How to Hatch Eggs and Breed

Want to breed and hatch eggs containing Pokemon capable of sweeping the competition in Pokemon Sword and Shield? This guide will show you the right method for breeding strong Pokemon including tips and tricks to know before breeding, the most effective breeding method, and some other additional information!

Things to Know and Get Before Breeding

Get a high IV value Ditto

Ditto

Getting a Ditto with 6 high Individual Values will make breeding strong Pokemon faster. Ditto can breed with any Pokemon and any gender with the exception of Legendaries.

Ditto / Pokerus Trading Board (42405)

How to Hatch Eggs Faster

You can hatch Eggs faster in Pokemon Sword and Shield by having a Pokemon with the ability Flame Body in your party. Flame Body will decrease the steps needed to hatch a Pokemon Egg.

Pokemon with the Ability Flame Body

Volcarona	Magmar	Sizzlipede
Centiskorch	Carkol	Coalossal
Litwick	Lampent	Chandelure
Ponyta	Rapidash

Pass Down Stats with Destiny Knot

Item	Effect
Destiny Knot	An item to be held by a Pokemon. If the holder becomes infatuated, the opposing Pokemon will be, Too.

Destiny Knot, when held by a breeding Pokemon, will ensure that it will pass 5 out of its 6 Individual Values to its offspring. This will help you in breeding especially when you have a Pokemon which already has good IV stats.

Pass Down Natures with the Everstone

Item	Effect
Everstone	An item to be held by a Pokemon. A Pokemon holding this peculiar stone is prevented from evolving.

Everstone, when held by a breeding Pokemon, will give its nature to its offspring. This will be of great help especially when you need to breed a Pokemon with a certain nature.

Passing Down Egg Moves

To pass down Egg Moves to the offspring, you only need to breed Pokemon with Egg Moves. The offspring will have a chance of getting the Egg Move from its parent.
How to Learn Egg Moves

Breeding Method

Free Up Space

Free up space in your Pokemon party to make way for the Pokemon eggs. Be sure to leave one Pokemon and it is recommended to leave a Pokemon with Flame Body.

Head to the Pokemon Nursery

Head to the Pokemon Nursery on either Route 5 or the Pokemon Nursery on Bridge Field by the Wild Area.

Choose the Pokemon You Want to Breed

Choose the Pokemon you want to breed and talk to the lady outside of the Pokemon Nursery. Leave your desired Pokemon with the high IV Ditto holding a Destiny Knot to get a chance of the offspring having high Individual Values.

Wait for the Egg to be Ready

Travel around with your bike, do Pokemon battles, or anything you want to let time pass by for the egg to be ready. After some time, check if the lady outside the nursery is holding her chin, this indicates that an egg has been made.

Go ahead and get the egg and it will be instantly placed into your party given that it has space.

Hatch the Egg

To hatch the egg, you need to reach a certain number of steps. Having a Pokemon with Flame Body in your party will greatly lessen the steps needed to hatch the egg.

When hatching the eggs, make sure to remove unnecessary Pokemon in your party and only retain Pokemon with Flame Body ability and the Eggs. Then, stroll around with your Rotom Bike to hatch them quickly. While going around, be sure to go back to the girl at the nursery to get more eggs for you to hatch.

Repeat Steps

Repeat all the steps until you get your desired Pokemon with the right stats, nature, and Egg Moves.

Hyper Training (optional)

If you get a Pokemon with only 5 high Individual Values, you can hyper train your Pokemon in the Battle Tower instead of hatching another egg. This will make strong Pokemon faster than having to hatch more eggs.

Be reminded, though, that your Pokemon needs to be level 100 and you have Bottle Cap or Gold Bottle Cap in your inventory to do this.

Mints (optional)

If you get a Pokemon with high Individual Values but not the desired nature, you can go and buy mints at the battle tower for you to change the Pokemon's nature.

Be reminded that mints are purchased with Battle Points which you get from battling in the Battle Tower.

Effects of Mints and Where to Find Mints

Additional Information for Breeding

Pokemon Special Breeding Conditions

Some Pokemon needs to have a held item for them to breed and produce an egg.

Pokemon	Held Item
Wobbuffet	Lax Incense
Roselia Roserade	Rose Incense
Sudowoodo	Rock Incense
Mr. Mime Mr. Rime	Odd Incense
Mantine	Wave Incense
Snorlax	Full Incense

Oval Charm

This item will increase the amount of Eggs a Pokemon will make. This item can be obtained by beating Leon.

Oval Charm Effect and How to Get It

Shiny Charm

This item is used to increase the chance of getting a shiny Pokemon variant. You need to complete the Pokedex for you to get the Shiny Charm.

Shiny Charm Effect and How to Get It

Pokemon Sword and Shield Related Guides

Breed & Train Competitive Pokemon

How to Breed & Train for Competitive Pokemon