Sync pair scout
The sync pair scout is the primary method by which players can obtain new sync pairs in Pokémon Masters EX, accessed through the shop. It is unlocked after completing Chapter 1 of the PML Arc. Sync pairs scouts cost Gems, and the sync pairs received are random, in what is effectively a Gacha game model.
Pairs can be scouted from one of various showcases, which may offer different pairs, different appearance rates for certain pairs, or even exclusive pairs. While the official term for these showcases is "sync pair scouts", players typically call these showcases "banners" to avoid confusion with the action of scouting itself. Sync pair scouts run for a limited time.
On the sync pair scout screen, the player is able to preview the moves, stats, passive skills, sync grids, and sync move animations of all featured sync pairs. It will also display whether the featured sync pairs have buddy moves, can Mega Evolve or Dynamax, or unlock Song Keys for the Jukebox when raised to 
6★ EX.
Categories
Sync pair scouts can fall into one of several categories, depending on the type of sync pairs featured in that scout.
Spotlight
In a spotlight scout, the featured sync pair or pairs are either already in the general scout pool, or will be added to it after their debut scout ends. Generally, only one sync pair is featured if it is the pair's debut scout, while multiple sync pairs will be featured on a rerun. Spotlight scouts were the most common type of sync pair scout during the first year of the game, but they have become less common over time.
Poké Fair
In a Poké Fair scout, the featured sync pair or pairs are fair-exclusive sync pairs, as they can generally only be obtained through Poké Fair scouts. Fair-exclusive sync pairs are also available in mix scouts, and some may be available in special ticket scouts, especially around anniversaries.
A special type of Poké Fair scout, the Monthly Poké Fair Scout, features a single fair-exclusive sync pair each month, but all other fair-exclusive sync pairs that can be invited to the Trainer Lodge are also available with the same rates as non-limited 5★ pairs.
Poké Fair scouts may sometimes only feature sync pairs of a specific type. This type of Poké Fair scout runs concurrently with high score events.
Master Fair
In a Master Fair scout, the featured sync pair has a master passive skill and can only be obtained through Master Fair scouts. Sync pairs exclusively available in these scouts are called Master Fair-exclusive. Unlike other scout types, Master Fair scouts have never featured more than one sync pair at a time.
Seasonal
In a seasonal scout, the featured sync pair or pairs have outfits related to certain seasonal events. Since they can generally only be obtained through seasonal scouts, they are called seasonal sync pairs. They are also available in mix scouts. These sync pairs always have the 
Seasonal Outfit theme skill.
The sync pairs Diantha (Special Costume) & Keldeo, Hilda (Special Costume) & Diancie, Guzma (Special Costume) & Buzzwole, and Jasmine (Special Costume) & Celesteela were initially available in seasonal scouts, but they are not seasonal sync pairs. Since the rerun of Poké War Games, they have been exclusively available in costume and mix scouts.
Costume
In a costume scout, the featured sync pair or pairs have outfits related to certain costume events. Since they can generally only be obtained through costume scouts, they are called costume sync pairs. They are also available in mix scouts. These sync pairs always have the Special Costume theme skill.
Variety
In a variety scout, the featured character or characters are wearing their standard outfits, but they have formed a sync pair with a different partner Pokémon than usual. These sync pairs can be raised to 6★ EX, but they do not have an EX style or a sync pair story. They are called variety sync pairs, as they can generally only be obtained through variety scouts. They are also available in mix scouts, and some may be available in special ticket scouts.
The only exceptions are Ball Guy, Archer, Ariana, Petrel, and Proton, who are variety sync pairs that have EX styles and sync pair stories.
Mix
In a mix scout, the featured character is wearing their standard outfit, but they have formed a sync pair with a different partner Pokémon than usual. These sync pairs can be raised to 6★ EX, but they do not have an EX style or a sync pair story. All fair-exclusive, seasonal, costume, and variety sync pairs released at the time of the mix scout's debut are also available in the scout. In addition, this sync pair scout can only be used a limited number of times each day, and only paid gems can be used to scout sync pairs.
