To get an idea of how Pokemon Sun and Moon stats work you need to get your head around the fact that every Pokemon’s strengths and weaknesses are determined based on six basic stats. The basic stats are HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed.
This is the gist of the matter and you will need to pay attention to these stats in order to get your Pokemon where you want them to. In this guide, you can learn about everything from Pokemon Sun and Moon stats to tips and EV training.
There are two other Pokemon Sun and Moon stats but these are only found in battle, so we are calling them battle stats for ease. The two battle stats are Evasion and Accuracy. These two battle stats are not dependent on the Pokemon’s basic stats but are based on the moves that a Pokemon has.
For more help on Pokemon Sun and Moon, read our Max Affection Guide, Evolution Stones Locations, Island Trials Guide, 100% Zygrade Guide.
Pokemon Sun and Moon Stats
Base Stats
HP
HP is short for health points. These are very important in the game as these indicate how much damage your Pokemon can take in battle. When your Pokemon takes a hit, the HP decrease. When the HP hit 0 your Pokemon will faint and will not longer be able to take part in the battle.
Tank Pokemon have the most health. These Pokemon can take a lot of damage before they faint. The more HP your Pokemon has the more damage it can endure and the longer it can last in battle.
Attack
In Pokemon Sun and Moon, the attack of your Pokemon tells you how powerful your Pokemon is and how it will do when attacking another Pokemon. Pokemon with a high attack can deal more damage as compared to Pokemon with lower attack stats.
Defense
The defense stat tells you the degree of resistance your Pokemon has to attacks. The higher the defense stat the lesser the damage taken. The same attack will deal more damage to a Pokemon that has a lower defense stat as compared to a Pokemon that has a higher defense stat.
Special Attack
Pokemon have special moves, depending on the Pokemon’s nature. The special attack determines how much damage the special move is going to deal. Pokemon with a higher special attack stat will deal more damage when using the special ability.
Special Defense
This stat tells you how much damaged dealt by a special move the Pokemon can resist. A special move will deal more damage to a Pokemon that has a lower special defense stat.
Speed
Pokemon Sun and Moon is a turned based game and this will make you wonder, who gets the first turn. That is based on the speed stat. The Pokemon with the higher speed stat will be the first one to attack. The Pokemon with the lower speed stat will have to wait for it’s turn and hence will attack after the first Pokemon has done so.
Battle Stats
Accuracy
The accuracy stat tells you how often your Pokemon’s attack will be on target. Every attack has an accuracy stat and that defines how often the attack will hit or miss. The accuracy of an attack can range from 100% to 30%. 100% being that the attack will never miss no matter how many times it is used.
Evasion
The evasion stat of a Pokemon tells you how often the Pokemon can dodge an incoming attack. The higher the evasion stat the fewer the attacks dealt to the Pokemon.
Pokemon Sun And Moon Stats Modifications
In a battle, every stat except for HP can be modified with an attack. Each stat can be increased six times to reach the max level and can be decreased six times to reach the minimum level. Think of it this way, if a Pokemon’s stat has been increased six times to max it out then one would need to reduce it twelve times to get it to the bare minimum level.
Both base stats and battle stats can be modified but they both work in different ways. Here we are going to talk about both of them so you can understand the difference.
Pokemon Sun And Moon Stats Modification: Base Stats
With the use of the appropriate move, you can alter stats up to a max of six levels. This means a stat can either increase of decrease a total of six times in battle.
Some moves have double the effect which means that you can only use them three times instead of six but both types of moves will add up to the same level. Here is a table to give you a clear idea of how the stats change on different levels in a battle.
Pokemon Sun And Moon Stats: Increases
Stage Percentage Multiplier
1st 50% 1.5x
2nd 100% 2x
3rd 150% 2.5x
4rth 200% 3x
5th 250% 3.5x
6th 300% 4x
Pokemon Sun And Moon Stats: Decreases
Stage Percentage Multiplier
1st 33.3% 0.666x
2nd 50% 0.50x
3rd 60% 0.4x
4rth 66.6% 0.333x
5th 71.5% 0.285x
6th 75% 0.25x
Pokemon Sun And Moon Stats Modification: Battle Stats
The Battle stats are pretty much the same as the base stats but the difference is in the values. The values of increase and decrease for the base and battle stats are different.
