Welcome to the exciting world of Pokémon breeding, a nuanced game mechanic that offers profound rewards to those who master its intricacies.
Embarking on this journey will lead you down a path of discovery, allowing you to engineer the perfect team member, breed for those dazzling shiny Pokémon, or create a living Pokédex of all variants and forms.
This guide serves as a beacon, illuminating the complex aspects of Pokémon breeding.
Prepare to acquire expert knowledge and strategies that will transform your gameplay, and take you a step closer to becoming a Pokémon Master.
Table of Contents
Pokemon How To breed: Understanding the Basics of Pokémon Breeding
Breeding in Pokémon isn’t as simple as it may initially seem. It’s not just about leaving two Pokémon at the daycare and waiting for an egg. It’s an intricate process steeped in layers of hidden checks and calculations.
Breeding involves placing two compatible Pokémon in the Pokémon Nursery. Compatibility is primarily based on the Pokémon’s species and their egg groups. Pokémon belong to one or two of 15 ‘egg groups,’ and members of the same group can usually breed together. Notable exceptions include the ‘Undiscovered’ group which comprises mostly of Legendary and baby Pokémon that can’t breed.
A crucial element of Pokémon breeding is the involvement of Ditto. Ditto can breed with any Pokémon, regardless of its gender (with the exception of the ‘Undiscovered’ group). This makes it a versatile partner in your breeding endeavors, enabling you to breed even if you only have one member of a species or a genderless Pokémon.
Expert Tip: Utilizing a Ditto can streamline your breeding process, as it can mate with almost all Pokémon. Moreover, a foreign Ditto (i.e., one from a game in a language different from yours) can increase your chances of hatching a shiny Pokémon through a process known as the Masuda Method.
Breeding for Perfect IVs (Individual Values)
IVs, or Individual Values, are hidden stats that every Pokémon possesses. These values contribute to a Pokémon’s overall potential, with each IV dictating the potential of each respective stat – HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed.
Each IV can range from 0 to 31, with 31 being the highest potential a stat can have naturally. For trainers aiming for competitive battles, a Pokémon with several max IVs is often a prerequisite. Therefore, understanding how to breed for IVs becomes a paramount strategy.
The IVs that an offspring can inherit from its parents are determined randomly. However, trainers can manipulate which IVs get passed down by using certain items. The Destiny Knot, when held by a parent, ensures that five out of the six IVs of the offspring are inherited from its parents, instead of the usual three. This vastly increases the likelihood of receiving an offspring with multiple max IVs.
Expert Tip: Breeding two Pokémon that have already been trained for perfect IVs drastically increases your chances of producing offspring with several perfect IVs. Combine this strategy with the Destiny Knot for maximum efficiency.
Breeding for Desired Abilities
When breeding, the mother Pokémon (or a Ditto, if used) has the chance to pass down its ability to the offspring. This chance is set at 80% for standard abilities and 60% if the mother has a Hidden Ability. Hidden Abilities are special abilities that a Pokémon can’t ordinarily have but can be passed down through breeding.
For example, a Lucario typically might have the abilities ‘Steadfast’ or ‘Inner Focus,’ but with breeding, it could potentially have the Hidden Ability ‘Justified,’ which increases its attack stat when hit by a Dark-type move.
Expert Tip: If you’re aiming for a specific ability, using an Ability Capsule can help. However, it doesn’t work with Hidden Abilities. For Hidden Abilities, ensure the mother (or Ditto) has the desired ability, breed until you get the ability, then breed for other characteristics.
Breeding for Desired Moves (Egg Moves)
Egg Moves are special moves that a Pokémon can only acquire through breeding. These are not moves the Pokémon would learn by leveling up or through TMs. For example, the move “Dragon Dance” is highly desirable but can only be passed down as an Egg Move to certain Pokémon, like Charmander.
The key to Egg Moves is the father Pokémon. If the father knows a move that the offspring can learn as an Egg Move, that move will be passed down. This adds an extra layer of complexity, as you’ll need to find a compatible father who knows the move you want.
Expert Tip: Want to give your Charmander the Egg Move “Dragon Dance”? Breed a female Charmander/Charmeleon/Charizard with a male Dragonite that knows Dragon Dance. The resulting Charmander offspring will know the move Dragon Dance!
The Power of The Everstone (Expanded)
Natures play a critical role in shaping a Pokémon’s stats. Each nature increases one stat by 10% but decreases another by the same amount. A Pokémon’s nature is typically randomized, but with the power of the Everstone, you can control the nature of your hatched Pokémon.
When a parent Pokémon holds an Everstone, its nature is guaranteed to be passed down to the offspring. This is crucial for creating a competitively viable Pokémon, as certain natures are more beneficial for specific Pokémon and roles.
Expert Tip: To maximize the effectiveness of your Pokémon, choose a nature that boosts its highest stat or the stat most crucial to its role in battles. For example, for a sweeper (a Pokémon meant to dish out damage), you might want a nature that boosts its Attack or Special Attack.
Shiny Breeding: The Masuda Method (Expanded)
Shiny Pokémon are unique variants with different color schemes, and they are extremely rare. The standard odds of finding or hatching a shiny Pokémon are 1 in 4,096. However, there is a way to significantly increase these odds when breeding: the Masuda Method.
Named after Junichi Masuda, a director at Game Freak, the Masuda Method involves breeding two Pokémon from games of different languages. For example, if you’re playing an English language game, using a foreign language Ditto or any other Pokémon from a non-English language game will trigger the Masuda Method when breeding.
With the Masuda Method, the chances of hatching a shiny Pokémon increase to approximately 1 in 683. This method, combined with the Shiny Charm (an item that also increases shiny odds when held by the player), can make the shiny hunt a lot more manageable.
Expert Tip: Always try to acquire a foreign Ditto in your game. You can use it for the Masuda Method to boost your shiny breeding odds. It’s also helpful for breeding in general due to its ability to breed with any Pokémon.
Conclusion
Becoming a master Pokémon breeder requires both deep knowledge and patience. It involves learning about complex aspects such as IVs, abilities, egg groups, natures, and even language differences.
However, the rewards are undeniably satisfying. Perfectly bred Pokémon with ideal stats, abilities, and moves can provide a significant edge in battles. Moreover, the joy of hatching a shiny Pokémon after careful breeding is a unique thrill that only dedicated Pokémon trainers can experience.
With this comprehensive guide at your disposal, you are now equipped to venture into the complex world of Pokémon breeding. Remember, every Pokémon Master started with a single step, and your journey towards mastery has just begun.
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