Masuda method
The Masuda method, or Masuda's method, is a fan-made term for describing an easier way of obtaining shiny Pokémon in Generation IV. It is named after Game Freak director Junichi Masuda, who first documented the effect in his column.[1] In the column, Masuda mentioned a way for "rare colored Pokemon's Egg [to] be found little easier", but the mechanics behind this were discovered by Smogon.
Usage
If an egg is bred from two Pokémon which were created in games of a different language from one another (either by capture or by breeding), the resulting egg is four times as likely to be shiny when it is generated. For example, a Vileplume which was generated in a Japanese game that is bred with a Ditto originating in an English game will result in a higher likelihood of the Oddish that hatches from the egg being shiny.
It will not work if both Pokémon are from the same foreign language, even if it is a different language from the game; or if the player uses one of his or her own Pokémon and the Meister's Magikarp or Lt. Surge's Pikachu, which are obtained through in-game trades. This is because these Pokémon have been generated on the same game as the player's Pokémon. A Pokémon which is traded to a foreign game while still in its egg, even if it is hatched and nicknamed in a foreign language, will also retain the internal marking which registers it as having been generated in the game of the original language.
Reasoning
The Masuda method is possible due to coding Masuda programmed into the games. If, in the Pokémon daycare, the game recognizes one of the Pokémon as having a different home location as the other, the chances of having a shiny Pokémon in the egg will increase to 1/2048 instead of the usual 1/8192. This increases the odds by four times.
Reaction
Though the odds of obtaining a shiny Pokémon are still fairly low, the chances have now been increased so significantly that players are touting it as a more reliable method than the Poké Radar. In addition, it allows players to customize their team further, with specific egg moves and IVs that would be either unavailable or harder to obtain, making using Masuda's method even more appealing. However, when breeding with two foreign Pokémon, the 50% chance of passing down a parent's nature via an Everstone is not present.
Trivia
- In Japan, the Masuda method is known as 国際結婚 kokusai kekkon, international marriage.
See also
References
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This game-related article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games. |
