Pokémon GO is actually is pretty casual game, much like its original handheld versions. Almost anyone can get into it, but there’s so much more to the game if you want to become the very best.

These Pokémon GO advanced tips aims to give you a good footing on what really matters in the game, if you’re planning to take it REALLY seriously.

If you’ve ever wondered:

• Does CP really matter?
• Why does this Pokémon hit harder even though they’re the same type?
• When should I evolve my Pokémon or should I boost it even more?

We’ve cobbled together a few websites that you should check out if you’re that kind of player that’s not only satisfied with collecting the best types of Pokémon, but want to find those that can wipe the competition easily.

CPs are misleading, consider IVs instead

Similar to the original games, Individual Values (IVs) separate the wheat from the chaff. While similar types of Pokémons might possess the same DNA, they can differ in terms of hidden stats that are not available/revealed in game, and require math to decipher!

To help you out, head over to this website and start calculating if you’re holding on to the top percentile of Magikarps that are worth evolving, or be told if that fish is better off converted into candy (with a side of chips).

After plugging in all the essential values that the calculator needs, you need to concern yourself with the average percentage. A lowly Magikarp can have a wide variance of values, so save yourself the headache, and get those variables out of the way. Depending on how anal you are, anything above 95% is a gem but your standards can always be lower.

IVs are just the start of the funnel because even if you’re holding on to a 100% IV Caterpie, it will always lose to a top tier Pokémon like a Dragonite. That’s nature and who are we to debate it.

Bigger is always better

While CPs are misleading, they still are a good gauge of a Pokémon’s power. When you’re looking for advanced tips for Pokémon Go, it helps to consult multiple sources to verify if the information is correct. To get you started, The Spliph Road community is a good place to begin. Apart from the usual bias, you’re able to sort all the best Pokémon, based on overall stats, attack, defence and health points.

Overall, the larger the combined number, the better eventual CP of a Pokémon. If you’re hanging on to a 100% perfect IV Pokémon, you’d be able to hit the maximum stat values of that type of Pokémon.

Talented is the first step but do you have the moves?

It’s one thing to be strong, but like in the original game, Tackle is only going to take you so far. With Gym Battles in the way, you’d want to not only hit hard but also hit efficiently because this is not a game about 1v1, but working through your bench to clean house.

Each Pokémon that you catch in game will have access to different skills in its pool. The spreadsheet above is mind boggling at first, but if you’re keen to look at data in its rawest form, you can check it out here.

You should filter the data based on your existing and attacking line up, to see if they have the moves to match with their core base stats. If you’re lucky and the stars align, you’ve stuck Pokémon perfection with a mon that excels in every area.

Thanks to this dude above, you’ve got a quick tutorial to figure out how to use the spreadsheet in the shortest time possible.

If you’re more concerned at taking over gyms, things get even easier. All you need to do is head over to the following site – pokeassistant.com – key in the defenders, found at the gym and stack your team with the best possible attackers.

Because Vaporeon is one of the more popular defenders these days due to his easy availability, a handy Dragonite would make short work of the Water type Pokemon.

If you don’t own a Dragonite, you’d be surprised that the humble Victreebel is the next best Pokémon to take out most Water types, with the combination of Razor Lead and Solar Beam. Move aside Venusaur, you’re overhyped.

To Power Up or Evolve

Lastly, you’d need this Evolution Calculator to figure out if it would be better off powering up a Pokémon first before evolution (that usually is the case). After all, the trick is to get your evolved Pokemon’s CP curve as close to maximum if possible. Stardust is a limited resource, and those high powered Pokémons consume huge amounts as they hit their peak, so every dust counts.

Make sure you’re evolving a high IV Pokémon in the first place. And if you’ve forgotten what IVs are, please start from the top once again.

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Hopefully this easy guide has been a good resource to give you a better understanding to take your Pokémon GO to the next level. These tips should be pretty solid, considering the franchise has been built on the same mechanics since Day 1.