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Nature and IVs
Pokémon Sun and Moon

Nature and IVs

Master Nature and IV breeding in pokemon sun moon. Learn to use Everstone, Destiny Knot, and the Judge function for perfect Pokemon.

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Master Nature and IV breeding in pokemon sun moon. Learn to use Everstone, Destiny Knot, and the Judge function for perfect Pokemon.

  • A Pokemon with the desired nature.
  • Ditto with perfect IVs (ideally all six stats at 31).
  • Access to the Judge function (hatch 20 eggs, then speak to the Ace Trainer by the PC in the Battle Tree on Poni Island).
  • Destiny Knot item.
  • Optional: Power Items for specific IV inheritance.
  • Optional: Pokemon with desired Egg Moves, Abilities, and Natures.
Walkthrough
  1. 1
    Nature Breeding: To fix a Pokemon's nature, have the parent with the desired nature hold an Everstone. This guarantees the offspring will inherit that nature. If you don't have a Pokemon with the desired nature, you can either use the Synchronize ability when catching wild Pokemon (50% success rate) or breed until an offspring hatches with the correct nature. Owning Ditto with every nature (excluding neutral ones like Lax and Gentle) is highly recommended for efficient nature breeding.
  2. 2
    IV Breeding Preparation: Ensure you have Ditto with perfect IVs. If you have six Ditto, each can have 31 IVs in a different stat. In-game, SOS chaining caps at 4 IVs, but lucky rolls can yield more. To prevent Ditto from using Struggle during long chains, use the Munchlax-Hypno method.
  3. 3
    Utilizing the Judge Function: After hatching 20 eggs, visit the Ace Trainer near the PC in the Battle Tree on Poni Island to unlock the Judge function. This allows you to view a Pokemon's IVs directly from the PC, identifying them as 'Best' (31), 'Fantastic' (30), or 'No good' (0). These three values are crucial for breeding specific stats, with 31 being standard, 30 for Hidden Power, and 0 for Trick Room teams.
  4. 4
    Marking Pokemon: Use the six available markings to visually track IVs. Assign each marking to a specific stat to easily identify IV spreads during breeding.
  5. 5
    The Role of the Destiny Knot: Equip the Destiny Knot to one parent (ideally a Ditto with good IVs). This item ensures that five of the six IVs are passed down from the parents, significantly increasing the chance of perfect IV inheritance. Without the Destiny Knot, the odds of a perfect offspring can be as high as 1 in 30,000, but with it, the chance drops to roughly 1 in 80 if the parent holding it has perfect IVs.
  6. 6
    IV Inheritance Mechanics: Normally, three IVs are inherited from each parent, and three are randomly generated. The Destiny Knot changes this to pass down five IVs from the parent holding it, leaving only one IV to be random. This is why the Destiny Knot is essential for breeding Pokemon with five perfect IVs.
  7. 7
    Using Power Items: Power Items guarantee the inheritance of the specific IV stat they correspond to. They are useful in early stages for targeting specific IVs but are generally less effective than the Destiny Knot for overall perfect IV breeding. Only one parent can hold a Power Item, and it's usually better to have one parent hold the Everstone.
  8. 8
    The IV Breeding Process:
  9. 9
    Start by pairing an imperfect Pokemon holding an Everstone with a somewhat perfect Ditto holding a Destiny Knot. This usually results in offspring with one or two perfect IVs.
  10. 10
    When you hatch an offspring with at least one perfect IV, replace the parent with this offspring and equip it with the Everstone. This is possible if you've already secured the desired Egg Moves, Abilities, and Nature.
  11. 11
    Continue hatching offspring and replacing the parent with the best one until you have an offspring with all the perfect IVs your Ditto possesses. Then, swap to a different Ditto.
  12. 12
    Repeat this process. Eventually, you will be able to use two offspring Pokemon, one with an Everstone and the other with a Destiny Knot, instead of relying on Ditto.
  13. 13
    If aiming for 5 perfect IVs, and both current offspring have 4 perfect IVs, continue the process.
Tips
  • Synchronize is a useful ability for catching wild Pokemon with specific natures, but it only has a 50% success rate.
  • Breeding until you get the desired nature is a viable, though time-consuming, alternative to Synchronize.
  • Ditto with every nature (except neutral ones) are invaluable for efficient nature breeding.
  • The Munchlax-Hypno method prevents Ditto from using Struggle, which would otherwise end an SOS chain.
  • Focus on IVs of 31 ('Best'), 30 ('Fantastic' for Hidden Power), and 0 ('No good' for Trick Room).
  • The Destiny Knot is crucial for IV breeding; without it, the odds of inheriting perfect IVs are extremely low.
  • Power Items are best used for sniping specific IVs in the early stages of breeding.
  • Always ensure the Pokemon with the desired nature holds the Everstone in subsequent breeding pairs.

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