Are IVs Determined When the Egg Hatches? Unlocking Pokémon Breeding Secrets
No, IVs (Individual Values) are not determined when the egg hatches. They are predetermined the moment the game generates the egg. This means the Pokémon’s IVs, Nature, Ability, and even its Shininess are already set in stone from the instant you receive the egg. Soft resetting at the hatching stage will not change these attributes. Your strategy should focus on the breeding process itself, not on trying to manipulate the outcome at the point of hatching.
Understanding Egg Predetermination in Pokémon
The world of Pokémon breeding is filled with intricacies, and understanding when certain attributes are determined is crucial for efficient and effective gameplay. The misconception that you can influence IVs by resetting at the hatching stage stems from older Pokémon games. However, modern Pokémon games, especially those on the Nintendo Switch, operate on a different system.
What Happens When You Receive an Egg?
The instant you accept an egg from the Day-Care or Picnic Basket, the game generates a complete profile for the Pokémon inside. This profile includes:
- Individual Values (IVs): These hidden stats range from 0 to 31 for each of the Pokémon’s six stats (HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed).
- Nature: This affects the growth rate of two different stats, increasing one by 10% and decreasing another by 10%.
- Ability: The Pokémon’s special ability is also pre-determined. If the Pokémon has multiple possible abilities, the game selects one when the egg is created.
- Shininess: Whether the Pokémon will be shiny is also determined at egg creation. Soft resetting won’t make a non-shiny egg suddenly become shiny.
- Gender: The Pokémon’s gender, if applicable, is also set upon egg generation.
- Egg Moves: Moves that the Pokémon can learn as a baby if the parent knew them.
Why This Matters for Breeding
Knowing that these attributes are fixed upon egg generation allows you to optimize your breeding strategy. Instead of repeatedly hatching the same eggs, you can focus on:
- Improving Parent Pokémon: Breed with Pokémon that have high IVs and the desired Natures.
- Using Destiny Knot: This item ensures that five IVs from the parents are passed down to the offspring.
- Using Everstone: This item guarantees that the parent holding it will pass down its Nature to the offspring.
- Masuda Method: Breed Pokémon from different language regions to significantly increase the chances of hatching a shiny.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Pokémon Egg Mechanics
Here are 15 frequently asked questions regarding the mechanics of Pokémon eggs, breeding, and IV determination:
1. How are egg IVs determined?
Egg IVs are partially determined by the parents’ IVs. When breeding, the Destiny Knot is a crucial item. It allows five IVs to be passed down from either the father or mother, chosen randomly. The remaining IV is then randomly generated. Without a Destiny Knot, only three IVs are passed down, making it harder to breed Pokémon with high IVs.
2. What is the Destiny Knot, and how does it work?
The Destiny Knot is an item that, when held by one of the parent Pokémon during breeding, ensures that five of its IVs are passed down to the offspring. This dramatically increases the chances of breeding Pokémon with high or perfect IVs.
3. Is nature determined when the egg is received or when it hatches?
The Nature of a Pokémon is determined the moment you receive the egg, not when it hatches. If you want to ensure that your Pokémon has a specific Nature, give one of the parents an Everstone to hold. This guarantees that the offspring will inherit that parent’s Nature.
4. Are Pokémon hatched from eggs guaranteed to have better IVs than wild Pokémon?
While not guaranteed, Pokémon hatched from eggs generally have higher IV distributions compared to Pokémon caught in the wild. This is especially true in games where the wild Pokémon IV glitch has been fixed. Breeding provides a controlled way to improve IVs systematically.
5. How likely is it to get a shiny Pokémon from an egg?
The base chance of hatching a shiny Pokémon is typically around 1 in 4096. However, using the Masuda method (breeding Pokémon from different language regions) significantly increases the odds to about 1 in 683. With the Shiny Charm, this is further reduced to around 1 in 512.
6. Can you soft reset to get a shiny egg?
No, you cannot soft reset to change an egg’s Shininess. Shininess is determined when the egg is created, not when it hatches. Soft resetting will only result in the same non-shiny Pokémon hatching repeatedly. To get a shiny, you need to obtain new eggs.
7. What item keeps nature when breeding?
The Everstone is the item that ensures a parent Pokémon passes down its Nature to its offspring during breeding.
8. Are Pokémon IVs completely random when breeding?
Not entirely. With the Destiny Knot, five IVs are passed down from the parents (chosen randomly from either parent), and only one IV is truly random. This allows for strategic breeding to increase the chances of getting high IVs.
9. What are the odds of breeding a 6IV Pokémon?
The odds of breeding a 6IV Pokémon depend on the parents’ IVs. If you’re using two 5IV parents with a Destiny Knot, the odds are approximately 1 in 32 (since one IV is always random). If you have a 6IV Ditto and a 5IV parent, the odds improve to around 1 in 55.
10. Can you breed Ditto for IVs?
Yes, Ditto can be bred with other Pokémon to pass down IVs, especially when holding a Destiny Knot. This makes Ditto a valuable tool for breeding, particularly if it has high IVs.
11. Why breed with high IV Dittos?
High IV Dittos are incredibly useful because they can breed with almost any Pokémon, ensuring that the other parent’s moves and abilities are passed on while also contributing to the IV pool. Non-English Dittos are also essential for the Masuda method to increase shiny odds.
12. Can you breed two Dittos?
No, Ditto cannot breed with another Ditto. Ditto can only breed with non-Ditto Pokémon.
13. How do you get a 6IV Ditto?
The best way to obtain a 6IV Ditto is through high-level Tera Raid battles, particularly 6-star raids. Pokémon caught in these raids are guaranteed to have five perfect IVs, with the sixth stat being randomly generated.
14. Does egg power affect shiny chances?
No, egg power does not directly affect shiny chances. However, it speeds up the egg creation process, allowing you to collect more eggs in a shorter amount of time, thus increasing your overall chances of hatching a shiny.
15. Which parent passes down IVs in breeding?
The Destiny Knot allows for both parents to contribute to the IVs of the offspring. Five IVs are inherited randomly from either parent, and the remaining IV is generated randomly.
Mastering the Art of Pokémon Breeding
Breeding Pokémon for competitive battling or simply to collect rare shinies can be a rewarding experience. Understanding the mechanics of IV inheritance, Nature determination, and Shiny chances is crucial for optimizing your strategy. Remember, IVs are determined at the moment the egg is created, so focus on improving your breeding process rather than relying on soft resetting at the hatching stage.
The world of gaming and learning is vast and complex. To further explore the intersection of games and education, visit the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org. They are dedicated to advancing research and promoting best practices in the field.
By mastering these breeding techniques, you can significantly increase your chances of obtaining the perfect Pokémon with the desired IVs, Nature, and Shininess. Happy breeding!