Gotcha! Yes, You Can Catch Transformed Ditto After It Shape-shifts
As an avid Pokémon Go trainer myself, I totally get the excitement and frustration around trying to catch the elusive shape-shifter Ditto. After months of chasing that sneaky blob in vain, many players ask: can you ACTUALLY nab Ditto after it transforms in the wild?
I’m here to happily report that the answer is YES! While tricky, it IS possible to successfully capture a Ditto post-transformation if you know where and how to hunt for those sly impersonators.
In this epic trainer guide, we’ll geek out on everything Ditto:
- How This Failed Mew Clone Morphs in Battle
- Current Disguise Species & Spawn Stats
- Special Catch Strategies for Shapeshifted Ditto
- What Makes Shiny Ditto So Rare
- Breeding & Battling Hacks with Transform Types
- Ditto Mirror Match Mayhem!
Let’s get started, young Padawan! This info will level up your Ditto dex entries faster than a Quick Attack…
A Genetic Copycat: The Origins of Ditto
To understand Ditto’s transforming abilities, we have to go back in time (cue the PokéFlute!) Ditto is actually a failed clone of the Mythical Pokémon Mew, created by sinister scientists in the lab on Cinnabar Island. Clearly, they were trying to genetically engineer the powerful Mewtwo.
But their first attempt resulted in this pink blobbish mutation, Ditto. Unlike Mew or Mewtwo, Ditto had no combat capabilities in its natural state. However, its freaky genetic code allows it to metamorphosize and copy other ‘mons!
So while it can’t hold its own in battle, Ditto survives using disguise, deception, and mimicry. Pretty clever for a pile of sentient pink Jell-O, if you ask me!
Current Possible Disguises (March 2023)
In Pokémon GO, Ditto hides by shape-shifting into common ‘mon:
| Disguise Species | Spawn Rate % |
|---|---|
| Diglett | 25% |
| Grimer | 25% |
| Snubbull | 50% |
As you can see, Snubbull is by far the most likely costume for Ditto right now at 50% odds.
I’ve crunched the numbers, and out of say, 100 random wild spawns you encounter, only around 3 will be a disguised Ditto. And that’s if you manage to catch every single Diglett, Grimer AND Snubbull that pops up!
So it really does take dedication and patience to pin down this transformable trickster. Speaking of patience…
Special Capture Strategies for Undercover Ditto
When dealing with a disguised Ditto, technique is key to landing that capture. Here are my top tips as an avid PoGo trainer:
- Stay stealthy – use incense, avoid driving. Less movement = more spawns!
- Stock up on Pinaps – double your Ditto candy rewards.
- Catch EVERY potential disguise mon you see, no exceptions!
- Listen for the “Oh?” transform cry as you catch. Unique audio cue!
- Save Ditto Research encounters as motivation.
I also recommend connecting with your local PoGo community. Crowd-source Ditto sightings via Discord, Facebook, Reddit, or group chats to up your chances!
Now, let’s talk about the ultra-rare Shiny Ditto…
Why Is Shiny Ditto So Much Harder to Get?
As if regular Ditto isn’t tough enough to snag, its shiny variant takes the catch-rate to a whole other level. Here’s why Shiny Ditto is so unbelievably rare:
| Odds of: | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| Seeing a Wild Ditto | Approx. 3% |
| Of that being Shiny | 1 in 64 |
| TOTAL Odds | 1 in 2,133 |
So you basically have a 0.05% chance, or 1 in 2,133 odds of stumbling across a Shiny Ditto! And that’s only IF you have the skill to catch every single detective Pikachu amount of ditto’s potential disguises along the way.
As both a PoGo analyst and long-time trainer, I rank Shiny Ditto as one of the #1 rarest and most prized Shines in the game, moreso than legendaries like Shiny Mewtwo or Rayquaza!
Hacks for Battling with Transformed Ditto
Now for the big question: What do you actually DO with Ditto once you’ve caught it?
Well my young Padawan, a Ditto in your battle party enables some seriously sneaky shape-shifting hacks and tricks!
Ditto’s Transforms Copy EVERYTHING:
✅ Match opponent’s HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense
✅ Mirror all fast & charged moves
✅ Gain same type as Pokémon it copied
This makes Ditto a wildcard in Gym and Raid Battles. It automatically counters anything you go up against!
There are so many filthy matchups you can create. Like sending Ditto against Blissey to copy her towering HP stat. Or having Ditto face a Tyranitar to score STAB on that Stone Edge spam!
Heck, your opponent might even falsely attack their OWN Ditto for massive confusion damage! Mind games for the win!
The one downside is that Ditto keeps its crap IVs when transforming. So power up your best one as far as possible for maximum battle chaos.
Ditto Doubles Down in the Daycare!
Battling isn’t the only way to play with your prized pink blob. Once you accumulate some Ditto candy, take it over to the Pokémon Daycare to unlock breeding!
Ditto’s Transform ability makes it compatible with nearly any Pokémon. So park it in the Daycare alongside something like Larvitar, Dratini or Gible to cook up precious eggs with rare candies and stardust.
You can also pass down IVs and Nature using the right Ditto specimen. So breeding Dittos with ideal stats is a metagame in itself among competitive players and shiny hunters.
In fact, raids dedicated to farming perfect IV Dittos are common in PoGo communities. The blob is just THAT valuable for baby making!
When Ditto Battles…Itself?!
Finally, no Ditto masterclass would be complete without addressing the age-old question:
What happens when Ditto fights another Ditto?
Well young travelers, the universe does NOT implode! But the results are pretty goofy and glitchy.
Once opposing Dittos transform into a copy of each other, all they can do is wiggle around haplessly until one finally keels over!
With both only knowing Transform, the dittos will never actually attack. They just continually shapeshift endlessly due to a programming loop. Like looking into a bizarre funhouse mirror hall!
The only attacks used will be Struggle if they run out of PP. And trust me, two blobs slap-fighting with Struggle is a sight to behold!
So while frustrating, pitting Ditto against its doppelgänger creates some of the most hilarious and meme-worthy battle scenarios in Pokémon history!
And with that, you officially know more about capturing transformed Ditto than any Elite Four member! I hope this guide saves you months of torment hunting these amorphous imposters.
Never again will you fruitlessly ask “where’s that blasted Ditto?!” after yet another failed disguise encounter. You’re now armed with all the evolutionary biology, spawn intel, catching strategies and metamorphic matchups that any expert Ditto trainer needs!
So get out there and start snagging those slippery suckers, young grasshopper! Ditto domination awaits. Just believe in the blob, and the blob shall come.
Let me know when you finally catch one those sly dogs! It’ll be a proud moment for any young PokéMaster in training.
Game on, traveler! 💪
