Poké Ball (item)
- This article is about the modern incarnation of the standard Poké Ball. For the Poké Ball from Legends: Arceus, see Poké Ball (Hisui).
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The Poké Ball (Japanese: モンスターボール Monster Ball) is a type of Poké Ball introduced in Generation I. It is the most basic form of Poké Ball, an item used to catch wild Pokémon.
The eponymous Poké Ball is the most ubiquitous kind of Poké Ball across the entire Pokémon franchise. It is frequently used to represent the Pokémon series as a whole, such as in the Pokémon series' icon in the Super Smash Bros. series.
In the core series games
All Pokémon caught in Generation I and Generation II are stored in standard Poké Balls when transferred to later generations as well as in the Pokémon Stadium games, due to the games not keeping track of which Ball a Pokémon was caught in.
Prior to the introduction of the Strange Ball in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, Pokémon with unrecognized Poké Ball IDs appear to be in standard Poké Balls. This occurs when transferring Pokémon to Pokémon Sword and Shield that were caught with Balls introduced in later games, such as Pokémon Legends: Arceus, as well as when Pokémon caught with Apricorn Balls in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver are traded to Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum.
Price
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- In Pokémon Crystal, during a Rooftop Sale at the Goldenrod Department Store, Poké Balls can be bought for $150 each.
- In Pokémon Black, Poké Balls can be bought in Black City's Marketplace for $10000 each if Rich Boy Pierce is present in the city.
Effect
Manual activation
When used from the Bag in a wild Pokémon encounter, it will attempt to catch the wild Pokémon with a catch rate modifier of 1×.
If used on an Ultra Beast, the catch rate modifier is instead set to 410/4096× (~0.1×).
The Poké Ball cannot be used in certain situations, such as in wild battles with two or more opponents currently present or against a trial Pokémon. If used in a Trainer battle (except if used as a Snag Ball on a Shadow Pokémon), the opposing Trainer will deflect it, wasting the ball (in Generation III and earlier) or only the player's turn (from Generation IV onward). If used on the ghost Marowak, it will dodge it, wasting the ball.
Held item
Fling fails if the user is holding an Poké Ball.
Outside of battle
From Generation IV onwards, if in Bag when Nincada evolves into Ninjask, adds a Shedinja to the party provided the player has room in their team.
Exchange
Generation V
In Pokémon Black, White, Black 2, and White 2, on weekends, 20 Poké Balls can be exchanged for a Full Restore at Anville Town.
In Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, once per day, a Poké Ball can be exchanged for a Great Ball with a Roughneck at Virbank Complex.
Generation VI
In Pokémon X and Y, once per day, a Poké Ball can be exchanged for a Dive Ball in Ambrette Town.
Description
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Acquisition
Distribution
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NPC usage
In the core series games prior to Generation VII, as well as in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! and Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, all NPC Trainers keep their Pokémon in standard Poké Balls.
Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon
Hau, Professor Kukui, Gladion, Red, and Blue keep their Pokémon in standard Poké Balls. Additionally, Lillie will keep her Pokémon in standard Poké Balls in the Battle Tree.
The following Trainer classes will also keep their Pokémon in standard Poké Balls:
- Backpacker
- Beauty
- Bellhop
- Cook
- Hiker
- Janitor
- Office Worker
- Preschooler
- Sightseer
- Trial Guide
- Trainers who share the same model as any of the above (e.g. the Eevee users and Teacher)
Pokémon Sword and Shield
Hop, Morimoto, Klara, Avery, and all the NPC Trainers at the Battle Tower keep their Pokémon in standard Poké Balls.
The following Trainer classes keep their Pokémon in standard Poké Balls:
- Backpacker
- Black Belt
- Cabbie
- Café Master
- Cameraman
- Lass
- League Staff
- Macro Cosmos's (excluding Rose)
- Office Worker
- Poké Kid
- Police Officer
- Reporter
- Schoolboy
- Schoolgirl
- Worker
- Youngster
- Gym Trainer (Turffield)
- Master Dojo Student
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
All Trainers except for those that are considered "strong" (denoted by a yellow background on their overworld text bubble), the Team Star Bosses, AI SadaS, AI TuroV, Crispin, Amarys, Lacey, and Cyrano keep their Pokémon in standard Poké Balls.
In the side series games
All NPC Trainers in Pokémon Stadium games, Pokémon Colosseum, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, and Pokémon Battle Revolution keep their Pokémon in standard Poké Balls.
Pokémon Stadium 2
In Pokémon Stadium 2, Poké Balls appear in the mini-game Furret's Frolic. They are worth one point each.
In the spin-off games
Pokémon Shuffle
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This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Image |
Whenever the player defeats an uncaught Pokémon that is not a Trainer's Mega Evolved Pokémon, they get a chance to catch that Pokémon with a regular Poké Ball provided automatically. If the Pokémon escapes the Poké Ball, players have the option of purchasing Great Balls to use instead. However, if the player chooses not to use a Great Ball, the Pokémon runs away and the stage concludes.
