GBL IV Optimization Basics
Updated 2026-08-19 · GBL Note guide
Many beginners assume a 15/15/15 'hundo' is best, but in CP-capped GBL a Pokémon with a low Attack IV is often the stronger one. Here's why.
CP caps and the stat product
CP is a single number combining Attack, Defense, and HP. Within the same CP ceiling (say, 1500 in the Great League), a lower Attack IV lets you push the level higher while keeping Defense and HP up. The result: Attack is slightly lower, but the product of all your stats (the stat product) is larger, so you last longer and gain an edge in the shield battle.
So low Attack wins out
In the Great and Ultra Leagues, players usually hunt for a Pokémon with low Attack but high Defense and HP — the so-called 'rank 1 PvP IV.' Check your caught Pokémon with a ranking app or the in-game PvP IV display, and pick the Defense- and HP-heavy ones.
The Master League is the opposite
In the uncapped Master League, maxing out stats is what pays off, so a Pokémon with high IVs — Attack included — and a high level (plus XL Candy) is the strong one. Remember that the ideal IV direction is exactly the opposite depending on the league.
Summary
Great/Ultra = high Defense and HP (low Attack) spreads; Master = high across the board plus high level. Let the tier list and live pick rates set your priorities for which Pokémon to build, and you'll waste less Candy and Stardust.
The baseline is to build around units with low attack and high defense and HP. But here's the important part — in a mirror, when the same Pokémon meet, the one with higher attack gets priority (CMP). So rather than the lowest attack IV no matter what, for a Pokémon that often ends up in mirrors, an attack IV of around 1–3 with decently high overall IVs can be better. A rank 1–3 spread isn't automatically the best.