How do Ditto’s Stats Work?

Ditto’s stats work by copying all of its foe’s stats except for HP, meaning that its IVs are only relevant in determining its HP stat, Hidden Power type, and in rare mirror matchups. When Ditto transforms into another Pokémon, it copies the opponent’s stats, including all boosts from items, and has 5 PP of each move the opposing Pokémon has, but its HP remains unchanged, which is why 252 HP EVs are used to maximize Ditto’s bulk.

Understanding Ditto’s Stat Copying Mechanism

Ditto’s ability to transform into other Pokémon makes it a unique and versatile creature, but its stats are not as straightforward as other Pokémon.

Ditto’s Stats in Battle

When Ditto is used in battle, it will copy the stats of the Pokémon across from it, including any stat changes that the opponent may have, and it will have 5 PP of each move the opponent has.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do Ditto’s stats matter? No, the only things that matter after transforming are the HP stat, the item, and the IVs that determine the Hidden Power type.
2. Does Ditto copy the stats? If used in battle, Ditto will copy the Pokémon across from it, having 5 PP of each move the opposing Pokémon has, and it will copy any stat changes that the Pokémon may have, along with all its stats other than HP.
3. Does Ditto change its stats? Unlike some other Pokémon, Ditto can actually change its base stats according to the Pokémon it transforms into, but its HP remains the same.
4. What is the downside to Ditto? As well as its middling HP, Ditto has another downside when compared to the original Pokémon it’s imitating, which is that each of the four moves will only have 5 PP.
5. Why is Ditto not the strongest Pokémon? No, Ditto is not the strongest Pokémon, even if it copies the stats of the most powerful Pokémon, because there’s another Pokémon that’s just as powerful.
6. What is the best IV for Ditto? A six-IV Ditto is still the best option around for building a team of powerful Pokémon, but there’s only one realistic way to get one.
7. Is Ditto the most powerful Pokémon? No, Ditto is not the most powerful Pokémon, but pound for pound, it is one of the most powerful, versatile, and potentially threatening Pokémon in existence.
8. Does shiny Ditto transform into shiny Pokémon? Past Generation 4, whether Ditto is shiny or not, a Ditto will transform into the coloration of its opponent, so if the opponent is shiny, shiny Ditto will transform into shiny.
9. Is a 6 IV Ditto good? One 6 IV Ditto is still the best, unless you’re looking for 0 IVs in something, and it’s most useful for convenience when breeding.
10. Can you get a Lucky Ditto? If you are extremely lucky, you might not only encounter a Ditto in disguise, but a Shiny Ditto, which will appear blue instead of purple.
11. Does Ditto have increased shiny odds? Yes, breeding with a shiny Ditto gives you a 1 in 64 chance that the offspring will be shiny, compared to a 1 in 8192 chance of encountering a shiny Pokémon in the wild.
12. Should I breed with Ditto? Ditto’s status as a genderless Pokémon means that it can breed with either gender, which makes it incredibly useful for breeders and shiny hunters.
13. Do Ditto IVs matter for battling? IVs matter in case there’s a Hidden Power or if you happen to run into an Imposter Ditto vs Ditto situation, but the chances of that ever happening are way too low to consider running 0 speed IVs.
14. Do Ditto IVs matter for breeding? Just the original IVs before Hyper Training will be passed down, as Hyper Training is meant for in-battle stats, and if you want to breed IVs, you need a Ditto with naturally max IVs.
15. Why is 6 IV Ditto important? A 6 IV Ditto greatly speeds up the process of eventually getting 5-6 IV offspring, and breeding a Pokémon from your region with a Pokémon from a foreign region will increase the odds of the offspring being shiny, known as the ‘Masuda Method’.