If a Pokémon escapes a Poké Ball, there is a chance that the Poké becomes nervous and Super Catch Power activates. This greatly increases the Pokémon's catchability, in addition its catchability that was doubled by the Great Ball. However, the player can only use a Great Ball to capture a Pokémon at this point.
Pokémon GO
Poké Balls can be used during wild Pokémon encounters to attempt to capture a wild Pokémon with a catch rate modifier of 1×.
Description
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Acquisition
The player starts the game with 50 Poké Balls and is awarded additional Poké Balls when they level up to any level from 2 to 11.
Poké Balls can also be repeatably obtained by:
- Spinning PokéStops or Gyms
- Field Research
- Special Research
- Opening a Gift
- Timed Research
In addition, the player can purchase Poké Balls with PokéCoins in the Shop at the following rates:
- 20 for
100 - 100 for 460
- 200 for 800
Finally, Poké Balls can be included in limited-time Box deals.
Pokémon Trading Card Game series
In Pokémon Trading Card Game and Pokémon Trading Card Game 2: The Invasion of Team GR!, there are no Poké Balls. However, the Poké Ball card is available in both games.
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| Poké Ball (GB1) | Poké Ball (GB2) |
Pokémon Pinball series
In Pokémon Pinball and Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire, the Poké Ball is the normal ball used in Pinball games since the beginning of the game. It has no bonus multiplier, but it can be upgraded into other types of Poké Ball that multiply bonus points.
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| Sprite from Pinball |
Sprite from Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire |
Pokémon Tetris
In Pokémon Tetris, when the player clears four lines with the same Tetris piece, a Poké Ball quickly catches the Pokémon currently displayed at the right side of the screen. Additionally, a Poké Ball serves as the cursor in the Pokédex, which the player can use to point at any listed Pokémon.
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| Catching a Pokémon | Pokédex |
Super Smash Bros. series
In the Super Smash Bros. series, Poké Balls mainly appear as items which a character can pick up and throw to release a random Pokémon. Most Pokémon will perform a direct attack against the characters on the stage, but some may have other effects. Like many other items, the Poké Balls also do damage simply by hitting other characters.
The Poké Ball also features in a couple of other ways in the Super Smash Bros. series. In Brawl, in The Subspace Emissary, Pokémon Trainer is shown to push the button on the Poké Ball to send out his Pokémon, a mechanic that has not been shown in the anime.
Trophy information
Super Smash Bros. Melee
These balls are used to catch and contain wild Pokémon. Most Pokémon must be weakened in some way before they can be caught, but once they're inside a Poké Ball, they enjoy their new home, since Poké Balls contain an environment specially designed for Pokémon comfort. Master Balls are the strongest type.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
"An item used for capturing Pokémon and calling them out into battle. Pokémon live in these items which despite appearances, actually contain a wide, comfortable Pokémon-friendly world inside them. In Super Smash Bros., Pokémon give temporary support to who calls them out. You never know which you will get, but some are devastatingly powerful."
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U
NA: An item used to call out different Pokémon. Which Pokémon emerges is a mystery, but it will aid whoever threw the Poké Ball. Some of the Pokémon contained inside are extremely powerful and will really intensify the battle. It's definitely worth beating your opponents to these!
PAL: A ball holding one of any number of Pokémon just waiting to burst out and help you in battle. Which kind will it be? Well, that's a surprise, but whichever one it is, it'll definitely up the intensity of the battle! If you see one, make sure you're the one to grab it!
Pokémon UNITE
In Pokémon UNITE, Trainers use Poké Balls to send out their Pokémon at their team's base, after they have been knocked out in battle. In Mer Stadium's Catch 'Em Battles, after a caught Pokémon leaves play through either being knocked out or having its timer elapse, the Trainer's original Pokémon is sent back into battle at the same position as the caught Pokémon from its Poké Ball.
During the game's tutorial, a Pikachu from the Aeos Research Institute is sent out from a Poké Ball twice. This happens before Tutorial (Basics 1) and Tutorial (Basics 2).