Pokemon Sun And Moon Stats: Accuracy increase/ Evasion decrease
Stage Percentage Multiplier
1st 33% 1.33x
2nd 66% 1.66x
3rd 100% 2x
4rth 133% 2.33x
5th 166% 2.66x
6th 200% 3x
Pokemon Sun And Moon Stats: Accuracy decrease/ Evasion increase
Stage Percentage Multiplier
1st 25% 0.75x
2nd 40% 0.6x
3rd 50% 0.5x
4rth 57.2% 0.428x
5th 62.5% 0.375x
6th 66% 0.33x
Pokemon Sun And Moon IVs
These are stats that are different for each Pokemon and hence each and every Pokemon in the game is unique. Unfortunately, these are not one of those Pokemon Sun And Moon Stats that you can look up in a menu.
In order to learn more about IVs, you can find different calculators on the internet. In the game, you can talk to different NPCs to learn about IVs as well. But you will find that information from calculators is more useful.
IVs will tell you how high or low a base stat can be. IVs range from 0-31. 0 is the worst that you can get and 31 is the best possible IV for a stat.
Pokemon Sun and Moon Hidden Powers
Hidden power is a special attack, the type of this attack depends on the Pokemon that is using it as well as the IVs.
Breeding For Better IVs
If you have a Pokemon with a good set of IVs then you can pass a specific stat down to another Pokemon through breeding. All you need to do is give the parent Pokemon the appropriate item and you can pass down a specific stat or numerous random stats.
Here is a list of items you need for passing down different stats in the game:
Item Name IV Type
Power Weight HP IVs
Power Bracer Attack IVs
Power Belt Defense IVs
Power Lens Special Attack IVs
Power Band Special Defense IVs
Power Anklet Speed IVs
Destiny Knot 5 Random IVs from both parents
An important thing to note is that if you give different power items to both parents then the IVs of the offspring will be selected randomly so be sure to select the same type of items.
Pokemon Sun and Moon Characteristics
Characteristics of the Pokemon found in the summary screen usually depict the best IV stat but this does not tell how much the IV actually is. This means that the attack could be higher than the rest of the stats but it could also be 9, on the scale of 0 to 31.
That is not all that great. Here is a table that will tell you how to decipher the Pokemon characteristics.
HP
If you find one of these characteristics than the highest IV is HP:
- Loves to eat
- Takes plenty of siestas
- Nods off a lot
- Scatters things often
- Likes to relax
Attack
If you find one of these characteristics than the highest IV is attack:
- Proud of its power
- Likes to thrash about
- A little quick tempered
- Likes to fight
- Quick tempered
Defense
If you find one of these characteristics than the highest IV is defense:
- Sturdy body
- Capable of taking hits
- Highly persistent
- Good endurance
- Good perseverance
Special Attack
If you find one of these characteristics than the highest IV is special attack:
- Highly curious
- Mischievous
- Thoroughly cunning
- Often lost in thought
- Very finicky
Special Defense
If you find one of these characteristics than the highest IV is special defense:
- Strong willed
- Somewhat vain
- Strongly defiant
- Hates to lose
- Somewhat stubborn
Speed
If you find one of these characteristics than the highest IV is speed:
- Likes to run
- Alert to sounds
- Impetuous and silly
- Somewhat of a clown
- Quick to flee
Pokemon Sun and Moon IVs
Effort values are used to make Pokemon stronger in a specific stat. These used to be hidden but that has changed as the franchise has evolved. The effort values make Pokemon unique but unlike IVs these have to be earned for each Pokemon by battling. Effort values can also be increased with the help of specific in-game items as well.
To increase a stat by one point you need to have four effort points. This means that if you need to increase attack by 3 points then you need to have 12 effort points in order to do so. For each Pokemon you defeat in battle you will get three EV points for a single stat. There are also a few Pokemon that will give you EV points for two stats as well but that is rare.
With each level your Pokemon achieves in the games stats will increase accordingly. You can get +2 for attack or +3 for defense and so on. EV training determined how much each stat increases. EV training will help your Pokemon become stronger with each level up.
A maximum of 252 EV points can be allocated to a single stat and a total of 510 EV points can be allocated to the six stats combined.
