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So, a number of things can be inherited through breeding - we glossed over these earlier: moves, IVs, Nature, species, and abilities. Here’s the specifics:

Moves

Listen to what the people inside the Pokémon Daycare say to you.

Only certain moves can be inherited, and it’s not necessarily clear what. However, if it’s a move the Pokémon would normally learn by leveling up, it can be passed down by either or both parents knowing it.

Certain Egg Moves , often only found on certain species, can be passed down by both parents - not every move is an Egg Move, keep that in mind.

Individual Values (IVs)

IVs (Individual Values) help to determine stat growth by Level 100: for each IV in a stat, you will then earn 1 point at Level 100. IVs range from 0 to 31 in all stats. Generally, it’s determined by an RNG in the game if you don’t hold certain items.

If the named item below is held when breeding, there’s a good chance that the named stat will be inherited, and pretty much certain it will if both hold it.

  • Destiny Knot: 5 random IVs
  • Power Anklet: Speed
  • Power Band: Special Defense
  • Power Belt: Defense
  • Power Bracer: Attack
  • Power Lens: Special Attack
  • Power Weight: Max HP

Nature

Having a beneficial nature is vital for competitive play.

Pokémon have specific natures , which you can effectively engineer so that you get better stats (+10%). Generally, it is determined at random. However, holding an Everstone guarantees that the child gets the holder’s Nature - obviously, if the parents differ in nature and both hold Everstones, it’s a 50-50 crapshoot.

Species

Previously mentioned, if two Pokémon are in the same Egg Group, then the child is of the female’s species, except under specific circumstances.

Abilities

In Pokémon X/Y, every Pokémon has two slots for abilities . In the named list, every final-listed ability is a Hidden Ability, unless it is the only one (which means it WILL have it). Otherwise… When it comes to the first-listed one, the child has a 80% chance of inheriting it, and 20% for the second one: first and second refer to the female parent’s current Ability and the one it doesn’t have, respectively.

For example, let’s say you’re breeding two "Fennekin" IconFennekin. If the female has Blaze, then there is an 80% chance the child will have Blaze, or 20% for Magician. Likewise, if the female Fennekin has Magician, then there is an 80% chance of the child getting Magician and 20% for Blaze.

Hidden Abilities

Not all Hidden Abilities are useful, but some–like Gale Wings–are amazing.

There are special, rare abilities called Hidden Abilities - they were normally only found through the Dream World on the Global Link in B/W or some Pokémon just outright had them.

They’re a bit different when it comes to inheritance in that the female or the male can know it. If the female has it, there’s an as-of-yet-undetermined high chance of it being inherited. If you don’t have a female with it, you can breed the male and "Ditto" IconDitto for a chance at having it.

Pokeball

Normally, one of the more obvious ways to detect illegitimate Pokémon on pure observation was the Pokéball they were caught in. Since some Pokémon, such as "Munchlax" IconMunchlax, are only available through breeding, you would have to be suspicious in previous generations if the Munchlax was caught in anything other than a Poké Ball.

This is different in X/Y - now the Pokéball that caught the female will be seen as having caught the child. This has a bit more of a strategic effect than you think. If you throw out a "Dragonite" IconDragonite from a Poké Ball online, your opponent could be certain it knows the Egg Move Iron Tail to counteract any Ice-types he may send it against it.

If it comes out in an Ultra Ball or the like, he/she can be more certain that you found it (or a pre-evolutionary form) in the wild and it won’t know it. But since this is masked, no one knows…

Shininess

The Shiny attribute of a Pokémon cannot be inherited. However, the Masuda method, which basically makes you breed with international Pokémon, allows Shinies to be almost six times more common. The specifics… Pokémon in the wild have a chance of being Shiny equal to 1 in 4,096 in this game, which is basically 0.0244%.

You can use PokéRadar/Fishing chaining to boost it up to 40 in 4,096 or so (0.976%) if you’re lucky. Then again, those preferring to breed can use two Pokémon from different-nationality games (basically yours and another country’s) to make the chances 1 in 1,366, close to 3 in 4,096, or about 0.0732%.

It’s still rare as crap, but it’s probably worth it if chaining ain’t your thing.

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Guide Information
  • Publisher
    Pokemon Company International
  • Platforms,
    3DS
  • Genre
    RPG
  • Guide Release
    1 November 2013
  • Last Updated
    11 July 2022
  • Guide Author
    Daniel Chaviers

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Become the ultimate Pokémon champion with our greatest Pokémon strategy guide yet. Inside we cover:

  • Everything that’s new to Pokémon X & Y.
  • 5 amazing tips to get your Pokémon collecting off to a blistering start.
  • Every single route, trainer battle and hidden shortcuts are covered.
  • What Pokémon can be found on what routes (both versions).
  • How to beat every single gym leader without breaking a sweat.
  • Where to find all those hidden items.
  • The locations of every single legendary Pokémon!
  • Where to find all of the amazing Mega Stones.
  • Pokémon-Amie, Super Training, Battle Chateau etc all covered!
  • Accompanied by over 240 super high-quality screenshots!
  • Additional details on the elusive event Pokemon distributions.
  • Encounter rates for finding wild Pokemon.
  • Videos for all the Gym Leader and Elite Four battles, plus legendary and shiny Pokemon.
  • Dozens of additional tips and reminders throughout the main walkthrough.
  • How to solve crime with the Looker Bureau in the post-game.
  • Full breakdown on how to breed the perfect Pokémon of your dreams!
  • How to catch those insanely rare Shiny Pokémon!
  • List of all the really helpful (and free) O-Powers.

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