[Multi-Gen] Understanding Hidden Power

[RicePigeon]

The following should serve as a brief introduction of the move, including how it works.

What is Hidden Power?

Hidden Power is a move that was first introduced in Generation 2, and can only learned naturally by Unown, or through the use of TM10. Any Pokemon that can learn a TM move can learn Hidden Power through TM10. As of Generation 6, Hidden Power will always be a 60 Base Power Special attack with 100% accuracy (Base power in Generations 2-5 varied between 31~70, the exact calculations for this will be explained later). What makes Hidden Power unique is that even though the move is listed as a Normal type move in its in-game info, Hidden Power can be any of 16 different types besides Normal or Fairy (Fairy-type Hidden Power does not exist in Gen 6 in order to maintain reverse compatibility with Gen 5). Usually you will see different Hidden Power types denoted as "HP Fire" or "HP Ice". The type of Hidden Power (and prior to Gen 6, the base Power) is determined by the Pokemon's IVs.

 

Hidden Power in Competitive Battling.

Many Special Attackers use Hidden Power as a coverage move for when the Pokemon lacks any better coverage options. For example, many Electric types will run Hidden Power [ice] or Hidden Power [Grass] in order to get past the Ground types that normally resist their STAB moves. Due to Hidden Power's relatively low base power (60 in Gen 6, max 70 in Gen 2-5), Hidden Power is almost never used as a STAB move. Common Hidden Power types that you will see in competitive play:

• Hidden Power [ice]: The most common Hidden Power type, mostly used by Electric-types for coverage against Ground and Dragon types.
• Hidden Power [Fire]: Commonly used for coverage against Steel types, most notably Ferrothorn, Scizor, Mega Scizor, etc.
• Hidden Power [Ground]: Mostly used by Psychic and Fairy types. Used exclusively as coverage against Heatran in OU.
• Hidden Power [Fighting]: Used mostly by Latios in OU as a coverage move against Bisharp, but otherwise used by Psychic types as a coverage move against Dark and Steel.
• Hidden Power [Grass]: Mostly used by Electric types in the lower tiers as a coverage move against dual Ground types not weak to Ice, such as Swampert, Mega Swampert, Gastrodon, etc.
• Hidden Power [Flying]: Used almost exclusively by Keldeo in OU as a coverage move for Mega Venusaur.

 

 

What are IVs?

IVs, or Individual Values (known as DVs, or Determinant Values prior to Gen 3) are non-visible statistics each of your Pokemon has that are generated upon encountering, hatching, or receiving the Pokemon from an event or NPC. Once set, these values cannot be changed. IVs, in combination with the Pokemon's EVs, Level, nature, and base stats, determine the values of each of that Pokemon's stats.

 

In Generations 1 & 2, each Pokemon has four different DVs for each of the following stats: Attack, Defense, Speed, and Special (In Generation 2, the DV for the Special stat determines both Sp.Attack and Sp.Defense). A DV for the HP stat also exists, but this DV's value is determined by the values of the other four DVs. Each of these DVs range from a value between 0~15. At level 100, this translates to range of 0~30 extra stat points, with each DV increasing the stat by 2 points each.

 

In Generations 3, 4, 5, & 6, the IV/DV system was completely revamped. Each of the six stats; HP, Attack, Defense, Sp.Attack, Sp.Defense, and Speed now each have their own independent IV values, which now range from 0~31. At level 100, this translates to a range of 0~31 extra stat points, with each IV increasing the stat by 1 point each before nature modifiers are applied.

 

How do a Pokemon's IVs determine Hidden Power?

A Pokemon's IVs determine the type (and prior to Gen 6, the Base Power) of Hidden Power. By knowing the Pokemon's IVs, it is possible to breed for specific Hidden Power types (assuming the Pokemon can be bred). Conversely, you can also use a Pokemon's Hidden Power type to help deduce a Pokemon's IVs.

 

Determining a Pokemon's Hidden Power Type (Gen 2 only)

 

In Gen 2, Hidden Power's type is determined solely by the Pokemon's Attack and Defense DVs, using the following formula:

 

T = 4*(A%4)+(D%4)

 

Where A = Attack DV, D = Defense DV.

