Pokemon Black and White
Pokemon Black and White

Breeding and Egg Mechanics — Pokemon Black and White Guide

Master Pokemon Black and White breeding mechanics. Learn how to use the Day Care Center to obtain Pokémon with desired Natures, Abilities, and Egg Moves.

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Breeding and Egg Mechanics

Breeding is a powerful tool in Pokémon Black and White for obtaining Pokémon with specific Natures, Abilities, and even powerful Egg Moves. This guide will walk you through the process, from finding the Day Care to hatching your perfect Pokémon.

The Day Care Center

The journey to becoming a master breeder begins at the Day Care Center. In the Unova region, you'll find the Day Care on Route 3, just west of Striaton City. This facility is crucial for breeding as it's the only place where two compatible Pokémon can produce an Egg.

  • Location: Route 3, west of Striaton City.
  • Function: Leave two compatible Pokémon to breed.
  • Cost: 100 Pokédollars per Pokémon for the first level, then 100 Pokédollars for every level gained while in the Day Care.

Choosing Your Breeding Pair

Not just any two Pokémon can breed. There are specific rules you need to follow:

  1. Gender Compatibility: You typically need one male and one female Pokémon.
  2. Egg Group Compatibility: Both Pokémon must belong to the same Egg Group. Most Pokémon belong to one or two Egg Groups. For example, a Lillipup (Field Egg Group) can breed with a Herdier (also Field Egg Group).
  3. Ditto: The exception to the gender and Egg Group rules is Ditto. Ditto can breed with almost any Pokémon, regardless of gender or Egg Group, making it an invaluable breeding partner. The only Pokémon Ditto cannot breed with are Legendary Pokémon, Nidorina, Nidoqueen, and Unown.
  4. Same Species: If you breed two Pokémon of the same species (e.g., two Lillipup), the offspring will always be that species.
  5. Different Species: If you breed two compatible Pokémon of different species (e.g., a Lillipup and a Herdier), the offspring will always be the female's species. If Ditto is involved, the offspring will be the non-Ditto parent's species.

The Breeding Process

Once you've selected your breeding pair, follow these steps:

  1. Deposit Pokémon: Speak to the Day Care Lady inside the building. She will ask you to deposit two Pokémon. Place your chosen male and female (or one Pokémon and a Ditto) into her care.
  2. Check for an Egg: After depositing your Pokémon, you'll need to walk around. The more steps you take, the higher the chance of an Egg appearing. Periodically check with the Day Care Man outside the building. He will give you clues about the breeding progress:
    • "They don't seem to like each other much." - Low chance of an Egg.
    • "They seem to get along." - Moderate chance of an Egg.
    • "They seem to get along very well." - High chance of an Egg.
    • "They prefer to play with other Pokémon than each other." - No chance of an Egg (incompatible).
    • "Your Pokémon is holding an Egg!" - An Egg is ready!
  3. Collect the Egg: When an Egg is ready, the Day Care Man will be standing slightly outside his usual spot, facing away from the building. Talk to him, and he will offer you the Egg. You must have an empty slot in your party to accept the Egg.

Hatching an Egg

Once you have an Egg, it needs to hatch! Eggs hatch after a certain number of steps. This number varies by Pokémon species.

  • Walking: Simply walk around with the Egg in your party. Each step counts towards hatching.
  • O-Powers: While not available in Black and White, future games introduce O-Powers to speed up hatching. For now, it's all about walking!
  • Flame Body/Magma Armor Ability: If you have a Pokémon with the Ability Flame Body or Magma Armor (e.g., Litwick, Larvesta, Volcarona) in your party, the number of steps required to hatch an Egg is halved. This is an essential strategy for efficient breeding.

Inheritance Mechanics

Breeding allows for the inheritance of several key traits:

Nature Inheritance

A Pokémon's Nature significantly impacts its stats. You can influence Nature inheritance with the following strategy:

  • Everstone: If one of the parents holds an Everstone, there is a 50% chance that the offspring will inherit that parent's Nature. This is crucial for competitive breeding.

Ability Inheritance

Abilities are also passed down, though with specific rules:

  • Female Parent: The female parent has an 80% chance of passing down her standard Ability to the offspring.
  • Male Parent/Ditto: If the female has a Hidden Ability, there's a chance it can be passed down. If the male has a Hidden Ability and is breeding with a Ditto, the male has a 20% chance of passing it down.

IV Inheritance

Individual Values (IVs) determine a Pokémon's potential. Breeding allows you to pass down IVs:

  • Random IVs: Without any special items, three IVs from the parents are randomly passed down to the offspring. The remaining three are randomly generated.
  • Destiny Knot: If one parent holds a Destiny Knot, five IVs from *both* parents (chosen randomly from the combined 12 IVs) will be passed down to the offspring. This is an absolute must-have item for breeding high-IV Pokémon. You can obtain a Destiny Knot from a lady in the building north of the Pokémon Center in Castelia City, after defeating her in battle.

Egg Moves

Egg Moves are moves a Pokémon can learn only through breeding. They are typically learned by the male parent and passed down to the offspring.

  • Male Parent: If the male parent knows a move that is on the female's (or non-Ditto parent's) Egg Move list, the offspring will hatch knowing that move.
  • TM/HM Moves: If the male parent knows a TM or HM move that the offspring can also learn via TM/HM, the offspring will inherit that move.

Optimizing Your Breeding Efforts

To make your breeding as efficient as possible, consider these tips:

  • Breeding Box: Designate a box in your PC for breeding parents. This helps keep track of Pokémon with desired Natures, Abilities, or high IVs.
  • Flame Body/Magma Armor User: Always have a Pokémon with Flame Body or Magma Armor in your party when hatching eggs. Volcarona (evolves from Larvesta at level 59) is an excellent choice, as is Litwick (found in Celestial Tower).
  • Route 3 Loop: The area around the Day Care on Route 3 is a good place to walk in circles or back and forth to hatch eggs quickly.
  • Roller Skates/Bicycle: While Roller Skates aren't in Black and White, using your Bicycle (obtained from a man in Nimbasa City after defeating Elesa) is the fastest way to accumulate steps for both egg generation and hatching.

Mastering breeding takes time and patience, but the rewards of perfectly tailored Pokémon for your team are well worth the effort!