The Ultimate NP breeding Guide

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Quote: Due to the recent advances in RNG research many people are becoming interested in breeding 'the perfect pokemon', whilst this is entirely possible I believe a good grounding and knowledge of 'conventional breeding' is a must This guide is intended to help you become a better breeder and eventually allow you to use RNG to get that 'mon

What is Breeding?

Breeding can be your way to get multiples of the same pokemon, or for filling up your Pokedex with Baby Forms, but most importantly breeding is what many players do to get a pokemon for competitive play. Breeding creates legitimate Pokemon, though it takes lots of patience to get something worth while.

How it happens

The Daycare Center can be found in Solaceon Town in Diamond, Pearl and Platinum.

The Day Care Center attendants are positive they have no clue, but most people who are old enough to understand reproduction know what it is. Leave a female Pokemon with a Male (or any with a Ditto) and if they like each other they will breed and create an Egg. If it is in the Ditto Group (Check Below) it could only be bred with a Ditto. If it is classified in the Cannot be Bred Group (Also check below), as the name tells, it cannot be bred.

Feel Free To Skip Ahead If You Know What Your Looking For

Gender Contributions and Pokemon Compatibilty
Determining Egg Groups
Types of Breeding
Passing Moves Down via Breeding
IV Breeding
Nature Breeding
When will the Egg be ready?
Hatching the Egg
Soft Reset

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Gender Contributions

Females of the pair determine the species of the offspring. So breeding a male Tyranitar with a female Swampert will yield a baby Mudkip, not a Larvitar.
If one of the parents is Ditto, then the offspring's species will match with the other parent's species; that means that you cannot hatch a Ditto.
Males of the pair may determine Egg moves so long as the father knows it and the offspring are able to learn it. Egg Moves and TM moves are passed by the males.
Females may pass their nature to the offspring by holding an Everstone. This merely increases the chance of the nature being inherited, so other natures may also still be gained.
Both parents influence IVs of the offspring. More of this is explained under the IV section.
Both parents may pass moves gained by levelup so long as both parents know the move and the baby can learn it as well.
If the parents are from different games, there is an increases chance of getting a shiny.

Pokemon Compatibility

This is the sticky mess of Pokemon breeding. Some Pokemon can mate with others, others cannot. That is all determined by Egg group what species can mate with another. The second part of mating is just how long one would have to wait to find an Egg. This section details the compatibility and what each message from the Daycare Man means.

“The two prefer to play with other Pokemon than each other”
These Pokemon are NOT COMPATIBLE. It could be one or both of the parents cannot breed, they could be from different egg groups, be a genderless Pokemon (which can only breed with Ditto), they could be the same gender.

“The two don’t seem to like each other much”
The Pokemon are COMPATIBLE, but are different species and have the same Trainer IDs. Expect them to take a long time to breed.

“The two seem to get along”
The Pokemon are COMPATIBLE. The two Pokemon are the same species (and evolutionary level) and have the same Trainer ID or they are different Pokemon with different Trainer IDs. Will breed faster.

“The two seem to get along very well”
The Pokemon are COMPATIBLE. The pair of Pokemon are the same species (and evolutionary level) with different Trainer IDs. Will breed the fastest.

After you've left your two pokemon in the day care center, talk to the day care center man (the guy standing outside the daycare center) once in a while to see if he has an egg for you. You can also use the day care center app which you get from inside the day care center house. It will show the 2 pokemon you left in the day care center, and if there is an egg you will see an egg in the middle of those 2 pokemon.

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Determining Egg Groups

Personally I use websites such as Bulbapedia for individual pokemon and serebii for general egg groups.

Egg Groups

NOTE: Some Pokemon have multiple egg groups. They can breed with any gender compatible Pokemon that is in any of their egg groups. You can use these Pokemon to help get your egg moves from one group to another, and perfect your chain bred Pokemon. Ditto breeds with every Pokemon that can breed, and the cannot breed section cannot breed with anything. The Ditto egg group Pokemon ONLY breed with Ditto.

