Pokemon Sword and Shield

How to Hatch Eggs and Breed

Pokemon Breed and How to Hatch Egg Header.png

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 ImageDitto

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 (42392)

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

VolcaronaVolcarona MagmarMagmar SizzlipedeSizzlipede
CentiskorchCentiskorch CarkolCarkol CoalossalCoalossal
LitwickLitwick LampentLampent ChandelureChandelure
PonytaPonyta RapidashRapidash

Pass Down Stats with Destiny Knot

Item Effect
Destiny Knot ImageDestiny 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 ImageEverstone 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

Breeding Method Loop
✔︎ Free up space in your party
✔︎ Head to the Pokemon Nursery
✔︎ Choose the Pokemon you want to breed
✔︎ Wait for the egg to be ready
✔︎ Hatch the egg
Repeat steps until desired Pokemon is obtained
Optional Methods
✔︎ Hyper Training in the Battle Tower to get strong Pokemon
✔︎ Buy and use Mints

Free Up Space

Pokemon Breed and How to Hatch Egg - Free Up.jpg
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

Pokemon Breed and How to  Hatch Egg - Pokemon Nursery.jpg
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

Pokemon Breed and How to Hatch Egg - Breed.jpg
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

Pokemon Breed and How to Hatch Egg - Chin.jpg
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

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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)

Pokemon Breed and How to Hatch Egg - IV 2.jpg
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)

Mints.jpg

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 ImageWobbuffet Lax Incense ImageLax Incense
Roselia ImageRoselia
Roserade ImageRoserade
Rose Incense ImageRose Incense
Sudowoodo ImageSudowoodo Rock Incense ImageRock Incense
Mr. Mime ImageMr. Mime
Mr. Rime ImageMr. Rime
Odd Incense ImageOdd Incense
Mantine ImageMantine Wave Incense ImageWave Incense
Snorlax ImageSnorlax Full Incense ImageFull Incense

Oval Charm

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

Pokemon - 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

Training Pokemon.png

IVs
How to Check Your Pokemon's IVs How to Increase IVs
Natures & Abilities
How to Change a Pokemon's Nature How to Get Hidden Abilities
Eggs & Breeding
How to Learn Egg Moves How to Breed & Hatch Strong Pokemon
EVs, Pokerus, & Leveling Up
How to EV Train Fast and Reset EVs Pokerus Effects and How to Infect Your Pokemon
How to Level Up Fast
Building Good Teams
How to Build a Defensive Team

How to Breed & Train for Competitive Pokemon

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