Pokemon Catch Rate Calculator

What is a Catch Rate?

A Pokemon's catch rate is a numerical value (ranging from 1 to 255) that determines how difficult it is to catch that Pokemon. Higher catch rates mean the Pokemon is easier to catch, while lower catch rates make it significantly harder. For example, common Pokemon like Pidgeot have high catch rates (around 90), while legendary Pokemon have very low catch rates (as low as 3).

How Catch Rate is Calculated

The catch rate formula in Pokemon is complex and involves multiple factors working together. The calculation considers:

• Pokemon's Base Catch Rate: The foundational difficulty value for that species.
• Current vs Maximum HP: Pokemon with lower health are much easier to catch. A Pokemon at 1 HP is much easier than one at full health.
• Pokeball Type: Different Pokeballs have different effectiveness multipliers.
• Status Effects: Sleep and Freeze significantly boost catch rate, while other statuses provide smaller bonuses.
• Environmental Factors: Time of day, weather, and whether the Pokemon has been caught before can affect catch rate.

Pokeball Types and Their Multipliers

Different Pokeballs have varying effectiveness:

• Poke Ball: 1x multiplier - the standard catching tool with no bonus.
• Great Ball: 1.5x multiplier - improved catch rate over standard Poke Ball.
• Ultra Ball: 2x multiplier - significantly higher catch rate for difficult Pokemon.
• Master Ball: 100% catch rate - guaranteed to catch any Pokemon (except in specific situations).
• Specialized Balls: Fast Ball, Level Ball, Lure Ball, etc., have specialized conditions or higher multipliers for specific Pokemon types.

Status Effects and Their Impact

Applying status effects to Pokemon significantly improves your chances of catching them:

• Sleep: +25% catch rate - one of the most effective status effects for catching.
• Freeze: +25% catch rate - equally effective as sleep for catching.
• Poison: +12.5% catch rate - moderate improvement.
• Burn: +12.5% catch rate - same effectiveness as poison.
• Paralysis: +12.5% catch rate - slightly less effective than other major status effects.

HP and Health Strategy

One of the most important factors in catching a Pokemon is reducing its health without knocking it out. A Pokemon at 1 HP has nearly 4 times the catch rate compared to a full-health Pokemon. However, you must be careful not to faint the Pokemon, which ends the encounter. Using moves that deal specific amounts of damage or moves that reduce HP percentage is key to successful catches.

The Catch Rate Formula

Mathematically, the catch rate in modern Pokemon games follows this formula:

• Catch Value = (3 × MaxHP − 2 × CurrentHP) × BaseCatchRate / (3 × MaxHP)
• Then apply Pokeball multiplier and status effect bonuses
• Finally, apply additional modifiers for game-specific factors
• The final percentage is your chance of successful capture

Tips for Successful Pokemon Catching

Here are some proven strategies to improve your catch rate:

• Reduce the Pokemon's health to as low as possible without fainting it (aim for yellow or red HP).
• Apply status effects like Sleep or Freeze for a significant catch rate boost.
• Use Ultra Balls or specialized Pokeballs suited to the Pokemon type you're catching.
• For legendary Pokemon with low catch rates, use Timer Balls that increase effectiveness over time.
• Save your game before attempting difficult catches so you can retry without loss.

How is Pokemon catch rate calculated?

The catch rate calculator uses a complex formula that factors in the Pokemon's base catch rate, current and maximum HP, the Pokeball type being used, and any status effects applied to the Pokemon. The formula produces a percentage chance of successfully catching the Pokemon on that attempt.

What status effects increase catch rate the most?

Sleep and Freeze are the most effective status effects, each providing a +25% boost to catch rate. Poison, Burn, and Paralysis are less effective, each providing a +12.5% boost. Applying any status effect is better than none when attempting difficult catches.

Which Pokeball should I use for legendary Pokemon?

For legendary Pokemon with very low catch rates, Ultra Balls are generally recommended as a balanced choice. Timer Balls become increasingly effective as the battle progresses, making them ideal for long encounters. Master Ball should be saved for Pokemon you cannot catch any other way, as they're extremely rare and limited.

Does Pokemon health percentage matter more than actual HP?

Yes, the percentage of health remaining is what matters. A Pokemon at 50% health has the same catch rate modifier regardless of whether it has 50 HP out of 100, or 500 HP out of 1000. Lower health percentages significantly increase catch chances.

Why is my catch rate still low even with all bonuses?

If you're still experiencing low catch rates despite using good Pokeballs, status effects, and low health, the Pokemon likely has an inherently low catch rate (like legendary Pokemon). These Pokemon are designed to be difficult catches. Continue trying, use Ultra or Master Balls, or consider using Timer Balls if you have time to prolong the battle.

Is the Master Ball really 100% success?

The Master Ball is 100% effective at catching any Pokemon you throw it at, with extremely rare exceptions in specific storyline scenarios. Because of this guaranteed success, Master Balls are intentionally limited and should be used strategically on Pokemon you cannot catch any other way.