What is 4 * Pokémon GO Pokémon?

In Pokémon GO, the IV (Individual Value) rating system is used to determine how powerful a Pokémon can become. IVs range from 0-15 for the stats of Attack, Defense, and Stamina. A Pokémon‘s IVs stay the same when it evolves and represent its genetic potential.

The Science Behind IVs

IVs are randomly generated when a Pokémon first spawns, following complex probabilistic formulas. Here are the chances of getting each possible IV combination:

As you can see, perfect 0/0/0 or 15/15/15 IVs are incredibly rare. Most Pokémon will have IV spreads that fall somewhere in between.

Researchers like The Silph Road have used statistical modeling and crowd-sourced data to derive the probabilities above. But the exact formulas used by Niantic aren‘t publicly known.

Why Are 4* Pokémon So Coveted?

Pokémon with perfect IVs can reach a higher maximum CP than those with lower IVs. They also deal more damage when attacking and take less damage when defending in gyms and raids.

For example, a perfect 4 Tyranitar has a max CP of 3670 while a 0 Tyranitar caps out at just 2757 CP. That‘s a huge 913 CP difference – equivalent to about 30 power ups!

When powered up to Level 40, a 15/15/15 Tyranitar has an attack stat of 251, compared to 236 for a 10/10/10 Tyrantiar. That 15 point disparity directly translates into ~5% more damage output.

Defensively, a 15/15/15 Tyranitar has a stamina stat of 225, versus 216 for a 10/10/10. Those 9 extra HP allow it to withstand ~4% more damage before fainting.

These percentages may seem small, but they can mean the difference between success or failure in close raid and PvP matchups. That‘s why perfect IVs are so coveted by serious players.

How IVs Influence Raid Battle Outcomes

To demonstrate the impact of IVs, let‘s compare two Level 40 Tyranitar against a Raid Boss Machamp with Cross Chop:

• 15/15/15 Tyranitar: Estimated 18s Time to Win
• 10/10/10 Tyranitar: Estimated 19s Time to Win

That‘s a full 1 second faster win time for the 4* Pokemon!

Now consider a full lobby of 6 trainers. The cumulative damage difference between 15/15/15 and 10/10/10 Tyranitars could easily be the decisive factor in whether the group secures victory or wipes out.

This effect amplifies with more challenging bosses. Against tougher Tier 5 and Mega Raids, perfect IV counters become extremely valuable.

IV Spreads for Great, Ultra, and Master Leagues

Due to CP caps, the ideal IV spreads for PvP leagues are often low Attack with high Defense and HP:

Low attack IVs allow bulky pokemon to stay under the CP cap while being powered up to higher levels. This gives them an advantage over the same pokemon with 15 attack IV.

However, for unlimited Master League, maxing out IVs is generally best as CP is unrestricted. Some exceptions apply when specific IVs enable certain "bulkpoints" or "breakpoints".

The Story of my First 4* Pokémon

I still vividly remember the day I caught my first 4* Pokémon. It was a random Solrock that popped up in Partly Cloudy weather near my house.

When I appraised it and saw the Spark quote "It can battle with the best of them!", my heart skipped a beat. I quickly pulled out CalcyIV and when I saw the 15/15/15, I literally shouted for joy and did a little celebratory dance!

Finally getting that perfect IV pokemon felt like achieving a rare gaming accomplishment after years of playing Pokémon GO. That Solrock is now maxed out and named "SolSupreme" as a testament to its IV perfection. It will always have a special place in my roster.

Building a Competitive Team Around a 4*

Not long after catching SolSupreme, the Master League was announced. I decided this was the perfect opportunity to build a competitive team around my first 4* Pokemon.

I paired Solrock with Lucario and Togekiss to cover its weaknesses. After maxing them out, I tested countless moveset permutations in Go Battle Sim before settling on the optimal combinations.

Once I started battling, SolSupreme exceeded all my expectations. Its fast moves broke through so many matchups. The charged moves hit like trucks thanks to those perfect 15 attack IVs.

We steadily climbed over 3000 rating points, racking up wins against meta teams and top players. That initial 4* find enabled me to experience PvP success like never before. It was immensely satisfying watching my hundo solrock shine on the virtual battlefield.

Hopes for Improvements to the IV System

While IVs have been core to Pokémon for over 20 years, there are many ways Niantic could improve their implementation in Pokémon GO:

• Hyper Training – Process to max out IVs post-catch like in the core games.

• Marking – Ability to mark high IV Pokémon for easier filtering.

• Bottle Caps – Items to max out specific IVs.

• Rerolling – Items/processes to reroll or influence IVs.

• Breeding – Passing down IVs when producing eggs.

• Ranking – In-game IV percentage scores for better appraisal.

Small changes like these would give trainers more control over IVs and reduce frustration with the randomness. With trading already allowing IV rerolls, such modifications seem like natural progressions for Niantic to consider.

The IV system in Pokémon GO still has room for improvement. But for now, catching and maxing out 4* Pokémon remains the pinnacle achievement for collectors and competitors alike. So get out there and start hunting for those elusive hundos!