How to get it
- Spin PokéStops and Gym Photo Discs once this ball is unlocked.
- Open Gifts and claim research, level-up, or Adventure Sync rewards that include it.
- Check shop bundles and free boxes; their contents vary.
How to use it
- Open a wild or eligible research encounter, tap the ball selector, and choose this ball.
- Land the throw while the Pokémon is catchable. A ball is spent when thrown, even if you miss.
Worth knowing
Keep a reserve if you use an automatic catcher: a bag full of Great and Ultra Balls does not replace its regular Poké Ball supply.
Ordinary bag balls cannot replace the allotted Premier Balls in a raid bonus encounter.
What the catch multiplier actually means
The multiplier changes the exponent in the catch formula; it does not simply multiply the final percentage. Holding every other factor constant, a 20% Poké Ball chance becomes about 28.4% with a Great Ball and 36% with an Ultra Ball. These are illustrative calculations, not a prediction for every encounter.
Combine the ball with your throw and berry
Ball quality, a catch-enhancing berry, throw accuracy, curveballs, medals, and certain encounter effects all contribute to the catch formula. A curveball contributes a 1.7× throw factor, while a smaller successful target circle improves the accuracy factor.
As an illustrative comparison, suppose a plain Poké Ball throw has a 20% chance and all other conditions stay fixed. An Ultra Ball gives 36%; adding a Golden Razz Berry gives about 67.2%; adding a curveball as well gives about 85.0%. These numbers come from 1 − (1 − 0.20)^m with combined factors of 2, 5, and 8.5.
The calculation assumes the ball actually connects. Spending a stronger ball does not compensate for repeatedly hitting during the Pokémon’s attack animation. Reliable throws remain part of the resource decision.
Sources & further reading
- Pokémon GO: A Quantitative Approach by nick blackVersion 1.0.6 (October 4, 2026), §5.2, pp. 30–32; Table 5.3; Tables 5.3–5.4
Event rewards, shop offers, and limits can change. Check the current in-game description for event-specific rules. Worked examples are illustrative calculations.