poison Sting
Cross Poison
Rock Climb
Pursuit
Disable
Faint Attack

Let's say you want a Joltik with: Pin Missile, Cross Poison, Pursuit, Disable.
Our egg group is "Bug", so we can only look at members that share the Bug group:

- Spinarak learns Pin Missile and Cross Poison through level up, and has disable and pursuit as egg moves.
- Venipede learns Pursuit, and shares Pin Missile as an egg move.
- Venonat learns Disable, but doesn't share any egg moves.
- Beedrill learns Pursuit and Pin Missile, but doesn't share any egg moves.

Out of the above pokemon, it is impossible to have that combination of moves, as each time you collect a move the next pokemon has to have it in their move pool / egg moves. The best we can do is:

Venonat (Disable) -> Spinarak (Pin Missile, Cross Poison, Disable) -> Joltik (Pin Missile, Cross Poison, Disable)
or
Venipede (Pursuit) -> Spinarak (Pin Missile, Cross Poison, Pursuit) -> Joltik (Pin Missile, Cross Poison, Pursuit)

Another example, say you want a Hydreigon with Dark Pulse. Your options are limited to the Dragon group, and there are no dragon group pokemon who learn Dark Pulse in Black/White; but since it's listed as an egg move for Hydreigon, it must be possible. This means you have to dig deeper.

Take a look at HGSS/Platinum's dragon group, and you'll see that Ekans, Arbok, Gyarados, Seviper are all able to learn Dark Pulse via TM79. That means if you teach one of those pokemon (male) Dark Pulse, bring it over to Black/White, and breed it with a female Deino, you'll get a Deino with Dark Pulse.

Also, another tip - use a male smeargle for the Field egg group. Smeargle can learn (almost) every move in the game, which makes it great for getting egg moves. Want a Growlithe with Morning Sun, Flare Blitz, Close Combat, and Crunch? Zoroark with Dark Pulse, Sucker Punch, Counter, and Extrasensory? Simply sketch those moves using a male smeargle and you're good to go - no researching, no pokemon chaining process.

Hidden Power
TM 10 (Hidden Power) is obtained by showing Professor Juniper your pokedex with at least 100 pokemon caught. It is a special move which changes type and power depending on the user's IVs. The highest base power it can have is 70, and its main use is to cover a weak spot in a pokemon's moveset.

Example: Magcargo vs. Swampert. Magcargo is Fire/Rock, and Swampert is Water/Ground. Swampert has a clear type advantage, but Magcargo could use hidden power (70, grass) and hit Swampert for 4x damage.

There is a hidden power type checker in Mistralton City pokecenter. He won't tell you the base power, though, and for that, you need an IV calculator, such as this one: http://www.legendarypokemon.net/javacalc.html
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Pokemon White: 4856 - 2487 - 7265

---------------------- Section 5 - Extras --------------------------------

Shiny Pokemon:

These are pokemon who are the same species as the regular pokemon, but have a color swap and a sparkle animation. There is a probability of 1/8192 (~0.012207%) to encounter one in the wild. This also applies to breeding pokemon.

The probability is multiplied by 4 if you breed pokemon from different countries, making it 1/2048 (~0.048828%).

Here's a sprite sheet that shows all shiny pokemon (spoilers): http://images.wikia.com/gpxplus/images/d/dd/All_shiny_pokemon.png


Move Relearner:

A man in Mistralton City who can teach your pokemon moves from its level up moveset (current level or below). Requires one heart scale per move. Heart scales can be stolen* from wild Luvdiscs, picked up with the 'Pickup' ability, or bought in Black City (10,000 each).

Stealing in pokemon games has a unique depth to it as well, and can be very rewarding. If you ever get bored, check it out.

Nicknames:

Once you've gone through the process and have reached the result where you feel satisfied, you might consider giving your pokemon a nickname for some individuality.


Feedback is welcome
And also welcome to the manic world of pokemon breeding.

Update List:
Translated sections into English. More explanation on HABCDS system. Corrected EV reducing berries. Added dream world / hidden abilities, egg moves, hidden power, extras. Misc. little corrections and additions. Updated some links.


------------------- The End? -------------------------------
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Please let me know if I missed anything, or if you want certain additions.
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bump for visibility. I closed the first one and requested an un-sticky of it.
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Insert:

Apparently it's possible to check IVs before the E4 using 3v3 subway battles and an IV calculator, too.
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A Neo Irony posted...
Could you elaborate more on how to steal from the Luvdiscs?

Definitely. For stealing items in Black/White:

1 - The "Compound Eyes" ability increases the chance for wild pokemon to be holding items if the pokemon with said ability is in the lead. I recommend a freshly hatched lv1 Joltik (found in Chargestone Cave).

2 - The "Frisk" ability lets you identify the item the opponent is holding, if they are holding one. Have a Frisk ability pokemon learn thief for efficiency. Your Frisk user should be at a high level to be able to run away easily.

For Black, I recommend the Gothita line (route 5 or 16).
For White, I recommend the Shuppet line (route 13 during swarms) or Stantler (Abundant Shrine)

TM 46 (Thief) can be found near the entrance of Wellspring Cave.

3 - Your party setup will be Joltik leading in the upper left (fainted), with your frisker following in the upper right. The rest doesn't matter (if you're into pickup, bring 3 Lillipup and a fly user with you). Encounter pokemon, steal, and either faint them or run. If you faint them while using the move thief, you will still obtain the item.

--
All that said, Luvdisc can be found at: Route 4, 13, Driftveil City, Undella Town, Undella Bay (Fishing).
Heart Scales have a 50% base hold rate.

This link seems to have a a full list of wild hold items: http://www.serebii.net/blackwhite/holditems.shtml

*Skip step 1 if you'd like. You'll still find wild held items, just at a slower pace.
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Update to EV reducing berries:

You can obtain them from the Dream World map "Windswept Sky" (requires 2,500 points).

How to earn points:
Trade items with others (1)
Water someone else' berries (10)
Complete a mini-game (20)
Become Dream Pals with someone (30)
Log in to Pokemon Global Link (50)
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Pokemon White: 4856 - 2487 - 7265

Oh wow, you're right.
Thanks for the correction. I better bold that.

(Correction) Shiny Pokemon: 1 / 1366 chance to hatch one using Masuda Method in Black/White.

(That is, one parent from a different country cartridge while breeding).
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Pokemon White: 4856 - 2487 - 7265