Relevance of CP
Assuming I have a 3000 CP Gyarados and a 3000 CP Kyogre and both mons are using Waterfall and Hydro Pump, will they have different damage output and battle time against a 3200 CP Tyranitar?
Answers
The overall stats will be different. One or the other might have higher Stamina, higher defense or higher attack, but the stats will be approximately the same (with the notable exceptions like Gengar vs. Shuckle, because their stat profiles are so different.)
Recall that the total stat is the species base stat (well known, varies at each level) plus the IVs for that particular pokemon. Base stats are much larger (hundreds, typically), while IVs vary from 0-15.
So in your example, Gyarados might have lower stamina, but higher attack. How much lower/higher? Depends on the CP formula. In general, lower attack will allow more points to be put into defense and stamina at the same CP, so it might be the case that the 0 attack max stamina max defense pokemon do the best in PvP, simply because of that. Or it might be the case that a pokemon like Shuckle is best with max stamina and attack and zero defense, because its base defense is so high.
You can play with the math of these by using the IV and CP calculators on this site. Click on the Calculators link on the bar above, and select CP calculator. Calculate the CP for a level 30 Gyarados with all 10s as stats (sort of a high average value). Then calculate the CP for a level 21 Kyogre with all 10s for stats. Adjust level until they are close in CP (maybe target just under CP 2500), and you will be able to calculate the base plus IVs for each stat. Seeing the numbers for yourself will be more educational for you than reading stuff here.
In this scenario, you have to look at pokémon's relative stats distribution:
- Kyogre has 270 base attack. Assuming 100%, that makes 285. This is 38% of it's total stats. So of it's total stats, 38% are geared towards attack, 62% towards defense.
- Same calculations for Gyarados gives 32% towards attack, 68% towards defense.
These numbers lead to exactly what Skywalkered wrote, which I'll allow myself to quote: "Kyogre has slightly better DPS and Gyarados has slightly better TDO based on neutral circumstances. However, Tyranitar often has Rock-types moves which Gary is weak to, so you're probably better off using Kyogre."
Skywalkered and Kazlu hit the nail on the head.
I keep on seeing ppl saying xyz will be way better than yzx in the lower pvp leagues because xyz will be a much higher level at the same cp. The level means nothing, except how much stardust you'll have to invest to get it to the cp that u want.
Its the "stat shape" thats important, thats what should be compared between pokemon. And it's why the traditionally "best" pokemon are gonna be trash in the lower league/s unless they have amazing moves to make up for attack heavy stat shapes and even then it wont be enough.
Agree 100% with Puppi. We need to know what stat shapes are most effective in PvP. While Gengar might get you the damage balls, Aggron might win the day in PvP (although the double weaknesses to Ground and Fighting make that unlikely).
Maybe the tanks will dominate (by that I mean real tanks like Blissey and Shuckle), not things that give up a tiny bit of DPS for a tiny bit of TDO, like Machamp vs. Hariyama. vs. Breloom.
Maybe the glass cannons will dominate, which is a lot like tougher raids. Or maybe, it will be a balance between the two. Which pokemon do good damage and can take good damage. My suspicion is that the ones we call tanky effective raid attackers will be the best balance between the two.
We'll have to wait for PvP to be out, and the data miners to mine the raw info about the details of combat, verify it with actual play, and then do a lot of math to see what the winning combinations are.
For now, sit still, accumulate resources, which can include pokemon with IVs below 90%, and wait until we know the answers to these questions.
