Advantages to Not Evolving?

[RyushiBlade]

Hey everyone. I'm playing Pokemon Emerald and I have a Bagon. I noticed that it learns moves very, very fast in relation to Salamence (Bagon learns Double-Edge at level 53, Salamence at level 93). As a result, I've kept my Bagon from evolving in order to gain his strongest natural moves.

My question is whether or not Bagon's strength will suffer once he does evolve into a Salamence at level 55. I know that when pokemon evolve, there is a definite jump in the stats. But will my level 55 Salamence be on par with a level 55 Salamence that was evolved into a Shelgon and Salamence ASAP?

I don't really have the time to train up another to compare. And while I'm at it, I may as well ask: When pokemon who are left with the breeder gain levels, do they gain the same stat additions as those who gain exp from fights?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Misty]

stats are determined by specie, level, DVs, and EVs. All of these are identical no matter when the Pokemon evolved.

 

[FabuVinny]

All except specie. ;-)

 

[redchesus]

doesn't leaving it in daycare affect EVs (differently from training it)... so it does affect the final stats

 

[Misty]

Yes. Leaving it in daycare means you'll have no EVs when it's taken out. The only way to gain EVs is by battling.

 

[Oddish]

Playing Emerald recently, I've noticed that the question of evolving is a lot more significant in this generation of games than before, when it was mostly a matter of "my Pokemon will learn this move earlier if I don't evolve." Example: I found myself letting my Mudkip evolve into a Marshtomp - something I normally wouldn't do until he's learned all his moves - because Mudkip doesn't learn Earthquake (and, in fact, is only Water-type)...same with Shroomish/Breloom. If I hadn't let my Shroomish evolve, I'd have never beaten Norman's gym.

I can't say much about Bagon vs. Salamence, except...level 93?! I didn't think Pokemon still learned moves at that high a level.

Also, randomly, a Magikarp used Tackle on me the other day and it freaked me out.

 

[Starblaiz]

Also, randomly, a Magikarp used Tackle on me the other day and it freaked me out.

<<lol

Lots of Pokemon don't learn their final moves 'til their 90s, and I think some even learn moves at 100.

 

[TTEchidna]

In Gen IV, at least. Prior to that, most were done by 60 if they weren't legendaries.

 

[Zeta]

The average sort of goes up by 7 every generation. In Generation I, nearly every single Pokemon learned their last moves around Level 55. Then in Generation III we had a few around Level 67. Now the average seems to be around Level 70, although a lot have a few higher or below.