Scout methods
Gems are primarily used to scout for sync pairs. The amount required for different scout methods vary. Some methods will allow using both non-paid and paid Gems. while others only allow using paid Gems. Some scouts may also offer presents for using them.
- Methods available using non-paid Gems:
- In general, it costs 300 Gems to scout one pair, or 3,000 Gems to scout 11 pairs (10 prior to the August 2020 Sygna Suit Blue Poké Fair Scout).
- On Pokémon Masters Day, which is the 25th of every month from November 2021 onwards, a "Pokémon Masters Day One-Time-Only Happy Scout" costs 25 Gems to scout 11 pairs.
- Methods available using only paid Gems:
- A "daily discount scout" allows for using 100 paid Gems to scout one sync pair. This can be performed once per sync pair scout, per day. It is accessible on most sync pair scouts that accept non-paid Gems.
- In some sync pair scouts, the daily discount scout may be available up to three times per day.
- On Pokémon Masters Day, a "Pokémon Masters Day 5★-Guaranteed Scout" costs 100 paid Gems to scout 11 pairs, with at least one pair guaranteed to be 5★.
- A "5★-select scout" allows for scouting 10, 11, 15, or 25 sync pairs, and for selecting a specific 5★ to receive afterwards.
- In some cases, these scouts may only offer sync pairs of a specific type.
- A "tiered scout" allows for scouting non-standard amounts of pairs (3, 5, 7 pairs, etc), with several different costs for each tiered "step".
- Some featured sync pairs may have two scouts offered concurrently, one of them requiring paid Gems only. Using these scouts offer different item presents than their counterparts that accept non-paid Gems.
- Paid Gem spotlight and variety scouts may offer three Sync Pair Scout ×11 for 3,000 paid Gems each (with the first scout usually discounted).
- Paid Gem Poké Fair and Master Fair scouts may offer a Sync Pair Scout ×1 for 300 paid Gems and a Sync Pair Scout ×11 for 3,000 paid Gems.
- The mix scout allows for scouting a limited number of sync pairs per day: one Sync Pair Scout ×1 for 100 paid Gems, one Sync Pair Scout ×3 for 300 paid Gems, and one Sync Pair Scout ×5 for 500 paid Gems.
- A "daily discount scout" allows for using 100 paid Gems to scout one sync pair. This can be performed once per sync pair scout, per day. It is accessible on most sync pair scouts that accept non-paid Gems.
The "daily scout" is free-of-charge scout that is available once per day. However, this method has a very low chance of giving sync pairs, mostly giving different types of items instead. Unlike all other scout methods, the exact appearance rates are not disclosed.
Tiered scout
A tiered scout can only be used with paid Gems, but it gives players a way to guarantee obtaining the featured sync pair using fewer Gems than would cost to maximize scout points on a banner. Introduced for Skyla (Holiday 2020) & Togekiss and Erika (Holiday 2020) & Comfey, a tiered scout is available alongside seasonal scouts, special costume scouts, and occasionally variety scouts.
Each tier in a tiered scout can be completed by spending a number of Gems to scout a number of sync pairs, with the amounts of both varying from tier to tier. After completing a tier, the player is given access to the next tier. Some tiers award presents after the sync pairs are scouted. Completing half of the tiers awards the player with a 5★ Great Scout Ticket, which can be used in a corresponding Featured Ticket Scout. A Featured Ticket Scout allows the player to scout one 5★ sync pair, which has a 25% chance to be the featured pair (or one of the featured pairs, if multiple are featured). Completing all of the tiers awards the player with a 5★ Master Scout Ticket if one sync pair is featured, which can be used in a corresponding Guaranteed Ticket Scout. As the name suggests, the Guaranteed Ticket Scout is guaranteed to scout the featured sync pair. If multiple sync pairs are featured in the tiered scout, there is no Guaranteed Ticket Scout; instead, completing all of the tiers allows the player to scout a 5★ sync pair of their choice out of all the pairs available in the scout.
