How to catch Ditto in Pokémon Go!

How do you catch the just-released Ditto, the Pokémon Go in disguise? With these tips!

Ditto is a Pokémon who can transform — essentially take on the appearance and attributes of other Pokémon. Although missing from the original release of Pokémon Go, Ditto is now out and about in the wild and ready to be caught.

I've caught a dozen already, and here's how!

Who's Ditto and why do I want him?

Ditto is one of the first generation Pokémon that hadn't yet been released into the Pokémon Go game. Now he has. You want him because he's new and you now need him to complete your Pokédex. Here's the official announcement:

Professor Willow has finally discovered Ditto! Trainers all over the world have been reporting its appearance.

Ditto has been known to disguise itself as other Pokémon, so keep an eye out, some Pokémon may actually be Ditto, and when you capture them, there's a chance that Ditto will reveal itself. If you do encounter a Pokémon that is Ditto in disguise, the Pokémon in that specific encounter will also reveal itself as Ditto for other Trainers.

Ditto is also a unique Pokémon when you interact with Gyms. When training or battling at a Gym, Ditto will copy the appearance, types, and moves of the first Pokémon it sees, and it will stay that way through the remainder of those Gym battles.

That's the gist, here are the details!

So Ditto hides as other Pokémon?

Yup! Ditto can transform into other Pokémon and, so far, he's only being encountered in the wild in his transformed state. That means you can't see Ditto on Nearby or Sightings, and you won't know if he's spawned right next to you — you'll just see some random, common Pokémon with no visual or audible clue that anything is amiss.

It's only after you catch him that you'll be greeted with an "Oh?" instead of a "Gotcha!" and he'll be revealed as Ditto.

So, you gotta catch 'em all. Literally. Because any one of them could be Ditto. That said...

How is Ditto hiding?

Ditto hides as a base-level Pokémon. The two I caught were both Rattata, and that seems to be what many others are reporting as well. There are, however, also reports of Ditto hiding as Pidgey, Magikarp, Zubat, and more. It's possible any really common (2K egg hatching) Pokémon could be Ditto in disguise.

So, focus on those super common Pokémon you might otherwise have been ignoring. (And remember, you can use many of them to grind out XP so even if most aren't Ditto, it's time well invested.)

Where can I catch Ditto?

Some areas, including PokéStops, Gyms, parking lots, malls, etc. have spawn points where multiple Pokémon appear at once and most of them are the really common kind. That's perfect for Ditto. I caught my first one in the parking lot of a McDonald's. I've caught others at spawn points on street corners and in a food court.

If you see two Rattata or a couple of Pidgey, you can catch them all and play the odds on getting a Ditto.

Can I get Ditto with Incense and Lures?

The second Ditto I caught was from Incense, and so were the next four or so as well. Lures also work. That means you can drop one or the other and, instead of focusing on a rare, focus on the four to six commons that appear. Catch those and hope for the best.

So, if you have a favorite route or favorite place to hang, drop some Incense or a Lure and, fingers crossed, let Ditto come to you.

Is Ditto random or can everyone catch him?

If you catch a Magikarp and it turns out to be Ditto, anyone else who catches that Magikarp will also see it transform into Ditto. In other words, once a Pokémon is revealed as Ditto, it's consistently Ditto for everyone.

So, if you're playing as a family or are out in a group and one of you catches Ditto, let everyone else know and you'll all get Ditto. Dividing and conquering is a great way to churn through a lot of low-level spawns at once as well.

Can I catch Ditto with the Pokémon Go Plus?

Yes, absolutely! It'll try to catch Ditto just like it would the Pokémon Ditto's pretending to be. Catch that Pokémon and you've caught Ditto.

How does Ditto work in Gyms?

Ditto only has one moveset: Transform and Struggle. Transform does zero damage but, instead, immediately changes Ditto in the same Pokémon he's fighting. That's true whether he's defending a Gym or attacking it, for training or for taking down.

He also takes on the attributes of the Pokémon he's mimicking, though there are some reports that his exact CP will vary based on his level rather than the level of the Pokémon he's copying. And, of course, a Ditto transforming into another Ditto stays the same.

The Silph Road on Reddit has a mega-thread with tons more info and fact-finding.

Any catching questions?

Hopefully you'll read this and then go catch yourself a Ditto or dozen. If you have any questions about catching the little purple blob, though, drop them in the comments below!

And when you DO catch DITTO, make sure you post a pic and tag @imore on Twitter and/or @imoregram telling us what he was hiding as and where you caught 'em all!