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How to use the Triple Masuda Method in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

All Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Mystery Gift codes

Breeding Pokemon has always been a bit of a timesink. Players normally had to gather Egg group matches, with all the proper stats as well, then place them in a nursery and wait for Eggs to spawn. You used to have to hope and pray to the RNG gods that all that effort would work out. The time cost alone was huge, all without considering the chances that you got a Pokemon you couldn’t use after hatching said Egg. With Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, the system has changed a fair bit. Breeding in Scarlet and Violet has gotten rid of Nurseries, tying the system to picnics instead.

This change allowed Game Freak to give players more control over the breeding process. Instead of relying on RNG to deal with Nature, IVs and Abilities, players now have Patches, Mints and stat-boosting items to raise their dream team more quickly. Players can now use stat-boosting Sandwiches to massively increase the rate at which they gain Eggs, check the linked guide above for more details on that. But there’s something else you may not know. But if you’re hunting for Shiny Pokemon, you still have to do things a bit like the old way.

How to get a regional Ditto

Yes, the Masuda method is alive and well. Players who are hunting for Shiny Pokemon variants via eggs still need a regional Ditto, which will massively increase the chance of an Egg spawning a Shiny. And yes, the Shiny state is still set when the egg is generated, so no savescumming here.

The key to the Triple Masuda Method is to get a regional Ditto, which means its base language needs to be a language different than your own. So if you’re a German player on that version, you need an English, Japanese, or Korean Ditto, just as one example.

There is a way to get Ditto that involves using trading bots and generating one via PKHex, but this method is much easier. Go out and catch a Ditto of your own region. You can find them starting at Level 27 in West Province (Area Two) and near the Lighthouse of Porto Marinada.

Grab a Ditto and then you need to be ready to trade it, but first, you need to set your Link Code to the proper channel. This Link Code has been around a while, and is a great way for Trainers to grab Ditto from other regions for breeding.

How to trade in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet:

  • While in-game, click X to bring up the main menu
  • Select “Poke Portal”
  • Press L to put your Switch in Online Mode
  • In Poke Portal select “Link Trade”
  • For the Regional Ditto trade, set the Link Code as 4448 4448
  • Click “Begin Searching”
  • When matched with a partner, select “Check Summary” on the incoming Ditto to confirm it’s a different language from your own.

Here’s a video guide that details a bit more of the process.

The Triple Masuda Method Explained

If a Pokemon breeds with a Ditto from another region gives you a 1/683 chance instead of the insanely high 1/4096 chance to be shiny. That is a huge increase in chances, and shiny hunters thrive on this stat. And since you now have a foreign Ditto, assuming you followed the method above, you’re ready to get breeding.

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Step One

Make sure that the Pokémon you are trying to breed for Shiny Pokémon are all the same sex. So if you have a Charizard, Larvitar and Gengar in your party, they all need to be male. This is because Larvitar and Charizard are in the same Egg group. To avoid worrying about Egg Groups, just make sure all your Pokemon aside from Ditto are male.

Step Two

Place your new foreign Ditto and three male pokemon you’re trying to get Shiny variants of into your party. Now, you just need to find somewhere to relax.

Step Three

Unlock the Ultra Pickle Sandwich recipe from the recipe NPC in Mesagoza. Buy as many Pickle, Olive Oil, Watercress and Basil as you can afford.  These ingredients give you Egg Power level 2 when properly combined into the Ultra Pickle Sandwich, massively speeding up egg spawn rates. Find a spot to picnic, preferably on top of a Stardust or Starpiece item sparkle. We covered how to do that in our main breeding guide for Scarlet and Violet.

Make the sandwich, and then wait. Eggs will begin to fill up the basket as you idle around. Be sure to move around every few minutes to avoid your Switch going to sleep. Keep in mind that the basket under the table can only hold 10 items at one time. Keep emptying it out every few minutes to avoid eggs being lost. Remake the Sandwich every 20 minutes to maximize Egg spawns. Be sure to check your boxes to avoid filling up on eggs. You will normally get two boxes of Eggs per 20 minutes with this method.

Step Four (Optional)

Scale things up! You could optionally get two more Ditto for a total of three regional Ditto, then fill out the two remaining slots in your party. This is where the name for the Triple Masuda Method comes from, as it’s much faster than the old Nursery strategy. You could also hand out Destiny Knots to your Ditto so that they pass down good IVs. This isn’t really useful for Shiny hunting, but if you want to take that method, go to any Delibird Presents Shop for 20,000 Pokédollars. You will be able to buy Destiny Knots for that price once you have your fourth badge.

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