Breeding is the method of choosing two of your Pokémon to send to the local region's Day Care in the hopes that the pair will produce an Egg. This is a useful technique to raise Pokémon with unusual attributes, such as elevated Attack, Defense, Speed, etc compared to members of the same species on a similar level. Pokémon that are hatched from Eggs can have access to stronger attacks earlier than normal, such as learning a parent's TM or HM move. Some Pokémon, like Pichu, can learn a move the parents would never learn, such as Volt Tackle.
Locations[]
The locations of the Day Care center depends on the versions of the game.
- Pokémon Gold/Silver/Crystal - Route 34
- Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald - Route 117
- Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen - Four Island
- Pokémon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum - Solaceon Town
- Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver - Route 34
- Pokémon Black/White - Route 3
Conditions[]
When the Day Care Center alerts you of a new Egg, you must work at hatching it. You must have an empty slot on your team to accept the Egg. The Day Care center will keep it if you did not do so. Every egg has a special number of steps required to hatch it, so travel around the region (a bicycle will be much quicker) and hatch the egg.
Certain conditions must be met to create an Egg.
- Pokemon must be opposite genders or one parent a Ditto.
- The parents must be compatible (in the same Egg Group).
An egg will be created quicker if one or more of these conditions is met:
- The pokemon are the same species
- The pokemon have different IDs (are from different games).
These will combine:
- Best scenario: Same species, Different ID
- Mid: Same Species, Same ID / Different ID, Different Species
- Worst-case Scenario: Same ID, Different Species.
Pokémon keep track of family trees. You cannot mate the offspring of a Pokémon with its parent, even if they are compatible. Some Pokémon cannot produce Eggs, such as the Legendary Pokémon (except Manaphy), and baby Pokémon such as Pichu cannot produce Eggs. Some Pokémon belong to multiple groups, meaning they can breed with more Pokémon.
Hatching[]
When you carry an egg, you need to walk a number of steps for it to hatch. Different eggs have different amount of steps for it to hatch. This number will always be the same for all members of that species.
- If you carry a Pokemon with the ability Flame Body or Magma Armor in the same party as your egg it will halve the number of steps required to hatch the egg.
When the egg is about to hatch, you will receive a message. Then the screen will show you to egg being hatched into a new baby Pokémon. The baby Pokémon will be at Level 5 when hatched (Level 1 in Generation IV and on).
Breeding Stats[]
Newborn Pokémon inherit stats from their parents. One IV (Individual value) is given from each parent (even a Ditto) and the other four will be randominzed.
However, certain held items can also be used to pass on stats in certainty. These items include: Power Bracer, Power Belt, Power Band, Power Lens, Power Anklet, and Power Weight. Wich stat inherited depends on the item:
- HP - Power weight
- Attack - Power Bracer
- Defense - Power Belt
- Special Attack - Power Lens
- Special Defense - Power Band
- Speed - Power Anklet
If a Pokémon holds an Everstone while breeding the offspring has a 50% chance of inheriting the nature.
Breeding Moves[]
Newborn Pokémon can inherit moves from their parents, some high-level moves can be learned by the offspring. For example, if you have a Blaziken with the move Overheat, which is learnable from TM that can only be use once in Gen. I - IV, its offspring that is the opposite gender of its parents will learn Overheat.
There are three types of moves that can be taught through this strategy.
- Learned Moves - It is the moves that any Pokémon caught in the wild would know at Level 5.
- Inherited Moves - It is the moves learned through the Evolutionary process or via a TM can be passed from the male parent Pokémon, even if the move cannot be learned or used until after Level 5.
- Level-up moves much be known by BOTH parents.
- Egg Moves - Egg Moves are learned from the male parent Pokémon, but these are different than Inherited Moves. Egg Moves are moves the Pokémon would not normally be able to learn naturally through TMs and leveling-up.
When a Pokémon hatches, it has the moves a wild Pokémon at Level 1 would know. For example, Pichu will know Thundershock and Charm. The Pokémon has enough room to learn two more moves: these spots can be filled with Inherited Moves. If the Pokémon has access to more moves than you have empty space for, it will replace the Learned Moves with the Inherited and Egg Moves.
If both parents know the same high-level move, the baby Pokémon will also know it, despite being Level 1. Also, TM moves you would normally have one shot at using can be "re-used" by breeding the move down from the male parent Pokémon.
