EV Training using Horde Encounters in Pokémon X and Y
Using Horde Encounters as an EV Training method is a much faster way to use when EV training your Pokémon in Pokémon X and Y, but it is a little more complicated and harder to keep track of than Super Training. With this method, you can potentially train multiple Pokémon at the same time in the same stat.
In horde training, you use the new Horde Encounters to farm EVs. This can take as few as 5 horde battles (or even 4 battles, if you fight 2-EV Pokémon), and not very much time at all.
Here are locations to find Horde Encounters in Pokémon X and Y, by stat
- HP: Route 20 (Foongus, 1 EV), Route 5 (Gulpin, 1 EV), Connecting Cave (Whismur, 1 EV)
- Attack: Winding Woods (Trevenant, 2 EVs), Connecting Cave (Axew, 1 EV)
- Defense: Route 10 (Nosepass, 1 EV)
- Special Attack: Route 12 (Mareep, 1 EV), Route 7 (Psyduck, 1 EV; Roselia, 2 EVs)
- Special Defense: Route 7 (Hoppip, 1 EV), Reflection Cave (Mime Jr., 1 EV)
- Speed: Connecting Cave (Zubat, 1 EV), Route 8 (Wingull, 1 EV), Route 10 (Yanma, 1 EV; Electrike [Y version], 1 EV), Route 11 (Starly, 1 EV; Stunky, 1 EV)
What you’ll need
- The Pokémon you want to start EV training, preferably infected with the PokéRus
- A power item corresponding to the stat you are training in for each Pokémon (Power Weight for HP, Power Bracer for Attack, Power Belt for Defense, Power Lens for Sp. Attack, Power Band for Sp. Defense, and Power Anklet for Speed)
- Exp. Share
- A high-level Pokémon, knowing a move that can hit all Pokémon on the field (like Surf or Earthquake)
- A Pokémon with Sweet Scent, or lots and lots of Honey
Procedure
- Go to one of the areas for the stat you want to train in and stand in the grass or cave
- Make sure that the high-level Pokémon is in the front of your party, and that the Exp. Share is turned on, then use Sweet Scent or Honey. This will trigger a Horde Encounter.
- If the horde contains the Pokémon that yield the right EVs, kill them all. If they don’t, run away.
- Repeat steps 2 & 3 until the Pokémon cannot gain any more EVs in that stat. This means that stat has 252 EVs in it.
- Repeat this process for another stat until it has 252 as well. Then put the last 6 EVs in whatever stat you like.
- Save your game.
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Avid Pokémon fan and competitive battler.
Just as an FYI, EVs in X and Y cap out at 252. So you don’t really need to track them, just spam the horde training for a while and then double check them in the Super Training via a small bag or the first level of training.
At least that has been my observation with horde training so far. Great article as well!
I wasn’t sure about this, so I wanted to be cautious, but as far as I can tell, you are right. Thank you for bringing this up.
Also, rather than having a macho brace, you should spend some BP and get the power items. Since they give 4 EV’s to a stat, you can get 50 pointes with PKRS and the power item per hoard battle. This stacks per pokemon with the rus and power item. You could essentially train 4-5 pokemon at one time with this method.
Thank you for telling me this! I was under the impression that power items only worked once per battle, but I was wrong.
You still will need a power item per Pokémon and pokerus on each, because the extra bonuses and multipliers aren’t passed down by EXP share. This part I am sure of (I watched a nice shofu video to help me confirm this).