The number of tiers in a tiered scout, as well as the cost of and number of sync pairs scouted in each tier, varies depending on whether there is one featured pair or multiple.
One featured pair
| Tier | Cost | Sync pairs scouted | Present |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Gems ×300
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3 | None |
| 2 | Gems ×900
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5 | None |
| 3 | Gems ×1,500
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7 | None |
| 4 | Gems ×2,000
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9 | None |
| 5 | Gems ×3,000
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11 |  5★ Great Scout Ticket
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| 6 | Gems ×2,000
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11 | None |
| 7 | Gems ×2,500
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11 | None |
| 8 | Gems ×2,500
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11 | None |
| 9 | Gems ×2,500
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11 | None |
| 10 | Gems ×3,000
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11 |  5★ Master Scout Ticket
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In total, completing all tiers costs 20,200 paid Gems and allows 92 sync pairs to be scouted (including those obtained from ticket scouts).
Multiple featured pairs
| Tier | Cost | Sync pairs scouted | Present |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gems ×1,000
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11 | None |
| 2 | Gems ×1,500
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11 |  5★ Power-Up ×3
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| 3 | Gems ×2,000
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11 | 5★ Great Scout Ticket
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| 4 | Gems ×2,500
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11 | 5★ Power-Up ×7
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| 5 | Gems ×3,000
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11 | Choose a 5★ sync pair |
In total, completing all tiers costs 10,000 paid Gems and allows 57 sync pairs to be scouted (including those obtained from ticket scouts and the selected pair).
Availability
The available sync pairs change as the game introduces more Trainers, with specific sync pair scouts giving a higher chance of obtaining the featured sync pair. Sync pairs can have permanent or limited-time availability.
Permanent pairs
These will appear in most sync pair scouts, after their debut sync pair scout has ended. Any sync pair scouts running concurrent with their debut scout will not include them. Permanent pairs can also appear from 5★-guaranteed ticket scouts, though the lineup is not updated immediately after their debut scout ends. Typically, ticket scout lineups are updated at each anniversary with all the permanent sync pairs who were added within the previous year.
| Sync pair | Rarity |
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| ★★★★★ | |
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| ★★★★★ | |
| ★★★★★ |
Limited-time pairs
These are only available during specific sync pair scouts where they are featured, generally with higher rates than other pairs.
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Rarity distribution
The rarity distribution of scouted pairs is as follows:
| Rarity Distributon | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rarity | Standard rates |
Poké Fair scout |
Master Fair scout |
| 5★ featured | 2% | 2% | 1% |
| 5★ non-featured | 5% | 8% | 11% |
| 5★ total | 7% | 10% | 12% |
| 4★ | 20% | 20% | 20% |
| 3★ | 73% | 70% | 68% |
The 5★ featured rate behaves differently if there is more than one featured character:
- 2 or 3 characters: Each character has a 1.5% appearance rate (totaling 3% or 4.5% featured rate, respectively).
- 4 or more characters: A total 2% rate is evenly split between each character (4 characters will each have a rate of 0.5%, 6 characters will each have a rate of 0.33%, etc.).
4★ featured characters do not occur often, but their rates are as follows:
- Spotlight scout: 2% appearance rate per character.
- Poké Fair scout: A total 5% rate is evenly split between each character.
When a scout is performed, an animation will play: the player's Poryphone is slotted into a terminal on the counter of Tricia's booth, and an antenna grows from the phone. The antenna begins to output a signal and displays a map, indicating that a sync pair is approaching the Pokémon Center. The camera view changes to the Center's front doors, which open with a flash of light.
