what's your strategy for catching legendaries?

Mab

Mab

fleeting assembly
  • Pokémon General General Pokémon General Cadet Togepi Egg Love Ball
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    do you try to status them? do you use false swipe or just try to get them to approximately 1 HP? do you spam ultra balls or try to use balls with different contextual effects (quick ball, timer ball, dusk ball)? in other words, what's your usual approach and how well does it work out?
     
    What I usually do is, first of all, lead with my Synchronize user to try and get the optimal nature. Then, I switch in my False Swipe/Hold Back user to get them down to 1 HP, and when that's done, paralyze them because my team usually carries an Electric that can Thunder Wave them. At this point, I start chucking Ultra Balls in the hopes that I get lucky. After many rounds have passed, I start chucking Timer Balls alongside them. After the legendary's caught, I check to see its nature, and if it's not optimal, I reset and try again.
     
    Always start with a quick ball, which usually fails. Inflict status, even poison if im feeling desperate. Try getting it close to 1 HP, then spam Ultra Balls ----> Great Balls ----> Pokeballs
     
    I should try with a Quick Ball at the start, that would be cute if it worked. I usually wait until they're super low HP to status them, then chuck ultra balls. Never bother resorting to worse generic ball types, if it's gotten to that point I've already given up lmao
     
    First throw a Quick Ball in case that magically works, then reduce to red HP and maybe paralyze it, and then start chugging balls. I don't consider which ball fits the 'Mon best because that never works; I always use the 3 basic balls. I actually circulate through them, throwing each one a few times before changing, to see with which ball I seem to have 'most' luck with. Sometimes I notice the legendary sits in the Great Ball a bit longer than Ultra, so I go to throwing Great Balls from that point on. Once I pass 15 or-so turns I start throwing Timer Balls. And the only other thing I can do is pray it gets in for once.

    ...This is why I don't like soft resetting for static legendaries.
     
    strangerhypno said:
    Chuck all my poke balls, too lazy to attack it. Sometimes KO it without saving. I mean it's just gonna collect dust in my PC anyways.
    Click to expand...
    Without damaging at all? How does that work out for you D:
     
    I always just throw a Quick Ball first for the hell of it, because I once caught Dialga in Alpha Sapphire with the first Quick Ball. It's never worked since though.

    After that it's paralysis, False Swipe and spamming Ultra Balls. I might also try other balls depending on the situation. E.g. I've caught legendaries with Timer Balls before because the battle has slogged on forever, and Dusk Balls have worked when I'm in a cave.
     
    I try quick balls first. Weaken them as much as i can. Throw dusk balls/ultra balls.
     
    That depends if: 1) I am shiny hunting for Legendaries, then I want the best nature and hope for a good set if IVs. Get Alakazam with Synchro and stock on Ultra, Quick, Luxury, premier balls. Skill swap with harvest and Trick with item Leppa. Throw balls at it when HP half or lower. Keep throwing balls "rinse and repeat". 2) If I am catching Legendaries, then I just stock up on the pokeballs mentioned. Throw balls and repeat until caught.
     
    I tend to wait until night time (or if the legendary is in a cave I don?t bother) and get it down to below half HP before using Dusk Balls. Tends to be the way which requires least effort and planning.
     
    Yes, i do spam ultra balls, i have tried to catch moltres and zapdos in fire red, which i even paralyzed them, spammed the maximum of ultra balls and great balls, not knowing what i was doing, i wasted all of my balls, the only ball that i saved is the master ball that i gained from the old man of the silph co.
    I do have fainted the two of them, because i wanna save my master ball for the mewtwo when i beat the game.
     
    Usually I use a status element and try to get them as close to being fainted as possible. If I have any spare quick balls, it doesn?t hurt to try and chuck and a few during the first couple turns.
     
    Step 1: Save
    Step 2: Promise myself I won?t use the Masterball
    Step 3: Get the health bar low (ish)
    Step 4: Either poison or send it to Sleep
    Step 5: Throw a Ultraball
    Step 6: Hold down that button that I know makes Know difference but I?m too deep to stop now
    Step 7: Catch it and shout YES really loudly
    Step 8: Put the legendary in the PC and never use it again
     
    Hoenlad said:
    Step 4: Either poison or send it to Sleep
    Click to expand...

    Not really a fan of poisoning it, to be honest, unless you want the challenge of catching it on a timer - cuz when you poison something you're basically limiting the amount of turns you have to catch the legendary you want.
     
    HeroLinik said:
    Not really a fan of poisoning it, to be honest, unless you want the challenge of catching it on a timer - cuz when you poison something you're basically limiting the amount of turns you have to catch the legendary you want.
    Click to expand...

    Yeah I see what you mean about the timer, But once I?ve saved it beforehand I?ll try anything and tbh poison normally works for me.
     
    I'm not sure but you can inflict a status condition and later switch with a shedinja, and throw all the pokeballs you have (with the correct order)
     
    Honestly, I just save the Master Ball because I literally don't care about them at all.

    I only use them to lure in GTS trades for Pokemon I DO want.

    But if you want an actual strategy; it's simple: whittle down, status, ultra ball. If you screw up, soft reset.

    Not that hard.
     
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