Breeding Pixelmon at a Day Care (Step by Step)

Understanding the Fundamentals of Pixelmon Daycare Breeding

Breeding Pixelmon at a Daycare is a core mechanic for obtaining Pokémon with ideal stats, natures, and abilities. It’s a strategic process that requires careful planning and an understanding of several key mechanics to ensure successful outcomes.

The Daycare Block: Your Breeding Hub

• The central piece for all breeding operations is the Daycare Block. Without it, you cannot initiate the breeding process.
• You can acquire a Daycare Block by purchasing it from shopkeepers found in various villages, or by locating and looting Daycare buildings that naturally generate within these villages.

Pokémon Compatibility: Who Can Breed?

Not all Pokémon can breed together. Compatibility is determined by specific rules:

• You need two Pokémon of opposite genders.
• Both Pokémon must belong to the same Egg Group.
• Alternatively, you can breed one Pokémon with a Ditto. Ditto is a special case as it can breed with almost any Pokémon, regardless of its Egg Group, acting as a universal breeding partner. However, a Ditto cannot breed with another Ditto.
• To check a Pokémon’s Egg Group, you can use the in-game command: /pwiki [PokemonName]. This command will provide detailed information, including its assigned Egg Group.

Item Requirements: Fueling the Breeding Process

Breeding in Pixelmon is not just about compatibility; it also demands resources:

• Breeding requires specific items that vary depending on the Pokémon’s primary typing. For example, a Fire-type Pokémon might require Fire-related items.
• These item requirements can become more complex and demanding for Pokémon that possess higher IV percentages, reflecting the effort needed to breed superior offspring.

The Science of Inheritance: Shaping Your Offspring

One of the most crucial aspects of breeding is controlling what traits your offspring inherit from its parents:

• Passing Down Natures: If a parent holds an Everstone, its nature is guaranteed to be passed down to the offspring. This is vital for competitive breeding.
• Maximizing IVs: A Destiny Knot held by either parent will ensure that the offspring inherits 5 random Individual Values (IVs) from the combined pool of both parents, instead of the usual 3. This significantly boosts the chances of getting high IV Pokémon.
• Targeting Specific IVs: Power items (such as Power Weight for HP, Power Anklet for Speed, etc.) can be used to guarantee the inheritance of a specific IV stat from the parent holding the item. For instance, a parent holding a Power Weight will pass down its HP IV.
• Ability Inheritance: The female parent has a higher chance (80%) to pass down its ability. If the female parent possesses a Hidden Ability, there’s a 60% chance for that Hidden Ability to be passed down.
• Egg Moves: Any Egg Moves known by either parent can be inherited by the offspring, allowing you to pass down powerful or strategic moves that a Pokémon might not learn naturally.

It’s also important to note that once breeding is initiated, the process continues even if the chunk is unloaded, meaning you don’t have to stay in the area for the timer to progress.

Your Step-by-Step Guide to Daycare Breeding

Follow these steps to successfully breed your Pixelmon at a Daycare:

Step 1: Acquire the Daycare Block

• First, you need a Daycare Block. You can either purchase one from a shopkeeper in a village or find one already placed within a Daycare building in a village. Once obtained, place it in a suitable location.

Step 2: Place Compatible Pokémon

• Interact with the placed Daycare Block. This will open an interface where you can place two compatible Pokémon from your party into the designated breeding slots. Remember the compatibility rules: opposite genders in the same Egg Group, or one Pokémon with a Ditto.

Step 3: Confirm the Offspring

• Once you’ve placed two compatible Pokémon, the Daycare interface will display what Pokémon species will be produced as an egg. Review this information and confirm your selection to proceed.

Step 4: Fulfill Item Requirements

• The Daycare will then present a list of required items. These items, their specific quantities, and the order in which they must be deposited are crucial. You must deposit these items into the Daycare in the exact specified order and amount. Failing to do so will halt the breeding process.

Step 5: Monitor Progress

• After all required items are provided, a timer and a progress bar will appear, indicating the time remaining until the egg is ready. You can conveniently check the breeding progress remotely at any time by accessing a dedicated Daycare tab within your survival inventory.

Step 6: Collect Your New Egg

• Once the timer counts down to zero and the progress bar is complete, your Pokémon egg will be ready. Return to the Daycare Block and interact with it to collect your newly bred egg.

Advanced Strategies and Essential Tips

To optimize your breeding efforts and achieve the best possible Pixelmon, consider these advanced strategies and helpful tips:

• Leveraging /pwiki: Always use the command /pwiki [PokemonName] to verify a Pokémon’s egg group, base stats, and available abilities. This ensures you’re pairing compatible Pokémon and planning for desired traits.
• Strategic Item Usage: Make liberal use of held items like the Everstone to secure the desired nature and the Destiny Knot to pass down a greater number of IVs from the parents. These items are fundamental for competitive breeding.
• Accelerating Breeding with Hourglasses: Hourglasses are invaluable tools for speeding up the breeding process. Different types of hourglasses offer varying levels of acceleration, either by skipping certain requirements or significantly reducing the breeding timer.
• Controlling Natures: Beyond the Everstone, if you’re hunting for wild Pokémon to use as breeding stock, placing a Pokémon with the Synchronize ability in the first slot of your party will increase the chance of encountering wild Pokémon with the same nature. For breeding, a Ditto holding an Everstone is an excellent way to pass down any desired nature to a wide variety of offspring.
• IV Progression: As you breed, you’ll produce offspring with progressively better IVs. It’s a highly effective strategy to continuously replace the original parents with their higher IV percentage offspring. This iterative process gradually improves the overall IV pool, leading to perfect or near-perfect IV Pokémon over time.
• Aesthetic Breeding: The mother’s Poké Ball (with the exception of Master Balls and Cherish Balls) will be passed down to the offspring. This allows you to breed Pokémon into aesthetically pleasing or rare Poké Balls.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid for Successful Breeding

Even with a solid understanding of the mechanics, certain mistakes can hinder your breeding progress. Be mindful of these common issues:

• Incompatible Pairings: A frequent mistake is attempting to breed Pokémon that are incompatible. This includes Pokémon of the same gender, those not belonging to the same Egg Group, or Legendary Pokémon (with the specific exception of Manaphy, which can breed Phione). The Daycare will indicate incompatibility.
• Insufficient or Incorrect Items: The breeding process will halt if you do not have all the required items, or if you try to deposit an insufficient quantity or items in the wrong order. Always double-check the Daycare’s item list.
• Ditto’s Unique Rules: While Ditto is highly versatile, remember its sole limitation: a Ditto cannot breed with another Ditto.
• Server-Specific Variations: Be aware that some Pixelmon servers might implement customized breeding mechanics. These could include disabled features, modified item requirements, or altered breeding rates. Always check server-specific rules if you encounter unexpected behavior.
• Chunk Unloading Misconceptions: While breeding generally continues even if the chunk is unloaded, some older systems or specific server configurations might behave differently. It’s usually safe, but keep it in mind if you experience issues.
• Misinterpreting Daycare Messages: Pay close attention to the dialogue from the Daycare man. His messages are crucial indicators of compatibility and breeding likelihood. For instance, “They would rather play with other Pokémon, though” is a clear sign that the Pokémon are incompatible. Conversely, “The two get along very well!” indicates a high chance of an egg being produced.