Breeding Pokemon has always been a big part of the series, ever since it was introduced back in Generation II. From that point onward, players should freely leave two Pokemon at the dedicated Daycare and return after some time to find an egg. If players placed the egg in their party and walked around with it, it would hatch after a specific amount of steps. This core concept hasn't changed much throughout the generations but Pokemon Scarlet & Violet introduces a unique new kink into the process.

Players that are curious about how to breed Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet can use the following guide to discover everything related to breeding and how it works in Generation 9.

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How To Breed Pokemon In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

Unlike previous generations, there is no Daycare in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. Instead, all breeding chances and egg production will take place during a player's Picnic. This is actually much more convenient because it allows players to breed for additional Pokemon practically anywhere as setting up a Picnic is as simple as entering a menu and tapping a couple of buttons. Players that have a male and female Pokemon (in the same Egg group) present at their picnic will have the chance to produce an egg during the moment of respite.

Players will find any eggs created inside the special basket on the ground near the table. After players set up the picnic and wait for a bit, they can check their Picnic Basket again by interacting with it at the table. If an egg has been produced, the game will alert players that there are eggs in the basket and ask if they would like to take them. Once players take an egg, it will be added to their box automatically. They can then head to the box to move the egg into their party to begin the hatching process.

Players will even be able to find eggs while at a friend's picnic (or hosting their own with friends) via online multiplayer union. Any Pokemon present can create an egg as long as they are the appropriate gender and in the same egg group.

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How To Hatch Eggs In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

Thankfully, hatching hasn't really changed in Generation 9. All players need to do in order to hatch their egg is put it into one of their party slots. Once there, players will need to move around as much as possible to cause their egg to hatch. Thankfully, players will have Koraidon (or Miraidon depending on their version) to roam around on. In fact, players can even increase the speed at which their eggs hatch by using the dash ability. They will get this ability after completing the first Titan Pokemon quest. By racing around any area on their mount, players will eventually get a prompt that their egg is hatching and a small cutscene will ensue to show the results.

How To Find Ditto In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

Those that are serious about Pokemon breeding will want to get their hands on a Ditto as soon as possible. Having a Ditto means players will only need to bring one of a particular Pokemon and gender to the table, rather than having to have a dedicated pairing for each Pokemon. This can save tons of time, so players should be able to grab a Ditto as soon as they can.

Ditto is primarily found in West Province (Area Two) and West Province (Area Three), but seeking one out in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet is a bit more difficult than in past releases. Ditto won't be wobbling around the map in its normal pink-colored blob-based form. It will instead be disguised as other Pokemon, and it won't have the simple Ditto face to help easily differentiate it from the rest of the herds patrolling the area. Once players engage a Ditto that is masquerading as a Pokemon it will instantly transform into its normal shape once the battle begins.

One handy tip is to "lock on" to the Pokemon to see if it's a Ditto before engaging it. If it's the first time players have seen a Ditto (having not logged it in the Pokedex) they will see its name as ???. Afterward, they will see the name as Ditto, even if it's currently disguised as something else.

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How To Increase Breeding Chances

Although Pokemon should breed fairly quickly if players create a Picnic, there is one way to help increase the rate at which players will receive eggs. If players create the right Sandwich, they will receive a buff called "Egg Power" which can be useful for decreasing the amount of time it takes for Pokemon to produce an egg during a Picnic event. Here's a look at all of the sandwiches and ingredients that provide an Egg Power-related buff: