CP Calculator Pokemon Go

What Is Combat Power (CP) in Pokemon Go?

Combat Power (CP) is a consolidated stat in Pokemon Go that represents a Pokemon's overall strength in battle. CP is calculated from three underlying stats: Attack, Defense, and Stamina (HP). Each Pokemon species has base values for these stats, and individual Pokemon have hidden Individual Values (IVs) ranging from 0-15 for each stat that make them stronger or weaker than others of the same species.

Understanding CP is crucial for trainers who want to optimize their battle teams for raids, gym battles, PvP leagues (Great League, Ultra League, Master League), and Team Rocket encounters. This calculator helps you predict a Pokemon's CP at any level and IV combination, allowing you to decide which Pokemon to invest Stardust and Candy into powering up.

How CP Is Calculated

Pokemon Go uses a specific formula to calculate CP from base stats, IVs, and the CPM (Combat Power Multiplier) which increases with Pokemon level:

Components of the Formula

• Attack: Base Attack Stat + Attack IV (0-15)
• Defense: Base Defense Stat + Defense IV (0-15)
• Stamina: Base Stamina Stat + Stamina IV (0-15)
• CPM (Combat Power Multiplier): A value that increases from 0.094 at level 1 to 0.7903 at level 50
• floor(): Rounds down to the nearest whole number

Example Calculation

Let's calculate CP for a level 30 Machamp with 15/15/15 IVs (perfect stats):

• Machamp base stats: 234 Attack, 159 Defense, 207 Stamina
• IVs: 15 Attack, 15 Defense, 15 Stamina
• Level 30 CPM: 0.7317
• Total Attack = 234 + 15 = 249
• Total Defense = 159 + 15 = 174
• Total Stamina = 207 + 15 = 222
• CP = floor((249 × √174 × √222 × 0.7317²) / 10)
• CP = floor((249 × 13.19 × 14.90 × 0.5354) / 10)
• CP = floor(26,163 / 10)
• CP = 2,616

Understanding Individual Values (IVs)

IVs are hidden values from 0-15 for each of the three stats (Attack, Defense, Stamina). A Pokemon with 15/15/15 IVs is called "hundo" (100% perfect). IVs are assigned when you encounter a Pokemon and never change unless the Pokemon is traded (which rerolls IVs) or purified from Shadow form (which adds +2 to each IV).

IV Perfection Percentage

A Pokemon's IV percentage is calculated as:

Common IV benchmarks:

• 15/15/15 (100%): Perfect IV Pokemon (1 in 4,096 from wild encounters, guaranteed from Special Research)
• 12/12/12 (80%): Minimum from weather-boosted wild spawns
• 10/10/10 (67%): Minimum from raids, eggs, research tasks
• 5/5/5 (33%): Minimum from trades with Best Friends
• 0/0/0 (0%): "Nundo" — extremely rare and collectible

Pokemon Levels and CPM Values

Pokemon levels range from 1 to 50 (with half levels like 30.5, 31.0, etc. after each power-up). Your trainer level determines the maximum level you can power up Pokemon to:

• Trainer Level 1-29: Pokemon max level = Your level + 10
• Trainer Level 30+: Pokemon max level = 40
• Best Buddy Boost: +1 level (max 41) when active as your Buddy
• XL Candy Power-Ups: Levels 41-50 (requires Trainer Level 40+ and XL Candy)

Common CPM Breakpoints

CP Optimization for PvP Leagues

Different PvP leagues have CP caps that require strategic IV selection:

Great League (1500 CP Max)

For most species, the optimal IV spread is 0/15/15 (low Attack, max Defense/Stamina). This allows you to reach a higher level before hitting the 1500 cap, maximizing total stat product.

Ultra League (2500 CP Max)

Similar to Great League, 0/15/15 or 0/14/15 IVs are often optimal. Some Pokemon with naturally low Attack stats benefit from slightly higher Attack IVs.

Master League (No CP Cap)

In Master League, 15/15/15 (100% IV) is always optimal because there's no CP limit. Higher total stats always win.

Stardust and Candy Investment Strategy

Powering up Pokemon requires significant Stardust and Candy. Here's how to invest wisely:

Priority Criteria

• Check IVs first: Don't invest in low-IV Pokemon unless it's a rare species or has optimal PvP IVs for a specific league
• Consider meta relevance: Power up Pokemon that are strong in current raid/PvP metas (Mewtwo, Garchomp, Dialga, etc.)
• Verify moveset: Ensure the Pokemon has good fast/charged moves before powering up (use TMs if needed)
• Calculate breakpoints: Use this calculator to find damage breakpoints where one extra level significantly increases performance

Stardust Costs by Level Range

• Level 1-10: 200-1,000 Stardust per power-up
• Level 11-20: 1,300-2,500 Stardust per power-up
• Level 21-30: 3,000-6,000 Stardust per power-up
• Level 31-40: 7,000-10,000 Stardust per power-up
• Level 41-50 (XL Candy): 10,000-12,000 Stardust + 10-12 XL Candy per power-up

