ColtraineGF
Member
I would say it goes like this:
Super Training/Core Training
+: Is available as soon as you get your starter, mere minutes into the game.
+: Can be more fun than battling, if you don't like that.
+: No need to get other items - gains of +12 are a few minigames away.
+: No need for careful EV counting - gains from ST/CT are capped at 252 per stat (instead of 255), so there's no unneeded wasting of EVs.
+: It's easy to tell when something has maxed a stat - the game will tell you that you can't gain more in that stat, when you complete a challenge or try to use a bag for that stat.
+: Reset Bags, which wipe the EVs from a Pokemon, are perfect for when you need to retrain something for whatever reason.
+: ST/CT is the same difficulty no matter what level your Pokemon is at.
-: You have to do external tracking in order to get the exact number of a stat. Either that, or use a Reset Bag and restart after using it and viewing the stat drop. This is for when you need some number below 252 for some specific reason.
-: EV reducing berries are more finely tuned than Reset Bags.
-: Battling can be easier if you set it up right. Downside is the setting up...
Regular EV training:
+: Can be speedy if you know what you're doing - 10 Vitamins and 12 battles with a Power-Item holding, Pokerus-infected Pokemon, could probably take you less skill than carefully shooting targets and hitting bags.
+: EV reducing is more finely tuned with the Berries.
-: To fully exploit the maximum effectiveness of EV training, you need Power items and Pokerus. Pokerus is extremely difficult to get if you don't already have it, and Power items require BP, which can be difficult to get if you aren't good at getting points at a Battle Facility.
-: You have to know which Pokemon give which EVs in which stat ahead of time, as well as where to find said Pokemon at a high enough encounter rate that you can keep battling without wasting time. This may be a bit difficult in XY...
-: It requires a lot of Berries to fully de-EV a Pokemon.
