Can You Breed Ultra Beasts in Pokémon?
No, Ultra Beasts cannot be bred in any of the current Pokémon games. As Genderless Pokémon in the Undiscovered Egg Group, Ultra Beasts can only reproduce with Ditto to produce eggs.
But what exactly are Ultra Beasts, and why is breeding them limited compared to other Legendaries? Let‘s dig deeper into these mysterious extradimensional creatures.
What are Ultra Beasts?
Ultra Beasts are extradimensional Pokémon originating from Ultra Space, an alternate dimension in the Pokémon universe. They were first introduced in Generation VII‘s Sun/Moon games.
Key traits of Ultra Beasts:
- Originate from worlds beyond the Alola region‘s Ultra Wormholes
- Code-named "UB-xx" based on order of discovery
- Genderless
- High base stat totals rivalling Legendaries
- Unique type combinations and move pools
- Dramatically alien designs and behaviors
There are currently 11 known Ultra Beasts, with unique backstories and properties that set them apart from standard Legendaries.
For example, Guzzlord seemingly exists only to devour everything in its path. And Blacephalon melts its own head as ammunition for fiery attacks. Their bios are as bizarre as their appearances.
Why Can‘t Ultra Beasts Breed?
As mentioned earlier, the primary reason Ultra Beasts cannot breed is their classification in the special Undiscovered Egg Group.
Pokémon in this group, including most Legendaries and Mythicals, can only reproduce with Ditto to create eggs. This makes obtaining multiples very difficult.
For reference, here are the typical limitations for breeding Legendary Pokémon:
| Pokémon Type | Can Breed With… | Exceptions |
|---|---|---|
| Legendaries | Only Ditto | Manaphy / Phione |
| Mythicals | Only Ditto | Manaphy / Phione |
| Ultra Beasts | Only Ditto |
The only exception – Manaphy and Phione – reproduce with each other to yield Phione eggs. No Ultra Beasts currently break this mold.
Moreover, all Ultra Beasts are Genderless, contrasting even with Legendaries that have defined male/female genders. This further limits potential breeding pairs.
Their strange physiologies likely preclude traditional breeding altogether. After all, these beings probably never needed biological reproduction back in Ultra Space!
Analyzing the Ultra Beasts Meta
Competitively, Ultra Beasts have enjoyed usage despite breeding restrictions hampering availability. Early on, Pheromosa and the Tapus comprised Alola‘s premier metagame cores.
And even today, Naganadel and Blacephalon feature on fringe rosters. But experimentation requires lots of eggs – or trading.
Usage stats across tournaments shows mediocre presence:
| Ultra Beast | Smogon SS Usage | Players Cup III Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Naganadel | 0.4% | 0.7% |
| Blacephalon | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| Buzzwole | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Pheromosa | 0.1% | 0% |
| Xurkitree | 0% | 0% |
| Celesteela | 0% | 0% |
| Guzzlord | 0% | 0% |
Their cumulative usage sits around 2-3% – much lower than ever-present options like Incineroar or Regieleki.
Without breeding motivation, players gravitate towards more available substitutes. Surprise factor alone fails carrying niche strategies.
Can Poipole / Naganadel Breed?
Poipole and its evolution Naganadel actually CAN breed! But the breeding process has unique caveats.
As the only Ultra Beast evolutionary line, Poipole typifies key traits:
- Genderless (Can only breed with Ditto)
- Egg moves unobtainable
- Undiscovered Egg Group
Still, diligent trainers can farm multiple competitive Naganadel through egg cycles. And inheriting high IVs eases training late evolutions.
No other Ultra Beasts enjoy this minor flexibility though. The rest remain restricted as before.
Summary – Ultra Beast Breeding Restrictions
In conclusion, as Genderless Pokémon classified under the Undiscovered Egg Group, Ultra Beasts CANNOT be bred – with the singular exception of Poipole->Naganadel inheriting egg moves from Ditto.
Competitively, their limited availability offers some trade-off versus raw strength. And self-sufficiency appeals more to seasoned players.
Still, for veterans and casual fans alike, Ultra Beasts deliver uniquely alien, almost invasive, additions extending the Pokémon world‘s boundaries.
While unconventional and at times seemingly imbalanced, they successfully established dimensionality themes anchoring Sun/Moon‘s storylines. Their proliferation across metagames has been limited but noticeable.
And with active tournaments and trading connecting players worldwide, collectability stays relevant – especially for beasts as epic-looking as these extradimensional creatures!