Baby Pokémon[]
By Breeding[]
The list below shows the Pokémon that cannot be caught in the wild but can be obtainable by breeding.
| Cleffa* | Elekid | Igglybuff | Magby | Pichu* | Phione | Smoochum | Tyrogue |
* can be caught in the wild in Pokémon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum. But not in other versions.
By Breeding While Holding an Item[]
The table below shows the Pokémon that requires a parent to hold a special item in order to obtain that particular baby Pokémon.
| Azurill | Breed Female Marill holding a Sea Incense. |
| Wynaut | Breed Wobbuffet holding a Lax Incense. |
| Budew | Breed Roselia or Roserade holding a Rose Incense. |
| Munchlax | Breed Snorlax holding a Full Incense. |
| Happiny | Breed Chansey or Blissey holding a Luck Incense. |
| Bonsly | Breed Sudowoodo holding a Rock Incense. |
| Mime Jr. | Breed Mr. Mime holding a Odd Incense. |
| Mantyke | Breed Mantine holding a Wave Incense. |
| Chingling | Breed Chimecho holding a Pure Incense. |
Breeding Groups[]
These tables display Pokémon that can breed with other Pokémon from the same group. For example, Pikachu can breed with Marill as they are found in the same group. Those that belongs to Group 0 cannot produce Eggs.
Group 1 - Monster-Group[]
Group 2 - Water 1-Group[]
Group 3 - Bug-Group[]
Group 4 - Flying-Group[]
| Group 4: Flying-Group Pokémon | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pidgey | Pidgeotto | Pidgeot | Spearow | Fearow | Zubat | Golbat | Farfetch'd |
| Doduo | Dodrio | Aerodactyl | Hoothoot | Noctowl | Crobat | Togetic | Natu |
| Xatu | Murkrow | Skarmory | Taillow | Swellow | Wingull | Pelipper | Swablu |
| Altaria | Starly | Staravia | Staraptor | Honchkrow | Chatot | Togekiss | Pidove |
| Tranquill | Unfezant | Woobat | Swoobat | Sigilyph | Archen | Archeops | Ducklett |
| Swanna | Rufflet | Braviary | Vullaby | Mandibuzz | - | - | - |
Group 5 - Field-Group[]
Group 6 - Fairy-Group[]
| Group 6: Fairy-Group Pokémon | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pikachu | Raichu | Clefairy | Clefable | Jigglypuff | Wigglytuff | Chansey | Togetic |
| Marill | Azumarill | Hoppip | Skiploom | Jumpluff | Snubbull | Granbull | Blissey |
| Shroomish | Breloom | Skitty | Delcatty | Mawile | Plusle | Minun | Roselia |
| Castform | Glalie | Roserade | Pachirisu | Cherubi | Cherrim | Togekiss | Froslass |
| Phione | Manaphy | Audino | Cottonee | Whimsicott | - | - | - |
Group 7 - Grass-Group[]
Group 8 - Human-like-Group[]
| Group 8: Human-like Group Pokémon | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abra | Kadabra | Alakazam | Machop | Machoke | Machamp | Drowzee | Hypno |
| Hitmonlee | Hitmonchan | Mr. Mime | Jynx | Electabuzz | Magmar | Hitmontop | Makuhita |
| Hariyama | Sableye | Meditite | Medicham | Volbeat | Illumise | Spinda | Cacnea |
| Cacturne | Chimchar | Monferno | Infernape | Buneary | Lopunny | Lucario | Croagunk |
| Toxicroak | Electivire | Magmortar | Timburr | Gurdurr | Conkeldurr | Throh | Sawk |
| Gothita | Gothorita | Gothitelle | Elgyem | Beheeyem | Mienfoo | Mienshao | Pawniard |
| Bisharp | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Group 9 - Water 3-Group[]
| Group 9: Water 3-Group Pokémon | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tentacool | Tentacruel | Shellder | Cloyster | Krabby | Kingler | Staryu | Starmie |
| Omanyte | Omastar | Kabuto | Kabutops | Corsola | Corphish | Crawdaunt | Lileep |
| Cradily | Anorith | Armaldo | Skorupi | Drapion | Tirtouga | Carracosta | Archen |
| Archeops | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Group 10 - Mineral-Group[]
| Group 10: Mineral-Group Pokémon | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geodude | Graveler | Golem | Magnemite | Magneton | Onix | Voltorb | Electrode |
