Pokemon Go Craze Hits New York City on July 25, 2016 in New York City. (Photo : Getty Images/Mike Coppola)
Pokémon Go creators Niantic rolled out a fresh new update earlier this week, 1.5.0 for iOS and 0.35.0 for Android, and with it comes a brand new appraisal feature that players can use to their advantage.
For the uninitiated, the appraisal feature is a strategic tool that helps players assess and select a Pokémon to use for Gym battles, thereby improving their overall chances of winning.
According to IGN, the appraisal feature allows gamers to determine which Pokémon would be ideal for "further leveling" based on feedback from their respective Team leader's about the attack and defense abilities of each Pokémon.
You might already be aware of the fact that each pocket monster has different characteristics and hidden attributes that you must take into account before using them against other Pokémon in order to take down a Gym.
This is how it works. Once you have updated the Pokémon Go app, open the Pokémon menu and select a Pokémon that you would like to assess. Next, tap the circular menu at the bottom right of the screen and you should see three options available; Favorite, Appraise and Transfer. Select Appraise.
As soon as you hit Appraise, your Team leader (Mystic's Blanche, Valor's Candela or Instinct's Spark) will pop up on your screen to evaluate your monster. Tap on the screen a couple of times to read everything your leader has to say but pay close attention to the second dialog box as that information will come in handy later, as BGR pointed out.
To help you understand your Team leader's comments and how you can use it to your benefit, some Pokemon Go players have decoded the feedback received from Team leaders, enabling users to ascertain the Individual Value of their Pokémon based on what they say.
The following graphic from a Reddit user contains every possible answer and what it means for your Pokémon:
For more tips on Pokémon Go's new appraisal feature, watch the video below:
