Pokémon Catch Rate Calculator Gen 8

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Pokémon Catch Rate Calculator (Gen 8)

(e.g., 3 for Legendaries, 45 for Starters, 255 for Magikarp)
Poké Ball (1x) Great Ball (1.5x) Ultra Ball (2x) Quick Ball (Turn 1) (5x) Dusk Ball (Night/Cave) (3x) Net Ball (Water/Bug) (3.5x) Repeat Ball (Already Caught) (3.5x) Timer Ball (Turn 10+) (4x) Level Ball (Max Modifier) (8x) Master Ball (Auto-Catch)
None (1x) Sleep / Freeze (2.5x) Paralysis / Poison / Burn (1.5x)
Player Level ≥ Wild Level Player Level < Wild Level

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How the Gen 8 Catch Rate Formula Works

In Pokémon Sword & Shield (Generation 8), catching a Pokémon isn't just luck; it's a mathematical formula involving several variables. This calculator uses the official Capture Value (a) formula to determine your percentage chance of a successful catch.

The Catch Value Formula

The core of the calculation is the Capture Value (a), which is calculated as follows:

a = [(3 * MaxHP – 2 * CurrentHP) * CatchRate * BallMod / (3 * MaxHP)] * StatusMod

Key Factors in Gen 8

  • HP Management: The lower the Pokémon's current HP relative to its Max HP, the higher the catch value. Bringing a Pokémon down to 1 HP using "False Swipe" is the gold standard.
  • Status Conditions: In Generation 8, Sleep and Freeze provide a massive 2.5x multiplier to your catch rate. Paralysis, Burn, and Poison provide a 1.5x multiplier.
  • The Level Penalty: A new mechanic introduced in Gen 8 is the level modifier. If your lead Pokémon's level is lower than the wild Pokémon's level, your catch rate is significantly penalized (multiplied by 0.5 or even 0.1 depending on specific patches and conditions).
  • Ball Multipliers: Different balls have specific conditions. For example, a Quick Ball provides a 5x multiplier on the first turn, while a Timer Ball reaches its peak 4x multiplier after 10 turns.

Practical Example

Imagine you are trying to catch a Zacian (Base Catch Rate: 10). You have it at 10/200 HP, it is Asleep (2.5x), and you are using an Ultra Ball (2x). Even with these factors, the catch rate is relatively low because of Zacian's low base catch rate, making your choice of Poké Ball and Status critical.

function calculateCatchRate() { var maxHP = parseFloat(document.getElementById("maxHP").value); var currentHP = parseFloat(document.getElementById("currentHP").value); var baseCatchRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById("baseCatchRate").value); var ballMod = parseFloat(document.getElementById("ballModifier").value); var statusMod = parseFloat(document.getElementById("statusModifier").value); var levelMod = parseFloat(document.getElementById("levelModifier").value); if (isNaN(maxHP) || isNaN(currentHP) || isNaN(baseCatchRate)) { alert("Please enter valid numerical values."); return; } if (currentHP > maxHP) { alert("Current HP cannot be higher than Max HP."); return; } // Master Ball Check if (ballMod >= 255) { document.getElementById("percentage-display").innerHTML = "100%"; document.getElementById("shake-details").innerHTML = "The Master Ball never fails! (Unless it's a Ghost in Pokémon Tower)."; document.getElementById("catch-result").style.display = "block"; return; } // Step 1: Calculate Capture Value (a) // Formula: a = (((3 * MaxHP – 2 * CurrHP) * Rate * Ball) / (3 * MaxHP)) * Status var a = (((3 * maxHP – 2 * currentHP) * baseCatchRate * ballMod) / (3 * maxHP)) * statusMod; // Apply Gen 8 Level Modifier a = a * levelMod; var catchProbability = 0; if (a >= 255) { catchProbability = 100; } else { // Step 2: Calculate shake probability (b) // b = 65536 / (255/a)^0.25 var b = 65536 / Math.pow((255 / a), 0.25); // Step 3: Probability of success (all 4 shakes succeed) // Total P = (b/65536)^4 // Which simplifies to: P = (a/255)^0.75 roughly, but the shake logic is more accurate catchProbability = Math.pow((b / 65536), 4) * 100; } // Display Results var resultDiv = document.getElementById("catch-result"); var percentDisplay = document.getElementById("percentage-display"); var shakeDetails = document.getElementById("shake-details"); resultDiv.style.display = "block"; percentDisplay.innerHTML = catchProbability.toFixed(2) + "% Chance"; if (catchProbability > 75) { percentDisplay.style.color = "#28a745"; shakeDetails.innerHTML = "Excellent odds! You'll likely catch it within 1-2 balls."; } else if (catchProbability > 30) { percentDisplay.style.color = "#ffc107"; shakeDetails.innerHTML = "Decent odds. Keep some extra balls handy."; } else { percentDisplay.style.color = "#e3350d"; shakeDetails.innerHTML = "Tough catch. Consider lowering HP further or using a Sleep status."; } }

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