Ambush encounter
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Ambush encounters are a means of encountering wild Pokémon that was introduced in Pokémon X and Y. Most of them involve the wild Pokémon chasing the player or jumping at them from a hiding place. The ambush animations are often accompanied by a sound or a cry that helps to notice the ambush itself. In Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, Pokémon encountered by this method may drop items after they are defeated or caught.

Introduced in X and Y

Shaking Berry trees

In X and Y, during the growth of a Berry tree in Berry fields, a wild Bug-type Pokémon may appear on the tree to eat its Berries and will attack the player when they interact with the shaking tree. The Pokémon depends on the type of Berry that was planted.

Possible encounters
Ledyba Ledyba Red Berry tree Volbeat Volbeat Blue Berry tree
Illumise Illumise Purple Berry tree Burmy Burmy Green Berry tree
Combee Combee Yellow Berry tree Spewpa Spewpa Pink Berry tree

Shaking trash cans

Trash Can Ambush within Lost Hotel

In X and Y, there are special trash cans in the Lost Hotel and Pokémon Village. When the player interacts with a shaking trash can, the wild Pokémon inside will attack or flee and leave an item behind.

There are five trash cans in the Lost Hotel. Their locations are:

  • Route 15 side:
    • In the first hallway by the Punk Guy
    • West of the Punk Couple
    • To the right of the Twirling Whirlwind
  • Route 16 side:
    • On the east side of the room north of the south hall
    • In the far southwestern corner

If one of these trash cans is shaking, a Pokémon or an item can be found inside it.

The trash can west of the Punk Couple will shake every day, while the remaining four trash cans may only shake once a week (on Tuesdays). On Tuesdays, only three of those four trash cans will shake, while the last will remain empty. The trash cans that shake once a week contain different Pokémon and items than the daily ones: even on Tuesdays, the daily trash can will offer the same types of Pokémon and items as it does every other day.

There are five trash cans among the field of yellow flowers in the Pokémon Village. Their locations are:

  • Three along the south edge of the village, ranging between the tire and the river
  • One west of the tire
  • One northwest of the empty western canopy

If one of these trash cans is shaking, a Pokémon or an item can be found inside it.

The middle trash can along the south edge of the village will shake every day, while the remaining four trash cans may only shake once a week (on Thursdays). On Thursdays, only three of those four trash cans will shake, while the last will remain empty. The trash cans that shake once a week contain different Pokémon and items than the daily one: even on Thursdays, the daily trash can will offer the same types of Pokémon and items as it does every other day.

In both locations, a trash can will not shake again for the rest of the day after a Pokémon or item has been found inside. The contents of trash cans are generated upon interaction, so soft resetting may yield different Pokémon or items.

Possible encounters
Banette Banette Pokémon Village (Thursday trash cans) Rotom Rotom Lost Hotel (Tuesday trash cans)
Rotom Rotom Lost Hotel (Tuesday trash cans) Rotom Rotom Lost Hotel (Tuesday trash cans)
Rotom Rotom Lost Hotel (Tuesday trash cans) Rotom Rotom Lost Hotel (Tuesday trash cans)
Rotom Rotom Lost Hotel (Tuesday trash cans) Trubbish Trubbish Lost Hotel (Daily trash cans)
Garbodor Garbodor Lost Hotel, Pokémon Village (Daily trash cans)

Occasionally, trash cans contain an item rather than a wild Pokémon.

Lost Hotel
Item Location Games
Daily trash can
Escape Rope Escape Rope Often in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Super Repel Super Repel Often in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Max Elixir Max Elixir Rarely in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Dusk Ball Dusk Ball Often in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
HP Up HP Up Sometimes in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Protein Protein Sometimes in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Iron Iron Sometimes in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Tuesday trash cans
Escape Rope Escape Rope Often in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Max Repel Max Repel Often in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Nugget Nugget Often in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Big Nugget Big Nugget Rarely in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Calcium Calcium Sometimes in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Zinc Zinc Sometimes in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Carbos Carbos Sometimes in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Pokémon Village
Item Location Games
Daily trash can
Honey Honey Often in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Poké Toy Poké Toy Sometimes in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Pretty Wing Pretty Wing Often in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Tiny Mushroom Tiny Mushroom Often in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Big Mushroom Big Mushroom Sometimes in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Max Revive Max Revive Sometimes in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Mental Herb Mental Herb Sometimes in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Thursday trash cans
Honey Honey Often in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Prism Scale Prism Scale Often in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Big Mushroom Big Mushroom Often in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Balm Mushroom Balm Mushroom Sometimes in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Eviolite Eviolite Rarely in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Heal Powder Heal Powder Sometimes in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 
Revival Herb Revival Herb Sometimes in a trash can after a shadow leaps out  X  Y 

Leaping out of a bush

Rustling Bush Ambush on Route 6

In X and Y, portions of Routes 6 and 18 are delimited by some bushes. If the player walks near the ones that are rustling, a wild Pokémon will leap out of the bush and attack.

Possible encounters
Audino Audino Route 6 Venipede Venipede Route 6
Heatmor Heatmor Route 18 Durant Durant Route 18

Swooping down from above

In X and Y, some caves have shadows on the ground. If the player walks on them, a wild Pokémon will drop from the ceiling and attack.

Shadow Ambush within Victory Road
Possible encounters
Graveler Graveler Victory Road Ariados Ariados Terminus Cave, Victory Road
Woobat Woobat Glittering Cave, Reflection Cave Ferroseed Ferroseed Glittering Cave, Reflection Cave
Noibat Noibat Terminus Cave, Victory Road

Leaping out of the ground

In X and Y, Route 13 has scattered dirt mounds. If the player walks on them, a wild digging Pokémon will jump out of the ground and attack.

The mounds spawn at fixed locations in the badlands and chase the player, moving only when they move and matching their same speed. Every mound will despawn after a certain amount of time, regardless if the Pokémon or the player moved at all.

Possible encounters
Dugtrio Dugtrio Route 13 Trapinch Trapinch Route 13
Gible Gible Route 13

Diving out of the sky

Sky Ambush outside Victory Road

In X and Y, Victory Road has shadows in certain locations outside of caves. If the player walks on them, a wild flying Pokémon will divebomb and attack.

Possible encounters
Fearow Fearow Victory Road Skarmory Skarmory Victory Road
Hydreigon Hydreigon Victory Road

Introduced in Sun and Moon

Rustling bushes

Rustling Bush Ambush on Poni Plains

In certain areas of Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon, a bush might start shaking. If the player approaches it, a wild Pokémon will jump from the bush to attack.

Possible encounters
Chansey ChanseyUSUM Poni Plains Scyther Scyther Poni Plains
Cottonee CottoneeSUS Poni Plains Petilil PetililMUM Poni Plains

Sometimes, after a Pokémon from a rustling bush is defeated or caught, it will drop an item.

Item Location Games
Aguav Berry Aguav Berry Sometimes dropped by Scyther from rustling bushes  S  M  US  UM 
Absorb Bulb Absorb Bulb Sometimes dropped by CottoneeSUS/PetililMUM from rustling bushes  S  M  US  UM 
Oval Stone Oval Stone Sometimes dropped by Chansey from rustling bushes  US  UM 

Rustling grass

Rustling Grass Ambush on Route 2

In certain areas of Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon, a small part of tall grass might start shaking. If the player approaches it, a wild Pokémon will chase them to attack.

Possible encounters
Rattata RattataSM Route 2 Oranguru OranguruUM Lush Jungle
Ekans EkansUSUM Route 2 Passimian PassimianUS Lush Jungle
Drowzee DrowzeeUSUM Route 2 Raticate Raticate Poni Plains
Makuhita Makuhita Route 2 Hariyama HariyamaSM Poni Plains
Dunsparce DunsparceUSUM Route 2 Pyroar PyroarUSUM Poni Plains
Yungoos YungoosSM Route 2 Gumshoos Gumshoos Poni Plains
Steenee SteeneeUSUM Lush Jungle

Sometimes, after a Pokémon from rustling grass is defeated or caught, it will drop an item.

Route 2
Item Location Games
Oran Berry Oran Berry Sometimes dropped by Pokémon from rustling grass  S  M  US  UM 
Chesto Berry Chesto Berry Sometimes dropped by Drowzee from rustling grass  US  UM 
Sitrus Berry Sitrus Berry Sometimes dropped by Pokémon from rustling grass  S  M  US  UM 
Poison Barb Poison Barb Sometimes dropped by Ekans from rustling grass  US  UM 
Poni Plains
Item Location Games
Sitrus Berry Sitrus Berry Sometimes dropped by Raticate or Gumshoos from rustling grass  S  M  US  UM 
Black Belt Black Belt Sometimes dropped by Hariyama from rustling grass  S  M 
Iapapa Berry Iapapa Berry Sometimes dropped by Pyroar from rustling grass  US  UM 

Dirt clouds

Dirt Cloud Ambush within Verdant Cavern

In Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon, certain locations have walls with holes in them, with dirt clouds coming out of the holes. If the players touches one of the dirt clouds, a wild Pokémon will attack.

