Last Updated: Oct 14, 2016
| Mechanics | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Gym Combat Mechanics |
 Damage Mechanics |
||||
This page is in process of revision, and does not reflect the latest research, particularly with respect to catch bonuses. An update is expected within one week.Reference 1, Reference 2, Reference 3.
Every Go player quickly realizes that some Pokémon are harder to catch than others. Why? What calculations happen behind the scene when a PokeBall hits the target?
After an enormous and collaborative research effort, the mechanics of Pokémon Go Capture Rate are now well understood.
The target ring offers a quick visual estimate of a Pokémon's Capture Rate. Its color ranges from a vibrant green to a vibrant red, which corresponds to these Capture Rate thresholds:
| Ring Color | Capture Rate |
|---|---|
| Green | 66~100% |
| Yellow | 36~65% |
| Orange | 26~35% |
| Red | 0~25% |
- Pokémon species
- Pokémon level
- Type of Pokeball used
- Whether Razzberry was applied
- Curve ball bonus
- Nice / great / excellent throws
- Trainer level
- Number of captures
- Pokémon Type
- Pokémon's IV
- Pokémon's mood
- When PokeBall lands outside of targeting ring
- Number of attempts
- Duration
- Speed of travel
- Time of day
- Weather and other acts of god
Each Pokémon has a Base Capture Rate determined by its species. It reflects the Capture Rate of a Level 14 Pokémon:
| Base Capture Rate | Base Stage Pokémon |
|---|---|
| 56% | Magikarp |
| 48% | Oddish |
| 40% | Caterpie Weedle Pidgey Rattata Spearow Ekans Sandshrew Nidoran♀ Nidoran♂ Jigglypuff Zubat Venonat Diglett Meowth Psyduck Mankey Poliwag Abra Machop Bellsprout Tentacool Geodude Slowpoke Magnemite Doduo Seel Grimer Shellder Drowzee Krabby Voltorb Exeggcute Koffing Rhyhorn Horsea Goldeen Staryu |
| 32% | Paras Ponyta Gastly Cubone Tangela Eevee Porygon Omanyte Kabuto Dratini |
| 24% | Clefairy Vulpix Growlithe Farfetch'd Mr. Mime Scyther Jynx Electabuzz Magmar Pinsir Tauros |
| 16% | Bulbasaur Charmander Squirtle Pikachu Hitmonlee Hitmonchan Lickitung Chansey Lapras Ditto Aerodactyl Snorlax Kangaskhan Onix |
| 0% | Articuno Zapdos Moltres Mewtwo Mew |
Base Capture Rate is then modified by the Pokémon Level using the formula:
$$Capture Rate = \frac{Base Capture Rate}{2 * CP Multiplier}$$CP Multiplier is a variable used for calculations throughout Pokemon GO based on Pokemon Level, see this lookup table for details.
The value of CaptureRate can range from 0.0273336 to 2.9787234 for wild pokemon. It is equal to the probability that a pokemon will be caught when a pokeball is thrown with no bonuses. If it is greater than 1, the probability is 100%.
| LVL | 56% | 48% | 40% | 32% | 24% | 16% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 85% |
| 2 | 100% | 100% | 100% | 96% | 72% | 48% |
| 3 | 100% | 100% | 93% | 74% | 56% | 37% |
| 4 | 100% | 94% | 78% | 63% | 47% | 31% |
| 5 | 96% | 83% | 69% | 55% | 41% | 28% |
| 6 | 87% | 75% | 62% | 50% | 37% | 25% |
| 7 | 80% | 69% | 57% | 46% | 34% | 23% |
| 8 | 75% | 64% | 53% | 43% | 32% | 21% |
| 9 | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% |
| 10 | 66% | 57% | 47% | 38% | 28% | 19% |
| 11 | 63% | 54% | 45% | 36% | 27% | 18% |
| 12 | 61% | 52% | 43% | 35% | 26% | 17% |
| 13 | 58% | 50% | 42% | 33% | 25% | 17% |
| 14 | 56% | 48% | 40% | 32% | 24% | 16% |
| 15 | 54% | 46% | 39% | 31% | 23% | 15% |
| 16 | 52% | 45% | 37% | 30% | 22% | 15% |
| 17 | 51% | 44% | 36% | 29% | 22% | 15% |
| 18 | 49% | 42% | 35% | 28% | 21% | 14% |
| 19 | 48% | 41% | 34% | 27% | 21% | 14% |
| 20 | 47% | 40% | 33% | 27% | 20% | 13% |
