Pokemon Platinum Catch Rate Calculator

Legendaries like Giratina or Dialga are usually 3.

Poké Ball (1x) Great Ball (1.5x) Ultra Ball (2x) Dusk Ball (3.5x – Cave/Night) Quick Ball (4x – Turn 1) Net Ball (3x – Water/Bug) Timer Ball (4x – 10+ Turns) Master Ball (Guaranteed)

None (1x) Sleep / Freeze (2x) Paralyzed / Poisoned / Burned (1.5x)

How the Pokémon Platinum Catch Rate Works

In the Sinnoh region of Pokémon Platinum, capturing a Pokémon isn't just luck; it's a mathematical formula programmed into the game's engine. This calculator uses the Gen 4 capture formula to determine the probability of a successful catch based on current HP, status conditions, and the specific Poké Ball used.

The Gen 4 Capture Formula

The game calculates a value 'a' using the following logic:

a = (((3 * MaxHP – 2 * CurrHP) * Rate * BallModifier) / (3 * MaxHP)) * StatusModifier

If the value 'a' is 255 or higher, the Pokémon is caught automatically. Otherwise, the game performs "shake checks." This calculator provides the final percentage chance that a single ball thrown will result in a capture.

Tips for Catching Legendaries in Platinum

• Reduce HP to 1: Using the move False Swipe is critical for catching legendaries like Giratina, Heatran, or the Lake Guardians. It ensures the Pokémon stays at 1 HP without fainting.
• Apply Status: Sleep and Freeze provide a 2x bonus, while Paralysis provides a 1.5x bonus. Since Freeze is hard to trigger, Sleep (via moves like Spore or Hypnosis) is the most effective way to boost your odds.
• The Dusk Ball Advantage: In Pokémon Platinum, Dusk Balls are incredibly powerful. They offer a 3.5x catch rate modifier inside caves (like Turnback Cave or Stark Mountain) or at night (8:00 PM to 3:59 AM), which is superior to the Ultra Ball's 2x modifier.
• Turn Management: If a battle lasts more than 10 turns, the Timer Ball reaches its maximum effectiveness of 4x, making it the best ball for long legendary encounters.

Example Calculation

Imagine you are facing Giratina (Base Catch Rate of 3):

• ✅ HP: Reduced to 1 / 200
• ✅ Status: Sleep (2x bonus)
• ✅ Ball: Dusk Ball (3.5x bonus in a cave)
• Result: This results in approximately a 7.4% chance per throw. Without status or HP reduction, that chance would be less than 1%.

function calculatePlatinumCatch() { var mHP = parseFloat(document.getElementById('maxHP').value); var cHP = parseFloat(document.getElementById('currHP').value); var rate = parseFloat(document.getElementById('baseCatchRate').value); var ballMod = parseFloat(document.getElementById('ballType').value); var statusMod = parseFloat(document.getElementById('statusCondition').value); if (isNaN(mHP) || isNaN(cHP) || isNaN(rate) || mHP <= 0 || cHP mHP) { alert("Current HP cannot be higher than Max HP."); return; } // The 'a' value calculation for Gen 4 var a = (((3 * mHP – 2 * cHP) * rate * ballMod) / (3 * mHP)) * statusMod; var probability = 0; var resultDiv = document.getElementById('catchResult'); var percentDisplay = document.getElementById('percentDisplay'); var shakeDisplay = document.getElementById('shakeDisplay'); resultDiv.style.display = "block"; if (ballMod === 255 || a >= 255) { probability = 100; resultDiv.style.backgroundColor = "#d4edda"; percentDisplay.innerHTML = "100% Chance!"; shakeDisplay.innerHTML = "It's a guaranteed catch!"; } else { // Approximate capture probability // Actual Gen 4 math uses shake checks: p = (a/255)^0.25 for each of 4 shakes // But the overall probability is roughly a/255 for the capture probability = (a / 255) * 100; if (probability 20 ? "#fff3cd" : "#f8d7da"; var expectedBalls = Math.ceil(100 / probability); shakeDisplay.innerHTML = "Average balls needed: ~" + expectedBalls; } }