How to See All 3 Star Pokémon in Pokémon GO

As a hardcore Pokémon GO player and content creator, one question I get asked constantly is: "How do you filter your Pokémon to show only the good 3 star ones?"

It‘s incredibly simple – just type "3*" into the search bar when viewing your Pokémon storage! This trick works like a charm to isolate all those precious monsters with strong IVs.

What Makes 3 Star Pokémon So Great?

In Pokémon GO, stars give you a quick indicator for Individual Values (IVs). IVs determine the potential strength ceiling for each Pokémon you catch. 3 stars means a Pokémon has fantastic IVs up in the 82-98% range – so they make very worthy candidates for powering up!

I‘m always seeking out high IV Pokémon with 3 stars to build my battle teams. They reach much higher Combat Power (CP) caps than lower IV monsters.

According to detailed research from The Silph Road, wild caught 3 star Pokémon have around a 1 in 216 chance of popping up.

So they‘re uncommon finds for sure! When I catch or hatch a wonder 3* Pokémon, it‘s cause for celebration every time.

How to Check Any Pokémon‘s IVs and Stars

Of course the 3* search trick only works when you already have some assessed. So how do you check stars and IV percentages in the first place?

I recommend using the in-game appraisal system and/or third party apps like PokeGenie. Both allow you to easily scan a Pokémon‘s precise IV stats.

Here‘s a comparison of the different methods for gauging IVs:

I tend to use both the in-game appraisal for quick checks and PokeGenie for 100% precision. This covers all my IV checking needs!

Powering Up Based on IVs – Is It Worth It?

A question I often ponder – should you invest all that precious stardust and candy to power up 3 star Pokémon? Or just focus on the highest Combat Power ones for battle viability?

The answer lies in each Pokémon‘s CP cap.

Here‘s an example comparing two Gyarados with different IVs:

Gyarados A
IV: 15 / 15 / 15 (100%)
CP Cap at Level 40: 3,265

Gyarados B

IV: 10 / 5 / 10 (36%)

CP Cap at Level 40: 2,829

As you can see, the perfect IV Gyarados maxes out 435 CP higher thanks to its stellar genes! That‘s a massive difference.

So in certain cases, it pays big dividends to invest star dust in your 3 star Pokémon – especially top meta picks for Raids and PvP like Tyranitar, Mewtwo, Giratina and others.

But for Pokémon with lower final evolutions and less relevance in battle, IVs generally aren‘t as vital.

Community Days & Events – Your Best Shot at Perfect IVs

One key thing to know – Community Days and other events are your best chance at nabbing elusive 4* aces with perfect 100% IVs!

Many limited-time Pokémon like Frenzy Plant Venusaur have a 1 in 25 rate of being 4* from Community Day.

I prioritize playing hardcore during these special occasions to hunt the coveted hundo Pokémon! Nothing beats that adrenaline rush of catching a 100%.

During Johto Festival 2023 for example, I scored both a perfect Meganium and Typhlosion. Two incredibly rare shinies join my battle roster!

Even if you don‘t land that flawless lottery IV prize, the stardust bonuses and candy supply from event spawns make powering up 3* monsters much easier too.

Building Your Battle Roster With 3 Stars

At the end of day, the goal for us avid PoGO enthusiasts is putting together the strongest possible Pokémon team.

High level 3* Pokémon with dual charge moves reign supreme in Raids and the GO Battle League. I always get a rush sending out my maxed 15/15/15 Machamp or 98% lucky Giratina!

Lucky friend trades are another nice chance to target excellent IV Pokémon.

My #1 tip – don‘t transfer any wonder 3* catches until cross-checking them against the PvP and raid meta lists. Even less exciting species like Ludicolo or Wigglytuff can shine in certain cups!

I hope this guide gives you the tools and knowledge to start amassing amazing 3* and 100% Pokémon. That flawless hundo is waiting for you out there, trainer – so get searching!