| 21 | 46% | 39% | 33% | 26% | 20% | 13% |
| 22 | 45% | 38% | 32% | 26% | 19% | 13% |
| 23 | 44% | 37% | 31% | 25% | 19% | 12% |
| 24 | 43% | 37% | 31% | 24% | 18% | 12% |
| 25 | 42% | 36% | 30% | 24% | 18% | 12% |
| 26 | 41% | 35% | 29% | 23% | 18% | 12% |
| 27 | 40% | 35% | 29% | 23% | 17% | 12% |
| 28 | 40% | 34% | 28% | 23% | 17% | 11% |
| 29 | 39% | 33% | 28% | 22% | 17% | 11% |
| 30 | 38% | 33% | 27% | 22% | 16% | 11% |
For the evolved form of a Pokémon that evolves only once, its Base Capture Rate is 1/2.5 of base form. For the evolved form of a Pokemon that evolves in two stages, its Base Capture Rate is halved in each stage. Example:
| Base | 1st Evolution | 2nd Evolution |
|---|---|---|
| Lvl 14 Rattata: 40% | Lvl 14 Raticate: 16% | |
| Lvl 14 Caterpie: 40% | Lvl 14 Metapod: 20% | Lvl 14 Butterfree: 10% |
The color of the targeting ring, and the capture rate, will adjust base on ball selection using the following formula:
$$Ball Capture Rate = 1 - (1 - Capture Rate) ^{Ball Factor}$$Where Ball Factor is defined as:
| Ball Type | Ball Factor |
|---|---|
| Poke Ball | 1 |
| Great Ball | 1.5 |
| Ultra Ball | 2 |
Note that if Pokeball is selected, Capture Rate stays the same.
Great and Ultra Balls are comparatively more effective when Capture Rate are low. For hard to catch Pokemon, Great Ball approaches 1.5x the effectiveness of Pokeball, and Ultra Ball approaches 2x effectiveness over Pokeballs.
| PokeBall | Great Ball | Ultra Ball |
|---|---|---|
| 100% | 100% | 100% |
| 96% | 98% | 100% |
| 92% | 96% | 99% |
| 88% | 93% | 99% |
| 84% | 91% | 97% |
| 80% | 88% | 96% |
| 76% | 85% | 94% |
| 72% | 82% | 92% |
| 68% | 79% | 90% |
| 64% | 76% | 87% |
| 60% | 72% | 84% |
| 56% | 68% | 81% |
| 52% | 64% | 77% |
| 48% | 60% | 73% |
| 44% | 56% | 69% |
| 40% | 52% | 64% |
| 36% | 48% | 59% |
| 32% | 43% | 54% |
| 28% | 38% | 48% |
| 24% | 33% | 42% |
| 20% | 28% | 36% |
| 16% | 23% | 29% |
| 12% | 17% | 23% |
| 8% | 12% | 15% |
| 4% | 6% | 8% |
Ball Capture Rate can be further modified with the following multipliers:
| Name | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Razzberry | x1.5* |
| Curve Ball | x1.2* |
| Nice Throw | x1.1* |
| Great Throw | x1.3* |
| Excellent Throw | x1.5 |
$$BallCatchRate = \frac{1}{2}(1+(Green-Red)/255)$$
where:
Green is the green color value (up to 255).
Red is the red color value (up to 255).
The formula was deduced by taking screenshots of in-game catches and recording the color of catch ring pixels, and then comparing to the catch rate value returned by the server for that catch.
Base Capture Rate as determined by Pokemon species
$$Capture Rate = \frac{Base Capture Rate}{2 * CPM}$$ $$Ball Capture Rate = 1 - (1 - Capture Rate) ^{Ball Factor}$$ $$Final Capture Rate = Ball Capture Rate * Multiplier $$Finally, the server generates a Random Number between 0% and 100.0%. If Final Capture Chance is greater than this random number, the Pokémon is caught. If Final Capture Rate is less than this random number, the Pokémon breaks out and possibly flees.
| State | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Final Capture Rate Random Number | Catch Success |
| Final Capture Rate Random Number | Miss |
Hopefully this gives a better understanding of how Pokemon catching mechanics work.
If anyone has any questions or spots an error, please let us know below.
Credit:
Homu for his extensive research. TheSilphRoad and PokemonGoDev subreddits. A special thanks to Redditors /u/gtmeteor, /u/Pyrotarlu74, /u/dondon151, /u/The_Desert_Rain, /u/RhyniD, and /u/Yogehi for their efforts.