Gallery
Artwork
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| Artwork from Red and Green |
Artwork by Ken Sugimori |
Artwork from Scarlet and Violet |
Sprites
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| In-battle sprite in Generation II |
Sprite from Furret Frolic's instruction screen in Stadium 2 |
In-battle and Summary sprite from Generation III |
Summary sprite from Colosseum |
Summary sprite from XD: Gale of Darkness |
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| Summary sprite from Generations IV and V |
In-battle sprite in Generation IV |
Summary sprite from Battle Revolution |
In-battle sprite in Generation V |
Models
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| Model from Stadium |
Model from Stadium 2 |
Model from Furret Frolic in Stadium 2 |
In-battle model X, Y, Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire, Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon |
Model from Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! |
Model from Generation VIII |
Game icons
 
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| Diamond and Pearl | Platinum | HeartGold and SoulSilver |
 
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| Black and White | Black 2 and White 2 | |
 
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| X and Y | Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire | ORAS Demo |
 
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| Sun and Moon | Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon | SM Demo |
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| Bank | HOME |
In animation
Pokémon animated series
In the anime, the basic Poké Ball is the most commonly used of all varieties, with other varieties rarely being used at all, especially prior to Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon. The vast majority of Pokémon are shown to be stored in regular Poké Balls, to the point that large collections of Poké Balls are usually exclusively standard Poké Balls. Even Ash's Pikachu, the most prominent Pokémon in the anime who spends all of his time outside with Ash, has a plain Poké Ball that differs from others only by the small yellow lightning bolt symbol on it, as seen in Pokémon - I Choose You!. This could be due to the games not keeping a track of the Poké Ball that a Pokémon was caught in prior to Generation III, making the anime not showing Pokémon in non-standard Poké Balls concordant with the games.
Pokémon Origins
Poké Balls were seen in every episode of Pokémon Origins, starting with the first partner Pokémon's Poké Balls in File 1: Red. When Red started out as a Trainer, he typically caught and stored his Pokémon in Poké Balls. As he, his Pokémon, and the Pokémon around him grew stronger, he eventually started using Great Balls and Ultra Balls instead.
Pokémon Generations
Poké Balls were seen several times throughout Pokémon Generations. They first appeared in The Adventure, where Red caught a Pikachu with one.
Pokémon Evolutions
Poké Balls appeared in most episodes of Pokémon Evolutions, first being seen in The Champion.
Gallery
A Poké Ball in Pokémon Origins
A Poké Ball in Pokémon Generations
A Poké Ball in Pokémon Evolutions
In the manga
Like in the anime, standard Poké Balls are the most commonly seen Poké Balls in the various manga that feature them.
Pokémon Adventures
Poké Balls have been seen in Pokémon Adventures since the very beginning, first appearing in A Glimpse of the Glow. Like other Poké Balls in Pokémon Adventures, regular Poké Balls are semi-transparent from the top, allowing the Pokémon inside to be seen. Like in the anime, most Trainers keep their Pokémon in regular Poké Balls, although its variations have been seen more commonly in it than in the anime.
Pokémon: Yeah! I Got Pokémon!
In Pokémon: Yeah! I Got Pokémon!, Poké Balls are depicted as solid, with no visual identification as to which Poké Ball is which.
Gallery
A Poké Ball in Ash & Pikachu
A Poké Ball in Be the Best! Pokémon B+W
A Poké Ball in The Electric Tale of Pikachu
A Poké Ball in How I Became a Pokémon Card
A Poké Ball in Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys
A Poké Ball in Pokémon Journeys: The Series
A Poké Ball in Pokémon Pocket Monsters
A Poké Ball in Pokémon Zensho
A Poké Ball in a movie adaptation
In the TCG
- Main article: Poké Ball (Jungle 64)
Poké Ball was introduced as an Trainer card in the Pokémon Trading Card Game during the English Original Series (the Japanese Original Era). First released in the Jungle expansion, it was reprinted in the Japanese Hanada City Gym and Kuchiba City Gym Theme Decks. It was later reprinted in the EX Ruby & Sapphire expansion, with new artwork by K. Hoshiba and an updated effect. This print was used until the release of EX Unseen Forces, which featured new artwork by Shin-ichi Yoshikawa. This print was used throughout the rest EX Series, and the first part of the Diamond & Pearl Series, up until the release of Majestic Dawn expansion. This print featured new artwork by Ryo Ueda.
It was later reclassified in Japan as an Item card during the HeartGold & SoulSilver Series, though the English prints did not adopt this naming convention until the release of the Black & White expansion. The HeartGold & SoulSilver print featured new artwork by Hideaki Hakozaki, and the Japanese Battle Starter Decks featured yet another new illustration by Noriko Hotta. This card was released again in the Black & White expansion with new artwork by Yuri Umemura. This print was later released in the Boundaries Crossed expansion. This card was reprinted again during the XY Series in the English Kalos Starter Set with new artwork by 5ban Graphics. This print was later reprinted in the English XY Trainer Kit, and in the Generations expansion.
Poké Ball was reprinted again during the Sun & Moon Series as part of the Sun & Moon expansion with new artwork by Ryo Ueda. As of this print, when the player plays it, they flip a coin. If the coin shows heads, they may search their deck for a Pokémon, reveal it, and put it into their hand, shuffling their deck afterwards. It also appeared in the Sword & Shield Series in the Rebel Clash expansion with new artwork by Studio Bora Inc., and as one of the SWSH Black Star Promos, with special 25th Anniversary artwork by 5ban Graphics. During the Scarlet & Violet Series it was included in the Scarlet & Violet expansion with artwork by Studio Bora Inc.
In other languages
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This item article is part of Project ItemDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on all items. |