| Porygon | Sudowoodo | Steelix | Porygon2 | Shedinja | Nosepass | Lunatone | Solrock |
| Baltoy | Claydol | Snorunt | Glalie | Beldum | Metang | Metagross | Bronzor |
| Bronzong | Magnezone | Porygon-Z | Probopass | Froslass | Roggenrola | Boldore | Gigalith |
| Dwebble | Crustle | Yamask | Cofagrigus | Trubbish | Garbodor | Vanillite | Vanillish |
| Vanilluxe | Ferroseed | Ferrothorn | Klink | Klang | Klinklang | Cryogonal | Golett |
| Golurk | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Group 11 - Amorphous-Group[]
| Group 11: Amorphous-Group Pokémon | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grimer | Muk | Gastly | Haunter | Gengar | Koffing | Weezing | Misdreavus |
| Wobbuffet | Slugma | Magcargo | Ralts | Kirlia | Gardevoir | Gulpin | Swalot |
| Castform | Shuppet | Banette | Duskull | Dusclops | Chimecho | Shellos | Gastrodon |
| Drifloon | Drifblim | Mismagius | Spiritomb | Gallade | Dusknoir | Rotom | Yamask |
| Cofagrigus | Solosis | Duosion | Reuniclus | Frillish | Jellicent | Tynamo | Eelektrik |
| Eelektross | Litwick | Lampent | Chandelure | Stunfisk | - | - | - |
Group 12 - Water 2-Group[]
| Group 12: Water 2-Group Pokémon | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goldeen | Seaking | Chinchou | Lanturn | Qwilfish | Carvanha | Sharpedo | Magikarp |
| Gyarados | Remoraid | Octillery | Wailmer | Wailord | Relicanth | Barboach | Whiscash |
| Luvdisc | Finneon | Lumineon | Basculin | Alomomola | - | - | - |
Group 13 - Ditto-Group[]
This group consists of Pokémon that can breed with all the Pokémon from Group 1 to Group 13, and the egg will produce the most basic form of Pokémon in Group 1 to 13.
| Group 13: Ditto Pokémon |
|---|
| Ditto |
Group 14 - Dragon-Group[]
| Group 14: Dragon-Group Pokémon | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charmander | Charmeleon | Charizard | Ekans | Arbok | Horsea | Seadra | Magikarp |
| Gyarados | Dratini | Dragonair | Dragonite | Kingdra | Treecko | Grovyle | Sceptile |
| Swablu | Altaria | Seviper | Feebas | Milotic | Bagon | Shelgon | Salamence |
| Gible | Gabite | Garchomp | Scraggy | Scrafty | Axew | Fraxure | Haxorus |
| Druddigon | Deino | Zweilous | Hydreigon | - | - | - | - |
Group 15 - Undiscovered-Group[]
Note: All Legendary Pokémon, except Phione and Manaphy, cannot breed.Rotom can breed but only with Ditto
| Group 15: Undiscovered-Group Pokémon | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nidorina | Nidoqueen | Articuno | Zapdos | Moltres | Mewtwo | Mew | Cleffa |
| Igglybuff | Togepi | Unown | Tyrogue | Smoochum | Elekid | Raikou | Entei |
| Suicune | Lugia | Ho-Oh | Celebi | Azurill | Regirock | Regice | Registeel |
| Latias | Latios | Kyogre | Groudon | Jirachi | Deoxys | Budew | Chingling |
| Bonsly | Mime Jr. | Happiny | Riolu | Mantyke | Uxie | Mesprit | Azelf |
| Dialga | Palkia | Regigigas | Giratina | Cresselia | Darkrai | Shaymin | Arceus |
| Victini | Terrakion | Virizion | Tornadus | Thundurus | Reshiram | Zekrom | Landorus |
| Keldeo | Meloetta | Genesect | - | - | - | - | - |
Trivia[]
- The first hatchable egg appeared in Pokémon Gold and Silver. Togepi hatched from it.
- No one really knows where eggs come from.
- Togepi evolves to Togetic much faster than other egg Pokémon, still, it will depend on how happy you make Togepi.
- Normally Shiny Pokemon have a rarity of 1 in 8,192. However, with breeding, that can be reduced to 1 in 2,048 with the use of the Masuda Method, named after Junichi Masuda, the person that revealed it. It involves breeding two pokemon from different language games (For example, an English Infernape with a Japanese Ampharos)