How to Check Pokemon IVs in Game

Pokemon Go provides an in-game appraisal system to estimate IVs:

Using the Appraisal Feature

1. Tap a Pokemon in your storage
2. Tap the menu button (three lines) in the bottom-right
3. Select "Appraise"
4. Your Team Leader shows a bar graph for Attack, Defense, and Stamina
5. Each stat is rated from 0-15 (represented visually by bar length)

Star Ratings

• 0 Stars: 0-48.9% IV (0-22 total stat points)
• 1 Star: 51.1-64.4% IV (23-29 total stat points)
• 2 Stars: 66.7-80% IV (30-36 total stat points)
• 3 Stars: 82.2-97.8% IV (37-44 total stat points)
• 3 Stars + Red Background: 100% IV (45 total stat points — perfect Pokemon)

Third-Party IV Checkers

Apps like PokeGenie, CalcyIV, and Poke Wizard can scan screenshots to calculate exact IVs. These tools compare your Pokemon's visible CP, HP, and Stardust cost against every possible IV combination to narrow down exact values.

Shadow and Purified Pokemon

Shadow and Purified Pokemon have special CP and IV mechanics:

Shadow Pokemon

• Caught from Team Rocket battles
• Receive a 20% Attack boost and 20% Defense reduction
• Cost 20% more Stardust and Candy to power up
• Have lower base IVs (minimum 0/0/0) compared to other sources
• Often preferred for raids due to higher damage output despite lower defense

Purified Pokemon

• Shadow Pokemon purified using Stardust and Candy
• Receive +2 to each IV (minimum becomes 2/2/2)
• Cost 10% less Stardust and Candy to power up
• Can learn the exclusive Charged Move "Return"
• Generally inferior to Shadow versions for raids but useful for PvP in some cases

Mega Evolution CP Boost

Mega-evolved Pokemon receive temporary stat increases that affect CP:

• Mega Evolution Duration: 8 hours after activation (or permanent after reaching Mega Level 3)
• CP Increase: Approximately 10-15% higher than base form
• Stat Boost: Varies by species; some Mega forms gain more Attack, others more Defense
• Raid Bonuses: Mega-evolved Pokemon boost other trainers' damage and provide extra Candy

Popular Mega Evolutions

• Mega Rayquaza: Top Dragon and Flying attacker, CP exceeds 5,000
• Mega Garchomp: Highest Ground-type attacker, essential for Electric/Fire raids
• Mega Lucario: Best Fighting-type, dominates raids against Normal/Rock/Steel/Dark
• Mega Gengar: Top Ghost attacker for Psychic/Ghost raids

Community Day and Event Catches

Special events affect the CP and IVs of Pokemon you encounter:

Community Day

• Featured Pokemon spawn with increased shiny rates (1/25)
• IVs follow standard wild catch distributions (0-15 each stat)
• Exclusive moves available during event hours (often best moves for that species)
• Weather boost increases minimum level to 6 and guarantees IVs of at least 4/4/4

Raid Hour and Spotlight Hour

• Raid Hour: Specific Legendary/Mythical Pokemon in raids (minimum IVs 10/10/10)
• Spotlight Hour: Increased spawns of one species (wild IV ranges, good for farming Stardust/XP)

Frequently Asked Questions

Does CP fully determine a Pokemon's battle performance?

No, CP is a simplified metric. Actual battle performance depends on base stats, moveset, typing, and opponent matchups. A 3000 CP Pokemon with bad moves can lose to a 2500 CP Pokemon with optimal moves and type advantage.

Can I change a Pokemon's IVs after catching it?

IVs are permanent once a Pokemon is caught. The only ways to change IVs are: (1) Trading (rerolls IVs based on friendship level), or (2) Purifying a Shadow Pokemon (adds +2 to each IV).

What's the difference between CP and HP?

CP is a calculated value representing overall strength. HP (Hit Points) is a visible stat that determines how much damage a Pokemon can take before fainting. HP is directly tied to the Stamina stat and Pokemon level.

Why is my wild-caught Pokemon stuck at level 30?

Wild Pokemon cap at level 30 (level 35 with weather boost). This applies to all wild spawns regardless of your trainer level. To get higher-level Pokemon, you must power them up yourself using Stardust and Candy.

Do Lucky Pokemon have higher CP?

No, Lucky Pokemon do not inherently have higher CP. However, Lucky Pokemon have a minimum IV floor of 12/12/12 (80%), meaning they're likely to be stronger than non-Lucky Pokemon on average. Their main benefit is 50% reduced Stardust cost for power-ups.

How do I maximize CP for Master League?

Since Master League has no CP cap, always use 15/15/15 (100% IV) Pokemon at level 50. Prioritize species with high base stats like Dialga, Giratina, Mewtwo, and Kyogre.

Can CP decrease?

CP never decreases naturally. However, trading a Pokemon can result in lower IVs (and thus lower CP) than the original. Trading is the only way to reduce CP.