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Each Pokemon has Individual Values (IVs), which function as their stats: HP, Attack, Defense, Speed, Special Attack, and Special Defense. IVs are present in Pokemon GO, but they only measure a Pokemon's Attack, Defense, and Speed. They're measured on a scale of 0-15, and it's through these measurements that a Pokemon is given an Appraisal from 0-4 stars.
In Pokemon GO, trainers will be catching Pokemon left and right. One Pokemon's CP will be different from another, and this applies to their IVs/Appraisal as well. In fact, it's likely that trainers will catch more 0-star Pokemon than 3-star. Players may be more than ready to Transfer them, but there's some value in keeping 0-star Pokemon.
Why You Should Transfer 0-Star Pokemon (& Why You Should Not)
Players are free to Transfer whichever Pokemon they want. In the case that their Pokemon Storage is full, they may want to Transfer a 0-star rather than a 3-star to make room. To transfer Pokemon, do the following:
- Tap the Poke Ball icon.
- Tap the Pokemon icon (Pikachu).
- (optional) Type the Pokemon's name in the search bar, or, if sorting by Appraisals, type 0*. Note: Players can also select a keyword by tapping the Search Bar and selecting one of the icons (or See More).
- Select the Pokemon.
- Tap the icon in the bottom right and select Transfer.
If a Pokemon is an Event, Shiny, XXL/XXS, or a Legendary/Mythical, Pokemon GO will ask players twice if they want to make the Transfer. Also, if a Pokemon is marked as a Favorite , then players will need to tap the Star icon before they can Transfer it.
In Pokemon GO, the Pokemon with a higher CP (Combat Power) is generally preferred even if the Pokemon has low IVs. Although it's not a traditional Level-system, the CP somewhat functions as a Pokemon's "Level" in GO. This is why Pokemon with high CP are difficult to catch compared to a Pokemon with lower CP.
Pros of 0-star Pokemon
- A lot of the times, players will catch a Pokemon with high CP (1k+), but a 0-star Appraisal. While the Appraisal can make trainers reluctant to keep the Pokemon on their team, a 0-star can be good to battle Team GO Rocket.
- The Pokemon used by a Team GO Rocket Grunt (and their leaders) are all Shadow Pokemon and usually have a ridiculous amount of CP. A Pokemon that has high CP will be able to hold its ground against a Shadow Pokemon regardless of its IVs.
- 0-star Pokemon with high CP are also great for leaving in Gyms or even battling in Gyms.
- If GO trainers catch a Shiny Pokemon, there's a chance it will have 0-stars. However, it's a Shiny, meaning trainers had to be extremely lucky to even find one. A Shiny is not worth transferring even if it has a poor Appraisal.
- If players don't have another Pokemon of the same species, it may be worth holding onto the 0-star until it can be replaced by one with a better Appraisal.
- A fully 0% IV Pokemon is extremely rare, even when compared to their 4-star/Perfect IV counterparts. Players may want to keep it just for the rarity.
Cons of 0-star Pokemon
- They can clog up the Pokemon Storage fairly quickly. Because it will take most players a long time before they can max out Pokemon Storage, it's best to just release the 0-stars and keep the 1/2/3/4-stars.
- Storage Expansions can be bought for 200 Coins at the Shop. This will add 50 Slots to the Storage if purchased. Players can have up to 6250 Pokemon at max storage.
- A 0-star Pokemon with high CP vs. a 3-star Pokemon with high CP will always lose out to the 3-star in battle. 0-stars with no Defense IVs are going to get clobbered facing off against a Pokemon with Perfect IVs.
- Transferring Pokemon is a good way to farm Candy if players have multiples of the same species. If players are keeping 0-stars, then they can't farm Candy via Transfer. Furthermore, there are some events in-game that will double the Candy from Transfers. Thus, 0-stars are better to Transfer than Pokemon with better appraisals.
Are 0-Star Pokemon Good for PVP? (Pokemon GO League)
0-star Appraisal Pokemon can be good in a Pokemon League as long as they have high CP. However, Pokemon Leagues have a CP-cap. The Great League caps off at 1500 while the Ultra League is 2500. If a 0-star's CP is above these numbers, then it can't be used.
Chances are when battling other players in Leagues, they're going to bring their best Pokemon. So, it may not be wise to use a 0-star for the Ultra League. If the 0-star is the only Pokemon that players have with the highest CP, then it's worth giving it a chance and signing it up for the leagues.
Should You Transfer 0-Star Shadow Pokemon?
When a Team GO Rocket Grunt/Leader is defeated, players will have a Bonus Challenge. This is where they can snag one of the Grunts' Shadow Pokemon (usually the first one they throw out in battle). Shadow Pokemon can only be caught with Premier Balls, which players will get at the end of a Team GO Rocket battle. The amount of Premier Balls is influeced by the player's performance in battle.
A Shadow Pokemon may have a 0-star Appraisal. However, Shadow Pokemon have the "Shadow Bonus" next to their Fast and Charged Attacks. This means they'll deal extra damage against an opponent at the cost of having lower Defense.
Shadow Pokemon that are Purified will sometimes have their Appraisal increased. It will also lose the Shadow Bonus effect. So, if a Shadow Pokemon is 0-stars but has decent Attacks and CP, it's better to leave it unpurified for future battles.
Pokemon GO is available for mobile devices.