Pokemon GO was updated on Tuesday for Android and iOS devices with an all new appraisal system. Niantic Labs finally gave the three Team Leaders something to do in the game, and it is to give players a rough estimation about how good or bad the Pokemon they have caught might be. This guide will help you understand how to read their assessment.
The Team Leader appraisal can be found in the menu at the bottom right of the screen when a Pokemon is selected. It is important to remember that this is just a rough estimation, but it is nice to have with you in-game. If you want a more specific rating of your Pokemon, consider visiting calculators on sites like the Silph Road and PokeAssistant .
IV Rating Explained
The first thing to understand with the new Pokemon GO appraisal feature is how it is tied to the standard Pokemon Individual Value (IV) rating. This is a hidden stat not displayed in-game for Attack, Defense, and Stamina that ranges between 0 and 15 for each stat. Combined, they produce an IV rating between 0 and 45 points.
The IV rating determines how much the Pokemon will grow in CP each time your power it up. A higher IV rating will eventually result in a much more powerful character than one that started at the same CP level but had a lower IV rating.
Overall Pokémon Analysis
Your team leader will first appraise the Pokemon’s overall rating. This will determine based on the 45 point IV range used in Pokemon GO . Each leader has only four phrases each, so this results in some pretty broad ranges when dealing with the IV stat. (h/t: GamePress )
Team Mystic
| Phrase | IV Range |
| Overall, your (Pokemon) is a wonder! What a breathtaking Pokemon! | 82 Percent – 100 Percent (37-45) |
| Overall, your (Pokemon) has certainly caught my attention. | 67 Percent – 80 Percent (30-36) |
| Overall, your (Pokemon) is above average. | 51 Percent – 64 Percent (23-29) |
| Overall, your (Pokemon) is not likely to make much headway in battle. | 0 Percent – 49 Percent (0-22) |
Team Valor
| Phrase | IV Range |
| Overall, your (Pokemon) simply amazes me. It can accomplish anything! | 82 Percent – 100 Percent (37-45) |
| Overall, your (Pokemon) is a strong Pokemon. You should be proud! | 67 Percent – 80 Percent (30-36) |
| Overall, your (Pokemon) is a decent Pokemon. | 51 Percent – 64 Percent (23-29) |
| Overall, your (Pokemon) may not be great in battle, but I still like it. | 0 Percent – 49 Percent (0-22) |
Team Instinct
| Phrase | IV Range |
| Overall, your (Pokemon) looks like it can really battle with the best of them! | 82 Percent – 100 Percent (37-45) |
| Overall, your (Pokemon) is really strong! | 67 Percent – 80 Percent (30-36) |
| Overall, your (Pokemon) is pretty decent! | 51 Percent – 64 Percent (23-29) |
| Overall, your (Pokemon) has room for improvement as far as battling goes. | 0 Percent – 49 Percent (0-22) |
Pokemon Stat Analysis
The Team Leaders will move on to give a clue as to which stats are the best for your Pokemon. They will first let you know the highest stat category for the character followed by a phrase that will indicate what point value the stat is roughly at.
Team Mystic
Blanche will start by calling out the Pokemon’s best stat by saying, “I see that its best attribute is its” Attack or HP or Defense. If a Pokemon has two stats of equal value, Blanche will note this by stating, “It is matched equally by its” second stat.
| Phrase | Means |
| Its stats exceed my calculations. It’s incredible! | Pokemon IV rating is perfect in at least one base stat. |
| I am certainly impressed by its stats, I must say. | Pokemon IV rating is 13 or 14 in at least one base stat. |
| Its stats are noticeable trending to the positive. | Pokemon IV rating is 8 to 12 in at least one base stat. |
| Its stats are not out of the norm, in my opinion. | Pokemon IV rating is 0 to 7 in at least one base stat. |
Team Valor
Candela will appraise the Pokemon’s best stat by saying its Attack or HP or Defense “is its strongest feature.” If a Pokemon has two stats of equal value, she will add, “I’m just as impressed with its” second stat.
| Phrase | Means |
| I’m blown away by its stats. WOW! | Pokemon IV rating is perfect in at least one base stat. |
| It’s got excellent stats! How exciting! | Pokemon IV rating is 13 or 14 in at least one base stat. |
| Its stats indicate that in battle, it’ll get the job done. | Pokemon IV rating is 8 to 12 in at least one base stat. |
| Its stats don’t point to greatness in battle. | Pokemon IV rating is 0 to 7 in at least one base stat. |
Team Instinct
Spark points out a Pokemon’s best stat by saying its Attack or HP or Defense “its best quality.” If a Pokemon has two stats of equal value, he will note the second stat “is great, too!”
| Phrase | Means |
| Its stats are the best I’ve ever seen! No doubt about it! | Pokemon IV rating is perfect in at least one base stat. |
| Its stats are really strong! Impressive. | Pokemon IV rating is 13 or 14 in at least one base stat. |
| It’s definitely got some good stats. Definitely! | Pokemon IV rating is 8 to 12 in at least one base stat. |
| Its stats are all right, but kinda basic, as far as I can see. | Pokemon IV rating is 0 to 7 in at least one base stat. |
Pokémon Size Analysis
Appraising the Pokemon’s size doesn’t appear as useful as the other comments from the Team Leaders since their size is clearly called out on the stats screen. Still, it is there and size does appear to affect attack speed and HP depending on the character in Pokemon GO .
Team Mystic
| Phrase | Size |
| The size of your (Pokemon) is… colossal. This indeed exceptional. Fascinating! | XL |
| Your (Pokemon) is above average in size. | Large |
| Your (Pokemon) is below average in size. | Small |
| Your Pokemon is tinier than any we have on record. Astounding. | XS |
Team Valor
| Phrase | Size |
| Your (Pokemon) is gigantic—the largest I’ve ever seen! | XL |
| Your (Pokemon) is rather sizable, that’s for sure! | Large |
| Aww, what a small (Pokemon)! It’s rather cute, I’d say. | Small |
| Your (Pokemon) is so tiny, I almost didn’t notice it! | XS |
Team Instinct
| Phrase | Size |
| Your (Pokemon) is just HUGE! | XL |
| Your (Pokemon) is a BIG one! | Large |
| Your (Pokemon) is a little small for its kind, don’t you think? | Small |
| Wh-whoa. That’s the tiniest (Pokemon) I’ve ever seen! | XS |
What do you think of the Pokemon GO appraisal system so far? Any changes you’d like to make? Sound off in the comments below.
[Image via Niantic Labs]