Pokémon Go: How to catch Ditto in 2024
Ditto is one of the most mysterious monsters in Pokémon – numerous theories surround the origins of the pink slime puddle, which is able to transform into any other Pokémon. It may be a side product of the cloning experiments conducted with the genes of Mew, which resulted in the creation or Mewtwo, or it may have nothing to do with insidious deeds like that at all. Wherever the truth may lie, you'll have to catch Ditto in Pokémon Go to solve some Special Research Tasks, including quest chains leading to Mew and Meltan.
The catch: you'll never be able to spot the Transform Pokémon just like that on your screen, because it's always running around in disguise – in the form of other Pokémon.
A scene you'll never actually experience in the game, where Ditto only appears in disguise.
Niantic
Luckily, we have all of Ditto’s possible disguises in Pokémon Go in 2024 on our radar.
Ditto’s disguises in 2024 – Pokémon Go
As of January 2, 2024, Ditto can disguise itself as the following monsters in Pokémon Go:
- Bergmite
- Goldeen
- Oddish
- Koffing
- Rhyhorn
- Stufful
- Numel
- Bidoof
- Gothita
- Solosis
Whenever you catch one of these Pokémon, there is a chance that it is actually secretly Ditto. However, this only applies to normal variants of the creatures. Shiny versions can never be Ditto in disguise.
You won't know if you've actually caught the Transform Pokémon until after you've caught it – your avatar will emit a surprised "Oh?" and the Pokémon you've just caught will transform back into Ditto before your eyes.
Catching a Ditto will result in a surprised reaction by your avatar.
Niantic
What are the odds of catching Ditto in Pokémon Go?
Developer Niantic treats the actual chance of encountering Ditto as something of a state secret, but it definitely happens quite rarely. As you can imagine, the Shiny version is an absolute rarity for this reason. Ditto is only useful for filling the Pokédex and completing tasks, since breeding is not yet a thing in Pokémon Go and you can’t use the pink slime in most battles.
Is there a trick to lure Ditto in Pokémon Go?
There is no known trick capable of luring Ditto in any way. In 2021, the creature was available once as a monthly reward for Research Breakthroughs, resulting in guaranteed encounters, and the Special Research Tasks for the Kanto Tour event guaranteed a Shiny Ditto.
In 2022, the April Fools event raised Ditto’s spawn rates for a while and the 2023 Let's Go event in March did something similar, so this could be a new annual tradition.
The future certainly holds more events with Ditto in store, which will either guarantee you some encounters or at least boost your chances. In the meantime, however, you will need to hunt the Pokémon listed above to hope for a match.
For more Pokémon Go, check out our guide on how to find all regional Pokémon. We also have overviews for all current Spotlight Hours, 5-Star Raids, and Field Research Tasks.
