Master Ball
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TheMaster Ball (Japanese:マスターボールMaster Ball) is a type ofPoké Ball introduced inGeneration I. It can be used to catch awild Pokémon without fail. It was invented by theSilph Co.
In the core series games
Price
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Effect
Manual activation
When used from theBag in awild encounter, it catches the wild Pokémon without fail (with the exception of theghost Marowak inPokémon Tower). Despite the common misconception that the Master Ball has a low chance to fail in certain generations, it functions by simply overriding the catch formula entirely, skipping any calculations based on chance.
InPokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, throwing a Master Ball will bypass the Poké Ball manual aiming mechanic, and will instead show a cutscene of the Master Ball catching the chosen Pokémon. If used onLegendary Pokémon in these games, they will attempt to smack the ball away during the cutscene, but will still be caught anyway.
The Master Ball cannot be used in situations in which Poké Balls cannot be used, such as in wild battles with two or more opponents currently present or against atrial Pokémon. If used in a Trainer battle, the opposing Trainer will bat the ball away, wasting the item (Generation III and earlier) or only the player's turn (fromGeneration IV onward).
As a Pokémon's Poké Ball
FromGeneration VI onward,bred Pokémon inherit their Poké Ball from their parents. However, any offspring that would inherit a Master Ball,Cherish Ball, orStrange Ball will instead be contained in astandard Poké Ball.
Held item
Fling will fail if used while holding a Master Ball.
Description
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Acquisition
Distribution
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As aheld item
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NPC usage
Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon
Thevillainous team leaders inTeam Rainbow Rocket keep their Pokémon in Master Balls.
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
AI SadaS andAI TuroV keep their Pokémon in Master Balls. DuringThe Indigo Disk,Kieran briefly keepsTerapagos in a Master Ball, which is broken by Terapagos after it assumes itsStellar Form.
Cameo appearances
Pokémon X and Y
A Master Ball appears in thePoké Ball Boutique inLumiose City.
In the side series games
Pokémon Stadium 2
InPokémon Stadium 2, Master Ball appears in the mini-gameFurret's Frolic. It is the largest ball in that mini-game, appearing later than the rest and being worth 5 points.
Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness
InPokémon XD, Master Balls are used in theBattle Bingo game. The player starts with two and can gain an extra one from one of the ? spaces.
Pokémon Dream World
Adecorative rug themed after the Master Ball could be found in the Hero's Catalogue inPokémon Dream World.
In the spin-off games
Pokémon Trading Card Game 2: The Invasion of Team GR!
TheMaster Ball card is available inPokémon Trading Card Game 2: The Invasion of Team GR!.
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| Master Ball (GB2) |
Pokémon GO
InPokémon GO, the Master Ball was first made available on May 22, 2023. It can be used to catch any encountered Pokémon without fail. It cannot miss, as a cutscene of the Pokémon being caught is triggered when one is thrown, bypassing the usual throwing mechanic. The Master Ball is the only Poké Ball that can be selected from the player'sBag during the bonus challenge of aRaid Battle,Max Battle, orTeam GO Rocket battle. It also cannot be discarded from the Bag.
Using a Master Ball does not reward bonus XP for Curveball Throws or hitting the target circle. Instead, a 1,000 XP "Master Ball Throw" bonus is rewarded.
Description
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Acquisition
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Pokémon Pinball series
InPokémon Pinball andPokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire, the Master Ball multiplies bonus points by ×4. Its effect of always guaranteeing capture is given to each Poké Ball.
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| Sprite from Pinball | Sprite from Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire |
Pokémon Frienda
 | This section is missing one or more images. Please feel free to add any missing images to this section. Needed images can beuploaded to the Bulbagarden Archives. |
InPokémon Frienda, after a set number ofmoves have been used and at least one opposing Pokémon has fainted, the player can insert ¥100 for a chance to catch all of the opposing Pokémon. A spinning wheel determines what Poké Balls are used on the Pokémon, with one of the options being a very small chance for a Master Ball.
Super Smash Bros. series
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
InSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, thePoké Ball trophy mentions the Master Ball, identifying it as the strongest variety of Poké Ball.
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U
InSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U, the Master Ball appears as a throwing item. It functions much like the Poké Ball item, but the Master Ball summons rare andLegendary Pokémon,Zoroark, or aGoldeen.
The Master Ball also appears as a trophy in both versions of the game.
Trophy information
NA:These valuable, powerful balls can capture any wild Pokémon. In Smash Bros., hard-to-find Pokémon often pop out of them. You can easily identify a Master Ball by the distinct purple appearance and large M on the top. A Pokémon within a Master Ball may turn the tide of battle.
PAL:A rare type of Poké Ball that never fails to catch a Pokémon. Throw one in this game, and the Mythical or Legendary Pokémon inside will come to your aid. Master Balls are easy to identify due to their purple colour and the large M on them. Use one to quickly turn the tide of any battle!