Egg groups are decided by biological traits, which overall serves to allow Pokémon which are biologically similar to breed. However, there are some oddities which have been noted within egg groups: for example, the Ground egg group's standards are particularly broad, and many seemingly illogical pairings can be noted within it, such as Skitty and Wailord.

Egg groups are preserved along evolutionary lines; Ralts, Kirlia, Gardevoir, and Gallade are all in the Indeterminate group, while Pikachu and Raichu are in the Ground and Fairy. Baby Pokémon are the only Pokémon besides Shedinja, Nidorina, and Nidoqueen that are not in the same group as their evolutionary relatives; Nidorina and Nidoqueen are both in the No eggs group, while Shedinja is in the Mineral group, despite having no gender, and, as such, requiring Ditto to breed. .

Plant

Abomasnow,Bayleef, Bellossom, Bellsprout, Breloom, Bulbasaur,Cacnea, Cacturne, Carnivine, Cherrim, Cherubi, Chikorita,Exeggcute, Exeggutor,Gloom, Grotle, Hoppip,Ivysaur, Jumpluff,Lombre, Lotad, Ludicolo,Meganium,Nuzleaf, Oddish, Paras, Parasect, Roselia, Roserade Seedot, Shiftry, Shroomish, Skiploom, Snover, Sunflora, Sunkern, Tangela, Tangrowth, Torterra, Tropius, Turtwig, Venusaur, Victreebel, Vileplume, Weepinbell

Bug

Ariados,Beautifly, Beedrill, Burmy, Butterfree,Cascoon, Caterpie, Combee,Drapion, Dustox,Flygon, Forretress, Gligar, Gliscor, Heracross,Illumise,Kakuna, Kricketot, Kricketune, Ledian, Ledyba,Masquerain, Metapod, Mothim,Nincada, Ninjask,Paras, Parasect, Pineco, Pinsir Scizor, Scyther, Shuckle, Silcoon, Skorupi, Spinarak, Surskit, Trapinch,Venomoth, Venonat, Vespiquen, Vibrava, Volbeat,Weedle, Wormadam, Wurmple,Yanma, Yanmega,

Flying

Aerodactyl, Altaria, Chatot, Crobat, Dodrio, Doduo, Farfetch'd, Fearow, Golbat, Honchkrow, Hoothoot, Murkrow, Natu, Noctowl, Pelipper, Pidgeot, Pidgeotto, PidgeySkarmory, Spearow, Staraptor, Staravia, Starly, Swablu, Swellow, Taillow, Togekiss, Togetic, Wingull, Xatu, Zubat

Humanshape

Abra, Alakazam, Buneary, Cacnea, Cacturne, Chimchar, Croagunk, Drowzee, Electabuzz, Electivire, Hariyama, Hitmonchan, Hitmonlee, Hitmontop, Hypno, Illumise, Infernape, Jynx, Kadabra, Lopunny, Lucario, Machamp, Machoke, Machop, Magmar, Magmortar, Makuhita, Medicham, Meditite, Monferno, Mr. Mime, Sableye, Spinda, Toxicroak, Volbeat

Mineral

Froslass, Geodude, Glalie, Golem, Graveler, Nosepass, Onix, Probopass, Snorunt, Steelix, Sudowoodo

Indeterminate

Banette,Castform, Chimecho,Drifblim, Drifloon, Dusclops, Dusknoir, Duskull,Gallade, Gardevoir, Gastly, Gastrodon, Gengar, Grimer, Gulpin,Haunter,Kirlia, Koffing,Magcargo, Misdreavus, Mismagius, Muk,Ralts,Shellos, Shuppet, Slugma, Spiritomb, Swalot,Weezing, Wobbuffet

Ground

Absol, Aipom, Ambipom, Ampharos, Arbok, Arcanine, Bibarel, Bidoof, Blaziken, Buizel, Buneary Camerupt, Chimchar, Combusken, Cyndaquil Delcatty, Delibird, Dewgong, Diglett, Donphan, Dugtrio, Dunsparce Eevee, Ekans, Electrike, Empoleon, Espeon, Exploud Farfetch'd, Flaaffy, Flareon, Floatzel, Furret, Girafarig, Glaceon, Glameow, Golduck, Granbull, Growlithe, Grumpig Hippopotas, Hippowdon, Houndoom, Houndour, Infernape, Jolteon, Kecleon, Leafeon, Linoone, Lopunny, Loudred, Lucario, Luxio, Luxray, Mamoswine, Manectric, Mankey, Mareep, Mawile, Meowth, Mightyena, Miltank, Monferno, Nidoking, Nidoran (F), Nidoran (M), Nidorino, Ninetales, Numel, Nuzleaf, Pachirisu, Persian, Phanpy, Pikachu, Piloswine, Piplup, Ponyta, Poochyena, Primeape, Prinplup, Psyduck, Purugly, Quagsire, Quilava, Raichu, Rapidash,Raticate, Rattata, Rhydon, Rhyhorn, Rhyperior,Sandshrew, Sandslash, Sealeo, Seedot, Seel, Sentret, Seviper, Shiftry, Shinx, Skitty, Skuntank, Slaking, Slakoth, Smeargle, Sneasel, Snubbull, Spheal, Spinda, Spoink, Stantler, Stunky, Swinub Tauros, Teddiursa, Torchic, Torkoal, Typhlosion Umbreon, Ursaring Vaporeon, Vigoroth, Vulpix Wailmer, Wailord, Walrein, Weavile, Whismur, Wooper Zangoose, Zigzagoon

Water 1

Azumarill,Bibarel, Bidoof, Blastoise, Buizel,Clamperl, Corphish, Corsola, Crawdaunt, Croconaw Delibird, Dewgong, Dragonair, Dragonite, Dratini,Empoleon,Feebas, Feraligatr, Floatzel Gastrodon, Golduck, Gorebyss,Horsea, Huntail,Kabuto, Kabutops, Kingdra,Lapras, Lombre, Lotad, Ludicolo,Mantine, Marill, Marshtomp, Masquerain, Milotic, Mudkip,Octillery, Omanyte, Omastar Pelipper, Piplup, Politoed, Poliwag, Poliwhirl, Poliwrath, Prinplup, Psyduck,Quagsire,Relicanth, Remoraid Seadra, Sealeo, Seel, Shellos, Slowbro, Slowking, Slowpoke, Spheal, Squirtle, Surskit, Swampert, Totodile,Walrein, Wartortle, Wingull, Wooper

Water 2

Barboach, Carvanha, Chinchou,Finneon,Goldeen, Gyarados,Lanturn, Lumineon, Luvdisc,Magikarp, Octillery, Qwilfish, Relicanth, Remoraid, Seaking, Sharpedo, Wailmer, Wailord, Whiscash

Water 3

Anorith, Armaldo,Cloyster, Corphish, Corsola, Cradily, Crawdaunt,Drapion,Kabuto, Kabutops, Kingler, Krabby,Lileep,Omanyte, Omastar,Shellder, Skorupi,Tentacool, Tentacruel

Monster

Abomasnow, Aggron, Ampharos, Aron Bastiodon, Bayleef, Blastoise, Bulbasaur, Charizard, Charmander, Charmeleon, Chikorita, Cranidos, Croconaw, Cubone, Exploud, Feraligatr, Flaaffy Gabite, Garchomp, Gible, Grotle, Grovyle, Ivysaur, Kangaskhan, Lairon, Lapras, Larvitar, Lickilicky, Lickitung, Loudred, Mareep, Marowak, Marshtomp, Meganium, Mudkip, Nidoking, Nidoran (F), Nidoran (M), Nidorino, Pupitar, Rampardos, Rhydon, Rhyhorn, Rhyperior, Sceptile, Shieldon, Slowbro, Slowking, Slowpoke, Snorlax, Snover, Squirtle, Swampert, Torterra, Totodile, Treecko, Tropius, Turtwig, Tyranitar, Venusaur,Wartortle, Whismur

Fairy

Azumarill, Blissey, Breloom, Castform, Chansey, Cherrim, Cherubi, Clefable, Clefairy, Delcatty, Froslass, Glalie, Granbull, Hoppip, Jigglypuff, Jumpluff, Marill, Mawile, Minun, Pachirisu, Pikachu, Plusle, Raichu, Roselia, Roserade, Shroomish, Skiploom, Skitty, Snorunt, Snubbull, Togekiss, Togetic, Wigglytuff

