How to get Vaporeon in 'Pokémon Go': Name trick, IV checker and more

Are you consistently getting your ass kicked in gym battles in Pokémon Go? If you don't have a Vaporeon, that's probably the reason why. Here's how to add this powerful water-type Pokémon to your team.

Endgame Pokémon, generally speaking, are pretty tough to find. That's especially true for top-tier Pokémon like Lapras and Snorlax. Thankfully, it's a lot easier to get your hands on Vaporeon, since it evolves from the relatively common Eevee.

The bad news is that Eevee can evolve into three different forms: Vaporeon, Flareon or Jolteon. But the good news is that there's a way to guarantee you get the evolution you want. 

How to get Vaporeon in Pokémon Go: Use this simple trick

Here's how to guarantee that Eevee evolves the way you want it to. First, rename your Eevee "Rainer," "Sparky" or "Pyro," to get a Vaporeon, Flareon or Jolteon, respectively. Then save and exit the game to make sure the name change sticks. Finally, use candies and stardust to evolve your Eevee.

This built-in trick in Pokémon Go is a direct nod to the original animé show. In an episode focused on Eevee and its evolutions, the names corresponded to trainers of those three evolved Pokémon. It's a clever easter egg from Niantic and a great way to beef up your lineup.

How to get Vaporeon in Pokémon Go: Don't forget to check Eevee's IVs first

Individual values either do not change or change very little when a Pokémon evolves. Eevee may be common, but Eevee candy is still a valuable resource that ought not to be wasted, especially if future updates of Pokémon Go unlock some of Eevee's other evolutions.

Therefore, make sure you check the IVs of the Eevee in your Pokémon collection before you choose which one to evolve. You want the best Vaporeon you can get, because once you have a Vaporeon, you have an endgame Pokémon that ranks high on both attacker and defender lists.

More Pokémon Go guides, tips, tricks and updates

Check out Mic's Pokémon Go tips and tricks. Here are guides on how to get stardust, how to determine how long it will take you to reach Level 40, the kind of Pokemon you get from 10km eggs, how to create new PokéStops, how to maximize your chances of catching Pokémon and how PokéStops distribute Pokémon eggs. Also check out how to catch Gen 2 baby Pokémon, our analysis of post-balance update Chansey and Rhydon and everything you need to know about finding the long-awaited Pokémon Ditto.