Pokémon GO IV Explained: What IV Means (and What It Doesn’t)

Understand Pokémon GO IV (0–15), how it affects stats, why 100% isn’t always best for PvP, and how to estimate IV from CP/HP/Stardust.

What is IV in Pokémon GO?

In Pokémon GO, IVs are the hidden Attack / Defense / Stamina values (each from 0 to 15) your Pokémon is born with.

IV is only one part of your final stats. Species (base stats) and level usually matter more.

IV % vs PvP Rank (why “100%” isn’t always best)

• “IV%” (e.g., 15/15/15 = 100%) measures how close you are to the maximum IVs.
• PvP leagues have CP caps (Great 1500 / Ultra 2500). Under a cap, many top builds use lower Attack so the Pokémon can reach a higher level and gain more bulk.

For a deeper explanation, read: PvP IV Rank Guide.

Shadow and Purified: do IVs change?

• Shadow boosts Attack (+20%) and reduces Defense (~-17%). IVs don’t change, but performance does.
• Purified adds +2 to each IV (up to the max), and removes Shadow modifiers.

Estimate IV from CP/HP/Stardust (fast)

If you only have in-game numbers, use the calculator: