Breeding Pokemon

Breeding lets compatible Pokemon produce eggs. It is used to pass down natures, IVs, abilities, egg moves, and, in some generations, Pokeballs.

What makes two Pokemon compatible

Most breeding depends on shared egg groups, opposite genders, or Ditto. The Egg Groups tell you which species can produce eggs together, and the Undiscovered egg group cannot breed at all.

What breeding can pass down

Breeding can pass nature, IVs, ability, egg moves, and, in some games, Pokeball inheritance. The exact rules change by generation, so the parent you choose matters for every inherited trait.

How inheritance works

An Everstone passes the holder's nature. A Destiny Knot passes five IVs from the parents in modern games. Egg Moves let a baby Pokemon hatch with moves it would not normally learn on its own, and in modern games Mirror Herb can copy compatible Egg Moves during a picnic without breeding them first.

Common breeding tools

Everstone locks in a nature, Destiny Knot passes five IVs in modern games, and power items such as Power Bracer and Power Anklet can force one inherited IV in older breeding setups. Breeding also interacts with hidden abilities, so ability choice matters as much as the stat spread.

What breeding decides

Breeding decides the starting nature, IV spread, ability slot, and inherited moves for the hatched Pokemon.

FAQ

Can every Pokemon breed?

No. Some species cannot breed at all, and baby Pokemon plus many special species are part of the Undiscovered egg group.

What items help breeding?

Everstone passes nature, Destiny Knot passes five IVs in modern games, and power items can force a specific inherited IV in older games.

Why do egg groups matter?

Egg groups determine which Pokemon can produce eggs together, which also affects egg move strategy.