Dragon

Altaria, Arbok, Bagon, Charizard, Charmander, Charmeleon, Dragonair, Dragonite, Dratini, Ekans, Feebas, Gabite, Garchomp, Gible, Grovyle, Gyarados, Horsea, Kingdra, Magikarp, Milotic, Salamence, Sceptile, Seadra, Seviper, Shelgon, Swablu, Treecko

Ditto

Baltoy, Beldum, Bronzong, Bronzor,Claydol, Electrode, Lunatone, Magnemite, Magneton, Magnezone, Manaphy, Metagross, Metang, Phione, Porygon, Porygon2, Porygon-Z, Rotom, Shedinja, Solrock, Starmie, Staryu, Voltorb

Cannot breed
(You will never breed these pokemon so 'Egg Group' is a misnomer)

Arceus, Articuno, Azelf, Azurill, Bonsly, Budew, Celebi, Cleffa, Cresselia,Darkrai, Deoxys, Dialga, Ditto, Elekid, Entei, Giratina, Groudon, Happiny, Heatran, Ho-oh, Igglybuff, Jirachi, Kyrogre, Latias, Latios, Luigia, Magby, Mantyke, Mesprit, Mew, Mewtwo, Mime Jr., Moltres, Munchlax, Nidoqueen, Nidorina, Palkia, Pichu, Raikou, Rayquaza, Regice, Regigigas, Regirock, Registeel, Riolu, Shaymin, Smoochum, Suicune, Togepi, Tyrogue, Unown, Uxie, Wynaut, Zapdos

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Types of Breeding


Ditto: Ditto may be all too useful for breeding, but its only good for when you just need a quick copy or baby. Ditto can breed with anything that has an egg group, any gender, and essentially every Pokemon (Unless they are not allowed to breed; Legends and Babies). They are essential in breeding and you should get at least a few with different natures. Most people use Dittos with different natures to get a Pokemon with the nature they want.


Same Species Breeding: Any Pokemon that is the same species (A Pikachu with another Pikachu) will breed so long as one is male and the other is female.


Same Family Breeding: By family, this means the evolutionary line. A Pikachu can breed with a Raichu for instance, again so long as one is male and the other is female.


Same Egg Group Breeding: Sometimes the hardest, although best for competitive play. This means any pokemon in the same egg group can breed so long as one is male and the other is female. So essentially a Skitty and a Wailord can breed because they are both in the same egg groups. This can make for interesting pairing (Zangoose and Seviper are both in the same egg group and yes, they can breed no matter what the pokedex says)
There are some pairs of Pokémon species where the male and female are treated as different Pokémon. However, they can breed with each other. The egg will either hatch into a male or a female variant of the species (The Nidorans for instance). Although breeding the male species with Ditto will not produce the female counterpart.


Held Item Breeding: Some Pokemon may only produce its baby form when holding a specific item, aka Incense.

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Passing Moves Down

The moves obtained by a Pokémon when hatching are as follows:

The Pokémon will start with any moves that it would learn as a Start move.
The Pokémon will start with any moves that it would learn by leveling up only if both parents know the move.
The Pokémon will start with any TM or HM moves that the father knows and the baby can also learn by machine.
The Pokémon will start with any Egg moves that the baby can learn and the father knows.
Volt Tackle is a special move only learnable by Pichu. When breeding a Pikachu or Raichu holding a Light Ball, the offspring will know the move Volt Tackle. It should be noted that the parent need not know the move itself, and is not required to be of any specific gender; however, a male Pikachu or Raichu has to breed either with a female counterpart or with Ditto so that the offspring is, in fact, a Pichu.

The moves will take precedence in the order listed, and if there are more than four moves to learn, the moves will start being overwritten much like when leveling up at the Pokémon Daycare.

Importance of Egg Moves

Egg moves are sometimes extremely useful to have on a Pokemon. Rather then having a Pokemon that only knows moves from TMs, Tutors, or from Levelup, Egg Moves can only be bred into a Pokemon and thus make them stronger then a standard wild Pokemon.