Possible encounters
Rattata RattataMUM Verdant Cavern Diglett Diglett Route 5, Route 7, Diglett's Tunnel
Dugtrio Dugtrio Vast Poni Canyon, Poni Coast Yungoos YungoosSUS Verdant Cavern

Sometimes, after a Pokémon from a dirt cloud is defeated or caught, it will drop an item.

Verdant Cavern
Item Location Games
Oran Berry Oran Berry Sometimes dropped by Pokémon from dirt clouds  S  M  US  UM 
Sitrus Berry Sitrus Berry Sometimes dropped by Pokémon from dirt clouds  S  M  US  UM 
Route 5 and 7, Diglett's Tunnel, Vast Poni Canyon, and Poni Coast
Item Location Games
Soft Sand Soft Sand Sometimes dropped by Pokémon from dirt clouds  S  M  US  UM 
Big Root Big Root Sometimes dropped by Pokémon from dirt clouds  S  M  US  UM 

Flying shadows

Sky Shadow Ambush in Poni Plains

In Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon, some locations have shadows of Pokémon that are flying around. If the player walks on them, a wild Pokémon will come down from the sky to attack.

Possible encounters
Spearow Spearow Route 3 Fearow Fearow Poni Plains
Rufflet RuffletSUS Route 3 Braviary BraviarySUS Poni Plains
Vullaby VullabyMUM Route 3 Mandibuzz MandibuzzMUM Poni Plains

Sometimes, after a flying Pokémon from a shadow is defeated or caught, it will drop an item.

Route 3
Item Location Games
Pretty Wing Pretty Wing Sometimes dropped by Pokémon from flying shadows  S  M  US  UM 
Sharp Beak Sharp Beak Sometimes dropped by Spearow from flying shadows  S  M  US  UM 
Poni Plains
Item Location Games
Sharp Beak Sharp Beak Sometimes dropped by Fearow from flying shadows  S  M  US  UM 
Health Wing Health Wing Sometimes dropped by Fearow from flying shadows  S  M  US  UM 
Swift Wing Swift Wing Sometimes dropped by Fearow from flying shadows  S  M  US  UM 
Genius Wing Genius Wing Sometimes dropped by BraviarySUS/MandibuzzMUM from flying shadows  S  M  US  UM 
Muscle Wing Muscle Wing Sometimes dropped by BraviarySUS/MandibuzzMUM from flying shadows  S  M  US  UM 

Vast Poni Canyon

This is a special kind of flying shadow ambush encounter that only happens during the trial in Vast Poni Canyon in Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon. During the trial, while walking through the cave, the player is attacked by a Jangmo-o and a Hakamo-o at fixed points of the canyon. Being encountered during a trial, the two Pokémon can't be caught.

Possible encounters
Jangmo-o Jangmo-o Vast Poni Canyon Hakamo-o Hakamo-o Vast Poni Canyon

Sometimes, after a Pokémon from a flying shadow at the trial site is defeated, it will drop an item.

Item Location Games
Heart Scale Heart Scale Sometimes dropped by Pokémon from flying shadows  S  M  US  UM 

Chase

Wimpod Chase in Route 8

In certain locations of Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon, there are walls with holes in them. Sometimes, a Wimpod will come out from one of the holes and go to another one. If the player touches it, the Wimpod will attack.

Possible encounters
Wimpod Wimpod Route 8, Poni WildsSM, Poni Breaker Coast, Dividing Peak TunnelUSUM

Sometimes, after a Wimpod is defeated or caught, it will drop an item.

Poni Wilds
Item Location Games
Big Pearl Big Pearl Sometimes dropped by Wimpod  S  M 
Nugget Nugget Sometimes dropped by Wimpod  S  M 
Big Nugget Big Nugget Sometimes dropped by Wimpod  S  M 
Route 8 and Poni Breaker Coast
Item Location Games
Big Pearl Big Pearl Sometimes dropped by Wimpod  S  M  US  UM 
Nugget Nugget Sometimes dropped by Wimpod  S  M  US  UM 
Big Nugget Big Nugget Sometimes dropped by Wimpod  S  M  US  UM 
Dividing Peak Tunnel
Item Location Games
Big Pearl Big Pearl Sometimes dropped by Wimpod  US  UM 
Nugget Nugget Sometimes dropped by Wimpod  US  UM 

Rustling trees

Rustling Tree Ambush in Route 10

In certain areas of Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon, a tree might start shaking. If the player approaches it, a wild Pokémon will jump from the tree to attack.

Possible encounters
Fearow Fearow Route 10 Primeape Primeape Poni Plains
Pineco PinecoUSUM Route 10 Aipom AipomUSUM Poni Plains
Skarmory Skarmory Route 10 Emolga Emolga Poni Plains
Fomantis FomantisSM Lush Jungle

Sometimes, after a Pokémon from a rustling tree is defeated or caught, it will drop an item.

Lush Jungle
Item Location Games
Honey Honey Sometimes dropped by Pokémon from rustling trees  S  M 
Route 10
Item Location Games
Sharp Beak Sharp Beak Sometimes dropped by Fearow from rustling trees  S  M  US  UM 
Health Wing Health Wing Sometimes dropped by Fearow from rustling trees  S  M  US  UM 
Swift Wing Swift Wing Sometimes dropped by Fearow from rustling trees  S  M  US  UM 
Clever Wing Clever Wing Sometimes dropped by Skarmory from rustling trees  S  M  US  UM 
Resist Wing Resist Wing Sometimes dropped by Skarmory from rustling trees  S  M  US  UM 
Chesto Berry Chesto Berry Sometimes dropped by Pineco from rustling trees  US  UM 
Poni Plains
Item Location Games
Wiki Berry Wiki Berry Sometimes dropped by Primeape from rustling trees  S  M  US  UM 
Cell Battery Cell Battery Sometimes dropped by Emolga from rustling trees  S  M  US  UM 
Mago Berry Mago Berry Sometimes dropped by Aipom from rustling trees  US  UM 

Sand clouds

Sand Clouds Ambush on Hano Beach

In certain locations of Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon, there are small shadows in the sand. In Hano Beach, they are stationary, while in Haina Desert, they chase the player. If the player touches a shadow in the sand, a wild Pokémon will attack.

Possible encounters
Dugtrio Dugtrio Haina Desert Staryu Staryu Hano Beach
Trapinch Trapinch Haina Desert Sandile SandileSM Haina Desert
Sandygast Sandygast Hano Beach Krokorok KrokorokUSUM Haina Desert

Sometimes, after a Pokémon from a sand cloud is defeated or caught, it will drop an item.

Hano Beach
Item Location Games
Stardust Stardust Sometimes dropped by Staryu from sand clouds  S  M  US  UM 
Star Piece Star Piece Sometimes dropped by Staryu from sand clouds  S  M  US  UM 
Spell Tag Spell Tag Sometimes dropped by Sandygast from sand clouds  S  M  US  UM 
Haina Desert
Item Location Games
Black Glasses Black Glasses Sometimes dropped by SandileSM/KrokorokUSUM from sand clouds  S  M  US  UM 
Soft Sand Soft Sand Sometimes dropped by Dugtrio from sand clouds  S  M  US  UM 
Big Root Big Root Sometimes dropped by Dugtrio from sand clouds  S  M  US  UM 
Figy Berry Figy Berry Sometimes dropped by Trapinch from sand clouds  S  M  US  UM 

Water splashes

Water Splash Ambush on Hano Beach

When surfing in certain locations of Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon, a splash may appear in the water. If the player approaches it, it will chase the player and a wild Pokémon will attack.

Possible encounters
Tentacool Tentacool Hano Beach Dragalge DragalgeUM Poni Breaker Coast
Wailmer Wailmer Poni WildsSM/Poni Breaker CoastUSUM Clawitzer ClawitzerUS Poni Breaker Coast
Wailord Wailord Poni WildsSM/Poni Breaker CoastUSUM

Sometimes, after a Pokémon from a water splash is defeated or caught, it will drop an item.

Hano Beach
Item Location Games
Poison Barb Poison Barb Sometimes dropped by Pokémon from water splashes  S  M  US  UM 
Poni Wilds
Item Location Games
Big Pearl Big Pearl Sometimes dropped by Pokémon from water splashes  S  M 

Introduced in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon

Shadows of invisible Kecleon

Kecleon Shadow Ambush on Dividing Peak Tunnel

In Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, the shadows of invisible Kecleon can be seen in the Dividing Peak Tunnel. If the player touches one, the wild Kecleon will attack. These Kecleon cannot appear if there is a Wimpod in the tunnel instead.

Possible encounters
Kecleon Kecleon Dividing Peak Tunnel

Sometimes, after a Kecleon is defeated or caught, it will drop an item.

Dividing Peak Tunnel
Item Location Games
Persim Berry Persim Berry Sometimes dropped by Kecleon  US  UM 
Sitrus Berry Sitrus Berry Sometimes dropped by Kecleon  US  UM 

Trivia

  • In Pokémon X and Y, every ambush has a dedicated encounter message, always starting with "Whoa!".
    • This trait is shared with Horde Encounters and with wild encounters made while traversing terrain or snow on the back of a Pokémon on Routes 9 and 17.

Related articles

This game-related article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games.
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