IVs

     You know EVs, and and guess what goes with EVs? IVs!

     IVs stand for Individual Values. They are what come with the pokémon when you first get them, whether if you caught them, received them from someone in-game, or got them through an egg(they start when they are an egg). IVs are the range of your stats when you know your base stats of your pokémon.



      These two formulas are used to calculate specifically HP, and then the rest of the stats, in generation two and above("Nature" added in generation and beyond). See how the first variable starts out with IV? Well that's the Individual Value of each pokemon.

What Determines IVs?

     When you obtained a pokémon in any way, it calculates IVs in a random assortment, meaning it'll just choose a value for said stat. There are 32 possibilities for an IV to a stat, ranging from 0-31(In generation one and two, it was 16 possible ways ranging from 0-15, and the special stat was combined in IVs).

     There are ways to check out how many IVs you have, though, ways usually include your highest IV/IVs. Since fourth generation and up, your pokémon always had this characteristic(i.e. Loves to thrash about, Loves to eat, Likes to run, ect.) in the status screen. Well, this is a hint to what IV value a stat has of your pokémon. Below is a chart of which value can be represented by what characteristic:

Characteristic	IV Value
Hit Points
Loves to eat	0	5	10	15	20	25	30
Often dozes off	1	6	11	16	21	26	31
Often scatters things	2	7	12	17	22	27
Scatters things often	3	8	13	18	23	28
Likes to Relax	4	9	14	19	24	29
Attack
Proud of its power	0	5	10	15	20	25	30
Likes to thrash about	1	6	11	16	21	26	31
A little quick tempered	2	7	12	17	22	27
Likes to fight	3	8	13	18	23	28
Quick Tempered	4	9	14	19	24	29
Defense
Sturdy body	0	5	10	15	20	25	30
Capable of taking hits	1	6	11	16	21	26	31
Highly persistent	2	7	12	17	22	27
Good endurance	3	8	13	18	23	28
Good perseverence	4	9	14	19	24	29
Special Attack
Highly curious	0	5	10	15	20	25	30
Mischievous	1	6	11	16	21	26	31
Thoroughly Cunning	2	7	12	17	22	27
Often lost in thought	3	8	13	18	23	28
Very finicky	4	9	14	19	24	29
Special Defense
Strong willed	0	5	10	15	20	25	30
Somewhat vain	1	6	11	16	21	26	31
Strongly defiant	2	7	12	17	22	27
Hates to lose	3	8	13	18	23	28
Somewhat stubborn	4	9	14	19	24	29
Speed
Likes to run	0	5	10	15	20	25	30
Alert to sounds	1	6	11	16	21	26	31
Impetuous and silly	2	7	12	17	22	27
Somewhat of a clown	3	8	13	18	23	28
Quick to flee	4	9	14	19	24	29

     Also, if you go to various buildings(Battle Tower, Battle Frontier, Battle Subway), there is a judge that tells you your pokémon's total IV amount(within in a group), and your highest IV(s) too. If the judge says that your pokémon has outstanding potential overall, and says that any specific stat cannot be better than what it is, then you have a good pokémon IV wise!

Can IVs be predetermine?

     Yes, to an extent. Remember those Power items that EVs? They can affect IVs in breeding too! When held to a mother or father with a specific Power item, they will pass down that IV of that stat down to their offspring(if both hold one, 50% chance of one or the other). Even without the Power items, it is likely for an offspring to receive IVs from their parents, though the Power item method is much easier. However, you need pokémon that can breed with each other(as in same egg group) to be able to pass down IVs, but in all honesty, it expands the amount of  pokémon that can be used!

     Overall, if you want high IVs, find pokémon with the highest IVs(there are five specific ones), then check with the judge of the respective area of the game, *IMPORTANT*BREED THE PARENTS*IMPORTANT*, check the offspring, and try again for the results you want! It's pretty much trial and error for the last step, and getting 31 of an IV considers it perfect, so have fun getting those perfect IVs!