Here are the items that can be used to add EVs:
Vitamins EVs added to stat
HP Up HP
Protein Attack
Iron Defense
Calcium Special Attack
Zinc Special Defense
Carbos Speed
Each item adds 10 EV points to a stat and you can use each item 10 times for a stat. This means that a total of 100 EV points can be added to a stat using these items but if the EV points allocated are already 510 then they cannot be used.
Not only can you add EV points using items but you can also remove EV points by using special items as well. Here are the items that allow you to remove EV points and alter Pokemon Sun and Moon stats:
Berries EVs taken from
Pomeg HP
Kelpsy Attack
Qualot Defense
Hondew Special Attack
Grepa Special Defense
Tamato Speed
If the EV points are above 100 then the first berry used will reduce EVs to 100. All berries used after this will reduce EVs by 10 points. Held items can increase gaining EV points by 4 points. Here are the items you need to equip in order to gain EV points faster
EV-enhancing items EVs added to
Power Weight HP
Power Bracer Attack
Power Belt Defense
Power Lens Special Attack
Power Band Special Defense
Power Anklet Speed
Sharing EVs in Battle
Exp. Share is an item that not only distributes experience with the party but EV as well. If you defeat a Pokemon in battle and you gain an EV point then the rest of the party will also get an EV point. This item can be used to make your Pokemon stronger.
Same is the case if you switch Pokemon in battle. But in this case, the whole party will not get EV points. Only the two Pokemon that faced the opposing Pokemon and defeated it will be rewarded EV points. This is another method you can use to level up and make your Pokemon stronger, faster.
Pokerus is a virus in the game but it is not a harmful virus. This is actually pretty useful to get. If one of your Pokemon is affected by this virus then that Pokemon will be able to gain EV points at double the speed. This can be used to make your Pokemon very strong in a very short amount of time but this virus is very rare to come by in the wild.
Luckily with online trading options, it is easier to get if you really want it. Pokerus can be caught by battling a wild Pokemon that already has it. Once you have caught the virus the word Pokerus will be shown on the Pokemon’s summary screen.
At the Pokecenter the nurse will also tell you about Pokerus when you have caught it for the first time. Having the infected Pokemon in your party and battling other Pokemon will allow you to spread the virus amongst your party members.
How long the virus stays contagious varies from virus to virus but it can last from one to four days. Once the virus is no longer contagious, other Pokemon will not be able to catch it but the affected Pokemon will still have it.
Pokemon Sun and Moon EV Training, Fast EV
You can EV train quickly using the Super Training App but if you have the proper items you will not need the app. What you need to do is have a horde encounter. Use Honey to do that or use the Sweet Scent move. W
hen you encounter a horde use an attack that damages all the Pokemon. Here are the items that you will need to EV train quickly and increase Pokemon Sun and Moon stats:
Items EV Points
Pokerus or Macho Branch 10
Pokerus and Macho Branch 20
Power Item 9
Pokerus and Power Item 18
Understanding Pokemon Natures
Nature is what makes a Pokemon unique. There are 25 types of natures and these are random for Pokemon that you capture. Out of these 25 natures, 20 natures will increase a specific base stat y 10% and also decrease a base stat by 10%.
Here are the effects of natures on Pokemon stats:
Nature +10% -10% Favorite Flavor Hated Flavor
Adamant Attack Special attack Spicy Dry
Brave Attack Speed Spicy Sweet
Lonely Attack Defense Spicy Sour
Naughty Attack Special defense Spicy Bitter
Bold Defense Attack Sour Spicy
Impish Defense Special Attack Sour Dry
Lax Defense Special defense Sour Bitter
Relaxed Defense Speed Sour Sweet
Modest Special attack Attack Dry Spicy
Mild Special attack Defense Dry Sour
Quiet Special attack Speed Dry Sweet
Rash Special attack Special defense Dry Bitter
Calm Special defense Attack Bitter Spicy
Careful Special defense Special attack Bitter Dry
Gentle Special defense Defense Bitter Sour
Sassy Special defense Speed Bitter Sweet
Hasty Speed Defense Sweet Sour
Jolly Speed Special Attack Sweet Dry
Naive Speed Special defense Sweet Bitter
Timid Speed Attack Sweet Spicy
That is all that you need to know about Pokemon Sun and Moon stats. Let us know if we left anything out or you want to know about something specific.