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
InSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, the Master Ball functions the same way as it did in the previous games; summoning a Legendary orMythical Pokémon, Zoroark, or Goldeen.
Gallery
Artwork
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| Artwork from Red and Green | Artwork by Ken Sugimori | Artwork from Global Link | Artwork from Legends: Z-A |
Sprites
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| In-battle sprite in Generation II | Sprite from Furret Frolic's instruction screen in Stadium 2 | In-battle and Summary sprite from Generation III | Summary sprite from Colosseum | Summary sprite from XD: Gale of Darkness |
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| Summary sprite from Generations IV andV | In-battle sprite in Generation IV | Summary sprite from Battle Revolution | In-battle sprite in Generation V |
Models
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| Model from Furret's Frolic in Stadium 2 | In-battle model X, Y,Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire,Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon | Model from Super Smash Bros. for Wii U | Model from Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! | Model from Generation VIII |
In animation
Pokémon the Series
InBeauty and the Beach andA Hot Water Battle,Misty had a beach ball that was decorated to look like a Master Ball. This Master Ball beach ball reappeared in thePikachu shortPikachu's Ice Adventure.
Pokémon the Series: The Beginning
InThe Song of Jigglypuff, a picture of a Master Ball appeared on a billboard on a building inNeon Town.
Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire
InWhiscash and Ash,Sullivan attempted to use a Master Ball in a last-ditch attempt tocatchNero, anoversizedwildWhiscash that had long eluded him. However, Nero swallowed the Master Ball and disappeared back into the water, not being caught. At the end of the episode, Nero was seen playing with the Master Ball on its tongue.
Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl
A Master Ball appeared inWhich One ~ Is It?, a Japanese ending theme fromPokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl.
Pokémon Horizons: The Series
InFound You, Fuecoco!, the Master Ball was mentioned in one ofNidothing's videos.
Pokémon Origins
The Master Ball never made an actual appearance inPokémon Origins, only appearing inSilph Co. president's secretary's demonstration inFile 3: Giovanni. She mentioned that the Master Ball was still in development, and only existed as a prototype. She also told that it was whyTeam Rocket had taken over their office building; they intended to accelerate the development of the Master Ball and then steal it when it would be completed, making sure they would be the only ones possessing it. After Team Rocket was driven out of the building byRed, it was mentioned that the development of the Master Ball was being put on hold for a while.
The presentation about the Master Ball appears to include aperiodic table of the elements with 13 elements highlighted, suggesting that the Master Ball is made of those elements. Three of the highlighted elements appear to benickel,rhodium, andiridium. Five appear to be those known in the real world ascopper,lutetium,rhenium,dubnium, anddarmstadtium (the real-world names of which refer to real-world places). The other five highlighted elements include three in thep-block and two in thef-block, but their identities are unclear, because these blocks each have one fewergroup, and the f-block has one fewerperiod, than their real-world counterparts. Of the highlighted p-block elements, one appears to be eitherboron orcarbon, one appears to correspond togermanium orarsenic (both are used in electronics, but arsenic would normally becombined with gallium), and the third appears to beselenium orbromine. Of the highlighted f-block elements, one appears to correspond todysprosium,holmium,californium, oreinsteinium, and the other appears to correspond tothulium,ytterbium,mendelevium, ornobelium.
In the manga
Movie adaptations
InMewtwo Strikes Back!,Dr. Fuji attempted to use a Master Ball to catchMew, but failed.
Pokémon Adventures
Red, Green & Blue arc
InAnd Mewtwo... Three!,Blaine was revealed to be in possession of a Master Ball. Soon afterwards,Red used it to catchMewtwo for Blaine.
X & Y arc
InMalamar Traps, Blaine was revealed to have re-caught Mewtwo with the Master Ball after reuniting with it at thePokémon Village.
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure!
In(Violent) Earthquake! Cyrus's Consuming Ambition,Cyrus gaveHareta a Master Ball as recognition for him having moved his emotions, telling him to bring it with him toMount Coronet. InBonds Connect Across Space-Time..., the Master Ball fell out of Hareta's pocket at theSpear Pillar, andProfessor Rowan told him about its capability to catch any Pokémon without fail. In an attempt to stop the battle betweenDialga andPalkia, Hareta tried to use the Master Ball to catch Palkia, but Palkia, having total control over space, was able to make itself disappear out of Master Ball's way and then smack it aside.
Pokémon Pocket Monsters
Red used a Master Ball inThe Legendary Pokémon Appears!! to catchArticuno.
Pokémon Zensho
Satoshi obtained a Master Ball from theSilph Co.'s president inSaffron City as thanks for rescuing his company from the hands of Team Rocket.
Gallery
| This is missing one or more images. Please feel free to add any missing images to this . Needed images can beuploaded to the Bulbagarden Archives. Reason: Fuji's Master Ball from the manga version of Mewtwo Strikes Back |
A Master Ball inPokémon Adventures
A Master Ball inPokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure!
