[Theory] Best way of farming IV stones

General Discussion
1

After reading through an old Reddit post about this, I will explain my view on the best method of IV stone farming. There are three ways to obtain IV stones in the game at this current point:

  • Pokepon
  • Rock Smashing
  • Pickup Ability

In this post I will try to explain every method and calculate the chances of getting IV stones from each method:

#Pokepon
The chance of obtaining an IV stone as stated on the Wiki:

± 8,16% (before obtaining Girafarigite)

± 8,32% (after obtaining Girafarigite)

You can use Pokepon every 20 minutes and walk around for a maximum of 1,500 steps.

#Rock Smash method
While you use the Rock Smash method you can press P to refresh the map (and respawn) the rock after each Rock Smash, walk up and down one step from the rock and keep going.

As states on the Wiki, which is in the eyes of the developers not 100% accurate, the chances at Rock Smashing are as follows:

(We will use those percentages for the calculation anyway)

  • 25% Pokemon encounter
  • 25% Item drop
  • 50% Nothing at all

The chance of getting an IV stone from an Item Drop = ± 3,57% ( 1/28 ) as stated in comments in the post on Reddit.

With this information you will have a 0,25 x 0,0357 = 0,8925% ( ± 1/112 ) chance of getting an IV stone from a random rock.

#Pickup Ability
The third method of obtaining IV stones is by Leveling up a party full of Pokemon with the Pickup Ability over Lv. 71. The Pickup Ability will activate after each battle with a 10% chance of obtaining an item. The Pickup Table from Insurgence got a 1% chance of obtaining an IV stone from Pickup.

So, we should do the calculation: 6 Pokemon x 0,10 x 0,01 = 0,6% ( ± 1/167 ) change after every battle.

#Combinations
At this point people will start to mention:

“Why don’t you use all methods at the same time?”

The old post on Reddit stated to use the Rock Smashing method and the Pickup method at the same time, but I will tell you why this is not the best method:

The Reddit post did not consider TIME to affect the combination of methods


Combining the methods:
#Rock Smash + Pickup
This is the point where the calculations deviate from each other. Many people stated to use both methods, so they have a chance to get an IV stone Item drop from Rock Smashing and have a chance of picking up IV stones from the Pickup Ability.

  • 25% Pokemon encounter >> 0,6% ( ± 1/167 )
  • 25% Item drop >> 3,57% ( ± 1/28 )
  • 50% Nothing at all >> 0%

    Adding those together: (0,6% x 0,25) + (3,57% x 0,25) = 1,0425% ( ± 1/96 ) chance of getting an IV stone from a random rock.


This means you have an ADDED 0,15% chance of getting an IV stone from a random rock if you add the Pickup method to the Rock Smashing method. Now you wonder why this is absolutely NOT worth it. Let me explain this:

  • Only using Rock Smash and run away from Pokemon:

    - You can use a low level rock smasher, you can always run away from the encounters (+ a shiny would be easier to catch).

    - You do not have to pay much attention while doing the grind of the Rock Smash method.

    - You can start this method from the start of your game, as there are no requirement, except for having a Fighting-type move.
  • Rock Smash + Pickup

    - You need 6x a Pokemon with the Pickup Ability above Lv. 71. (You need time to train those Pokemon and at least one of them needs to have a Fighting-type move (Like Diggersby)).

    - You HAVE to check your Pickup Pokemon after every encounter to not decrease the chance of getting an item (as a Pokemon holding an item cannot obtain one), and take the items from the Pokemon.

    - You need to faint all the encounters: Using a Move takes time AND your encounters will be around Lv. 71 with the possiblity of having the Sturdy Ability (You need a multi-hit move or use two moves to kill them).

The time you use to faint all the encounters AND check your Pokemon after every encounter is NOT worth the 0,15% added chance of obtaining an IV stone. In the time you spend doing those things, you can smash over twice as much rocks without doing all the handlings with the Pickup Pokemon.

#Addition
All methods are still usefull in their own way. I would recommend using the methods in different kind of situations:

  • Pokepon: While progression through the story or
    doing other stuff like breeding.
  • Rock Smash: Grind for IV stones.
  • Pickup Ability: While doing leveling (at the Level trainer) or EV training in Friend Safari or at the EV trainer.


