Is Hyper Training the Same as Best? A Comprehensive Guide

When it comes to getting perfect IVs for your Pokemon, trainers have two main options – traditional breeding for ideal IVs, or using the newer hyper training mechanic introduced in Sun/Moon. But is hyper training really just as good as breeding for "best" stats? Let‘s dig deep on the pros, cons, and optimal uses for each method.

The Key Question – Is Hyper Training the Same as Best?

The short answer is no, hyper training is not exactly the same as having naturally perfect 31 IVs. Here is the key distinction:

Hyper training provides all the benefits of having maximum IVs by boosting your Pokemon‘s stats to those levels. However, it does not actually change your Pokemon‘s base IVs.

This means while your Pokemon will gain the stat increases from 31 IVs, its original IVs remain unchanged and will still be passed down through breeding.

So in practice, hyper trained Pokemon will perform identically to those with natural best IVs. But for breeding purposes, there is a difference. This is why traditional breeding remains preferable for competitive use.

A Complete Overview of Hyper Training

Let‘s take a comprehensive look at what hyper training is, how it works, and key factors to consider:

What is Hyper Training?

• Introduced in Pokemon Sun/Moon

• Mechanic to increase your Pokemon‘s IVs to maximum of 31

• Done by bringing Level 100 Pokemon and bottle caps to an NPC

• Bottle caps are consumed to raise each IV stat to perfection

Requirements:

• Pokemon must be Level 100 to be eligible

• Costs 1 regular bottle cap per IV stat

• Gold bottle caps max all IVs at once

• Available in postgame after becoming Champion

Effects of Hyper Training:

• Raises IVs to 31, same as "Best" or perfect IVs

• Provides full stat boosts associated with max IVs

• Does NOT pass down – breeding transmits original IVs

Pros of Hyper Training:

• Quick and easy way to max IVs without breeding

• Lets you optimize IVs of legendaries, shinies, gifted Pokemon

• Adjust IVs and experiment with different builds

• Convenient for casual and postgame training

Cons of Hyper Training:

• Hyper trained stats do not pass down through breeding

• Significant bottle cap resources needed to train full teams

• Must reach Level 100 before a Pokemon is eligible

So in summary, hyper training is a way to maximize IVs and gain those stat boosts immediately. The tradeoff is that it does not actually change the Pokemon‘s base IVs. Next let‘s compare it more closely to traditional breeding.

Traditional Breeding vs. Hyper Training

Breeding has always been the go-to method for getting competitive level Pokemon with ideal IVs and inheritable traits. How does hyper training stack up?

Traditional Breeding Pros:

• Guarantees offspring inherit perfect 31 IVs

• Passes down abilities, egg moves, pokeball type

• Lets you control nature and personalities

• Unlocked from early game stages

• Useful for shiny hunting

Hyper Training Pros:

• Dramatically faster and easier than breeding full teams

• Lets you modify existing Pokemon you‘ve trained

• Useful for Pokemon you can‘t breed (legendaries, etc.)

• Allows experimenting with different builds

• Accessible late game resource for finishing teams

Based on these factors, here is a simple guide on when to use each method:

• For serious competitive teams, breeding is ideal

• For legendaries and gifted Pokemon, hyper train to max their IVs

• For casual teams, hyper training is faster and convenient

• For shiny hunting, stick with traditional breeding methods

So hyper training is not necessarily a replacement for breeding – rather it‘s a supplemental tool that gives you more flexibility in preparing your teams.

Making the Most of Hyper Training

Now that we‘ve covered the basics of hyper training and how it compares to breeding, let‘s go over some tips for using it effectively:

• Gold caps over normal caps – Gold bottle caps maximize all IVs at once, saving significant time and resources. Try farming gold caps from Loto-IDs, digging duo, and other methods.

• Target key Pokemon – Reserve hyper training for your most important team members like leads and mega evolutions. Focus on optimizing their stats.

• Supplement with EV training – Maxing EVs through proper training further boosts stats. Combine both methods for elite teams.

• Level to 100 ASAP – Get Pokemon to level thresholds like 70 and 80 using Chansey training before maxing to 100. Minimize training time.

• Battling first – Battle and train Pokemon before hyper training so you can refine their movesets, abilities, and natures.

• Rank IV importance – Focus caps on key stats like Speed and HP first. You can even leave some stats like Attack untouched.

Proper hyper training takes some planning, but pays dividends in saving you time compared to traditional breeding. Let‘s look at some examples next.

Hyper Training Example Pokemon

Here are some ideal Pokemon to use hyper training on for both casual and competitive situations:

• Legendaries – Max out IVs for cover legendaries like Groudon, Kyogre, Xerneas. Their power will help tremendously in story battles.

• Gifts – Pokemon received as gifts often have mediocre IVs. Hyper train favorites like Cosmog for better stats.

• Shiny Hunting Results – If you get a shiny with poor IVs, hyper train it to battle ready status.

• Team Favorites – Maximize IVs on favorite team members you‘ve grown attached to as you playthrough the game.

• Competitive Fills – Round out a competitive team by hyper training support Pokemon to fill needed roles.

• Tera Raid Counters – Boost IVs on super effective Tera Raid counters like Azumarill and Tangrowth.

With hyper training, you‘re no longer limited to only using bred Pokemon. You can optimize almost any Pokemon to their full potential.

Hyper Training in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet made some player-friendly changes to hyper training availability. Here‘s what you need to know:

• Accessible Earlier – Available as soon as you beat the main story, no need to finish the Pokedex.

• All Pokemon Centers – Can use the service at any Pokemon Center now rather than a single location.

• Automated Process – The nurse will handle the training, no need to deal with the NPC directly.

• Lower Cost – Bottle caps seem more abundant in Paldea, so training full teams is more achievable.

This increased accessibility makes hyper training more enticing and almost necessary for conquerling the challenging 6-star Tera Raids in the postgame. These new raids are no joke – having a team of Pokemon with perfect IVs gives you a real edge.

Here are some recommendations for priority hyper training targets in SV:

• Tera Raid Counters – Maximize IVs on types strong against each Tera type like Azumarill, Tangrowth, and Aegislash.

• Legendaries – As usual, max out cover legends from past games to dynamax in 6-star raids.

• Competitive Picks – Top meta Pokemon like Garchomp, Dragonite, Tyranitar benefit greatly from hyper training.

Take advantage of the hyper training quality of life improvements in Scarlet and Violet. It‘s never been easier to get your hands on bottle caps and build effective teams for the intense 6-star Tera Raids!

Closing Thoughts on Hyper Training Usage

Hopefully this guide has given you a comprehensive overview of hyper training – how it works, when to use it, and strategies for making the most of this useful mechanic.

While not a complete replacement for traditional IV breeding, hyper training opens up options for optimizing Pokemon you just can‘t breed like legends and shinies.

The convenience factor of hyper training combined with the increased accessibility in Scarlet and Violet makes it a more viable option than ever for assembling competitive teams quickly.

Just be mindful that you‘ll still want to breed for inheritable traits on key meta Pokemon. Use both tools together to build the best teams possible!