A Master Ball inPokémon Pocket Monsters
A Master Ball inPokémon Zensho
In the magazines
(Pokémon Power magazine)
Pokémon Power
InPokémon Power (issue 2, page 3), it is said that the Master Ball was the latest invention ofProfessor Oak. He publicly revealed the existence of the Master Ball in a press conference. Professor Oak licensed the Master Ball design toSilph Co., and this company's early field tests were said to be promising.
In the TCG
- Main article:Master Ball (Gym Challenge 116)
TheMaster Ball was first introduced as aTrainer card in thePokémon Trading Card Game in English during the Original Series in theGym Challenge, and in Japanese during the Original Era in theExpansion Sheet 2. It has been reprinted as a Trainer card in the Japanese-exclusiveIntro Pack Neo (in the Neo Era), the Japanese-exclusivePokémon VS expansion (in the VS Era), the English e-Card Series (the Japanese e-Card Era), and the English EX Series (the Japanese ADV Era and PCG Era). As a Trainer card, this card allowed the player to look at the top 7 cards of their deck and add one Pokémon card from those cards to their hand, then shuffle their deck. Notably, as this card only lets the players look at 7 cards from their deck, this card has a chance to fail to get any Pokémon, which is unlike how the in-game item works.
During the English Black & White Series (the Japanese BW Era), Master Ball was reprinted as anACE SPECItem card in thePlasma Blast expansion in English and theBlastoise + Kyurem-EX Combo Deck in Japanese. This print has a new effect which more closely resembles the item's in-game mechanic, allowing the player to add any 1 Pokémon card from their deck to their hand without any drawback. As this print is an ACE SPEC card, a player may only have 1 copy of Master Ball in their deck. This print of Master Ball was later reprinted during the English Scarlet & Violet Series (the Japanese Scarlet & Violet Era) in the JapaneseStarter Deck & Build Sets and the EnglishTemporal Forces expansion with the same effect, but a new ACE SPEC layout. The old pre-Black & White effect of Master Ball would be inherited byGreat Ball, starting with itsEmerging Powers print.
The Master Ball was also featured as a card inPokémon Trading Card Game 2: The Invasion of Team GR!
Trivia
- Pokémon Legends: Arceus is the only core series game in which the Master Ball does not appear at all.
- ThePoké Ball amount bug fromPokémon Colosseum is often known as the Master Ball glitch, due to Master Balls commonly being used in this glitch.
- When theplayer uses a Master Ball inGeneration II, stars appear and a sound effect is played before the Ball closes andcatches the Pokémon.
- There are several instances of a Master Ball failing to capture a Pokémon:
- In theMewtwo Strikes Back! manga,Mew dodgedDr. Fuji's Master Ball by quickly flying in the air.
- In thePokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire episodeWhiscash and Ash,Nero theWhiscash swallowedSullivan's Master Ball.
- In thePokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure! chapterBonds Connect Across Space-Time...,Dialga, by manipulating space, disappeared out of the way ofHareta's Master Ball and then smacked it aside.
- InPokémon Pinball andPokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire, due to thedifferent types of Poké Ball only affecting the player'sscores and not the chances of catching a Pokémon, it is possible to hit awild Pokémon with a Master Ball during theCatch 'em Mode and still fail to catch it (if the time runs out or the player loses a ball before hitting the wild Pokémon three times).
In other languages
| Language | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese | Cantonese | 大師球Daaihsī Kàuh* 掌門球Jéungmùhn Kàuh* 掌門精靈球Jéungmùhn Jīnglìhng Kàuh* 究極寵物小精靈球Gaugihk Chúngmaht-Síujīnglìhng Kàuh* 精靈球Jīnglìhng Kàuh* |
| Mandarin | 大師球 / 大师球Dàshī Qiú* 掌門球 / 掌门球Zhǎngmén Qiú* 魔獸球Móshòu Qiú* 究極神奇寶貝球Jiūjí Shénqí-Bǎobèi Qiú* 终极神奇宝贝球Zhōngjí Shénqí-Bǎobèi Qiú* | |
| Czech | Mistrbal | |
| Dutch | Meesterbal* | |
| Finnish | Mestaripallo | |
| French | Master Ball | |
| German | Meisterball | |
| Hindi | मास्टर बॉलMaster Ball | |
| Indonesian | Bola Master | |
| Italian | Master Ball | |
| Korean | 마스터볼Master Ball | |
| Polish | Masterball | |
| Portuguese | Brazil | Bola Mestra* Master Ball* |
| Portugal | Bola Mestra | |
| Russian | Мастер-БоллMaster-Boll | |
| Spanish | Latin America | Masterbola* Bola Maestra* |
| Spain | Master Ball | |
| Thai | มาสเตอร์บอลMaster Ball | |
| Turkish | Usta Top | |
| Vietnamese | Bóng Master | |
Related articles
 | This item article is part ofProject ItemDex, aBulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on allitems. |