_Old Reddit post:_ https://www.reddit.com/r/PokemonInsurgence/comments/3gg2zv/theorybest_way_of_farming_iv_stones/


Tell me if you agree or disagree and explain to me if you don’t.

5 Likes
3

Here are some thoughts in no particular order:

You can get one IV stone for free, if you talk to one pokemon npc (forget which one).

The Rocksmash farming method is so simple that you might be able to write a macro, so that you can afk farm IV Stones. However, random encounters might screw you up, so you should counteract with abilities and items to reduce this issue.

The best level for Pick up Pokemon is not 71 but higher, so they can pick up leftovers or pp ups (forget which one) as well. However, Pokemon with pickup above a certain level (forget which one) will no longer pick up IV Stones.

Another benefit of the pick up method is that you can farm encounters (for example: shinies or abras [or other pkmn with synchronize] with all natures that you can later on use to efficiently breed). Be aware that only the nature of these abras matter and not the ability as you can change it later on to synchronize.

You said, that you have to check your pick up pkmn after every encounter. This is obviously wrong. If you want you can calculate it, but my intuition would be to check your pkmn after every 3-5 encounters. Even if one of your pick up pkmn found an item, there are still 5 left. Only when many pkmn (let’s say 3-5) already hold an item, the chance to get an IV stone from one additional encounter decreases too much for it to be efficient.

Overall, the most efficient way (from my experience) is the pokepon. You can change the time in your operating system (+20 minutes), so the only requirement left is the random steps to walk. If you speed up and use the bike, you can very frequently use the pokepon. Also, the two npc around the pokepon will disappear after some time (as they will not reenter the screen once they walked outside).

4

Hi Iwin828,

I just wanted to react to all your statements you made:

  • You get a free IV stone in Rogan Town from a NPC in a house to the right from the Pokecenter.
  • I don’t think there is a way to macro the Rock Smash method.
  • I only mentioned above Lv. 71 for IV stones, I don’t mention other items in this post. There is no level where they will not pick up IV stones anymore, the pickup-table will be the same as the Lv.100 till you reach Lv. 120.
  • I mentioned the Pickup method could be usefull for things as Training Levels or EVs. Ofcourse it will be usefull if you are trying to get shinies / synchros and Dittos for that matter, but people don’t come to this post for those encounters.
  • Pokepon is an efficient way to get IV stones, but it is way more tedious as going through an easy method of Rock Smashing.

Thank you for your reaction to my post.

5

I had to learn it the hard way, but pick up pkmn will no longer pick up IV stones after a certain level. Feel free to check the wiki: https://wiki.p-insurgence.com/IV_Stone It says “at level 71-90” which means 91 and above makes you pickup pkmn almost useless.

I don’t think pokepon is overly tedious, it:s: setting the time, drive with your bike, mash the a button, repeat. Could not ask for an easier way to get IV stones. Also, for every one time I activate the pokepon I have to mash 10 rocks to be roughly equal long term.

And with your one statement about shinies, synchros etc. I only partially agree. While it is not 100% related to the topic of IV stone farming, it is still important. Usually IV stones, Breeding, shinies etc. are part of the end game and you want to be set up for as much as possible and therefore should take these things into account.

6

As I reply to your comment:

  • The Wiki states Lv. 71 - 90, but a developer noted this on the Forum as an answer for the Pickup table. The Prism scale is even states in earlier levels, so an exact Pickup table for Insurgence is not present at this current point:

  • I noted that Pokepon can be an efficient way to get IV stones, but I personally think that it is the best way if you are also wanting Nature changes or Shiny chances for it to be the best way.

  • Breeding, shinies, perfect IVs are NOT a part of the end game. All those things are optional for the end game. But I did never say that Pickup is a bad method, but I justed wanted to state that the combination of those methods (Rock Smash and Pickup) is not worth the time. And of course you can check the Pokemon after more than 1 turn (in reply to your first comment), but I noted that as if they pickup an item, the chance will slightly decrease, so it will become less efficient after every Pokemon that picks up an item.