How to catch Ditto in Pokémon Go: Tricks to get the amorphous shapeshifter
by Nick Fernandez
Ditto is one of the most unique and elusive Pokémon in Pokémon Go, with the ability to transform into any Pokémon in the game. This can make it difficult to know where or how to catch Ditto in Niantic’s hit AR game, but fortunately there are a few tricks to speed up the process and make it a bit less painful. Here’s everything you need to know about how to catch Ditto in Pokémon Go!
What is Ditto and why do I want it?
In mainline Pokémon games, Ditto is extremely useful for duplicating rare Pokémon, since it’s genderless and can breed with just about any other Pokémon. In Pokémon Go, Ditto still has its trademark transform move which copies the moves, appearance, and stats of the opposing Pokémon, but cannot be used for breeding as it’s not a mechanic in the game.
Still, you will want to catch the shapeshifting Pokémon not only to complete your Pokédex, but also to complete certain quests, like the one that unlocks Mew.
How to catch Ditto in Pokémon Go
Catching Ditto in Pokémon Go is mostly a matter of chance. It will appear disguised as other Pokémon in the wild, and won’t reveal its true identity until after it’s been caught. This means you have to just keep catching Pokémon until you get lucky.
The good news is that Ditto can only be disguised as a handful of Pokémon, which should cut down the search considerably. Here’s the full list of Ditto’s disguises:
- Weedle
- Paras
- Venonat
- Voltorb
- Hoothoot
- Ledyba
- Spinarak
- Hoppip
- Remoraid
- Seedot
- Whismur
- Gulpin
- Skitty
- Numel
- Bidoof
- Foongus
If you catch any of the above Pokémon every time you see them in the wild, eventually one of them will turn out to be a Ditto. Ditto’s stats and IV ratings aren’t particularly important since it isn’t very useful in battle, and it copies moves and stats from opposing Pokémon anyway.
Can you catch a shiny Ditto in Pokémon Go?
No, there is no shiny Ditto available in Pokémon Go. Once shinies were added to the game, all Pokémon that have shiny versions were removed from Ditto’s disguise pool.
Other tips and tricks
While ultimately your luck will determine how long it takes to get your first Ditto, there are a few ways to speed up the process. The easiest is to use an accessory like the Pokémon Go Plus, which attempts to catch all nearby Pokémon without having to open the app. Even if you aren’t there to watch it transform, Ditto may still turn up in your list of Pokémon when you open up the app.
Another helpful tip is to use lures and incense, which will increase spawn rates on Pokémon that can potentially be a hidden Ditto. Other items like lucky eggs have no effect, so don’t bother wasting them in your search for the adorable blob Pokémon. Likewise, Ditto will not hatch from an egg and can only be caught in the wild.
Keep up the search and eventually you’ll have a Pokémon Go Ditto of your very own!
Check out some of our other Pokémon Go guides: