Pokemon Let's Go

If a huge part of the reason you nabbed a copy of Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! is because you're a mega fan of Pokémon GO, you might feel a little lost as to how to check a Pokémon's IVs.

This was infamously tricky in the mobile game too, as you had to use a third party IV tracker to get an accurate result. Thankfully though, while it's not so obvious at first, Game Freak has added a much easier method of checking a Pokémon's IVs in Pokémon: Let's Go.

Not only that, but there's actually a concrete method you can follow to catch a Pokémon with the best IVs in Pokémon: Let's Go – that's unprecedented for the franchise.

Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube777k
Watch on YouTube

In this guide, we'll offer a break explanation as to how IVs work, detail how you can go about checking them, and then provide a few tips and tricks on catching Pokémon with better IVs.

What are IVs in Pokémon: Let's Go?

IVs in Pokémon games stand for 'individual values', and are basically your Pokémon's statistics. They dictate how much health, defence, and attack power your favourite Pokémon has.

At least, they did in Pokémon GO. In Pokémon: Let's Go, those three values have been split into six different categories. Health, attack, and defence still make an appearance but are joined by special attack, special defence, and speed. Let's break down what they each mean below:

IV What it does
HP Health points
Attack How much damage a Pokémon deals with a physical attack
Defence How much damage a Pokémon receives from a physical attack
Special Attack How much damage a Pokémon deals with a special attack
Special Defence How much damage a Pokémon receives from a special attack
Speed Determines who attacks first during a turn

How do I check a Pokémon's IVs in Pokémon: Let's Go?

You can actually check a Pokémon's IVs directly by going into the menu with 'X', selecting Pokémon Box, and selecting the Pokémon you want to check. Scroll down to 'Check summary', then press 'A' to show more details. Just like that, you'll se your Pokémon's IVs.

The only problem with this is that there's no real indication of whether or not the IVs are actually good unless you're a mathematical genius. What you need is the IV Judge ability.

How do I get the IV Judge ability in Pokémon: Let's Go?

You have to reach a guard tower just after route 11, where you'll meet Professor Oak's aide. If you've caught 30 different species of Pokémon, the aide will teach you the IV Judge ability.

This lets you assess how good each of your Pokémon's IVs are each time you catch one. Simply follow our steps above to check your Pokémon's IVs and you'll see a word like 'Decent' or 'Fantastic' below each IV, which helps you get an idea of how great your Pokémon is. Here's what it all means:

Rating IV Score
Best 31 (Highest IV score in Pokémon: Let's Go)
Fantastic 30
Very Good 26 - 29
Pretty Good 16 - 25
Decent 1 - 15
No Good 0

So as you can see, 31 is the highest score an IV can have in Pokémon: Let's Go. So for a flawless Pokémon, you'll want a 'Best' rating for every single IV. It's actually very simple when you break it down!

How do I catch Pokémon with better IVs?

You know when you catch a few Pokémon of the same species during a single run and get a 'Catch Combo'? This doesn't only increase the XP you gain for catching Pokémon, it also increases your chances of nabbing a Pokémon with higher max IVs. Here's how it all works:

Catch Combo Chain Guaranteed Max IVs
0 - 10 0
11 - 20 2
21 - 30 3
31+ 4

What this means, basically, is that if you catch at least 31 of the same species of Pokémon in a row, during the same catching session, you're guaranteed to have at least four IVs at the maximum score of 31.

Thanks Joe Merrick for the guide on Catch Chain Combos!

Can I catch Pokémon with flawless IVs?

Absolutely, though there's no sure-fire method of doing so. You'll have to get to a catch combo chain of at least 31, then continue to catch Pokeémon of the same species until you see the 'Best' rating for each of the IVs.

It's worth noting that your chances of catching a flawless Pokémon don't increase the more Pokémon you catch after you've reached the max catch chain combo score of 31. Instead, you'll continue to get Pokémon with the four maxed IVs and will have a standard chance of the two remaining IVs being perfect too.

Has this guide been helpful? Had any luck catching flawless Pokémon so far? Let us know all about your journey in the comments section below.

This article is part of our Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee guide series. If you're looking to catch specific Pokémon in the game, check out our guides on How To Get To The Power Plant And Capture Zapdos, How To Unlock Mew, How To Catch Articuno, How To Get Bulbasaur, Charmander And Squirtle The Easy Way, and How To Catch Shiny Pokémon With Catch Combos. We also have handy guides detailing How To Check IVs And Catch Pokémon With Flawless IVs, How To Use Candy To Get The Most Powerful Pokémon, and How To Battle Red.