Safari Zone Catch Rate Calculator
Catch Results
Catch Chance: 0%
How the Safari Zone Catch Rate Works
The Safari Zone is notorious among Pokémon trainers for its unique mechanics. Unlike standard battles where you weaken a Pokémon's HP and apply status conditions, the Safari Zone relies on a specific formula involving "Bait" and "Rocks."
Key Mechanics Explained
- Base Catch Rate: Every Pokémon species has a hidden number from 1 to 255. A higher number means the Pokémon is easier to catch. For example, a Caterpie has a 255 rate, while a legendary or rare Safari spawn like Chansey has a rate of 30.
- Throwing a Rock: Thrown rocks make the Pokémon angry. In most generations, this doubles the catch rate (making it easier to catch) but also doubles the flee rate (making it more likely to run away).
- Throwing Bait: Bait makes the Pokémon eat. This halves the catch rate (making it harder to catch) but halves the flee rate, keeping the Pokémon on the screen for more turns.
- Safari Balls: In modern interpretations (Gen 3 and beyond), the Safari Ball has a 1.5x catch rate multiplier, making it equivalent to a Great Ball.
Safari Zone Species Catch Rates
| Pokémon | Base Catch Rate | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Nidoran / Exeggcute | 235 / 90 | Easy to Moderate |
| Scyther / Pinsir / Tauros | 45 | Hard |
| Chansey / Kangaskhan | 30 / 45 | Very Hard |
| Dratini / Dragonair | 45 | Rare / Hard |
Calculation Strategy
To use this calculator, find the Base Catch Rate of your target Pokémon. The calculator applies the multipliers based on your choice of action. If you throw a rock, the catch chance goes up, but remember that the flee rate is not calculated here—you are essentially gambling that the Pokémon won't run before you throw the ball.
Pro Tip: In Gen 1, throwing a rock actually changes the "Catch Rate" byte. If the base rate is already high, throwing a rock can sometimes wrap the number around or hit the maximum cap of 255, ensuring a catch if it doesn't flee.