Breeding & Natures
Breeding Pokémon in Ruby and Sapphire is an excellent way to obtain new Pokémon, pass down desirable moves, and even influence a Pokémon's stats through Natures. The process takes place at the Day Care Center and requires a bit of planning, but the rewards are well worth the effort for trainers looking to optimize their team.
The Day Care Center
The primary location for breeding is the Day Care Center, found on Route 117, just west of Verdanturf Town. Here, you can drop off two compatible Pokémon for a small fee. The old couple running the center will care for your Pokémon, and if they are compatible, they might produce an Egg!
Compatibility Rules
- Gender: You generally need one male and one female Pokémon.
- Species: The two Pokémon must belong to the same Egg Group. Most Pokémon fall into one or two of these groups. For example, Pikachu and Raichu are in the Field and Fairy Egg Groups, allowing them to breed with many other Pokémon in those groups.
- Ditto: The exception to the gender rule is Ditto. Ditto can breed with almost any Pokémon (regardless of gender) that isn't in the Undiscovered Egg Group (like legendary Pokémon or baby Pokémon). This makes Ditto an invaluable tool for breeding.
- Same Species: If you breed two Pokémon of the exact same species (e.g., two Pikachus), the resulting Egg will always be that species.
- Different Species: If you breed two compatible Pokémon of different species from the same Egg Group (e.g., a Pikachu and a Skitty), the Egg will always hatch into the female's species (or the non-Ditto Pokémon's species if Ditto is involved).
Collecting Eggs
Once you've left two compatible Pokémon at the Day Care, you'll need to periodically check on the old man outside. If he's standing a step or two south of his usual spot, it means he has an Egg for you! Simply talk to him to receive it. You can only carry one Egg at a time, so make sure you have a free slot in your party.
Hatching Eggs
To hatch an Egg, you need to walk a certain number of steps with it in your party. The number of steps varies by species. A good strategy to hatch Eggs quickly is to ride your Bicycle up and down long routes, such as Route 117 itself, or the long stretch of Route 111 in the desert (once you have the Go-Goggles). Pokémon with the "Flame Body" or "Magma Armor" abilities (e.g., Magcargo, Camerupt) in your party will halve the number of steps required to hatch an Egg, so consider catching one if you plan on doing a lot of breeding.
Understanding Natures
Natures are a crucial aspect of a Pokémon's growth, influencing two of its stats by a 10% modifier: one stat receives a boost, and another receives a reduction. There are 25 different Natures, and each one affects a specific pair of stats. Five Natures are "neutral," meaning they boost and reduce the same stat, effectively having no impact on stat growth.
Nature Chart
Here's a breakdown of how each Nature affects your Pokémon's stats:
| Nature | Increased Stat | Decreased Stat |
|---|---|---|
| Adamant | Attack | Special Attack |
| Bashful | Special Attack | Special Attack |
| Brave | Attack | Speed |
| Calm | Special Defense | Attack |
| Careful | Special Defense | Special Attack |
| Docile | Defense | Defense |
| Gentle | Special Defense | Defense |
| Hardy | Attack | Attack |
| Hasty | Speed | Defense |
| Impish | Defense | Special Attack |
| Jolly | Speed | Special Attack |
| Lax | Defense | Special Defense |
| Lonely | Attack | Defense |
| Mild | Special Attack | Defense |
| Modest | Special Attack | Attack |
| Naive | Speed | Special Defense |
| Naughty | Attack | Special Defense |
| Quiet | Special Attack | Speed |
| Quirky | Speed | Speed |
| Rash | Special Attack | Special Defense |
| Relaxed | Defense | Speed |
| Sassy | Special Defense | Speed |
| Serious | Defense | Defense |
| Timid | Speed | Attack |
Influencing Natures through Breeding
In Ruby and Sapphire, you cannot directly influence the Nature of a hatched Pokémon through breeding. The Nature of a newly hatched Pokémon is determined randomly. However, understanding Natures is still vital for competitive play or simply building a stronger team. When you hatch an Egg, check its Nature. If it's a desirable Nature for that Pokémon (e.g., Adamant for a physical attacker like Swampert, or Modest for a special attacker like Gardevoir), then you've got a good start!
While you can't guarantee a Nature in these games, breeding multiple Eggs increases your chances of getting the Nature you want. It's a game of patience and persistence!