Poké Balls
Poké Balls are the devices trainers use to catch and store wild Pokémon. More than 25 kinds exist, from the standard Poké Ball up to the fail-proof Master Ball, each suited to a different situation.
Last updated
- Total kinds
- More than 25
- Standard
- Poké Ball
- Best all-rounders
- Great, Ultra
- Never fails
- Master Ball
- Rarest
- Master Ball
- Specialty set
- Johto Apricorn balls
How catching works
You catch a wild Pokémon by throwing a Poké Ball at it during an encounter. The ball is more likely to succeed when the target is weakened, so the usual approach is to lower its HP first without knocking it out.
A status condition helps too. Putting the wild Pokémon to sleep or paralyzing it makes a catch more likely. Combine a weakened, status-afflicted target with a ball suited to the moment, and your odds go up. The Master Ball skips all of this by never failing.
Every major Poké Ball type
The most common balls and what each is good for. Effects are described in plain terms, since the exact catch bonus of each ball varies from game to game.
| Poké Ball | Best for | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Poké Ball | Everyday catching | The standard ball and the baseline every other ball is measured against. |
| Great Ball | A step up | More effective at catching than a standard Poké Ball. |
| Ultra Ball | Tougher targets | More effective again than a Great Ball. |
| Master Ball | Guaranteed catch | Never fails. It catches any wild Pokémon without fail, every time. |
| Quick Ball | Turn one | Works best on the very first turn of a battle, before you attack. |
| Timer Ball | Long battles | Becomes more effective the longer a battle drags on. |
| Dusk Ball | Night and caves | Works better at night and inside caves and other dark places. |
| Heal Ball | Fresh catches | Fully heals the Pokémon it catches, restoring HP and curing status. |
| Luxury Ball | Friendship | The Pokémon it catches grows friendly toward you more quickly. |
| Premier Ball | Keepsakes | A commemorative ball that works like a standard Poké Ball. |
| Repeat Ball | Repeat catches | More effective on a species you have already caught before. |
| Net Ball | Bug and Water | More effective at catching Bug-type and Water-type Pokémon. |
| Dive Ball | Underwater | More effective on Pokémon found underwater or on the water. |
| Nest Ball | Weaker Pokémon | More effective the lower the wild Pokémon’s level. |
Johto Apricorn balls
A specialty set of balls originally crafted from Apricorns in the Johto region, each aimed at a narrow situation.
| Poké Ball | Best for | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Level Ball | Level gap | Better when your Pokémon is a higher level than the target. |
| Lure Ball | Fishing | Better on Pokémon hooked while fishing. |
| Moon Ball | Moon Stone lines | Better on Pokémon that evolve using a Moon Stone. |
| Friend Ball | Friendship | The Pokémon it catches starts out friendlier toward you. |
| Love Ball | Same species, opposite gender | Better when the target is the same species and opposite gender as your Pokémon. |
| Heavy Ball | Heavy Pokémon | Better on heavier Pokémon. |
| Fast Ball | Fast Pokémon | Better on Pokémon with a high base Speed. |
What is the rarest Poké Ball?
The Master Ball. It is both the strongest ball, since it never fails on a wild Pokémon, and the hardest to come by. Most games hand you only a single Master Ball through the main story, which is why players tend to hoard it for a Legendary Pokémon or another catch they cannot afford to lose.
Poké Balls in the card game
Poké Balls appear in the Pokémon Trading Card Game as Trainer cards. Cards named after balls, such as the Poké Ball and the Quick Ball, let a player search their deck for a Pokémon, echoing the balls' catching role from the video games. They are staple support cards that many decks rely on.
Frequently asked questions
How many types of Poké Ball are there?
There are more than 25 kinds of Poké Ball across the games. They range from the standard Poké Ball, Great Ball, and Ultra Ball to specialty balls like the Quick Ball and Dusk Ball, up to the fail-proof Master Ball.
What is the best Poké Ball?
For a guaranteed catch, the Master Ball is the best, because it never fails on a wild Pokémon. Outside of that, the best ball depends on the situation: a Quick Ball early in a battle, a Dusk Ball at night, or a Timer Ball in a long fight.
What does the Master Ball do?
The Master Ball catches any wild Pokémon without fail, no matter how strong or rare it is. It is the only ball with a guaranteed success rate, which is why players usually save it for a Legendary or another hard-to-catch target.
How do you catch a Pokémon more easily?
Weaken the wild Pokémon first by lowering its HP, and give it a status condition like sleep or paralysis, both of which make a catch more likely. Then throw a ball suited to the situation. Picking the right ball for the moment improves your chances further.
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