Is it better to evolve first or power up first?
Hey trainers! As a hardcore Pokemon Go player since 2016, I‘ve powered up and evolved my fair share of pocket monsters. So you bet I get asked often: should you evolve first or power up first? After analyzing costs, movesets, stats and more, I have the answer. Generally…
Evolve First, Especially for New Pokemon
Evolving first before powering up is usually the better play, mainly when acquiring new species. Here‘s why:
It‘s Way More Cost-Effective
Let‘s compare the candy and stardust costs between evolving and powering up a Bulbasaur to its final Venusaur stage:
| Action | Candy Cost | Stardust Cost |
| Evolve Bulbasaur to Ivysaur | 25 candy | 0 |
| Evolve Ivysaur to Venusaur | 100 candy | 0 |
| Power Up Venusaur to Max (Level 50) | 374 candy | 488,000 |
As you can see, evolving only costs candy which is easier to obtain. Powering up to max level costs almost 400 candy and half a million stardust!
So evolving unlocks a Pokemon‘s full potential at a cheaper price. Powering up after that marginalizes costs.
Stat Gains Are Higher from Evolving
Take a look how Bulbasaur‘s max CP and stats increase at each stage:
| Stage | Max CP | Attack | Defense | Stamina |
| Bulbasaur | 1151 | 118 | 118 | 90 |
| Ivysaur | 1687 | 151 | 151 | 120 |
| Venusaur | 2689 | 198 | 198 | 160 |
The gains from evolving are massive compared to incremental boosts from power-ups. Clearly, evolution is the stats rocket fuel.
Moves Change on Evolution
Here‘s where things get tricky. A Pokemon‘s moves are randomly re-rolled when evolving.
Different movesets have vastly different damage, energy gains and utility for PVP and raids. So it‘s ideal to evolve first and get the final movepool before powering up.
For example. Venusaur‘s coveted Frenzy Plant charges 150% more damage than Sludge Bomb. If you get Sludge Bomb, those costly power-ups become far less useful, maybe even worthless.
Check out Venusaur‘s best movesets for each league according to PvPoke‘s simulations:
| League | Fast Move | Charge Move 1 | Charge Move 2 |
| Great League | Vine Whip | Frenzy Plant | Sludge Bomb |
| Ultra League | Vine Whip | Frenzy Plant | Earthquake |
| Master League | Vine Whip | Frenzy Plant | Sludge Bomb |
As you can see, Frenzy Plant is vital for Venusaur‘s success across all leagues. So don‘t power up until you roll that charge move!
Of course, some exceptions exist where powering up pre-evolution has advantages. But for most new Pokemon, evolving first is the play.
Let those evolved forms and movesets guide your investments! After all, moves maketh mon.
So in summary:
- Evolving is cheaper for candy/stardust
- Gains better stat increases
- Unlocks a Pokemon‘s full move potential
Evolve first, then power up to avoid disappointment!
I hope these insider tips help you make smart evolution and power-up choices during your Pokemon Go journeys. Let me know in comments if you have any other PvP or raid questions!