A Pichu (or one of its evolutionary line) that knows Volt Tackle is a great example of this.

Chain Breeding

Chain Breeding is simply breeding multiple Pokemon in different Egg groups that can also breed together. This is also how you get a Pokemon with multiple egg moves. This also includes any breeding done to get a good parent for the final offspring.

Breeding a male Smeargle to get good IVs, Sketching Punishment, then breeding with a female Sneasel with good IVs to produce a baby Sneasel with good IVs and Punishment as a move is a quick example. (quick to write, though the time involved for breeding can be hours to weeks depending on luck without the use of AR)

Check out the quickest Move Chain here

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Probably the part of breeding for competitive pokemon that most people are familiar with is IV breeding

IV Breeding

IVs stands for Individual Values and they are hidden from the view of the trainer. However with IV calculators or AR codes you can find on the internet you can find out your pokemon's IVs. These individual values are what makes every pokemon different as far as stats go. The individual values are numbers that range from 0-31 and below is a number for each stat.

HP
Atk
Def
Spd
Sp Atk
Sp Def

Depending on the number the pokemon's IV numbers can effect the growth of a pokemon in certain areas of their stats. IVs add their value to the stat slowly throughout leveling. Essentially they can only be seen on level 100 Pokemon as their stats have been maxed for their level. For example, a pokemon with a 31 IV in speed will have 31 more points in speed then one with a 0 IV in Speed. Even a 1 point difference between a 30 IVed Pokemon and 31 IVed Pokemon can make all the difference in competitive play.

Quote: Many People do not understand this no matter how simple the concept may be, so I'll work it into a really short term at the end. This is based off of DPPT breeding which works the same way as Emerald in most cases. First, a random IV is passed from one of the parents to the baby. Afterwards, a random IV of any stat other than HP, is inherited from either parent to the baby. If this IV is from the same stat as the first IV (not necessarily the same IV value, depending on whether or not the same parent passed it on), it will override it. Finally, another random IV of any stat other than HP and Defense, is passed from one of the parents to the baby. This IV will override any of the previous two if it is from the same stat. The remaining stats (a number ranging from 3 to 5) are determined at random, again with the possibility of one or more IVs coinciding with those of the parents.

Essentially the better IVs the parents have the better chance of getting good IVs on the offspring.

Hidden Power

Hidden Power is perhaps the most complex move in the Pokémon games.

The base power of this move ranges from 30 to 70. It can be of any type (except normal), depending on the IV combination that your Pokémon has. In RSFRLGE, it can be either a physical attack or a special attack. It is a physical attack if its type is Fighting, Flying, Poison, Ground, Rock, Bug, Ghost or Steel; it is a special attack if its type is Fire, Water, Grass, Electric, Psychic, Ice, Dragon or Dark. In DP, there is no such complexity, since it is always a special attack.
Know Your Type

Your Hidden Power type is determined by whether or not your IVs are even or odd. An even IV is an IV which can be divided by two without remainder, otherwise it is an odd IV. Namely:

Even
IV 30, 28, 26, 24, 22, 20, 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 0
Odd
IV 31, 29, 27, 25, 23, 21, 19, 17, 15, 13, 11, 9, 7, 5, 3, 1

Hidden Power Calculators are the easiest way to get the Type and Base power you need

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Nature Breeding

For those of you who want to have a specific nature so that it makes a great match with IV breeding, you have probably thought of: keep breeding and hatching and I'll eventually get a good nature and high IV pokemon. This may cause a lot of stress and will take a long time especially when you want multiples of the same pokemon with good nature/IV's. You can give one of the female pokemon you are breeding (if you are breeding a male and female) or Ditto (If you are breeding with Ditto) an Everstone.

In-game-uses shows that this hold item prevents pokemon from evolving but it also has another use. Holding this item while breeding, will ensure the offspring to have a 50% chance of being the same nature as the nature of the mother/Ditto holding the everstone.

Note: Even if using a Ditto and a female parent then Ditto will still be the dominant parent in Nature breeding. Giving the female an Everstone in this instance will have no effect.

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When that egg will be ready for pickup?

The rate of your pokemon being able to have an egg relies on your ID number [TID (Trainer ID) and SID (Secret ID)] and the species of the pokemon. You can tell the chances of your pokemon being able to have an egg by talking to the Old Man near the fence. (The DayCare Keeper's Husband) When he is an extra step forward it means that your egg is ready and you will be able to take it if you have a free slot in your party. When that man has your egg ready for hold, you cannot take the pokemon back from the DayCare Lady before you take the egg from the Old Man.

Chance Guide

Parents/Pokemon in Day Care are the same species/pokemon and have different ID's The Old man will say: "The two seem to get along very well." The Chance of receiving an egg at the required time for pickup will be 70%.

Parents/Pokemon are same species/pokemon and have same ID's OR are different species/pokemon and have different ID's The Old man will say: "The two seem to get along." The Chance of receiving an egg at the required time for pickup will be 50%.

Parents/Pokemon are different species/pokemon and have the same ID's The Old man will say "The two don't seem to like each other." The Chance of receiving an egg at the required time for pickup will be 20%.

Parents/Pokemon are in different egg groups The Old man will say "They prefer to play with other pokemon than each other." The Chance of receiving an egg at the required time for pickup will be 0%.

* at the required time for pickup - means that when the time arrives because you need to walk a certain amount of steps before the man is to give you the egg.

A man inside the daycare will give you a Pokétch app that lets you check on the status of your Pokemon, as well as whether they have produced an egg. Tap the screen to refresh the status of the application.

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Hatching that Egg



Slugma and Magcargo are widely considered THE best egg hatchers, because they are readily available in D/P/Pt, and the 2 abilities they have are :

Name: Magma Armor
Effect: User cannot be frozen.
Field: Eggs in the party with the user hatch in half the time.

Name: Flame Body
Effect: 30% chance of inflicting a burn on contact.
Field: Eggs in the same Party as this Pokemon hatch twice as fast.

Other then that it takes a variable amount of steps to hatch the egg depending on the species.

Riding your bike will count as steps so do that as its quicker.

Generally a tip to keep in mind is when hatching an egg depending on how good the species is will reflect in how long its going to take. Magikarp is generally weak so its fast to hatch, however rare and strong pokemon like Larvitar will take longer. The best places to ride back and forth are:

Solaceon: there's a one step wide path that gives you 123 steps up, then 123 steps down. Its good because you can quickly change the Pokemon in the daycare, and get more eggs as well without flying.

SeaBreak Path: This place is ONLY recommended if you have an Action Replay. If you do, then use the run through walls cheat to get through the Victory Road Area, and bike up and down. Its the longest area in a Pokemon game, so its ok if you have easy access to it. Then, theres the Cycling Road. Its nice if your doing something else, because you only have to press up, when you reach the top, it goes down automatically.

Of course there are AR codes that take all of this walking/riding out of the equation and the codes are easily found on the web.

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Soft resetting (often shortened as SRing) is a feature found in the main series Pokémon games, with the exception of Pokémon Colosseum. It involves pressing certain buttons on the game system to reload the game from the startup screen. The term "Soft reset" is to differentiate from a "hard reset", which is restarting the game by powering down the console and then turning it back on again.

This practice is widely considered useful, as rebooting the game will modify hidden data values. The values that determine the shininess of an in-game event Pokémon is of particular interest here, as are the Pokémon's IVs and natures. Soft-resetting eliminates the need to constantly turn off (and on) the game when attempting to get a Pokémon with these specific qualities. Although time-consuming, it is a widely practised method to get a desired Pokémon.



When soft resetting for a shiny Pokémon, another similar term, shiny resetting, can also be used.

Button combinations

DS games (D/P/Plt): Press and hold L, R, Start, and Select.

GB/GBC/GBA games: Press and hold A, B, Start, and Select.

XD: Gale of Darkness: Press and hold B, X, and Start.

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If you have read, understood and (hopefully practiced) all of this you should now be ready to read (and possibly be confused by) The Official Guide to RNG Abuse

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Assuming your done, I'm going to say this is a great guide and deserves a sticky

Good job