How to Make Your Pokémon Stronger in Pokémon GO

Just like any proper athlete, a Pokémon needs to be trained if you want it to be in fighting condition. I’m talking cardio, weight lifting, good dieting, and- what? We don’t have time for all that? Alright, fine, we’ll do it the fast way. Here’s how to make your Pokémon stronger in Pokémon GO.

In the mainline Pokémon games, Pokémon gain levels as they participate in fights and takedown opponents stronger than them. This was, unfortunately, not an element carried over to Pokémon GO. The Pokémon you catch in Pokémon GO don’t have levels, just base stats that can be enhanced, denoted by their CP levels. If you were expecting to be able to enhance those stats by participating in battles, you’re on the wrong track. It’s not about how much you fight, it’s about how much time and materials you’re willing to invest.

How to Make Your Pokémon Stronger in Pokémon GO

Whenever you catch Pokémon, you’re rewarded with trainer experience, that specific Pokémon’s candy, and, most importantly, a small quantity of Stardust. Next to Pokémon candy, Stardust is one of the vital components that will allow your Pokémon to mature and become stronger. We could make a joke about feeding something chalky powder to make it stronger, but we’ll refrain for the moment. Anyway, in addition to catching Pokémon, you can also get Stardust by leveling up your trainer, spinning gym signs, and from seven-day sign-in bonuses. 

To use Stardust, go to the profile page of the Pokémon you want to make stronger. Underneath their stats and above their moves, you should see a button labeled “Power Up,” alongside some Stardust and candy values. If you feed your Pokémon the required amount of Stardust and their specific candy, you can power them up, raising their CP level, which in turn raises their base stats. The specific amount of Stardust and candy you’ll need varies based on the Pokémon and how strong they already are, but usually, you’ll only need a few candies and a somewhat large amount of Stardust. Just like with candies, you’ll probably need to save up your Stardust over the course of multiple days to perform one power-up, so don’t go spending that stuff willy-nilly.