EV training and breeding Pokemon has been a staple of the franchise for years. In Pokemon X and Y, some mechanics of breeding and EV training were made easier for those patient trainers who wanted to breed the perfect EV/Egg/Hidden Ability Pokemon.
In Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, EV training was made even easier than its predecessor and it will make for a much more fulfilling job when you train your perfect Pokemon. From the basics, to special moves and items to help you along the way, EV training in Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire is not as much a chore as it used to be.
And while breeding is a part of customizing your ‘perfect’ Pokemon -- we’ll get to Breeding in ORAS later -- this guide will deal with EV Training in ORAS exclusively. Also, it will be silly of us to mention EV training with mentioning the Super Training. It hasn't changed since X and Y and you should definitely complete that before doing this.
So how exactly does Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire make it easier to EV train your Pokemon? Let’s take a look.
Basics
Let’s start with the basics of EV training. As many veteran trainers know, every Pokemon is allowed 510 Effort Value points that will go into their overall stats. These points are based on what Pokemon you defeat. Each Pokemon in ORAS has a specific amount in a given stat their EV points go toward.
For example: A Wingull gives 1 Speed point.
Each stat is allotted 252 EV points to max out a Pokemon’s potential in that particular stat. So, back to the Wingull, defeating 252 Wingull at 1 Speed point each will max out a particular Pokemon’s Speed stat.
Some simple math shows that a Pokemon can max out two of their stats with the 252 EV points allowed -- with 6 EV points being left over for whatever stat you so choose. Which stat to EV Train to its max potential is solely on the preference of the trainer and the type of Pokemon.
If you want a hard hitting attack sweeper, max out the Attack and Speed stat. Special sweeper? Special Attack and Speed. Every Pokemon has natural gifts in certain stats so be sure to do your research on which stats a certain Pokemon excels at, and look into the ability and move set when coming up with your perfect setup. Because maxing a Golem’s Speed stat seems like a waste of Effort Values, right?
Hordes
One aspect of Pokemon X and Y that carried over into ORAS was the Horde encounters. In the wild, your trainer can randomly encounter five Pokemon at one time. Normally, these hordes had the potential to give your trainer a chance to catch a Pokemon with a Hidden Ability and a better chance at finding a Shiny Pokemon.
But Hordes are perfect for EV Training if you don’t want to go hunting for 252 Oddish. Horde encounters can give your Pokemon 5 EV Points at one time. Using Wingull as an example, find a Horde of Wingull and defeat them all will grant your Pokemon 5 EV Points in Speed. This allows for quicker EV Training.
Instead of 252 Wingull encounters, you’ll only need to encounter 50 Hordes -- and 2 solo Wingull encounters -- to max out your Speed.
So how do you easily find these Hordes? Well, each Horde has a specific area of Hoenn where you can encounter them. Take a look at the list of Pokemon Hordes and the EV Points they grant along with their area below:
Whismur
1 HP
Rusturf Tunnel
Shuppet
1 Attack
Mt. Pyre
Sandshrew
1 Defense
Route 111 (in the desert)
Oddish
1 Special Attack
Route 119
Swablu
1 Special Defense
Route 115 (most northern part -- Surf required)
Swablu/Lotad
1 Special Defense
Route 114 (Alpha Sapphire Exclusive)
Zigzagoon/Wingull
1 Speed
Route 104
The best part of these Hordes is that in Pokemon X and Y you can easily run into a different Pokemon Horde than you wanted. This made EV Training a more time-consuming chore as you ran away from Hordes of Whismur before you found the Zubat in the Zubat Cave. This also led to mistake defeats that mucked up your EV Training math.
Another crucial tip is to have a Pokemon with the move Sweet Scent on your team. Using Sweet Scent in the overworld while you are standing in the tall grass instantly called on a Horde encounter. The encounter rate for Hordes is very low without Sweet Scent. It’s a 100 percent encounter rate with it, it’s a no-brainer. And unlike X and Y, Sweet Scent will still work if the Overworld is raining, so it makes ORAS even better.
Sweet Scent isn’t a Technical Machine so you’ll have to find and catch a Pokemon that learns the move. The best Pokemon that you can find come fairly early in the game.
Oddish Level 5 Route 110, 117, 119, 120, Safari Zone
Surskit Level 13 Route 102, 111, 114, 117
Special Items
If Hordes didn’t make EV Training in Pokemon ORAS easier, there are certain items found in the game that will speed up the process even more. These hold items will allow your Pokemon to gather EV points much faster.
In the case of the Macho Brace, you’ll quadruple a Pokemon’s EV training if you use the Horde method in conjunction with this hold item. Instead of gaining 5 EVs in a single Horde encounter, you’ll gain 10. This drops down the amount of Horde encounters you’ll need to max out a stat from 50 to only 25 -- with 2 single encounters left over.
The following list is of the hold items that are found in Pokemon ORAS along with their effects and location.
Macho Brace - Doubles EVs gained in battle but reduces Speed - Route 111
