Summary
Poke Balls are the iconic mechanism inPokemongames where players catch Pokemon and store them for battle, trade, or collecting. The strength of a Poke Ball determines how much it raises a wild Pokemon’s catch rate. The rarity of Poke Balls has been skewed with recent installments, however, due to vending machines and Item Printers.
The following will rank Poke Balls seen in the mainline games, Generations 1 through 9, by their rarity. It will exclude Poke Balls exclusive toPokemon Legends: Arceus(except for a unique one), since they can all be crafted easily and closely parallel the original Poke Balls in design and function.
29Poke Ball
The Classic
The basic Poke Ball was introduced in Generation 1 and is the most accessible Ball of the entirePokemonseries. It’s the cheapest Ball and can be purchased from any Poke Mart immediately after finishing the tutorial.
The Poke Ball has a standard catch rate of 1x, whereas inPokemon Legends: Arceus, the Hisuian version has a slightly lower catch rate at 0.75x.
28Great Ball
The Slightly Better Classic
The Great Ball comes from Generation 1 and is the second most common Ball. It’s a slightly better version of the Poke Ball with a 1.5x catch rate. The Hisuian version has the same exact catch rate.
In the main games, the Great Ball is available in any Poke Mart, usuallyafter defeating the first gym.
27Ultra Ball
Double The Poke Ball Catch Rate
The Ultra Ball also comes from Generation 1 and has double the catch rate of the standard Poke Ball. It’s one of the more expensive standard Poke Balls, but it’s still easily available at any Poke Mart after defeating the first few gyms.
The Hisuian version has a slightly better catch rate at 2.25x.
26Premier Ball
A Promotional Gift
The Premier Ball was introduced in Generation 3 and has the same exact catch rate as a standard Poke Ball. While this Ball is accessible immediately, it is technically rarer than some other purchasable Balls because only one is received for every ten or more Poke Balls purchased at once.
But Poke Balls are cheap, so getting multiple Premier Balls is fairly easy.
25Nest Ball
A Less Rare Version Of The Level Ball
The Nest Ball was introduced in Generation 3 and helps effectively catch lower-level Pokemon. It pops up generally after defeating a few gyms, appearing frequently in particular city Poke Marts from each generation onward.
It’s useful inthe mainline games beforeSword/Shield, where it’s easier to find lower-level Pokemon in earlier areas.
24Net Ball
For Water Or Bug Lovers
The Net Ball was introduced in Generation 3 and effectively catches Water or Bug-type Pokemon. Originally, it was easily accessible at Mossdeep City inRuby/Sapphire/Emerald, and it appeared frequently in later games in numerous ways.
It’s slightly rarer than the Nest Ball due to it being accessible later.
23Dive Ball
Not To Be Confused With Lure Ball
The Dive Ball emerged in Generation 3, originallyused to catch underwater Pokemon. From Generation 4 and on, the Dive Ball assisted in catching Pokemon while surfing, fishing, or underwater.
It was developed in Mossdeep City and is about as accessible as the Net Ball.
22Heal Ball
For Those Allergic To The Clinic
The Heal Ball was introduced in Generation 4 and has the same catch rate as a standard Poke Ball. The gimmick of the Heal Ball is that it fully heals Pokemon caught within it, although this doesn’t matter much in the most recent generations.
The Heal Ball is fairly easy to get and inexpensive to purchase.
21Quick Ball
(Hopefully) First Try
Introduced in Generation 4, the Quick Ball is used to catch Pokemon within the first round of battle with a 4x catch rate, and in Generation 5 and on, it has a 5x catch rate.
It’s about the same price as the Dusk Ball and Dive Ball and is usually accessible about midway through each game. It’s possible to find a Quick Ball lying around wild areas inScarlet/Violet.
20Dusk Ball
Creeping In The Dark
The Dusk Ball was introduced in Generation 4, being used to catch wild Pokemon during the night or in a cave. It’s usually available early on once playersmove away from the starting town.
The easiest way to get a Dusk Ball is to buy it, and it is about as expensive as the Dive Ball. It’s possible to find Dusk Balls lying around wild areas and caves inScarlet/Violet.
