Stars or CP: Which Matters More in Pokemon Go?

The Short Answer – Stars Are Ultimately More Important

If made to choose one metric to prioritize between a Pokemon‘s IVs or Combat Power, its star rating and underlying Individual Values (IVs) take precedence. While CP represents current battling capability, a Pokemon‘s IVs determine its maximum potential.

Let‘s delve into what these metrics signify and when each one matters more.

Decoding Stars and CP

Stars

• Indicate IVs (Individual Values) which range from 0-15 for Attack, Defense and HP
• IV total percentage determines star rating
• More stars = higher potential max CP & overall performance

CP

• Indicates current battle strength
• Derived from base stats, IVs & level
• Can power up to increase, but caps out at IV-determined max

A Pokemon‘s moveset plays a pivotal role as well, but its potential hinges on IVs.

Why Stars Should Take Priority

I used to be fixated solely on CP for powering up mons…until I learned this hard lesson too many times. After pouring mountains of stardust and candy into a Pokemon – sometimes nearing max level 40 – I‘d discover a better version with massively higher IVs.

Back to square one – now needing to start leveling up the superior one. Had I known this sooner, I could‘ve saved precious resources and powered up the high IVs from the start.

Patience pays off when you hold out for better IV versions before committing to upgrades.

Let‘s examine why:

Max CP Differences by IV Percentage

As this CP growth chart illustrates, a perfect 4 Pokemon has over 10% higher max CP compared to a 0 of the same species. That‘s a tremendous difference in performance!

Powering up the low IVs hits a wall much quicker, whereas the 4* IVs can rocket to new heights.

As shown in this comparison table, a perfect 4 Gyarados has over 500 more max CP at Level 40 and 647* extra max CP at Level 50!

The Steep Resources Required

Powering up Pokemon to these higher levels requires an immense stardust and candy investment:

For an active player it would take over two months of hardcore grinding to accumulate enough stardust and candy!

So the Pokemon you choose to spend it on matters tremendously…

When to Prioritize CP Over IVs

Of course there are some cases where CP should take temporary importance over IVs:

• Underpowered for raid/gym battles – Use your highest CP attackers
• Limited resources to power up – Evolve higher CP first
• Master League PVP – No CP limit so max it out!
• Trophy Shinies – Worth keeping even with poor IVs

But ultimately, it‘s wisest to invest in powering up the Pokemon with the highest IV percentages and star ratings.

This leads to superior battling capabilities that warrant the immense amounts of stardust and candy required.

Patience pays off – by biding your time to catch or trade for better versions, your stardust goes much further. Then enjoy unlocking your Pokemon‘s maximum potential!

What stories or lessons around IVs vs CP have you experienced in your Pokemon Go journeys? I‘d love to hear your insights in the comments!