To breed Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet, you need to have a picnic outside of towns or cities, and at least one female and male Pokemon of the same egg group or a Ditto in your party.

If you have two Pokemon of the same Egg Group, two Grass types, for instance, they can produce eggs. Then you must wait and check the basket next to the picnic table for eggs.

  • Have at least one female and male Pokemon of the same egg group or Ditto in your party.
  • Find a flat spot outside of towns or cities.
  • Open your menu with ‘X’ and select “Picnic.”
  • Wait, interact with Pokemon, or make sandwiches.
  • Check the basket at the end of the table.
  • Select the eggs one by one and select “Yes” to keep the Pokemon eggs (they are sent to your boxes).
  • Put the egg in your party by taking it out of the boxes and swapping it in.
  • Run around until it hatches.
Picnicking at night with Pokemon

The Pokemon eggs you get will always be the same as the female Pokemon that were bred to create them. The only exception is with Ditto, where the egg is the same as the other Pokémon that bred with it.

There are certain Pokemon that have a Gender Unknown egg group, like a Magnemite, and can only breed if you have a Ditto. But Ditto cannot breed with other Ditto. The No Eggs Discovered Egg Group cannot breed at all.

Pokemon Breeding Tips in Scarlet & Violet

To increase your chances of breeding Pokemon, there are four things to keep in mind.

Consumables with the Egg Power bonus can increase the eggs your Pokemon produce. If there are specific Pokemon you want to breed, take every other Pokemon out of the party before the Picnic.

Try to capture a Ditto to use for breeding, as they can breed across Egg Groups and gender. To catch one, follow our guide on where to catch Ditto.

Professor Jacq Intro

Lastly, in past games, trading Pokemon with another player can increase the likelihood of the traded Pokemon producing an egg.

  • Use consumables with the Egg Power.
  • Have only two Pokemon in your party.
  • Capture and use a Ditto for breeding.
  • Try trading with other players.

Also, unless you want to wait around and find something else to do, try going up to Pokemon to wash them for Exp. and friendship levels. Or consider making a sandwich or playing with the soccer ball.

Can Items Increase Eggs in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet?

Yes, consuming items with the Egg Power can increase the likelihood of two Pokemon producing an egg in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet.

Depending on the recipe or item, Egg Power can only go as high as level 2 for sandwiches and other food items.

Eating a Sandwich Mystically

So, creating a dish like the Great Marmalade Sandwich will net you a greater chance of an egg than a level 1 Egg Power sandwich.

Can You Breed with Ditto in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet?

Yes, you can breed Ditto with any Pokemon, regardless of egg group or gender, except those in the No Egg Discovered egg group.

Ditto’s also, though almost universally breedable, cannot breed with other Dittos; however, they can breed with Gender unknown Egg Groups. In fact, they are the only that can.

Ditto in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

If you are Shiny hunting or looking to really get into the breeding mechanic, you should find and catch a Ditto, as they are immensely helpful. With Ditto, you don’t even need to worry about matching Egg Groups or even having a female version of the Pokemon.

To catch one, follow our guide on where to catch Ditto.

Can You Breed Pokemon Using the Masuda Method?

Yes, You can utilize the Masuda method to increase the likelihood of Shiny Pokemon hatching in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet.

First developed in Generation 4 by Junichi Masuda, the method involves breeding two Pokemon from different language copies of the game to increase the chance of a Shiny Pokemon.

two Poke balls passing each other in the sky in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

Shiny Pokemon are color variants of Pokemon and can only be found in the wild, in Mass Outbreaks, in Terra Raid Battles, or by breeding.

The Masuda Method increases the chance of Shiny Pokemon from one in 4096 to six in 4096. This can be stacked with Egg Power bonuses from sandwiches and the shiny charm.

Follow our guide to get the Shiny charm and learn how to get Shiny starter Pokemon. Or, if want to try out the Masuda method yourself, go to our trading guide.