T refers to a value that then determines Hidden Power's type using the following lookup chart:

 

0 = Fighting

1 = Flying

2 = Poison

3 = Ground

4 = Rock

5 = Bug

6 = Ghost

7 = Steel

8 = Fire

9 = Water

10 = Grass

11 = Electric

12 = Psychic

13 = Ice

14 = Dragon

15 = Dark

 

Determining a Pokemon's Hidden Power Base Damage (Gen 2 only)

 

In Gen 2, Hidden Power's base damage uses all 4 DVs in the following formula:

 

P = ((5*(S₂+2S₁+4D+8A)+(S₃%4))/2)+31

 

Where,

 

A = If Attack DV > 8, 1, otherwise 0

D = Defense DV > 8, 1, otherwise 0

S₁ = Speed DV > 8, 1, otherwise 0

S₂ = Special DV > 8, 1, otherwise 0

S₃ = Special DV

P = Base Power > 8, 1, otherwise 0

 

Therefore, if a Pokemon were to have max DVs across the board;

 

P = ((5*(1+(2*1)+(4*1)+(8*1))+(15%4))/2)+31

P = ((5*15+(3))/2)+31

P = ((75+3)/2)+31

P = (78/2)+31

P = 39+31

P = 70

 

 

Determining a Pokemon's Hidden Power Type (Gen 3~6)

Due to the overhaul of the IV system in Gen 3, all six IVs now play a role in the determining Hidden Power's type, using the following formula:

 

T = (15/63)*(A+B+C+D+E+F)

 

Where;

 

A = If the HP IV is odd, A = 1, otherwise A = 0

B = If the Attack IV is odd, B = 2, otherwise B = 0

C = If the Defense IV is odd, C = 4, otherwise C = 0

D = If the Speed IV is odd, D = 8, otherwise D = 0

E = If the Sp.Attack IV is odd, E = 16, otherwise E = 0

F = If the Sp.Defense IV is odd, F = 32, otherwise F = 0

 

T is then rounded down to the nearest integer and compared to the following lookup table to determine Hidden Power's type;

 

0 = Fighting

1 = Flying

2 = Poison

3 = Ground

4 = Rock

5 = Bug

6 = Ghost

7 = Steel

8 = Fire

9 = Water

10 = Grass

11 = Electric

12 = Psychic

13 = Ice

14 = Dragon

15 = Dark

 

Therefore, if a Pokemon were to have max IVs in all stats (31), their Hidden Power type would be Dark.

 

Determining a Pokemon's Hidden Power Base Power (Gen 3~5 Only)

Prior to Gen 6, Hidden Power's Base Power was also determined by the Pokemon's IVs, with the Base Power ranging from 30~70, using the following formula:

 

P = (40/63)*(A+B+C+D+E+F)+30

 

Where;

 

A = If the HP IV, when divided by 4 the remainder is either 2 or 3, A = 1, otherwise A = 0

B = If the Attack IV, when divided by 4 the remainder is either 2 or 3, B = 2, otherwise B = 0

C = If the Defense IV, when divided by 4 the remainder is either 2 or 3, C = 4, otherwise C = 0

D = If the Speed IV, when divided by 4 the remainder is either 2 or 3, D = 8, otherwise D = 0

E = If the Sp.Attack IV, when divided by 4 the remainder is either 2 or 3, E = 16, otherwise E = 0

F = If the Sp.Defense IV, when divided by 4 the remainder is either 2 or 3, F = 32, otherwise F = 0

 

P is value of Hidden Power's base damage, rounded down.

 

Optimal Hidden Power Spreads (Gen 6)

Below is a list of optimal IV spreads for each of the Hidden Power types. Note that in each case, a value of 30 may be substituted with any even numbered IV value (0, 2, 4, 6, etc), while a value of 31 may be substituted with any odd numbered IV value (1, 3, 5, 7, etc).

 

All IV spreads are in the order of HP / Attack / Defense / Sp.Attack / Sp.Defense / Speed

 

Hidden Power [Dark]

• 31/31/31/31/31/31

 

Hidden Power [Dragon]

• 30/31/31/31/31/31
• 31/30/31/31/31/31
• 30/30/31/31/31/31
• 31/31/30/31/31/31

 

Hidden Power [ice]

• 30/31/30/31/31/31
• 31/30/30/31/31/31
• 30/30/30/31/31/31
• 31/31/31/31/31/30

 

Hidden Power [Psychic]

• 30/31/31/31/31/30
• 31/30/31/31/31/30
• 30/30/31/31/31/30
• 31/31/30/31/31/30

 

Hidden Power [Electric]

• 30/31/30/31/31/30
• 31/30/30/31/31/30
• 30/30/30/31/31/30
• 31/31/31/30/31/31

 

Hidden Power [Grass]

• 30/31/31/30/31/31
• 31/30/31/30/31/31
• 30/30/31/30/31/31
• 31/31/30/30/31/31
• 30/31/30/30/31/31

 

Hidden Power [Water]

• 31/30/30/30/31/31
• 30/30/30/30/31/31
• 31/31/31/30/31/30
• 30/31/31/30/31/30

 

Hidden Power [Fire]

• 31/30/31/30/31/30
• 30/30/31/30/31/30
• 31/31/30/30/31/30
• 30/31/30/30/31/30

 

Hidden Power [steel]

• 31/30/30/30/31/30
• 30/30/30/30/31/30
• 31/31/31/31/30/31
• 30/31/31/31/30/31

 

Hidden Power [Ghost]

• 31/30/31/31/30/31
• 30/30/31/31/30/31
• 31/31/30/31/30/31
• 30/31/30/31/30/31

 

Hidden Power [bug]

• 31/30/30/31/30/31
• 30/30/30/31/30/31
• 31/31/31/31/30/30
• 30/31/31/31/30/30
• 31/30/31/31/30/30

 

Hidden Power [Rock]

• 30/30/31/31/30/30
• 31/31/30/31/30/30
• 30/31/30/31/30/30
• 31/30/30/31/30/30

 

Hidden Power [Ground]

• 30/30/30/31/30/30
• 31/31/31/30/30/31
• 30/31/31/30/30/31
• 31/30/31/30/30/31

 

Hidden Power [Poison]

• 30/30/31/30/30/31
• 31/31/30/30/30/31
• 30/31/30/30/30/31
• 31/30/30/30/30/31

 

Hidden Power [Flying]

• 30/30/30/30/30/31
• 31/31/31/30/30/30
• 30/31/31/30/30/30
• 31/30/31/30/30/30

 

Hidden Power [Fighting]

• 30/30/31/30/30/30
• 31/31/30/30/30/30
• 30/31/30/30/30/30
• 31/30/30/30/30/30
• 30/30/30/30/30/30

[Galvatron]

Nice! this gives me a more better idea on the used of "hidden power" for sudden pokemon.

 

Though one pokemon I know that need better 'hidden power' selection is Liligant even doe HP-dragon is cool but it been more better if it had HP-Electric or HP-Psychic in mine opinion. :-P

 

But it should be possible to change that attribute if you IV train it in a way right? or does it determine by the nature of the pokemon?

[RicePigeon]

You're thinking of EV values, which is what is raised whenever you battle, use vitamins, or do Super Training in Gen 6. IVs are set the moment a Pokemon is encountered, hatched, or received from an NPC or event and cannot be changed under any circumstances without hacking.

 

However, a total of 3 IVs (5 if using Destiny Knot in gen 6) can be passed down through breeding from both parents, so it is possible to breed Pokemon with a specific IV spread for a specific Hidden Power type. Also note that in Gen 6, Legendary Pokemon caught in the wild are guaranteed to have max IVs in at least three of their stats, so certain Hidden Power types will be impossible to obtain on those Pokemon (such as Hidden Power [Fighting], since all spreads require at least four odd numbered IV values). Similarly, Pokemon caught in the Friend Safari in X&Y are guaranteed to have max IVs in at least two of their stats.

[Galvatron]

You're thinking of EV values, which is what is raised whenever you battle, use vitamins, or do Super Training in Gen 6. IVs are set the moment a Pokemon is encountered, hatched, or received from an NPC or event and cannot be changed under any circumstances without hacking.

 

However, a total of 3 IVs (5 if using Destiny Knot in gen 6) can be passed down through breeding from both parents, so it is possible to breed Pokemon with a specific IV spread for a specific Hidden Power type. Also note that in Gen 6, Legendary Pokemon caught in the wild are guaranteed to have max IVs in at least three of their stats, so certain Hidden Power types will be impossible to obtain on those Pokemon (such as Hidden Power [Fighting], since all spreads require at least four odd numbered IV values). Similarly, Pokemon caught in the Friend Safari in X&Y are guaranteed to have max IVs in at least two of their stats.

Ah! I see thanks.

 

Sorry i keep getting EVs an IVs mixed up. :-P

 

So I guess if I want a Liligant to have HP-electric I have to breed a petili that has three-five odd-number IV values to gain that attribute. Cool!