Pokémon Diamond Version, Pearl Version, and Platinum Version - Catch Rate Formula
X = (((A*3-B*2)*C)/(A*3))*D
where:
- A = wild Pokémon’s maximum HP
- B = wild Pokémon’s current HP
- C = catch rate, initially equal to the starting catch rate value for the wild Pokémon’s current species
- D = wild Pokémon’s status: if asleep or frozen, D=2; if burned, paralyzed, or poisoned, D=1.5; else D=1
If X is 255 or greater, capture succeeds. If X is 0 or less, it becomes 1.
Y = 1048560 / (sqrt(sqrt( 16711680/X ) ) )
"sqrt(N)" means "the square root of N." To find the square root of a number, set M and P to that number. Then calculate (M+P/M)/2, rounding each division down. If M equals or is less than the result, use M as the square root; otherwise, set M to the result and repeat this process at the calculation step.
Four random numbers from 0 through 65535 are then generated. If all of them are less than Y, capture is successful. Otherwise the number of times the ball shakes before it breaks is equal to the number of random numbers less than Y.
Balls
Different Balls have different rates of success. Below are the multipliers to the catch rate for each Ball.
- Poké Ball - multiplier is 1.0
- Great Ball, Safari Ball - multiplier is 1.5
- Ultra Ball - multiplier is 2.0
- Master Ball - no formula is used, capture succeeds automatically
- Net Ball - multiplier is 3.0 if the type for the wild Pokémon’s original species includes Bug or Water; else 1.0
- Nest Ball - if wild Pokémon’s level is at least 30, multiplier is 1.0; else multiplier is (40-(wild Pokémon’s level))/10 (not rounded)
- Dive Ball - multiplier is 3.5 if underwater or on water; else 1.0
- Repeat Ball - multiplier is 3.0 if wild Pokémon’s current species was caught before; else 1.0
- Timer Ball - multiplier starts at 1.0 and rises by 0.1 for each turn completed in the battle, but not to more than 4.0.
- Premier Ball - multiplier is 1.0
- Luxury Ball - multiplier is 1.0
The following Poké Balls were introduced in Pokémon Diamond Version and Pokémon Pearl Version:
- Dusk Ball - Catch rate is multiplied by 3.5 if it was night (8:00 p.m. to 3:59 a.m.) as the battle began or if the encounter occurred in a cave.
- Quick Ball - Catch rate is multiplied by 4 if used at the first turn of the battle.
- Heal Ball - Catch rate multiplier is 1. When caught, the Pokémon recovers all HP (but not PP too) and stops being poisoned, burned, paralyzed, frozen, and asleep.
- Cherish Ball - Catch rate multiplier is 1. Some promotional Pokémon may appear in this ball.
- Park Ball - Always succeeds. Used in the Pal Park. (Not to be confused with the "Park Ball" in Pokémon Gold Version and Pokémon Silver Version.)
The following Poké Balls were reintroduced in Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version. A Pokémon caught in such versions with such Balls will have such Balls show in their Summary screen in such versions.
- Fast Ball - Catch rate is multiplied by 4.0 if the base Speed of the wild Pokémon’s current species is 100 or greater.
- Level Ball - Catch rate is multiplied by 8.0 if 1/4 the attacker’s level is higher than the wild Pokémon’s, else 4.0 if half the attacker’s level is higher, else 2.0 if the attacker’s level is higher, else 1.0.
- Moon Ball - Catch rate is multiplied by 4.0 if the wild Pokémon’s current species is Clefable, Clefairy, Cleffa, Delcatty, Igglybuff, Jigglypuff, Nidoking, Nidoqueen, Nidoran female, Nidoran male, Nidorina, Nidorino, Skitty, or Wigglytuff; else 1.0.
- Heavy Ball - Catch rate rises by 40 if the weight of the wild Pokémon’s current species is 409.6 kg or greater; else by 30 if the weight is 307.2 kg or greater; else by 20 if the weight is 204.8 kg or greater; else lowered by 20 if the weight is less than 102.4 kg; else remains unchanged.
- Lure Ball - Catch rate is multiplied by 3.0 if the wild Pokémon was fished.
- Love Ball - Catch rate is multiplied by 8.0 if the current species of both the attacker and the wild Pokémon are the same and their gender is different.
- Friend Ball - Normal catch rate. When caught with this Ball, the wild Pokémon’s friendship becomes 200.
- Sport Ball - Catch rate is multiplied by 1.5. Used in the Bug-Catching Contest. (Called "Park Ball" in Pokémon Gold Version and Pokémon Silver Version.)
A Ball can’t be used if the wild Pokémon is currently using Bounce, Dig, Dive, Fly, or Shadow Force, or if there are two wild Pokémon, even if only one of them is currently using a move just mentioned.