After years of anticipation, you can now obtain a Master Ball in Pokémon Go.
The Master Ball is the most recognizable Pokémon-catching device of all time. The Master Ball, which first appeared in the main series’ Pokémon Red and Blue, has a highly special trait: it has a 100% catch rate on whatever Pokémon you use it on.
Long-time Pokémon Go players will be aware of the awful sense of completing a raid and failing to catch the subsequent encounter, and with the Master Ball, there is one way to assure the Pokémon is really yours.
When Pokémon Go launches in May 2023, the only way to obtain a Master Ball is to complete the Let’s Go Special Research as part of Season 10: Rising Heroes.
After completing the fifth step, you will be rewarded with the Master Ball. This research can only be begun for a limited period – you must get into the game and start it before the season finishes at 10 a.m. local time on June 1, 2023 — but once you start it, you’ll have access to it until you finish it.
Master Balls are extremely rare and, with a 100% catch rate, should preferably be used only in very specialized situations.
It is totally up to you what you use it for; however, we have several suggestions:
- Galarian Articuno, Zapdos, or Moltres discovered while using Daily Adventure Incense, which have a 0.3% capture rate and a 90% flee rate and are likely the hardest Pokémon to catch in the game.
- A high IV legendary encounter, like Mewtwo, after a raid that you wish to level up. We recommend starting with your standard set of Premier Balls and then switching to a Master Ball as a last resort.
- Unown is an exception, unless you already have a letter or form for it, or if it spawns during an event, in which case it is far more common, as are other extremely rare wild encounters like the “Lake Trio” Uxie, Mesprit, or Azelf, or Unown.
- Pokemon in the wild that is shiny. The encounter following a raid (when the catch is assured with your first Premier Ball, assuming you land it) and occasions like Community Day, when shinies are much more prevalent, are a couple of exceptions to this rule.
