Pokemon Brilliant Diamond Catch Rate Calculator

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Pokemon Brilliant Diamond Catch Rate Calculator

Legendaries are usually 3, Common Pokemon are 255.
Poké Ball (1x) Great Ball (1.5x) Ultra Ball (2x) Dusk Ball (In Caves/Night) (3x) Quick Ball (Turn 1) (5x) Net Ball (Water/Bug) (3.5x) Timer Ball (Max Turns) (4x) Master Ball (100%)
None (1x) Asleep or Frozen (2.5x) Paralyzed, Burned, or Poisoned (1.5x)

0% Chance

Understanding Catch Rates in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

Catching wild Pokemon in the Sinnoh region involves a complex mathematical formula introduced in the original Gen 4 games and faithfully recreated in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (BDSP). Whether you are hunting the legendary Dialga, Palkia, or just trying to finish your Sinnoh Pokédex, understanding the modifiers can save you dozens of Ultra Balls.

The Catch Rate Formula

The primary value calculated is known as 'a'. The formula used in our calculator is based on the modern core series mechanics:

a = (((3 * MaxHP – 2 * CurrHP) * BaseRate * BallMod) / (3 * MaxHP)) * StatusMod

If the result 'a' is 255 or higher, the Pokemon is a guaranteed catch. Otherwise, the game performs secondary calculations (the "shakes") to determine success. Our calculator provides the raw percentage chance of a successful capture based on these values.

Key Factors Influencing Your Success

  • HP Management: Lowering the Pokemon's HP is the most basic way to increase catch odds. Using "False Swipe" is highly recommended as it leaves the target with exactly 1 HP.
  • Status Effects: Not all statuses are equal. Putting a Pokemon to Sleep (SLP) or Freezing (FRZ) it provides a massive 2.5x multiplier, while Paralysis (PAR) only provides 1.5x.
  • Ball Selection: In BDSP, the Dusk Ball is arguably the strongest item, providing a 3x modifier when in caves or at night. The Quick Ball (5x) is the best choice for Turn 1.
  • Base Catch Rate: Every species has a hidden number. Legendaries like Giratina or Heatran have a rate of 3, making them extremely difficult to catch even at 1 HP with status effects.

Example: Catching Dialga/Palkia

If you face Dialga (Base Catch Rate 3) at Level 47:

  • Full HP with a Poké Ball: ~0.4% chance.
  • 1 HP with a Poké Ball: ~1.1% chance.
  • 1 HP + Asleep + Ultra Ball: ~5.8% chance.
  • 1 HP + Asleep + Timer Ball (after 10 turns): ~11.7% chance.

As you can see, stacking modifiers is essential for rare encounters!

function calculateCatchRate() { var maxHP = parseFloat(document.getElementById('maxHP').value); var currHP = parseFloat(document.getElementById('currHP').value); var baseRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById('baseCatchRate').value); var ballMod = parseFloat(document.getElementById('ballModifier').value); var statusMod = parseFloat(document.getElementById('statusModifier').value); if (!maxHP || maxHP <= 0 || currHP maxHP) { currHP = maxHP; } // Capture Calculation 'a' // Formula: a = (((3 * MaxHP – 2 * CurrHP) * BaseRate * BallMod) / (3 * MaxHP)) * StatusMod var a = (((3 * maxHP – 2 * currHP) * baseRate * ballMod) / (3 * maxHP)) * statusMod; var catchProbability = 0; if (a >= 255) { catchProbability = 100; } else { // The actual game uses a shake check formula: b = 65536 / (255/a)^0.25 // Catch chance is (a/255)^0.75 approximately for visual representation // For simple user feedback, we use the standard probability a/255 modified for shakes // Most calculators use (a/255) as the primary indicator. catchProbability = (a / 255) * 100; } var resultDiv = document.getElementById('catchResult'); var percentageText = document.getElementById('percentageText'); var descriptionText = document.getElementById('descriptionText'); resultDiv.style.display = 'block'; if (ballMod === 255) { percentageText.innerHTML = "100% Chance"; descriptionText.innerHTML = "The Master Ball never fails! You caught the Pokemon."; percentageText.style.color = "#7038f8"; } else { var finalPercent = catchProbability.toFixed(2); percentageText.innerHTML = finalPercent + "% Chance per Ball"; if (finalPercent > 50) { percentageText.style.color = "#2e7d32"; descriptionText.innerHTML = "Great odds! You should catch it within 1-2 shakes."; } else if (finalPercent > 15) { percentageText.style.color = "#f9a825"; descriptionText.innerHTML = "Decent odds. Keep throwing and you'll get it soon."; } else { percentageText.style.color = "#d32f2f"; descriptionText.innerHTML = "Low odds. Try lowering HP to 1 or using Sleep/Freeze status."; } } }

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