Pokémon Black & White didn’t exactly make the process of EV Training any easier — in fact, in a few ways, it was a step backwards from the relatively streamlined process in the Generation IV games.
Regardless, you’re going to want to pick up a set of Power Items from the Battle Subway, as they drastically speed up the whole EV Training process. If you’re fortunate enough to catch the Pokérus, you’ll reap double the EVs from each battle.
EV Training Spots
Listed below are the recommended training spots for each of the six stats that you wish to EV Train in.
HP
- Stunfisk (Route 8, Icirrus City, and the Moor of Icirrus — 100% while surfing) gives 2 HP EVs.
- Ducklett (Driftveil Drawbridge — in the feathery shadows) gives 1 HP EV and can be found rather easily. Additionally, you may pick up some wing items while searching for Ducklett, which raise EVs by 1 point for the respective stat.
- Audino, which can be found anywhere in shaking grass, although Routes 1, 2, and 3 are recommended for a full 100% encounter rate. Audino gives 2 HP EVs.
Attack
- Both Patrat and Lillipup (Route 1) give 1 Attack EV.
- Every Pokémon in Dragonspiral Tower gives Attack EVs. Golett and Mienfoo each give 1 Attack EV while Druddigon gives 2 Attack EVs.
- Golett can be found 100% of the time on Dragonspiral Tower 2F.
- Otherwise, on Dragonspiral Tower 1F, Golett is found 50% of the time, Druddigon 30%, and Mienfoo 20%.
Defense
- Yamask (Relic Castle B1F — 50%) gives 1 Defense EV.
- Cofagrigus (Relic Castle B2F — 50%) gives 2 Defense EVs.
- Roggenrola (Wellspring Cave 1F — 50%) gives 1 Defense EV, but is slow due to it having Sturdy.
- Pinwheel Forest Inner and Lostlorn Forest both have Venipede (15%) and Sewaddle (35%), which each give 1 Defense EV.
Special Attack
- Litwick and Elgyem are both available in the Celestial Tower and both give 1 Special Attack EV. Elgyem will not appear on 2F and appears more commonly closer to the top.
Special Defense
- Frillish gives 1 Special Defense EV and is available 100% of the time by surfing in Route 4 (levels 5–15) or Driftveil City (levels 10–25). (It is available elsewhere, but not in ideal locations.)
- Claydol (Relic Castle, Volcarona’s Room — 100%) gives 2 Special Defense EVs. It is very defensive and at a higher level, so may be difficult to take down in one hit for a Pokémon you are EV Training.
Speed
- Basculin gives 1 Speed EV and can be found by surfing. For lower-level Basculin (levels 5–15), Route 1 or Route 3 is your best bet. Other locations include Pinwheel Forest (levels 5–20), Dragonspiral Tower’s exterior (levels 15–35), and Village Bridge (levels 25–55).
How Many EVs You’ll Actually Gain
It’s important to keep in mind that all of the numbers listed above for how many EVs each Pokémon give are their base yield, so that’s before any multipliers or bonuses. The actual number you’ll get should be much higher than that.
Here’s a little cheatsheet for how much EVs you’ll gain (the base EV yield is the number you see listed in the encounters):
- If you have no Macho Brace, Power Item, or Pokérus…
- If the Pokémon’s base EV yield is 1, you’ll get 1 EV each.
- If the Pokémon’s base EV yield is 2, you’ll get 2 EVs each.
- If the Pokémon’s base EV yield is 3, you’ll get 3 EVs each.
- If you have the Macho Brace but no Pokérus or the Pokérus but no Macho Brace…
- If the Pokémon’s base EV yield is 1, you’ll get 2 EVs each.
- If the Pokémon’s base EV yield is 2, you’ll get 4 EVs each.
- If the Pokémon’s base EV yield is 3, you’ll get 6 EVs each.
- If you have the Macho Brace and the Pokérus…
- If the Pokémon’s base EV yield is 1, you’ll get 4 EVs each.
- If the Pokémon’s base EV yield is 2, you’ll get 8 EVs each.
- If the Pokémon’s base EV yield is 3, you’ll get 12 EVs each.
- If you have a Power Item but no Pokérus…
- If the Pokémon’s base EV yield is 1, you’ll get 5 EVs each.
- If the Pokémon’s base EV yield is 2, you’ll get 6 EVs each.
- If the Pokémon’s base EV yield is 3, you’ll get 7 EVs each.
- If you have a Power Item and the Pokérus…
- If the Pokémon’s base EV yield is 1, you’ll get 10 EVs each.
- If the Pokémon’s base EV yield is 2, you’ll get 12 EVs each.
- If the Pokémon’s base EV yield is 3, you’ll get 14 EVs each.