The animation will slightly change to indicate the lower bound of the star rarity of the sync pairs received in the scout or batch of scouts:
- Sparks:
- If the Poryphone emits sparks upon touching the terminal, causing the background to turn rainbow, and a parabolic antenna appears, then the batch includes a 5★ pair.
- Antenna:
- If no antenna appears, the batch may include pairs of any rarity.
- If a small antenna appears, the batch includes a pair of at least 4★ rarity.
- Doors:
- If the doors do not emit rays of light before opening, the batch includes only 3★ pairs.
- If the doors emit some rays of light before opening, the batch includes at least one 4★ pair but no 5★ pair.
- If the doors emit several rays of light and rainbow-colored shards, the batch includes a 5★ pair.
- Mindscape (from version 1.5.0 onwards):
- After the doors open, if a mindscape image and a quote appears, then the 5★ pair uniquely corresponding to that mindscape and quote will appear.
- If the sync pair is from the Hisui region or contains a Pokémon from Hisui, a special animation will play where a space-time distortion will appear, which the pair arrives from.
- After the doors open, if a mindscape image and a quote appears, then the 5★ pair uniquely corresponding to that mindscape and quote will appear.
As previously mentioned, if the player scouts a sync pair they have already recruited, then the sync pair receives an increase in level to their moves. Once the sync pair's move level is maxed out to level 5, if the player again scouts that sync pair, the player will instead receive a power-up item corresponding to the sync pair's original number of stars.
Scout points
A scout point will be awarded for every 100 Gems spent through a sync pair scout. Three bonus scout points will also be awarded every time the player scouts 11 sync pairs at once, starting from the August 2020 Sygna Suit Blue Poké Fair Scout. The number of scout points collected can be viewed at the top right of the sync pair scout screen.
If the player manages to collect at least 400 scout points on a sync pair scout, the player will be able to select a sync pair of their choice from the pool. This can be repeated multiple times on the same sync pair scout; however, scout points expire at the end of a sync pair scout's period and do not carry over to reruns.
In the mix scout, the player only has to collect 300 scout points to select any sync pair. Unlike other sync pair scouts, scout points collected from mix scouts will carry over to future mix scouts.
Presents
On occasion, sync pair scouts may reward the player with items for participating in the scout. Items obtained from sync pair scouts are sent to the Present Box to be claimed.
The Poké Fair Scout from February 28 to March 16, 2020 introduced rewarding items for recruiting the featured sync pair. Presents given include:
- Sync Orb ×100 (corresponding to the featured sync pair)
- Custom 5★ Power-Up ×3, up to five times.
- Any Roll Cake Coin ×4 (corresponding to the featured sync pair's EX role) and 5★ Power-Up ×4, up to five times.
- Any Roll Cake ×1 (corresponding to the featured sync pair's EX role)
The Lusamine Spotlight Scout from September 9 to October 1, 2020 introduced rewarding items for using Sync Pair Scout ×11. Presents were only rewarded once until the Lance and Lillie Seasonal Scouts from January 1 to 14, 2021, where multiple of the same item could be obtained for using Sync Pair Scout ×11 several consecutive times. Presents given include:
- Any Move Candy Coin ×1 (corresponding to the featured pair's role), up to three times.
- 3★ Friend Key ×10, up to five times. Only in the Monthly Poké Fair Scout.
Presents may differ between using Sync Pair Scout ×11 multiple times in a row and vary by scout type. These sets of presents include:
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One set of presents featured in Poké Fair and Master Fair scouts has been retired since the Serena Master Fair Scout from November 25 to December 25, 2023:
| No. | Presents |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Strike Move Candy Coin ×1
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| 2 | 5★ Power-Up ×2
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| 3 | Strike Move Candy Coin ×1 Tech Move Candy Coin ×1
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| 4 | 5★ Power-Up ×4
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| 5 | Strike Move Candy Coin ×1Tech Move Candy Coin ×1 Support Move Candy Coin ×1
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Sync pair scout history
- Main article: Sync pair scout history
