Each Pokémon is unique, but Ditto separates itself from the rest by giving them a taste of their own medicine. The shapeshifter Pokémon may not look like a threat in its true form, but it may prove to be a worthy challenger once it transforms into a powerful Pokémon.
Considering Ditto is always hiding, it’s entirely possible you may not have seen one in the wild so far. Ditto never roams in its true form. While this isn’t an issue at all, as most trainers should have a couple of Dittos in their collection by now, catching one might turn into a chore when you need to complete a quest that requires you to capture a Ditto.
This has been the case for the Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto Research Collection Challenges. In addition to the other seven Pokémon, you’ll also need to find a Ditto to earn the rewards.
If you’ve been all over the place and still can’t seem to find a Ditto, here’s what you can do to speed up the process.
Make sure you’re after the right Pokémon
There isn’t a quick method of catching a Ditto since it’s mostly based on luck. You’ll need to find it hiding in the wild, and it will be harder than it sounds.
You will need to be familiar with the Pokémon that Ditto can use as a disguise and specifically track them down. This will significantly increase your odds of capturing a Ditto since one of them will eventually turn out to be an impostor.
Here are all the Pokémon that Ditto can hide as at the moment.
- Bidoof
- Foongus
- Gulpin
- Hoothoot
- Hoppip
- Numel
- Paras
- Remoraid
- Spinarak
- Whismur
Note the Pokémon that Ditto uses as its disguise changes. If you’re reading this later than February 2021, we recommend checking out Ditto’s Fandom page to see the most current list of Pokémon that he roams around as.
You’ll need to focus on finding the Pokémon above to secure yourself a Ditto. You won’t know that you’re dealing with a Ditto until you catch the Pokémon. If you feel like you’re getting into a tough encounter, it may be wise to use resources that can guarantee the catch.
When you catch a Ditto, you’ll notice the usual “Gotcha!” text won’t appear, and you’ll see an “Oh?” instead.
While all you can do to catch Ditto is not missing any encounters with the Pokémon that it can disguise as, there are a few things you can try out to speed up the process.
Stay up-to-date with your local spawns
Ditto spawns are the same for everyone. This means that if someone in your local community spots a Ditto somewhere, it’ll be there for everyone else for a limited time. Joining local communities or checking out Pokémon Go atlases can help you hear about a local Ditto and reduce the overall time you’d spend on finding it by yourself.
While the information flow won’t happen that frequently during regular seasons, many trainers will try to help each other out when there are special event-related quests. Local Pokémon Go communities usually draw in the highest number of new recruits during events since being a lone wolf can make spend a bit more time outside than you’d like.
Utilize lures and incense
The search for a Ditto can get tiring, especially if you’ve been all over your local area to capture one. Taking a break is always advised during intense Pokémon Go sessions, but you may just be able to find your Ditto while doing that.
Popping up lures or incenses will let you still go through a decent number of spawns even when you aren’t on the move. Ditto can still appear as one of the Pokémon that it disguises as due to your lure or incense, meaning you may not even need to get out of your house to capture one.
Always keep an eye on your nearby radar
It may sound elementary, but many trainers lose themselves in the rhythm of getting into back-to-back encounters as they’re on the move. If you’re looking to catch a Ditto, you’ll need to skim through your nearby Pokémon list to focus on candidates that Ditto can appear as.
This doesn’t mean that you’ll need to ignore all the other Pokémon around you, but you’ll need to act quickly since you won’t want to miss out on a Ditto due to an expired spawn.
Snatch a Shiny Ditto while you’re at it
The Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto event also introduced a Shiny variation of Ditto. Shiny Pokémon have noticeably lower drop rates, and you’ll want to collect them when you can during events where you’ll be able to get an encounter with them.
If you complete the Research Collection Challenge during the event, you’ll be rewarded with a Shiny Ditto encounter. Compared to its original version, Shiny Ditto will appear in light blue instead of purple, and you’ll have one time opportunity to catch it during an encounter. Spare no berries or Ultra Balls, if you’d like to enrich your collection with this rare piece.
When there aren’t any on-going events similar to Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto, you’ll need to go through the regular steps of capturing a regular Ditto with the hopes of encountering a shiny one. There may still be similar events in the future that can let you catch a Shiny Ditto with ease, but you’ll need to keep up with the patch notes and event details for the details.
