Breeding Basics: Advanced

Dive deep into Pokémon Sun and Moon's advanced breeding mechanics. Learn about Egg Groups, Compatibility, Egg Moves, Chain Breeding, IVs, EVs, Natures, and essential supplies for efficient breeding.

This guide covers advanced breeding concepts in Pokémon Sun and Moon, building upon basic knowledge. It details essential terminology and the supplies needed to optimize your breeding process.

Terminology to Know

Egg Group: Pokemon are categorized into Egg Groups, determining which Pokemon they can breed with. For instance, Gastly (Amorphous Egg Group) and Dratini (Dragon Egg Group) cannot breed. Ditto is unique as it can breed with almost any Pokemon, including genderless or monogender species like Beldum and Tauros.

Some Pokemon belong to multiple Egg Groups, making them valuable for breeding more offspring or passing down rare Egg Moves.

Compatibility: This affects the rate at which Eggs are produced. Compatibility is lowest between Pokemon of different species from the same Trainer OT (Original Trainer). It is highest between Pokemon of the same species from different Trainer OTs. Same species from the same trainer and different species from different trainers have the same compatibility level.

Masuda Method: Breeding Pokemon from different language versions of the game significantly increases the chance of hatching a shiny Pokemon, approximately doubling the odds to about 1 in 2,000.

Egg Moves: These are moves a Pokemon can only learn through breeding, typically passed down from a father who knows the move. They are rarely learned via TM or level-up, making them unique. For example, Gible can learn Outrage as an Egg Move but not through other methods.

Chain Breeding: A technique often required to obtain offspring with multiple specific Egg Moves. This process will be covered in more detail later.

IV Breeding: The practice of breeding Pokemon to achieve the highest possible Individual Values (IVs), often utilizing the Destiny Knot item.

Additional important terms include:

• Ability: A Pokemon's special characteristic. Hidden Abilities are usually obtained via SOS Chaining and cannot be passed down through breeding or Ability Capsules if parents do not already possess them.
• Nature: Affects a Pokemon's stats, increasing one by 10% and decreasing another by 10%.
• Base Stats and Base Stat Total: Innate, unchangeable numbers defining a Pokemon's strengths and weaknesses (e.g., Alakazam's high Special Attack and Speed, Blissey's high HP). Base Stat Total is the sum of all base stats. Arceus has the highest non-mega Base Stat Total at 720. The visible stats are influenced by level, Nature, IVs, and EVs.
• IVs (Individual Values): Numbers from 0 to 31 that are added to a Pokemon's stats, most impactful at level 100. Aiming for 31 IVs is generally recommended.
• EVs (Effort Values): Gained by defeating Pokemon, with 4 EVs equaling +1 stat at level 100. Max EVs per stat is 252 (+63 at level 100), and the total EV limit is 510. A common spread is 252/252/6.

Supplies You Will Need

Effective breeding requires specific items and Pokemon to control the randomness involved:

• Pokemon with Synchronize of every decent nature: Catching Pokemon with specific Natures is easier with a lead Pokemon possessing the Synchronize ability. Abra is recommended for mass breeding, which also helps unlock the IV Judge.
• Dittos of every decent nature, with some having perfect IVs: Ditto can breed with any Pokemon, making them ideal for passing down Natures and IVs. They can be found on Mount Hokulani and SOS chained for Dittos with up to four perfect IVs.
• A Pokemon with Flame Body: This ability drastically speeds up Egg hatching. Fletchinder (Route 8) or Fletchling (Wela Volcano Park) have Flame Body as their regular ability. The Talonflame obtained from an NPC outside the Battle Tree has Gale Wings (Hidden Ability) and will not work.