Pokemon GO – Combat Power & Hit Points Guide

Pokemon Go players take on all types of challenges when working to be the best in the mobile app. This includes battles, Raids, and Gym Challenges among many other difficult encounters. To beat the best trainers and NPCs, a solid knowledge of basic stats is as important as a Poke Ball and a Potion.

What is Combat Power in Pokemon Go

Combat Power(CP) in Pokemon GO indicates how well that particular Pokémon will perform in battle.

Pokemon can have a Combat Power number that varies widely. Pokemon with very low CP aren’t going to be great for battling, while those with high CP will be great for competitive teams. CP can be raised using Stardust and Candy, as well as by evolving a species into its First or Second evolutionary stages. Additionally, species caught during Pokemon Go Special Research Rewards or other rare encounter opportunities have a chance of being caught with a high base CP score.

What is HP in Pokemon Go

Just like in the Nintendo main series games, HP in Pokemon Go is the total amount of health a companion has. While having a high Combat Power score is important, players will also need to make sure the base HP stat is high as well. This stat will grow as the Combat Power levels are increased, as well as when the Pokemon is evolved.

Why Do Raid Combat Powers Change

When taking on a Raid in Pokemon Go, the Combat Power of the featured species in the Raid will be inflated as a challenge rating against the trainers.

This is to ensure the Pokemon provides a challenge equal to the number of difficulty stars it has been rated with. After the battle, the Combat Power will decline to something more reasonable for catching and use within a players team. While a bummer for those wanting a behemoth Lugia or monster Zacian, it ensures everyone has a better chance at catching the high-level Raid Pokemon.

Unfortunately, there is no way to secure an exact amount of Combat Power or HP in caught Pokemon. The numbers for each stat are generated at the time the player catches the species during a wild encounter, raid battle, or reward encounter. Because of this, it is best to catch a large number of the desired Pokemon. Doing so should help increase the chances of finding the perfect Pokemon Go battle partner.